41
Ch.41 Because of the Black Cat
"You didn’t press it by mistake! That’s why I told you to take a break from volunteering for a while...!"
[Because of that person, nothing happened!]
The morning after the weekend ended, Yoo Anna, who had just received a report from the heroes escorting her younger sister, immediately called her sister.
[And, sister, is that something a hero should say? What about the people who’ll starve if I’m not there?]
"I know, I know, but it’s dangerous right now. The villain Gu Seo-ryong—"
[I know, can’t you stop talking about that already?]
"We’re talking about your safety right now!"
[Safety? Then, sister, have you ever listened to me even once? You kept being a hero even when it was dangerous and climbed all the way to S-rank.]
"That’s not the point right now—"
[Enough, I have work to do. Bye.]
"Hello? Hyena? Hey! Yoo Hyena! Ugh, seriously!"
With a sigh, Yoo Anna put down the abruptly ended call, furrowed her brow, and leaned back against the sofa.
"Ha... What kind of mess is this over one villain...?"
Currently, a significant number of heroes in W-City are being deployed to escort high-ranking officials and the families of heroes.
The real cleanup that began after eliminating the Guryongseong, the growing unease over retaliation as villains from District 9 are dealt with, and the ongoing pursuit of Gu Seo-ryong, still remains at large.
Though nothing has happened to the heroes’ surroundings yet, the fleeing villains are harming ordinary citizens.
They’re being caught one by one, but the situation is far from safe.
"At least... We’re lucky to have the Black Cat."
"Hey."
"...Haah."
Yoo Anna shot a sharp glance at the subordinate hero’s remark but sighed, acknowledging it was true.
If not for the Black Cat, things would’ve gone wrong long ago.
Right now, it’s the Despair-class monster, the Black Cat, that seamlessly fills the gaps left by the heroes diverted to escort duty.
If not for that creature hunting monsters like an S-rank hero working 24/7 across W-City, civilian casualties from monsters would’ve snowballed.
"It’s true, we’re lucky to have the Black Cat... Though he’s a strange one."
Not something a hero should say, but reality must be accepted.
Within W-City, among the heroes, the Black Cat’s threat level has already been downgraded to Disaster-class.
Most heroes don’t tense up when the Black Cat appears—they even feel relieved.
The problem is, it’s not just the heroes who think they’re lucky to have the Black Cat.
This time, the high-ranking officials of W-City have also pulled out the Black Cat card, demanding protection.
"The Black Cat handles the monsters, so what are the heroes even doing? Stop the villain attacks, protect us."
It’s infuriating that they’ve never fought monsters on the field yet act like they know everything—and worse, they’re not entirely wrong.
Right now, the best course is to leave the monsters to the Black Cat and minimize villain damage.
Yoo Anna needed to find Gu Seo-ryong as soon as possible.
Before her poison reached her sister.
"...Show me the footage."
"Ah, yes."
Taking a small button from the hero in charge of escort duty, Yoo Anna removed the chip inside and plugged it into her phone.
Checking the reported time, she played the video, and a strangely familiar man appeared on screen.
Wild, tousled hair, a tall stature, and a well-balanced, muscular upper body that didn’t seem artificially enhanced.
"This person...?"
A face hard to forget—the man who saved her sister was the same man from Gu Seo-ryong’s bedroom.
Yoo Anna pulled up the file containing testimonies from the villains captured from Guryongseong.
That day, Gu Seo-ryong took a man to her bedroom... The man’s name was Park Deun-deun.
"Park Deun-deun...?"
Is that even a real name? What kind of name is that?
What’s going on? Did the testifying villains play a prank? This document only contains cross-verified testimonies.
Is he Gu Seo-ryong’s subordinate? Brainwashed with powers? Are they trying to lower their guard to kidnap Yoo Hyena?
If so, this would’ve been the perfect opportunity, but instead, he helped her? Why?
Nothing made sense. Frowning, Yoo Anna kept watching the footage.
The more she watched, the more tangled her thoughts became.
"Is this person in the registered database?"
