When Sixx whimpered and shook his body, Malon immediately opened his eyes. As he got up, Sixx came down from the bed and assumed a defensive posture. Malon, not behaving like someone just waking up at all, smoothly retrieved a pistol from his chest with swift movements, came over to Sixx’s side, and stood there aiming the gun towards the entrance of the tent while ruffling Sixx’s fur with one hand. The sequence of actions seemed practiced, as if he had done it hundreds of times before. With a growl, Sixx expelled the tension brewing within him as a whimper. His brain was spinning so fast it felt like his vision was swirling. Sixx’s awakening Malon to the danger was almost an instinctual move. In fact, he wasn’t even sure if he had made the right judgment until this moment. What if I’m just imagining things? But the wolf blood flowing in his veins told him he wasn’t wrong. Clearly, someone was trying to harm Malon…!
“Pat! Are you out there?”
Malon called out loudly for the man who had once taught Sixx how to operate the radio, while aiming the gun at the entrance. There was no answer from outside.
Damn it, did we get caught…
Malon muttered. Even though he had only seen the man’s face once, it felt like his heart sank. However, there was no time to dwell on it for long. Someone’s footsteps were heard. They could be circus staff, but Sixx sensed that this person was targeting Malon. Anxiously, Sixx scratched the ground with his claws. Eventually, the tent door slowly opened, and someone revealed themselves from the darkness.
“…Did you call Patrick?”
“Oh, Patrick is taking a break for a moment. But, but why are you carrying such a big dog? I heard you brought a young boy with you… Hey, where did that come from?”
The person who appeared unexpectedly had a smiling face. Judging by Malon’s lack of surprise, he seemed to be another one of his subordinates. Observing the man’s overly casual attitude, Sixx belatedly suspected that he might have been overly sensitive. It was then, as he was trying to relax his tensed body, that a breeze carrying the man’s scent blew in from outside, tickling Sixx’s nose. And Sixx knew that scent.
Sixx lightly nudged Malon’s suit pants with his snout. Indeed, this man was unmistakable. He was the one Sixx had encountered in the general store. His face wasn’t well remembered, but his scent was vividly recalled. Back then, he had faintly caught Malon’s scent from the man. That’s why the man’s scent bothered him so much. Because it wasn’t just any scent, it was the scent of Malon Cage. Of course, the man had many scents on him, but Malon’s scent was so unique that it exuded a particularly strong presence. A mixture of strong tobacco and heavy cologne… Perhaps the man had also caught Malon’s scent during their time together. Clearly, the man was hiding something beneath his shameless smile. Fortunately, Malon seemed to understand exactly what Sixx was trying to convey and continued his conversation with the man without lowering his guard.
“So, you came in his place?”
“Yes. But why are you holding a gun? Is something wrong?”
“It’s a bit suspicious, you see. Pat wouldn’t just leave without saying anything to me.”
“I-I swear―!”
“Hey, you seem suspicious to me no matter how I look at it. So, if you don’t want to retire from this world right here, put your hands up and walk slowly towards me. Don’t mess around with me with a head that won’t even turn properly.”
“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about― Agh!”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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“Don’t make me say it twice. Next time, I’ll really shoot you in the head.”
“Okay, okay, I get it. I don’t know why you’re doing this, but please calm down,” the man said, swallowing nervously and raising his hands in a tense manner as he walked slowly towards them. Malon kept his gun aimed at the man, turning his body to match his movements. Sixx also didn’t take his eyes off the man. If he sensed even the slightest suspicious behavior, he was ready to rush in and subdue him.
“I really don’t understand what’s going on here. Where did you bring that vicious-looking mutt from, and why did you pull out a gun…?” the man complained, blinking innocently. Sixx felt his resolve waver for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. However, he still didn’t know exactly what scheme the man was concocting. From the conversation he overheard while passing by the general store, all he could gather was that they were planning something. The other man with him probably wasn’t one of Malon’s men. Unlike Patrick or Hugo, Sixx couldn’t detect even a hint of Malon’s scent from him. He needed to find out what their plan was to inform Malon…
“It’s not a mutt, it’s a wolf, you idiot.”
