Reincarnated in an Otome game as the ugly character in the background - Chapter 103: Moon Force

Leila was looking for Livie’s scent to rescue her.

But the place was overrun with different scents so finding her wouldn’t be easy.

“Where is she… I know it’s this way but I don’t see her.”

As he sniffed near a wall…

*Slip*

She noticed an object approaching at high speed from her left side.

She immediately jumped to the side and could hear the sound of something hitting the ground.

As she looked, she noticed that a man had dug his fingers into the ground.

He said to her.

“Wow~. That was unexpected, you managed to dodge that attack.”

“Normally I make sure to finish off my enemies in one move so as to spare them suffering.”

“But you won’t make it easy for me, right?”

Leila stood up and put her limbs in combat stance.

Her nails grew and her sharp fangs were displayed.

“Grrr. Who are you?”

He introduced himself.

“Naturally I wouldn’t say since you’d be dead. But it looks like taking you down won’t be easy, so I’ll answer you.”

“I’m Judal, one of the candidates to be the next sword saint.”

“The what of the sword?… You are part of the capital where the master lives!”

“… I already know that you have a master. And that person lives in the capital.”

Leila unintentionally revealed information, but she didn’t make a big deal out of it, because she didn’t know what was important about that in the first place.

But she was angry.

“You are the kidnapper of the human princess. Give her back now and I won’t hurt you, I’ll just beat you up a little for trying to kill me.”

“… Do you first think about what you say before you speak?”

“Thinking is unnecessary! I must only attack and kill the enemy! It is the belief of my clan.”

“I see, it’s no use talking to you.”

Judal sighed.

“I won’t give it back to you, I’m sorry, but my life now depends on a thread, and you and your master who infiltrated are too─”

“Stop talking you’re confusing me!”

Leila cut off the conversation with a quick attack straight for his jugular.

Due to his bandana Judal shouldn’t be able to see, but he dodged it with a strange hand movement.

Leila was sent flying away, crashing into a wall and breaking it.

“Due to the force of the blow, your spine must be─”

“Grrr!”

“…!”

Judal reacted a little late due to the fact that he thought Leila had died.

She immediately jumped up heading for his face.

Her nails raked his cheek.

As she reached the ground, she felt something in her hand.

“What is this?”

She unintentionally pulled his bandana away from him.

Turning to look at him, she was shocked to see his face.

“Wow, it’s been several years since I made a mistake. You’re certainly an opponent that killing isn’t easy.”

She saw Judal’s eyes that were open.

Judal burst out laughing.

“Funny, isn’t it?”

It was because of his eyes. His eyeballs were fake.

They looked like fake pearls just to look like there was something there.

“These things are just decoration, I can take them out if I wish. They’re just there so my insides won’t be exposed.”

“You know, losing your eyesight isn’t a problem.”

“Like I care!”

She lunged toward him.

Judal calmly dodged the kick to Leila’s face.

He ducked and he kicked at her, taking the opportunity to steal his bandana.

By the time Leila fell to the ground, it was only three seconds after he reattached her bandana.

“Jaw Crushing.”

His fingers were positioned similar to a viper’s jaw.

He quickly approached Leila’s face.

She reacted in time and used her tail to propel her bottom and send him a kick.

Judal could sense her presence so he dodged that kick.

Leila got several meters away from him.

She watched his hands, they had a weapon in it.

“What’s that thing on your fingers?”

“It’s my weapon. To be considered a knight you must have one, these metal needles I use as gloves for my fingers.”

“After all, I am a user of the Jakoken.”

“… The-what-ken?”

“… Right, I forgot that you’re special.”

“Let me quickly tell you a story. Since you really are very hard to kill, becoming a worthy enemy.”

◇◇◇

A long time ago, almost at the same time when the Arklight Empire, the Ideal Empire and the Holy Kingdom were born, there was a country that became the fourth power in this world.

It was called the Kuon Kingdom, also known as the Kingdom of Domination.

This country was for some reason similar to China.

Both its culture and its names were similar.

The reason this country was a military potential and with that name was due to one man.

He was called the Wise King.

That man was a worldwide threat.

His strategies, ways of thinking and he was even responsible for creating the martial arts in this world. It would not be an exaggeration to call him the god of martial arts.

