Volume 3 - CH 24

Act 3-24: Tales Woven By A Monster(Side: Serpent Blood LeaderSnake)

The Akinashi territory.

（DAMMIT! DAMMIT! DAMMIT AAAAAAAAAALL! I never heard that the big three are here too!!）

They had been chased around for an entire night in this devilish city. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the ones chasing after them were 【Crimson Raven】, the 【Tao Family】, and the 【Lost Forest】, the big three of the underworld.

The big three were absolute kings who ruled the underworld. The difference between them and Serpent Blood, a mere mafia in the Amelia kingdom, was like that between heaven and earth. Thus, it made him wonder why these three mighty underworld organizations had stooped as low as to hunt down weak organizations like their Serpent Blood. Most of his comrades had been either arrested or killed. Only ten odd were left, including himself.

Suddenly, numerous fire pillars rose to heaven, and their pursuers stopped.

Finally, he felt that he had been released from the nightmare. But, he had no idea that their nightmares had just begun.

「We don’t have any choice but to keep going on.」

The 【Tao Family】 appeared from the blocked passage behind them to prevent any escapes. Thus, they had no choice but to move forward.

（Had I known this would happen, I wouldn’t have accepted the commission from that Pigzer!）

For the nth time today, Snake cursed his decision of accepting the commission.

This city, Akinashi, was a reward given to Kotetsu Akinashi, the otherworlder who had defeated the evil dragon that had wreaked havoc and brought the Amelia kingdom to the brink of destruction. At least, that was what they said in the papers.

""

However, if that were the case, the city should’ve long been plundered by the greedy nobles in the central region. And yet, the city had stood safe for the last three hundred years.

It was one of the Amelia kingdom’s seven wonders spread in the underworld. A terrifying secret lay in this city that made even the greedy nobles of the Amelia kingdom, who did things as they pleased, hesitate. Snake had guessed that the three kings of the underworld might be pursuing that secret too.

（Are you fucking kidding me? As if I’m gonna die in this place for that fu*king pig!!）

He couldn’t accept that. Snake had just been a starving orphan in the Amelia kingdom. Yet, he had become the boss of one of the kingdom’s ten biggest mafias. He was a man with real abilities.

He did everything to survive, even if he had to drink muddy water, do dirty jobs that even he didn’t want to, or bow his head down even if disliked that. After having reached his current position experiencing countless hardships, he refused to return to that miserable past.

（I… will survive―）

They arrived in a plaza after coming out of the alley.

（Haha… I see! This is my final resting place, eh?）

The big three had already lined up in that plaza. The first group was one with the mark of jar and snake. The second had the mark of the sun and a crow. And the last had the marks of withered three and moon.

This was more than enough evidence to convince him that these were the underworld’s big three. Comparing them with Serpent Blood was like comparing the kings of giants with a normal human.

「We have lost. That’s a fact. Ain’t gonna care what happens to me! That’s why after I die, please spare my subordinates!」

The first thing Snake said when facing ultimate despair was words he had abandoned a long time ago.

「Sorry, but we’re not the ones who can decide that.」

A tall, lanky, and blonde man wearing a baggy attire said so while looking at a certain place with a stiff expression.

The other members of the big three also looked at the center of the plaza instead of Snake and his subordinates.

Over there was a giant man with a lion head and a gorgeous beastwoman with nine tails. Both of them were kneeling in front of a black-haired youth who carried a black puppy.

「You guys finally arrived.」

The black-haired youth said so as he looked in the direction of the main street while patting the black puppy in his embrace.

Soon, a blonde girl with traces of childishness on her face entered the plaza, heavily breathing as if she had just been running as fast as possible.

「You! What are you trying to do?」

「What am I trying to do?」

「Akinashi isn’t under attack at all!」

「You’re just too slow. It ended already. Look, the three over there are 【Crimson Raven】, the 【Tao Family】, and the 【Lost Forest】. And the ones isolated over there are 【Serpent Blood】.」

The blonde girl’s face twitched when she saw the people gathered in the plaza.

