Cheers
What the hell is this now?
Mu Yeonghui found the invisible anomalous being rather intriguing.
While slipping away from the hunter, she had sensed something by chance. Though it remained unseen, a presence was unmistakably radiating killing intent.
Since the intent was aimed at the hunter, she had first severed the area where the malice was most concentrated. It turned out to be an arm.
Still can't see what it is. But the severed arm is perfectly visible. Does the transparency fade once it's detached from the body?
After a brief inspection, Mu Yeonghui swung her arm once more.
“Kyaaak!”
The anomalous being, already staggering from its missing limb, had its head shattered.
As it crumpled to the ground its full form was revealed, and the sight was strikingly familiar.
A Yeti?!
It resembled a massive gorilla-like ape, covered in white fur. It was the very cryptid known as the Yeti, the one frequently discussed on television.
“A Y-Yeti?”
“Did she just say Yeti…?”
The spectators, like Mu Yeonghui, recognized the creature and gasped in shock.
“Is that thing an anomalous being too?”
“Anything that isn’t human is an anomalous being.”
“Then what about the woman who just defeated it?!”
“Is she a hunter?”
The crowd buzzed with heated debate over the identities of both the Yeti and Mu Yeonghui. Though still startled, their voices carried an undercurrent of relief. No matter what, Mu Yeonghui had brought it down; they felt safe. But at that very moment she moved again.
“H-huh!”
When Mu Yeonghui suddenly charged toward a nearby elderly man, he recoiled in terror. Fortunately, he was not her target. A swing of her hand sent blood spraying as another Yeti materialized.
That seemed to be the signal.
“Kiiieek!”
“Uwooooh!”
From empty spaces all around, thunderous roars erupted without warning.
“A-anomalous beings!”
“Invisible ones are everywhere!”
The citizens, now realizing that Yetis had claimed the surrounding space, screamed in panic. They scattered in every direction, desperate to flee, yet their efforts were futile. With no way of knowing where the creatures lurked, reckless movement was impossible. Those who tried ended up colliding with one another, blocking their own escape routes.
Th-this is bad!
As the situation grew critical, Mu Yeonghui clicked her tongue inwardly.
I can handle the Yetis myself, but at this rate I won’t be able to protect these people! I need to stay calmer….
She steadied her voice, intending to calm them.
She had meant to infuse her words with inner energy and shout for everyone to regain their composure, but what emerged was entirely different.
The arrogant declaration froze everyone in place. Not only the citizens but even the Yetis flinched for an instant.
She had intended to say: Citizens, regain your senses. I will deal with these monsters. I’ll protect you all, so please do not act rashly!
Though the words that left her lips were haughty, the meaning still got through. Seizing the moment while the crowd stood petrified, Mu Yeonghui swiftly dispatched the remaining Yetis.
A single strike.
An invisible wave of energy erupted from her body, selectively annihilating every Yeti in an instant.
Yet the moment she believed the threat was over—
What the hell is this now?
A colossal presence materialized before her.
It was a giant Yeti.
A cryptid standing over ten meters tall now loomed brazenly in the middle of a residential area in broad daylight. Unlike its transparent kin, this one was semi-translucent, its form clearly visible to the people.
This is going to be a headache.
Mu Yeonghui frowned. Size alone would not prevent her from defeating it, but the crowd’s reaction worried her. She feared they might panic and move recklessly once more.
Hm?
Yet their response seemed strange. While their eyes were indeed filled with terror, those gazes were not fixed on the giant Yeti.
They were staring at her.
The people were directing their fear toward Mu Yeonghui herself.
…These people are unbelievable!
She felt wronged. She had fought bizarre monsters to save them, yet in return they looked at her with fear.
Even in the Murim they would at least say ‘Thank you, Great Hero!’ or something. How can people from the same homeland act like this!
After all the trials she had endured to return home, their ingratitude stung even more.
Her emotions surged. She could no longer hold back and prepared to speak her mind.
