The Coachman's head appeared, popping inside from behind the window.
"Young miss, what should I do?"
Then his head popped out and came back in again.
"Should I finish them all off, so you and your friends can rest peacefully inside? Or… should we just continue to the southern state?"
I couldn't believe this old man intended to fight a horde of monsters all by himself.
Not far from where the Coachman's head was, I saw Bestie. She was nodding her head repeatedly.
I didn't know what she meant by doing that, but surely nothing good would come of it if she was that excited.
"No, let's just go."
Beta answered, even though she didn't look alright. She glanced at the Coachman.
"You must have seen, right? Before left the institution."
The Coachman nodded.
"Of course, Miss Beta, I saw many people gathered. Although I don't know what for or why, because I was only instructed by Alpha Preservation to go and assist the Young miss."
Ah, now it was clear why he was here. So, he was ordered by Alpha Preservation.
"Well, it's likely that those gathered are the countermeasure forces divided into three divisions. So, we don't need to interfere. Let's just continue."
"Very well, Miss Beta, in that case, I shall spur the horses toward the southern region. Please hold on tight."
The Coachman withdrew his head from the window, probably returning to his seat up front. Meanwhile, Bestie by the window looked sullen.
"What a shame, I actually wanted to see the Coachman fight."
She whispered quietly, and I heard it. I knew and understood her, because I myself was curious about it.
"Crack!"
Suddenly, the carriage shook, or maybe the wheel hit something.
Considering the Coachman's earlier words about speeding up the horses, I thought the jolt was caused by an uneven road and the change in wheel rotation speed.
"Are you alright?"
I nodded.
I almost fell, but fortunately, my sister immediately steadied me.
"Hug me now."
I hugged her; she seemed to know something was about to happen. Suddenly, the carriage felt like it was skidding or perhaps braking abruptly.
The atmosphere became chaotic, until Beta fell and rolled onto the floor below.
"Something has happened outside."
I glanced at my sister; her face was serious as if she sensed something. Bestie sat still on the floor, and I looked at her legs; they were trembling.
The surrounding atmosphere became silent, and even the footsteps and growls of the Monsters behind us couldn't be heard.
Huh, what's wrong, where are you going?
Fel suddenly growled, leaping out of my bag.
"What's wrong with it? Ugh… I'm still damn nauseous."
Beta got up when she saw Fel acting strangely.
I didn't know what was going on, and it seemed to want to go outside. Maybe there was something out there that caught its attention.
"There's something weird outside. You wait here while I take a look, okay? And you, you wild creature… what's wrong with you? Come on, let's go out."
"No, don't… don't go out."
It was unusual for Bestie to act like this; she was truly terrified.
"Hey, where are you going…"
Fel suddenly leaped out of the window, and Beta followed it.
"You wait here, okay? Come on, let's go."
My sister pulled Bestie out. I was left alone now. The three of them went outside following Fel.
My bag opened when Fel jumped out. I tried to check its contents, worried that something might have fallen out or gotten lost.
The cigarettes were still there, the book and the notepad pen were there, the tiara was also there, although I didn't know what its purpose was, and the medal coin was also there.
Then, this book, hmm...
I opened the book.
There were still many blank pages here, and well, I didn't think this book was complete, but if Beta's hypothesis was true, then... this book might actually be complete.
Suddenly, the book shone brightly and floated in the air.
Huh, what's happening? What's wrong with it?
The book opened, its pages flipping one by one and stopping on page 026.
-----
APPELLATION:Ur-Zahan
TITLES / EPITHETS:King of the Monsters, The Fierce Father, Primordial Claw
CLASSIFICATION:
Primary: Mythological (Essence source: the cosmic concept of predation and natural dominance)
Status: Active (The king always reigns)
Scale: Global (Its influence is felt by all beasts in the world)
Tier:PRIMAL (A fundamental force of the wild, raw and untaught)
ORIGIN:Ur-Zahan is not the creation of a god or the result of evolution. It was born from the first act of intentional violence. When the first creature hunted and killed not purely for survival, but to assert dominance, the echo of that pure predatory will merged and crystallized. From that, Ur-Zahan manifested, becoming the living essence of the apex of the food chain.
FORM / ESSENCE:Its essence is Natural Dominance. It is the law of the jungle given form; the principle that there is always a stronger predator. Its form is a lion of impossible proportions. Its mane looks like a dark storm cloud, its eyes shine like molten gold, and its thick hide is covered in ancient scars that resemble chasms. It is the archetype of all beasts.
APPEARANCE & PERCEPTION:Its presence is not preceded by whispers or magical omens, but by primal instinct. The air around it feels heavy and smells of ozone, dry savanna, and fresh blood. Long before it is seen, the low vibration of its growl will be felt in your ribs. An encounter with it triggers the most fundamental terror—the genetic fear of prey before its apex predator. The instinct to flee or fight becomes paralyzed, leaving only a visceral desire to submit. Its roar is not just sound; it is a conceptual wave of power that shatters the will.
DOMAIN & INFLUENCE:Its domain is all beasts, monsters, and the concept of the hunt.
Royal Aura:All animals and monsters nearby become fiercer, but will instantly submit to it. It rules not by magic, but by primordial right as their king.
Absolute Hunt:When Ur-Zahan marks its prey, nature itself becomes the prey's enemy. The wind will carry their scent towards it, branches will break beneath their feet, and other animals will instinctively move away or even herd them into its clutches. This hunt is a ritual that is nearly impossible to evade.
VULNERABILITIES & COUNTERMEASURES:
One-on-One Challenge:As the embodiment of dominance, it is conceptually bound by the rules of predator honor. It cannot refuse a direct and honorable challenge for its throne. If there is a creature with enough strength and courage to challenge it to a duel, it is obliged to accept.
Sincere Sacrifice:It cannot comprehend the act of sincere self-sacrifice, where a creature protects another not out of fear, but out of love. This "unnatural" logic can confuse it and briefly halt its hunt.
King, Not Butcher:It kills to assert dominance, not out of a lust for blood. Once its prey has been defeated or has submitted, it will lose interest.
ECHOES IN HISTORY & MYTH:The Myth of the Lion, a monster with an impenetrable hide, is believed to be one of Ur-Zahan's first offspring. Additionally, there is a legendary artifact called the Crown of Zahan's Fangs. Ancient tyrannical kings would hunt Ur-Zahan's descendants to obtain their fangs. It is said that a crown adorned with those fangs will grant its wearer an aura of absolute dominance, but will slowly transform the king into a savage, power-hungry monster, just like its prey.
WHISPERS & FRAGMENTS OF KNOWLEDGE:
* "Don't run. That will only make the hunt more interesting for him."
* "In his kingdom, there is no golden throne. His throne is a pile of bones from previous challengers."
* "All monsters fear something. That something fears him."
Notes from The Scribe: transcribe this entity feels different. There is no existential terror or confusing paradox like with other abstract entities. The fear it causes is honest, raw, and easier to comprehend. It is a reminder that before there were laws, magic, or even gods, there was one oldest rule: the strong will prevail. There is a terrifying honesty in his power.
-----
The growling sound was heard again.
What is out there?
I didn't try to read the book; I was more curious about the situation outside.
I left the book floating in the air, while I took a Walking stick and walked out.
Good heavens... what is this?
Outside, I saw the Coachman and my friends sitting on the ground; Beta was unconscious, and the others were kneeling.
In front of them, a large white-furred monster stood, with its nine tails swaying in all directions, facing another, even larger Monster in front of it.
What happened here? What is wrong with them? where did these two Monsters come from?
My sister glanced my way; she noticed my presence.
"Get back inside, don't come out!"