Chapter 73 : Human Pride (2)

Each district in Hero City had massive dome-shaped shelters built to prepare for the appearance of monsters.

The area was roughly 100 times the size of a World Cup stadium.

The facility could house up to a million citizens, and its defense system was so sturdy that it could withstand direct hits from dozens of ballistic missiles.

It was truly the strongest and greatest fortress that modern civilization could create.

And in City C, about 10 such shelters were installed.

“Mom, I’m scared…”

“Don’t worry. The heroes outside are probably taking care of the bad monsters.”

“Huh? Isn’t that person over there D-rank hero Succubus Girl?”

“You’re right. Since it’s classified as a nearly Grade 1 danger, she probably took refuge in the shelter.”

Inside the shelter, people from various professions had gathered together.

Among them were ordinary students and office workers, as well as lower-ranked heroes and soldiers who were on leave but couldn’t fight due to the overwhelming danger.

To them, the shelter felt, unknowingly, like another hell.

“Damn… We’re not here because we want to hide!”

“Quiet, Succubus Girl! What if the kids hear you?”

“That’s right, Succubus Girl senior. Besides, we were legally exempted from the mission by the Hero Association, labeled as ‘outside combat capacity.’”

“Tch…! I know that! But how can I not be frustrated?! Huh?!”

Recently, D-rank hero 387th, Succubus Girl – Ruina, was regretting her situation of being in the shelter with her fellow heroes despite her rising reputation.

But she couldn’t leave.

Because once she stepped outside, she would certainly be killed by the terrifying monster with the appearance of a massive tank, which could tear through metal like paper.

The same monster that had turned this city into ruins in the past.

“Succubus Girl, don’t be too down.”

“…! Thank you.”

“Look carefully; in this shelter, there are not only us but many other C-rank and lower heroes. It seems the Hero Association ordered all B-rank and lower heroes to take refuge here.”

“That’s right! Nice Girl senior! And in a way, we could be this shelter’s ‘main force’!”

“Main force?!”

Then came a compliment-laden response from a junior hero.

“Think about it! Outside, not only A-rank but even S-rank heroes are risking their lives fighting the monster. If, despite their sacrifices, it manages to come here…”

“That means there will be no one left to fight, except for us?”

“Exactly! And even after all the high-ranking heroes and military forces were deployed, there’s no way that monster would still be unharmed!”

“Yeah, yeah! It must have been at least half-dead! And when it tries to approach this shelter, we’ll jump out and take it down!”

“Thank you… And Sedai… Are you guys geniuses?!”

Indeed.

Unlike them, who were nothing more than second-rate heroes at best, there were others in the shelter who could likely take on a Grade 1 monster.

Moreover, they were well-equipped with firearms, and if even they couldn’t defeat it, it was certain that things were hopeless.

But for the heroes who still had their strength intact in the shelter, this situation could be an ‘opportunity.’

“Looking around, I can see at least 20 heroes of my level, and there are even some mercenaries and soldiers who have taken refuge, armed with weapons.”

With this, they might actually stand a chance against a wounded Grade 1 monster.

Moreover, this city even had the S-rank hero, Carmilla, who had recently achieved that rank.

Despite being around the same age as Ruina, Carmilla had already established her presence as an S-rank hero.

Ruina had admired Carmilla for a long time and had become a hero herself because of her.

Though she might not remember, they had been in the same class back in elementary school.

Thinking about the hero she admired, Ruina believed that she could become like her too.

“Alright! Then let’s stretch and get ready just in case!”

“Senior, you’re so cool!”

“Stop it… I’m just saying. Honestly, if they’ve already breached the shelter, it’s already as good as over.”

Alongside her fellow heroes, Ruina was preparing, just in case.

Boom!

“Huh?”

“…Huh?”

The shelter, which had already been tested and proven to be indestructible by anti-aircraft weapons, suddenly shook with a huge explosion from the dome’s ceiling.

At the same time, a small hole appeared in the ceiling, showing the sky outside.

