#244 Let's Help Each Other and Live
Standing before Zepes's corpse, I activated my skill.
"Harvest of the Hunt."
Shaaaa—!
As I used the level 10 skill of [Monster Hunter], Harvest of the Hunt, a white light burst from Zepes's body and absorbed into mine. Then, system text appeared before me.
[[Monster: Cthul. Zepes] has been defeated.]
[Physical abilities slightly enhanced in battles against monsters.]
[Superpowers slightly strengthened in battles against monsters.]
[[Monster: Cthul. Zepes] Identical entity battles: Physical abilities greatly enhanced.]
[[Monster: Cthul. Zepes] Identical entity battles: Superpowers greatly enhanced.]
[[Skill: Blood Smell (Active)] activated.]
[You can now use [Skill: Blood Smell (Active)].]
Absorbing Zepes's power made me even stronger. Of course, it only applied to monsters, but that meant I could definitely kill even more of them now. Harvest of the Hunt was an infinite enhancement skill with no stacking limit.
Plus, killing Zepes unlocked the previously sealed skill [Blood Smell (Active), which I'd chosen but hadn't been able to use until now. Activating Blood Smell literally made a bloody stench emanate from my body—a bizarre skill that only monsters could detect. Any monster that smelled it would cower, its stats debuffed. In simple terms, it was a debuff skill that lowered a monster's abilities.
'Shall I test it out?'
[Hee... gulp! Woo... I wanna eat it...]
I glanced at Siren, who kept swallowing hard while staring at Zepes's corpse. As a monster, she was the perfect test subject for the Blood Smell skill.
"...Nah."
But I decided against it. She teared up at the slightest raised voice—if I used Blood Smell, she might burst into full-on sobs. The last thing I needed was a water bomb dropping from the sky.
"Hey, Siren."
[Hng... Yes? Did you call me?]
"Yeah. You want that?"
[Yes! I wanna eat it!]
Siren nodded eagerly. She really seemed to crave it.
"You can eat it if you don't damage the hide."
[Really? Eee! Master is the best!]
"No damaging the hide."
[Okay!]
Siren bobbed her head energetically, then tilted it side to side, pondering how to eat without ruining the skin.
[Woo woo... Master...]
Unable to figure it out, she pouted up at me with pleading eyes. I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Heh. You can eat the head. I don't need the scalp."
[Ah! Thank you, Master!]
At my suggestion, Siren dove headfirst into Zepes's skull.
Crunch!Munch munch!
"...Fuck."
Watching Siren devour Zepes was... seriously uncomfortable. Someone buy me new eyes!!!
*****
Back at Peter Elder's place, I told him how I'd tamed Siren.
"....."
He'd been so desperate to hear the method, but his face showed no joy. Instead, he looked utterly bewildered.
"You really... subdued Siren with sheer force?"
"Yes."
"Ha, haha... I knew it had to be something like that... Thanks for telling me."
Peter Elder shook his head with a hollow laugh. It was bizarre—he looked like a man in his twenties, but right now he seemed incredibly aged. That must've been how deep his disappointment ran.
"Anyway."
"....."
"I have a proposal for you, Peter."
"What is it?"
"How about partnering with me?"
"...Partner? What do you mean?"
To show my sincerity, I removed my mask and sat before him bare-faced—not the Infi Mask, but my real face. Looking him straight in the eye, I said,
"I was going to wish for you to work for me. But that wouldn't win your heart. So instead, I'll help you."
"....."
"I'll help you give your wife peace. This world holds many unknown truths. There has to be a way to tame monsters without violence. I'll find it. And I'll create a chance for you to seek her forgiveness."
"...Why would you help me? I'm a monster who did the unforgivable!"
"What does that matter?"
"Huh?"
"If I'm helping you to win your heart, does it matter if you're a monster or not?"
I gripped his shoulders firmly, voice steady.
"Peter. Dark City is too small. I want to tear down the walls around it. So the children growing up here can know the world is far wider and more wondrous than they imagine."
This was sincere. Dark City felt confining to me. Collect all its beauties as my women, and that's it? No. I wanted more. Beyond Dark City, there were four other cities of similar scale, plus nomadic monster hunter groups. I wanted their beauties too.
'World harem! That's the dream world!'
But spilling my true thoughts would get me nowhere, so I wrapped it nicely as being for future kids. Tearing down the walls would reveal a vast world anyway. Technically, not a lie.
"If you help me, I can achieve that dream faster. I'll help you first. So help me—no, help the future leaders."
"....."
