CALAMITY CORE : FREE THE WORLD

CH.27 'INU CLAN'

A full day and night had passed since the disastrous strike by the rampant Chimera, with the Shikoku Merchant Company only having just found it in them to begin their trek to their newly revealed destination, a quaint town protected by a pack of wolf-men, a town called Kochi. They now marched under broad daylight, a once imposing forest now lit up shades bright green as they came to a grass-filled clearing. The entirety of the caravan seemed to be in relatively high spirits for what they had endured the previous moonlight, and the tragedy was all but forgotten as warriors strolled beside horse- and mana-drawn carts.

The sun shone in the eyes of the Nowhere Generation, who had joined the march. Beside them, the likes of Big-Hat and his Swords shaded themselves beneath wide-brimmed straw caps and fan-like ears. It was a warm autumn day, and as the season began to set in, so did those trekking along on foot. Inoshishi and Hattori strolled and sang alongside the Swords, and Hirano walked solemnly alongside Big-Hat, the two leaders knowing their place at the very front of the caravan. Saionji walked alongside Mother, and Shimoda followed along beside Andrei as they gave chase to Phanes, who weaved between their legs playfully, as if playing a game of risk-taker's tag... only for a time though, as the half-Chimera finally caught his pet and scooped him up into his arms with a rare smile.

As the caravan approached a wooden structure seemingly dividing the road ahead from where they were now, Big-Hat raised a gloved hand for his people to stop. The joyous tone that had overtaken the group was now gone in an instant, and they all stood apprehensive as people seemed to appear from everywhere. The fortress-like building in the road. The woodlands surrounding the caravan. The people, all armored with makeshift plates and leathers, and all bearing the features of wolves, some with ears, tails, snouts, or even fur... though they were all different.

From the fortress itself, a hulking beast of a wolf-man appeared, a bulky blade in hand. It was smeared with blood. Big-Hat rested a hand on the hilt of his saber, and the two locked eyes. Hirano stood silent, and as the three men exchanged glares, the Nowhere Generation, save for Inoshi and Hattori (who had been held back by the Swords,) made their way to the front of the caravan. It was then that Saionji, Shimoda, and Andrei discovered who blocked their path. Big-Hat cleared his throat. "Inu Clan Leader, Okuri. It seems you've taken another trade route... don't you think it's a little much for your nomadic pack?"

The hulking wolf-man, Okuri, stood silent for a moment. Andrei in specific felt a prickle on the back of his neck as the beastkin's eyes settled on the chain sprouting from Andrei's chest. He shifted in his leathers, then locked eyes with the half-human. An intense stare led to Andrei's vision tunneling in on the man... it felt as though an aura radiated off of him, something powerful. Okuri felt it too. Then he switched his attention back to Big-Hat. "The bastards of Kochi still refuse us, or the hunt for that rampant Chimera, Nezumi-Raigo. I'm sure you understand..."

Overhead, the sun seemed more to be a spotlight than a reassuring ambience now. Big-Hat remained cool and collected however, feeling the trading of sheer willpower between the boy behind him and the bandit leader in front of him. Closing his eyes, the man dipped his head, then sighed. "A road tax is it? I don't see why we bother coming this way any longer... the guard of Kochi seems to be stretched so thin all the time."

Andrei blinked, and in an instant, the tension between himself and Okuri snapped like a thin cable. For a moment, he could've sworn that the air between them had grown lighter... and Saionji seemed to reflect that, tensing up as the exchange ended, as though something had gotten her lightheaded. Shifting his eyes back to the men before them, he realized now just how outnumbered that they were... the size of the Inu Clan. That's who these people were? "You're a smart man, caravan leader. Of course, we would rather you turn away either way. You know that the woods aren't safe even close to the village thanks to that bastard Chimera Raigo." It was Okuri who said this, his husky voice a low growl.

Before he could say anything, and as Saionji recovered from the mysterious shift in the wind and made her best effort to keep note of the exchange in front of her, Shimoda turned to see the Swords stepping forward with boxes of supplies. They were seemingly prepared for this, and even though they had shown their combat prowess, there was an air of weariness about them. It was not the time for a fight, as they still had to recover and lick their wounds. Big-Hat knew this well, and Hirano quickly caught on after flinching to Okuri's glare through him and into Andrei. "Right. We've no plans to go for a walk beyond the streets of Kochi. Let us through and we'll be out of your fur, Inu Clan."

A moment of silence led to a slim frown from Okuri, and the bandits who had gathered behind him moved with a gesture of his fist raising to the sky. They retreated into the wood fortress, and Okuri stood idle for a moment longer to stare at Andrei... It felt like an attack at his very being. Of course, the indomitable beast within Andrei didn't intend on giving up there, and he fought back. Okuri's pupils dilated, and he was forced to take a step back. "You Shikoku Company... where did you find something like that?" Okuri gestured to Andrei.

With a breath, Saionji was back to her full self after a second burst of lightheadedness, one which seemingly affected Hirano too. Big-Hat noticed this time, and he shrugged. "We happened upon some roamers in the woodlands east of here... nothing too interesting about it, Okuri. They helped up with the repairs of our carts when they gave in, not that you'd understand that." The foxy kitsune smiled a cheeky grin, then strolled past Okuri after he gave more ground.

The wolf-man stepped off to the side as the caravan followed behind Big-Hat, and as Andrei passed him by, he could almost smell the stink of power radiating from his body... then the scentless woman with white hair and different colored eyes stepped past him. Just who the hell were there people? He looked to the leader of the caravan, and gave him a cautious nod. "Be careful if you're intent on dragging around that half-Chimera, Big-Hat. You know how the Chimera are all drawn to one another... unless you intend on facing down Nezumi-Raigo yourself."

Big-Hat passed by without another consideration towards Okuri or his clan, and Andrei seemed to be pondering his apparent exchange with the wolf-man. Saionji seemed to be fine now, as did Hirano... but Big-Hat hadn't been affected in the first place, nor had Shimoda apparently. Sighing, he realized now that whatever this ability was, it was something unique. What made it that way, he didn't know, but the question stood regardless. As they marched up the hill to Kochi, the sun hit the middle of the sky, and Andrei wiped a single droplet of awkward sweat from his face as he too passed by the wooden fort and Okuri alongside it.

Shimoda broke their silence. "So... there are crooks here too?" He looked at Saionji, who got a look on her face, and he smiled. "I don't think sis' can stand for that... what about you, eh' 'Drei?"

Saionji gasped with outrage, and Andrei simply laughed. "I can too stand it! At least I won't jump and call out to them while we're outnumbered..." At that, Shimoda laughed too, and they continued on towards the village of Kochi, which by the time they had reached the top of the hill, came into view, and drew ever closer with each passing step.

The leader of those bandits, the ones who stood guard at the fort in the road, watched as the caravan left them behind. "They should be hesitant... there are things worse than Chimera in this country."