The lycan

The forest was eerily silent, save for the faint rustling ofleaves in the cold night breeze. The evening hung high, casting an ominous glowover the clearing where we stood. The little girl, no older than ten inappearance, tilted her head and smirked, her crimson eyes gleaming with malice.Her voice, though soft, carried a weight that sent shivers down my spine.

"So, you realized who I am, you insolent humans?" she said,her tone dripping with disdain. Before anyone could react, her form began toshift. Her small frame twisted and expanded, bones cracking and muscles contorting as fur sprouted from her skin. In moments, she was no longer a childbut a towering lycanthrope, her fangs glistening and claws extended.

"Oh no!" the leader of the group exclaimed, her voicetrembling. She was a seasoned warrior, but even her couldn't hide her fear. "Weknew you were a demonic beast, but not one of the Tribal Four!"

The others gasped, their faces pale with shock. The TribalFour were legendary—a group of high-ranking demonic beasts that served directly under the Dark One, a being of unimaginable power. Each of the four was a forceof nature, capable of decimating entire armies. And now, one stood before us.

The lycanthrope chuckled, a low, guttural sound that echoedthrough the clearing. "You tried to attack me, and now you will all die heretoday," she declared. With a wave of her clawed hand, she released a spell: athick, noxious gas that spread rapidly, filling the air with a sickly greenhue.

"Poison gas!" one of the group members shouted, clutchingher throat as she fell to her knees. The others followed suit, collapsing oneby one as the toxic fumes took hold. But for some reason, I remainedunaffected. My body felt no different, my breathing steady.

System: Spell dispelled.

The mechanical voice of the system echoed in my mind, calmand matter-of-fact.

The lycanthrope's eyes narrowed as she noticed me standingunscathed. "Oh? Looks like one of you is strong enough to withstand my poisonsmoke," she said, her voice tinged with surprise. "But sadly, I will stilleliminate you. You are no match for me."

She lunged, her massive form moving with terrifying speed. Ibarely had time to react, diving to the side with the leader in my arms. Herweight slowed me down, but I managed to avoid her initial strike. My mindraced. I can't fight her with these people here. I have to get them out first.

"System, send these four back to the capital," I commanded,hoping it would work.

System: Roger!

A faint hum filled the air as a shimmering portal began toform beneath me.

"Not on my watch!" the lycanthrope snarled, pouncing again.This time, she was faster, her claws inches from my face. But before she couldreach us, the system activated, and the four unconscious members of my groupvanished into the portal.

"Yes, it worked!" I exclaimed, relief flooding through me.Now, it was just her and me.

The lycanthrope growled, her eyes narrowing. "Oh, you seemquite confident, human. You didn't teleport yourself with the others. What adeath wish."

Her words struck a chord. Why did I stay back? Why didn't Iteleport with them? I was just a merchant, not a warrior. I had no businessfacing a demonic beast of her caliber. But something inside me refused to run.Maybe it was the system, or maybe it was a newfound sense of responsibility.Either way, I had no choice but to stand my ground.

"Well, since I'm here, time to test out the skills thesystem gave me," I muttered, trying to bolster my courage.

The lycanthrope smirked, her claws flexing. "Hope you lastlong, human."

Without warning, I activated one of the system's abilities."Imperial Leap!" I shouted, propelling myself 15 feet into the air. Thesensation was exhilarating—the wind rushing through my hair, the groundshrinking below me. "Woah, this is awesome!" I couldn't help but exclaim.

The lycanthrope wasn't impressed. "Gravitational Pull!" shecommanded, expecting me to come crashing down. But nothing happened.

System: Spell dispelled.

Her eyes widened in shock. "What? My spell was dispelled?No, I must be mistaken."

Seizing the opportunity, I scanned the list of spellsdisplayed in front of me by the system. "Light Magic: Flash Bang!" I calledout. A blinding explosion of light erupted, illuminating the entire clearing.The lycanthrope shielded her eyes, growling in frustration. When the lightfaded, she was slightly singed but otherwise unharmed.

"Not bad, human. You are strong," she admitted, though hertone was laced with irritation. She crouched low, preparing to strike again."Imperial Leap!" she mimicked, launching herself into the air. "GravitationalIncrease!" she shouted, and the ground beneath me seemed to grow heavier,pressing me down.

But once again, the system intervened. 

System: Spell dispelled.

The lycanthrope's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? How isthis possible?"

I could see the frustration building in her. Her magic wasbeing nullified, and her energy was draining rapidly. She muttered to herself,"This system is absorbing my magic. Even if I want to continue fighting, Iwon't be able to."

Then I used the same spell she had just used against me 'Gravitationalincrease' to pin her down.

The system's voice echoed in my mind again. Use Majin noKontorōru.

"What's that?" I asked, unfamiliar with the term.

System: It's an ancient spell that puts both the actions andthoughts of the person or demon under your control.

I recoiled at the idea. "No, I don't want that! It's justlike my former world, where demi-humans were treated like slaves."

The system repeated, Majin no Kontorōru.

"I said no!" I snapped, my voice firm.

The lycanthrope, now visibly weakened, glared at me. "Isurrender!" she declared, her voice filled with bitterness.

I blinked, taken aback. "What?"

"I said I surrender!" she sneered. "Now kill me."

"No, I won't," I replied, my tone resolute.

Her eyes widened in shock. "What? Have you lost your mind?"

"No, I haven't. I just don't wish to kill you. I'm not a fanof battles or fights."

The system chimed in again. Uplift the spell?

"Yes, uplift the spell," I commanded.

System: Roger! Spell uplifted.

As the spell dissipated, the lycanthrope's form began toshrink and shift. Her fur receded, her claws retracted, and her bodytransformed back into that of a human. But she wasn't the little girl frombefore. Instead, she appeared to be a 19-year-old teenager with white hair,piercing blue eyes, and smooth, silky skin.

She was also completely naked.

I immediately turned away, my face burning. "What? What didyou do?" I stammered.

"I simply transformed back into a human," she repliednonchalantly, as if her nudity was the least of her concerns.

"Here, take this and cover up," I said, retrieving a clothfrom the system and handing it to her without looking.

She took the cloth and wrapped it around herself. "You'retoo careless, human," she muttered, her voice softer now, almost vulnerable.

Before I could respond, she collapsed to the ground, herbody limp. Panic surged through me. "What happened? Is she dead?" I asked, myvoice rising.

System: She is not. She is merely asleep from losing toomuch HP.

I let out a sigh of relief, my shoulders relaxing. Theadrenaline that had been coursing through me began to fade, leaving meexhausted.

As I stood there, staring at the unconscious girl, Icouldn't help but wonder what had just happened. I was just a merchant, someonewho had never sought out conflict. Yet here I was, facing one of the TribalFour and emerging victorious—not through brute force, but through a strangecombination of luck, the system's assistance, and my own refusal to succumb tofear.

The forest was quiet once more, the moon casting its palelight over the clearing. I knelt beside the girl, checking to make sure she wasbreathing steadily. Her face, now peaceful in sleep, bore no trace of theferocity she had displayed earlier.

"What am I going to do with you?" I murmured, more to myselfthan to her.

The system remained silent, offering no answers. For now,all I could do was wait for her to wake up and hope that, when she did, shewouldn't try to kill me again.