Ch.9Going to Die

“Krrrr….”

Why is soup with rice so delicious?

The crispness of this vegetable—jeongguji, or chives, or whatever name it goes by—is so refreshing.

Is “refreshing” the right word? Maybe “invigorating” is better? Anyway, that deep, slightly salty, heavy warmth filling my stomach creates a satisfaction that’s truly difficult to express in words.

“Um… isn’t that too hot for you?”

“It’s just warm.”

The solid earthenware bowl is absolutely perfect.

It’s easy to control and the temperature is just right, allowing me to drink the broth endlessly.

Today’s meal was 10 bowls. I showed some restraint, but I was still hungry, perhaps because of my recent monsterization.

“Thank you for the meal.”

“Goodness, you drink soup like it’s rice wine…”

I wanted to eat more, but I was short on money.

After paying, I got up and headed back to the meeting place.

Riding the truck, loading the monster carcass, roughly setting up the framework of the collapsed building.

With that, today’s work was done. Today, a taller building had collapsed, so Lee Han-yeong was diving deep into the basement.

“Whew… no more survivors… sorry for breaking your drill.”

“No worries, thanks to Bongbap, we were fine.”

“Actually, I’m happy. Thanks to Bongbap, work was easier.”

“Since we did more work today, pay us more.”

Today, we finished all our work at one site without having to go elsewhere.

Tall buildings have their pros and cons.

The advantage is not wasting time traveling to different locations, but the downside is potentially finding fewer monster carcasses.

“The timing is awkward today—too late to go to another site, but too early to call it a day.”

“Well, that’s actually good. Let’s all head home early and rest.”

Though work ended early, everyone seemed somehow tired.

And I, feeling the source of their fatigue throughout my body, was suppressing my presence.

Infrasound, a monster’s wave that stiffens humans.

Something was searching for prey from a distance undetectable by human equipment.

“Sigh…”

I sighed at the sensation of being in dirty water—a mix of discomfort and stuffiness.

The monster’s strength wasn’t easy to gauge through the waves.

That meant the owner of these waves was either my equal or stronger.

A true Despair-rank monster had come to W City.

Though there was a Despair-rank monster, I wasn’t particularly worried.

The heroes who had been chasing me were on alert for Despair-rank monsters, so they could respond quickly to sudden appearances.

There were heroes capable of inflicting critical damage to Despair-rank monsters.

I was just feeling a bit stifled, trying to hide my presence because I didn’t want to fight—that was all that was tiring me.

The feeling of maintaining focus, like cutting a single strand of hair lengthwise… stopping any leakage of presence at a constant speed without pausing…

“Bongbap?”

“Hmm.”

Just then, Lee Han-yeong’s voice from nearby broke my concentration.

A mistake, like a hair being cut once—I immediately regained my composure and hid my presence, but there was a tiny gap.

Along with that, the damp pressure I’d been feeling throughout my body disappeared.

What? Did it leave?

“Um… Bongbap?”

“Hmm, what is it?”

“Do you… have time today? If you wait just a bit longer until the waste disposal person finishes loading, then work will be done…”

“Hmm.”

Wondering what this was about, I looked down at Lee Han-yeong as questions piled upon questions in my mind.

She blinked rapidly and pulled something from her pocket, holding it out to me.

“Bongbap, do you… like alcohol? These are free dumpling coupons, so later… what do you think? You like ramen, right? They say the beer here is delicious too!”

I hadn’t expected an invitation to eat together. Restaurant recommendations are always welcome.

But… if it involves alcohol, I’m a bit reluctant.

Besides, I already had a restaurant I wanted to try today.

“I don’t like alcohol.”

“Oh…”

“I’ve already decided what I’m eating today.”

The beautiful words “all-you-can-eat”—I was determined to visit that restaurant.

Unlimited… is it truly unlimited? Could I fill my stomach for a reasonable price?

With these expectations, I declined Lee Han-yeong’s invitation, but wanting to keep the restaurant recommendation, I added:

“I like dumplings. Let’s eat together next time.”

“Huh? N-next time?”

“Weren’t you asking to eat together?”

“Oh! Yes! Next time! Then… on the weekend! Um… you don’t have a phone, right?”

“Ask the boss. I’ll wait at the usual truck pickup spot.”

“Yes, yes! H-here’s the coupon! You’ll definitely come, right?!”

“Hmm.”

After putting the free dumpling coupon in my pocket, I waved to Lee Han-yeong and climbed into the truck.

The pickup location for monster carcass disposal trucks is always the same.

Once we unload the carcasses, we’re done… I thought that would be the end of today.

“…Hmm.”

Sitting on a bag containing monster carcasses in the cramped truck bed, I frowned at a strange sensation.

Killing intent… no, a presence rushing down.

A Despair-rank monster.

The monster was heading toward where I had just been.

Has it started hunting? The alarm hasn’t sounded yet.

At that moment, I felt something off.

The site that had just been hit by a monster attack—there weren’t many people there.

Why would a monster that attacks to devour humans target such a place?

The answer is simple.

The monster’s prey is another weaker monster—my presence that had leaked slightly.

Its prey isn’t humans.

It’s me, a monster with a weak presence.

