Ch.71The Strongest Monster in Korea

It happened like a natural disaster in an instant.

“P-please save me!”

“I’ll save you right now! Quickly, grab my hand!”

A mother and daughter trapped under building debris.

In the Hongdae streets that had become a fiery hell, it had been over an hour since she arrived at the scene to rescue such people.

Though her entire body was drenched in sweat, Yoo Cheran refused to back down and continued to pour her energy into finding survivors, even if she had to do it alone.

Because that’s what being a Hunter meant.

“Phew… no matter how many I save, there’s no end to it.”

Hongdae, once a famous Korean landmark overflowing with laughter and positive energy.

How powerful must the monster be that turned such a place into this living hell?

At the very least, it was a creature that could slice through A-rank Hunters like cutting tofu.

If the evacuees were to encounter such a beast, they would be annihilated without a chance to react.

“We’re heading outside now! Everyone, please follow me!”

“O-okay!”

She had rescued well over 50 people on her own.

Most of them were injured with problems in their arms or legs, so Yoo Cheran led them carefully—but not too slowly—toward the outskirts of the district.

“Kihihihihi!”

“…!”

As time passed, the National Disaster-Level monster grew accustomed to its instincts and noticed the presence of the gathered crowd.

That is, until it caught the eye of Monster Lee Heejeong.

“There are so many humans here~!”

“Kyaaaah?!”

“H-Hunter!”

“A monster! …No, wait, is that Researcher Lee Heejeong?”

Lee Heejeong came charging toward the group of evacuees in an instant, smashing through all the collapsed building debris.

Yoo Cheran, who had taken a combat stance, momentarily recalled seeing her at the Association building and relaxed her guard.

Boom.

In that moment, she was pushed aside and sent flying back into a building behind her from the impact.

“Kuhak?!”

It was just a brief contact, a mere “shoulder bump.”

Yet she could already feel several bones breaking. Even as she tried to stand up immediately, Yoo Cheran couldn’t properly regain her senses as she coughed up blood.

Meanwhile.

“Hello, hello~”

“Ky-kyaak!”

“M-monster!”

“Mmm. That’s right. I’m the monster who’s come to kill you all~”

These were humans who, had she remained a researcher, she would have simply observed and passed by.

Seeing these primitive creatures fear her, tremble before her, and grovel to survive—Lee Heejeong felt an indescribable thrill in that moment.

“Kyahaha! This is so good! I’m happy! Now, shall I kill a few as an example?!”

“…!”

“W-wait just a moment!”

“…Huh?”

It was then.

Like cold water on a perfect mood, a young man with a sturdy build walked out from among the terrified evacuees.

“You seem capable of speech, so why don’t we try to ‘negotiate’?”

“…Negotiate?”

“Yes. Despite appearances, I’m a soldier on leave. If you want something, wouldn’t it be better to talk with someone official like me?”

As if he had no intention to fight from the beginning, he stood before everyone with his hands raised like someone admitting defeat.

However, despite surrendering before the fight even began, he felt no shame.

Because he thought this was how everyone could survive.

Better this than dying like dogs—this was the only hope, he thought.

Crack-crunch.

“…!”

That’s certainly what the soldier thought.

“Fuck… are you trying to look cool in front of these women?”

“…What?”

Her appearance had already become grotesque since becoming a monster.

But when Lee Heejeong frowned in anger, her monstrous form twisted into something even more hideous.

“What’s your rank?”

“S-s-sergeant…”

“Fucking conscript trash, who do you think you are?!”

She was about to cleanly slice the sergeant in half, transforming one arm into a sharp blade.

“Look out!”

Slash.

If not for the back of a Hunter who rushed in at that moment, it would have happened.

“Kuhak…!”

“Hunter!”

“I-I’m fine… so please run away quickly…!”

“R-run away…?”

“But…”

“Hurry!!”

Having somehow regained her senses, Yoo Cheran rushed in front of the brave soldier.

As a result, she suffered a wound so deep on her back that the bone was visible.

But even in that condition, she quickly took command of the panicking evacuees.

Though hesitant at first, people began to move away one by one after hearing her shout.

“Hey? Hey!”

As the evacuees scattered in all directions, Lee Heejeong tried to track and kill them one by one following her monstrous instincts.

“You… can’t…!”

But she stopped momentarily, dumbfounded by her foolish former colleague who somehow stood up again and held her tightly.

“You… can’t… go…!”

“…Sigh. Cheran. Were you always this stupid?”

“Absolutely… not… letting… you… pass!”

Knowing she couldn’t stop her, Yoo Cheran still shouted while tightening her grip, trying to buy time.

But that was a mistake.

“Is it okay for you to hug me this tightly?”

“?!”

Slash.

Lee Heejeong deliberately changed only the parts of her skin in contact with Yoo Cheran into sharp blades.

Suddenly embracing blades, Yoo Cheran’s body became covered in blood as her flesh and bones were cut.

“Kuk, ugh…!”

Yet seeing her still trying not to fall.

“Hmm…”

Lee Heejeong suddenly wanted to “subjugate” her.

“Cheran. It’s such a shame.”

“…?”

“If this were America, substantial support would have arrived long ago, and a mere C-rank like you wouldn’t have to suffer like this~”

“……”

She wanted to make Yoo Cheran show the same face that she herself had shown when she was human.

Because that would make her feel better.

