In essence, this was what Shea's story boiled down to. Shea's tribe, the
Haulia, were a member of the rabbitmen subspecies of beastmen. There were
a few hundred of them, and they lived in a village hidden deep within the Haltina Woods.
Though they possessed excellent hearing and were skilled at hiding
themselves, their stats were a lot lower than most other beastmen. Plus, they
had no other special traits to speak of. Because of that, they were considered
weak by many others of their kind. In general they were a kind, peace-loving
race that treated the whole of their village like family and cared deeply for
each other. Most of them were also very good looking, but unlike elves which
were renowned for their beauty, the rabbitmen were more known for their
cuteness. Many collectors in the Hoelscher Empire coveted them for that very trait, so they were a popular target for slave traders.
Among those rabbitmen, one of the tribes, the Haulia, had given birth to a
strange girl. Rabbitmen generally had dark blue hair, but this girl was born
with very light blue hair. Furthermore, she was an anomaly among beastmen,
as she had mana running through her body. What was even more shocking
was that she could directly manipulate that mana, and even use a certain
special magic like most monsters.
This, of course, caused a huge uproar within the village. This was unheard
of in the entire history of rabbitmen—no, in beastmen history as a whole.
Under normal circumstances, anyone with the same power as monsters would
have been persecuted and ostracized. But this girl had been born to the one
race that valued family above all else. The one race that treated an entire
village of hundreds as one big family. Which was why the thought of
abandoning her never even crossed any of the Haulia's minds. However, the forest was home to its own country, Verbergen, which was located deep within the sea of trees. If any of their ruling class learned of the girl's existence, she would surely be executed.
Such harshness was indicative of just how badly the beastmen hated monsters. And so, the Haulia decided to raise the girl in secret. Sixteen years passed. However, a few days ago, someone from the outside learned of the girl's existence. In order to escape Verbergen's retribution, the entire village decided to flee the forest.
With no set destination in mind, they decided first to head for the mountains in the north.
Their reasoning being that they would be able to live off the land there. The mountains were harsh, but it was still better than being sold off as slaves in the Hoelscher Empire or executed by Verbergen. However, the very empire they were afraid of destroyed all of their plans. By an extreme stroke of misfortune, they ran into imperial soldiers right outside the forest. There was no way to know if they were on patrol, or just on a routine training exercise, but in the face of a battalion-sized army they had no choice but to flee to the south.
The men stayed behind to give the women and children more time to
escape, but the gentle rabbitmen couldn't hold a candle to the battle-hardened soldiers of the Hoelscher Empire, and in no time at all over half of them had been captured. As a last ditch measure, the group ran toward Reisen Gorge in order to avoid complete annihilation. They hoped that the inability to use magic around it would give the soldiers pause, and their caution would overrule their desire to capture more slaves. It was a complete gamble. There was no telling if the soldiers would tire before the remaining rabbitmen were eaten by stray monsters.
However, contrary to all expectations, the imperial troops continued to give chase. At the eastern and western ends of the gorge were stairs cut directly into the cliffs, allowing one to descend safely. Most of the troops went back, but they left a battalion to guard the stairs. Once the rabbitmen came under attack by monsters, they would have no choice but to run right back into the waiting soldiers' arms. As expected, monsters eventually came to attack the rabbitmen. Deciding they would rather surrender to the Hoelscher Empire than be eaten, the Haulia were ready to run back even if it meant slavery. However, the monsters would not allow them such a luxury, and instead chased them deeper into the ravine. And so, the rabbitmen were trapped within the gorge, forced to constantly run around to survive.
"...Before we knew it, our group of sixty had been whittled down to forty. At this rate we'll all be killed. Please, please you have to save us! I'm begging you!" The grief on Shea's face was nothing like the comedic expressions she'd had before when she was crying.
The girl was a mess. Her light blue hair was tangled and streaked with dirt, her clothes torn and bloodstained from frantic running. She clung desperately to Renji's sleeve, trembling, wide eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
"P-please… I… m-my people… you have to help us… th-they're still… trapped… the empire… monsters—"
Hajime barely spared her a glance, his crimson gaze as cold as the steel at his hip. Yue stood beside him, her expression unreadable, crimson eyes calm and detached as if the girl's suffering wasn't even worth acknowledging.
