Monster Hunter #277
"No, before I talk about them, I should tell you about myself first."
"Huh? About you, Peter?"
What could it be?
Peter Elder's face grew incredibly serious.
Why's he looking so grave all of a sudden? What kind of story is he about to drop?
I'd heard about his past before, back on Siren's Island. So what was he hiding that made him get this intense about me needing to know about him?
"I told you before, right? I'm older than Steel Armor thinks."
"Yes."
He'd said he was 45 when we talked about his past. I already knew his real age back then, but I nodded like I had no clue.
"Actually, it's not just old. It's very, very old."
"....."
So why bring up his age out of nowhere?
No way...?
It didn't take long to realize he was finally about to spill the past he'd tried to keep from me to the end. At the same time, I caught on that he was cutting ties with the monster hunters he'd dealt with for years—maybe decades—and betting everything on me alone.
A true partner.
I'd thought of Peter Elder as a comrade, but apparently he hadn't. He'd seen our bond as just a business deal.
...Can't blame him for that.
I felt a twinge of disappointment, but I got it. Diversifying investments was stock market 101, right? Nobody put all their eggs in one basket.
So why team up with me for real now?
I couldn't guess that far into Peter Elder's head. I'd have to hear his story.
"Truth is, I'm over 300 years old. Don't know the exact number anymore. Stopped counting after 300."
"...300 years old?"
365. I knew the age Peter Elder had forgotten down to the digit. But I couldn't let on, so I shrugged with a look of disbelief. Good thing I wore the mask—it hid my face. Sure, my perfect acting skills were top-notch anyway, but I wouldn't underestimate Peter Elder's insight.
"I told you, right? I can swap out my organs like replacing machine parts."
"Uh... yeah. You did."
"I've used that power to live over 300 years. Sometimes swapping in human organs, sometimes monster ones. In the end, I became something that's human and monster at the same time."
"Uh... wow. Hard to believe, but... I'll trust you, Peter. No point in lame jokes now. Oh, should I change how I address you? Hmm... Peter Elder?"
"...Nah. Just keep treating me like you have been."
Looks like wanting to seem even a little younger was universal. Old fogeys might brag about their age, though.
Guess he still has more human in him than monster.
Parts of Peter Elder's body were monster now, but no system messages popped up when he looked at monsters. Proof he was still mostly human.
"I revived my dead wife as a monster about 300 years ago. Dark City didn't exist back then. It was the dark ages—people huddled together, fleeing monster eyes, scrambling just to survive."
"My arrogance and greed turned my revived wife against me. I couldn't stop her. My body was fully human then. But for some reason, she didn't kill me. When I came to... the whole village—people alive just yesterday—were all dead."
His face darkened, the nightmare of that day resurfacing.
"I buried them all in the earth... and did a lot of thinking. Realized what I'd done. Surviving without a gruesome monster end was blessing enough, but I'd snatched it away with my own hands. After burying the village, I left. Had to make up for my mistake."
Making up for his mistake meant killing the monster his wife had become—with his own hands. This much I'd heard on Siren's Island.
"I wandered everywhere, chasing her trail. Ran into her, fought... and lost again. I'd revived her with my own hands, but she was a monster now—no way a human like me could win. Still, she spared me again, just wounded me and vanished."
Hm?
Just wounding him and leaving meant she still had some reason left? Possible. If Peter Elder loved her enough to revive her, she'd probably loved him too. Maybe that last shred of sanity stopped her from killing her husband.
"When I woke up, I knew I couldn't kill her as a human. So I decided to hunt monsters. Wasn't easy, of course. That's when I chose superpowered humans."
"Huh? Superpowered humans?"
What was this now?
"Snuck into a nearby village, dug up graves, stole superpower users' corpses. Swapped out my damaged organs for theirs. Knew it was wrong, but no choice. I had to do it."
"Superpowered organs are way tougher than normal ones. Even damaged, they worked. I swapped bit by bit, and soon I could kill weak monsters myself. Then I'd swap in monster organs again."
"....."
It was horrifying.
"Kept killing stronger monsters, replacing organs, bones, skin... then even stronger ones. Did that for about 50 years. Got strong enough, ran into my wife again."