He was loved by his people as he single-handedly managed to unify some diverse peoples.

Just as he was loved, he was also hated and envied by many.

The other countries looked down on him.

They began to spread rumors about him under the name of the King of Assassins.

Because the martial art he created, Jakoken, was used for killing.

It was created for self-defense and defeating armed opponents.

That man was betrayed by his people, they were guided by false rumors and no one checked.

Everyone turned their backs on him and proceeded to kill his family, friends and acquaintances on suspicion of treason.

In the end the man was left alone and his punishment before dying was to be humiliated.

After annihilating his family, the man was thrown into a large pot of boiling oil and cooked alive until he looked like a crispy fish.

This was seen by one of his wives who was a secret.

She and her son escaped from there. Vowing to take revenge one day.

That nation was soon destroyed in its entirety.

The reason for this was the fear that more warriors who know how to fight without weapons would emerge.

Only the royal blood survived and passed on from generation to generation.

Martial arts were taught to every child born.

But, due to the wars that took place, the lineage became extinct until only one remained.

And his name was─

◇◇◇

“Xiang Mu. That’s my birth name, but since I grew up in this country and in a place called the lawless city, I was given the name Judal and I’m also a commoner.”

“What a funny life isn’t it?”

“…”

Leila just listened to Judal in silence.

Judal was not a character in the game, so his and his family’s life was never of importance to the developers.

He was just a non-playable character according to the reality of this world.

“Despite the fact that I was born into poverty and stole to eat, I spent day and night training under my father’s test.”

“He wanted to revive our old country, even when I was caught stealing and burned my eyes out, he didn’t care about my life, he just wanted me to train and reclaim our home.”

“One day, for no reason, they all died. They were not the only ones as many people in that place died of a strange disease.”

“Apparently many were spared since they were immune.”

“But you know something…”

Judal smiled and said to Leila.

“I don’t give a shit about all that.”

“Who cares about a dead bloodline.”

“Who cares about a desire to restore a place I never went to or set foot in.”

“Who cares that my family only wished for something that was forced upon us and not to think about us. That ancestor is dead.”

“Who the hell cares about tradition when you don’t have to eat?”

“All that stuff is bullshit. I have to work as a hitman and bodyguard to eat while just following orders from idiots like the one downstairs.”

“What I’m getting at is…”

“You’re like me too, aren’t you?”

“…?”

Judal began to approach.

“We, the children of immigrants, demi-humans and poor people are just the means of entertainment for these nobles.”

“Always mocking us, belittling us, disrespecting us like we’re trash.”

“We’re just like them! Our blood is the same! When we defecate it’s the same! We’re the same and they treat us like trash!”

“Aren’t you sick of them?”

“…”

He moved closer to her, he was only two meters away.

“A while ago a guy came to me. He told me he was part of the revolution, those who wanted to improve this corrupt country.”

“He’s looking for strong members since taking down the emperor is no easy task and even less so when that demon in red is at his side.”

He was less than half a meter away from her already.

“That’s why, wolf girl, would you like us to ally and defeat our masters together?”

Hearing that, Leila reacted instantly.

She sent a kick straight at Judal’s head.

At the same time, Judal’s claws came close to Leila’s side.

The blow was effective, his rib was pierced.

Leila felt intense pain the moment her flesh was pierced.

Judal said as he got into a fighting stance.

“What a pity. I was so close.”

Leila clutched her pierced body.

Her teeth as they clenched showed how much she was suffering.

“I wanted to spare you more torment than necessary. The truth is I like to make jokes, what I told you was a lie.”

“I was looking to let your guard down.”

“But seeing as you don’t want it to be easy. I’ll kill you in the most painful way.”

Judal began to move his hands in a snake-like manner.

“Jakoken means ‘Snake Bite Fist’.”

“It’s a martial art that consists of matching your arms and wrists equal to the movement of a snake.”

“Usually you just need a simple movement. You hit it behind the head or any vital point so as to kill the target without it suffering and prevent it from making noise.”

“But there are times when guys like you come out. They need three hits, one is to distract, one is to immobilize and the last one is to kill.”

“This rule I’ll forget and go with everything I’ve got against you! Prepare to die wolf girl!”

Judal’s attack on Leila began.

◇◇◇

(Damn… I was careless.)