"...Facial recognition shows no match."
"At B-rank peak or early A-rank level, but unregistered...?"
If he’s a physical enhancement-type of this caliber, he could’ve pressured Yoo Anna alongside Gu Seo-ryong without issue.
Gu Seo-ryong’s subordinate? Or maybe a favorite?
What’s his game? To uncover his identity, Yoo Anna watched every scene featuring the man.
And shortly after—
[Yarikiri!]
[Waaaaah! Yarikiri!]
Yoo Anna weakly closed the video.
"What the heck is this...?"
"Uh, maybe... He’s not all there?"
"His body’s seriously impressive. He fights terrifyingly well, and seems experienced in combat, but... His head’s a bit..."
"Intelligence-wise? Like a big kid."
"Either way, he doesn’t seem like someone with ulterior motives."
It looks like Gu Seo-ryong’s poison affected his brain.
Just a strong fool—a victim Gu Seo-ryong dragged to bed because of his rugged charm?
Feeling slightly reassured, Yoo Anna thought for a moment before addressing the two heroes.
"From the footage, it seems he really just comes for food. Propose this: if he stays at the park from the start to the end of the volunteer shift, he can eat until he’s full."
"You want to use him as your sister’s bodyguard?"
"He doesn’t seem like a bad person."
"...Should we suggest he register as a hero?"
"No. Registering him would just give other villains intel. Leave him as is... He doesn’t seem subservient to Gu Seo-ryong, so he’d make a good guard dog."
If she could place a powerful superpower human near her sister, a little food was nothing.
Just as she considered herself lucky—Beeeeep!
An alarm blared throughout the government building where heroes were stationed.
[District 6! Four Disaster-class appearances! Repeat, four Disaster-class appearances!]
The alarm pattern signaled Disaster-class. Reflexively jumping up, the heroes preparing to leap out the window hesitated at the next broadcast.
[Additionally, District 6—the Black Cat has appeared! the Black Cat has appeared!]
"Ah."
"Well, it’s fine now."
"Fine? What do you mean fine? They said four! If even one gets away, imagine the damage!"
"S-Sorry!"
Yoo Anna, one foot on the windowsill, angrily paused and turned back.
"I’ll go! The rest of you, stand by! Watch for villains taking advantage of the alarm!"
"Yes!"
Thinking this much should be manageable, Yoo Anna slung her bag over her shoulder and accelerated into flight.
From District 1 at W-City’s center to District 6 took barely a minute.
Spotting a Disaster-class monster fleeing through the air, Yoo Anna charged.
"Kyeek?!"
Boom! Blasting the monster’s lower half into a fountain of gore, Yoo Anna landed on a rooftop and punched toward the falling monster.
Whoosh! A massive fist-shaped blaze engulfed the monster.
Leaping lightly back into the air, Yoo Anna grabbed the monster’s remaining head.
"This is Starlight. One Disaster-class eliminated—Stormbird."
Crunch! Crushing the head with both hands, Yoo Anna shattered and incinerated the core.
Eliminating a Disaster-class in two strikes, she felt herself growing stronger.
Had chasing the Black Cat made her stronger? Flexing her hands, Yoo Anna approached the Black Cat, who was stomping on another Stormbird’s corpse below.
"Grr... Grr... Grr..."
"...Remaining Disaster-class monsters—all eliminated by the Black Cat."
Stormbird corpses littered the area. An even stronger Black Cat had devoured three Disaster-class like snacks.
Treating Disaster-class like Terror or Crush-classes—he wasn’t this strong when they first met.
If he grows further, he might reach Annihilation-class. Would he still be the Black Cat she knew then?
The thought alone brought an odd unease.
Noticing the Black Cat chewing on a Stormbird core, Yoo Anna rushed over.
Thud! Her bare hand struck the Black Cat’s head, but he kept chewing, unfazed.
"Hey! Don’t eat that! Bad! Bad!"
"Kyyaaoo...!"
"I’ll give you beef! Beef!"
"Ooong?"
Insistent on eating the core, the Black Cat paused at the word beef, holding it in his mouth as he approached Yoo Anna.
