It was a strange sight. The full moon was floating high up in the sky, revealing the world with its moonlight. Tim’s skin wiggled like a swarm of worms crawling below it. It was a disgusting sight, but that was only the beginning. Tim’s body began to transform. He grew taller while his muscles swelled until they looked like they were about to burst. His eyes changed to yellow, his fingernails grew like beasts, his mouth extended out, and his teeth grew pointy. His canines became especially sharp. The most noticeable change were the furs. Silverish, stiff fur grew bountifully over his skin and covered it like a lawn covered inch by inch like grass.
“Huh?”
“T-That…!”
The soldiers were shocked to see a creature beyond their expectations. They pointed at Tim in astonishment. However, as if the scene before them was too shocking to accept, they couldn’t react. It was the same for the knights. Their stunned faces indicated their psychological state. However, Zich was different from them.
Whoosh!
As soon as Tim appeared to be transforming, he ran towards Tim. He was well aware of what Tim’s transformation meant. However, Tim had no intention of dealing with Zich right now. He evaded Zich’s attack and jumped down from the roof.
Thud! By the time he landed on the floor, Tim had lost most of his human appearance. His bright yellow eyes scanned the soldiers around him.
Crunch!
A chilling cry rang inside the building. He rushed towards the nearest soldier.
Sling!
The soldier didn’t have any time to react. Tim’s sharp claws easily pierced the soldier’s neck. Streams of blood shot up like a fountain and splattered onto Tim’s silver hair.
Tim’s face could no longer be called a human’s as he smiled.
“Uh, ahhhh!”
“A monster!” The soldiers let out terrified screams. They threw their weapons and began running towards the entrance for their lives.
“You bastards, stop!” The knight rushing from the rooftop to chase after Tim yelled, but no one listened to him. Chased by their fear, they all simply tried to escape outside. However, Tim had no intention of allowing their escape. He rushed towards the soldiers. Since they were all gathered at the entrance, he didn’t have to bother with the task of chasing after them. The soldiers screamed and crashed into each other to run away and made everyone’s escape even harder; Tim closed his distance with them in an instant and ended all the soldiers’ lives.
Zaaa! He stretched out his pointy mouth and revealed his sharp teeth. Then, he bit into the head of the nearest soldier.
Crunch! With his hard teeth and unimaginably strong bite, the soldier’s head was crushed into a mush. Lumps of blood burst everywhere and there were spilled brain and flesh.
“Ahhhhhh!”
“Save me!”
The soldiers tried swinging their fists in resistance, but it was all futile. Tim’s kick cut off entire hands and arms, and his terrifying teeth gnawed on their skin and bones.
“Stop!” A knight ran while screaming, but he was too late. By the time he arrived at the scene, there were only lumps of blood, pieces of flesh, and bones scattered all over the ground with a ferocious monster standing in between.
“You bastaaaard!” An enraged knight flung himself forward with a mana-instilled sword. “Dieee!” With a hearty cry, the knight swung his sword.
Clang! His sword struck Tim’s arm. Yet, his sword, which should have been strengthened and sharpened to a much higher degree with mana, failed to pierce Tim’s skin.
“What…!” The knight was stunned. He moved backward on instinct, but Tim’s hands were too fast for him. His fur-covered hands clutched the knight’s neck.
“Kuh!” As Tim compressed his airway, the knight choked. Tim’s height looked to be about 1.5 times taller than the average person right now. The knight flung his legs around in the air as Tim’s grip tightened around his neck.
“Kuh!” Still, the knight didn’t let go of his sword and continued to stab at Tim’s arm. However, Tim’s body didn’t even budge.
Zich clicked his tongue at this sight. This knight was a pathetic being, intervening when he shouldn’t have for his desire for glory; because of it, he ended up getting all his subordinates killed and was now also getting overpowered by Tim. Zich had also tried to block Tim in his own way, but Tim’s movements were too fast. If the soldiers had resisted more effectively, he might have been able to save a couple of them, but the soldiers failed to bide even a little bit of time.
After taking his eyes off the knight, Zich scanned Tim’s appearance. He was a werewolf human—that was the most perfect word to describe Tim’s current form. It was also a form that Zich was familiar with. Before the regression, Tim had often taken this form whenever he had to give his all; this was also the reason why he gained his nickname of ‘Werewolf.’
“Hey, Zich.” Perhaps, he was calmer now that he saw some blood, but Tim spoke in a surprisingly peaceful voice.
“What?”
“Do you see this guy in my hands?”
Although Zich had thought this before the regression, Tim was good at talking even with a long, wolf-like mouth. If only he hadn’t been his subordinate, Zich would have sliced his neck off a long time ago to see what its insides looked like.
“I can see. What about that stupid guy?”
“He’s a hostage. Shouldn’t you look concerned and sound furious?”
‘That was what he was getting at?’ Zich snorted and asked, “Why do I have to save that stupid bastard?”
The knight shouted something with his pale face from the lack of air. However, Zich had no intention of craning his ears and deciphering those incomprehensible words.
“I don’t need a guy who drove his soldiers into a pit of death just so that he could establish himself. Well, if I had the ability to save him, I might think about it, but I know for sure that I would die if I had to think about a hostage while fighting with you.”
