War Rats

Not far from the small hut was a place littered with trash piled so high it resembled a mountain. According to the rats, the owner was hiding there.

As Light walked through, he surveyed his surroundings. The place was pitch-dark and reeked of decay, but oddly enough, the stench was bearable. Given the sheer amount of trash and the sewer-like smell, anyone else would have collapsed from the odor. Light guessed he was getting used to it—likely because he was adapting to his Ratkin body.

Following the swarm of rats, he found the owner cowering behind a trash can. The man sat there with his back against it. He had dark, disheveled hair, and though Light couldn't see his face, it was clear the man was human.

Clutching a sword tightly in his hand, the man muttered to himself.

"What the heck is that creature? Why is it in my house?" the man whispered. He had just returned home when he spotted the rat-like creature standing outside. Fortunately, it hadn't noticed him. Unfortunately, that meant he probably couldn't return home anytime soon.

"Is it a mutant or some other monster?" he muttered, shaking his head. "Impossible... the Church already cleaned up this area. There's no way a monster could appear now."

"Impossible... impossible... what do I do now?"

"Hello there."

"Hi... Ahhhhh!" The man stumbled backward when a head suddenly appeared beside him, so close it was nearly touching him. Worse, the creature's breath stank. His fists clenched the ground as he scrambled to his feet, ready to flee.

However, a sudden force pushed him down to the ground.

"Please, please let me go! Please!" the man cried, terrified, tears streaming down his face. Light could also smell the stench of urine.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I just want to ask you something," Light said, removing his foot from the man's face.

"R-Really...?" the man hesitated, wiping away his tears as he looked at the creature before him.

"Really," Light assured him, though inside, he was actually more bit scared than the man because...

---

Ignatius Coldwater

Gender: Male

Race: Half-Mutant

Rank: Knight Class

Energy: 103

---

This guy, Ignatius, was far stronger than him. But Light didn't expect someone of Knight Class rank to be such a coward.

Light concluded that Ignatius must have mistaken him for a powerful monster. Despite being a Knight Class, the man had chosen to flee instead of fight, confirming Light's suspicion that he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. However, it was just a guess...

Ignatius carefully stood up, placed his sword on the ground, and spoke, his voice trembling. He then knelt, prostrating himself before Light.

"I-I promise not to intrude on your territory again! Please forgive me! I have a family at home... My wife and child are waiting for me... If you let me go, I'll even bring you a human sacrifice!"

The creature said nothing for a moment, the silence so complete that Ignatius could hear his heartbeat thudding in his chest.

Finally, the creature spoke.

"Isn't that small hut over there your house?"

"Huh?"

Ignatius was stunned for a second, then quickly realized his mistake and slammed his forehead against the ground. "I'm sorry for deceiving you!"

"Hey, enough. I wasn't planning to eat you or anything, you know. I just want to ask you some questions," Light said, sighing as he rubbed his temples.

He then added, "If you talk again without permission, I might change my mind and eat you. So follow me and speak only when I allow it."

"Heek..." Ignatius nodded furiously, clamping his hands over his mouth, and followed closely behind.

Soon, they reached the small hut. Light entered first and said, "Feel free to come in."

"Ah..." Ignatius opened his mouth, about to point out that this was his house, to begin with, but seeing Light's terrifying appearance, he quickly bowed politely. "Thank you for your hospitality!"

"What? Never mind..." Light muttered.

He sat in a chair while Ignatius remained on the ground. The room fell silent for a moment, with Light staring at Ignatius, who avoided his gaze nervously. Finally, Light broke the silence.

"First, I want to know—what exactly is a half-mutant?"

"Huh... h-half-mutant?" Ignatius stammered, rubbing his head in confusion. "I'm sorry, but I really don't know anything about half-mutants!"

'He doesn't even know what his race is? Is he really that much of a coward, afraid to face even himself?' Light squinted, studying him closely. He couldn't sense any deception from the man.

"B-but I do know about mutants! I read about them in a book!" Ignatius quickly added, desperate to provide something useful.

"Alright," Light nodded, encouraging him to continue.

"This is what I know so far..." Ignatius began explaining.

Mutants are powerful and terrifying creatures. They were once human, but exposure to dark energy corrupted them, twisting their bodies and minds. Stripped of reason and consumed by madness, they mutated into beings with enhanced strength and new abilities—at the cost of their humanity.

There aren't many mutants left in the world because most of them end up killing themselves, driven mad by their transformations. The only ones who survive are those strong enough to resist, regaining just enough reason to think clearly. According to the book Ignatius had read, the dark energy that creates mutants originates from the Evil Gods.

"But... I don't know anything about half-mutants," Ignatius admitted, shaking his head.

'Could he be the first of his kind, just like me?' Light thought for a moment.

'Should I just kill him now? His rank might come from being a half-mutant, and I have no idea how dangerous he could be... But he might still be useful. If he shows any signs of trouble, I'll kill him immediately.'

Clapping his hands together, Light said, "Alright, tell me about the surface. What's the situation up there, and why are you hiding down here?"

"There's nothing much happening on the surface," Ignatius explained. "The Brazenhold Empire and the Erebusclad Federation are still in a peace treaty. It'll probably be a few years before anything changes—hopefully, nothing does."

He hesitated for a moment, then added, "But I don't know much about what's happening outside of this area."

"What nation are we in?"

"We're in the Brazenhold Empire," Ignatius said and then proceeded to explain more about the empire.

The Brazenhold Empire is a militaristic nation that invests all its resources in its military, neglecting the common people. The empire is ruled by a tyrannical leader, Emperor Septimus Brazenhold, and is one of the most powerful nations on the human continent, primarily due to its formidable military force.

With the emperor's iron-fisted rule, the common people live in constant fear and oppression. Ignatius described how the military is a constant presence in daily life, enforcing strict curfews, carrying out public punishments, and engaging in arbitrary violence. While both commoners, nobles, and merchants suffer under this regime, the upper classes manage to endure these hardships better.

However, the only thing keeping the emperor in check is the influence of the churches, which provide some protection to the people. Thanks to the churches' presence, the empire remains stable, preventing it from collapsing under its own tyranny.

Light nodded, digesting the information. Internally, he grew more concerned. 'How will the empire view me? With such a powerful military in control, I need to grow stronger, and fast.'

Fortunately, Light realized that the empire had little interest in the random sewers of the city, giving him time to build his strength before any significant threats appeared.

'I need more mutant rats to create more Ratkin. I must establish a powerful force as soon as possible to protect myself', Light thought, already strategizing his future.

"Now, about the second question," Light said.

"Ah... Well, I've been hiding down here for years," Ignatius began, his voice shaky.

"People have been hunting me—churches, secret organizations. I'm not sure why, but I think it's related to the monster that destroyed my hometown. I... I want to die, but I can't. I just want to live..." His voice broke, and tears welled up in his eyes.

'Hunted? This could be dangerous for me. If those people find him, they'll discover my existence as well. But... he's valuable. He knows about this world, and I can use him to gather more information. Maybe he could be my spy on the surface', Light reasoned.

For now, information was the thing he lacked most. Without it, he was like a ship sailing blindly through an ocean, with no sense of direction.

"Who exactly are these people you're referring to?" Light asked.

Ignatius fell silent for a moment before answering softly, "They're the Blademasters. Elite units of the empire, specializing in hunting monsters."