Chapter 260: Captain Rhun
Azel cracked his hands as he reached the top of the wall.
It wasn’t just tall though... it was massive.
The wall stretched wide enough that two full-sized carriages could drive side by side without ever touching the sides.
The structure was intimidating.
’I wonder how long it took them to make this,’ he thought as his boots met the stone surface.
But the wall wasn’t bland or simple.
All along its edge, large cannons jutted outward, their black barrels pointed at the horizon.
They looked menacing and old but well maintained. There were a few soldiers cleaning them up now.
Dozens of soldiers patrolled the top.
They weren’t the same as the ones at the base... these men wore black uniforms with reinforced plating on the shoulders and chest.
Around their waists hung strange gear boxes connected to small nozzles and coiled metal wires.
’Movement gear, huh?’ Azel thought, recognizing the design.
The gear allowed soldiers to fire steel hooks and cables, swinging along walls and rooftops to fight from different angles.
For mundanes who lacked magic, it was an incredible piece of technology.
He was still studying the gear when a booming voice drew his attention.
"So you’re the guy Little Johnny was talking about."
A tall, broad-chested man approached him with his heavy boots clanking against the stone.
The soldiers nearby quickly made way for him, their heads lowering slightly in respect.
Azel turned, noting the two silver stars pinned to the man’s right breastplate. Clearly, this one was in charge.
The man stopped in front of him and grinned, extending a hand.
"I’m Captain Rhun," he said with confidence. "I’m the leader of this garrison and the man you’ll be talking to."
"Azel Thorne," Azel replied, shaking the man’s hand firmly. "I was given orders to help you."
Rhun laughed heartily, his deep voice echoing across the wall. "By who? The Emperor?"
Azel didn’t answer... there was no reason to.
The captain noticed the look on his face and immediately stopped laughing.
His grin faded, replaced by an awkward silence. "Ah. So... it really was the Emperor."
Azel crossed his arms. "Can we start now?"
Rhun cleared his throat.
"Right. You want to know about the attacks." He gestured toward a pair of wooden chairs nearby. "How about we talk it over a drink?"
Azel hesitated for a moment before nodding. "...Fine."
They both sat down near the edge of the wall, overlooking the inner town below.
From up here, like Azel thought... there were bright lamps, clean streets, and well-fed people of the inner town.
It was a world away from the starving children and crumbling homes outside the wall.
The difference made his stomach twist.
Before he could say anything, Rhun leaned over the railing and shouted, "Rodney!"
A soldier wearing glasses appeared almost instantly, sprinting toward them while balancing a tray in his hands.
The tray carried two small metal cups filled with a pale liquid.
He stopped in front of them, panting slightly. "Captain, sir!"
Rhun grinned, grabbing one of the cups.
He handed the other to Azel.
"Here. Drink."
Azel peered into the cup suspiciously. "What is this?"
"Monster Milk," Rhun said proudly. "Makes your bones strong."
He flexed his arm with a grin before taking a long gulp of his own drink.
"...Monster Milk," Azel repeated flatly.
"Yep. From a special breed of horned bison. Don’t worry, it’s clean. Mostly."
Azel sighed and took a sip.
The taste was strange... it was creamy and a bit too sweet but not terrible.
He still preferred Edna’s breast milk though.
"It’s alright," he admitted.
"Of course it is," Rhun said proudly, setting his cup on the ground.
Then his face grew serious. "So, you were asking if I’ve seen the monster up close?"
"Yes," Azel said, placing his own cup down. "Firsthand reports are better than rumors."
Rhun nodded. "Good. Because most people here just spread nonsense. But I’ve fought it. Twice."
Azel’s eyes narrowed. "And survived both times?"
"Barely." Rhun exhaled and unbuttoned his black uniform jacket.
Beneath it, his undershirt clung tightly to his body, revealing muscles lined with scars.
He lifted it just enough for Azel to see the biggest one... a jagged mark across his ribs, it was deep and ugly.
It looked like three claw marks burned into the skin, veins spidering outward from the center like black roots.
"This is what I got for underestimating it," Rhun said quietly.
Azel leaned closer, examining the wound.
Without saying a word, Azel raised his hand. Golden light flared from his palm and washed over the scar.
Rhun gasped as warmth flooded through his chest.
The veins pulsed once and then vanished.
When Azel withdrew his hand, the wound was completely gone.
’Dark mana, huh?’ Azel thought, it really was a werewolf.
Rhun blinked and stared at his chest. "By the goddess..."
"It’s healed," Azel said simply.
The captain touched the spot where the scar had been with disbelief in his eyes. "Thank you. I — are you a priest?"
"No," Azel said, leaning back in his chair. "But go on with your story."
Rhun cleared his throat and nodded, taking a shaky breath before continuing.
"Like I said, I fought the thing twice. The first time, we didn’t know what we were dealing with. We thought it was just a wild beast... maybe a mutated dire wolf that got too close to the town. But when we cornered it..." He paused, his eyes looked distant. "It stood up. On two legs."
"It was tall, taller than me," Rhun continued. "It’s muscles were like iron and it’s three jagged claws like blades. And those eyes..." He shuddered. "They were golden glowing eyes that looked human and inhuman at the same time."
He clenched his fists. "My squad opened fire, but bullets didn’t do a thing. It tore through us like we were made of paper. Out of twelve men, only three of us made it back alive. The rest were shredded."
"And the second time?" Azel asked quietly.
"The second time was worse," Rhun said. "We thought silver might help. So we coated our blades and bullets with silver dust. It did help. The monster bled. But that only made it angrier."
"The thing ran straight into our lines. Killed another ten men before vanishing into the fog. I was leading that squad. It clawed me across the ribs before it disappeared. I thought I would die."
Azel leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. "Do you think it’s still around?"
"Yes, because it’s not stupid enough to stay outside the walls," Rhun said. "During the day, it hides among the people on the outskirts. I swear, it’s living among them, waiting for nightfall."
"So, it acts human during the day," Azel muttered.
Rhun slammed his fist on the table, making the cups rattle. "I’ll find that fucker even if it kills me."
He had confirmed all he wanted... now it was to wait for nightfall.