Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint

༺ Purge Day ༻

Similar incidents occurred throughout the Military State.

The long-standing antipathy towards beastkin, dating back to the kingdom era, persisted even after the transition to the Military State. However, people no longer had the luxury to practice their disdain for beastkin. After all, the State utilized both beastkin and humans alike.

Even those who, relatively, had the leisure to didn’t dare to harm beastkin due to the existence of Family. It was because they could not withstand organized retaliation. In the past, there were at least knights, but now, an attack would be an express ticket to labor camps.

JJJ, a discriminatory group brimming with repressed desires.

After hearing that the Enforcer of Family, responsible for physical force, was killed by the hands of the Shadow, JJJ acted immediately as soon as they heard an explosion from that area.

It was hunting time.

***

Among the orphans were those who harbored deep resentment towards Shelter.

Shelter was run by retired soldiers who took care of children. Its wards, accustomed to military-style discipline from a young age, stood out even in Elementary Citizen School.

What rose high was bound to cast a shadow. Ordinary orphans grew up feeling inferior to those in Shelter. For them, who only graduated from citizen school and lived each day in hard labor, finding small consolations in their shared grievances, the temptation of the Shadow was just too sweet.

Though still young, it made them all the more dangerous as they roamed the nights of the Military State.

***

The situation had grown far too chaotic to merely attribute it to a mix-up in the date for decisive action. So chaotic, in fact, that one would be an idiot to not take advantage of it. The fireworks that started in District 13 were so disruptive that it made the actual date, supposedly the next day, feel like a lie.

Chaos bred chaos, even without any sort of stimulation. A startled citizen reported to the police, but it was not a problem that the police, acting as a puppet under military governance, could solve.

Whether it was a snowball or flame, if not suppressed at the very beginning, it would naturally grow larger. That was precisely the state of the nation at the moment.

Premature riots broke out in various places of the Military State.

***

However, just because the Shadow gathered a bunch of nobodies did not mean the core of the Shadow turned into mere rabble. The messenger, watching the situation unfold from the darkness, moved swiftly and all these facts were relayed relatively quickly to the Shadow.

Upon receiving the report of an unexpected incident, Wolfen summoned the Shadows.

The Shadows gather in the darkness, where one could barely see the face of the person next to them; so jet-black that it was hard to discern exactly who and how many were present. In that place, where only suppressed breathing was heard…

Wolfen’s voice traveled across the Shadows.

“…The plan has gone awry.”

His voice seemed as though it was coming from right beside them, and at the same time, as if echoing from far away. An odd sensation, making it impossible to gauge distance, made the Shadows shiver.

But one thing was certain; Wolfen’s voice was heard by everyone.

“However, it does not matter. After all, the one who thwarted us does not know the true plan.”

Srrrrrr.

Silently, like smoke, Wolfen settled on the faintly moonlit podium. It took a long while for all the Shadows to realize his appearance, as there was not a single sign of him revealing himself.

Beside Wolfen, six Penumbras appeared one after the other. Cloaked in black, exuding a blade-like aura, their mere presence overwhelmed the audience.

The Head of the Shadow and his executives. Each one was capable of assassinating even general officers.

Even Wolfen, the Head, might be capable of assassinating the Six Star Generals boasted by the Military State…. So the Shadows thought.

That was how exceptional Wolfen’s Stealth Techniques and Qi Arts were.

Wolfen opened his mouth.

“Our goal has always been the same. To sow chaos. To sound the alarm to the Military State. And, to use their hands to clean up the trash.”

That was indeed true. There was no reason to be anxious just because the date was off by a day.

The ones fighting outside right now were nothing but pawns. The gunpowder that was supposed to explode going off a day early wasn’t a significant problem.

“The identity is unknown, but someone seems to have schemed to disrupt our hands and feet… Fine. If someone forcibly pulls on our hands, trying to drag us to the light, we shall adjust accordingly.”

In the blink of an eye, Wolfen vanished. They definitely thought they were watching him closely, but upon coming to their senses, no one stood in the place he was supposed to be.

Stealth Techniques were useless if discovered and Qinggong was merely a way to jump far. But Wolfen’s movements, having mastered both to an extreme, were like seeing a phantom.

Both everywhere and nowhere, the Head of the Shadow, Wolfen Fenshtein.

From him, now melted back into the shadows, a voice was heard.

“This Umbra hereby declares. We move up the day of decisive action. Shadows, stir up chaos. Penumbras, spread the poison. From today onwards, we shall reclaim the darkness in our hands.”