Peter Elder's gaze shifted. A little more convincing, and he'd be mine.
"Peter. I asked for your help. So ask for mine. How many people can survive without others' aid? We help each other to build a better tomorrow."
"...Really."
After a long silence, he spoke.
"Will you really help me? Can you?"
"I will."
"Tha...nk you."
Overwhelmed, he bowed his head.
"Urk...!"
Tears streamed from his chest. At 365 years old, his tear ducts had long dried up.
*****
Peter Elder and I returned Siren to Dark City. Midway, we landed so I could use Gravity Dominator to fly the rest. I didn't forget to order Siren to appear in Dark City in a week. Her mere presence would distract the heroes plenty.
"I'll hold onto Zepes's hide for now."
"Yes. I'll contact you soon."
His workshop was too small for all the hide, so we moved some there and stored the rest in my inventory. Watching it vanish with a poof! left Peter Elder stunned. I brushed it off as simple magic. Can't reveal the inventory to anyone.
A man with secrets is mysterious—and attractive. Not that I'm trying to seduce him or anything crazy. Oh, right—and since I said leave the hide intact, she neatly extracted only the flesh. Impressive skill.
"Ahh, so busy."
After dropping Peter Elder at his shop, I finally removed my mask and hurried off bare-faced for the first time in ages.
"Jimin!"
"Ah... hehe."
There was Han Ji-min, waiting in a pretty dress. I shouted her name, waving wildly as I ran up.
"Sorry. You waited long?"
"Nah, not really."
It'd been ages since we'd met like this. First time since Siren showed up.
I had time to spare, but she didn't.
"Ugh!"
"Huh? What's wrong? You okay?"
Suddenly clutching my chest, I looked up at her from a crouch.
"You're so pretty it hurts my heart..."
"Ah, what the—! You scared me!"
"Hehehe. But it's true. You're gorgeous."
"Ugh, seriously. No more cheesy lines—they give me chills."
"It's true! Super pretty. Hey everyone, look! My girlfriend's this pretty!"
"Hey hey! Quiet down! What's wrong with you?!"
She panicked, hiding her face as I yelled to passersby.
"You haven't eaten, right? Let's grab something fancy and delicious."
"Do that one more time and I'm leaving. Got it?"
"Hehehe. Got it."
I naturally draped an arm around her shoulders, starting our date.
*****
Six days passed since allying with Peter Elder. I'd checked ongoing ops and occasionally ravaged Dark Lady. Since it was sporadic, her poison hadn't fully cleared. Ravaging a woman who hated me was pure bliss.
"Let's see."
Lying in bed, I did final checks for tomorrow's op. A long-planned scheme: Operation Fox Hunt. Lure the fox from her safe den and capture alive. No room for failure after all the prep.
"Phase 1: Siren appears to lure Gumiho and distract heroes."
Gumiho was the Hero Association's secret weapon for monster crises. She ignored S-rank villains but mobilized for monsters. Like last time, she'd observe from afar.
"Phase 2: Lure Gumiho."
Then I'd appear before her, drop a cryptic line, and leave. She'd follow.
"Phase 3: Subdue."
Lure to a deserted spot and take her down. With Monster Hunter superpower selected for fox-hunting, it'd be easy. Key: don't kill her—control power carefully. My abilities had grown abnormally strong lately. One slip, and she might die. So Flame Witch and Aqua Girl would wait there. Flame Witch's firepower was S-rank level; Aqua Girl had choked Gumiho with water before. Together, easy takedown.
"Final Phase 4: Make her mine."
Last, claim Gumiho. As a monster, her mental resistance outstripped Flame Witch's. But I'd conquer her easier. Why? Quest link.
"Fucking flawless from start to finish."
No flaws in the perfect plan. Befitting Dark City's top brain. Just you wait, Gumiho!
*****
The next day, Siren appeared in Dark City as ordered—not 105th District again, but neighboring 106th, already hit hard once. As predicted, S- and A-rank heroes mobilized en masse.
"Where's Flame Witch? Why isn't she here?"
"Sh-she's... not responding!"
"What? Damn it! Of all times! You—contact her somehow! We can't stop Siren without her!"
"Yes!"
All other S-ranks were there—except Flame Witch. Valencia roared orders, berating staff to find her.
"We don't know when it'll strike! Battle stations!"
"Battle stations!"
Heroes readied for combat. But Siren just flapped over the sea, ignoring them—following orders perfectly.
"Hey, Gumiho?"
"You..."
And I appeared before the waiting Gumiho in the distance.