Chapter 72 Another monster was here.
Was everything in this world determined from the moment of birth?
Regardless of what one ate or the house one lived in, everyone would eventually go to elementary school.
…I was from the very bottom of society, someone who couldn’t even attend such a typical school.
“Grandma, are you okay up front?”
“Yes, dear. Thanks to my granddaughter, I’m not tired at all.”
“Hehe. Really?”
My mom and dad didn’t know.
My only family was a grandma with a cart who raised me after I was abandoned as a baby under a culvert.
Despite my childhood being marked by extreme poverty and living in a cart with grandma, when I think back on it now, I was never unhappy.
I just had many regrets.
“Damn, there’s so much homework again today!”
“Hey, instead of that, should we go to the PC room after?”
“Should we?”
Compulsory education.
Free meals.
Child support funds.
If such policies had really been implemented, could even a penniless person like me have gone to school?
Could I have laughed happily and made friends like others?
…But I had known for a long time that such thoughts were a luxury in this world, where monsters appeared if things seemed too peaceful.
I was just dreaming.
Because my life, which had started like this from birth, never even gave me a chance to do anything.
I was tired of living a life where I risked danger to sell equipment to hunters amidst people who evacuated when monsters appeared.
“I want to study…”
I wasn’t unhappy.
I wasn’t having a hard time.
It was just that I was so exhausted that I wanted to die.
…But as they say, rolling in dog poop is better than dying.
“Grandma!”
“Oh no…!”
One late evening, like usual, when we went out to sell goods to hunters after hearing the news of a monster appearing.
I realized as I watched a high-rise building collapse towards us.
I didn’t want to die after all.
If possible, I wanted to live a bit longer and do more things I hadn’t done yet.
And at that moment.
‘He’ appeared.
A jet-black body.
A face that looked like it was wearing a beast’s helmet.
Only his limbs were human-like, but he was undoubtedly a monster.
However, despite being a monster.
“Grrr…”
He saved us and at the same time showed me.
That if there was something I wanted to do, I should just do it regardless of how I was born.
There was someone fighting beyond species, yet I was foolish to give up just because I had no money.
My life changed from then on.
After earning all the money, I studied, which I had always wanted to do.
Instead of going to school, I prepared for the qualification exam, and thanks to often fighting with homeless people who claimed the area, I discovered a talent I didn’t know I had.
“Do you want to be my student?”
“St-Student…?”
“Yes. I was looking for someone to teach as I was preparing for retirement. My daughter was too different in genre, but I think I can teach a fighter hunter like you.”
The effort I put in alone finally paid off.
It was all thanks to that jet-black monster man who created a turning point in my life.
Ironically, I was saved by the monster I had resented.
But such coincidences happen only once in life.
After that, I thought there would be no more such events, and I persevered firmly.
“A coincidence… happened… again…”
“Don’t talk! I’m extracting the strange energy inside your body right now!”
Jamsil’s monster.
Yoo Che-ran could fall asleep in Kurumi’s arms with a smile on her face again, watching Shin-woo, currently called a monster, crush Lee Hee-jeong, who had turned into a monster.
***
It was strange.
It was absurd.
It was unrealistic.
“This… what the hell is this crazy bastard!?”
I am a being fused with a national disaster-level monster of the world’s strongest superpower, not some advanced-country-pretending Korea!
I’m a queen who wouldn’t be out of place being called a ‘god’!
But what on earth was this monster?
Kang! Kang! Kang! Kang!
I rushed forward, turning my entire body into sharp blades, recalling the memories of the monster, and showcased my skills as if slicing people like cube pieces.
The surrounding area turned into an unprecedented scene where everything was finely shredded, almost like dust, leaving no trace.
Even in such moments, the monster just took a ‘strange stance’ and endured my attacks.
“Why! Is it! So tough! Damn it!”
It was the first time.
Meeting a real monster whose attacks I couldn’t even tell were hitting.
“Grrr…”
“…!”
And it was also the first time.
Feeling fear again, even with such a perfect body, just like when I was human.
“D-Damn it!”
Realizing her attacks weren’t working, Lee Hee-jeong immediately turned her body with all her strength, swinging her sword for one last strike.
Then, as if throwing away her pride, she tried to run away with all her might.
“See you next time!”
Every monster has its own balance.
The monster fused with me had overwhelming attack power but was weak in durability.
The monster form of that nerd guy should definitely be slow in exchange for its supreme defense!
Lee Hee-jeong, having finished her perfect calculation in her head, put strength into her legs to leap over the collapsed building behind her.
But at that moment.
Bang!
“Gah?!”
Her face was grabbed by the jet-black monster that had caught up with her, and she was slammed into the ground.
‘With that level of defense… it also has this kind of speed?!’
This can’t be!
Thiscan’tbethiscan’tbethiscan’tbethiscan’tbethiscan’tbethiscan’tbethiscan’tbethiscan’tbe-!!
This was completely unfair.
