Ch.74Human Pride (3)

The shelter created to protect humanity.

Now, that dome-shaped refuge had become a prison that confined humans instead.

“Ah-ah. Can all you humans hear me clearly?”

From the speakers that should have been broadcasting guidance announcements, the unsettling voice of a monster was coming through.

At this realization, everyone in the shelter was gripped by terror without exception, and the cockroach monster twisted its body in pleasure as it looked around at the scene.

“Please don’t be too afraid. If you listen to me well, I might spare one or two of you.”

“O-one or two…?”

“There must be at least a million people in here!”

“B-but with these numbers, couldn’t we take down a monster like that?”

“…That’s right. We’re not completely without a chance.”

They would be killed anyway if they just stayed put.

With that thought, some people were secretly making their way through the crowd toward the cockroach monster.

Like crocodiles traversing a swamp.

The women who dared to fight the monster all had sturdy builds, ranking among the upper tier by civilian standards.

“N-now’s our chance!”

“Hit it all at once!”

“Charge!”

And then, when about 10 people finally pounced on the cockroach monster from all directions—

Clang.

“…Huh?”

The iron pipe swung with all their might bent instead.

This scene was broadcast to all refugees through the monitors on the shelter ceiling.

It barely deserved to be called an ambush.

It was like bacteria—not even ants—trying to bite an elephant.

In this situation where only despair was growing—

Crack.

“Aaaaargh!”

“Kyaaaaaaah!”

“I-it’s starting…!”

“E-everyone run!”

One of the humans who had attempted what could barely be called an ambush.

The cockroach monster grabbed her by the hair and lifted her high for everyone to see.

And it made sure to tell the rest of the humans who were about to turn their backs:

“From now on, whoever tries to escape first will be killed first.”

At those words, all the refugees who were trying to leave the shelter stopped in their tracks.

They could only look back at the monster about to carry out its first execution, their expressions frozen in fear.

“Now, ladies and gentlemen. We’re going to play an interesting game.”

“G-game?”

“What kind of game…?”

“The rules are very simple. Bring S-class hero Yoon Ha-eun here right now. I don’t care how you do it, just use any means necessary. Call her over here.”

Crack.

“Aaaaargh! My head! My heeeead!!”

“Kyaah!”

“S-she’s going to die like that!”

“From now on, I’ll kill 100 people every minute. I’ll also kill anyone who tries to escape. There’s only one way to win this game and survive: bring Yoon Ha-eun here.”

“How are we supposed to do that?!”

“Damn it… Yoon Ha-eun is that S-class hero! How are we supposed to know the phone number of someone that important?!”

“L-let’s contact the Hero Association quickly! Or we need to broadcast this situation to Hero City as soon as possible!”

“I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die!!”

The cockroach monster had only one purpose.

A revenge match against S-class hero Yoon Ha-eun, who had inflicted a humiliating defeat on it 12 years ago.

And since her profession was none other than a hero.

If it kept killing people like a hero would, wouldn’t she show up?

Having arrived at this simple “answer,” the cockroach was about to crush the skull of the human it was holding to begin its revenge drama.

The next moment.

“Detroit Punch!”

Thwack.

“Huh?”

“I-it didn’t even flinch?”

“Oh? That person is…”

“A h-hero!”

“It’s the hero Succubus Girl!”

A hero they didn’t expect to find here.

At least until it discovered a catalyst that could summon Yoon Ha-eun even faster.

“Hmm? I never expected to find a hero inside the shelter.”

Thud.

“Ugh…!”

“Oh no, are you okay? Dashima Warrior! Come quickly and take this person to safety!”

“Even if you say safety… is there such a place in this shelter?”

“For now, just go as far away as possible, anywhere will do!”

Another hero.

Killing a junior colleague younger than itself would surely provoke Yoon Ha-eun’s anger even more.

Besides, hunting only the weak wasn’t in a cockroach’s nature.

Cockroaches are creatures that enjoy the thrill of invading human territory even at the risk of death.

For the king of cockroaches—this monster—killing a hero was more fun than killing ordinary people.

So after tossing aside this piece of trash…

“Shall I kill you now?”

“…!”

Just as Luina’s expression was about to crumble upon hearing what was essentially a death sentence—

Bang bang bang.

Boom.

“Huh?”

“W-what?!”

