Chapter 248

"The moon is bright tonight."

Kureha's father muttered, gazing up at the sky.

"It's a perfect night for the wolves to go mad."

"What... What are you planning to do?" 

Kureha, his shoulders tense with anxiety, asked desperately.

"Why did you bring me here tonight?"

"Tonight, this boy will be sent to the Imperial Army camp."

Pointing to Kuilan, who lay on the ground, his father took deliberate steps towards him.

"He carries the curse of the entire tribe. If awakened as a wolf and exposed to a full moon like tonight, he becomes a formidable monster."

"...!"

"This boy will slaughter the Imperial Army for the rest of his life."

"And after that?"

"He'll die."

His father's voice was incredibly matter-of-fact.

"Whether the Imperial Army defeats him after his rampage as a monster or he collapses unable to bear the manifested curse, he will eventually die."

"What..."

"The curse that leaves his body will be absorbed here, on this altar, into this Maple Leaf Tree, which serves both as the tribe's guardian and the nexus of our sorcery. Then we'll kidnap the next 'vessel' and contain the curse again."

Kureha demanded fiercely, "You plan to use a child, who spends his life bearing this curse, as a weapon?"

"..."

"Isn't it enough that we turned him into a monster so we could live as humans? Now you want him to sacrifice even that life for us?"

Without a word, his father drew a dagger from his robes. Kureha cried out.

"Please reconsider, Father! This isn't something a human should do!"

"This boy is not only your brother, but also my son."

He spat out in a stern voice.

"Do you think it doesn't tear my heart apart?"

As he began to chant a spell, he pricked Kuilan's forehead with the dagger.

At that moment, the branches of the Maple Leaf Tree writhed and stretched out like tentacles, embedding themselves into Kuilan's body with a loud 'thud!'

"..."

Dark blood oozed from the wound on his forehead, staining his face.

Blood pooled around his body, pinned by the tree's branches. Yet, Kuilan did not move.

However, when his father exposed the wound to the moonlight-

"Arrrrrrgh!"

Kuilan convulsed in agony.

Red wolf fur sprouted all over the boy's body, exposed to the moonlight. His mouth elongated like that of a wolf, and his eyes shone wildly.

Horrifying sounds emanated from his bones as the boy's frame expanded.

But, chained down, Kuilan couldn't resist even as he writhed.

By the time the father's dagger had carved a distinct X-shaped scar on Kuilan's forehead, the boy had transformed into a massive monster.

With grotesquely grown claws, hideous fangs that wouldn't fit together, and red fur all over...

A wolf monster bearing the curse of the entire tribe.

"Kureha."

Overwhelmed by the sight, Kureha watched as his father turned to him and commanded,

"Take him. Release this monster in the Imperial Army camp and return."

Gritting his teeth, Kureha shook his head.

"I can't."

"You must."

"I won't!"

"You fool!"

In fury, his father roared at him.

"You must lead our tribe in the future! Will you be shaken just by the life of a mere younger brother?"

"..."

"For the sake of one pitiable life, will you disregard the thousands of lives you must bear? Kureha! Can't you discern what's more important?"

Father growled like a wolf.

"To protect the many, you must know when to sacrifice the few with tears in your eyes... That is what it means to be a leader!"

"If that's the form of sacrifice, I can never be a leader."

Kureha slowly clenched his fist and assumed a combat stance.

"I can't let this child... my younger brother die. I will stop you, Father."

Rage flashed in his father's eyes.

"Are you saying you'd abandon our tribe, our clan? Everyone in the clan is relying solely on you!"

"This way is wrong, father! You know it yourself!"

As Kureha stood unwavering, his father brought his hand to his mouth and let out a sharp whistle.

"...?!"

From the still-open door, warriors who had been waiting outside the altar flooded in.

All of them could be considered as directly under the chief's command.

Father coldly spat out.

"Warrior Kureha has rebelled against me, the tribe's chief and the head shaman. Subdue him."

"Yes!"

The space was too tight, and their numbers were too many.

Realizing his resistance was futile, Kureha slowly relaxed his combat stance. The warriors immediately subdued him, forcing him to his knees.

His father, after briefly glancing at the gritting Kureha, commanded the warriors.

"As we discussed beforehand, take the monster and release it into the Empire's camp."

"Yes."

All the warriors except the two holding Kureha dragged Kuilan, who had turned into a monster, outside with chains.

Watching this, Kureha hung his head. His father let out a long sigh.

"Cool your head and think rationally, Kureha. You are destined to rule our tribe. Without this sacrificial system, our tribe would fall apart."

Kureha remained silent. With a heavy tone, his father changed the subject.

"... I said I'd bestow upon you the fifth technique of the Leaf Fist. Do you know why I didn't teach it to you until now?"

"..."

"The final technique of the Leaf Fist can't be executed by a human body. It requires embracing the wild nature... the ancestral curse that runs in our blood. That's why it was sealed."

His father then took out an old book from his pocket.

"This fifth technique is called 'Wind Wolf of the Broken Heart'. They say it can shatter even the unseen heart. Well, there might be some exaggeration."

Whoosh.

The book his father tossed landed in front of Kureha's knees.

"Take it. It's a manual containing the core teachings of the Leaf Fist, including the fifth technique. It has been passed down to the leader of our tribe for generations."

Slowly, Kureha reached out and took the worn book.

"It's also a symbol of proving continuity of the tribe's lineage."

A technique that's passed down but unusable.

Then what's the point of such a thing?

"Once this war is over, succeed me as the chief, Kureha. Lead our tribe."

"..."

"If anyone can do it, it's you."

That's how Kureha interpreted his father's words.

After your brother dies today, find another sacrifice. Place the curse of the entire tribe upon them and transform them into a monster. 

In order for the rest to live as humans, create a scapegoat and raise them here. 