Is this really how a monster should act?
Eating monster cores is a monster’s instinct—to devour humans, devour monsters, grow stronger. Yet beef overrides instinct?
"Here, give me that and eat this."
"Ooong-yaaang."
Tossing the Black Cat a slab of roasted beef, Yoo Anna took the core and crushed it between her hands.
He’d likely already eaten the other two Stormbird cores, but this was better than nothing.
Sighing, Yoo Anna pulled out the beef she’d packed in her bag, roasting and tossing pieces to the Black Cat as she spoke.
"Honestly, it’s a good thing you’re such a weirdo..."
"Waaoong-oong."
"Tasty?"
"Waong."
Seeing his cute demeanor, she felt the fridge, bag, and meat prep were all worth it.
But the thought made her sigh in sudden emptiness.
Is this really okay for a hero...? No matter how docile the Black Cat is, he’s still a monster. Yet he helps so much, and we’re benefiting from it...
"Haah... Huh?"
Stressed and headache-ridden, Yoo Anna let out a heavy sigh.
Then, the Black Cat suddenly rubbed his head against her leg.
"Huh? Wh-What? Are you cheering me up?"
"Waong."
"Ah, right, you want more beef..."
His wide-open mouth made it obvious. As she roasted another piece, Yoo Anna thought—if he’s this close, maybe...
The Black Cat’s smooth, glossy fur. His fluffy head. Even as she cautiously extended her hand, he stayed focused on chewing the beef.
Could today be the day? Swallowing her anticipation, Yoo Anna’s hand touched the Black Cat’s head.
"Aah... Ah..."
"Grrrr..."
Gentle strokes. The Black Cat calmly let her pet him, sending shivers down Yoo Anna’s spine.
The envy she’d felt watching those community videos—Chwarak—flashed through her mind as she screamed internally, ‘I’m petting the Black Cat too!’
"Kyaaaa...!"
"Oong, aong...! Kyaaak!"
"Ah! Aaah...!"
Scritch-scratch, scritch-scratch! Yoo Anna ruffled the Black Cat’s fur like kneading dough until, after gulping down the beef, he fled into the shadows.
Did I pet too hard? It should’ve been gentler! Regretful, Yoo Anna wiggled her fingers, savoring the lingering sensation.
"Ehehehe..."
Her stress had melted away.
***
"...So, if Han Mu-ryo is okay with it, how about staying here on weekends?"
"If possible, maybe even helping out with the volunteer work?"
The utopia of free, unlimited food vanished just last week.
Yet, having returned to this paradise of free meals, two superpower humans made me an offer:
Stay at this free cafeteria on weekends, and if villains show up again, help out.
In return, they’d feed me as much as I wanted, like the first time.
"Hmm, no thanks."
Casually refusing, I kept eating. The superpower humans persisted, annoyingly.
"I-It’s understandable if fighting villains is daunting, but we’ll fight alongside you. It won’t be too burdensome—"
"Busy."
After eating, I need naps, restaurant-hopping, and rolling around aimlessly by the river.
And they expect me to waste my precious time sniffing food I can’t even eat?
Are they trying to torture me?
"Uh, by any chance... Mu-ryo, are you misunderstanding? We’re not saying you only get food if villains show up."
"I’m not?"
"N-No... Even if villains don’t come, if you stand by, you can eat... Until serving time ends...?!"
Clatter! Pushing the chair back, I stood abruptly, shoved the remaining food into my mouth, and lined up for seconds.
As I returned with a heaping plate, Yoo Hyena blinked blankly.
"...Does that mean you agree?"
"Mhm."
"Th-Then, we’ll be in your care, Mu-ryo."
Thumbs up! The joy of free, unlimited delicious food—utopia is real after all.
"Truly, even if clouds pass, the sun remains in its place."
"You’re on par with Yarikiri—no, above it."
"Ah, sure..."
"From now on, I’ll call you Yarikiri."
"Please, for the love of god, don’t..."
Yarikiri... It’s a good name, though...