If there’s something strong, there should at least be something weak.
…Or is its attack power weak, by any chance?
“Don’t act up!!”
Lee Hee-jeong, who shook off the arm of the jet-black monster holding her head with all her might, soon swung her blade-covered arm as if desperate, aiming for the opponent’s neck…
Ssslice.
“S-Scream?!”
…tried to strike, but.
“My, my arm! My arrrrrm!”
The joke was over.
From now on, it was serious.
As if to say that, the jet-black monster, holding a hand blade in one hand, merely swung it without much effort.
“Ah, aaaaahhhhhhh!!”
My arm.
Lee Hee-jeong couldn’t help but scream as she saw one of her arms get cleanly severed from her body and fall to the ground with a splat.
But without even a moment to feel the pain.
Whack!
“Ugh?!”
This time, it was the solar plexus.
Smack!
“Gah?!”
Next, it was a slap to the cheek.
Thus began a one-sided beating.
“S-Save me! Save me…!”
Lee Hee-jeong, overwhelmed by the pain that felt like her body was being shattered, now found herself begging for her life.
Because she didn’t want to die.
Because she wanted to live.
The only fortunate thing was that her opponent was not a ruthless monster but a human, just like her.
“I-I was wrong!!”
“……”
“I’m sorry! I won’t do it again!”
In that moment of being trampled, Lee Hee-jeong desperately clung to Shin-woo’s ankle, begging for her life.
Of course, there was no guarantee that he would spare her just because of this.
He might just pause briefly, then get even angrier and tear her apart on the spot.
But you know.
If I can just create even a brief opening…!
“You didn’t see this coming!!”
“Grk?!”
Feigning an apology, she transformed one of her legs into a blade and, taking advantage of the moment of distraction, aimed a slash not at Shin-woo in front of her, but at Yoo Che-ran.
“Grrrrrr!”
‘Che-ran! Princess!’
In response, Shin-woo, who had been beating her, rushed over to shield the two women.
“Huff, huff…! See you next time! I’ll definitely come back for revenge!”
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Lee Hee-jeong kicked up a cloud of dust and escaped the scene with those dreadful words.
***
“Huff…! Huff…!”
I was arrogant.
Who would have thought there’d be a monster stronger than me?
No, in hindsight, it was obvious.
I still felt like I hadn’t fully matured yet.
Anyway, I was lucky this time.
And I got some valuable information.
“Damn! Damn it, damn it, damn it! I will definitely get my revenge!”
Who would have guessed that the identity of the monster in Jamsil was none other than an ordinary human?
Moreover, if I’m correct, that man is the son of Rolling, a state-level hunter from the Korean Hunter Association.
Which means he’s also Sophia’s sibling!
“How should I use this information? How can I bring him down to ruin?!”
I wasn’t sure how to use it yet.
But from the moment he let me go, the tide had turned in my favor.
So next time we meet, I’ll make sure he experiences the despair and pain equivalent to my lost arm.
“That’s as far as you go.”
“?!”
As Lee Hee-jeong thought about it and was nearing the outskirts of Hongdae Street.
“Lee Hee-jeong. I’ve come to put an end to your evil deeds.”
“…Who?”
The boy who stopped Lee Hee-jeong in her tracks.
He had short, bright blonde hair like Sophia and light brown eyes that were slightly lighter than Shin-woo’s.
He carried a sword that looked like a weapon on his back, and with an ordinary aura that didn’t make her feel anything special, Lee Hee-jeong found the whole situation so ridiculous that she let out a laugh.
“Ridiculous… Did you come to subdue me because I lost an arm…?”
“Lee Hee-jeong. You will commit countless evil deeds from now on. As a result, the future world will turn into an even greater hell because of you.”
However, the boy continued to speak as if he didn’t fear her at all, treating her like a mere backdrop.
Crack.
“A piece of trash like you, who doesn’t even know where you came from, thinks you can block my way?”
Annoyed by the sight of the fearless boy, Lee Hee-jeong turned all the fingers of one hand into blades and began to walk slowly forward, intending to kill the impudent child.
“Despair and feel fear again!”
“……”
“You looked like a Western man, so I was going to spare you, but now I have to kill you.”
“Oh, really?”
Smirk.
But even at that moment.
“But do you really think you can?”
“?!”
The boy continued to smile calmly.
“And the person who can transform into a monster is not just the one who beat you up earlier.”
“…What?”
With those words, the boy drew the sword that had been on his back.
“Uraaaaaaaaah-!!”
He let out a roar that made Lee Hee-jeong’s senses tremble, just like the one that had terrified her moments ago.
Shortly after.
“Gasp?!”
Jet-black skin.
A body clad in armor.
Two horns sprouting from his head.
And finally, a holy sword engulfed in dark magic.
“I will…”
“?!! Your words…!”
“Kill you here, Lee Hee-jeong.”
The boy, transformed into a monster, finished his sentence and charged straight at Lee Hee-jeong.