To this dreadful 'peace' that has been passed down through generations - you too should contribute.

"...I refuse, Father."

Huffing, Kureha steadied his breathing.

The other warriors had left with his younger brother, leaving only two warriors and his father in the room.

Whack! Thud!

Like a bolt of lightning, Kureha swung his fists and elbows, striking the jaws of the two warriors who had been pinning him down by his shoulders.

The two warriors fell, vomiting blood, unable to even scream in pain.

His father's face twisted in rage. Shaking off his fists, Kureha declared,

"I'm going to save Kuilan."

"You fool! Can't you see? Your brother can't be saved. He's already a monster!"

"Is it you, Father, who still doesn't understand?"

Lowering his stance, Kureha raised his fists.

"The real monster here is you."

"Insolent child-!"

As his enraged father unleashed a spell, the branches of a Maple Leaf Tree surged like tentacles, attacking from all sides.

***

Kuilan, transformed into a massive wolf, was surprisingly docile.

Chained from head to toe, he moved as the warriors directed, not resisting in any way.

But because his appearance was so grotesque and intimidating, the warriors never let their guards down as they escorted him.

It was when they reached the village boundary, the outer gate encircled by wooden fences.

Swoosh!

From above, Kureha descended, his fists and feet lashing out.

The warriors, who had been wholly focused on the wolf, were caught off guard and had to endure the surprise attack.

Bang! Thud!

"Ugh!"

"Ku, Kureha?!"

"What is happening?!"

Having swiftly taken down three warriors, Kureha, even covered in blood from his confrontation with his father, exuded an aura of dominance that made the remaining warriors instinctively gulp.

He spoke in a low voice.

"Release him. I'll take him back."

"Don't be ridiculous, Kureha!"

"It's the order of your father, the village chief and tribe leader! You don't have the authority to overrule that command!"

"If I don't have the authority, then I'll take him by force."

With power channeled into his feet, Kureha lunged forward.

"This tragic cycle ends with me. Give me back... my brother!"

Battle ensued.

Kureha might have been the tribe's most formidable warrior, but the tribe's warriors were also battle-hardened elites. The fight was intense.

Both parties tried not to harm each other seriously, being long-time comrades, but as the fight escalated, the attacks became fiercer.

The swing of Kureha's fists and the tips of the warriors' blades became increasingly more threatening.

At one point—

Clang!

One of the warriors swung his blade, which Kureha narrowly dodged. The blade hit the chains binding the wolf-monster.

Sparks flew, and the chains snapped. Everyone turned, eyes wide in surprise.

"Huh...?"

The monster, Kuilan, blinked, staring at the broken chains.

And so, the monster twisted its body, as if stretching after a long slumber.

Suddenly,

Clang! Crash!

The chains that had bound it shrieked in protest, falling away all at once.

The creature had never truly been contained by mere chains. It had merely tolerated its confinement...

Grrrr...

With newfound freedom, the monster flexed its limbs, looking almost intrigued by its own movement.

Witnessing such a creature, both the warriors and Kureha couldn't help but swallow hard.

Then,

Whoosh!

The monster moved with a speed that seemed impossible given its massive form.

In the blink of an eye, it stood before Kureha. He was paralyzed, simply staring up at the creature in shock.

Slowly, the creature reached out, its hand nearing Kureha's neck. He braced for the end, believing those massive claws would tear into him.

...But they didn't.

Instead, the monster gently touched the coin necklace around Kureha's neck with the tip of its claw, then opened its grotesque maw to utter something in an unintelligible tongue.

Despite its garbled pronunciation, Kureha understood.

"...Toss, huh?"

Kureha's eyes widened in shock.

Could it be? Did this creature remember a coin toss from a distant childhood?

The eyes of the wolf-like creature were innocently curious, much like any young boy's.

"Kuilan, is that...?"

As Kureha reached out to the creature, using its name,

"Kureha! It's dangerous!"

Warriors with swords drawn charged in.

To the onlookers, it appeared as though the massive creature was about to rip Kureha apart.

Only moments before, they had been in a standoff, but to these tribesmen, Kureha was a hero, the chieftain's son, and a comrade against the Empire's forces.

They raised their weapons, ready to save Kureha.

Kureha screamed, "No! This child is Kuilan!"

Thud!

But they didn't heed her plea.

The charging warriors drove their blades into the creature's back and sides. It writhed, letting out a harrowing scream.

AAAAAAAHHHH!

Blood spurted from its wounds like a geyser.

Droplets of the creature's hot, sticky blood splattered onto the warriors' faces, bringing with it a foul stench.

Wiping the blood from their eyes, noses, and mouths, the warriors stepped back in disgust.

"What the hell is this?!"

"Damn it, I got some in my mouth..."

"Huh?"

One of the warriors, wiping away the blood, paused in confusion. Another warrior, untouched by the blood, asked anxiously, "Hey, are you okay? What's wrong?"

"The moon..."

With blood still dripping from his face, the affected warrior gazed at the sky, entranced.

"Has the moon... always been this big?"

"What?"

"It's too bright... I can't open my eyes..."

Crack. Snap.

The warrior's bones began to twist and contort.

His spine arched, jaw unhinged, limbs snapped, claws grew, and he was soon covered in fur.

All the warriors who had been splattered with the creature's blood began to transform.

The other warriors, witnessing this horror, dropped their weapons and fell to their knees.

"Wha... What's happening?!"

Kureha, too, stared at this madness and stepped back, muttering, "Could it be..."

Upon ingesting or being splashed with the monster's blood, the ancestral curse embedded within it was triggered.

The dormant wolf's blood within the tribe's warriors was awakened.

Howl!

Under the shining full moon, the warriors, now transformed into werewolves, let out a unified, terrifying roar.