I wasn’t good at planning something like this, but it almost seemed like I didn’t have to be.

A group of shadowy canines rushed forward, practically immediately, racing through the narrow pass ahead, all too eager to execute the plan. They disappeared from sight as their mirage-like camouflage wrapped over them, leaving nothing but the momentarily shifting air behind them.

Fiery vulpine creatures moved to the flanks, looking for the spots where they could hide, or even climbed up the cliff to better vantage points.

My heart jumped when one of them slipped and plummeted down the cliff, crashing hard to the ground. Before I could really do anything, the Purifier’s broken and bloodied body was swallowed by the ruby mist, only to be materialised again, alive and whole, next to me.

“Master!” she cheered, almost like she gave a brief thanks, and ran off, almost as if nothing had happened.

It still shook me a little. I saw them die, and saw them being brought back‌ again and again, but I still found it somehow difficult to acclimatise to the endless cycle of their deaths and rebirths. It reminded me all too well that while they didn’t die, or at least didn’t stay dead, everything else did.

It helped me to realise that the caravan, assuming the group of humans was one in the first place, didn’t show up yet.

“Where are the humans?” I asked, worried that ‘Eviscerators’ jumped them too early.

As frustrated as I was with the entire situation, I still didn’t want people to die, hoping to minimise the casualties and to ease my consciousness, if nothing else.

Despite the previously failed attempts to establish a communication with the locals, and the painful experiences those brought to me, I was still determined to face the incoming group of natives head-on - to be at the front of the group, to show the human face that would inspire a certain amount of trust in the menagerie of intelligent monsters.

Despite all that happened, I thought humans preferred to see another human.

“They had a problem with the wheel of their wagon …” Miwah answered, my inner turmoil allowed her to gather the information. “They struggle with the slope on the other side of the ravine.”

“Wait for the signal,” I said. “I want people captured, not dead, just pin them down if possible.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Maybe I should wait here, show them there is a human so they can negotiate…”

My monsters, however, disagreed with me on this.

“Master, no! It’s not a joke!” Tama protested and held me, even looking distressed: “It’s too dangerous! They harmed you twice already!”

“We can talk to them. It doesn’t matter which one of us. Same language. Different than theirs.” Narita argued, her speech punctuated emphasising her sometimes strange speech patterns.

“We will protect you, Master!” Miwah empathised.

“Master!” echoed the entourage of the smaller kin, ones most kitted out, serving as protective detail. They, just as all the other monsters, seemed very concerned about my safety. It was still a very eerie experience, if not a creepy one, as I had no one invested in my well-being before. I wasn’t sure how much I tried their patience with me now they spoke against the poorly thought out ideas..

“But…” I argued, or at least tried to, as I didn’t finish that sentence. Even though nothing I had experienced before could prepare me for what happened in this world, I still could realize that arguments were, ultimately, pointless. I could rein in my temper. Sometimes.

I gritted my teeth.

I was not going to argue with the whole ‘Master’ thing, and more importantly, I would try to respect my monsters, my protectors. I would die in my ‘diplomacy attempts’ if it wasn’t for them, and their absolute obedience wasn't ever given.

I took a breath and spat out the fastest explanation I could think of:

“Whatever phenomenon brought me there, it certainly couldn’t be completely random - even if me waking up here was a pure coincidence, every subsequent situation couldn’t be. What is the chance that I would be randomly brought here, with hostile natives running into me immediately? Locals have answers! If those random schmuks don’t, someone in charge does! We need to communicate with them, and if they don’t want to, we need to beat them to it.”

I couldn’t be ever certain if this was what they wanted to hear, but they seemed to like the answer. I could see it in their eyes. Narita even put on a rather pleased-looking smirk.

“Narita and Miwah will try to talk to them.” I decided, “I’ll stay back with Tama.”

“Yes, Master.” They didn’t have any strong objections , as long as I wasn’t going to put myself too close to the potential fight, though I didn’t believe they lost their rather strong distaste towards humans.

It was Miwah and Narita that stepped forward. Some of their kin, ones that were outfitted, went with them, while most of the crowd scattered around, likely preparing to descend on the upcoming group with vengeance.

I retreated to the back with Tama still hanging on to me, almost as if she was afraid I would rush into danger again, along with the self-appointed ‘guard’ portion of the monster menagerie.