She had wanted to say: Haha, this is ridiculous. Why are you scared of me? Have some decency, people! I’m not asking you to help, but the least you could do is cheer! Can’t you even manage a cheer for the person fighting on your behalf? Just do that much!
But in her agitation she momentarily forgot that every word she uttered was transformed by the filter.
“Uh, well….”
She paused, sweeping her gaze across the crowd, then demanded:
“?”
Having repeated her demand, she added softly:
“?!”
The words bordered on outright threat. The people stared at one another in horror before finally raising their hands.
“Uwaaaaah… Waaaaah!! Waaaaah!!!”
They cheered and screamed with desperate fervor, fighting for their lives. In their eyes the Yetis had ceased to matter. They cheered for Mu Yeonghui—the far more terrifying presence.
Using her Connect ability to spy on the street, Ryeonhwa was consumed by intense curiosity.
“Just who is this person?!”
She had been genuinely startled when the anomalous beings first appeared. But she was even more shocked when Mu Yeonghui dealt with every last one of them.
“A hunter… right?”
Anyone capable of such overwhelming power against anomalous beings had to be a hunter. Ryeonhwa naturally assumed the woman belonged to their ranks.
“But I didn’t hear anything about a hunter visiting our city today.”
The face was unfamiliar, so she clearly wasn’t from Monghwan City. If she had come from another city, the reason for her visit remained a mystery.
“Still, she did save us. What on earth is going on? A Wendigo right in the middle of Korea?”
Wendigo.
That was the true name of these Yeti-like anomalous beings. They could turn their bodies transparent and primarily inhabited cold regions. It was bizarre for such creatures to appear suddenly in Korea.
“It’s like seeing penguins living in Korea. How did this happen?”
While she tilted her head in confusion, the surveillance camera sent another feed.
“A fully matured specimen!”
A giant Wendigo far larger than the others had appeared. Could even the woman in black defeat this one?
Just as worry began to creep in, an odd scene caught her eye.
“Everyone’s scared of her instead?”
The citizens feared the black-dressed woman who had saved them far more than the Wendigo.
“Well… I can understand why.”
The way the woman had dispatched the Wendigos was utterly overwhelming. She had barely seemed to move, yet every remaining Wendigo had been massacred.
Even so, staring at her like that felt excessive. It was right then that—
“Heh heh… Hahaha!”
The woman in black—Mu Yeonghui—abruptly burst into laughter.
“It seems laughter is all that comes to mind.”
Mu Yeonghui suddenly turned to face the citizens and spoke.
Then came the final, overwhelming display. The giant Wendigo swung its arm as if to silence her. Its semi-transparent limb swept wide, passing straight through nearby buildings without resistance. This was the ability of a fully matured Wendigo: it had transcended mere transparency to become incorporeal, capable of phasing through matter. Normal attacks could not touch it.
Yet—
“Graaaaargh!”
The giant Wendigo howled as its arm was severed. The limb had been cut clean through just before it could reach Mu Yeonghui.
Confusion filled the creature’s enormous eyes. Why had its intangible arm been sliced?
In answer to that silent question, Mu Yeonghui replied.
The profound principle of martial enlightenment resonated through the area, yet no one present understood it.
“What is she saying?”
Even Ryeonhwa, who possessed considerable learning, was left dumbfounded. Ordinary citizens and a mere beast like the Wendigo had no hope of comprehending it.
The creature could only scream and attempt another attack, but its remaining arm was also severed.
Mu Yeonghui delivered the final blow to the unteachable beast. The giant Wendigo’s head was suddenly pierced. It collapsed to the ground with an earth-shaking crash.
Once again an invisible, unfathomable power had been unleashed. The people who witnessed it wanted to run, yet they could not.
“Hic…!” Uwaaaaah!!
They could only continue cheering as if praying she would not harm them. To them the Wendigo was no longer the greatest threat. The woman in black before their eyes seemed far more monstrous and terrifying.