Chapter 195: A Bloody Reunion, Part 1

Author's Pre-Chapter Note:

Apologies for the long wait, I was kept busy trying to find a second job and getting my budget and everything in order for the month. Just thought I'd take this time after my interview to get the last batch of chapters in this story out there. See the Afterword for more of what will happen going forward.

And with that out of the way, please enjoy the final chapters.

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{Ren}

While the White Werewolf had faith that her dear master, Jinma Kotori, is still alive and watching over Noire and the others who have fallen with him earlier, Ren wanted to regroup with them as possible. She knew she couldn't rush, however, especially with the enemy who's waiting for her near the end of Palocaesy Dungeon's first cell. She had to conserve as much energy as possible for the battle that lay ahead. 

With that in mind, her group went through the dungeon floors in a formation that focused more on mobility than offensive or defensive power. While Ren and Kenaka took the lead as scouts, using their inherent senses of smell to find paths that avoid conflicts with Monsters, Umeiyon and Rizz only used their physical strength to practically bat away those who have caught their presence and assaulted them. Thankfully, they're able to move and breeze through the floors at a casual jog's pace—or a fast run on normal human standards—with the help of their great powers, even when the Monsters became stronger the deeper they went. They didn't bother stopping to disassemble Monsters for their magic stones and materials as every second spent not on the move will delay their progress, lengthening the time needed to regroup with their party leader and lover. It is possible to use one of the other holes available to fall further down the dungeon, lessening that time needed to regroup, and possibly skip the encounter with Ren's former tribe and one of the dungeon's Mid-Bosses. That is an option, but that would mean running away from her brother and the tribe again like she had been before becoming a slave. 

She knew her kind master wouldn't fault her for avoiding them, even with how much stronger she had become now with his assistance. Even so, she couldn't risk them chasing after her any further and becoming a bother for her master and the party. She didn't want to become more of a burden to him than she already has, nor did she want to keep holding the grave secret that she kept from him any longer. That's why Ren will settle the matter with her tribe once and for all, confess her shameful past to her master, and repay her past actions with her total servitude to him, and then some.

The group only stopped a few times to take a breather and have some refreshments to replenish their energy. In one of those times, they finally got a call from the group consisting of Tyvera, Kalline, and Erizora.

"It looks like we're in another cell down," Tyvera explained, "When we landed, we had a lot of difficulty finding a place to rest and recuperate with the monsters around."

"'Tis the first time Erizora and I have been in this cell, and … as much as it pains me to admit, the strength and numbers they exhibited were too much for us," Kalline said, sounding deflated.

"Tyvera was the one who carried the group with her [Storm Magic] and wide-ranging attacks," Erizora followed, "Without her weakening and slowing them down, neither of us would be able to finish them off with less than a couple strong blows."

"Because of this, we're going to stick around on this floor in hiding until you come around," Tyvera said, "Considering the other disciples are waiting to ambush us, it will be too risky to move forward as we are. I'll fly around and figure out what floor we're on a little later."

"Understood. Have you contacted Jin yet?" Umeiyon asked, holding the Messaging Crystal for the whole group.

"We tried, but haven't gotten an answer yet," Tyvera answered, concern prevalent in her voice, "Either Chief and his group are occupied fighting off Monsters while finding a safe spot, as well, or … I don't want to bring up the worst-case scenario, but I imagine something happened to them where they're unable to pick up."

The bleakness made Ren tense, but she tried not letting it get to her, especially since her master's wife is trying to keep herself collected, as well. Master is alive, Master is alive, Master is alive … she repeated in her mind like a mantra.

"Alright, just hang tight and we'll get there as soon as we can," Umeiyon said, "We have a few obstacles to overcome, ourselves, but I'm sure we'll manage. We'll let you know when we reach the next cell, but see if you can try to reach Jin again within a couple hours, and have the location of your floor be determined by then."

"Yes, Chieftess. Tyvera, out."

Putting that exchange aside, hours have passed since Ren and her group have gone down the dungeon after the party's separation.

Finally, they have reached the room before the end of the dungeon's first cell … and the tribe Ren have separated from a long time ago were there, waiting for her, with many aiming all their hostility towards the lone White Werewolf the moment she was spotted. The one leading the tribe was especially bloodthirsty, but his complexion remains calm.

"Ren … we finally meet again after all this time."

"Brother …" the two White Werewolves from opposing sides greeted.

Ren's older brother, Lyles, was more the typical Werewolf a person from Earth would see in horror movies. A wolf with an anthropomorphic form covered in majestic white fur, only wearing worn-out trousers in terms of clothes. Dual-wielding swords were strapped to his back, and a small pouch holstered to his side. Despite the fur, his musculature was still defined, it looked like he had been eating well enough, as did the others in the tribe. The women who were currently expecting and the younger Werewolves looked like they were especially healthy. That alone made his sister slightly relieved, despite the antagonism aimed at her. One person that surprised Ren, however, was Kala, who she fondly remembers as her close friend back in the tribe, and close enough to Lyles that she was expecting to be her in-law. Not only did she not seem hostile towards Ren, but she wasn't pregnant, nor did she have any children with her. 

Strange, with how much time passed, even with how bad things were with the tribe in the past, I would think some development would have happened between them in my absence. Have they not become mates?

"It's one thing that you deserted us, running with the tail between your legs, but then you come back here with that collar!" Lyles snarled, "And to add insult to injury, you reek of a human! To be claimed however many times by someone so weak and pathetic, do you have anything to say for yourself?!"

