Chapter 49

To begin with, what exactly are beastmen?

Their roots can be traced back to ancient times.

Their ancestors were half-human, half-beast.

Therefore, they possess both human intelligence and the physical abilities of beasts.

However, under normal circumstances, humans and beasts cannot have children.

So why were beastmen born? It was because there was an incredibly powerful beast in that era.

The beast, having awakened its royal crest, became so strong that it also had a strong reproductive ability, powerful enough to impregnate another species.

Thus, the beastmen were born.

And in ancient times, beastmen had the ability to transform.

They could take the form of a beast, a human, or a combination of both.

However, over the long history, modern beastmen have lost this transformation ability.

But very rarely, even in the present day, beastmen are born with this ability—

"Ughaaaaa!!"

Volk, roaring, transformed into a wolf and charged at the thief.

The thief who was hit head-on by Volk's body, which was over 2 meters long, crashed into the wall and lost consciousness.

"Stay back, stay back!!"

Bullets were fired at Volk, but in vain.

The wolf, moving like a black wind, was not hit by them.

Volk knocked down the bandits one after another, destroying them within minutes.

Seeing this, the leader judged that there was no chance of winning and resorted to his trump card.

"Damn it! In that case!"

Saying this, the leader opened a large cage nearby and let out a large green bird.

Seeing this, Volk was surprised.

"That's a Sagebird!? You even had such a rare species!?"

The Wise Parrot is a giant bird that lives in the jungle.

It is a parrot over 2 meters tall, highly intelligent, and a gentle bird that loves peace.

It is said to be smarter than humans, and because it is difficult to catch, it is highly valued among enthusiasts.

"Hey! Hurry up and fly! Do you want to die!?"

The leader, unwillingly, straddled the reluctant Wise Parrot and made it flap its wings to hover in the air.

Then, he broke through the warehouse ceiling and escaped outside.

"Damn it, what should I do!?"

With his powerful legs, Volk could knock the Wise Parrot out of the sky.

However, he couldn't bear to hurt the Wise Parrot, which was being forced to comply.

Seeing Volk's struggle, Louis, holding his aching abdomen, stood up and approached Volk.

Noticing this, Volk spoke to Louis with concern.

"Hey, are you sure you can move!?"

"Hehe, I wish I could just stay here, but we can't let him escape, right?"

Although Louis had already used magic to remove the bullets and seal his wounds, the pain did not immediately subside.

Still, seeing Louis stand up, Volk made a decision.

He lay down on the ground and said, "Get on my back."

"…Huh?"

"Don't make me repeat myself. I said, get on."

It was natural for Louis to be confused.

For an intelligent quadruped to allow someone on its back had a significant meaning.

It was a sign of "absolute trust."

They would only allow someone on their back if they trusted them with their life.

"To be honest, I can't trust all humans yet. But you, being a fellow outcast… no, because you are just like me, I can trust you. Please, will you get on my back?"

"Volk… yeah, I understand. Let's beat him together!!"

Louis straddled Volk's back with a flourish.

The fluffy back was very stable and even gave a sense of security.

At the same time, Volk, with Louis on his back, also felt a sense of relief.

It was as if a missing piece had been filled, making his body feel lighter. So, I've always wanted someone I could trust…

Now, the two had become one beast.

Though their bodies were different, their hearts were one.

"Alright, let's go!!"

The black beast roared and started running.