Chapter 34 : The Monster of the Mosquito (1)

When I played Monster Frontline.

The event map where I was trapped was not a restaurant like this, but rather a beach in the middle of a deserted island.

“Eh? What’s this… The exit button is gone, I really am trapped?”

Was it the DM’s desire to add excessive realism?

At that time, I couldn’t even finish a daily quest for the day while I was stuck there, and as a result, I had to contact customer support.

But the only reply I got was just ‘…ᄏ’, making it one of the worst events in Monster Front, often referred to as the darkest period of the game.

The event called “Escape from the Missing Monster!” was, even 10 years after quitting the game, still vividly remembered as one of the worst events.

But who would have thought I’d play it again now.

‘Back on the deserted island, I thought it was ridiculous how easily I could pick coconuts and light a fire in such a poorly divided space, but it’s still the same 10 years later.’

The missing monster.

Its danger level was maybe… between level 2 and 3?

Anyway, it was an extra monster A, with no real advantages other than being annoying.

However, the reason I still clearly remember her is… well, the fear of ‘secondary creation’.

Thanks to her appearance, looking like a daughter of a jobless person or a childhood friend, she had a cult following in the Monster Frontline fandom back then.

Whenever there was a Comic Market, 18+ fan books featuring her were endlessly produced like a factory, making her a master of the otaku world at the time.

In many ways, she was the monster that handled my ‘lower half’ during my 20s.

MXV

“Hey hey! Is the missing-chan back with a new rice cake?”

“Hehehe…”

“1. Pick up the missing-chan. 6974. Put down the missing-chan.”

“Uhm, is there anything other than this ‘Missing-chan’s Pure Love’ fan book, like something with some more mature content?”

“Go away.”

So, what was it…

ᄋᄋᄋᄋᄋ

800

It was ambiguous whether I should call it a ‘rice cake,’ but anyway, the notorious missing monster wouldn’t be the first to attack humans.

“She probably got caught by some high-level monster again and was forced into this.”

The jobless daughter or childhood friend, exactly the same as back in the original game.

I was planning to rescue her like I did in the game and slowly head past the mist.

But the problem was…

“Janghoon, stay close to me.”

“Janghoon, you must stick close to me. Got it?”

The two princesses who were always stuck to my sides.

How was I supposed to separate them, Hoshino and Carmilla?

Not only in Monster Frontline, but I was also a bit of a monster-themed otaku, and so, in this life-or-death situation, I was trying to figure out how to be alone.

“…Oh!”

After thinking of many clichés, I quickly found the answer.

It was called.

“Um… you two?”

“Yeah?”

“I need to go to the bathroom…”

“Ah…”

1111

It was the typical early horror cliché where you say you’re going to the bathroom in embarrassment, and when a few minutes pass and you haven’t returned, they open the door only to find you gone!

Usually, people with common sense would at least open the door in a space where death could come at any moment, but still…

“Well, I haven’t eaten, so it’ll take about 30 minutes…”

“How could it take 30 minutes if you haven’t eaten?”

“Hey! Are you a girl with no sense to ask something like that?! There’s probably a ‘man-only reason’ for it!”

“A man-only reason? …Ah! I see now. Got it. Then take your time, Janghoon.”

It seemed like an odd misunderstanding was brewing.

Anyway, after I shyly said that, the two who were always by my side surprisingly left without a word.

Thanks to that, I could sneak into the kitchen that had been remodeled into a bathroom alone.

‘30 minutes… Is this some kind of time attack?’

The kitchen had two doors, one at the front and one at the back.

So, as soon as I entered, I quickly went out through the other door and silently screamed.

“Kraaaaah…”

A subtle monster transformation.

With horns, I transformed into a monster and used sharp claws to make a small hole in the window and slipped outside.

Back to the present.

“M-M-M-Mosquito Monster?!”

The mosquito monster, who was slapped and flew far away, was now in front of me.

The missing monster, witnessing such a scene, had her mouth wide open in shock.

‘Is this crazy guy really insane?!’

Who does he think he is?!

A mosquito!

A mosquito!

The worst pest known for spreading the most diseases to humanity.

In summer, the number one bug everyone hates!

Malaria, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, and so on.

The eternal enemy of humanity, rivaled only by the cockroach monster.

I also heard that it was one of the top-level monsters, ‘The Monster of Disease,’ and was acquainted with them.

And this mosquito monster was being so rude?

“Uh, uhh…”

“Grgrgr…”

“Y-You’re crazy?! You look like a low-level monster who can’t even speak properly, and you’re not even a monster of violence, what are you doing?!”

After getting slapped by the mosquito monster, it disappeared behind the mist.

Was this why the missing monster thought I was a low-level monster?

