Chapter 5: Shelter (4)

How does it feel to see a monster?

When I saw it through the screen, I thought it looked strange, but up close, it was more grotesque than I could have imagined.

Grumble grouse—

“Tut, it’s pierced…!”

“Crazy…!”

“What do I do now? There’s nowhere to run…!”

The moment the monster appeared, the space that seemed like it would turn into a battlefield was filled with a strange silence.

If you move, you die.

If you don’t move, you die.

The prey that has been caught in the eye of a predator entrusts its fate to the heavens and continues to spout meaningless words.

That’s all the people in the shelter looked like at the moment.

‘By the way, are you ignoring me?’

The monster didn’t seem to have eyes, but I wasn’t where the monster’s gaze was directed.

It felt like it was intentionally ignoring me.

Knock knock knock—

Knock knock—

Grm—

“They’re coming…!”

I barely took one step.

Even if the monster took just a small step, the people in the shelter would move towards the wall at the back.

The despair energy felt the moment the back of the person at the back touched the wall was quite a delicacy.

‘It feels like drinking a carbonated beverage.

Hope turning into despair was quite a gourmet dish, but it was nothing compared to despair falling into deeper despair.

The thrill that comes when a creature born to live puts down its entire life.

‘No, this isn’t it. Big.’

Grumble—

The monster’s appearance was literally horrifying, but the gore that painted its body red made it look even more horrifying.

It was like a visual that came out of a 19+ slasher movie.

I wondered how anyone could remain calm in front of such a visual, but…

“Are you crazy…”

“Student, it’s dangerous. Get here quickly!”

“Uh, shouldn’t we run away while that student is drawing attention? The monster is also moving away from the door!”

As it approached and stared blankly down at me, the exit behind the monster was wide open.

There was enough space for someone with courage to run and escape, but I wondered if anyone would have that much courage here.

‘It’s probably impossible to run all the way there with this in front of me!’

Hope arose at the thought that I might be able to escape, but hope turned into despair again because of the monster in front of me.

Oh, if this continues like this, isn’t it just an infinite repetition of despair?

I think I’ve found a clue to infinite power.

With the sudden realization, several exclamation marks appeared above my head.

‘Ah, I’m sneaking away over there!’

I made eye contact with the monster without saying a word.

A human who seemed to have mustered up his courage began to slowly walk behind the monster.

I thought that perhaps from that person’s perspective, he was pouring all the courage he could muster in his life into this place.

But—

Grrrrrrrrr—

“…Ah.”

The monster in front of him seemed to know what the most delicious despair was, and only turned its head once the human who was trying to sneak away reached the door.

And it did so by only turning its head 180 degrees.

GRRRRRRRRRRR !!!!

“Hh…”

Of course, I wonder how many people there are who wouldn’t despair when faced with something like this.

Gulp, gulp, gulp!

“…Hmm?”

While I was deep in thought, I tilted my head at the monster’s strange behavior.

It felt like he was looking at me, lifting his chin slightly and bursting into laughter.

To be exact, it seemed like he was showing off while looking at me.

It seemed as if he was saying, ‘This is how you extract despair, rookie.’

So I couldn’t help but hold back my laughter.

‘Even if it looks like this, you can tell it’s the same monster.’

If he could talk, he might have said something like, ‘Hey, rookie! Come here and have a drink of despair~!’

Well, right now, everyone was so scared that they didn’t notice the monster’s strange reaction.

“Hwaaah, Mommaaaaah…”

The child’s crying sound was like a savory sauce on top of the deep despair.

Most normal people tend to feel negative emotions when they hear a child’s crying sound.

“Shh, Aya. It’s okay. It’ll be okay. The magical girl will be here soon, okay?”

Right?

But that was only for a moment.

A small hope began to bloom among the misfortunes gathered by the child’s mother’s words.

It was a hope so small that it was barely noticeable compared to the size of the despair, but it was a hope that I could definitely feel its existence.

To use a metaphor, yes.

‘It’s like seeing a fly land on your best steak.’

Growl…

Seeing the monster clawing at the floor while making a sound that seemed to be filled with anger, I thought that the monster must have felt the same way as me.

Just eat this~

It seemed like it was considering.

I thought about just removing the part where the fly landed and eating it, but the fact that a fly was on a well-made dish would be quite unpleasant.

“T-That’s right! If a magical girl comes, that kind of monster will be finished, finished!”

“… But is there a magical girl in this city who can deal with a gamma-level monster?”

“P-Peridot would do it. Peridot!”

It was good to have hope, but what they had was close to a vain hope.

Even if a magical girl came, their lives would be ruined by a single gesture from a monster.

…More than that, something’s coming.

Perhaps sensing their hopes.

He turned his head toward the direction of the unpleasant sensation that was gradually getting closer.

Not on the ground, but in the air.

Judging from the speed, it seemed to be flying toward him—

‘A magical girl, huh?’

Who would’ve thought that I’d see both a monster and a magical girl in one day.

Even though both are common in this world, the difference between seeing them in fiction and seeing them in real life is quite large.

Grrrrrrr—

“Did the magical girl arrive…?”

“She, she went…! We, we survived! We survived…!”

The monster also felt the unpleasantness that was approaching in an instant, and turned around and started heading out the door.

Were the humans here already caught fish?

Or maybe they thought that I would catch these humans.

Even though they looked like this, they were still monsters.

“No matter how much of a Gamma-class monster they are, there’s nothing they can do about a magical girl—”

Kkujik—

“Gyaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!”

… Seriously, you have bad taste.

As the humans began to cheer with a sigh of relief, a black shadow stretched out from beyond the door filled with darkness.

It was a speed much faster than a normal human could react to.

It took less than a second for the iron hammer that flew in to shatter the hopeful human’s head.

“” “” “Ugh, ugh…”

It must have been an example to make sure that the humans with hope wouldn’t easily escape.

And just as intended, the humans couldn’t move easily even after the monster left.

It was a meticulous and clever decision that didn’t befit the name of a monster.

“…Let’s wait until the magical girl comes.”

“Peridot is an undefeated magical girl! Bu, I’m sure she can do it.”

The humans were expressing hope with their mouths, but their hearts were filled with despair.

What if Peridot loses?

What if she loses and ends up not being able to survive?

Bu’s heart began to pound as he fell deeper and deeper, going back and forth between hope and despair.

Woof—

‘Now that I think about it, my heart has stopped until now.’

People usually don’t feel their own heartbeats, but when I actually felt my heart beating, it really felt like it had stopped right before.

How can a living thing move even when its heart has stopped?

I was amazed by the doctor’s ability to create this body, but as soon as I realized that he was just a crazy monster, I stopped being amazed.

‘It feels like my emotions are gradually becoming more like a monster’s.’

Even though I was amazed, I was amazed by the mad scientist’s ability.

Well, I’ll continue cursing the doctor later.

Swish—

“Uh, sis… Where are you going?”

“I’m going to the bathroom for a moment.”

Now that I think about it, it was a long time ago that I said I was going to the bathroom.

If I were a normal person, I would have already wet myself, so it might have been a good excuse.

No matter how desperate the situation was, no one would want to pee in front of other people.

“I’ll be back as quickly as I can.”

“Uh, sis…!”

I dodged the small hand reaching out to grab me and smiled faintly.

I’ll be back soon.