Beastmen Love-Chapter 151: Fighting For Our Home 2

Claud landed, releasing the beastmen he had saved. His body began to glow with power as he raised his hands toward the monstrous worm. He wrapped it in an invisible grip, preventing it from retreating underground to launch another devastating attack. The higher priests and Astri’s spouses made their folk beastmen calmer, inspiring them to keep fighting and assuring them that the battle was far from lost.

"Astri... how do I kill it?" Claud asked through gritted teeth, straining to hold the writhing creature as it fought to break free.

"The brain is just above its mouth, but in this case, you’ll need to sever the entire head. I can’t be sure whether it’s above or below." Astri’s voice answered in his mind.

Monsters began charging at Claud, forcing him to loosen his grip on the worm to defend himself. Astri’s mind travels nearby and finds Dante and Xzan fighting in their beast forms.

"Xzan, Dante! Claud needs your help. Now!" Her voice echoed urgently in their heads.

’Astri? Is that you?’ They asked, bewildered.

"Yes! It’s me. Get to Claud before the worm escapes!"

Shaking off their confusion, they sprang into action, rallying nearby beastmen to help Claud. With their assistance, Claud regained his focus on the worm. His arms tremble as if he’s using immense strength, letting out a scream as he rips the worm’s gigantic head from its body.

Exhausted, Claud released the lifeless creature and collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily but feeling a wave of relief wash over him. The worm was dead

"That’s my shining unicorn." Astri’s voice purred in his mind, full of pride.

Claud smiled, exhilarated by the primal satisfaction of having earned her praise. He knows it’s a very primitive feeling, but he welcomes it entirely. He looked up at Xzan and Dante, nodding gratefully for their help.

Above, Cyprian and Kangki clashed with the dragon Monster, their battle shaking the skies. The Monster King glanced down and snarled as he saw the worm’s dead body. Yet, despite the loss, he seemed unfazed, as if victory were still within his grasp.

He shifted back to his human form, Cyprian following suit. Fighting in dragon form only made sense against an enemy of equal size.

"I recognize your face, even though your aura feels different. I know who you are." The Monster King sneered, pointing at Kangki.

"And I remember you too, Lorog. I recall the day I made you flee with your tail between your legs." Kangki shot back, his eyes blazing with defiance.

"Isn’t it ironic? You chose to become a weak beastman again, lured by the promise of eternal life from Nature’s Daughter. She must be either very clever to want you by her side, or very foolish for not seeing your true intentions." Lorog’s lips curled into a wicked smile.

"And what would you know of my intentions, you swamp-dwelling lizard?" Kangki retorted, his voice dripping with contempt. "You know nothing about me. You’re a cub in front of me, you better leave before I kill you for coming into our territory."

"Our territory?" He gives a wicked loud laugh. "You talk as if you were now something for Daughter’s Nature! You’re nothing but her toy. And you don’t have the same powers you had when you defeated me before. Your Monsters are now mine. And you can’t take others’ energy anymore as I can see."

"I don’t need anyone’s energy to kill you. Last time we fought I didn’t use anyone’s energy. You’re just proving you’re a weak pathetic coward for having to retort to other Monsters to have any chance against me." Kangki smirks.

Lorog snarled, his eyes blazing with murderous intent before he quickly masked his fury with a smirk. "Call me whatever you like, but I’ll take the prize you hold. The difference is, I won’t debase myself like you did, becoming a pawn and a weak beastman."

With a deafening roar, he vanished into the shadows just as Kangki’s claws swiped through the empty air. Sensing Lorog’s energy trail, Kangki unleashed a burst of fire. Lorog reappeared near the other Princes, his belly scorched from the flames. Enraged, he staggered toward a portal and began siphoning energy from the Monsters emerging from it, his wounds slowly healing.

"King Lorog, our forces are dwindling. We’ll need to summon reinforcements from another territory." A Prince reported, his voice tinged with urgency.

