Romeo stopped.
A sharp scream cut through the night.
"Where… where is that coming from?"
Another scream echoed.
He ran toward the sound,
shadows crawling beneath his feet.
A few seconds later, he saw it.
A female Ogre, bound by ropes,
surrounded by a circle of armed men.
At least twelve of them.
Leather armor, bows in hand,
their eyes glinting with the scent of a reward.
"That's an Ogre…
and they look like hunters."
He gritted his teeth.
"Alright… let's deal with this."
One of the hunters shouted:
"Shut up, monster!
You're our prize for the king!"
Romeo stepped forward.
At the same moment,
he lifted his mask
and placed it over his face.
Shadows clung to his body.
"Wow…
my body feels completely… dark."
He spoke coldly:
"Hey…
how can you give such a beautiful creature as a reward?"
The hunters stared.
One of them sneered:
"Which fool are you supposed to be?"
Romeo's hand rested on his sword.
"You're drawing your weapons…
last warning.
Let him go,
or I won't hold back."
The hunter laughed.
"What if I don't, little bird?"
Romeo's eyes darkened.
"Then…
you asked for it."
A rain of poisoned arrows flew toward him.
Romeo dodged,
then drew his sword.
The Moon Sword spun through the air,
its blade cutting…
but none of them were hit.
"Damn it…"
The hunter said:
"Not bad,
but know your limits."
A heavy fist hit Romeo's jaw.
He stumbled back,
shoulder hitting the ground.
"Damn…
this is way harder than I thought."
His breath was heavy.
"My father hates Ogres…
so he probably won't like it that I saved one."
A pause.
The shadows trembled.
"Power increased…
2%."
He looked coldly at them.
"Sorry…
but I have to kill all of you."
The hunter shouted:
"Try your best!"
Romeo vanished.
He melted into the shadows.
"Really…
this mask is incredible."
The blades flashed.
One down.
Then another.
The attacks were so fast
that no eye could follow them.
The lead hunter screamed:
"Damn it!
Holy Shield!
By Hermes…
you're the king's child, right?
The one with the Moon Eye and Dark Power?"
His eyes were filled with hatred.
"I knew it from the start…
a monster!
I have to kill you here,
to teach the rest of the monsters a lesson!"
A giant sword struck Romeo's side.
"Aaaah—!"
Romeo stumbled.
The hunter panted, stepping closer.
"You killed all my men.
I have every reason to kill you."
He leaned in, his voice sharper.
"Did you know everyone in this kingdom hates you?
Maybe even the king."
His voice grew colder.
"If you had never been born,
the queen would still be alive."
Romeo's heart skipped.
"She was supposed to give birth to one child…
transfer the power of light…
and survive."
He shouted:
"But you caused both powers to awaken…
and she died!
And now you're fighting your own king's men!
You traitor!"
Romeo inhaled deeply.
"Shut up."
He stood tall.
"I know who I am…
and what my situation is."
He looked at the Ogre.
"But it doesn't matter.
I'll save that girl.
Because if she enters the castle,
they'll kill her."
He raised his sword.
"So I'd rather
twelve humans die
than one monster."
The hunter shouted:
"Divine Magic!
Mother of this land!
Queen Amelia!
Grant me the power to destroy this monster!"
Pure light gathered.
"The Shining Spear!"
Romeo growled:
"Power increase…
3%."
His Moon Sword glowed.
"Shine like the full moon…
Divine Moon Slash!"
A flash.
Silence.
The hunter whispered:
"What… happened?
My neck…
was cut…
but why…
I feel no pain?"
He collapsed.
Romeo panted,
gazing at the Ogre.
"Alright…
you're free."
His head spun.
His hands shook.
"What…
when did I even get hit by those poisoned arrows…?"
The world tilted beneath him.
And he
fainted.
Romeo's eyes slowly opened.
A faint light flickered above him.
"Where…
are you taking me?"
A soft voice replied:
"To a safe place."
Romeo's eyelids grew heavy again,
and he drifted back into sleep.
A few moments later—
Romeo suddenly jolted awake.
"Hah—!
Where am I?
Am I dead?"
He looked at his hands.
No wounds.
No blood. No pain.
A girl with pale green skin and worried eyes sat beside him.
Romeo could feel a faint dark power flowing through him,
but he hadn't yet put his mask on.
"Calm down…
my name is Berge," she said.
She leaned slightly forward.
"Thank you for saving me.
I've been imprisoned for a long time…
I'm truly grateful."
She lowered her head.
"From now on, I'll do anything you ask.
I want to serve you."
Then, hesitantly, she asked:
"They called you Harriman…
son of the queen…
the one with the Moon Eye.
Is that really you?"
Romeo took a deep breath.
"Yes… that's right.
I'm Prince Romeo."
A faint, bitter smile appeared.
"The future king of this land…
maybe."
He glanced away for a moment.
"My brother…
he's more advanced in these matters than me.
Maybe he'll become king.
But that's fine…
he's like me."
He looked back at the girl.
"By the way… your name is Berge?
Like a leaf?"
Berge gave a small nod.
"Yes."
Romeo looked around.
Stone walls.
Torchlight flickering.
The distant sound of breaths echoing.
"So…
where are we?
A cave?"
Berge answered:
"We're in the Monster Refuge."
She gestured around her.
"Ogres, Orcs, Goblins…
anyone whose village was destroyed by humans
has taken shelter here."
Romeo frowned.
"Isn't this dangerous?
If someone finds out this place exists…
an army of Sun Kingdom knights could attack."
Berge shook her head.
"No.
They won't find it."
She paused.
"I teleported you here.
Honestly… that was the plan."
Romeo looked at her.
"The plan?"
Berge said softly:
"We wanted to meet you.
And ask for your help."
Her eyes shone.
"The queen, when she was alive,
helped us a lot.
She built this refuge herself…
so no human could find it."
Romeo's heart tightened.
"So…
my mother made this place?"
He looked at Berge.
"You said you need my help.
Tell me…
what can I do?"
Berge stepped closer, her voice trembling:
"Please don't leave us.
You must…
at age twenty, become the king of the Moon Land…
the king of all monsters."
Her eyes filled with hope.
"I beg you."
Romeo remained silent.
"The king of monsters…"
He gave a faint smile.
"To be honest…
I feel more at ease with monsters than humans.
It feels like I really belong here."
He took a deep breath.
"But I need to think.
Right now… I have to return to the castle.
If I'm not home before sunrise,
my father will notice… and it will be trouble."
He looked at Berge.
"I'll see you soon."
Shadows gathered
around them.
And—
Teleport.
Romeo appeared in his room.
Berge exclaimed in surprise:
"What? That fast?
That was… incredible."
Romeo looked out the window.
He saw people
carrying corpses into the castle.
"Damn it…
so fast."
He removed his mask
and listened carefully.