Unstoppable (5)

Unstoppable (5)

Why, indeed. It was a very difficult question to answer. To be honest, saying “just because” didn’t seem like a good answer.

At best, I could say that she had left an impressive impression on me, and that she had a great talent inside that others couldn’t control.

“Are you dissatisfied? Should I have killed you too when we first met?”

“N-no, that’s not it…”

“Think realistically. When Gabi first came to you, you clearly agreed. There must have been a reason for that.”

I smirked. I didn’t push her recklessly. That would have been meaningless from the start. Instead, I gave her a choice, and she agreed to develop her inner power of her own will.

“Am I wrong? You must have accepted this offer because you wanted something.”

“…You’re right.”

“Then that’s the end of it. There’s no problem. Sometimes, life brings you an absurd opportunity once in a while. That’s all it is.”

Jeon So-hyeon had already revealed her heart to me once before. When she unknowingly used the power of Parma on me. At that time, she clearly had a ‘desire’.

Not a one-dimensional desire like wanting to make a lot of money, but an innate nature that even she herself didn’t fully understand.

It was similar to how Ren had a dark desire for power and control.

“Of course, it’s not free.”

“What?”

“Come on, did you think we did all this simply to serve you?”

“W-wait a minute! There was no mention of that…”

“You should have been prepared.”

I laughed at Jeon So-hyeon’s flustered appearance. Of course, what I was about to do wasn’t anything dirty, and above all, it was my intuition, but somehow there was a high probability that her desires and my requirements would overlap.

“I’ve met the minimum standards, but there are still many shortcomings.”

“Keep training her. She might have to step up soon.”

Leaving Jeon So-hyeon in the room, Gabi and I both concealed ourselves and had a conversation near the facility.

Gabi seemed more interested in Earth itself than in Jeon So-hyeon.

“What do you think about the Magical Girls?”

However, I brought up one topic first, setting aside everything else. The kind of talk I could only share with my own kind, something I had been keeping to myself.

“I think it’s a unique way of cultivating warriors. However, when I first heard about this system, what worried me the most was… what if this system falls into the hands of the angels in the Celestial Realm.”

“That’s right. It’s terrifying just to think about it. With just sincere faith, without separate training or talent, an influx of holy knights and priest corps could emerge.”

And the answer was not different from what I expected. I snorted at Gabi’s words, who was thinking the same as me.

The Celestial Realm is already expanding its influence through religious orders. Especially among humans who have become the dominant species on earth.

But holy power is not given to just anyone. Only those who prove their faith, talent, and qualifications receive that grace.

Thanks to this, the number of holy knights and priests is appropriately regulated. In this situation, if the system created by Yggdrasil, which converts wounds and potential into real power, falls into their hands.

I didn’t think the mental strength of the believers would be weaker than that of the girls.

“The Celestial Realm, and the humans who will become their minions, won’t sit still.”

Gabi’s eyes widened and her ears perked up as if she got goosebumps. Her thoughts weren’t wrong. It wasn’t that I had been going out peacefully and they were quiet.

It was because I, the Demon Realm, had grown that strong over time.

Those doves followed the logic of power more than anyone else.

“Before it falls into their hands, it would be best to eliminate that source of trouble, Your Highness!”

“That’s too extreme. That’s not what I want.”

I shook my head at the expected response.

I wanted to keep this current appearance, this life, a little longer. From the beginning, it wasn’t like Yggdrasil would join hands with the angels of the celestial realm.

That cunning cosmic tree would rather use others than be swayed itself. Even in my relationship with it, I’m closer to being the subordinate, so it’s incredibly difficult to deal with.

“So just keep the possibility open, understand that. We don’t know in what form variables might arise. If we move carelessly and draw the attention of those watching us, it would be the worst-case scenario.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

In the end, my stance was to observe and leave things be while thinking of countermeasures. Gabi, who didn’t particularly object to this decision, bowed her head deeply to me, and I undid my transformation. It was almost time for the appointment now.

“You’re wearing… a school uniform?”

“It was that guy’s request. He said the activity clothes from the facility wouldn’t do, and to come wearing a school uniform instead.”

Back in the room. Kim Su-jung, who had finished preparing to go out, opened her mouth with a surprised face as she watched me getting ready.

“Where exactly are you meeting?”

“That guy’s house.”

“W-what?!”

