Moonlight Village was one of the most important towns in the eastern region of the kingdom. Though it lay near the border, it had gradually transformed into an ideal haven where travelers and merchants could rest. It offered comfort, supplies, and preparation for long journeys ahead.
The town had been deliberately designed in a circular layout—forcing travelers to walk its entire perimeter before reaching the center. In doing so, they would inevitably pass by every local product, every crafted good, every merchant stall. At the heart of the village stood the Moon Well, from which the settlement took its name.
Naturally, this prosperity allowed the town to maintain paved stone streets—smooth and solid like those of modern cities—unlike the outer roads, whose dirt paths dissolved into mud and dust. The contrast was intentional. Most travelers were accustomed to firm stone underfoot; recreating that familiarity enhanced their experience and elevated the town's reputation. It also made the entire settlement visually impressive.
Moonlight Village was not especially vital to the kingdom in terms of power.
But it was the bridge of safety to the eastern cities.
Its proximity to border watchtowers and guarded territories made it strategically valuable. Merchant caravans and travelers passed through constantly, riding enormous beasts—massive horses, elephants, unicorns, even giant lizards. These creatures carried food, spices, jewels, and gold across vast distances. They required safe rest points to continue their journeys without interruption.
The eastern cities invested heavily in maintaining the village, ensuring the steady flow of resources—especially since the western regions were considered more stable and secure.
Yet beyond commerce and defense, there was another purpose.
A hidden one.
Moonlight Village was one of the few settlements through which slaves could be smuggled discreetly—far from the watchful eyes of the summoned heroes.
Since the arrival of the new heroes, matters had grown complicated.
They were rare individuals, unpredictable.
Some were noble—but harsh.
Others were selfish, demanding gold, resources… and women.
Most importantly, many of them had begun interfering in national politics, imposing their own beliefs upon the kingdom. Among these changes was the criminalization of slavery and the enforcement of severe penalties.
The consequences were immediate.
A labor crisis emerged due to the sudden loss of free manpower.
The slave trade—long embedded in the economic structure—was directly threatened.
And tension simmered beneath the surface
Perhaps one of the zealous heroes had discovered the operation—though that seemed exaggerated.
Perhaps one of the overly zealous heroes had discovered the truth—but that seemed exaggerated.
The strange creature watched as the screams slowly faded.
For transformed humans, the sounds had been painfully sharp.
The purple creature stepped forward, its towering figure impossible to ignore.
Its appearance was striking—masculine, yet edged with a sharp femininity. Its face was round and strangely gentle, lacking any visible nose. It was bald, with glowing eyes and a small pleasant mouth that concealed rows of sharp teeth.
Its torso was a bizarre blend of allure and strength. A powerful chest accompanied by large, heavy pectorals that were masculine yet full enough to sway slightly, lending an oddly feminine impression. Its abdominal muscles were sharply defined, almost sculpted.
Its full backside stretched tightly against black trousers adorned with a golden belt, the shape visible even through the clothing.
Four muscular arms extended from its body, each ending in long limbs tipped with sharp claws. Its thighs—shaped almost like those of a woman—pressed tightly together with dense muscle beneath the skin.
Its clothes were flamboyant: a colorful leather shirt and an extravagant hat. Its purple skin was smooth, almost rubber-like, shining with an unsettling sheen.
A fitting appearance for the lustful general—
Phirex
He walked forward with elegance toward the entrance of the town. As expected, his assumption had not been wrong.
Blood and torn bodies were scattered everywhere. Dozens of corpses of different ages and sizes lay here and there across the streets.
Not bad.
He sensed not a single trace of life.
Did they kill hundreds of residents in fifteen minutes?
He moved calmly, floating slightly above the ground—annoyed by the idea of his shoes being stained with blood.
He passed the corpse of an infant and felt a faint disgust. He had always found human children… charming. Not in the way humans did, of course. To him they were closer to adorable puppies. What irritated him was when they grew older.
Nearby, horses neighed desperately as they struggled to free themselves.
The marketplace was chaotic and ruined. Food, jewelry, and goods were scattered everywhere. He pulled a necklace toward himself with telekinesis and inspected it. A red ruby.
It was not easy to distinguish a real ruby from a fake. True rubies refracted and dispersed light strongly, creating brilliant flashes when light passed through them. But thanks to Phirex's powerful senses, he could see the difference instantly.
