Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Outside the Core (4)
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"Where's the Pig?"
I quickly pulled out the field guide. The light from its screen swept around, illuminating the surroundings. Hessy and Tom, tense as could be, activated the light function on their watches and shone them around too.
The field guide had gone off, which meant it was here.
"Eek."
Hessy spotted it first.
Our heads snapped around.
We immediately saw the Creature standing where Hessy's watch light was pointing.
In one corner of the underground parking lot. Looming there with an overwhelming presence.
"What the hell is that thing so big for?"
That was Tom's reflexive outburst.
I wanted to say the same thing. But I was too shocked to speak.
A Pig. But it wasn't the size of the Pig I'd imagined. It was almost as big as a mid-size SUV.
Dozens of eyeballs embedded in the Pig's head rolled around, fixing on us.
"Contact Senior..."
Kuuung!
A shockwave like my eardrums were bursting slammed into my ears. No footsteps had warned us—it was already right there. We barely dodged the collision. Like Tom and Hessy, I threw myself sideways and tumbled across the parking lot floor.
"What the hell is it so fast?!"
Hessy yelped in panic as she chambered a round.
Bang!
The bullet seemed to hit dead on, but it had no effect.
The Pig, which had smashed spectacularly into the parking lot wall, twisted its body. Its eyeballs rolled around and locked onto Tom, who was right in front of it.
He still hadn't gotten up off the floor.
"Tom!"
"Hey! What the hell are you doing pulling a gun?!"
Bang!
Instead of dodging, Tom chose to fire—and his bullet nailed one of the Pig's eyes. Splurt! The eyeball burst, spewing viscous fluid.
Impressive to hit an eyeball dead-on in this darkness, even with dozens of them.
But the Pig didn't stop or scream. Instead, it reared up its front leg like it meant to crush Tom flat.
Thud!
If I hadn't thrown myself at him and slid us both across the floor, he'd have been paste.
From across the way, Hessy shouted.
"Good job!"
"Hey, run!"
I hauled Tom to his feet and shoved him backward.
"Bullets don't work!"
"What about you?"
Tom pushed back instead of retreating.
"Why didn't you..."
Kuuung!
The spot where Tom and I had been was now filled with Pig.
We dodged by a hair, but now it was right next to us. Reflexively, I drew my sword from its sheath. No time to hesitate with the target this close.
I gripped it tight and swung.
"Ah."
My horizontal slash sank into the Pig's hide.
I could feel how tough its outer layer was through my hands. I'd swung too hastily—didn't put enough power into it.
And the angle was wrong. To pierce this skin, I'd need to swing vertically, not horizontally. If I pulled it out and stabbed straight down, it'd go in much easier...
My body went flying.
"Hilde!"
Thud!
A heavy impact crashed over my whole body.
I tumbled end over end with a drum barrel. The Pig had whipped its body and slammed my gut. Hot pain bloomed in my stomach. I'd taken it full-on. My legs buckled—I couldn't stand right away.
If my recovery was on par with the other Badgers, I'd have been up in no time.
Kwaaang!
The Pig's front leg didn't squash me only because Tom had dashed over and rolled with me.
"Can you run?"
"...Not yet."
Fortunately, the sword I'd stabbed in was still clutched in my hand.
"Lend me your sword!"
Hessy shouted, shining her watch light on us.
"Keep running! I'm gonna try stabbing the Pig with it."
Right. No point in me holding onto the sword right now anyway.
I held out my hand to her. The moment Hessy grabbed it, the Pig came at us with a kuuung! and rammed. Tom and I rolled right; Hessy went left.
The Pig turned toward Hessy out of the two because she'd let out a weird yell.
"Raaagh!"
Why yell like that?
I was embarrassed for her instead. I saw Tom glance away out of the corner of my eye—he was embarrassed too. Appreciated her drawing the Creature's attention, though.
Hessy charged straight at the Pig, honest as ever.
Stab!
She was holding the sword weird.
Kuuung! The brown-haired Recruit went flying through the air. Just like me, she'd gotten smacked by the Pig's body and launched into the wall.
There was a massive crash.
But Tom, supporting me, didn't seem too worried about Hessy.
"She'll be fine."
Sure enough, Hessy popped right back up.
Her watch, which had been pointing at the ceiling while she was flipped, quickly righted itself. For a split second, the Pig had blended into the darkness, but now it was visible again. It stood still, making grotesque noises. She'd done some damage.
The problem was the sword was still stuck in the Pig.
Hessy bit her lip and raised her gun.
"If I shoot out all the eyes, it won't be able to see!"
"Watch—I'll pull the sword out."
I felt the burning heat in my gut start to cool as I put strength into my legs.
Tom turned his head and met my eyes.
"Keep the Pig lit up while I do."
"No way. Your recovery sucks. If you clash with that thing again, who knows how bad you'll get hurt."
"If I keep playing it safe like that, there's no point in me being a Badger."
Tom shut his mouth flat at my matter-of-fact rebuttal.
I straightened up from leaning on him. My recovery wasn't as superhuman as the Recruits', but it was decent enough. My wrecked body was coming back together. I could run again now. And pull my sword out of that ear nearby.
'The sword's too thin and short.'
The thought drifted up from somewhere in my head. That blade was good quality, but my gut said it was too thin and short compared to what I preferred.
