Ch.55Fake Human (1)

The day after a Level 1 monster escaped from the aquarium in City I.

Perhaps it was because of the Kraken that made a mockery of the shark monster from the original story, and my appearance.

When I opened my eyes, the news was overreacting with terms like “apocalypse” and “catastrophe,” turning Hero City into a chaotic mess—at least on TV.

“Has there ever been an instance where two or more Level 1 danger monsters appeared simultaneously?”

“One of them is reportedly the horned mask monster that devastated City A ten years ago.”

“Do you have any comments on Hero City’s future countermeasures?”

“All citizens of Hero City are currently living in fear!”

Typical monster genre.

As soon as something major happens, they immediately summon the higher-ups.

True to this unwritten rule, the person who appeared before reporters in the parliamentary system of Hero City was someone I knew very well from “Monster Frontline.”

“Oh, it’s Ms. Avanka.”

“Avan… ka?”

A gacha character from “Monster Frontline”… well, not exactly.

She was one of the NPCs you could see like the Weapon Monster when visiting the shop to make in-game purchases.

Her setting was definitely the leader of the most popular progressive party in Hero City, right?

A congresswoman with a sharp intellect, cold eyes peering through her snow-white hair.

Just like in the game, she wore a suit that revealed much of her chest. Though expressionless, she exuded an air of trustworthiness.

“I dare to make a prediction.”

The first words from the most influential congresswoman in a city-state of one billion people.

With that statement, all the reporters on the other side of the TV screen fell silent.

And then, her next words at the press conference watched by all of humanity:

“No matter what happens, Hero City will never fall into the hands of monsters.”

“…!”

“Oh, ohhhh!”

“Long live, Congresswoman!”

There’s an old saying that ignorance breeds courage.

However, the Congresswoman Avanka I knew was courageous but not ignorant.

Simply put, her words carried definite weight.

Even if two Level 1 monsters appeared simultaneously in one of the autonomous districts, a single word from her would restore some stability among the people.

As proof, voices of citizens supporting Congresswoman Avanka’s Progressive Party could be heard through the screen.

“As it happens, Hero City has been working on countermeasures against the horned mask monster that we’ve been unable to subjugate since it first appeared ten years ago.”

“Could you tell us about these countermeasures?”

“I’m sorry, but I cannot disclose that information yet.”

“What’s the reason for that?”

I came out of the shower with Silmyeong in our university dormitory room.

Yet the press conference was still ongoing.

“It’s been an hour already… both sides are really something, going at it since daylight…”

“Janghun, I’m going to use the computer~”

“Put some clothes on first.”

“Hehe. Yes, sir.”

Congresswoman Avanka was still calmly answering every similar question from reporters without missing a beat.

It was truly an admirable display of mental fortitude.

‘So that’s what it takes to be a politician…’

If it were me, I would have escaped long ago under the pretense of using the bathroom, but she just sat there, occasionally taking a sip of water.

I was getting bored and about to change the channel to watch some entertainment program.

But then.

“The reason I’m not discussing our countermeasures here is simple.”

As if looking directly at “me.”

Congresswoman Avanka, making eye contact with me through the screen, said:

“Because the horned mask monster is watching this news right now.”

“…!”

“Isn’t that right, Mr. Unnamed Horned Mask?”

Congresswoman Avanka was just a high-ranking civil servant, an ordinary person without any special abilities.

That must be the case…

But the timing was too chilling to be mere intuition.

It sent shivers down my spine.

I instinctively gulped and changed the channel.

***

“Monster Frontline” Main Story Part 1, Chapter 2.

Invitation from Darkness.

This episode was set in City W, Hero City’s only coastal autonomous district.

While citizens were in a period of mourning after the aquarium incident, the coastal areas of City W were experiencing disappearances at eight times the average rate of other districts.

When the numbers finally became noticeable.

The Hero Association, belatedly recognizing the severity of the situation, dispatched a hero team including the “protagonist” to investigate.

After a week of persistent pursuit, they discovered a hidden marine cave at a corner of the beach, where they encountered and defeated a Level 3 danger monster—the Leech Monster—that had built mountains of human bones.

But following the aquarium incident, this main story concluded somewhat unsatisfactorily with hundreds more victims.

That’s how the original story should have gone, but…

*Crunch*

“Kueeek…!”

The two monsters from the aquarium—the legendary Kraken, the eternal terror of sea people, who made a mockery of the Shark Monster, and the unnamed Horned Mask Monster who boldly appeared in City A, the stronghold of heroes, and escaped unscathed.

