The masked men were going home with it. In every direction I looked, someone was smacking the shit out of someone else.

“S-stop! You traitor!”

“W-who was it? Who hit me!”

They were confused. With everyone in masks, a traitor in their ranks disrupted their entire operation. They couldn’t tell who hit whom, with everyone hiding and blending into one another.

“What is going on…” Shirley muttered, exasperated. Who wouldn’t be after seeing their enemies kick the living shit out of each other?

I, though, quickly got over my surprise and enjoyed the moment.

“Get that bastard!” I screamed. “Behind you, golden mask! Behind!”

The guy with the golden mask was almost about to get whacked by a steel rod but was saved, thanks to me.

“Get him! Go golden mask!”

I kind of recognized that golden mask. Was it the same one I had stolen… Well, who knows?

I cheered on a few more when a voice snapped at me.

“We are trying to help, can you just shut up!?”

“Get that cheering bastard first!”

Ooh, scary.

I hid behind Shirley. The girl looked at me like someone looking at a very mischievous and annoying cat. One that had just dropped an expensive vase for the seventh time straight.

The people around finally managed to smack the last of the resistors down. They hadn’t killed anyone, thankfully. It seemed it was clear to them who they were fighting and who were on their side.

Finally, the masked in-fighters, traitors, whatever I should be calling them, turned to us and started removing their masks. It didn’t take a genius to figure out who they were.

“Big sister!” A burly man said. “You are safe. We were very worried when we couldn’t find you.”

“These bastards were planning to kill everyone in the town,” a girl with slick long hair tied into a bun added. “I can’t believe we were in cahoots with such idiots.”

Shirley, the person all words were directed at, breathed a sigh of relief. “I knew nothing would happen to you guys, but I was still worried.”

So her people were trained enough for her to be so confident? That wasn’t all. It seemed they also had an idea about what I was doing here. Their trust in their leader was just as great.

No matter what, I couldn’t let Shirley and her people go. I needed them.

For my purpose.

After all, I was no better than one of these criminal organizations. I, too, seek revolution. A much grander revolution than any of them are imagining. Manpower was the natural next step in my tasks.

I stepped forward and spread my arms. My tone was as friendly as ever.

“Thank you for your help there; we would have been in slight trouble.”

The burly man and the sleek girl from before both eyed me and winced.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“How are you walking like that?”

“Does anyone have any potions?”

My bag was still at large. I had something that could help me recover some of my strength, but it wasn’t a necessity. Refusing their kindness was different altogether. One of Shirley’s gang members handed me a low-grade potion with an apologetic look, and I gratefully accepted it.

Anything was better than nothing.

“This is a professor from Glorenstein,” said Shirley. “He said he will help us escape incrimination…”

Shirley glanced at me. It seems she felt guilty since she couldn’t help at all against the Behemoth.

“That’s right,” I intervened. “And we have to move fast. Nothing is over yet. The chimera and the civil servants both have us in a chokehold. Were any of you seen by people or other criminals?”

The eleven gang members all shook their heads. The masks had hidden them well.

“We will trust you since big sister seems to. Maybe one or two would recognize us,” said the girl with sleek hair. “And none of us attacked any civilians.”

I nodded at her words. Shirley’s control over this group was quite the spectacle. I wanted to ask a lot more, but we didn’t have time. Each second counted until we took the Chimera down.

“Alright, give me a sheet of paper and listen clearly. All of you tie your hands with ropes and snap them from the middle, make sure it's tight so that there are marks on your hands.”

The civil servants were observant of everything. As I continued explaining, I started writing a note on the sheet of paper.

“You guys will act like a merchant caravan captured a few days ago. The criminals had taken you for their own work and planned to use you in a sacrifice ritual. Before you were caught, I came and helped you. Do all of you know the topology around us?”

The burly man nodded. “We’ll match our stories. Don’t worry.”

I signed the note and handed it to him. “Take it. Hand this thing to them before anything. Don’t answer more than a merchant caravan would be able to. Got it?”

They all listened well.

“Thank you, professor. We will repay you. Let’s go, big sister.”

Shirley stepped back. “I am not going with you guys. Ethan and I need to stop that bitch Frock before anything happens.”

“W-wait, you too?” the burly man seemed surprised. In that case, I am coming too. You already got caught once when you said you’d find us a way out, big sister.”

“Hey, hey,” I intervened. “This is risky. More people would only get in our way.”

If things went south… for example, if someone used a self-sacrificing spell, then that would be the end of all of us. In such a terrible situation, I only had the confidence to grab Shirley and run with my injuries.

“I apologize, professor,” the sleek girl said. “Do you think you can say that in your current state?”

“He can.” Shirley vouched for me. “All of you leave. We don’t have the time for this.”

“But…”

“It’s an order, Meilkan!”

The burly man pursed his lips at Shirley’s words. Time truly was running out every second.

Without more conversation, we decided to split up, unagreeable as it was for Shirley’s eleven.

Shirley and I set off again for the lab. We were far closer than before, and my guide was quite skilled.

An eerie air loomed in the woods as we reached closer. It was a great trek from the south to the east, but we had managed it in the time one would take from Glorenstein to here.

“It’s a little strange…” said Shirley. “That the dungeon, a prison, was hidden better than the lab.”

“It isn’t,” I responded, pushing against a tree. “Mrs. Frock is nothing more than a pawn. There are players on a far larger scale involved in this.”

Shirley looked at me with a sidelong glance.

“I was worried that might be the case… Professor, has anyone said you are quite suspicious of a seemingly upstanding citizen?”

I chuckled

“What’s your angle here?” she asked. “There’s no reason to help me, I still am a criminal. Your strength, all the things that you know, what in the world do you want?”

I smiled a wry smile. The lab was finally in our view.

“I promised to keep you from being caught.”

“You’ve more than delivered.”

“That is why, I wish to make a new promise. When all this is over, Shirley, come find me…” I looked into her eyes. “I will make you a promise of change. My goals are similar to yours…”

Shirley did not say a word in response.

She looked toward the research lab, a place erected in the middle of the mountains with stones, covered with numerous magic circles that had hidden its presence before today when there was no longer any need to waste mana on hiding.

A sound rang outside the cover of trees. A low, deep rumble spread through the Earth.

Shirley and I immediately exchanged glances and then rushed out of the trees—

A great explosion resounded as the walls of the laboratory broke down, crushed.

That thing... broke out. The body of a lion, blue fur, and multiple heads—one serpentine, one wolf-like. Its sharp claws were the color of the moon, and its bulging muscles were like boulders threatening to fall to the ground.

Despite its physical body, the traces of slime in its being were visible. Unlike the imitation Denadis could make, this thing was the real deal…

“Mama’s here… mama’s here…”

The chimera had awoken.