In the pitch-black darkness, numerous Shadows bowed their heads in unison.

***

Shame and guilt always showed on faces. In other words, by covering one’s face, one gained the courage to commit sins without fear.

Members of the beastkin discrimination group, JJJ, wore black masks as they walked confidently through the dark streets.

They usually slouched powerlessly, but today was different. Gathered with like-minded people, they felt fearless.

Their target was Black Cat Magazines.

A filthy place full of paparazzi, offering jobs and peace to beastkin, as well as cheeky thieves who dig into others’ lives while proudly calling it their profession.

Normally, they wouldn’t have dared to act due to fear of retaliation from Family or the surveillance of the Military State, but today was different.

Hadn’t the Shadow stirred up chaos, after all?

A masked figure with a pointed hat shouted.

“Run wild to your heart’s content. Tonight, no one will pay us any mind! Even the public order that the Military State boasts about is powerless tonight.”

The day the Shadow ran rampant, when chaos stormed through every corner of society.

That was the moment when their long-suppressed lives were set free. While wearing masks, their dangerous true natures, oppressed under military boots, bared their teeth towards beastkin

“Release the hatred you’ve been holding back. Let’s teach those beasts a lesson. Those bastards who dare to covet the place of humans without recognizing who their masters are. OOOUM!”

“OOOUM!”

Chanting their self-made rallying cry, the organization members proceeded down the streets.

The Fifth Penumbra, watching them from a distance, surveyed the surroundings with cold sunken eyes.

‘…Hmm. I don’t see anything suspicious. Did we really just get fooled by false information?’

Except for acting a day earlier than the day of decisive action, JJJ was moving exactly as the Shadow had anticipated. The Fifth put away his doubts.

If they encountered beastkin as they walked, they immediately attacked. Some managed to escape, but not everyone was as sharp as them. Young, clumsy, or old beastkin were caught, severely beaten, then tied up with ropes and dragged around as their captives.

Beastkin, their ears and tails singed by flames, were dragged away. The Fifth watched this scene and nodded with satisfaction.

‘Hmph. Even under the rule of the Military State, the truth does not change. Bastards like beasts suit being on leashes.’

The Fifth was a beastkin bigot to his very bones. His hatred was so deep that when the Umbra designated a beastkin as the Seventh Penumbra, he seriously considered leaving the organization.

No one would know how joyful he was when the Seventh was killed by Wolfen’s own hands.

‘Ethnic groups that survive by wagging their tails and betraying others… You all suit being beneath the feet of humans.’

His voluntary assignment to this District was partly influenced by his deep-rooted, sticky hatred.

After all, opportunities to kill beastkin with his own hands did not come often.

‘Now, now. Go ahead. Cry out like a beast.’

Beastkin were said to have the ability to go into a Frenzy, but it was not a power that made the impossible possible.

It was merely a final struggle before death.

‘There’s nothing more fun than driving a blade into the neck of a struggling beast….’

The thrill of his first murder. The moment he plunged his knife into the back of a rampaging beastkin’s neck, the Fifth knew that being an assassin was his true calling.

He still hadn’t forgotten the sensation in his hands and was looking forward to the imminent pleasure.

“Catch them!”

It seemed another victim was spotted. The organization members dashed forward.

A human shadow in the distance tried to escape by leaping high, but after persistent pursuit by the bigots, was eventually cornered in a dead-end.

“Do not run away!”

“Mya? Me meow? Run away? Did you say I was running away meow?”

The beastkin turned around with a scowl.

It was a strikingly beautiful beastkin girl. Her neatly organized white and black hair flowed down to her waist and her long tail swayed gently. Although petite, her cat ears and tail were particularly noticeable.

The girl, whose blood seemed thick with that of a beast, frowned as if displeased.

“Mya. I don’t run away meow, Human. I just avoided you because you’re annoying meow.”

“Kekek. You seem to have a lot of pride…. How about I make you like these others?”

The masked organization member grinned through the exposed part of his mask. As he stepped aside, the tied-up beastkin came into view. Beaskins, covered in blood and singed fur, sobbed as they looked at their fellow kind.

The girl frowned and replied.

“I thought only dogs wore collars, but I see humans put them on each other too meow. As expected, humans or dogs meow…They’re all the same meow….”

How would a bigot feel if they were compared to a dog by a cat? Surely, it would not feel pleasant.

The masked crowd’s laughter abruptly stopped, before emitting a turbulent aura.

“You dare compare us to dogs? Don’t worry. You’ll end up the same as the rest of these bastards.”