"We need more. Kangki is still alive. He’s become a beastman again and allied himself with her. I just need to lure her out, and then she’s mine. Bring in the worms. The unicorn can’t kill another, and not even Kangki can handle more than one. Once the worms are in place, summon more Monsters." Lorog commanded.

The Prince nodded, and the five gathered Princes closed their individual portals, pooling their energy to create a massive rift in the ground. Moments later, another colossal worm erupted from it like a leviathan breaching the ocean’s surface. The battlefield fell silent as everyone watched, horrified, as a second worm followed the first. They burrowed into the earth, disappearing from sight as the portal closed. The Princes collapsed to their knees, drained from the exertion.

Claud and Kangki exchanged thoughts, strategizing on how to deal with the worms and prevent the Monsters from breaching the inner walls. The first wall was already destroyed, but Claud was holding the Monsters back for now.

"I can’t kill another one while keeping the Monsters at bay. I’ll have to call in the Priest Guards." Claud said to Kangki.

"Cyprian can assist you. I’ll handle one worm, and you take the other. Cyprian can protect the entrance in your place." Kangki replied and flew toward Cyprian. "Go to Claud’s position and help him. I’ll take one worm, he’ll take the other. You need to guard the entrance."

Cyprian nodded and sped off. Claud and Kangki met in the sky, tracing the worms’ underground movements.

"We’ll need too much strength to drag them up. Let’s kill them while they’re still below." Claud suggested.

"I agree. I’ll take the one on the right."

"Then I’ll take the other."

"I chose the bigger one to help you out. You’re young and already look exhausted." Kangki teased with a smirk.

Claud chuckled in response as they focused their energy. Using their telekinetic grip, they pinned the worms down. To conserve their strength, they summoned spears of rock around the creatures, trying to hold them still. But danger loomed overhead. Lorog and another Prince materialized, and Claud and Kangki narrowly dodged their deadly attack.

Astri sighed as she realized she had no other choice.

"How goes the battle, Astri? Claud hasn’t talked to me anymore." Galion asked, his voice filled with concern.

"It’s bad. They’ve summoned two more worms. The Monster King knows Claud and Kangki are the only ones who can kill them quickly, so he’s forcing them to fight him instead." Astri explained, rising and walking toward her spear.

"Wait, where are you going?" Galion asked, alarmed.

’Fathers told us to stay here, Mom.’ Kai added.

"I know. But I have to go."

"I promised Claud I wouldn’t let you leave, no matter what." Galion said firmly.

"Do you really want to try and stop me?" She asks, smiling.

Galion rolled his eyes, but before he could react, Hopin sprang at Astri, aiming to jab a thin dart into her arm. She dodged effortlessly, snatching the dart from his hand.

"Mom... I..." Hopin stammered, his voice shaking, afraid that his adoptive mother would punish him for what he tried to do.

Astri cupped his face gently, her expression softening. "I know, dear. Claud isn’t the only one who can read minds here. I sensed that sleeping dart from miles away." She said, pulling him into a hug.

Hopin hugged her tightly more relieved, and soon her other children joined in, embracing her.

’You can’t go, Mom. We promised Dad we’d protect you and Yuki.’ Elias said, struggling to hold back his tears.

"I know, my loves, and you’re doing a wonderful job. Even when I’m out there, you’re protecting me. Your hope and love give us strength." Astri said, kissing each of her children in turn.

She turned to Atlas, lifting him from Saul’s arms and hugging him as well. "Believe me when I say everything will be alright. We’ll all come home safe and sound, including me," she assured them, placing Atlas beside Yuki on the bed.

"Don’t worry. I won’t let Claud punish you." She looked at Galion and Saul.

"It’s not that... You’re too important to risk yourself like this. Exposing yourself..." Galion started but trailed off, knowing she wouldn’t change her mind.

She grasped his arm, making him look at her. "For us. For this family. Don’t fear what you can’t see. The future is a mystery. Despair is only for those who see the end with certainty. Is that what you see? The end?"

"No, it’s not." he replied with a smile.

"Good. Because I don’t see the end either. And that’s a comforting thought, don’t you think?" She picked up her spear again and left, determination in her stride.