I knelt before this shitty Korea, yet she keeps trying to stand up again as a Hunter of that same Korea—it felt disgusting.

“Cheran. Since we were colleagues in the same Association building, I might specially spare someone like you.”

“……”

“So just stay put. Then I’ll specially let you live.”

It wasn’t a simple lie to persuade an enemy, but words from the heart.

Because Lee Heejeong wanted to see Cheran fall from grace.

Hunter this, Hunter that.

Responsibility this, responsibility that.

In a capitalist society, isn’t the person who upholds such things the real idiot?

In a world where responsibility and pride have become less important than money.

In such a world, how long could a person like Cheran, pretending to be righteous, maintain that facade?

Looking at Yoo Cheran, who seemed ready to fall at any moment.

Click.

Lee Heejeong was smirking.

“…Cheran. What the fuck are you doing? What’s that?”

Far from being intimidated or blaming others.

Silently rising to her feet, Yoo Cheran covered her wounds—which looked like her intestines might spill out—with the self-healing suit she was wearing, and took a fighting stance again.

“Cheran. Do you really think someone like you can defeat me?”

Despite Lee Heejeong’s words, she simply focused on readying her fist without flinching.

However, naturally.

Slash.

Before she could, one side of her ribcage was completely cut off.

“Kuk?!”

“Cheran. Apologize. Then I’ll let you live…?!”

“Huk! Huk…!”

Yet Yoo Cheran stood up again.

And took a fighting stance once more.

At this, the disgust Lee Heejeong had felt since she was human began to twist her face more hideously as it intertwined with her monstrous instincts.

Slash.

This time, one eye.

“…Cheran. Apologize.”

“Kuuuk…!”

Slash.

This time, one fist.

“Cheran. What will you do? Now you can’t practice your beloved Taekwondo. You’ve lost a fist~”

“Huu… Huu!”

Thump.

“……”

Slash!

When she still tried to stand, this time she cut off one of her legs to prevent her from rising.

“Kuk?!”

“Kyahaha. What now, Cheran! Now you can’t stand up and pull that brave act anymore?”

“…Huu!”

“?!?!!”

Crazy bitch.

A truly crazy bitch.

The people you’re trying to protect are just evacuees whose faces you don’t even know.

By now you should be satisfied, blame others, and go back.

Why.

Why?

Why do you keep trying to stand up?

She uses her one remaining arm to prop herself up, replacing her missing leg.

Even in that state, somehow kneeling, Yoo Cheran fiercely glared at Lee Heejeong with her one remaining eye.

Regardless of how the monster before her twisted her face in rage.

“You fucking bitch!”

Kwang!

Before killing her, wanting to subjugate her first.

Lee Heejeong now began stomping on Yoo Cheran’s head with her foot, without using her ability, repeatedly stomping until she was near death.

“What! Are! You! Doing! You’ve! Lost! So! Admit! Your! Defeat! You! Stupid! Bitch!”

Was she overly excited?

A few seconds later, when Lee Heejeong regained her senses and looked down, there was only a Hunter lying coldly with her head covered in blood.

“I told you I’d spare you, you idiot…”

Feeling like she hadn’t won despite winning.

But ultimately, the one who died from being stubborn was Yoo Cheran.

As if trying to dismiss it as insignificant, Lee Heejeong shrugged off the unpleasant memory.

“N-no… way…!”

“!?”

She was just about to pass by and kill the humans who had fled.

“You… absolutely… can’t… pass…!”

A disgusting presence, crawling by using her chin and biting firmly onto one of her ankles.

Looking at Yoo Cheran below her, still alive like a cockroach, Lee Heejeong could only sigh in exasperation, as if tired.

“Wow. Cheran. You’re really something. Such a stubborn mule! No wonder you’re a spinster who couldn’t date even once at your age?”

“……”

“Sigh. At this point, I really want to make you submit, Cheran. So here’s what I’ll do. I’m going to pull out your teeth one by one. Just scream when you want to give up, okay? Please~”

With those words, Lee Heejeong grabbed the gray hair of the woman below her and lifted her to eye level.

Mocking the bloodied stubborn woman was just the beginning.

And now, to break that stubbornness, starting with the front teeth.

“Now, I’ll pull them out~”

As she was about to extract them methodically.

“Hey!!!”

Her body trembled momentarily at the fierce shout.

Despite being a National Disaster-Level monster.

“…What?”

When she turned toward the voice, a sneer immediately crossed Lee Heejeong’s lips.

“Pfft!”

And for good reason—the reinforcement who came to help our injured, stubborn Hunter was just a weak-looking Korean man.

He had a somewhat pretty face, but was just a nerdy guy wearing glasses.

“Kyahaha! Cheran, do you see?! South Korea is truly an amazing country~. They send someone like that as field support!”

To make her taste even greater despair, Lee Heejeong deliberately showed Yoo Cheran to him.

It seemed like the crying that would soon be heard would be today’s lullaby.

But.

“You… came…”

Contrary to expectations, she was happy.

And the nerdy man, consumed by such deep anger that only the whites of his eyes were visible, despite facing a National Disaster-Level monster.

‘…What’s this?’

Before Lee Heejeong’s senses could sound the alarm of danger.

“Uwoooooooooooo-!!”

With a massive roar, he emitted black lightning from his body, and simultaneously revealed its true form.

“Hiek?!”

The Monster of Jamsil revealed its true form after a very long time.