“What?”
As Hugo stupidly echoed the words, Sixx heard a very faint sound coming from outside the tent. A bolt of realization struck Sixx for the second time tonight. Damn it, I was the idiot! His body moved before his mind could catch up. Yes, the howling was a signal aimed at someone. And if that was the signal, it meant there was at least one more person targeting Malon! Though he realized a beat too late, fortunately Sixx immediately threw himself in front of Malon’s back, and from about ten meters outside the tent, a bullet flew rapidly, spinning towards the target. But what it pierced wasn’t the target, but Sixx’s side.
Bang!
As Sixx screamed and fell to the ground, Malon reflexively turned his head. White fur was stained with bright red blood flowing from Sixx’s side. Though Malon had only momentarily glanced away from Hugo, the latter didn’t miss the opportunity. Quickly, Hugo pulled out a gun from his waistband. When Malon’s gaze returned to face him, the muzzle of Hugo’s gun was already aimed at him. Seemingly out of his mind with anxiety, Hugo chewed his lips with a grimace.
“Damn it, I should’ve just left. Where did you bring this damn mutt from?”
“Damn it, Hugo, it’s a wolf, a wolf! Haha, this traitor, to think you’re facing me with just a .22 caliber…”
But it seemed that Hugo wasn’t the only one who lost his rationality due to the sudden turn of events. Malon, whether Hugo shot him or not, walked straight towards him. When he met Hugo’s eyes, wide open like a drug addict’s on the street, Hugo felt a chill. However, in this case, it wasn’t drugs but anger that caused it. Facing Malon, who was approaching him with bloodshot eyes, Hugo trembled like a leaf. Even his hand holding the gun shook up and down.
“Oh, don’t come any closer! I’ll shoot! I’ll shoot!”
“You spineless bastard! If you’re going to shoot, don’t mess around and just do it. Huh?”
As if immediately heeding his advice, Hugo wildly fired the gun. However, due to fear or panic, his aim was terrible. Most of the shots missed, and only one bullet pierced Malon’s shoulder. Blood gushed from the bullet wound, but Malon didn’t stop moving.
“Is that all? Pathetic.”
Malon was suddenly in front of the traitor. He grabbed Hugo’s trembling head in panic and slammed it into the nearby decorative cabinet without hesitation. Glass shattered, making a loud noise, but Malon didn’t stop his hand. With each regular slam of Hugo’s head, a strange combination of rattling from the shaking cabinet, Hugo’s screams and pleas, and curses formed a bizarre kind of music. Hugo, his face barely recognizable, half-lucid and reduced to whimpering, Malon threw him to the floor and pressed the gun against both of Hugo’s thighs. Despite Hugo writhing in pain, Malon nonchalantly pressed the gun against him as if it were nothing. Piercing screams followed.
“Aaaah!! Nooo!! P-please… spare…!”
“My gun is .45 caliber, so if I shoot your head, it’ll crack open like a watermelon. But I don’t want to let you off that easily. You know what happens to those who betray the organization, Hugo? In Chicago, they hang people like meat in a butcher shop to get confessions, shoot their knees so they can’t walk, burn their flesh with torches, and shock their balls with a cattle prod… Shall I do that to you too?”
Hugo couldn’t answer. Suddenly, bullets rained outside again. This time, it was like a baptism of bullets. Malon quickly ducked and fired at the ceiling bulb and table lamp. With the sound of breaking glass, darkness engulfed the tent. Damn it… Malon cursed. The situation wasn’t good. This time, the enemy had also made a clever move. The thickness of the tent wasn’t that great. On a dark night, the figure inside would be faintly visible due to the light. They aimed for that. It must have been a plan made possible by Hugo, who always followed Malon like a shadow. So, that’s how the bullet could accurately target him. Of course, Hugo probably didn’t know there was a wolf here. That was their mistake. They thought Malon was defenseless with only a kid. Even though Hugo had always followed him here, he had never seen a circus with him, and even if he had seen one, he would have dismissed Sixx’s transformation as a trick. He probably didn’t think the boy could actually turn into a wolf. And he had thought so until he actually saw Sixx’s transformation. He really was an astonishing creature. Malon admired again. The movement it showed earlier was on a different level than human. While the opponent was confused by the sudden interruption and was planning again, Malon also bought time to deal with Hugo.