Finally, the group of humans made its way into the right spot in the narrow pass. In the front of their group was the heavy, oxen-drawn cart, visibly too heavy and not even intended for the single ox to drag it forward. It was a wooden contraption, with a roof, and a small hut on wheels more than a carriage. One bullock was too overburdened with the weight it had to drag.

The rest was whatever they could put in a handful of back baskets, or a handcart, not a single horse to be seen.

The only animal, obviously already startled, struggled with the heavy wooden wagon with massive wheels, while the surrounding men futilely tried to force the scared bovine to move forward while still unaware of the danger it sensed.

The monsters waited. The humans hadn't noticed us yet.

In the meantime, caravaneers shouted, possibly argued. A chubby man sitting on the cart driver’s seat was the most noisy of all of them. As he bossed the men and women around him, though, it only further aggravated the still struggling bovine.

The armed part of the group, mostly with simple polearms and outfitted in very simple padded cuirasses, however, clutched their weapons, as they were quickly made to suspect the ambush.

Caravan guards, I guessed.

I was called for.

Tama and Narita made an appearance, along with the detachment of associated monsters of three types, finally getting the attention of the group and putting them over the edge.

The terrified bovine broke free, breaking the shaft of the wagon, and the overburdened cart tumbled over, with a man driving it screaming.

The animal attempted to flee, charging straight into the group of monsters only to collapse on the ground when a sickly green glow of Narita’s power put a dead stop to its run. A few humans had already tried to flee, only to be jumped by the ‘Eviscerators’ emerging from their cloaking mirages that hid them.

“My Master wants to learn your language. Cooperate, or die.” Narita boomed, delivering the ultimatum, or rather a threat, no one listened to. It was soon drowned in the rumbling noise of the fight that erupted out of nowhere.

I wasn’t given a chance to ponder about sending monsters to intimidate the locals, and whether it was a better choice than what I had done in previous encounters.

It happened far too quickly.

I noticed the red haze erupting from the ground, with the fell monsters reformed after it died to an unknown assailant. It was so sudden I noticed the effects before the cause. The chaos that ensued as all the shadowy canines charged in at once.

“For Master!”

Other humans screamed, and I noticed the lone warrior throwing the daggers - or something else I couldn’t identify - to kill the canines that tried to catch down the fleeing women.

Another few monsters fell and were recreated next to me, ready to charge into the fray once more.

Now, the battle ensued, and with it, complete chaos.

More of them fell.

On both sides.

Skill “Slayer of Men” Lvl. 21 ” gained.

A single swordsman, cutting the several ‘Eviscerators’ down in the deadly blade dance, with my power spitting out a replacement for the slain creatures.

Again and again. And again.

The manifestation of my power, the bloody mist, gave birth to more creatures. New ones, or preexisting ones brought back, I couldn’t tell.

“For Master!”

By the dozen, the canines fell as the single swordsman cut his way forward, with the quick slashes of the sword mowing down the monsters with nearly acrobatic moves that defied physics, deflecting even a few fireballs thrown at him.

He noticed where I stood, and launched himself towards me, only to crash in mid-flight with the monsters that threw themselves in without the fear, adapting their fighting to the opponent that could predict ‘Eviscerators’ stealth.

‘Purifiers’ had no stealth, but it didn’t stop them from charging the man after he dodged the ranged blasts.

“For Master!”

I took a glimpse at one of the armoured ‘Purifiers’, the smaller version of them, trying to fight him with the sword she looted from somewhere, only to be brutally decapitated after a few blows.

The combat was chaotic, single, overpowered opponents slashing its way through the monsters.

Burst of fire cast by ‘Purifiers’.

Showers of blood and gore splashed around as the enemy swung this sword. Bodies dropped to the ground, only to be reclaimed by the red mist.

Monsters reformed near me, ready to throw themselves into the fray once more.

The man who didn’t have any significant problem with slaying possibly dozens of my monsters didn’t infuse me with fear, as a rational mind would expect.

It still unsettled me, made me nervous, then awakened the anger within me for harming my monsters, and all of that despite my peaceful intentions that didn’t require anyone to die!

I pointed at him, though I didn’t utter any words, and didn’t give any order.

The warrior paused in his murderous rampage, realizing that for every monster he cut down, a new one took its place, forming a crowd around me, ready to charge him anew with renewed vigor and even greater rage.