Judal was attacking Leila.

She was trying to dodge his attacks.

But he was too fast even for her.

The reason she was getting hit was…

(I heard him and that was my mistake.)

Because she felt identified with him.

Her clan was one that lived in the mountains.

They hunted, fought each other and slept as much as they pleased.

For her that place was paradise.

But one day adventurers came and killed almost all of them, her parents and siblings. They trapped several like her to sell her.

Leila hated humans.

For that reason, she had a secret that Razel didn’t know.

This was never revealed in the game, but in reality Leila was the advance commander of the demon king’s army when they attacked the capital during the game.

Due to her immense hatred, she killed everyone mercilessly.

Just like this world, she was with Amy.

In the game she was rescued by her while in this world she was rescued by Razel.

Leila was angry to see him and even attacked him.

But due to the fact that her clan detects emotions through fights, she noticed that Razel was not a threat.

After meeting Eli and the others, Leila’s heart that was only open to Razel and Amy began to expand more.

“They are kind.”

“They treat me with affection.”

These were thoughts she had over the course of this vacation.

To Leila, they were her new family, she wanted to protect them.

But, even if Livie isn’t, she was important to Razel. Therefore, to her it was too.

“Come on, is that all you’ve got?”

“Even if I can’t see, I developed my other senses to the fullest to even notice an enemy thirty meters away.”

“I thought you were strong being a female werewolf, but I see you’re no good in combat.”

Her body was full of blood due to her insecurities.

Judal lifted his leg as high as he could and then with his hand hit Leila sending her skyward.

Being high up, Judal used his ultimate attack.

“Tenjo Tenge!”

Judal’s leg impacted Leila’s belly, causing her internal organs and spine to be crushed by the falling force and the force of the leg.

The way he was, he looked like a tree touching the sky.

Leila spat out a lot of blood.

After a while of releasing a lot of blood, she was thrown to the side.

Judal sighed at the sight of it.

“You were a very difficult opponent to liquidate. Please die already.”

“I wanted to do it the easy and quiet way, but you prevented it.”

He was leaving as he left Leila bleeding internally.

Leila was watching him walk away as she tried to stand up.

“Master…”

“Amy…”

Were the words she said as one of her eyes wandered around the room.

Her eye began to fill with blood as she saw a broken vase.

The vase had a circular shape.

The moment she saw that round shape.

Something inside her started to come out.

*Badump*

Judal was already walking out of the destroyed door.

*Badump*

Leila was thinking.

(No… I mustn’t let him go after the master…)

*Badump*

(I won’t allow it…)

*Badump*

*Badump*

(I won’t let you go after the master…)

“… I won’t let you go after the maaaaaaaaaaaasteeeeeeeeeer!”

An explosion rang out.

◇◇◇

After leaving the room, Judal heard the floor being crushed by a huge air pressure.

“…!”

He quickly turned to see what it was and could only watch an object flying at high speed slamming into the wall.

“What the heck!”

Were his words after seeing the huge fissure in the wall.

“Hey, hey, don’t tell me she can still move.”

Footsteps were approaching towards him.

“I’m sure her organs were crushed. It’s impossible to stay alive when you have internal bleeding for sure.”

A foot was placed outside the hole in the wall and Judal, despite being blind, could see it.

“… This must be.”

He could see Leila’s aura.

Through her aura she was conveying her appearance.

Her wounds were healing, her stature was taller due to her long limbs.

Her tail grew to the length of a giraffe’s neck.

Her hair grew to such an extent that it touched the ground and looked like a coat.

The most important change was the color.

Her hair as black as night became white as the moon.

Her wild-animal yellow eyes became red as a demon’s.

Leila had awakened a new power, the one she used to attack humans during her time as a commander.

And it was called…

“This is… Moon Force.”

An ability that all beastmen can awaken due to seeing a full moon.

It causes their animal instincts to emerge and their abilities to exceed 100%.

Leila was now as strong as a sword saint.

She looked at Judal without interest.

But he was calm.

“You think by getting up and changing the color of your hair makes a difference? You’re still defeated!”

He stepped aside.

He used the footwork that knights use.

This footwork was originally from the Kuon Kingdom, but the empire learned it as it was very convenient for them.

Judal positioned himself to the side of her, but it was a feint, the real one who was not an image made of magic power was positioning himself behind her.

