Chương 49: The Masked Pig

Within the city of Lævateinn, tucked between louder streets and brighter taverns, there was a small hole-in-the-wall bar known as the Masked Pig. It was not famous. Not officially. To most people, it was just another cramped gambling den stocked with cheap liquor, dirty tables, and enough poor decisions to ruin a man's life before sunrise. But the Masked Pig had one rule. Every customer had to wear a mask. No exceptions. The reason was simple. Gambling made people angry.

Losing money mixed with alcohol made people stupid. And revenge became much harder when no one knew who had taken their coin in the first place. Because of that rule, the Masked Pig had become popular among people who preferred to remain unseen. Mercenaries. Criminals. Nobles pretending not to be nobles. And, on occasion, members of The Crows. They came in secret, usually wearing only slight alterations of their usual masks. Enough to pretend they were hidden. Not enough to truly hide from anyone who mattered.

Behind the counter stood the bartender. He was a stylish man in a white button-up shirt and a black suit vest. A wolf's head mask covered his face, hiding everything but the easy amusement in his voice. He poured a drink for the man sitting across from him. The customer wore a fox mask. Inari. The bartender slid the glass forward.

"Hey, Inari." His voice carried a grin.

"I hear a member of the Ōkami clan is going to show up for the upcoming tournament." Inari did not reach for the drink. The bartender leaned closer.

"You excited?" Inari stared at the glass. The Ōkami clan. Children of the Primordial Trickster, Ōkami. A Primordial Monster with an insatiable lust and a cruel standard for beauty. A woman who searched the world for the most beautiful men she could find, took them as lovers, and bore their children. But love was never part of it. If the child was born ugly, weak, or without potential, Ōkami abandoned both lover and child without hesitation. And the abandoned fathers often found easier targets for their hatred.

The children. Years of abuse. Years of blame. Years of being told they were mistakes left behind by a monster who had never wanted them. Inari's fingers tapped once against the bar.

"It's just another wretch like me." His voice was flat.

"I'm only interested in killing the main branch children." The bartender chuckled.

"Don't be such a downer, cutie." A woman's voice slid in from behind Inari. He did not turn.

"Come on," she said brightly.

"Have a drink with me." A gloved hand rested on the back of his chair.

"Maybe we can go gambling. Or dancing. Or whatever sad little thing would put a smile under that mask." Inari sighed. The woman leaned over his shoulder. She wore white from head to toe. A white magician's outfit. A white top hat. A white tuxedo. A white cape. And a smooth white mask that hid her face completely. Another member of Gluttony Squad. Codename: Illusionist. The bartender laughed softly behind the counter. Lupin's wolf mask tilted toward her.

"You're going to scare him off." Illusionist placed a hand over her chest.

"Me? Scare him? Never." Inari finally picked up the glass.

"You're both annoying."

"See?" Illusionist said.

"He's warming up to me." Inari looked at her through the fox mask.

"If I throw this drink at you, will you leave?" Illusionist hummed.

"Depends. Is that flirting?" Inari set the glass back down. Lupin laughed.

"I apologize for my twin sister." Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings. A new voice spoke as someone walked up to them.

"She's a handful." A woman approached the bar, her body hidden beneath a maroon cloak. A metal mask covered her face, and beneath the edge of the fabric, the faint glint of mechanical arms could be seen. Codename: Artificer. Illusionist turned toward her.

"That was so mean."

"It was accurate," Artificer said flatly. Lupin waved a hand.

"Hey, no problem. We're all comrades here." Then his wolf mask tilted toward Inari and Illusionist.

"Besides, I think Illusionist and Inari would make a good couple." Inari's hand tightened around his glass. Illusionist placed both hands against her cheeks.

"How bold."

"Absolutely not," Inari said. Lupin laughed and lifted his mask just enough to take a drink. A few strands of crimson hair spilled out from beneath it before he lowered the mask again. Inari leaned back in his chair.

"So?" His voice turned colder.

"Any problems with the mission?" The laughter around the bar felt distant beneath his words.

"I heard we have to stay in this awful town for six months." Lupin sighed.

"Yeah. A bunch of problems." Illusionist sat down beside Inari as if she had been invited. Artificer remained standing. Lupin tapped one finger against the bar.

"Apparently, Jackpot fucked up and didn't cripple the Hero." Inari went still. Illusionist's head tilted.

