Despite the dim surroundings, the movement of a heat-emitting figure couldn't escape the siren's sensory organs.
"Who are you?! What are you doing here at this hour—"
The siren's charge came to a sudden halt as the lantern flickered to life, casting a faint glow over the cargo hold.
In the pale light, a slim figure came into view.
Cloak draped over their shoulders, long braids cascading down their back.
A heavy pack strapped to them, armed to the teeth.
The figure's wide-eyed, startled expression betrayed shock, as if they hadn't expected to be discovered.
A human!?
The siren was just as shocked. This "premium merchandise" had been the hottest topic among the crew for days.
But why was this human here? Weren't they supposed to be locked up in a cage? And… what was that tuft of fur in their hand?
As the siren puzzled over the oddly familiar tuft, the human's gaze abruptly shifted, eyes sharpening with deadly intent.
With a sharp tug, they yanked on the tuft of fur in their hand.
No! This bastard—!
The siren finally realized what was happening and spun around, shouting at his companion, "Draw your weapon!"
That tuft—it was the whisker of a saberbeast.
Being wrenched from slumber so violently, the creature's response was all but certain.
The siren moved quickly, but it was already far too late.
"ROARRRR!!!"
A deafening bellow erupted from the cage.
The earth-shaking roar, brimming with rage, filled every corner of the cargo hold, sending waves of terror through all who heard it.
The once-silent hold descended into chaos.
Panicked beasts howled in their enclosures, and the recently awakened slaves screamed in fear.
Damn it! What the hell is going on?!
Cursing, the gatekeeper siren instinctively retreated.
Stay calm… stay calm! It's just a beast, and it's still in its cage. Even if it swipes with its claws, there are two of us here! We can handle this!
"Ah… ah…"
But when he glanced at his companion, he saw them trembling uncontrollably.
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What is this idiot doing?!
Just as he opened his mouth to scold the coward, something even more infuriating happened:
Instead of drawing their weapon, the other siren turned and fled.
"Big bro, I'll go alert the captain! You hold it off!"
"You coward! Get back here!"
The gatekeeper's fury boiled over as he screamed after the fleeing siren.
"You spineless wretch! If you don't get back here, I swear I'll—"
Before he could finish, an enormous shadow loomed over him.
What… what's happening?!
BANG!
The siren was hurled sideways, crashing into the metal railing with bone-jarring force.
Guh—!
The impact churned his insides, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
What… what just hit me…?
On the other side of the hold, the fleeing siren was twisting and writhing as fast as they could, their mind a chaotic mess.
Why? Why is this happening?!
Through blurry vision, they saw the enraged saberbeast smash its cage open as if the lock were a mere decoration.
I was just here for some quick cash! I'm not dying for this!
But how could a slithering siren outrun a rampaging four-legged beast?
SMASH!
In mere moments, the saberbeast's massive paw came down, reducing the fleeing siren to a grotesque pulp.
"…!?"
What the… what's happening?
The gatekeeper, still reeling from the earlier blow, finally pieced it together.
The beast had escaped its cage. Who wouldn't run from something like that?
But… the lock.
The massive lock that had been keeping the saberbeast contained—where was it?!
The image of the human flashed through his mind, and in that instant, he understood everything.
Damn it…
Realization dawned as the siren muttered his final words.
The saberbeast's gaping jaws descended, tearing him apart in an instant.