Kieren opened his eyes to find a stone ceiling over his head. Despite the lack of light, Kieren could see the barren stone walls that enveloped him perfectly. He sat up in the enclosed space and shook the dirt off his body.

“Light!”

With a snap of his fingers a small white flame appeared above his hand. The small flame illuminated the room revealed Kieren but replacing his short black hair, long silver hair. Atop his head laid a pair of silky fox ears and nine distinct tails flowed from his waist.

“Haaa…Let’s get started.”

Kieren pushed the boulder sealing the entrance of the cave. Stepping out of the cave, red dim light bathed Kieren’s body. Looking out to the horizon, dead trees and dark fog spread out in all directions. Past the forest laid mountains that separated the forest from a desert.

“I wonder how to much the territories have changed.”

Kieren started to head into the ominous forest. After a few steps the fog swallowed him up and erased the traces of his presence.

*scratch*       *scratch*     *scratch*

(I have to make sure I can get back to that cave. Even though it’s a little cramped, it’s the best place to hide my body when I go back. Marking the trees with my claws should leave me with a temporary trail until 12 hours pass)

Kieren thought as he followed the small flame he produced. Although his eyes were able to see far into the fog, the flame provided additional concealment and prevented mind attacks as he had invoked spirit magic into the flame when he chanted the light incantation.

After walking 10 minutes in what appeared to be random directions, Kieren stopped in front of a mutilated creature leaning against a tree. The eyes were gouged out and reptilian’s limbs were scattered near the body. The small bat like wings on its back was shredded until only the bony fingers were left. From the broken nails and strained face, the creature clearly died resisting its killer.

“This…”

Kieren made a solemn expression.

“Whatever killed this Winchester dragon decided to torture it before letting it die of blood lose. That also means whatever killed it was fast to be able to outrun it until it got so tired it needed to land before ripping off the skin of its wings.”

Kieren crouched down to touch the blood stain near his feet.

(Judging how the blood has already coagulated but hasn’t dried yet, I would say this dragon hasn’t been died for more than an hour. That means whatever did this could still be in the area. I wouldn’t want something like this to ambush me; I wouldn’t be able to escape if it’s too strong.)

“Search!”

After standing up Kieren closed his eyes, put his fingers onto his forehead to help his focus and invoked his spirit magic. A part of his mind split and flew off into the surrounding to collect information. Opening his eyes, 

Kieren relaxed and turned towards the North West.

Not giving the dragon’s corpse another glance he decided to continue on his way. While walking through the forest screams of unimaginable creatures would occasionally pierce the air. But with his search and light magic in place, there was little need to worry.

Shortly after, growling noises could be heard hidden among the fog.

Kieran ceased all movement as the growls were directed at him. He calmly looked past the fog towards the source of the growls but even with his vision he could not see the creature. 

*Grooooowl*

This time there was a deep guttural growl coming from behind him. Swiftly turning around, Kieren faced the sound. His tails fanned out behind him ready for any sneak attacks. 

"Hurry up and come out. I already know where you are, there's no point in stalling your death."

"ROAR!"

An angry roar erupted in respond to Kieren's simple taunt. 

(This animal. Getting angry from a little threat like that just shows you how arrogant and small you really are. You didn't even wonder why I haven't tried to escape if I believed I couldn't kill you.)

Although Kieren was confident he could kill his opponent, he didn't let down his guard in the slightest. In this world a small mistake could cost him his life.

Shuffling could be heard at all sides as it circled around Kieren gradually getting closer and closer. The creature was toying with Kieren. Watching his reaction and delighting in the fear and anxiety he would inflict upon him by slowly stalking him. However contrary to the creature's intentions, Kieren's heart was calm as he closed his eyes to allow his sense and search magic to find his enemy.

"There you are."

Kieren opened his eyes and faced the sky. Upon looking up what appeared was a huge lion king with a human face hovering in the sky with black bat wings and a poisonous scorpion tail.

"Just as I thought, it's a manticore. With a wingspan that large it would be easy to outfly a small Winchester dragon."