Renji, however, let out a quiet sigh. He didn't pull his arm away. "Hey, easy now," Renji said softly, his voice more patient than he felt. He glanced toward Hajime and Yue, who stood a few steps away.
The girl sniffled, her words tumbling out in broken pieces about soldiers, monsters, and her people—the Haulia tribe—being trapped somewhere within the Reisen Gorge.
Hajime scoffed quietly. "Sounds like a waste of effort. Gorge is suicide. If the empire didn't kill them, monsters would."
The girl flinched, but Renji shot Hajime a brief glare.
"Not helping."
Hajime shrugged, leaning against a boulder. "Why should I care? Has nothing to do with us."
Yue gave a soft, almost imperceptible nod in agreement.
The girl's eyes brimmed with tears again. "P-please… I-I'll do anything… j-just please…"
Renji exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. Then he looked at Hajime again, his voice dropping to a calm, reasoned tone. "Look, Hajime. She said her tribe's from the Sea of Trees. You know what that means."
Hajime's gaze narrowed slightly. "...Go on."
Renji pointed toward the dense stretch of trees ahead. "You've read the same records I have. The Great Labyrinth's somewhere in there. But no map, no magic compass, no divine oracle's gonna get us through that place clean. The magic density alone scrambles sense of direction, and the place is crawling with traps and beasts."
He jerked his thumb at the girl. "But these Haulia? They've lived there for generations. If anyone knows the terrain — the safe paths, the dangerous spots, hell, maybe even old ruins no one else remembers — it's them."
Yue's golden eyes flickered, and for the first time, she spoke. "Even if they don't know the labyrinth's location, someone in the tribe might."
"Exactly," Renji said, glancing down at the girl. "I'm not saying risk everything for charity. I'm saying… this could save us a hell of a lot of time and grief. Better odds than wandering blind."
Hajime grunted, crossing his arms. "And if it's a dead end? Waste of effort."
Renji shrugged. "Then we cut our losses. But if you're serious about clearing every labyrinth in this world… we can't afford to ignore a potential guide in the Sea of Trees."
The girl looked between them, confused by the sudden shift in tone but daring to hope. She tightened her grip on Renji's sleeve. "I-I know some paths… s-secret ones. My people… the elders… they know where the old places are. I… I don't know if it's the labyrinth, but… places we were never allowed to go near. Places even monsters don't go…"
That got Hajime's attention. His eyes sharpened.
"You better not be lying."
"I-I swear!" she blurted, kneeling forward. "P-please… let me help you… a-and in return, j-just save the others…"
Yue tilted her head slightly, a faint glint in her gaze. "Hajime. If she's telling the truth… it's useful."
Renji sighed, looking at Hajime expectantly. "Your call."
Hajime clicked his tongue. "Fine. One chance. You'll take us to those places you mentioned. If you're lying, or wasting my time, I'll leave you in the gorge."
The girl nodded frantically, relief breaking across her face. "Y-yes! I won't let you down, I swear!"
Renji patted her shoulder, his voice quieter. "Get it together, kid. We've still got a long way to go."
Hajime turned away, Yue at his side.
"Let's move," he ordered.
And with that, the girl — still nameless to them — scrambled to her feet, clinging to hope as she followed them into the Ravine.
They continued like that for a while, alternating between Shea's excited chatter and Yue and Hajime yelling at her to pipe down. The roar of the motorcycle echoed in the canyon as the group raced towards the danger. Shea's grip tightened around Hajime as they neared the scene of the battle. Her voice cracked with urgency.
"Ah! Hajime-san, we're almost there! The monsters, they're so close!" she shouted, her fear palpable.
"Quit yelling in my ear, I can hear you just fine. Hold on tight." Hajime's voice was calm, but his hands were steady on the handlebars, pushing Steiff to its limits. The engine revved louder, and the bike surged forward, leaving the canyon walls in a blur of motion.
Renji's eyes were already scanning the horizon. The faint screeching of the Hyverias reached his ears before he could even see them. The danger was closing in fast. He could feel the tension in his chest rise. The Chrono Trigger was at his side, its polished metal gleaming in the shifting light of the gorge.
The bike screeched to a halt as they crested a final rise. Below them, in the heart of the gorge, a scene of chaos unfolded. A group of rabbitmen were cowering behind rocks, their faces twisted in terror. Above them, the Hyverias circled—a terrifying group of wyvern-like creatures with razor-sharp claws and spiked tails. They had already shattered one boulder with a single blow, and their eyes glinted with predatory intent.
