Ch.20Don’t Kill Me

# “Angel’s Offspring?!”

“An… Angel’s offspring?!”

“Yes. Thanks to its escape from the research facility, the entire Yeongdeungpo area is now under lockdown.”

Entity name: Cheonsa (Angel).

Despite being a monster successfully eliminated 10 years ago, perhaps due to its title as “Korea’s first National Disaster-Level monster since the country’s founding”…

It was a monster that triggered PTSD in every Hunter born and raised in Korea.

This was especially true for Sophia, who had witnessed its overwhelming power firsthand.

But now, an offspring of Angel?

Wait, did a humanoid monster get pregnant and give birth?

“This was highly classified research, kept secret from all Hunters except the branch director…”

“But now it can’t be kept secret anymore.”

“Yes. Unfortunately, that’s the case…”

In the 6th floor strategy room, the researcher was explaining the situation to Sophia.

Lee Heejeong, with one arm in a cast, clicked her tongue but continued with a desperate expression.

“Even though it’s just an offspring, it’s extremely aggressive, perhaps because it’s humanoid! One D-rank Hunter has already died because of it, and three B-rank Hunters are currently being treated for serious injuries!”

“So you’re saying three B-rank Korean Hunters were defeated by an immature monster offspring?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying! That’s why we desperately need you, Hunter Sophia, to ‘capture’ it alive.”

Lee Heejeong approached and grabbed Sophia’s hand without permission.

As if begging for sympathy.

Sophia flinched momentarily from her rising “human aversion,” but…

“I understand. I’ll neutralize it appropriately and bring it back alive.”

Being accustomed to image management, she outwardly maintained a sweet smile and somehow endured.

‘Whew… I almost slapped her.’

“Should I depart immediately?”

“Yes! Since you’re a Hunter from the USA, we’re counting on you!”

“…Alright then.”

After receiving basic information about the monster offspring, Sophia promptly left the strategy room.

A few seconds after the door closed…

“Sigh… America, huh. I’m jealous. I wish I had been born in a country like the USA…”

Lee Heejeong’s voice could be heard complaining.

Meanwhile, below…

Thanks to my enhanced hearing from kaijufication, I had been eavesdropping on the entire conversation upstairs and was deep in thought.

First, the researcher Sophia met.

Since Hunter’s Blood was a fully-voiced game, I could immediately recognize her as Lee Heejeong just by her voice.

I thought things would diverge from the original story after the “Smiling Monster Incident” in Busan 10 years ago ended safely, but it seems she still pursued a career as a researcher.

‘She still yearns for America, just like in the original story…’

Does that mean her parents are still alive but she might still “betray” them?

However, the turning point for Lee Heejeong’s villain route comes later.

Right now, I need to focus on Angel’s offspring, which never appeared in the original story.

It escaped from the underground research facility and is currently presumed to be roaming around Yeongdeungpo.

‘Capture missions have better rewards than elimination missions, but they’re much more difficult. I should step in before there are more casualties.’

Even though it’s just an offspring, it’s a ferocious monster that took down three B-rank Hunters, who are in the top 5% of all Hunters.

If I neutralize it and leave it in a conspicuous place on the street, the Hunters will take care of the rest.

As I nodded to myself at this thought…

“It’s… in here?”

“Really?”

This was, after all, the Hunter Association building.

The appearance of a monster, especially a National Disaster-Level one, had already been detected by the situation room.

“But why isn’t it coming out?”

“Maybe it’s taking a dump?”

“Come on, even if it’s humanoid, a monster using a toilet? That’s ridiculous!”

Currently, all remaining Hunters of the Korean branch, heavily armed, were tensely waiting outside the 5th floor men’s restroom.

And finally…

Flush.

“…!”

“Oh, it’s coming!”

The sound of a toilet flushing was heard.

Simultaneously, a jet-black monster calmly emerged from the stall.

“…! It’s real! It looks exactly like the photos!”

“The Jamsil monster?! Wait, why is a monster in the Hunter Association building? And why is it coming out of a toilet stall?!”

“Is, is it alone?!”

Well, I am single, so yes, I am alone.

“Grrrr…”

“Eeeek?!”

“Isn’t it too cramped in here?!”

“Hey, don’t push!”

I figured I’d be caught, but still sighed at the sight of Hunters packed in front of the sinks.

This was the best I could do for eavesdropping, but now what should I do?

A direct frontal approach… was definitely not the answer.

If I walked out through the association’s main entrance, my infamy would spread not just domestically but internationally.

If I ended up on an “international wanted list,” it would be troublesome in many ways.

‘Sigh. No choice…’

Though it felt wrong to damage the company I worked for…

“…!”

“It’s coming!”