The manticore made gave an ecstatic sneer. Most humanoid demons were much weaker compared to their beast counterparts. In addition, the prey before it was a fox type humanoid demon which is known for their mind tricks and fire magic rather than their combat abilities. As the manticore is also proficient in fire attacks, as long as it can avoid mind attacks it can easily oppress its new toy.

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

The manitcore dived, as it outstretched its massive claws.

“Simple attacks like that aren’t going to work on me.”

Kieren smiled. However his eyes were cold as they glowed a bright purple due to his bloodlust. He jumped back and easily avoided the manticore’s attack range.

(There! Flame claw!)

By cladding his own claws in flames, he was able to increase the power of his attack as he aimed for the weak webbing of the wing to limit his opponent’s mobility. The creature screamed in pain but soon after the scorpion tail rained down on his position. But as it was expected, Kieren jumped towards the Manticore’s face.

(The manticore’s mental defense is clouded with pain. Now that I can get a lock on the eyes, it’ll be over.)

“Weaken!”

Using a form of hypnosis and suggestion, the Manticore’s body was unable to stand as if it was too tired to move. It could only whine helplessly.

“You like to corner weakened opponents don’t you? I wonder if it’s fun. Well I guess I’ll just have to try it out to find out right?”

The manticore broke out in fear. It couldn’t believe that it was taken down so easily and by a humanoid fox demon at that! Only now that it was completely at Kieren’s mercy did it realize how abnormally strong Kieren is.

“Let’s start with those sharp claws of yours”

“Ahhhhh!”

He could feel the sensation of flesh ripping apart as the claw slowly detached itself from the paw. The manticore could do nothing but scream in horror and despair as pain shot up its limb.

“Next…the tail”

Stepping over the bloody limbs, Kieren clawed at the exoskeleton protecting the soft flesh underneath. His face had an indifferent expression from the manticore’s suffering.

Once the tail had been sawed through, He grabbed the venom glands held within.

“Grandma Akiko said the poison from a manticore can cause paralysis and acute pain before dying an excruciating death. Even if it’s your own poison I wonder if you would be immune when this much is poured into your wound.”

No longer needing to waste magic power on keeping the manticore under his spiritual magic now that he disabled it, the manticore was able to move. Released from its restraints it tried to crawl away in terror.

“Where do you think you’re going? I haven’t seen the fun in torturing the weak yet.”

He dragged back the manticore to continue the torture session with an expressionless face.

“Since you can still crawl about let’s reduce your mobility some more. If you can’t see where you are going you won’t know where to run.”

(Flame claw!)

The last thing the manticore saw is a white flame as pale as death.

“…!!!!”

The manticore could only let out a silent scream as it was forced to endure sharp pain from its face. Two scorch marks were all that remained of what was once arrogant eyes that used to look down on lesser beings.

“I heard that a beast type demon has extremely thick fur. Hey, which is stronger, the claws I pulled out or your fur? Let’s find out.”

Shifting away from the sound of Kieren’s voice the cornered creature tried to protect itself from the onslaught it was expecting. Unfortunately for the manticore its efforts were futile. Blood spurt from multiple gashes that dyed the furry body red. He then poured the venom onto the gaping wounds.

“Huaaaah!”

Thrashing around in pain more blood erupted from the wounds.

(Hmm, at this rate you’re going to die of blood loss before the full effects of the venom kicks in. I don’t like wasting my efforts. Cauterizing half the wounds should do it.)

The smell of burnt flesh waft into his nose. Disgust colored his face as the manticore couldn’t even shout anymore due to the paralysis taking effect.

“Pathetic. I don’t understand why some people take so much pleasure out of torture. It’s a waste of time and energy. Tasteless!”

Feeling that anymore would be a waste of his time and energy, Kieren turned away to leave as he left the manticore to die from blood loss in suffering just as it did for the Winchester dragon. Although he had no feelings for the Winchester dragon or torture, he did believe in karma even if he was the one to deliver it.

(There’s not enough time to go to the rendezvous point. I better head back to that cave.)

With a tired face, Kieren followed his trail of scratches back to the cave 

and sealed himself within. He then laid down on the cave floor just as he did when he woke up and closed his eyes to return back to the human world.