I locked eyes with the man. He looked at me and did the whirling motion with his blade, as perhaps to initiate a challenge.

Then the gathered Purifiers turned everything into a massive raging conflagration.Tama hurried me away while directing the scorching blasts of magic. The super-swordsman charged through the blast, unscattered, unburned, only to be met by Miwah.

The large, black werewolf exchanged a few blows with him, delivering a couple of grievous clawing wounds to him, even deflecting some of his blows, but even her, the strongest of my monsters, lost an arm to him. Blood showered everywhere, though it wasn’t the end.

My Miwah staggered, holding her nearly mortal wound with the blood spraying out freely, yet she didn’t fall. Instead, she growled, enraged by the debilitating injury and ready to fight to the bitter end.

She swung at the enemy; his sword scratched her armour. Her attempt to kick, however, made her stumble behind him. The swordman didn’t have the chance to exploit that opening.

“For Master!”

Everything turned sickly, disgusting emerald dew as several, if not all Defilers, including Narita, focused on the unbeatable warrior. They finally slowed him down while filling us to the brim with the truly energising sensation I couldn’t even describe.

He finally slowed, while the werewolf he almost killed a moment again regained all her vigour, and under Narita’s power even a severed arm regrew.

The unbeatable blade master faltered, even losing the grip over his curved sword, though still managed to redirect a few blows Miwah threw with a few skillful moves, but it was too late as Defilers maintained their hex.

The menagerie of monsters laughed.

Miwah grabbed the man, slashing his throat while the disgustingly green dew stole every bit of his remaining essence, and threw the now rapidly shrivelling hulk of the body away.

Tama burned it down with impunity, almost as if she wanted to make sure the man wouldn’t stand up again. He had been quite a dangerous opponent, perhaps even more deadly than the mysterious assassins that attacked our camp before, and an irrefutable proof that this world was still dangerous even with the small army of monsters…

The system, however, had its own solution to the matter as another bland, invasive screen spelled the end of another unusually powerful human, and expansion of the furry horde to meet future threats.

Skill “Scorched Earth lvl.21” gained.

Skill “Slayer of Men” Lvl. 22 ” gained.

Skill “Great Devourer lvl.8” gained.

Major Enemy killed. Level 4 achieved. Unit cap doubles.

The red haze, a relentless source that brought in more monsters, turned into a small, brief, localised storm that cursed this world with yet another expansion to the furry horde.

All for the sake of getting some simple answers, for learning a few words.

“Master! Master! Master!” Crowd chanted, with their scratchy, girlish voices.

I was, however, tired.

Not physically. The energy Narita’s power infused into us was boiling in my entrails, like the overdose of a potent stimulant that makes one’s heart race, driving the brains and muscle into overdrive.

Yet, despite all of it, it was my mind which had just enough. One stupid attempt to get someone to talk with me, and it resulted in the minor battle, with one nearly unkillable warrior which we had to put down only through superior numbers, and the sheer ferocity of essentially resurrecting monsters.

All of it for the chance to talk!

I hated this world.

Still, I couldn’t help myself but give Miwah, Tama and Narita an affectionate hug, which they eagerly accepted, while their smaller kin giggled and cheered. My monsters, I thought, as I inspected the werewolf's hand, restored back to normal, with a certain relief.

Even if their death was a temporary affair, I still hated each time they died.

But I pushed myself away from being affectionate.

“Catch and secure the remaining humans!” I ordered.

“For Master!” answered the echo as the sea of fur, claws, teeth and supernatural powers got into motion, parting as I went towards the spot with the overturned, smouldering cart.

He was a chubby, balding man with Asian features, dressed in more colourful, yet now dirtied clothes.

He was, or at the very least, gave the impression of a cowardly merchant. A very terrified one at that. Though, I had to admit it was better than random bandits, unknown soldiers, or just inexplicably aggressive peasants. Trapped between his overturned wagon and the army of snarling monsters, he didn’t seem as being particularly inclined to pick up a fight with us.

This didn’t provide a solution to all my problems, the language barrier was still insurmountable, but the person even willing to listen provided at least a promise of the pace changing.

He still tried to move and scrambled from his spot when he saw me, but the point of Narita’s polearm aimed at him discouraged him from doing anything else. He just fell backwards on his ass, mumbling something in this native tongue I was struggling to understand.

A handful of people, commoners, men and women, were dragged in, kicking and screaming.

