Ch.3434. The Size Doesn’t Fit.

“I’m ruined.”

I was shocked when I realized that the area Seol Yu-hwa had chosen to search was the abandoned factory district in Gyeonggi Province.

This is truly where Raiki appeared. The record of it roaming from downtown -> abandoned factory -> rural village -> downtown suddenly came to mind.

“She’s really good at finding things.”

I deliberately observed from a distance using binoculars.

Seol Yu-hwa was fiddling with her necklace, Brisingamen.

“So she’s already utilizing that ability too. Geniuses are different.”

And of course, like the genius she is, Seol Yu-hwa succeeded in developing her ability faster than scheduled.

“A detection ability…”

The sensing ability she showed during the invasion two weeks later. Brisingamen’s tactics aren’t limited to controlling or manipulating people or monsters.

Basically, controlling targets over a wide area requires ‘searching’ for targets within range.

Paradoxically, it’s possible to detect like a scanner even without visual sight.

With this ability, when monsters attacked using fog as cover, Seol Yu-hwa skillfully located and subdued the enemies, preventing what could have been a catastrophe with numerous casualties.

But perhaps because I meddled with the future, she’s already using that ability.

If so, the probability of encountering Raiki increases even more.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

Contrary to my hopes that she would return empty-handed, a dark shadow appeared.

And sure enough, Raiki emerged. It moved nimbly, displaying its lightning-infused mane against the setting sun.

I prepared to scan my main card at any moment.

No, rather than waiting, I’ll transform now.

Since there were trees and grass around the abandoned factory, I increased my parameters with adaptability and watched with these enhanced eyes.

The fight was thick and short. No, I wanted to applaud.

“She fights that well?”

She followed exactly what I told her, and even landed a solid hit.

If she were a bit stronger, she might have won, but it was too much for Seol Yu-hwa who hadn’t fully developed yet.

It really was just a matter of specs, nothing more, nothing less. And with that one difference, she was now in danger.

[Speed]

Now it’s my stage.

I flew like a bullet at full power. Faster than the wind, faster than Raiki.

When Raiki’s claws were about to reach Seol Yu-hwa, my kick sent it flying.

A tingling sensation ran through my entire body, and Raiki was sent flying.

When I looked back, Seol Yu-hwa was staring at me with rabbit eyes.

***

From this point on, I didn’t speak. I focused all my attention on Raiki.

[Forest protection is disappearing.]

As soon as I reached the abandoned factory district, the forest protection disappeared, but I had sub-cards.

Sub-cards: Evolution, Terrain, Attribute Conversion, Speed

[Terrain]

-Forest

The moment my parameters rose again, I shot upward like lightning.

A ball of lightning targeted where I had been.

With this speed and sense, I could dodge. But it wasn’t looking at me.

Seol Yu-hwa.

Oh no. It was targeting Seol Yu-hwa who was closer rather than me who was farther away.

Seol Yu-hwa had no power to counter.

As I descended at full power, the monster’s lightning struck me.

“Gugh!”

My entire body felt numb and burning.

Through the tearing pain, I fell to my knees as Raiki approached.

I couldn’t move. My body was temporarily paralyzed.

As my entire body sent danger signals, the monster’s fur began to stand on end again.

Danger…

That’s when it happened. The monster was suddenly pushed back.

“Huk!”

I heard Seol Yu-hwa’s voice from behind.

An attack from Brisingamen targeting the abdomen. Seol Yu-hwa had helped me.

But she didn’t attack me, even though I’m a monster too.

I turned around in surprise. The paralysis wore off, and I could see Seol Yu-hwa’s incredibly complex expression.

She had been conflicted too.

Whether to attack me as well since I’m a monster. And she made her choice.

The best judgment.

I couldn’t speak, so I gave a thumbs up.

“Huh?”

I should remember Seol Yu-hwa’s bewildered expression.

I immediately used Speed.

Going on the offensive again.

[Wing Wave]

Causing damage just by passing by. Raiki had already stood up and surrounded itself with lightning like a barrier.

It was in a defensive stance.

But I had a trump card.

[Attribute Conversion]

Flying at high speed while scanning the card, I now had to decide on an attribute.

An attribute strong against lightning? Ground attribute, of course.

[Converting to Ground Attribute]

-When having type advantage against target, all parameters increase by 1 rank

At that moment, my body color changed. My outstretched arms turned brown, and my sound became more majestic.

I unleashed a wing wave toward the monster’s lightning barrier.

Lightning struck my body and my wing wave struck the monster.

My body was thrown back. Pain surged, but not enough to immobilize me like before.

The monster?

My wide field of vision showed Raiki staggering.

This is my chance.

[Needle Attack]

Large spikes emerged from both hands.

I maximized destructive power with remaining speed. I charged at the monster in one breath.

My spikes penetrated right through it, releasing a shockwave.

It didn’t take long for Raiki’s body to be torn to shreds.

[Mission Successful]

-Monster Point 1, Doom Risk Reduced

Leaving behind the fallen debris, I looked at Seol Yu-hwa.

My vision, which didn’t even need to turn my head, detected a dazed Seol Yu-hwa and something unusual in the distance.

Someone was coming.

I hastily left the area using my speed.

*

Seol Yu-hwa looked at her torn clothes.

‘…And I spent a lot of money on these recently.’

Unfortunate, but something much bigger had happened to her.

Raiki was dead. But she wasn’t the one who killed it.

‘It could have attacked both of us if it wanted to.’

Seol Yu-hwa couldn’t attack.

‘A monster saving a human? Impossible. Monsters are…’

The image of monsters that had been instilled in her since childhood was almost shattered by what just happened.