Seeing me act this way, she kept slapping him.

Whack, whack, whack.

“Argh?! My hand hurts!”

“Grgrr…”

“Ugh, you’re so tough! Are you some kind of shield monster or something?”

“Grgrr…”

“Ugh… Hey, I’m not a high-level monster, so I can’t understand your low-level monster language.”

Only high-level monsters, like those with radioactive abilities, can understand everything, even the language of monsters who can’t speak.

Chomp, chomp, I sighed repeatedly, saying I didn’t know what they were saying.

“Ha… By the way, isn’t this going to cause trouble for me?”

Could it be that I would directly witness the ‘hierarchy competition’ between monsters?

The only reason monsters fight each other is probably this.

However, if a hierarchy battle starts, it’s common for the surrounding area to disappear in an instant depending on the monsters’ combat power.

Because of that, monsters below the intermediate level, like the Missing Monster, would usually evacuate in advance to avoid getting caught up in the whale fights.

But without any warning, it started immediately.

“Grk.”

“Ah?! Why are you suddenly pulling on my clothes…”

Swish.

“Yikes?!”

A hierarchy battle that even involved being dragged into it.

“Ah, something just flew over from the mist, right?”

“Grk.”

Nod.

Something swiftly passed by in front of the spot where the Missing Monster had just been standing.

Sensing the presence beforehand, Janghoon quickly pulled on the Missing Monster’s t-shirt to help her avoid it.

Then, when he grabbed the attack that was flying toward him…

“Grk?”

‘Is this… a mosquito?’

What he thought was a weapon turned out to be a living creature.

Realizing it was a large mosquito over 10cm in size, he immediately squeezed his hand, crushing the pest.

But…

Wait a minute?! Was that just a ‘primitive mosquito’?”

“Grk?”

“Y-You fool! The ‘primitive mosquito’ that the Mosquito Monster uses is a powerful ‘venom’ on its own!”

Perhaps out of feeling a bit of sympathy for Janghoon after being saved, the Missing Monster couldn’t help but blurt out the opponent’s abilities during the hierarchy battle.

“Hehehehe… You’re caught.”

Finally, the Mosquito Monster revealed itself from the mist.

“M-Mosquito Monster!”

The Missing Monster didn’t understand what was happening at all.

She had no idea I would betray her like this.

It was clear that the Missing Monster had nothing to do with this fight at all.

So, trying to avoid getting caught up in the whale fight and escape, what was this strange misunderstanding?

“Missing Monster, did you know I was going to use you as a ‘mosquito breeding ground’ to lay eggs for the rest of your life once this is all over?”

“Breeding ground…?”

In an instant, the atmosphere shifted, as if we were about to enter some kind of creepy territory.

The Missing Monster turned pale as the thought of being tied up in webs and used as a breeding tool for insects took over.

“…”

Meanwhile…

“How dare a low-level monster like you challenge the Mosquito Monster to a ‘hierarchy battle’?”

“Grkrkrkr…”

The Missing Monster was going to be dealt with later.

The Mosquito Monster laughed at the audacity of the ‘no-name’ monster who had dared to challenge someone like him, who was one of the most loyal subordinates of the Disease Monster.

No, more specifically, the Mosquito Monster began to laugh at the impudent low-level monster, who would soon die.

“Your momentum is good, but you’re already finished.” Hahaha!

“Grk?”

“The one you just killed was the ancient mosquito with the most deadly venom in my breeding ground.”

Most human epidemics come from mosquitoes.

The Mosquito Monster, the very embodiment of the fear of mosquitoes, could spread its venom not just to humans, but to other monsters as well.

Creating such deadly substances at will was within his power.

Just like now!

“…Cough.”

“Hehehe… Finally, the effect is showing.”

“Cough, cough.”

“Yeah! Keep coughing! You’ll end up coughing up blood and dying!”

The coughs of the horned monster grew more violent.

Seeing such a monster, the Mosquito Monster decided it was over and began walking away.

The Mosquito Monster, coughing up blood, was about to leave the insignificant monster to die and attack Yoon Ha-eun, who was trapped in the restaurant, along with the human children she had to protect.

“Cough, cough… Ugh, cough…”

“…?”

Just like now…?

“Eh?”

Normally, monsters would be killed instantly by the disease contamination.

But here, he was just coughing and wiping his nose.

‘Before I saw that crazy guy who was affected by radiation…’

“Grk, grk.”

‘Still, this is somewhat mild.’

“…Eh?”

“I don’t know what this is, but… Is that horned monster one of our allies?! If so, you’re supposed to protect me, right?”

At some point, the Missing Monster had shifted sides and was now siding with Janghoon.