26
Ch.26 Thief.
"Huu…"
Thud. The sound of a plastic basin hitting the tiled floor.
A steamy, cramped room filled with hot water.
After soaking in the public bath, I moved to the waterfall pool next to it.
Standing under the pounding water, I focused my mind, recalling the time I had peeked at a children’s comic book.
Shimdo-mangak… No, was it Shimdu-myeolgak? Shim (heart), do (either also or path), and mangak (forgetting)... Hmm, this must be it.
As I meditated, emptying my mind, I thought back to my fight with the hero named Kage.
The feeling of the monster's core eroding my consciousness—the moment human reason faded and the monster’s instincts took over.
…I’d heard about this phenomenon in the lab.
When pushed to the brink of death, an activated core grants a monster explosive power.
This is called Berserk Mode—or Gwanghwa (狂化, Frenzy).
In the lab, no matter what monster I faced, I never went berserk.
I didn’t even need to fight them.
I could just ignore them, sleep, and wake up feeling refreshed as if I’d gotten a massage.
For the researchers who wanted to draw out the monster’s instincts to the fullest, this was bad news.
The fact that Kage drove me to the point of frenzy meant he was that much of a threat.
If Starlight hadn’t stopped me, I might have killed him.
That… It wouldn’t have been pleasant.
I don’t want to kill heroes who fight to protect humans.
Looking down at my empty wrist in the bath, I thought,
Those who do what must be done for others deserve respect.
…I hope they live long lives.
"Huu…"
As a monster, I must be careful not to kill heroes.
I can’t let the monster inside steal my mind.
I am a monster, but I was once human.
"Shimdo-mangak…"
Fortunately, after experiencing a frenzy once, I realized it was something I could control.
The moment Starlight dealt a heavy blow, the monster’s consciousness wavered, and it handed control back to me.
In other words, if my mind is stronger than the monster’s instincts, I can maintain my sanity even in a frenzy…
This training is for that.
Like the waterfall training the protagonist in the children’s comic did for mental growth.
Since there are no waterfalls in the city, I had to make do with the artificial waterfall pool. But a waterfall is a waterfall, right?
Though, what’s the point of standing under a stream of water like this?
If it hits too hard, it might cause amnesia—is the idea to empty the mind through force?
But that wouldn’t work for me… This just tickles…
"Ugh… Shimdo-mangak…"
"Hey, kid. You keep saying Shimdo-mangak… Aren’t you trying to say Shimdu-myeolgak (心頭滅却, extinguishing the mind’s distractions)?"
"...Shimdu-myeolgak."
Hearing the old man next to me under the waterfall, I corrected myself.
No wonder it wasn’t working—it wasn’t Shimdo-mangak, but Shimdu-myeolgak.
But even after correcting it, there was no effect.
"Guess I can’t trust comic books after all."
I got out of the pool and left the bathhouse.
I’d figure out another way to strengthen my mental fortitude.
Now that I’d washed off the construction site dust, it was time to eat.
Today’s destination: a restaurant advertising super jumbo pork cutlet rice bowls. Super jumbo—a strong contender for my favorite words, alongside high-packed rice and double portions.
Arriving at the locker where I’d left my clothes, I reached for my firefighter pants when something felt off. I checked my pockets.
"Hmm…?"
Nothing.
Not in the locker, not in my pockets…
My alloy necklace was gone.
Just in case, I searched every inch under the locker, replaying the moment I took off the bracelet in my mind.
I definitely washed the dusty bracelet when I arrived and left it in the locker… Did I forget to put it back after washing it?
I went back inside, checking every sink, but the bracelet was nowhere to be found.
"Hey."
"Wh-what?!"
"Are there any surveillance cameras here? I need to check something."
"Huh? In a bathhouse? Uh… Well… The entrance has one…"
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been this on edge.
To figure out where I’d dropped the bracelet, I spoke to the staff.
Maybe I wasn’t controlling my core’s resonance properly—the frightened employee led me to the staff room.
Soon, I was watching the security footage.
Sure enough, I was wearing the necklace, wrapped twice around my wrist, when I entered.
I didn’t drop it at the entrance, and it wasn’t the kind of necklace that would come off easily…
As I was lost in thought, someone else wearing the same bracelet caught my eye in the footage.
"A thief."
"Huh? Th-that bracelet? Maybe it’s just someone with the same one…?"
"I saw enough."
"O-okay…"
Leaving the bathhouse, I avoided attention by leaping onto the rooftop and transforming into my monster form.
When I re-entered, people gasped and stumbled back.
"Eek?! Wh-what the—?! A monster?! Where’s the alarm?!"