Peter Elder fought his wife but lost again. She'd grown incomparably stronger too. He barely survived but didn't quit. Kept killing monsters, swapping parts. 200 years passed like that.
"I kept wandering after her, and about 50 years ago, I ran into them."
Them—the monster hunters who'd killed Raonjena's family. The story I'd been waiting for finally kicked off.
"What the hell is this guy? Human or monster? What do you think, Fo?"
"My senses say monster... but he looks human? Fuck, what is he? A monster that can shapeshift into human?"
"Maybe a parasitic type that uses human bodies as hosts."
"....."
Like they were overwhelming superiors, the two monster hunters chatted casually.
Peter Ellaine eyed them half-lidded, then turned away. His goal was tracking his wife. No interest in pointless fights.
But the monster hunters wouldn't let him go.
"Where you going, freak?"
"...Step aside. I don't want to fight you for nothing."
"Oh ho? Freak talks fancy."
"...I'm not a monster. So step aside."
"We'll decide if you're a monster."
"Why talk? Just grab him first, Five."
"Yeah?"
"....."
The fight started between Peter, and the monster hunters [Fo] and [Five].
Peter back then had swapped so much of his body for monster parts he rivaled one in strength. But his foes weren't pushovers. They were pro monster slayers—monster hunters.
Three days and nights, nonstop. The explosions drew more hunters.
"What the hell? He's holding his own against Fo and Five?"
"What even is that thing? Hey! Fo! Five! Need backup?"
"Scram! Interfere and you're dead first!"
"Kukukuku. Still got pride in a 2v1?"
"Shut up! Kugh?!"
"Ugh, that retard. Look at him get distracted."
The monster hunters didn't interfere. Just watched like it was entertainment. They'd kill any monsters drawn by the noise, letting the three fight freely.
When the fourth sun rose, the battle ended.
"Haa... haa..."
"Kuh..."
"Fuuuck... strong bastard..."
Peter won. Took down both alone.
A man approached the battered victor. Around 190cm, wild black hair like a lion's mane, feral vibe.
"Strong. What's your name?"
"....."
Thud! Peter, spent, blacked out without answering.
"Where...?"
"You're awake?"
"You..."
"[Won]. Call me Won. Mind talking if you're up for it?"
"....."
When Peter woke, the white-haired man from before—Won—was there. They talked a lot, and Peter joined them briefly. He'd been alone so long, missed people.
Living with them, Peter regained his lost humanity. Learned to smile again, how to get along.
He went from turning monster to reclaiming his old self. His power to process monster byproducts was a godsend to the hunters. They killed plenty yearly, but much went to waste without processing. Peter turned parts into weapons and armor, skyrocketing their power.
He was indispensable.
"...So that's what happened."
"Yeah."
"You want to... kill your monster wife?"
"More like... fix my mistake. And apologize to her."
"Got it. I'll help."
"What?"
"You know we're pros, right? We could track your wife in a snap if we wanted. We'll help find her. And you break the cycle of sin."
"...Thanks."
"No problem."
Won, leader and now close friend, heard Peter's past and pledged aid. But his wife was elusive. A year passed with Peter among them. They called him [Three] now—not Peter. Full member.
"Won, Three, Fo, Five, Nine... all numbers?"
"Yeah. I was the third strongest then, so Three."
"Wow."
Peter Elder wasn't just a superhuman with a special past. He was a strong one.
"But why live in Dark City now?"
"....."
Good memories of Won kept Peter Elder's face bright throughout. But my question twisted it. Anger.
"...A rebellion happened."
"Rebellion?"
"Yes. [Two] started it. Two's revolt killed tons. He'd plotted secretly for years—devastating. And Two... was Won's brother, making it worse."
"....."
A brother's betrayal. Nothing more lethal than trusted kin turning.
"So many died. Won too... fell to Two."
Two's revolt succeeded, purges followed. Many perished, but not Peter Elder. His processing skill made him essential.
"Two demanded I keep processing like always. I refused. Furious, he jailed me, but I escaped sloppy watch and fled to Dark City."
He'd planned to hide briefly, then emerge for revenge or the hunt. But somehow, a newly titled [Nine] monster hunter found him first in Dark City.