I answered nonchalantly as I put on my school uniform, but Kim Su-jung was as shocked as when she first heard Park Tae-jun’s name.

“I was invited to his house. Why are you so surprised?”

“It’s weird not to be surprised! You’re going to a b-boy’s house alone.”

“Boy?”

I couldn’t help but snort at the absurdity. How could that immature kid be considered a man? I doubted if he could even act like a proper male.

“Don’t imagine strange things. Apparently, his parents will be there too.”

“But still…”

Kim Su-jung trailed off her words but kept her eyes half-open. However, I truly had no thoughts about it.

It wasn’t for nothing that Park Tae-jun apologized first and bowed his head, demanding that I dress and behave properly. I’m not sure what he was thinking, but that guy was planning to introduce me to his parents.

“Isn’t that too much of an interpretation?”

“Well, when I answered his call, he seemed quite flustered too.”

Right after leaving the room, I shook my head at Ren’s words as he sat on my head.

When Park Tae-jun first contacted me, I couldn’t hear properly because he was rambling, but I could guess that this ‘invitation’ was unexpected for him as well.

“Hey, don’t be too nervous. I was planning to go somewhere quiet, but suddenly my father…”

And that guess became a fact with Park Tae-jun’s testimony as he arrived in the car with the manager.

The problem was that the level of that testimony was beyond my expectations.

[A faint, strange energy. This definitely doesn’t seem like ordinary human malice…]

My finely tuned magical girl senses detected a strange energy clinging to Park Tae-jun. It wasn’t the kind of darkness he usually had.

*

“No, honey, why did you say such a thing?”

“What do you mean?”

“Tae-jun is at a crucial time right now. We should be pushing him harder, not…”

“Then why don’t you take care of everything yourself? You neglect the second child, going out to play, and you have the nerve to say this?”

“How can you say such…”

This was the master bedroom of the mansion.

In this room, which was also the room of Soo-il Pharmaceutical’s owner Park Ji-tae, the Park Ji-tae couple was having a light argument.

Park Ji-tae’s wife and Park Tae-jun’s mother, Yoo Ji-young, was flushed with embarrassment at his unusual attitude.

“Am I wrong? What are you doing for the child? All you do is nag as usual. Have you ever shown any sincerity to that child?”

“Y-You’ve finished speaking!?”

She stammered, hit right on the mark. After all, Park Ji-tae’s words weren’t wrong.

Now in her 50s, aside from the social and basic duties as a madam, her life mostly consisted of going around spending money here and there.

However, her current shock wasn’t simply because she was hit on the mark, but because Park Ji-tae’s atmosphere and attitude had suddenly changed. The timid and henpecked Park Ji-tae used to not care about what she did and was tightly controlled by her, diligently listening to her words.

“Why those eyes? Are you scared because a person suddenly changed?”

“W-What’s wrong with you?”

“But I couldn’t hold back my irritation. The cub was bringing in high-quality prey on its own, and you were trying to interfere with that.”

Park Ji-tae turned to look at her with a smirk. His eyes were somehow empty yet gleaming, unfamiliar in every way.

Seeing this, Yu Ji-young’s eyes widened, and she instinctively felt fear and stepped back.

“Kyaa… mmph!”

“Well, I guess there’s no need to hold back anymore. Although this place is overrun with magical girls, it’s still worth escaping from Nevaros where there was nothing. It’s been a short time, but I’ve enjoyed it in my own way. Now, how about you become one of my kind too.”

And he grabbed her arm. As she unconsciously tried to scream, Park Ji-tae bared his teeth and stretched out his strong hand to cover her mouth.

With a grip strength beyond imagination, the sound of bones crushing began to be heard from her jaw as she screamed silently.

“Let’s become one.”

“…!”

In front of her eyes, streaming with tears of pain and fear, the being that was once Park Ji-tae shed its worn shell and revealed its true form.

The face split open on both sides, and the horrific creature that had been eating away at the body from the inside and taking its place revealed part of its flesh from the neck.

“Kueok…”

The thing, resembling a black eel or earthworm, thrust its wriggling black tentacle deep into her mouth and inserted something.

Her trembling body convulsed wildly, and her rolled-back eyes did not return. However, the moment something planted inside her body hatched and settled in.

“Ah.”

“Welcome. Another me.”

Park Ji-tae, who had returned to his original form, smiled brightly as he looked at her regaining consciousness.