Chapter 98 Brown Monster
"Thea, are you okay...?"
"Yeah... it's different from what I expected; it doesn't hurt at all. In fact... I feel good..."
Today, a day after Yumie was kidnapped, the monster factor of Gray was injected into Thea, as promised after adjustments were completed.
Despite Monica's worries, Thea, whose skin had turned nearly completely brown, was full of energy and showed no abnormalities aside from her appearance.
Even Gray, who made the adjustments, was surprised by this.
"Was Thea's aptitude unusually high...? Or is it that the treatment from the Emerald Cat clan had some effect... Either way, I think there's no problem for now."
"Got it. Then I'm going."
"Wait, Thea!! I understand that you want to hurry, but we need to move together properly!!"
As soon as Gray gave the green light, Thea tried to run off alone, but Monica hurriedly grabbed her hand.
In response to Monica, Thea made a frustrated expression.
"But... it's already been a whole day since they took her. Thinking about what might be happening to Yumie, if it's as terrible as what happened to me...!!"
With a tight clench, the sound of Thea's grinding teeth echoed as purple magical power surged from her body.
From yesterday until now, not only had they been waiting for Gray's factor adjustments but also engaged in extensive search efforts, of course.
However, Euphemia is a dangerous place, surrounded by forests, and it is extremely difficult to find the Golden Foxes, who are skilled at hiding.
Today came without any clues, and Thea was more anxious than she looked.
It's only one day, but it's still one day.
If Thea were to think that Yumie might have been treated the same way as she was in the past, it would make her feel a deep pain.
But that's not just Thea's story.
"I know. That's why you need to calm down. If you rush and narrow your field of vision, you won't find anything."
Thea is taken aback when Monica holds her hand tightly.
Unconsciously, her hand tightened as she gripped Monica back.
The already strong grip of the beastman is now even stronger due to the influence of the factor.
If Thea, with that kind of strength, held her hand, it wouldn't just be painful.
Yet, without changing her expression, Thea's gaze, which looked straight into hers, told of the swirling passions within her heart.
"...I'm sorry, Monica..."
"No need to apologize. Come on, let's go look for Ms. Yumie together"
"...Mm!"
The two girls reaffirmed their resolve to work together and search for Yumie.
However, even with Thea's enhanced senses, they still couldn't catch any trace of Yumie or the Golden Fox clan.
For 2 full days, they continued searching, both day and night, expanding their range.
It was around this time that the expressions of both Thea and Monica began to show signs of losing their composure....
"Huh...?"
Thea's nose caught an unexpected scent.
"Thea? Did you find something? ...Wait, Thea!?"
Following the scent, Thea started running.
Ignoring Monica's calls to stop, Thea headed towards... a woman from the Blue Wolf clan was standing there.
"Mom...?"
"Thea...?"
Both stood still, staring at each other for a moment.
Thea slowly walked over to the woman, Lena, and embraced her.
"Momm...!!"
"It's really Thea. I'm glad you're safe...!! But what do you look like...?"
"Hmm... there's a lot going on... anyway, mom... why are you all here...?"
If she looks closely, she will see that not only Lena, but also several members of the Blue Wolf clan appear from the depths of the forest.
Thea was happy and confused at the same time that she was suddenly reunited with her family, who had been held captive while she had been searching for Yumie.
"We were captured by the Golden Fox clan, and a girl named Yumie rescued us. She said she was your friend..."
"Yumie...!?"
Thea was also shocked by this unexpected turn of events.
She said that she had freed her family, who had been kidnapped and whose whereabouts she didn't even know.
No wonder she's surprised.
"So, Yumie is also freed...?"
"...No. She said to leave her behind because she'd be a hindrance in escaping. She wanted me to go get help, that's what she said..."
"Wha...!?"
However, the world isn't kind enough for everything to turn out conveniently.
Hearing that Yumie is still in the enemy's hands reignites a fire in Thea's heart.
"──I found them, over here!!"
At that moment, 2 men from the Golden Fox clan, chasing after Lena and the others, appeared.
Warriors clad in expensive magic tools that can't be seen in Euphemia.
No matter how many there are, they are still opponents that the non-combatants of the Blue Wolf clan can't handle.
"Stay put, we don't want to mar your value as a product with any strange wounds... Hm? What's that brat?"
The man, who was creeping closer to capture Lena and the others, tilted his head upon seeing an unfamiliar brown-skinned girl.
Unaware that this would create a fatal opening.
"Golden Fox clan... finally found you."
The childlike joy that had been on Thea's face disappeared, and she lifted her face with an expression as blank as a Noh mask.
Her eyes stained a deep, blood-red color pierced through the men of the Golden Fox clan, infused with intense hatred.
"W-What is this brat!?"
"This... presence... could she be a monster...!?"
The purple magical power that rose from Thea's body was not something that a human should be allowed to emit.
Because they have experience fighting monsters as a warrior, the men realize this.
"Where is Yumie? If you don't tell me..."
"Dammit, dammit!!"
Unable to withstand the pressure Thea is giving off, one of the Golden Foxes leaps at her with a sword in hand.
But that was a decoy, and another fox, who had vanished using Golden Fox's ability, attacked Thea from behind at the same time.
Even though they are rotten, they are still beastmen, and their attacks are based on close cooperation and trust between teammates.
That would certainly have been enough to kill an ordinary beastman.
But.
"──Kill"
Thea was already "not normal."
As if responding to the purple Magical Power rising from her body, countless knives shot out from her clothes.
Those were the equipment possessed by Caide's subordinates.
A body enhancement technique using monster factors with Magical Power.
A magical weapon called "Flying Sword," manipulated like limbs through a link that harnessed monster factors, engraved with a special magic circle.
She borrowed that.
The knives flew through the air at an untraceable speed, slicing apart the man who attacked from behind.
"Guhhh!?"
"W-What!?"
Seeing his comrade fall, bloodied and defeated after failing the ambush, the decoy man froze in place.
Thea, gripping the man's neck with her prosthetic arm, slammed him down onto the ground.
"Guhah!?"
The impact took the air out of him, causing blood to spurt from his mouth.
Perhaps damage had even reached his insides; he couldn't breathe properly as Thea remained expressionless and spoke again to the man.
"I'll ask you again, okay? ...Where is Yumie?"
Even if he wanted to say it, he couldn't express himself well with his neck being squeezed.
However, whether the girl in front of him──or rather, the monster shaped like a girl──was aware of that, he couldn't tell from her expression, which revealed no emotions.
"If you don't say it quickly... you might just die, you know?"
With a thud, the Golden Fox man's heart fills with fear and he begins to tremble.
If Monica hadn't caught up with him a little later and stopped him, what would have happened?
The man said during a later interrogation that he didn't even want to imagine it.
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