The Despair-rank creature probably sensed the oddity of the faint presence leaking out, just as I had.

Another Despair-rank, or one slightly weaker… hiding suggests injury.

Perhaps it came to W City because it sensed my presence.

For a Despair-rank monster, another of the same rank is incomparably better prey than humans—the essence of evolution.

‘See you on the weekend!’

I immediately placed my hand on the corner of the truck.

“I’m getting off.”

“What?”

“I’ll leave the unloading to you… no, today’s wages too. If I don’t come back, just use it all.”

“Wait, what are you saying? B-Bongbap?!”

After jumping off the truck, I leaped high into the air, kicking off the asphalt.

Landing on top of a building, I could see the two people in the truck bed looking up in surprise.

There’s no time.

A Despair-rank monster is in front of Lee Han-yeong.

I transformed into a monster as I bounded between buildings.

Sirens wailed between the buildings.

Two loud noises.

Gradually getting closer.

“Two Despair-rank monsters! Two at once! They’re getting closer right now!”

Yu Anna gritted her teeth at the worst-case scenario.

Code 0 had merely been hiding, which likely meant Code 0 was much stronger and waiting for an opening from Code α.

From now on, W City would become a battlefield for two Despair-rank monsters.

It was finally beginning—two Despair-rank monsters erasing civilization.

“Request support from adjacent cities! Evacuate all nearby civilians! Which sector? Contain the destruction to one sector as much as possible!”

“What’s the plan?”

“It takes time for heroes to cross a city! Abandon the sector and have the heroes form a ring!”

All heroes in W City would surround the sector, limiting the battlefield for the two rampaging monsters to one area.

Just one hero would be easy prey for a Despair-rank monster, but during a battle between equal-ranked monsters, even a slight interference could tip the balance.

Urban damage—sacrificing flesh to save bone. This was the best option humans could choose.

A painful choice for humans, but better than letting two Despair-rank monsters destroy an entire city.

However, the actual situation was even more serious.

“W-wait, two more! There are two more Disaster-rank monsters near the Despair-rank monsters!”

“What? Minions?!”

Two more Disaster-rank monsters meant there were lower-ranked monsters serving as minions.

This would expand the battle range, and heroes wouldn’t be able to properly form a barrier.

Moreover, if left alone, one Despair-rank monster might suffer a crushing defeat, leaving heroes to face an uninjured Despair-rank monster.

Damage would increase no matter what choice they made.

Except for one.

Yu Anna, who had been listening with her eyes closed, stood up abruptly.

“We’ll handle the two Disaster-rank monsters.”

“What? Are you insane? If we do that…”

“It will prolong the battle between the two Despair-rank monsters. But that’s our opportunity.”

One Despair-rank monster and two Disaster-rank monsters cooperating would be harder to control than two Despair-rank monsters fighting each other.

Unlike monsters that only eat humans, heroes protecting humans must control the situation to minimize damage.

“Just like the Despair-rank monsters, the Disaster-rank ones will be reluctant to approach the ring if they face opponents of equal rank.”

So they would let the Despair-rank monsters fight each other, while Yu Anna and other heroes would face the two Disaster-rank monsters.

This was the only way to minimize damage.

The heroes who agreed with Yu Anna’s conclusion exchanged glances.

“Hurry, we don’t have time.”

A wolf leaping as if kicking off the moonlight.

Standing on the ruins, it raised its head high as if searching for something.

Below, two smaller wolves sat on the dirty ruins.

They were playing with their prey.

“Huk, ha… huik…”

Eating a leg, cutting off a knee, gradually tearing apart the lower body.

Like savoring a delicious candy, they filled their stomachs and wet their throats.

The ground around them was deeply hollowed out in the shape of a wolf’s mouth, as if bitten along with the ground where someone had dived to escape.

I watched the scene and slowly approached.

“Wooooo…”

“Wooooooo…”

The wolves stopped their blood-soaked feeding, wary of me.

I looked at Lee Han-yeong lying beneath them.

I was too late.

She was already near death.

As I gradually approached, the wolves backed away cautiously.

Above, the largest wolf watched me with interest, then turned its head to scan the surroundings.

I could feel it too—the encirclement forming by the heroes.

The wolf seemed to think this was fortunate, sending killing intent as if determined to devour me here.

“Black… c-cat…”

Standing before Lee Han-yeong in my black panther form, I looked down at her body, already half torn apart.

I could sense it… the smell of terror and fear, the trembling of a human overwhelmed by monsters.

After hesitating briefly, hoping Lee Han-yeong could close her eyes more peacefully, I deactivated my monster form.

“Woooo…!”

“Wooooooo…!”

The wolf monsters increased their vigilance, seemingly startled by this incomprehensible phenomenon.

Thankful they didn’t immediately pounce, I looked at Lee Han-yeong, who was also staring at me in surprise.

She shouldn’t have any blood left, yet her trembling hand reached out to me.

“Ah…”

“You are going to die.”

I carefully took Lee Han-yeong’s hand and delivered the cold verdict.

Her eyes seemed to brighten, as if hoping she would survive.

Sometimes hope can be painful—this was the minimal kindness I could offer her, knowing this truth.

“I… know…”