#191 The Returned Quest
How long had it been since a woman dumped me like that? I missed you, Suzy. I want to see you, Eunji. Hope you're doing well, Miyoung. I wish you happiness, Yesul...
...No, not like that. I'd never been kicked so hard I broke through a wall in my entire life. Not on Earth, not here.
"What the hell hurts this much?"
I rubbed my throbbing solar plexus and got up from my seat. And yeah, it really hurt like hell. More than getting hit by Jet Stream.
The culprit who kicked me through the hole in the wall followed me in.
"You took my first time... What the hell are you? You're my type, though."
Getting kicked by a woman and flying through a wall into the next room—this was definitely a first. No misunderstandings!
"How dare you... to the Association President... I'll kill you... I'll kill you..."
"Did her marbles go missing?"
"I'll kill you..."
"Yeah, they're gone."
The woman kept repeating "I'll kill you" like a broken record. Whatever the reason, her mind had flown the coop.
"Ah, wait, is it really because of that scene just now?"
I'd meant to support the staggering Valencia, the Association President, but ended up grabbing his neck without thinking. But I hadn't put any strength into it, so there were no hand marks on his neck, and he could breathe just fine even while I held him. And crucially, I was the one who saved him when he was on the brink of death.
In other words, I was the benefactor that every hero in the Hero Association owed a debt to forever.
"I'll kill you..."
"...No point explaining; she won't hear it."
Talking to a woman whose mind was gone was like reciting scriptures to a cow's ear.
"But I'm famous for snapping crazy people back to sanity, aren't I?"
I'm Steel Armor, the vanguard dreaming of a gender-equal era. Man or woman, if you deserve a beating, you get one—and I'm the true equalist who'll gladly punch women too.
If she wants to be hit, I'll hit her!
"Anyway..."
What the hell is this?
[Monster: Last Survivor of the Gumiho Clan - Raonjena] discovered.
[Superpower Level Up Ticket] x1
[Monster: Last Survivor of the Gumiho Clan]'s Fate
📍 Player 'Horny Guy''s choice will determine Raonjena's fate.
🎯 Clear Conditions:1. Kill / 2. Ignore / 3. Recruit
[1. Kill]
Kill Raonjena. Killing her yields great rewards, but as a monster, she won't die easily.
Clear Reward: [Fox Bead]
[2. Ignore]
Ignore Raonjena. Your connection ends; she continues her current life.
Clear Reward: [Superpower Selection Ticket] x1, [Superpower Level Up Ticket] x10
[3. Recruit]
Recruit Raonjena. She becomes your guardian and will never betray you. But the process won't be easy—she's sworn loyalty to another.
Special reward upon clear.
"...?"
I couldn't hide my bewilderment at the text floating before my eyes.
So, the woman who just booted me like a soccer ball... is a monster?
"Kill... you..."
"...She looks totally human, though?"
Not just human—an incredibly beautiful, haughty woman with an explosive figure, insanely attractive. Even her voice is pretty. Right now, her eyes are rolled back, muttering "Ugh... kill... you..." but once she's sane, she'll talk normally.
But turns out she's a monster.
She looks human to anyone, but her true identity is a monster! Unimaginable!
And the last survivor of the Gumiho clan! Unique!
I don't know what a Fox Bead is, but screw it! No way I'm killing her!
Just the name screams ultra-valuable treasure. But is it more valuable than this woman named Raonjena?
Nope!
Me, who'll build a 69-story harem palace? You think I'll pass on such a pretty, explosive, prickly, unique babe?
Obviously 3.
I'll make her mine, no question. Her being a monster is a downside, but so what? She looks human right now, doesn't she?
"Kill... youuuu!!!"
"Yeah! Die on the bed!"
Raonjena lunged, and I charged at her too. We rushed each other, swinging fists.
Monsters are tough. Means I can go all out without worry. But just in case, I used 50% power first.
"Kuh!"
My fist slammed dead-center into Raonjena's gut. She grimaced, staggering back three steps.
"Guh?!"
And I went flying backward.
Fuck, that hurts like hell!!!
"Why're you so strong?! Ugh?!"
"Diiiiieeeeeee!!!!!!!!"
Before I knew it, Raonjena was on me, pounding me like a maniac against the wall. I turned into a human punching bag.
*****
Meanwhile, at that moment, Dr. Krumolla—the mastermind behind it all—slipped away from prying eyes toward Shadow Killer's location.
Slither...
His silent crawl through the vents evoked a snake. The underground facility's vents ensured air circulation, connecting every room and installation.
In other words, vents led everywhere.
"..."
Dr. Krumolla finally reached Shadow Killer's room undetected.
Shadow Killer floated in a tank of thick blue liquid, eyes still closed.