The amazing creature was still lying on the ground. At first glance, it didn’t seem to have fatal injuries, but it would be dangerous if it continued to bleed. Malon wanted to take it to the hospital, but there was no way to do it right away. Moving rashly would only result in getting holes in his body. The opponent knew where Malon was, but Malon didn’t know the exact location of the opponent. He turned off the lantern to make it impossible to see inside, but it was the same for anyone trapped inside. Malon licked his parched lips. Someone must have heard the gunfire, so ultimately it would be the enemy’s defeat. But he had to capture and find out the mastermind. If they tried to escape, it would be difficult, so it would be better to throw bait. Malon himself had to take the risk. It was quite a dangerous plan, but there was no other choice— hmm?
In the darkness, the wolf writhed. Moans like boiling came out from between its jaws. Even in pain, it desperately tried to get up. Eventually, it rose again and turned to look at Malon. In its glowing yellow eyes, not a hint of humanity could be felt. What was the beast thinking as it looked at Malon? It was impossible to know. Because he had always shown all his thoughts on his face, this situation was unfamiliar to Malon. After standing silently for a while, it seemed to turn its head as if it heard something. Malon didn’t hear anything, but perhaps the wolf’s ears were different from humans. When a predator discovers its prey, it moves very subtly. Malon secretly admired the gracefulness even in that movement. The creature under attack would have no choice but to sacrifice its life… Finally, the beast stopped. The moment to pounce on its prey had arrived. Malon swallowed his saliva. The wolf, with a roar, pounced on its prey. Under its massive claws, a mere tent was no problem at all.
“Aaaah, damn it!!”
What followed the gunshot a beat too late was a horrifying sound of flesh and bone being crushed, but it was drowned out by the man’s scream. Malon slowly approached the chaos. Perhaps because of the moonlight, the outside was surprisingly bright. In the dim light, there were the man who had tried to kill him and the gigantic wolf on top of him. The source of the red blood that stained Malon’s shoe sole like a small stream was probably the man’s body, which had been clawed and passed through by the wolf’s claws, as well as the wounds on the wolf’s side.
“Ugh… Huff… I’ve never, ngh, experienced… this kind of thing before.”
Judging by the amount of blood spilled, the man seemed unlikely to survive. Sixx had turned the man’s chest into a mess. Immediate medical attention might save his life, but there was no reason for Malon to go to such lengths for the person who had come to kill him. Despite struggling to breathe, the man looked at Malon with resentful eyes. Yeah, you probably didn’t expect my pillow to be a werewolf either. Who could have given me such a cute gift… Malon searched his mind for candidates. There were plenty of people who regarded him as a thorn in their side. It was chaotic not only between rival families but also within the same family. However, the man had a face Malon had never seen before. If he were a hitman from another family, he would have recognized Malon without a doubt. Moreover, the man was quite skilled, as evidenced by his precise targeting from outside earlier. So, was he a Cowboy? Cowboys were disposable hitmen, usually hired by those whose assassination motives were not entirely just. Malon chuckled. Yeah, that could be it.
“Sixx, that’s enough. Come down now.”
At his words, Sixx immediately dismounted from the man’s body. He was vicious but foolish. Watching him leap around like this, even with his side torn open from buying Malon a little time, it was clear he would protect Malon. Honestly, Malon thought it would be better if he just died cleanly here. The boy might not understand yet, but once he knew the truth, he might regret saving him for no reason. Well, that’s none of my concern. Malon took off his shirt and knelt in front of the foolish boy, placing one knee in front of him. Then, in the midst of tearing the shirt long, he suddenly realized. Hm, people will be here soon…
“Good job. It’s safe now, you can come back to being human.”