Boom.

In the middle of the now-silent shelter, a figure descended as if arriving at a concert venue.

“Hello, everyone~.”

The one who froze the 1 million people inside the shelter was the cockroach-like monster, standing perfectly intact before everyone.

“Uh, could someone turn on the mic? Also, if possible, please show this on the large screen above so everyone can see.”

“Uh, uh…?”

“By the way, I’d appreciate it if you listened to me. If not, I’ll just kill everyone here and move to the next shelter.”

“…It seems the cockroach monster has entered the shelter.”

“Eh?!”

“W-What did you say?”

Inside the armored vehicle that Sora was driving, Zero, who was in the passenger seat, revealed an astonishing truth to us.

“A communication just came in that a monster has breached Shelter No. 8 in City C.”

“Then that means…”

“A m-monster! The cockroach monster must have gotten in!”

In <Monster Front>, it was established that only Grade 2 monsters or higher could break through the dome-shaped shelters.

If there was a monster capable of piercing through its ceiling, no matter how many possibilities we considered, there was only one.

It had to be the cockroach monster—nothing else fit.

“I think I’ll go ahead first.”

“Huh?! No, it’s too dangerous—we should all go together…”

“No. To be honest, the only reason I was traveling with you was the possibility that there might be undisclosed information. From my perspective, the two of you are ‘more trouble than you’re worth.’ Now that the monster’s location is confirmed, it’s more efficient for me to act alone.”

“W-wait! Zero!”

With that, Zero flung herself out of the armored vehicle speeding over 100 km/h.

True to her word, she dashed toward the ruined city far faster than any car, leaving us behind in an instant.

And now wasn’t the time for hesitation.

‘Carmilla? Don’t tell me she’s really…?’

If the cockroach monster had reached the shelter, it meant every military unit and hero supposed to stop it had already been wiped out.

Right?

Which, of course, included Carmilla—City C’s representative. So, what happened to her now?

“Janghoon!”

“When a woman buys you a drink, you just drink it!”

“Heh. Still, I’m the only one for you, right?”

“Hey, Janghoon…”

“If you ever get kicked out of the Okami family, you can come to my place. Got it?”

Carmilla was a character who should’ve died long ago in the original story.

In the canon timeline starting this year, her existence was irrelevant.

Yet, I had saved her.

But was fate trying to drag her back into the swamp of death?

Even using the cockroach monster—something that never appeared in the original—to do it?

‘Is twisted “fate” trying to revert her back to her original “death”? Starting with Zero, who never even existed in the original—what kind of sick joke is this?’

We didn’t even know for sure if Carmilla was dead.

But the mere possibility made my teeth grind in frustration.

The cockroach monster, returning to the human world after 12 years—who the hell sent it here?

The monster of fate?

Or the monster of death?

Whatever the case, if anything happened to Carmilla after this, I’d hunt down and erase whoever was responsible—original story be damned.

With that thought, I truly wanted to move alone now.

I had to transform into a monster quickly and protect City C’s citizens.

But Song Hana, who shouldn’t know my true identity, would never let me go off by myself.

“Uh, Hana.”

“Yes, Janghoon.”

“We’ll arrive at the shelter in a few minutes, right?”

“About five more minutes.”

“Then, as soon as we arrive, I’ll go look for Carmilla. That okay?”

“Y-yes?”

A rational chance for us to split up.

I proposed it, thinking the moment the armored vehicle stopped would be my opportunity.

“Even if I go to the shelter, I’d just be another hostage. It’s better if I find Carmilla somewhere in the city and call for backup.”

“…! You’re right. You don’t have any combat ability anyway.”

“Yeah, so while I search for Carmilla, you and Zero handle the cockroach monster.”

“Got it! Since there’s only one cockroach monster in City C right now. If its location is confirmed to still be the shelter when we arrive, splitting up should be fine!”

And the moment we part—

I’ll show them what a real monster, even more disgusting than a cockroach, looks like.