"Huh? Wait, isn’t that the Black Cat?"
"Uh… The Black Cat takes baths too?"
"Should we evacuate? Or… No? Since it’s the Black Cat…?"
Ignoring them, I went to the changing room and sniffed around my locker, sharpening my senses.
The scent… Not too far.
I dashed outside, chasing the thief.
"Hey, as promised… Let my sister go…"
Reaching a nearby alley, I stopped on the rooftop and looked down.
The thief who stole my necklace was handing over what looked like stolen wallets—and my necklace—to another man.
The man opened the wallets one by one, taking out the cash before tossing the empty ones aside.
"You’re funny. You think this is enough to let her go?"
"That’s not what you said! You told me 5 million would—!"
"That was the principal. With interest, it’s at least 40 now."
"What?! How does 5 million turn into 40 in a month?!"
"That’s just how the math works. You know how much your sister makes in a day, right?"
"You—! You bastard! You said you’d wait until today!"
"Wow, look at this guy."
When the thief lunged at the loan shark, the man pretended to shoot him.
The thief flinched, swiping at empty air before collapsing.
"Guh…! Let her go! Now!"
"Hey, if you were me, would you just let a pretty face like your sister go? Of course I’d put her to work."
"I’ll kill you…!"
"Tsk, this is why money lending is scary. When they need cash, it’s all ‘sir, sir,’ but when it’s time to pay back—"
Watching the thief keep charging at nothing, I realized what the loan shark was doing.
Blind.
An ability that disrupts spatial awareness and vision.
Annoying when monsters have it, but one of the most useless abilities for superpower humans.
It has little effect on monsters with senses beyond the five, but it’s devastating for humans.
"Kid, I’ll consider the principal paid with this. Just leave. Your sister’s working hard to pay off your debt—why not go thank her?"
"Where are you?! Where are you, you bastard?! Aaah!"
"Hey, hey, that’s concrete. You’ll hurt your fists~"
The loan shark laughed as the thief punched walls and flailed in circles.
Then, while organizing the stolen cash, the loan shark picked up my chain necklace.
"Huh? What’s this? Not silver… Not cheap metal either…"
He turned it in his hands before shaking it at the thief.
"This’d look great on your sister’s neck, like a dog collar. Make her bark like a bitch—it’d be cute."
"SHUT UP!!"
"Kyahaha! Well, I’m out. Keep shadowboxing, kid. If you wanna buy your sister a meal, give me a call! I’ll give you a deal—1 million for a bowl of meat soup!"
"Don’t go, you bastard! DON’T GO!"
Leaving the thief sobbing in the alley, the loan shark strolled out, spinning the cash-stuffed envelope on his finger.
The thief, left behind, slammed his bloody fists on the ground, howling like an animal.
"Uuuh…! Ugh…! Uwaaah…!"
Silently watching, I dropped from the rooftop into the alley and reverted to human form.
Then, I called out to the loan shark as he was about to get into his car.
"Hey."
"Wha—?! The hell? Who the fuck are you?!"
"I have a question."
Grabbing the car door, I stopped him from entering. The loan shark glared up at me.
"Have you seen a chain bracelet—no, a necklace—about this long? It’s mine. I think I lost it around here."
I wasn’t planning to side with the thief or punish the loan shark.
From what I overheard, it sounded like his sister was being held hostage, but the thief also borrowed money and failed to repay it…
And honestly, I don’t have much sympathy for someone who stole from me.
I just want my necklace back. I don’t want to get involved in messy business.
"Hah? Necklace? What the fuck are you asking me for?"
…But the loan shark didn’t seem like he’d give it back willingly.
"It’s a family heirloom. If you’ve seen it—"
"Don’t get it, asshole!"
"Do you not have parents? You don’t understand the value of precious things—"
"The fuck did you just say?!"
Instantly, my vision went black, and my sense of direction vanished.
Not that it mattered. With my monster senses—smell, and spatial awareness—I stood unfazed as the loan shark threw a punch.
"Get lost, you giant fuck!"
I took the hit to my face. It felt like being hit by a kid’s rubber ball.
When I didn’t react, the loan shark hesitated before clenching his fist again.
I let go of his car.
"Wh-what? Scared? Can’t move cause you’re dizzy? Heh, dumbass. This is what superpower looks like."
He got in and drove off.
Watching his car disappear into the distance, I remembered something I’d heard as a child.
[…Ah, you know what’s worse than a thief who steals? Someone who knows it’s stolen but won’t give it back. That kind of person is…]
A worse thief.
I slipped back into the alley and melted into the shadows.
The loan shark was heading toward District 9.
The slums of W-City.