The wolf growled mournfully but soon transformed. The beast vanished, and in its place appeared a boy with curly white hair. Malon caught the boy, who was collapsing from exhaustion, and laid him down. It was definitely easier to handle this way. He wrapped the shirt around the boy’s body to stop the bleeding. He wouldn’t die, but it would probably be a terrible pain unfamiliar to the young one. Malon knew well what it was like to endure multiple puncture wounds. Yet he still insisted on saving him. The boy, perhaps feeling dazed, blinked his eyes and murmured Malon’s name. Maybe it would be better if he just passed out. Malon gently stroked his head. Maybe it was because of his white hair shining in the moonlight, but the boy seemed more inhuman than ever.
“Rest now. I’ll take care of the rest.”
At his words, the boy closed his eyes as if waiting for permission. Confirming that he had passed out, Malon took out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. As the excitement subsided, the shoulder injury began to assert itself more distinctly. He needed a chemical substance to replace adrenaline. The white smoke he exhaled spread through the cold night air, pushing away the chaos from earlier, and the world fell silent again as if nothing had happened. The pain in his shoulder seemed to diminish little by little. However, one concern lingered, circling around him instead of flying away with the cigarette smoke.
What should he do about this young creature following him too closely…
***
Bullets were flying towards Malon. The moment Sixx realized this, only one thought came to his mind. He had to protect Malon even if it meant throwing himself in front of him. Without even considering the reason why he had to do it, his body moved first without giving him a chance to think, and Sixx took the bullet instead. The bullet that pierced through his left side brought a pain Sixx had never experienced before. It was so painful that he wanted to cut his side open instead. It hurt. It hurt. It hurt so much he felt like he was going to die. He couldn’t think of anything else besides the pain. Eventually, Sixx collapsed to the ground. Tears welled up in his eyes. It hurt too much. How could it hurt this much?
Sixx recalled the day he first met Malon. At that time, he had thought he would rather die from a gunshot if he were to die, but now that things had come to this, he realized how stupid he had been. Sixx whimpered. The pain was so severe that it was difficult to maintain consciousness. However, the sound of gunfire nearby awakened Sixx. Malon was still in danger. Malon, you must not die. Malon, never… With a little movement available to him now, Sixx tried to force his eyelids open, which kept trying to close due to his instinct to protect himself, and surveyed his surroundings in search of Malon. He was fighting with a man named Hugo. No, to be precise, he was not fighting but inflicting violence on Hugo unilaterally.
Every time he slammed Hugo’s face into the shattered cabinet, a dark pool of blood formed on the spot. Hugo begged for mercy, but Sixx briefly felt pity for him. However, Malon was smiling broadly. It seemed like all of these actions were very enjoyable and entertaining to him. Only now did Sixx realize that he must be a high-ranking member of the criminal organization. Perhaps he had always been such a person. Sixx whimpered. It was excruciatingly painful, making it difficult to maintain his sanity. However, the sound of gunfire nearby woke Sixx up. Malon was still in danger.
“They’re cruel, shameless, and immoral people. They treat human lives as less than nothing, without an ounce of remorse for their criminal acts. They were the nefarious figures who seized control of the Portland underworld and spread harm throughout the city. Sixx, you must never get close to that person. You might get tainted too.”
Andy had drilled Sixx with those words until they were worn out. At the time, he thought she was exaggerating, but now he wondered if her words might be true. Malon Cage was excessively familiar with violence. The sight reflected in Sixx’s eyes right now was proof of that. Just as humans take breathing or eating for granted, violence seemed to be a natural part of Malon’s life. No, he even seemed to enjoy the process. For Malon, the opportunity to mess up Hugo’s traitorous face might have been a welcome event. Sixx realized again. Violence was part of his life, and his profession was his destiny. Instead of the kind adult Malon had shown Sixx so far, this violent aspect of him might be closer to the true nature of the man named Malon. Sixx felt his body trembling again. It was partly because of the pain, and partly because of fear. It was unbelievable how the same hands that casually hit people were now so gently stroking Sixx’s head. Eventually, Hugo collapsed to the ground. However, Malon deliberately shot him in the thigh to wake him up from unconsciousness, then mocked and taunted him while trampling on his wounds.