Once again, new attacks rained down on the cockroach’s head just as it was about to begin its revenge.

Of course, the cockroach was unfazed by a few bullets and insignificant explosions.

“Woooah! C-class hero! Scissors Bora has arrived!”

“I-I’m a soldier too! I serve in City F, but… anyway, pleased to work with you!”

“M-me too! E-class hero S-S-Sad Eye r-r-reporting for duty!”

Inspired by Luina’s courage, third-rate heroes began to emerge one by one from within the shelter.

A team armed with mercenaries, soldiers, and heroes was at this moment creating a ray of “hope” in the hearts of citizens who were heading straight into the abyss of death.

“Ah, aah, aaaah…!”

“H-heroes! We’re saved!”

“Damn, I believed in you all along!”

“Go heroes!”

The personnel finally gathered:

45 professional mercenaries.

171 soldiers.

And 89 C-class or lower heroes.

21 C-class.

9 D-class.

59 E-class.

A composition and number that could be considered reliable.

They had somehow formed into a team and surrounded the cockroach monster, which had been patiently waiting.

And at this moment.

“United team fighting!”

“””Fighting!!”””

Everyone who had worked in different yet similar fields joined forces to write a new history…

Crack!

“It was futile~”

“…Huh?”

…but they were utterly outmatched.

Before a proper fight could even begin, half of them were turned into bloody pulp and scattered across the shelter by a single casual punch from the cockroach monster.

***

Just 5 minutes.

In that brief moment, all the heroes who were believed to be everyone’s hope were mercilessly annihilated.

“Hiiik?!”

“Hmm… I had some expectations, but I guess quality matters more than quantity? It seems you were all nothing but trash.”

“M-monster…!”

Around the cockroach monster, only red bloodstains remained on the ground where it stood.

Bodies—some still alive, some barely clinging to life, some already dead—were spread like a river in the pool of blood.

The watching citizens no longer even screamed.

Having had so much hope taken from them, dark shadows fell across their faces, and now they were just waiting for death.

They didn’t try to grasp any useless hope.

It was all over.

Even if there was still one more hero who remained unharmed.

“F-fight… I have to fight!”

Luina tried to advance toward the approaching cockroach monster, raising her sharply grown nails.

She had to move forward.

Because now she was truly the only one left.

She needed to advance, but when the monster—at least three times her size—loomed before her, her body wouldn’t obey.

It was the very embodiment of “despair.”

Like a natural disaster that humans cannot overcome, Luina thought it was something she could do nothing about.

Her spirit was already broken.

But then.

“Hero, I have a proposal for you.”

Whisper, whisper.

The monster—no, the demon—that was about to kill her lowered its head to Luina’s ear, offering an opportunity.

“I’m planning to mercilessly slaughter all those humans behind you who have no strength to fight. If you stay still during that time, I’ll spare your life.”

“What… did you say?”

The one thing a hero should never do.

To silently watch the misfortune of others.

The cockroach monster promised to spare Luina’s life if she simply stood by and watched the massacre of many, not just one person.

The reason was obviously for “entertainment.”

While waiting for Yoon Ha-eun to arrive, it wanted to see a hero who had fallen to the darkest depths, so it made the proposal on a whim.

And naturally…

Thwack.

“…Ha.”

“S-shut up…!”

Refusing was precisely a hero’s duty.

“Y-you w-w-won’t lay a f-finger on the c-citizens…!”

Drip, drip.

“…Putting on a brave face while wetting yourself.”

Though she embarrassingly wet herself, Luina expressed her will to fight until the end.

And far from respecting her will…

It simply got annoyed.

“Then die.”

Unlike Luina’s punches that didn’t hurt at all, the monster was about to deliver a building-piercing punch to extinguish the shelter’s last hope…

Slash!

“Ugh?!”

“Huh?”

“””!!”””

But the cockroach monster that had once reigned like a king…

Its right hand with its black gleaming luster was cleanly severed by a blade that had just leaped down from the ceiling the monster had broken through earlier.

“Target confirmed as 99.99% identical to the cockroach monster recorded 12 years ago.”

“A h-hero?”

“S-class hero, rank 15. Sword Princess Zero, commencing combat now.”

Like a flamethrower igniting dying embers, Zero arrived at the shelter and immediately engaged in battle with the cockroach monster while drawing everyone’s attention.