"I feel pretty good, honestly," Ren said before resting a hand on her abdomen with a warm smile, "Despite having so many lovers in his hands, including an amazing wife, my strong, incredible master still manages to pour so much of his love into this modest Werewolf. I'm very happy with the life I'm living right now. I hope I get to bear many of his children."

"Oh my," Rizz said in amazement from the background.

From Ren's outrageous statement, the tribe's antagonism towards her grew by leaps and bounds. Kala was incredibly shocked, but was more conflicted with the news than repulsed. Lyles was especially struck with hate and disgust for the one who came from the same flesh and blood as himself.

"One of the reasons I've come to meet you today was to tell you that much, Brother," Ren continued, her face and voice now grew somber, "I know what I brought to the tribe so long ago was tragic, and I ran away during a time you needed me most. I can't apologize enough to you and the remainder of the tribe. However, my stance in the path you led the tribe in as its chief still stands after all this time. To join with Chaos Barrage who has the aim of dominating all the kin in Padimon, even if it's to take revenge, I cannot condone such actions. There are innocent Humans who don't deserve our vengeance like those bandits. Mother and Father wouldn't—"

"DO NOT SPEAK FOR THE DEAD LIKE YOU KNOW THEM!" Lyles yelled, drawing one of his dual-wielding swords and pointed it at his sister, "You, especially, have no right to speak for our parents, SINCE THEIR BLOOD ARE ON YOUR HANDS!"

"Umeiyon, I'm at a loss. What's going on between Ren and her tribe?" Rizz asked, "I thought the Werewolves, white, black, and gray, were very closely-linked tribes?"

"... When her tribe was going through hard times, Ren found a bandit hideout one day and snuck out with their loot, hoping to afford some food," Umeiyon explained, "However, the bandits she stole from seem to be from the stronger end of the crime world here, and not only did they track her back to her tribe, they launched an all-out attack. Ren and her brother's father, the previous chief of the tribe, and their mothers were among those that stayed behind to fend off the bandits while the rest escaped. Basically, they all blamed Ren for leading the bandits to them and taking the lives of their loved ones."

That was the secret Ren had kept from Jinma all this time, of which she confided in Umeiyon as they waited for him back in the Immortals' Realm. Erizora learned of the circumstances after Ren ran away and became enslaved under the Todoka family's ownership, but she promised to keep quiet if there's ever the chance the two of them will be redeemed together. It wasn't just how Jinma will think poorly of her after learning it that frightened her, but that her past would come back to haunt her, or that she'll make some mistake that would bring her new family to the same demise as her tribe.

"As if her running away from her crime wasn't bad enough, she went and got enslaved by the Humans! The same bastard race who took away our friends and families!" Lyles yelled, "And now she comes up and tells us to spare these pathetic Humans?! You are not only a disgrace as a warrior and a female, you are a traitor to all Werewolves! 

"Admittedly, I was playing with the idea of whether to give you one last chance to redeem yourself by joining back up with us. You would put your rare [Duplicate] Null Spell to use for the tribe, and have you be put as a Denalda to bring our population back up, but your actions caused enough grief for our parents in the afterlife to let you live no longer!"

"Oof, I'd hate that life, especially as a Denalda," Rizz said.

Denalda is the term used for Werebeast females whose sole purpose is to pleasure all the males of a tribe and produce offspring, basically your town whore and baby factory put into one. It was named after a former concubine of one of the previous Demon Kings who was a Werebeast after she was caught having relations with another male. As punishment, not only was she relieved of her position as his concubine, but a special prison was set up for her to live in, receive the males from her tribe, and give birth for the rest of her life. Her offspring would be branded a discriminating mark from birth, with the females being subjected to the same fate as her mother, while the males would be immediately put through harsh training to serve as the tribe's warriors while being ridiculed as a bastard child when he comes of age.

"If a female wants to dirty her commitment with her mate for another male, then she shall serve all the males in the tribe with her body. Her offspring will not be much different from their mother, anyway." That was the line of logic the Demon King had at the time of enacting that punishment, which he, himself, labeled as 'a great honor for her people' in a sarcastic remark. Since then, Denalda has made an example to all Werebeast females in the tribes who would even think of making the same mistake.

The punishment had mellowed out over the years to where it only extended to the offspring up to two generations from the original Denalda, making as many as her body can endure, with her daughters and granddaughters expected to have two and one offspring, respectively. Her branded family were also free to roam only as far as their tribe's property borders, forbidden to leave, save for the male offspring who were escorted while they're on the hunt or working outside. The Denalda would also only get one month of a break after each birth before she services males again for the next one, making a quota of servicing eight males per day, while she tries to look after the children by herself. When she goes into heat, she's expected to serve as many as she could until it passes over, since the state gives her body more energy for mating than usual.

"As chief of the White Werewolf tribe, I will send you to your fallen brethren, myself, so you may despair under their grief in the afterlife!" Lyles declared, "I will then follow Lord Rowling's orders and take out your companions, as well! If you have anything to say for yourself, speak now, and forever hold your peace!"

"... Am I really allowed to speak, Brother? No interruptions?" Ren asked.

"While you're a disgrace of a warrior, it is only right for me as a proper one to give you that much respect before your demise," Lyles said.

"... Very well, then I will keep this brief," Ren said before drawing one of her dual-wielding blades and copied her brother's pose, "People of the White Werewolf Tribe, my name is Ren! Daughter of the previous chief, Gargan, his concubine, Vila, and the proud Pet of the Human, Jinma Kotori! 

"Lyles, Chief of the White Werewolves! I challenge you to a Shanakan!"