Suddenly, he noticed the monster behind him.
It lunged.
With a single motion, he split it in half with his claws.
"Not my favorite type anyway," he said with a smile, tossing the ruby aside.
He began observing the creature in front of him.
It had a roughly human shape with arms and hands, yet everything about it was wrong. Its face and skin were rotten and distorted like a zombie's. Sharp teeth pushed its jaw forward unnaturally. Its hair smelled foul. Its arms were massive compared to its body, while its legs and torso were thin.
But he wouldn't be fooled.
It appeared castrated—something he instinctively avoided.
Phirex effortlessly dodged the attacks of dozens of monsters moving with incredible speed. At one point he casually stood on the face of one of them.
"Let's see what's inside you," he said as he tore the creature in half.
Something had piqued his curiosity. Life had taught him to be precise—to analyze everything around him. Even though he was a demon, a creature near the top of the food chain, there were still many surprises in the world… some of them lethal.
Especially now.
He noticed the monsters had suddenly stopped attacking him.
Ignoring the stench, he examined the monster's stomach.
Just as he expected—there were no remains of humans inside.
"Ah… I see. You're not here for food."
He glanced toward the animals nearby.
"And you haven't eaten them either."
So they were trained only to kill.
Interesting.
Ordinary monsters attacked whatever they saw. Even when trained, they still acted on instinct—fear, anger, hunger. They were difficult to control despite their strategic value, often causing unnecessary losses when an army tried to minimize destruction or protect hostages.
Unless they were already inside enemy territory.
He continued wandering until he reached the well at the center of the town.
The monsters were gathering.
Toward a church.
Phirex smiled coldly as he watched them trying to break inside.
There was someone there.
Most likely human.
He leapt forward, ignoring the stairs entirely, slicing the monsters before him in half as he moved. He opened the door.
Inside sat a girl.
Extremely beautiful.
White hair, sharp red eyes, and pale skin almost silver in tone. She sat curled like a fetus, wrapped in a priest's robe.
Phirex smiled.
"Well… my dear. I didn't expect anyone to still be alive. You must be quite strong."
Then he examined her more carefully. Her snow-white skin made something click in his mind.
"Ah… I see."
His smile widened.
"You're not from this world."
The screams of the other monsters grew louder as they crawled closer to the church.
The girl trembled violently, fearfully. Blood dripped from her mouth—perhaps from biting herself.
It felt exaggerated
He stepped closer, slightly worried he might smell urine.
But when he looked into her eyes, he noticed something else.
She wasn't just afraid.
She was angry.
And there was something else as well… something extraordinary.
"Hmm… well, well," he said softly. "It's been a long time since I've seen a spirit like that."
He smiled.
This could be very entertaining.
Phirex raised a small vial and shook it in front of her. Inside was a crimson liquid.
"Listen carefully, little beauty. I won't repeat myself."
He held it closer.
"You have thirty seconds. Two choices."
"Death… or drink this."
The beautiful girl looked at him nervously.
He smiled wider.
"It's vampire blood. If you drink it…"
"You will become a vampire."
The woman understood quickly.
She hesitated for a moment.
Phirex normally would not have cared. Yet he had seen something in her—something that might entertain him.
"Listen carefully," he said calmly. "You have thirty seconds. Do you understand?"
His glowing eyes studied her face.
"I won't lie to you. I see revenge in your heart. I see hatred… but also love. And I want to enjoy watching what you might become."
He tilted his head slightly.
"So hurry. Fifteen seconds left."
The woman's eyes widened the moment she heard those words.
The hesitation vanished.
In its place—resolve.
She's a priest, Phirex realized. She knows exactly what she's doing.
Without allowing herself time to think, she drank the vial quickly.
Outside, the monsters crept closer, slowly surrounding the church. They watched as the last human inside began to disappear.
Then the screams began.
The woman collapsed, screaming in unbearable agony as her new birth started.
Her body twisted violently as the transformation took hold.
Minutes later—
Silence.
The woman rose.
With unnatural speed, she grabbed the head of the first monster that approached. For a moment she stared at it silently.
The first victim was always the hardest.
But she didn't care.
It wasn't the first life she had taken.
With a sharp motion—
Crack.
Phirex watched silently from the side, smoking as a crooked smile spread across his face