It was a horrifying sight. If there had been spectators, they would have described Malon as a devil who revels in others’ tears and screams. And to Sixx, if anyone had told him when the devil’s gun barrel might be pointed at him, he must run away from Malon, but no one had. And Sixx was a little different from others. He was not a pure human. He was both human and wolf, a creature that had torn apart countless innocent goats and rabbits’ throats. And in fact, he had never felt any guilt during that process. Those weak creatures were pitiful, and he felt disgusted while tearing apart their flesh, but he had never felt remorse for the dying animals. Perhaps Malon was a similar case. Perhaps to him, other humans were no different from rabbits or goats. Thinking that way, Sixx could understand him. Of course, it didn’t mean that Malon was a good person, but there was an inexplicable pleasure in that fact. It might be daring to think this way, but… maybe, just maybe… Malon and he are similar. At that moment, fear turned into joy. Yes, Malon might not be a good person. But that didn’t matter. Because Sixx himself was a monster. And in many ways, Malon was an unparalleled presence in his crumbling life.
So, Sixx rose again. Despite the rain of bullets and the darkness that engulfed them as Malon shot out the lights, Sixx had no problem. His eyes could function perfectly in the darkness and even became more sensitive. This time, he would capture the guy and present him to Malon. Despite the pain in his side, it was far better for him to suffer a little than for Malon to die. Sixx focused quietly on his senses. He was approaching the tent where he could no longer explore the interior. The human was a failure. He surely had his own reasons to kill Malon, but Sixx also had to protect Malon at all costs. The sound of the enemy’s heartbeat grew louder. Sixx waited for the right moment. And as soon as the enemy approached the tent, he jumped out like lightning and attacked him. The ambush was successful. The human struggled to escape from Sixx, but he didn’t allow it. While bullets from his gun cut through the air, Sixx’s claws tore into his chest precisely. He screamed for mercy, begging for his life. If he had been in human form, Sixx might have burst into laughter. You were trying to kill Malon, and now… it was pathetic. The smell of blood, tormenting his sharpened sense of smell, excited him even more. He would kill this man. He was the enemy. Anyone trying to kill Malon was an enemy.
“Sixx.”
Malon, who had somehow come to his side, softly called his name. The moment he heard his low voice, Sixx felt his strength drain from his body for some reason. Malon ordered Sixx to come down from the man’s body. Naturally, Sixx obeyed him. When Sixx came down and stood by his side, surprisingly, praise fell from Malon’s lips. Well done. Sixx’s heart pounded like crazy. Well done, he said I did well… He also said it was okay for him to come back as a human now that it was safe. Even though he wasn’t worried anymore about the safety, Sixx obediently transformed again. He tore the expensive-looking shirt and used it to staunch Sixx’s dirty wounds without caring about the clothes. He sniffled with emotion. His flesh glowed white under the moonlight. Like an angel. Although he had never seen an angel, Sixx couldn’t help but think so. And then he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
oh my god. author-sama, translator-sama, editor-sama, thank you for posting this story and also please post the part where these two can finally be happy 😭 i love themmmmmm
Aiy, what a cliffhanger?? And is he really only 12? I thought he was maybe 15/16. I think the cover art is throwing me off. 😂 And I had to keep checking that Sixx is the top. Thanks for the chapters!!!
If he’s only 12 it’s really disturbing😶😶
Plus I can’t imagine him being the top.Maybe translation mistakes
I can see him as a top. H e is a big bad wolf after all lol And because of his age I guess a time skip is coming nad who knows after growing up he might have a very different vibe about him.
I also hope Pat is okay.
I m dumb, I didn’t think of a time skip! But it makes more sense
Thanks for the chapter