Perhaps because of them, tensions were running high.

Unlike in the original story, the Hero Association wasn’t complacent and detected the anomalies in City W several weeks earlier than in the original timeline.

Then, what should have been a discontinued project slated for disposal…

“Since we’re going to discard it anyway, let’s use it once.”

“Exactly. How much did we invest in creating something like that…”

“With Level 1 monsters appearing simultaneously, this is no time to worry about human rights.”

In times when humanity’s survival is at stake, one must use any means necessary.

With that judgment, the Hero Association deployed her—the only successful product of the next-generation hero development project.

The result, as you can see, was a greater success than expected.

“Target Leech Monster. Subjugation complete.”

-Is, is that true, Zero?

“Yes. I’ve confirmed the cessation of life functions in the target monster’s body. My victory is 99.99% certain.”

-A-Amazing! And you’re just a ‘homunculus’ barely 20 months old…!

-We were going to dispose of you due to the project’s suspension over human rights issues, but that would have been a grave mistake!

-Mass production might not be possible right now, but once it becomes feasible, humanity will finally conquer monsters!

-Zero. Don’t just stand there! Go check if there are any useful tissues in the monster’s corpse.

“Yes, understood.”

Normally, it would take multiple C-rank heroes to subjugate a Level 3 monster like the Leech Monster.

However, the woman who defeated it without a scratch was an artificial human “created” by the Hero Association—a homunculus with an adult female body who had just opened her eyes to the world, not even two years old.

Mechanically tainted red eyes.

Gray hair styled by researchers to give her a girlish sensibility.

Dressed in elaborate hero attire reminiscent of a “princess knight” and wielding a state-of-the-art blade greatsword—one of the materials for creating the next-generation hero.

Experimental Subject Name – Zero.

“While thoroughly searching the corpse, I found what appears to be the heart tissue of the Leech Monster.”

-Well done. It’s a valuable specimen, so bring it safely to City A.

“Yes, understood.”

-Good.

Like a living robot.

Zero immediately obeyed the orders of the researchers coming through her earpiece.

According to the information the computer had implanted in her brain since she was in the test tube, this was the only reason she was created.

She doesn’t argue.

She simply moves for the sake of the “real humans.”

Even to prove her worth when she should have been disposed of under the charge of creating fake humans.

“Stay… alive…”

Zero silently did as she was told.

Simply because she wanted to live a little longer.

Because she, the only survivor in the test tube, still had something to do.

‘If I manage to subjugate that Horned Mask Monster… would even a fake like me be granted a little “freedom”?’

***

After a two-day press conference, I couldn’t believe it.

But I had no choice but to believe.

That a whole “month” had already passed since then!

“Why… is it so quiet?”

The university semester had finally ended.

Freed from the swamp of assignments, Miss Hoshino and I were heading back to City D in a limousine.

“Finally, vacation!”

“Miss, you barely attended university because of your hero activities anyway…”

“Hey! But vacation just feels good to hear! Don’t you think?”

“Well, I suppose so.”

Miss Hoshino, smiling brightly without knowing anything.

Well, vacation is like sweet honey for all students.

Although Miss Hoshino had only managed to attend about two weeks out of the three-month semester, she still seemed excited about the break.

But unlike her, I was secretly sweating.

‘Where did things go wrong?’

The reason was Main Story Part 1, Chapter 2, which should have already begun.

The Leech Monster hadn’t shown up even though the story should have started long ago.

‘Where the hell did this leech bastard disappear to?’

The Leech Monster should have been kidnapping people from City W’s coast for some time now.

I had gone to the coastal district several times during university classes to try to take it down preemptively, like the Shark Monster.

But there was no trace of it anywhere.

I even went to the cave where it was hiding in the original story, but there was only a small amount of bloodstains that looked like signs of a fight.

‘Surely this isn’t going to be like the Deep Sea Monster situation where an even more formidable villain appears and ignores the original story?’

Who could have subjugated the Leech Monster?

As I was pondering this, thinking about what monster could be stronger than the Leech…

Ring ring.

“Hm? It’s a call from Mom.”

“From the clan head?”

“Yeah.”

Miss Hoshino received a call from the clan head on our way to City D.

After nodding a few times…

“Hmm…”

“What is it, Miss?”

“Oh, nothing major, just that we need to go to the Hero Association in City A right away.”

“…What?”

She casually mentioned something completely major while hurriedly turning the car around.