Only three knew of this room: Demon Baron, Dark Lady, and one exec, Gargoyle.
Excluding Dr. Krumolla, that is.
"Kuh... kekekekeke... kiki kikikikik!"
Bursting into mad laughter, Dr. Krumolla approached Shadow Killer leisurely.
All three were occupied: Demon Baron facing Valencia, Dark Lady captured by Steel Armor, Gargoyle holding off waves of heroes outside.
No one to interrupt him now.
"You have no idea how long I've waited for today, you fraud."
Dr. Krumolla harbored deep grudge against Shadow Killer for breaking their promise.
He'd agreed to supply test subjects for unrestricted human experiments.
But supplies dwindled, stopping entirely after Shadow Killer's defeat by Steel Armor.
Steam had side effects but was a success—yet as a scientist to his bones, Dr. Krumolla craved perfection through more tests.
He asked his aide, Dark Lady, but she flat-out refused, igniting his rage.
That fury birthed a new plan.
"Rejoice, Shadow Killer. You'll be the final key to completing the new humanity leading the world."
What if a superpowered being took Steam? Or if Steam used superhuman genes instead of animal ones?
Dr. Krumolla planned a new Steam using not beasts, but Shadow Killer.
Poke!
He pulled a Steam-filled syringe from his robe and jabbed it into his neck without hesitation.
Injected.
"Grrrh... exquisite."
Steam flooded him with power and vigor, his face slackening like a junkie's high.
But it wasn't enough. He injected for strength to extract Shadow Killer, not pleasure.
The glass tank was unbreakable by normal force or powers—unfathomably tough for glass.
Poke! Poke! Poke! Poke! Poke!
He kept injecting. Empty syringes littered the floor. Twenty doses.
"Grrraaaah... GRAAAAAAAH!"
His mouth gaped in a beastly roar.
"Aaaah... ugh! Urrrgh! Urk!"
Suddenly, his neck ballooned like a balloon—as if something inside was emerging.
Squelch!
A pale, delicate hand—like a woman's—poked from his mouth. Wrist, elbow... then a fully naked man emerged from Dr. Krumolla's mouth.
Crack!Pop!
The man stood, joints clacking as he moved.
"..."
He eyed his body—bigger than Dr. Krumolla's. Dissatisfied, he gaped his mouth impossibly wide, three times normal.
Squelch!
Another person emerged.
Squelch! Squelch! Squelch!
The grotesque birthing continued twenty times. The "vomiters" were mere skins, bones and muscles gone.
"Yes... perfect."
The final man—no, evolved Dr. Krumolla—smiled in satisfaction.
He was no longer human: huge, limbless head and elongated torso.
Snap!
His neck fanned open like a fan, revealing a tattoo: an old woman, middle-aged man and woman, boy, girl—a family weeping blood in agony. Horrific.
He resembled a sinister imoogi serpent.
Dr. Krumolla coiled around Shadow Killer's tank and squeezed.
Crack!
Despite claims of indestructibility, cracks formed. More pressure—shattered.
Shadow Killer plopped onto his body.
"..."
Gulp!
Maw agape, Dr. Krumolla swallowed him whole.
Goal achieved, he burrowed underground, escaping the base.
The room held only shattered glass, blue liquid, a massive hole.
-Kik!
No, one more thing.
-Kekekekekekekeke!
-Kihihihihihihi!
-Khehehehehehehe!
-Ohohohohohoho!
-Kerurururururuk!
Grotesque laughter lingered.
*****
Bam! Bam! Bam! Boom!
Raonjena, tiring from her frenzy, paused and backed off.
Embedded fully in the wall, I seized the chance.
"Thanks... my boo doesn't hurt anymore..."
"Diiiiieeeeeee!!!!!!!"
"Ah, fuck."
I realized dumb jokes could shorten your lifespan.
Confirming I was alive, Raonjena screeched and charged again.
Shouldn't have joked!
Smack!
"I said stop."
No more taking hits. I caught her fist, shoved her back, and pulled free from the wall.
Earlier, 50% sent her back three steps. Full power wouldn't kill her.
"Gr... urrrrgh!"
"If you're human, speak human. Don't roar like a beast."
"Diiiiieeeeeee!!!!!!!"
"I said speak human, and you say die. What, cassette tape?"
Screaming, Raonjena leaped into my arms. Her legs locked my waist.
Her next move was brutal.
Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!
Headbutts—like testing whose skull breaks first.
Our faces bloodied. Hers, of course. My skull, diamond-hard to protect the world's strongest brain, outlasted hers.
But she'd keep going till her head exploded, so I grabbed it.
"Enough already?"
"Kill... you...!"
"Nope. Time for a beating. Get hit by me, snap out of it."
Been a while since I went full throttle.