Next time, I'd go for something thicker and longer.
Wait, what sword had I used before?
Bang! Bang! Bang!
My focus snapped back.
Hessy was firing at the charging Pig. Eyeballs burst one after another, spraying fluid. In the limited field of view, eyes adapted to darkness caught the onrushing Creature.
The Pig didn't stop.
Kuuung! Hessy barely dodged the collision again.
"Now."
Tom whispered from beside me.
A strong beam cut a path through the underground darkness. At its end, the Creature twisted its massive bulk into view.
I ran toward it.
More precisely, toward the sword stuck in its ear.
The blade gleamed, reflecting the watch light in the dark parking lot. I grabbed it.
"Hey! Careful..."
Shhh!
Blood sprayed.
I yanked the sword free and slashed vertically. A straight red line welled up from the clean stroke.
Yes. This time it went in right.
The Creature bellowed and turned toward me. I gripped the blood-slick sword tight.
Thinner and shorter than ideal. Couldn't sweep it away like my trained body wanted.
But it was still a sword.
"It's coming again!"
"Dodge!"
Thud.
Kugugugu, thud! I met the charging Pig's momentum squarely with the flat of the blade.
Ah, strong bastard. My stance was solid, but the force was more than I'd expected. My body slid back across the parking lot until I hit the wall.
But it wasn't the same shock as before.
"This time,"
I put power into my arms and rebounded the Creature off the flat.
"The last."
I drew the sword back in a semicircle through the air toward my body.
The Creature staggered backward. In the darkness, my two Recruits shone their lights right on it.
The Pig reeled from the impact. The opening that created was crystal clear.
That moment when it tries to steady itself is always prime time.
Slash!
I lunged and brought the sword down from above.
Kieeeek...
The Pig's death squeal.
A high, piercing death cry echoed through the underground parking lot. Long cut path. Like chopping firewood, I cleaved from top to bottom. Flesh parted, blood soaked its body. Blood erupted right in front of me. I was drenched head to toe in red.
Coughing up blood, the Creature tilted.
Thud.
It crashed into the parking lot, bouncing off a drum barrel.
The sharp tang of blood pierced my nose amid the silence that fell. All movement in the parking lot stopped. The Recruits kept their watches trained on the Creature's corpse but didn't budge from their spots. They stood frozen, panting raggedly.
Eyes buried in the corpse of the Creature that had exuded such a massive presence.
Sunk in the afterglow of the unexpected battle.
The beep of a keypad broke the stasis.
"What the..."
Snap! The lights came on.
"What the hell are you guys doi—wait, what the fuck is this? Why is there a Pig here?"
"Why is this Pig so damn big?"
Jason Tvein glared down at the Pig, cursing. Lee Ho trailed in behind him, freezing in place.
The two Seniors halted in front of the dead Pig.
And so we safely uncovered the cause of our missing rations.
***
The population density in the underground parking lot had spiked.
While we were dashing around fighting the Pig, the Masters must have arrived.
Familiar faces filed in behind Lee Ho. The two Masters who'd gone to catch the witch. Clean-faced like when Kal and Angela left, they came looking for their rookies.
They soon poured into the parking lot, chattering away.
The place, filled with darkness and blood, was now brimming with light and voices.
"You hurt?"
"Nah."
"Hessy. How'd you get down here?"
"Well..."
The Recruits chatted with their respective Masters.
The air felt everyday again. I let out a relieved breath in the tension-free atmosphere. Standing dazed, I relaxed my stiffened muscles and turned toward the Seniors.
My eyes squinted against the now-unfamiliar bright lights.
I saw Lee Ho and Tvein, faces twisted as they muttered by the Pig corpse, 'First time seeing a Pig this big.'
I want to go home.
I slumped my shoulders and thought listlessly.
Until Yoon's voice came from the corner.
"You're good."
I jolted up in surprise.
"Ah, seriously!"
"Guess my hunch was right."
I turned to see Yoon with a faint smile.
The moment my weary eyes met his, goosebumps erupted all over me. In his right hand, he held a sword about the same size as the one I'd been wielding.
Why is he coming at me with a sword?
And hold on. How does he know I did well? There were only the three of us in this parking lot when we were raising hell with that Creature.
No, why is he coming at me with a sword!
While the other Masters were warmly comforting their mentees!
Clang!
I swiftly blocked Yoon's swinging sword with the one in my hand.
Heads snapped our way. I could feel the stares stabbing into my skin. But I had no spare attention for their reactions, and Yoon ignored them entirely.
The nasty smirk on the man's neat face didn't fade.
The Master kept his grip firm on his sword and asked in a low voice.
"Got anything to say first?"
"Pardon?"
"Then light sparring, just like this."
Yoon's cold smile stretched wider.
"Before you forget, gotta ingrain it in your body completely."
Crazy!
Crazy—no, wait!
"Bigger!"
Yoon stared at me blankly.
I could feel people staring at me in confusion. Like, what the hell is this guy on about?
But I still had no attention to spare for them.
Desperately blocking Yoon's sword, I said.
"Bi... bigger sword, please..."
Yoon blinked.
Silence descended. But Hessy's shout of "Right, Hilde! You're hurt!" shattered the standoff.
Yoon soon withdrew his sword, and I made it safely back to Hessy and Tom.