When the masked person forcefully pulled the rope, a beastkin covered in blood fell to the ground. Skin was scraped and droplets of blood fell.

In the end, the humans made the mistake of imposing the smell of blood and ashes on the girl.

The fur on her entire body bristled as she growled lowly.

“Myaaa… The smell of blood….”

“Haha. Do you understand now? It’s your turn to be put into this state.”

“Mya-. Nya–.”

The cat’s mournful yet chilling cry filled not only the alley, but also the entire District. Just hearing it was enough to make one’s hair stand on end.

After hesitating for a moment, the organization members, angered by their own fear, shouted with torches in hand.

“Get her!”

With those words leading them, the bigots, clutching their ropes tightly, approached the girl….

The Fifth watched this scene and muttered to himself.

‘…This is ominous.’

What was it? She seemed like just an ordinary girl from the outside.

Before his hatred for beastkins took the forefront, a survival instinct that surged from the very depths of his soul issued a warning. The Fifth, though knowing he wouldn’t be heard, still extended his hand, trying to stop them.

“KYAAAAAAAAAAAAHK-!”

It was too late. Those who reached out with ropes in hand had their arms torn into three pieces.

Vertically.

Blood from the severed limbs painted a trajectory on the concrete wall. The girl’s nails, now sharpened, gleamed chillingly.

Sharp nails and an arm torn to rags.

Even an idiot could infer the cause and effect. The masked person screamed in agony.

“KEUAAAAAAAAGH!”

“I-It’s m-murder! Call the police!”

“W-What’s happening? What’s going on?”

It was a cauldron of chaos. A few foolish organization members who still hadn’t grasped the situation charged in, but were repelled with severe injuries and flung aside.

Those who had asserted their dominance by gathering as a crowd were now facing a true predator. The tables had been turned.

After a few more bloodbaths, the organization members, realizing the disparity in strength, hesitantly retreated in terror. The masked person holding the beastkin flung the rope and ran away.

Another masked individual, watching this scene, shouted desperately.

“You fucking idiot! We need them as hostages!”

“Oh shit!”

But it didn’t matter either way.

Nabi was already full of stress and before her very eyes, frightened beasts were swarming.

Her already vertical pupils narrowed even further.

With her tail stiff and straightened, Nabi seemed ready to slaughter the humans before her at any moment. But after suddenly recalling something, she suppressed her killing intent and fumbled in her pocket.

“Mya-. Instead of humans, a tribute meow….”

The mana herbs she had received to use whenever she wanted to kill humans and had to suppress her murderous intent.

It was a legitimate opportunity to smoke the mana herb. The cunning Nabi didn’t miss this chance and took out the herb, putting it in her mouth.

At that moment, Nabi’s face relaxed completely.

A happy and refreshing scent masked the smell of blood and smoke, filling Nabi’s nose. Both the humans before her and the smell of slaughter and fire no longer troubled her.

Nabi was engulfed in a moment of happiness.

“Myaha…!”

Nabi, now in a good mood, struck her nails against each other in front of the tip of the mana herb. Sparks flew and the end of the herb caught fire.

The sacrilegious scent obtained by burning a portion of the World Tree made the Cat King blissfully happy.

But as always, humans were troublesome.

As Nabi indulged in pleasure with her eyes closed, the groans of humans reached her ears. As her joyful time was interrupted, Nabi scowled.

“Annoying meow!”

And then, with a leap, she headed for the rooftop of a building where no one would disturb her.

The situation couldn’t be more absurd. After viciously tearing people apart, she suddenly pulled out a mana herb, smoked it, and then ran away in a flash.

She was capricious and inscrutable. He had no idea why she appeared.

However, the Fifth had no time to ponder these things.

After all, the rooftop Nabi had come to was where he had been watching.

“Meow? There is a human here too mya?”

“Keuk…!”

When confronted with an existence that was more beastkin than any other, what the Fifth felt was not hatred but fear; his hatred could not overcome his survival instincts.

The Fifth, treating Nabi as if she were a savage beast, made eye contact and then slowly, very slowly, began to back away….

“Leave quickly if you’re going to leave meow!”

But Nabi’s patience was shorter than the mana herb that was burning away by the moment. Nabi dashed forward and ‘swept away’ the Fifth with her front paws.

Bonk. Without a chance to block or avoid, the Fifth’s body flew off the edge of the building.

By the time he barely held onto his fading consciousness, his body was already in the air, far from the rooftop.

“Kuheuk!”

Just like that, the Fifth plummeted to the ground, answering Mother Earth’s call.