“Don’t hold them for a while, please, I want to try…” I told the group of ‘Eviscerators’ struggling with their prisoners. The monsters obediently released the captives.

“I know you don’t…” I tried to speak to them, in the least threatening tone I could muster, but I didn’t finish the sentence - the very moment she let one of them go, the very second I looked at one of them with my monsters withdrawing their clawed hand from them - a young guy, almost a kid, he immediately went for a stone to throw it at me, only to hit Miwah who shielded me with her own body.

“Don’t kill him!” I shouted immediately to prevent the mini-werewolves from staying true to their name and tearing the poor boy to pieces. He ended up pushed to the ground instead, and his peers wailed more than when the monsters restrained them once again.

After this scene, I was slightly less regretful of the fact shadowy canines were so harsh with the captives.

“What’s wrong with those people?” I screamed out in frustration, no longer with the patience to attempt diplomacy, or any foolish, embarrassing attempts at pantomime

Dozens of my monsters fell to get there, to capture the handful of uncooperative locals. Although many of my followers returned from the dead, unscattered by the entire ordeal as several times before, I still doubted whether it was worth it.

I turned away, all my strength directed towards putting a lid on my boiling anger, and in the attempt to prevent doing something very rash, I simply walked away, clenching fists and gritting teeth.

“Find some ropes or something, tie them down!” I commanded without looking back.

“Yes, Master!”

After putting some distance between me and the prisoners, I growled “Overview” with the full intention of redirecting the energy, and my mind, to something more productive.

The Master

Skills

Units (Active)

Tama, The Purifier Alpha

Miwah, The Eviscerator Alpha

Narita, The Defiler Alpha

132 * Purifiers

15 * Named Purifiers

90* Eviscerators

20* Named Eviscerators

16 * Defilers

3* Named Defilers

Units (In queue)

13* Named Purifiers (First in 0:52:13)

20* Named Eviscerators (First in 0:45:51)

5* Defilers (First In 0:48:21)

30* Eviscerators (First in (0:35:21)

I looked over my shoulder at my restless followers rampaging through the remnants of the caravan to find something useful to tie down the subdued locals.

The monsters once again doubled their numbers, and even with some hapless folks dead, learning their language would be a pain with no magical aid.

The chance that I would run into a random, superpowered warrior among the seemingly ordinary-looking people pressed me to find a way to defend ourselves better, as even - I paused and did the quick maths looking that the bland overview windows - nearly 300 hundred monsters weren’t enough to deal with the strongest this land offered.

This random blade master hiding among the ordinary caravan, and the assassins that attacked my camps, posed a serious issue should they organise better.

Perhaps I should focus on the way to feed the horde, to buy us time, to feed ourselves here while we still look for an answer. Perhaps some minions allowed the self-sustaining group. Or maybe there are flying scouts for hunting and getting the lay of the area.

“Select the fourth skill,” I whispered.

Select your fourth element

Skill: “Tyrant of Stone”

Element: Earth

Skill: “Green Hell”

Element: Wood

Skill: “Terror From Above”

Element: Air

Skill: “Stalker on the Boundary”

Element: Space

Skill: “Slayer of Champions”

Element: Steel

Presented with choices that didn’t provide a solution to find knowledge of the local language, I found it offered other options. The underlying limitations still escaped my comprehension as there weren’t any conceivable reasons it offered specific options while it omitted others.

I thought that the term “Space” may go with “Time” though there wasn’t such a choice available among the so called ‘elements’ and overall selection seemed to be entirely random, or operating on logic I couldn’t quite grasp.

Back to the practical approach. I glanced back at my monsters and the prisoners we looked at with such difficulty, and back on the patiently waiting screen. A brief idea flashed through my brain.

“Element translation.” I tried.

The system didn’t react.

“Element language”

Nothing.

“Translators, local tongue…”

Whatever fuelled my power, or whatever force was behind this, was very sensitive to specific words or actions, and ignored pretty much anything else, and offered no simple solutions.

“Details?” Also gave nothing.

“Candies?” I said jokingly, though the smile on my lips was rather one of desperation rather than enjoyment.

Unsurprisingly, the source of my power didn’t take jokes well, or couldn’t comprehend them at all, leaving me with nothing once again.

Convinced that there might be no workaround around options the monochromatic interface provided, I re-considered what was being offered.

After a deep breath, I finally made my choice.