“Kuhaahaha!” As if Tim was pleased with Zich’s words, he let out a burst of low laughter. “Hey Zich, I have a proposal that I want to make.”
“A proposal?”
“Do you want to join me?”
Zich was a bit surprised since he hadn’t expected this proposal.
“Originally, I thought of making you my underling, but I changed my mind after realizing that your skills were beyond my expectation. If you join my side, you don’t even need to have money.”
Zich was surprised even more. How could the Tim Platt say that he didn’t need money?
“Weren’t you after my money?”
“Yeah. I was thinking about taking your money, and then making you my subordinate. After fighting with you, I realized that you deserve to become my collaborator. Like you said, I’m trash and a gangster, but I don’t steal money from my collaborators.”
This was the truth. Before his regression, Tim had gone around looting people everywhere, but he showed no interest in Zich’s money and the belongings of other subordinates. On the other hand, Tim even let them borrow money if they needed it. That Tim Platt of all people!
Zich knew that Tim was making this offer because he had genuinely taken a liking to him. Zich was also pleased to hear Tim’s words. A person he had been close to in the past was reaching out with his hands again. It was impossible to not feel somewhat touched. But at the same time, Zich’s heart sank.
Zich replied, “…Fine. It would be okay to collaborate with you.”
“Oh, right? I knew you would—!”
“But, I have a condition.”
Tim had spoken excitedly, but he stopped and stared at Zich. Zich was hesitant about speaking for a bit, because there was a 0% possibility that Tim would accept this condition. If he put forth this condition, his relationship with Tim would definitely turn antagonistic. However, in the end, Zich let out his words; since he regressed, this was one of the main driving forces moving him.
“Stop doing bad deeds and start doing kind acts with me.”
“…What?” Tim’s wolf face distorted strangely. He looked as if he heard a joke that was not even funny. He even cleaned out his ears to see if he was hearing nonsense. “Hey, Zich. I think I just heard something wrong. Could you repeat your words again?”
“I said let’s do kind acts together.”
Tim was left speechless. As a gangster, he heard all kinds of ridiculous things, but Tim thought that this was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard. “You’re saying that we should do kind acts? Together?”
“Yep.”
“Hey, Zich. Did you eat something wrong?” Tim was extremely serious. “Kind acts? Us? Come on, Zich. Even though I haven’t known you for long, I know people like you very well. Of course, I know that because we’re very similar types of people. People like us are very far from the concept of ‘kind acts.’”
Tim looked at the knight he was holding and shook the knight’s body. “We act according to our desires, whatever they may be. We are also much stronger than others, but we fundamentally don’t fit in with the rest of society. And you’re telling me to do kind acts?”
Tim’s eyes changed. “What I was offering you was to trample this world together! Kind acts? I didn’t talk about collaboration to do that kind of nonsense!”
Did Tim think that Zich was mocking him? Tim’s anger was different from the type of anger he showed before. However, it was clear that he was truly furious. Tim continued, “I’m asking you once more, Zich. Become my collaborator. Stop saying fucking nonsense about kind acts and let’s do evil acts together.”
Zich felt that this was probably Tim’s final offer. The murderous aura surrounding Tim died down, and he waited for Zich’s reply. Zich replied, “You’re right—our personalities are definitely similar. I’m not the type of person who will probably do kind acts.”
Did his persuasion work? Tim’s eyes became soft for a moment. However, Zich wasn’t done talking yet.
“However, do you think I’ll limit my actions by what ‘type’ of person I’m supposed to be? Who decided that?” Zich’s voice was firm. “It doesn’t matter to me what type of person I am. I decided that I wanted to do kind acts, and that’s what I’m going to do. I don’t give a crap as to what ‘type’ or ‘kind of’ person I’m supposed to be!”
Zich raised Windur and pointed his sword at Tim whose aura became rough again, as if its previous softness had been a lie.
Zich shouted, “This is my final offer, Tim Platt! Come with me to go around and do kind acts! Then I’ll shoulder your past sins and make them disappear!”
“Fuck.” Tim kicked away Zich’s offer with just one word.
“What the fuck are you saying? Fine, I got it. I know that you’re fucking insane. I guess I was crazy. I can’t believe I thought of you as my friend just because we got along after a few drinks.”
“Kurrg!” Tim’s anger seemed to have spread to his hand as the knight he was holding made a sound as if he was choking. However, Zich and Tim paid no attention to the knight’s pitiful cry.
Tim continued, “I’m going to just kill you and take your money as I originally planned. Even though this event didn’t go as I planned, if I take your money and steal the precious items in this firm, I’ll be able to roughly make up for my loss.”
“…Are you rejecting my offer?”
“Then, did you really think I’d accept your stupid-ass offer?”
“…Okay.” Various emotions swirled inside Zich’s heart. However, as expected, the biggest emotion in his heart was a dilemma. However, that lasted only for a moment; Zich soon calmed his heart since composure was extremely important in battle.
Zich said, “Then, Tim Platt. You’re going to die here.”
“That’s what I should say, you crazy bastard!”
The two ran towards each other. With murder as their main goal, their battle to kill each other began.