"Hyverias..." Shea said quietly, her voice full of dread. "They're fast... and deadly."
Renji didn't hesitate. His fingers tightened around the Chrono Trigger as he dismounted the bike with precision. The gun felt like an extension of his arm, the weight familiar. He knew this would be a fight for survival—his survival, and that of the rabbitmen.
The Hyverias were already diving in for the kill. Renji's focus sharpened. Time seemed to slow, the world blurring at the edges of his perception. He wasn't using any magic—this was just experience, honed over countless battles.
The first Hyveria dived straight for the young rabbitman trying to scramble to his feet. Its massive jaws were wide open, teeth gleaming. Renji didn't need a second to think. He raised Chrono Trigger, his finger already squeezing the trigger before his mind had fully processed it.
The crack of the shot echoed through the gorge, sharp and clean.
The bullet shot through the air, fast and precise. It struck the Hyveria dead center in its open jaw. The beast's head jerked violently, blood splattering as its body crumpled mid-air, falling like a ragdoll and crashing to the ground with a bone-shaking thud.
Shea gasped, her eyes wide with awe. "Renji! You—!"
"Stay focused," Renji said, cutting her off sharply, his eyes already scanning for the next threat. He moved with purpose, stepping forward as the remaining Hyverias reeled from the loss of one of their own. But Renji wasn't finished.
The second Hyveria lunged toward the group of rabbitmen from the opposite direction, its claws ready to slice through the nearest victim. Without missing a beat, Renji spun around, his body fluid in motion as he brought Chrono Trigger up to aim at the creature's underbelly.
His finger squeezed the trigger again, and another shot rang out. This time, the bullet tore through the creature's wing joint, shattering the bone structure and sending it spiraling uncontrollably toward the ground. It landed with a sickening crash, its body twitching as it tried to regain its balance, but it was already finished.
Renji's movements were quick, efficient, as he holstered the pistol for a brief moment. He scanned the remaining Hyverias, all of them now aware that they were facing someone who could take them down from a distance.
One of the creatures roared and dove toward him, aiming to strike while he was in the middle of reloading. Renji didn't panic. In a swift, fluid motion, he drew Chrono Trigger again, his arm snapping up just in time. The beast's claws slashed at him, but Renji was faster. The shot rang out again, and the bullet struck the Hyveria in its chest. It was an explosive hit, the monster's body jerking back violently before it crumpled to the ground, its wings fluttering uselessly.
Renji took a breath, reloading the Chrono Trigger with smooth, practiced precision. His eyes narrowed, watching the remaining two Hyverias. They were circling now, trying to regroup, but the tide of battle had already turned in Renji's favor.
"Is that all?" Renji muttered under his breath, his hands steady as he readied another shot.
One of the remaining Hyverias broke formation, flying directly toward the group of rabbitmen. But it had underestimated Renji's skill. Without hesitation, he raised the Chrono Trigger and fired again. The bullet tore through the air, slamming into the creature's wing joint. The beast screeched as it plummeted to the ground, its body crumbling into a heap of broken bones.
The last of the Hyverias attempted a final desperate strike, its body diving toward Renji. But he was already moving, his feet carrying him to the side as he sidestepped the attack. He spun around, the Chrono Trigger in his hands again, the gunfire ringing out one last time.
The bullet hit its mark—this time, it was right between the creature's eyes. The Hyveria gave a final, pitiful cry before collapsing in a heap at Renji's feet.
Renji exhaled slowly, the weight of the battle slowly lifting off his shoulders. The area was quiet now, the dust settling over the bodies of the fallen monsters.
"It's over," Renji said calmly, holstering the Chrono Trigger once more.
Shea, and the others were still catching their breath, but Renji didn't show any signs of fatigue. It was like the fight had been just another day for him. His eyes flicked toward the rabbitmen, who were still in a state of shock but slowly beginning to emerge from their hiding spots.
"Get moving, we still need to help them," Renji said, his voice low but firm.
[I'm back bitches I apologize for the delayed post, but I had to do my damn thesis paper instead of writing fanfiction. College is a pain in the ass, but in any case, there will be more chapters released in the next days.]