On the second day after the plan was initially formulated, Skadi was the first to take action.
After all, whatever the operation, intelligence came first.
Without intelligence, there was no way to act. To move rashly with little to no information was nothing short of foolish—suicidal, even.
Thus, Skadi alone took the lead.
The Dwarves, Elves, and Vampires slated for recruitment were to be approached only after the Werebeasts had been secured.
But—
Without a true understanding of the Werebeasts, all information about them was little more than conjecture and rumor. It was simply what the King himself had deduced, and though his conclusions were rarely wrong, the predictability of the Werebeasts was almost too neat. Would they really come charging the instant they caught a whiff of human presence?
Miss Killer Whale stood alone in the forest depths, testing this theory as she deliberately released the scent of a human, faintly tinged with the deep sea.
This forest belonged to the Werebeasts.
To expose one's presence so brazenly here was akin to telling the hunters their prey was waiting.
No surprise, then, when several dark shadows streaked swiftly between the trees.
Beastmen, all drawn to the scent.
It was only one scent. Human? Not particularly tasty, perhaps, but meat was meat.
The thought crossed each of their minds at once.
For those constantly starved of resources, even one or two humans were targets worth the effort—so long as they could be subdued.
Of course, they knew better than to underestimate even a human. In this age, countless things could end a beastman's life. Given the right traps and tactics, even a small group could fall prey to a human adversary.
Even lions fought rabbits with their full strength.
Anything less would be regret.
The Werebeasts were not arrogant.
And so, as they closed in, they did so with caution—until, suddenly, they accelerated, their fangs and claws bared. In the blink of an eye, they were poised to rend the lone figure apart.
No tactics now. No defenses would matter. The girl in their sights would be shredded before she could so much as scream.
That was the plan.
—Until.
Clang!
The greatsword swept through the air faster still, its pitch-black edge cutting space itself, sparks bursting in its wake. The shockwave tore the front ranks of beastmen clean in half, sending the rest tumbling like ragdolls.
"You're far too impatient, beasts." Skadi tilted her head, cold light flashing in her eyes. "I can understand your hunger. But when the prey you hunt can speak, a little courtesy goes a long way. Otherwise—"
Otherwise, there would be no mercy.
Skadi was the hunter who had culled nearly every phantasmal beast in Britain.
The blood of giants, monsters, and divine beasts alike soaked the core of the Sword That Stirs the Tides.
For any creature with a trace of animality, her very presence was a natural predator's suppression.
Meeting her meant tasting death.
The Werebeasts felt it instantly. Their blood chilled. Some froze, some faltered, and those weaker in spirit found their breath caught in their throats.
"Who… who are you?" one stammered.
"Me? I'm Skadi, Third Knight of the Round Table. Consider me an ordinary human."
"Human?"
The leader stiffened, eyes widening as realization struck. He stumbled back a step in alarm.
Overwhelming strength. Clad in black, wielding a black sword, and—claiming humanity.
That description could only mean one person.
The one who had appeared before, who had fought their kind in open daylight, who had caused a stir in the very capital, killed a Blood Destroyer, and walked away without a care.
Their greatest enemy.
The others reached the same conclusion. Terror rippled through the group.
"Who are you really?! Why do you oppose us?! You can't be human!"
"Just as my king said," Skadi replied coolly. "Your impression of humans runs too deep. A stereotype. But whether I'm human or not is irrelevant."
Her gaze swept over them without a hint of anger. No emotion at all.
They smelled too much like beasts. Not cute like humans. Not worth more than courtesy demanded.
With a small shake of her head, she raised her sword and cleaved the air.
A rift opened with a shhhk of tearing space, and a massive container crashed to the ground before them.
Skadi didn't bother to glance at their reactions as she pried it open.
The reek of fresh blood spilled out.
Meat.
Piles of it.
The Werebeasts' eyes went wide.
It wasn't enough to feed an entire tribe for long, but compared to their current scarcity, it was a treasure.
And then—
Boom. Boom. Boom.
Three more containers fell from above.
"These are yours," Skadi said flatly, reading from a memo without looking up. "Now for trade. Offer me intelligence on the other races—anything at all. I'll assign it value and give you food in exchange. Then, based on the total, I'll issue tasks. Complete them, and you'll receive ten times that amount."
The Werebeasts fell into turmoil.
The stranger's identity was unclear, her strength terrifying. They had no leverage to negotiate. Yet she had given them food. Not just scraps, but entire containers.
Food—life itself.
And more, if they were willing to trade. Ten times more, if they fulfilled her commissions.
The temptation was unbearable.
But could they trust her?
"Don't worry about the difficulty," she added. "The tasks won't be fatal, and you'll have the right to choose. I won't coerce or command. This is simple, fair trade. I'll return tomorrow. Consider your answer carefully."
She left without another word, without even a backward glance.
As if it didn't matter whether they agreed.
That alone spurred them all the more.
Consider?
There was no need.
For Werebeasts, food was life.
-End Chapter-
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