"What… am I looking at right now?" the leader murmured, frozen in place.
Before him stood a lone human figure and kneeling beside him was a monstrous beast, its head bowed in submission. The same beast they had hunted for years, infamous for its rampages and death tolls. For it to be submitting like a loyal dog… was beyond anything they'd imagined.
"Hey!" the leader barked, stepping out from the trees, flanked by two scouts. All three approached cautiously.
Inosuke looked up, his heart skipping a beat as he noticed the three strangers. He glanced at the beaten beast beside him… then back at the men.
"Are you the one who did that to it?" one scout asked sharply.
They were speaking a different language—guttural and harsh but somehow, Inosuke could understand every word. His qi was translating it in real time.
As the scout spoke, the massive beast whimpered and scurried behind the soldiers, hiding like a child behind its parents. The leader's eyes widened. The beast that had killed thousands… cowering?
Inosuke swallowed hard and gave a small nod.
"I don't believe you," the leader replied, stepping forward. "You'll have to prove it."
Inosuke had no desire to fight again. He knew his strength now and more importantly, he didn't want to hurt anyone else. Instead, he took a deep breath, exhaled slowly… and vanished.
The scouts blinked. "Where did he—"
"I'm behind you," Inosuke's voice came from behind them.
They whipped around.
He stood there, casually holding the beast by one of its fangs, as if it were a pet on a leash. "We've still got work to do, buddy," he said with a dark smirk and vanished again.
What he thought he said in English had, once again, been perfectly understood in the native tongue of Tharnak.
The scouts looked to their leader in shock.
"What now, sir?"
The leader remained silent for a moment, eyes still on the space where Inosuke had stood.
"…We tell the king."
Deep in the forest, Inosuke reappeared, tossing the beast against a cluster of trees. It rolled before coming to a halt with a groan.
"Now… where were we?" he muttered, approaching slowly.
"Please… you've won," the beast growled, clutching its gut in pain. "No more."
Inosuke paused. "You… spoke?"
"I'm a humanoid beast," it grunted. "Of course I can talk."
Right. He had forgotten Tharnak was a planet of humanoid creatures bred for war.
"Get up. You're the one who wanted this fight," he said coldly, rage still simmering beneath the surface. "You don't get to quit now."
All the pain, all the bullying he had endured on Earth—three years of suffering—boiled over. He wasn't thinking clearly anymore. Only release his anger.
He grabbed the beast by the fang again and with a crack, tore it off.
The beast howled in agony, blood pouring from its mouth.
Then the second fang came off.
"You're no fun," Inosuke muttered, gripping the beast's skull and slamming its head into the dirt. The ground cracked beneath the impact.
He turned to walk away.
But then behind him, a sound.
He glanced back.
The beast was gone.
In its place… was a naked woman, covered in cuts and dirt. She didn't speak, and Inosuke didn't care. He simply kept walking, the sun setting behind him.
Nightfall.
A fire crackled between them as they sat in silence.
Inosuke, cross-legged with a bored expression, stared at the woman. She now wore a wolf pelt for modesty, her bruises still visible. Despite the beating she endured, she sat close to the fire eating roasted meat that Inosuke had prepared.
On Tharnak, they ate their meat raw. But cooked meat...this was a revelation to her.
"Tell me again," Inosuke said, chewing thoughtfully. "Why are you still with me?"
She didn't answer. Just kept eating.
Inosuke sighed. "Well, at least you're quiet."
Moments later, she spoke, her voice low. "Thank you… for the meal."
He blinked. "You're thanking me? After I nearly killed you?"
She gave a slight nod
he said, glancing at the extra meat. "There's more. Eat up."
She reached for another piece, but her hand moved toward a barely-cooked one.
"Not that one," he said, pointing. "That one's not ready. Take the other."
She obeyed silently. The fire popped and hissed as the night wore on. Neither of them slept.
Inosuke meditated, practicing his qi in silence. The woman watched him with cautious eyes, unsure if she could even close hers near someone so dangerous.
Dawn.
The fire had long since died. Inosuke examined the leftover meat.
"I don't have anything to carry this," he muttered. "You can take the rest."
She nodded, gathering the meat carefully.
As he began walking away, she followed.
He stopped.
She stopped.
He turned to her. "You're free to go."
She shook her head. "I will serve you."
"I don't need a servant."
Before she could respond.
"HEY!"
A familiar voice.
Inosuke sighed. Not him again.
The leader from before emerged from the trees, flanked by two scouts as always.
"We're here to collect the female," he announced. "And… the king wants to meet you."
Inosuke's eyes narrowed. He glanced at the woman beside him, now shaking as she clutched the meat tightly.
The king, huh...?
To be continued...