Ch.45Ten Years Have Passed (1)

<Kaiju Front Line> was a mobile gacha game with a story spanning approximately 40 episodes across 4 chapters, marking its 5th anniversary.

When the game started, the classic voice announcement would play.

“Kaiju Zensen~” – the Japanese voice actors would declare as the prologue abruptly began.

The content, based on the early service period, featured an unbeatable Level 2 kaiju.

While learning the game’s basic combat system against a wolf kaiju that appeared in the peaceful G City.

The protagonist, a former soldier, deployed with some heroes to subjugate it, but naturally failed miserably.

Building up to the first anniversary, the protagonist and the heroines who barely survived vowed to face the wolf kaiju again with renewed determination.

…That’s what I knew as the official story.

“Kieeek…!”

“Die, beast.”

*Slash*

But that typical heroic narrative disappeared as soon as it began.

“Just a Level 2… nothing special.”

“Amazing… taking down that wolf kaiju with a single strike!”

“So that’s the famous Princess Hoshino…”

“So cool… I’m in awe…!”

Unlike the original story where her home was destroyed, her parents killed, and she was scorned by people, Miss Hoshino had changed.

She transformed from a ‘devastated’ character to a ‘vibrant’ one, growing up more splendidly than I had expected.

So much so that she was now defeating all the kaiju that the protagonist’s party was supposed to handle.

“Is this all the kaiju that appeared in G City?”

“Ah, yes! That’s correct.”

Just ten years ago, she was just a little fox cub.

Now the young woman receiving admiring gazes in my field of vision had become a proper A-rank hero.

She was simultaneously considered a top talent among talents, mentioned as a candidate for the next S-rank hero.

‘To think that Hoshino would grow up like this… The devastated version in the original was appealing too, but I think I prefer this version more.’

It feels like a father watching his fully grown daughter.

I find myself unconsciously rubbing my nose.

By the way, ten years have already passed.

Today marks the beginning of the original story of <Kaiju Front Line>.

I came to the scene in person, worried whether the prologue would proceed as in the original work, especially after I had somewhat disrupted the official storyline.

But this… honestly, I’m not sure if I should like it or not.

Defeating kaiju is undoubtedly good from humanity’s perspective.

But that wolf kaiju was originally supposed to be a “sacrifice” for the protagonist to defeat when he “awakened” during the first anniversary.

‘If this is the scene from the prologue, then the protagonist must be among those soldiers swarming like ants.’

There were mainly two types of protagonists in mobile games.

One was a fully developed third-person character, and the other was a first-person character where the player became the protagonist.

The former was common in Chinese mobile games.

While the latter was more prevalent in Japanese or Korean games.

And <Kaiju Front Line> was the only Korean mobile game that almost succeeded… so it adopted the latter type of protagonist.

Following the special characteristic of first-person mobile games—never showing the protagonist’s face until service termination—the protagonist, who was just an ordinary Soldier A at this point.

With a name created as a nickname, I couldn’t immediately identify him.

‘Damn. I thought I could spot him easily since there are hardly any male soldiers in the story, but they’re all wearing helmets covering their faces, so I can’t tell…’

Or maybe I’m too far away?

Currently, I was in my kaiju form, crouching on the rooftop of a building about 10 kilometers away from the prologue scene.

Was it already ten years ago?

The kaiju that terrorized the entire Hero City.

The absolute evil that appeared in the middle of A City, the heroes’ stronghold, making the surrounding wasteland even more desolate(?).

…As a result, I became a Level 1 target for subjugation.

In other words, I was now a Level 1 kaiju that had to be eliminated even with the help of weapon kaiju.

So for the past 10 years, I avoided transforming into my kaiju form to stay unnoticed, but today was the start of the prologue.

‘Still, I need to see the protagonist’s face!’

It had been what, 3 years? No, almost 5 years since I last transformed?

It felt a bit awkward after such a long time.

Carefully controlling my strength to prevent the building from collapsing under me, I jumped to the rooftop of another building closer to the prologue scene.

***

Ten years have already passed.

So many things have happened during that time.

First, I passed the hero exam following Carmilla, becoming the second youngest hero ever.

Carmilla, who lost her only achievement of being the youngest.

“Ugh…! Curse you, Gorosa!”

When I delivered that blow to that “female” who always tried to get between me and my Janghoon, it was so thrilling I couldn’t even sleep.

Around the time I was working insanely hard to escape from my powerless past mistakes.

*Click*

I had grown this much.

“Thank you for your hard work, Princess.”

“S-salute! It was an honor to serve you!”