Before he could accomplish anything.

*Strike*

Leila’s tail twitched and he was sent flying into another room, smashing everything in his path.

“W-What was that?”

Judal was covered in blood.

It only took a slight movement for his injuries to be severe.

A broken arm, his entire right rib fractured and his nose wasn’t spared either.

“Just that slight movement was enough to─”

“There you are.”

Leila approached without him being able to sense her presences.

She walked noiselessly despite walking on boards and glass.

“I thought you were still there, but you came here. Good thing you’re not dead.”

Entering this mode, Leila’s personality became so serious that she looks like someone else.

“You said… I should kill my master, didn’t you?”

Leila gave Judal a furious look.

“You suggested that I reveal myself against my savior and my master.”

“I will kill you. But first I will make you taste the pain of having offended the one to whom I swore my allegiance.”

“Try not to die.”

Judal wanted to escape, but Leila took his arm.

(At what point did she do that?)

Was what Judal thought as Leila’s hand came close to his face.

But he didn’t give up.

“Don’t think you won!”

He sent his needled fingers straight for her hand.

“Dodge it!”

A clash was imminent, but Leila…

“Why should I?”

Her hand did not change direction.

The palm was pierced by the needles.

Judal’s fingers pierced skin, flesh and bone to the extreme gold of her hand.

Judal could feel Leila’s hand coming close to his face.

The bone in his arm snapped as she slapped him hard across the face.

Judal went flying, but that wasn’t all.

Leila quickly ran up to him and then gave him a mid-air smack.

She moved just like speeding up a movie, at four times normal speed.

Judal was punished in all directions without being able to defend himself.

Only five seconds passed and Leila returned to her place.

Judal fell on the floor, he was full of blood.

She approached him.

Her hand was already healed.

Her fingers made the same shape as Judal.

“This is the end. Bon voyage to the other world.”

The moment her fingers moved to his neck.

“And may you rest─”

She collapsed.

*Snore*

Leila’s hair and eyes returned to normal.

The moon force effect is short-lived. For just like burning calories, when the energy is depleted one falls limp.

Leila was the same way.

Judal could feel the weight of her body on his arm.

Leila was so happy sleeping that a snot was coming out of her nose.

Judal thought as he spat blood.

(If I get out of this alive. I promise never to take jobs like this again.)

Despite the obvious winner, for him it was a defeat.

◇◇◇

“What is this place?”

Amy was walking down the stairs.

She entered a laboratory.

She used a flaming butterfly spell to light up the place.

She walked around unconcernedly looking for Livie.

After opening a door, she found her unconscious tied up in a chair.

She reached over to free her.

“Hey, are you okay, does anything hurt?”

As she was about to touch her face.

*Zas*

A wall of light beams, similar to laser beams came rushing down from the ceiling.

Amy and Livie’s distance had grown larger.

“I figured someone would come for her. But I didn’t imagine it was a woman.”

Linhard appeared from a doorway… no, better would be to say a vortex opened up in the space of that room.

He came out of there as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

He was wearing a strange suit.

It was just like a suit of armor, but it wasn’t like the ones they wore.

It was armor similar to a combat suit.

Combat armor you could call it.

It was black with gray on the sides.

It even had a yellow mask covering his face.

In his hand he held something similar to a spear, but this one had seven points.

Linhard said to Amy.

“I can tell from the sensor on my magic armor that you have an enormous amount of magic power.”

“I wish to inspect your core.”

“I refuse. Just hearing you say that made me sick, no one except my man can have my body.”

They both laughed.

From Amy’s hand a magic circle manifested while Linhard’s spear also manifested one.

“I’d tell you to let go of the girl this instant, but you’re not the kind of person who does what women say.”

“You’ve grown up. I didn’t recognize you when I saw you.”

Amy was speechless for a moment.

She was trembling.

“… What did you say?”

Linhard without changing his expression replied.

“I know you. After all, I was the one who got you out of that cell.”

“Even though I thought you were dead.”

Amy burst out in anger.

“If you don’t want to die you’ll tell me everything you know!”

Linhard adjusted his glasses because the mask was just like paper to the touch.

“Only if you can.”

The fight between the witch and the scientist has just begun.

What relationship does Amy and Linhard entail?