「You’re not a decent person, after all!」

She screamed as if to let out her frustration.

「Well, since all the actors and actresses have gathered in this place, it’s time to start the real festival!」

「Festival? What festival? Are you telling this mistress to fight them?」

The black-haired youth shrugged, then squinted as he looked at Snake and his subordinates and the members of the big three behind them.

「Nay! There’s nothing interesting about a battle between greenhorns. Even more so against those who have lost their fighting spirits.」

He said so as if it was a matter of fact.

（Hahaha! What in the hell is THAT?）

The expression of every person from the big three stiffened just by looking at the black-haired youth. It was as if they had seen the end of the world. Snake felt it was strange that the kings of the underworld could make such faces.

「Well, apparently, no one from Serpent Blood has received the explanation about the rules of the festival yet.

In my original arrangement, you people were supposed to die wretched deaths and become the human pillars of this festival along with that Pigzer, who has already entered the countdown of his life. But, I’ve changed my mind after hearing what you said…」

The black-haired youth paused for a few seconds, and…

""

「Do your best to survive this festival. After that, reveal all the evil deeds committed by that pig in the public along with evidence. After you have done all that, I’ll guarantee your subordinates’ safety.」

He listed those requirements with a solemn expression.

「Nemea, how’s the evacuation of the citizens?」

『Every breath in this area has been transferred into my domain. That lizard won’t be able to catch even a glimpse of their shadows.』

「Uhm! And what about that giant lizard in question?」

『Uhm! I’m doing my best to wake that lizard from its slumber. I’m holding back properly so that I won’t kill it by accident! I’m so amazing, right!?』

The jet-black puppy in the youth’s embrace said so while puffing its chest.

「I see! Good job on holding back, Fen!」

The black-haired youth brushed the head of the jet-black puppy with a smile on his face.

「W-wait a minute! What were you talking about just now? Why am I getting only bad feelings about this!?」

The blonde girl shouted at the black-haired youth.

The youth gave the puppy to the silver-haired beastfolk woman on his side, then turned to the blonde girl. Raising his hands to the sky, he let out an extremely sinister, demon king-like smile, like the ones in a fairy tale, and shouted.

「Ladies ＆ gentlemen! The deathmatch between humankind and the giant lizard that has been sleeping in this land is about to begin!!」

Even Snake could feel the atmosphere trembling as the youth raised his voice.

At that moment, the summit of the mountain that was used as a mine exploded, and a black silhouette came out.

「Giant liza― Are you referring to the legendary evil dragon that has been sleeping here for 300 years!?」

The colour drained from the blonde girl’s face as she asked the black-haired youth in a shrill voice.

「Hou! As expected of royalty! You lot do know about the existence of that giant lizard, eh. Corre~ct! Now, our special guest has made its entrance to the festival.」

「A-Are you insane!? That thing is a mindless being that will slaughter everything once it’s awakened―」

「Correct! That giant lizard’s favourite dish is freshly-baked meat belonging to women and children. Its hobby is destroying cities. The music it loves the most is the chorus of agonizing humans! In short, that sh*tty lizard is humankind’s enemy. Don’t hold back! Use everything in your arsenal. Show no mercy!」

「Listen, the problem is―」

「Now let the festival begin, Kyuubi.」

「My pleasure!」

When the silver-haired beastwoman raised her right hand, numerous light spheres appeared around her, heading toward the monster trying to crawl down from the mountain summit.

""

「Well then, godspeed to you all.」

The black-haired youth and all the other otherworldly beings vanished from the plaza, leaving behind those words.

「T-t-that fu*cking madman!! Even a joke has a limit, you knooooooooooooooooooow!!」

The black silhouette’s face twitched as it heard the blonde girl’s scream, which was filled with complicated emotions like irritation and madness. Then, it spread its giant wings.

『Gugyoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!』

Its roar reverberated in the entirety of Akinashi.

The legendary evil dragon that had been sleeping for 300 years had finally awakened. The tale woven by a monster had finally headed toward its climax.