“Yes. I’m glad everyone is safe.”

A-rank, 2nd place.

Hero name – Black Fox.

Hoshino was now widely known as a super rookie.

Consistently ranking 1st or 2nd in the “Heroes You Want to Date” rankings.

While simultaneously always being in the single digits of the “Heroes You Want to Meet” chart—an ultra-top-tier super girl hero.

If the number one spot ten years ago belonged to the newly adult Yoon Ha-eun, now that position belonged to Carmilla… or Okami Hoshino.

But.

Why.

When everyone wants her so much!

“Sigh…”

“…?”

“Princess Hoshino?”

“Ah. It’s nothing.”

There’s been no progress in ‘our’ relationship!

‘Janghoon is probably just at university now?’

I heard it was the “rule” that childhood friends who grow up together eventually end up biting, sucking, and mixing with each other.

But despite pressing my increasingly growing breasts between my arms, or subtly rubbing my plump, well-developed buttocks against him.

“Miss Hoshino. Is something wrong?”

“?! N-no…”

Our relationship still hasn’t developed.

To Janghoon, I was always just “Miss,” someone to serve rather than someone to date.

And perhaps because I’ve entered my 20s when the “heat period” reaches its peak.

This was one of Hoshino’s biggest troubles.

“Princess Hoshino. You don’t look well. Were you injured in the recent battle?”

“Sigh, =If only it were such a physical injury, I could at least get treatment…”

“……?”

Hoshino waved her hand at the soldiers who were worrying about her as if it were their business.

With the situation seemingly resolved.

She planned to return to where she was supposed to be before she departed.

To sit right next to Janghoon in the same department, same class at the university he attended, hoping to ease this frustrating feeling even a little.

*Rumble*

“?!”

“What is that…?”

The next moment.

As she turned away from the dead wolf kaiju, the ground began to shake as if in anger.

Simultaneously, a kaiju with three heads appeared, tossing dozens of military armored vehicles like toys and smashing through building walls.

“Wolf!”

“Brother!”

“I was told to just watch, but you ended up getting killed!”

“Th-three heads…?!”

“Is that… Cerberus?”

Its appearance resembled Cerberus, the guardian hound of the underworld from Greek mythology.

“I’ve seen that form in books!”

“New recruit?”

“Who…?”

“Ah, yes! Salute! I was assigned to the 79th Unit of the 142nd Army Division…”

“””BROTHERRR!!”””

“?! Never mind your name. Just tell us what you know about that kaiju!”

“Yes, sir!”

Thanks to a knowledgeable soldier, Hoshino was able to immediately identify the Cerberus.

“It’s none other than the ‘Dog Kaiju.'”

“The Dog Kaiju?”

“Yes! A Level 2 kaiju said to be the embodiment of fear from all canine animals. Records show it appeared in K City 67 years ago and was subjugated by the 2nd ranked S-class hunter at that time.”

“S-rank 2nd…!”

Its size was about twice that of the wolf kaiju that had been clinging to apartment walls and chewing concrete.

That meant it was at least 30 meters tall.

The wolf that had rampaged through G City at tremendous speed, turning it into a wasteland, looked like a newborn pup compared to the Dog Kaiju.

Having to suddenly face something crawling at the height of a 10-story apartment building with three heads.

‘Can I handle this?’

After briefly howling in unison at the sight of the decapitated wolf kaiju.

“Humans…”

“All of you…”

“I’ll kill you!”

*Shiver*

“?!”

“H-here it comes!”

“I’ll take the lead, so soldiers and heroes, please support from behind!”

The Dog Kaiju revealing its killing intent toward them was on a completely different level from anything Hoshino had faced before.

This was a true Level 2 kaiju.

The threshold of true professionals, where only S-rank heroes or the top A-rank could handle them “alone.”

Could I challenge it now?

Her fox ears drooped.

Cold sweat formed on her forehead, and her heart pounded heavily.

However, Hoshino was already tired of running away just because an opponent was stronger than her.

Therefore.

“Fox’s Breath – First Form…”

“My brother’s!”

“Revenge!”

“I’ll—?!”

“Here I… huh?”

*THUD!*

In that moment when she was about to charge toward the three heads, prepared to die.

“KRARARAK?!”

‘Oh no, I jumped too high…!’

A Level 1 kaiju accidentally fell onto the back of the Level 2 kaiju that was roaring.

The Dog Kaiju, hit by Kang Janghoon’s “butt drop,” died with all three heads vomiting internal organs upon its return to the human world after 67 years.

“…?”

“Huh?”

“Kruk?”

‘What?’