‘It saved me.’

That insect-like being resembling a human had saved her. It was clearly exceptional.

[Monsters can be considered living beings or machines programmed to attack humans. They have no interest in animals and only attack humans.]

‘But it saved me.’

The more she thought about it, the less she understood. It saved her and dealt with Raiki.

Is this something a monster would do?

As a fellow monster, it could be called a traitor.

“How strange.”

Seol Yu-hwa could only look in the direction the monster had flown with curiosity rather than fear.

Soon after, people from the White Dragon Guild arrived.

“You’re safe. The monster?”

“Did you catch Raiki? That’s amazing!”

Praise poured in, but Seol Yu-hwa wasn’t happy at all.

Because she wasn’t the one who caught it.

‘I confirmed the information, so I’ll be satisfied with that at least.’

Having received a strong impression from the unidentified monster, she was safely rescued with the help of the White Dragon Guild.

Seol Yu-hwa immediately received treatment from the senior ace who had contracted with Nightingale.

Then Jeon Se-jin appeared before her.

“Congratulations. Truly a remarkable achievement. A first-year who still needs plenty of training, catching Raiki.”

“…”

Seol Yu-hwa’s heart told her that an intense moment of choice was approaching.

If she said she caught it, all her worries would be solved.

‘No one saw what happened anyway.’

A monster defeating another monster and leaving? Who would believe that?

But Seol Yu-hwa couldn’t smile despite Jeon Se-jin’s praise.

One lie would change everything. In her favor.

‘I did my part too.’

“The contract fee is 1 billion won. As promised, you’ll receive treatment equivalent to an ace, and we’ll…”

The two words “1 billion” flickered in her mind. She could pay off her debts and repay Do Jong-hyun.

Plus, she could escape her rundown basement apartment. An enormous temptation.

Seol Yu-hwa held the contract.

*

Thanks to my overwhelming speed, it wasn’t difficult to leave the scene.

I left my binoculars behind, but who would notice anyway? I can get them back later.

“As expected, the White Dragon Guild isn’t just sitting around.”

While Seol Yu-hwa was alone in catching it, they immediately tracked her after some time.

Back at my lodging, I breathed a sigh of relief.

The advantages of being a carapace type were well demonstrated in this situation. Wide field of vision and sensory organs.

If this is what a semi-carapace can do, I’m extremely curious about what a full carapace form would be like.

I lay down comfortably to rest. Adult evolution always brings fatigue.

Resting to recover is the most basic thing. I decided to lie down and rest for the day.

Now I just need to manage well for two weeks. The monster human attack was certainly surprising.

Of course, there were signs.

For instance, what Dokgo Jun mentioned in the interview about people who worship monsters.

All sorts of people exist on the internet. They seek attention or do everything they’re told not to do.

Monster worshippers were among them.

Online, you can’t see people in person and there are plenty of fools doing all kinds of stupid things, so naturally I didn’t pay attention, but offline is different.

As Dokgo Jun said, over a hundred million people have been sacrificed due to gates.

While monsters have some industrial value, they are fundamentally objects of hatred.

To worship them even offline? Regardless of legality, many people would resort to violence.

As the controversy over vigilante justice grew, the government gave police authority to capture rather than kill them legally.

So even offline, they gathered secretly, being cautious, but there was one major gathering a week before the academy attack.

Everyone thought it was insane, but those who went to exercise police authority were injured and killed.

And the ringleaders fled somewhere, with stories of people in monster forms pouring in from everywhere.

They will now attack the academy as the final exams begin. It’s connected to the monster attack that will happen in a week.

I need to prepare too. The intermediate class will be hit first.

These guys revealed themselves while practically slaughtering people around them.

Then they properly encountered Seol Yu-hwa and engaged in battle.

They tried to ambush using a fog-emitting monster, but Seol Yu-hwa countered them again and successfully blocked them.

It’s best to hide in a place that hasn’t been damaged.

If I can get past that, I’ll safely complete the first semester. From the second semester, I just need to thwart various schemes plotted by Eun Se-rin who will return.

As I was sprawled on the bed, my smartwatch sent a signal.

“Who is it?”

-What are you doing?

It was Seol Yu-hwa.

-Resting. My body is tired.

-Can you come out for a bit?

-Suddenly?

It was sudden, but I moved. Could it be that Seol Yu-hwa noticed me and was calling me out?

With anxiety, I went to the academy rest area to see Seol Yu-hwa.

A place filled with silence. Seol Yu-hwa was there wearing a training suit.

“What’s going on?”

“I fought with Raiki.”

“Really?”

I already knew the result. I was the one who caught it anyway, but she wouldn’t have told anyone that.

Seol Yu-hwa looked at me and suddenly handed over a shopping bag.

“It’s a gift. Thanks to you, I got the information.”

“A gift? Did the White Dragon Guild give it to you?”

“Yeah.”

“So you joined.”

With catching a new species like Raiki, she could definitely join.

But Seol Yu-hwa shook her head.

“Actually, I didn’t catch it. I only confirmed its weakness. But they paid me for that.”

There were clothes in the shopping bag.

“It’s not as good as reinforced clothing, but wear it casually.”

“Seol Yu-hwa. You…”

“I’m just returning the favor, so don’t think anything weird. That’s all. I’m going now.”

Seol Yu-hwa walked away quickly.

A gift for me?

“I’m touched.”

It felt like all my anxiety had vanished. Back at my lodging, I tried on the clothes she bought with a happy heart and nodded.

-This size doesn’t fit.

I need to exchange it quickly. I immediately texted Seol Yu-hwa.