“Damn, this is crazy…!”

I lifted my heel as if taking a step toward the Hunters.

“Hup…”

Then I instantly shifted my weight backward and kicked the wall behind me.

CRASH!

‘Kyokushin Karate – Back Kick.’

“Eeeek?!”

“The, the building wall…!”

It seemed the wall couldn’t withstand the concentrated strike of a National Disaster-Level monster.

A small hole, just big enough for me to pass through, appeared in the supposedly impenetrable Association building’s outer wall.

‘Phew. Time to escape.’

I quickly slipped through the hole I’d created while the Hunters in front of me were stunned.

Then I jumped down from the building to capture the monster offspring hiding in Yeongdeungpo.

***

“The Jamsil monster?!”

Thud.

“There’s another humanoid monster?”

Thud.

“Nice to meet you, Jamsil monster. I’m from the Korean Hunter Association…”

Thud.

I came to catch a monster, but…

Why am I constantly knocking out people instead?

Thanks to the escaped valuable specimen, Yeongdeungpo was literally crawling with Hunters.

No matter how carefully I moved, I kept running into Hunters around corners.

And I had no choice but to knock them all out.

I must have done this nearly twenty times already.

‘Because of this, I’m only now finding clues to something I could have caught much earlier…’

I mainly wandered through secluded alleys.

This was because one of the monster offspring’s habits was preferring narrow, dark places.

Having just emerged from its mother’s womb, the offspring instinctively preferred dark environments similar to the womb.

Moreover, in a tense situation where someone was chasing it, its hiding instinct would be even stronger due to fear.

Normally, a monster capture quest would require days of searching the entire city, following minimal traces.

However, my senses, extremely sensitive due to kaijufication, didn’t miss even the faintest traces left by the monster offspring.

Finally…

‘Another sewer…’

I realized that the creature’s trail ended at a manhole.

‘Let’s go down.’

I easily removed the manhole cover and jumped straight down.

The underground sewer in Yeongdeungpo was surprisingly spacious.

It was an enormous sewer pipe with some sunlight coming in and no flowing water.

Just as the distinctive fishy smell of a monster reached my nose…

“Raaaah!”

I had actually known for a while.

The monster offspring, clinging to the ceiling, jumped down at me with its sharp teeth bared.

But I simply grabbed it by the neck and slammed the previously aggressive offspring to the ground.

“Gack?! Ugh!”

“Grrrr.”

‘Got it.’

Perhaps because it was a humanoid monster’s offspring…

Its skin was a bit pale, but it was like dealing with a fierce human elementary schooler.

But in the end, it was a monster.

When our eyes met—its malevolent eyes glowing like blood—I came to my senses.

Since it was an enemy of humanity…

Although I felt a bit guilty because its form resembled humans, I was about to break its arms or legs to neutralize it.

So I grabbed its right arm first, but…

“D-don’t… do it…!”

“Grrk?!”

The monster spoke human language.

Of course, it wasn’t impossible, but I was so surprised by this rare sight that I pulled back.

“D-don’t… hit… me…!”

The monster offspring stood up, stumbled backward, and fell.

Then, looking up at me as I approached, it began wringing its hands.

“I’m… s-sorry! I’m… s-sorry!”

“……”

“D-don’t… kill… me! I… want… to… live!”

What was this?

In all my many playthroughs, I had never seen a monster begging for its life.

Especially not a young monster with such a human-like form.

‘No. Don’t waver. This creature is still a monster.’

A monster that had already killed one person.

I couldn’t let it escape because of personal feelings.

Though my resolve wavered momentarily, I steeled myself for the happy ending of this world and approached the monster offspring again.

That’s when it happened.

Crack!

“Ugh!?…Ngh!”

Crack! Snap! Crackle!

“Grrrk?!”

‘W-what…!’

Suddenly, the monster offspring spread one hand in front of me and began breaking its own fingers.

With a pained expression, eyes squinted and biting its lip to suppress screams, the child didn’t stop until one hand was completely mangled.

And finally, showing the hand that could no longer make a fist, it pleaded:

“S-see… I’m… not… dangerous…! If… you… don’t… attack… me, I… won’t… fight! If… I… try… anything… I’ll… break… more…!”

“……!”

“So…”

So.

“P-please… don’t… kill… me.”

Its body trembled with fear, but its face tried to smile to appease me.

Yet its eyes continued to shed tears of terror.

…I know this face all too well.

‘Oh, you’re crying? Keep crying?’

‘Ha, haha. Father. Hahahaha. I’m sorry. Hahahaha.’

“…Damn it.”

What should I do?

I know that handing this child over to the Association would be the best option…

But it seems I can no longer choose that path.