"And because boss-man won't be joining us himself, he decided to have the Wings of Lust and Wrath tag along too." The atmosphere at the bar shifted. The Wing of Gluttony. Lupin. The Wing of Lust. Playtime. The Wing of Wrath. Faker. Since the Wing of Sloth was prohibited from leaving the base, that meant half of The Crows' available strongest members would be gathered in one city. Lævateinn was already a powder keg. Now someone had decided to throw monsters into it and wait for sparks. Illusionist laughed lightly.

"How badly did Jackpot mess up for that to happen?"

"Ask the newbie," Lupin said. His wolf mask turned toward the corner.

"He was there for that mission." Inari followed his gaze. A man stood apart from the others. He wore full black armor. His face was hidden behind a black mask marked with a pale cross. Small ram horns curved from the top of his head. He did not sit. He did not drink. He only stood there, silent and tense, like a weapon left against the wall. The newest member of Gluttony Squad. Codename: Judge. Otherwise known as Adam Willow.

"No comment." Adam's voice was hollow. But anger lived beneath it.

"I was told I wouldn't have to interact with you lot unless it was an emergency." His fists clenched at his sides.

"The leader told me I'd be working in Gungnir." Lupin spread his arms cheerfully.

"Listen, today is your first day on the job." Adam did not respond.

"And it is my policy to throw a party for new members."

"That sounds like a personal problem."

"It is," Lupin said.

"And now it's yours too." Illusionist giggled. Artificer sighed. Lupin picked up a bottle from beneath the counter and set it on the bar with a heavy thud.

"Besides, this mission is super important." He poured another drink and slid it toward Adam.

"So come on." His voice brightened behind the wolf mask.

"Drink up." Adam stared at the glass. Lupin raised his own.

"Drinks are on me." The others barely reacted. The Masked Pig continued as usual. Cards slapped against tables. Glasses clinked. Then a chair scraped loudly across the floor. At one of the gambling tables, two masked patrons had started shouting. One of them slammed his fist onto the table hard enough to spill several cups. The other stood, hand already wrapped around the hilt of his sword. Lupin sighed.

"Always happens when the cheap liquor comes out." Adam lifted his glass but did not drink. Lupin glanced at him.

"Newbie." Adam's eyes shifted toward him from behind the cross-marked mask.

"Just so you know, I still have that scar you gave me years ago." Adam went still. Lupin's voice remained cheerful.

"I haven't forgotten what you three did." For a moment, the noise in the bar seemed too dull. Then Lupin chuckled.

"Funny how you're my subordinate now." Adam said nothing. His fingers tightened around the glass. Lupin turned away from him and looked toward the gambling table.

"Now, you two." His tone brightened.

"No fighting in my bar." The two men looked at him. Both were larger than him. Broader. Heavier. One still had his sword half-drawn. Lupin walked over with the lazy confidence of a man stepping outside for fresh air. Then he grabbed both men by the backs of their collars. They barely had time to shout before he lifted them off the ground with ease. The bar went quiet. The dealer at the table calmly gathered the cards. He was paid well enough not to ask questions. And smart enough not to look too closely.

Aside from him, the Masked Pig was nearly empty now. Only The Crows remained. The dealer. And the two men struggling in Lupin's hands. Lupin looked back toward Adam.

"Back in the day, I used to have a nickname." His voice turned nostalgic.

"Long before I joined The Crows." Adam slowly lowered his glass. Lupin laughed. Then his stomach split open. A gaping maw stretched across his abdomen, lined with teeth, tongues, and wet darkness. The two men screamed. Lupin shoved them inside. Their screams vanished beneath the sound of breaking bones. Flesh tore. Armor cracked. Something wet crunched again and again as the maw devoured them whole. Illusionist hummed softly, as if watching a street performance. Artificer looked away. Inari did not react.

Adam stared. The mouth on Lupin's stomach slowly closed. Not a drop of blood touched the floor. Lupin dusted off his hands, then turned back to Adam with a gleeful smile behind the wolf mask.

"They called me…" His voice lowered.

"The Black Dragon." Adam's grip tightened around the glass until cracks spread through it. Lupin laughed and returned to the bar.

"Welcome to Gluttony Squad, Judge." The room stayed silent. Outside, Lævateinn cheered beneath festival lights. Inside the Masked Pig, the monsters drank.