To Be a Power in the Shadows!

When Yukime opened her eyes, shw was on top of a horse.

Riding behind her is Gettan, restraining her.

The place that she was pierced still hurts but the blood has already stopped.

Beast-kin have strong life force, her wound is not so fatal that it will take her life right away.

However, the fact that she’s seriously injured doesn’t change. It will be difficult for her to escape.

[Where do you plan to take me.....?]

With a weak weak voice, Yukime asked. What lied ahead is a snowy field as far as she can see.

[The source of those counterfeit came from the Lawless city. The gold is there as well right?]

[......I see, so you planned to have me take you to the gold.]

[That’s right. If you honestly tell me I will at least spare your life.]

Yukime made a small smile.

[The gold huh......... Even If I take you there, you wouldn’t be able to get your hands on it.]

[——What did you say?]

[That place has John Smith guarding it. There’s no way you can win against him.]

[That guy is your accomplish huh..............But to me who have acquired this new power, I will never lose. No one can take anything away from me again.]

[New power....? Gettan, what are you talking about.]

[Whoever doesn’t possess power will be taken from. You must already know this, there’s a cult that is lurking in the backside of the world. It was an outrageous organization that manipulates, capture and experiment on beast-kin. They target your Yoko tribe and my Great Wolf tribe who hold great power.]

[Our tribes were targeted......?]

[Aah. I took the deal, in exchange of my obedience I would acquire great power. If we have power we wouldn’t get taken from. That’s why I got this power , but.......!]

Gettan put a strength into his arms.

[Gettan... If that is true, why is it that the village was destroyed. Why did you enter such a cult.]

[Shut up ! That wasn’t supposed to happen! If we did as Lord Mordred told that wouldn’t......but......I will not stop now. I will never hand over things that are precious to me anymore, I will get the power that will prevent that from happening. If the association succeeds, I can enter the Rounds(the group high ranking antagonist from the first arc.). If I do that no one will be able to interfere anymore, for that sake, I have to become the [3rd] awakened one.]

[3rd awakened one.....?]

[That’s what they called those who can utilize the power of the tablet to the maximum, the power needed to get yourself into the Rounds.]

Gettan got up.

[Hey Yukime, tell me. Where is the gold.]

[.........Do you really think I will tell you?]

[If I entered the Rounds, we will never be taken from again. Yoko tribe and Great Wolf tribe too, you and I are the only one left. Let’s take a do-over with me, Yukime.]

[Gettan.......]

The fact that you didn’t kill me back then mean that you still have feeling for me. You were a passionate woman since long ago. Back then we were fiancee , this time let’s get married for real.]

Gettan hugged Yukime from behind.

He brings his face closer and put his lips on her cheek. Yukime closed her eyes and look down.

Then——.

[......No.]

She rejected him.

[What did you say?]

[The Gettan I know wasn’t such a weakling. He wasn’t a man who would rely on a tablets, rely on gold and betrayed the one precious to him and entered a cult.]

[.......Shut up.]

[Gettan.......why never you tell us to defeat the cult together.]

[——– I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP !!]

Gettan roared.

He threw Yukime off the horse, get on top of her and squeezed her neck.

[What do you know !? You haven’t even met Lord Mordred, how would you be able to understand my despair!! To that man..... everyone yields in front of that man! ! It wasn’t just me, It wasn’t just mE!!]

He was like a child desperately begging for forgiveness.

[Get...tan.......]

The arm that is strangling her has tightened.

In her fading consciousness, Tears fell from her eyes.

[Help...John......han.....]

Then a wind blow and causing the snow to dance about.

from the night that was dyed pure white, a single man appeared.

Snows are dancing around him and steel wires cutting through the sky.

[—- So it was you who took my important thing away.]

The man wearing a black suit who hides his face behind a mask. The man who took a step toward them was...........John Smith.

A man who is burning with revenge.