Undead Beast Master: Living Solely for My Desires

It was both comical and absurd how quickly the situation changed—from battling an army of demons to watching the mysterious man, accompanied by his loyal beasts, effortlessly tear apart the demon leader.

And now, that same man was asking why someone had stolen his kill.

"I… um…" a flicker of realization passed the elf's face. She didn't understand human culture and assumed that killing the demon Zaroth was about to best might be seen as offensive. And offending a person as strong as him is not the smartest of ideas…

"Forget it," he sighed, sliding his odachi back into the shadow at his feet. It wasn't like killing the demon himself was going to bring him any real benefit, so he wasn't going to complain.

After his beasts made sure that there were no alive demons in the area, they dismissed themselves, making the weight on Zaroth's core diminish slightly.

"Do you have a leader or something?" Now that the threat was gone he directed the question to the brown elf who had stolen his kill.

She blinked a couple of times, "Ah, yes follow!" she called leading the way.

Without hesitation, Zaroth did. With the danger passed and no rush pressing him, Zaroth found himself noticing the village's subtle details. The elven houses resembled what humans could build, yet there was something… different about them.

There were drawings—or at least this was how he was able to interpret them—into the walls and the roof of buildings. He couldn't be sure, but they gave off a faint mystical energy.

'Are these some kind of runes?' he wondered, starting to imagine what he would be able to do when he finally learned how to use them.

Since the elf that was leading the way went past the gathered warriors of the elven race, Zaroth had to too…

The moment he neared the warriors' faces hardened.

Because of the absurdity of the situation they didn't feel it before, but now…

"A demon," one sneered, voice laced with rage, yet his exhausted and beaten body failed to show the same enthusiasm.

Whatever Zaroth was—part demon, part human—it didn't really matter to the elves. Their hatred for cursed beings ran deep in their veins. Normally, if someone was even a little part demon, they would have pounced on him, eyes blazing with rage and hatred.

"Don't even think about it," another spoke putting a hand over the man's shoulder.

They had failed to stop the demon army—yet this stranger had crushed the enemy effortlessly. Picking a fight with him now, while they could barely stand, was a terrible idea.

Not to mention, even if they didn't want to admit it, they now owed a debt to the man, especially since he hadn't shown any hostility toward them.

"Where are we going?" Zaroth not paying any attention to the varying degrees of glances he was receiving, asked the female elf. From the looks of it, all the inhabitants of the place had been gathered, so where could these leaders be?

"I'm taking you to the elder," she replied. "He's very old, so he spends most of his time resting."

"That's unexpected," Zaroth commented. "When I imagine an elven elder, I picture someone strong and fearsome—a menace that commands respect, always eager to prove their superiority."

The elf scoffed, "Maybe he had been like this once, but time hasn't been kind to him."

'I was told that elves lived much longer…?' Zaroth didn't comment further. His attention shifted when he heard a familiar voice beside him.

"Oh, so you're alive," Luna said, appearing out of nowhere with Vera in her arms. Now that they weren't running, she gently set the petite girl down before addressing the elf.

"Elves don't die easily… especially our kind," the brown elf responded simply.

"Hmm, hmm," Luna nodded. "Now that I think about it—we don't know your name."

"Ari."

"That sounds too elegant for hotheads like you," Luna teased, a smile forming on her face.

A slight grin appeared on Ari's face before disappearing. Even if it wasn't for long the dragon had managed to elevate the mood of the elf.

Meanwhile Zaroth slowed down his steps and addressed Vera, "Just making sure—this is the right path, right?"

"More or less," she nodded. "Though I assume we'll know for sure once we speak to their elder. If my visions are correct, you won't learn how to use runes here… at least not yet."

"I see," he said. It was good that Vera had warned him—this outcome was likely.

'Then I will have to want something else as a reward for saving them,' Zaroth scratched the back of his head, going deep in thought.

Since the village was relatively small—not really as imposing as a city—they reached their destination pretty soon.

"It's there," Ari spoke pointing to one seemingly ordinary house.

"Really?" Zaroth sneered. He had expected something more… impressive. It wasn't a grand building guarded by veteran warriors, nor was it perched atop a mighty tree as one might expect in elven culture.

"The old man isn't for the flashy things," Ari shrugged her shoulder going ahead.

With a sigh Zaroth took a step forward.

"…?"

Then he froze, or more accurate to say his foot did.

"What was that?" he muttered taking a step back.

Thinking it was his imagination, he tried again, but something invisible stopped him in his tracks.

"It's a protection rune," Ari said, realizing her oversight. She traced a primitive-looking symbol into the dirt with her foot.

"It's meant to stop anything with demons' blood. It must've activated when it sensed you."

Zaroth was stunned, too surprised to respond right away. He followed in silence, mind already racing through countless possibilities.

'Such a small and primitive village is able to do so much with a single rune? I wasn't able to take a step forward… learning the way their power operates would really be of a massive benefit.'

Ari reached the door, flung it open, and burst inside.

"Old man, you have a visitor!" she shouted, her voice echoed through the entire house.

"Who is that?!" an equally loud male voice called back.

"Your granddaughter, Ari!" she shouted again, stepping aside so Zaroth could see inside.

The inside of the house was well-kept, it was clean and well-organized which was unlike the personality of Ari. And if the going by the old man's words she was his granddaughter, so she must have been living here.

And the elder himself looked, somewhat similar to his granddaughter. His skin had the same brown hue similar to the elves in the village. A long beard that reached so far down it was brushing against the wooden ground.

But the most curious of all he didn't look old. No weird dark bags or skinny body that the older humans usually had.

'Is this person really their leader?' Zaroth thought, a seed of doubt beginning to form in his head.

The said elder meanwhile squinted his eyes focused on the figures that had just entered.

A heartbeat later his mouth opened, eyesight scanning Zaroth and Vera.

"Two Fragment bearers?" he whispered, a visible shock going through his body.

"Does that mean… the prophecy was correct?"