Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: I Won't Hold Back Anymore
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The reason monster threat levels were measured on the same 'rank' scale as hunters was for quicker comparisons and subjugations.
An E-rank threat monster could naturally be handled by the next tier up, a D-rank hunter. For a B-rank threat, it would be an A-rank hunter, just a notch higher.
And for an A-rank monster with national disaster potential, only a hunter on the level of national power could deal with it leisurely.
Yet here was one such A-rank monster right in front of them.
'What do I do...?'
The reason Twin Head was sitting in front of the large shelter.
It had undoubtedly sensed the largest cluster of human presences there.
It had found its prey.
But monster-proof shelters were structures designed to withstand even top-tier A-rank monsters officially.
Even Twin Head couldn't do much, so out of frustration, it had just sat there in front of it.
But then, out of nowhere.
They say good things come to those who wait.
From behind, through the sewer, a group of about fifty humans had come walking right to it on their own.
One of its necks twisted back, and the 15-meter giant slowly began to rise.
Yoo Cheol-ran knew it instinctively.
Even if they retreated back into the sewer, this thing could burrow underground and devour them all.
"Shin-woo! Hurry and take the people inside to the shelter!"
"Huh?! What about you, Cheol-ran?"
"I'll buy time and slip in at the last second!"
"...! Got it."
In this situation, there wasn't a better plan than one hunter acting as bait.
So I nodded and immediately climbed out of the sewer, shouting to the people below.
"Come on out, quick! Hurry!"
"W-what? What's going on?!"
"There's a giant out here that could smash a sewer like it's nothing! If you don't wanna end up as mouse food, move it!"
"...! O-okay!"
I grabbed the hands of those climbing up from below, helping them out faster.
Meanwhile, Yoo Cheol-ran, who was a full-fledged 'C-rank hunter' even in the original story.
"Haat!"
As a Fighter Hunter, she was the only hunter class that couldn't equip weapons.
One of the rare few who couldn't even benefit from basic gear buffs.
But her advantage?
Thwack!
Thwock!
Splat!
"Grrrk?!"
"Hoo...!"
Every attack she landed was guaranteed critical damage, even if it glanced off.
In other words, every spot Yoo Cheol-ran hit became Twin Head's weak point.
'Not that it matters much with the massive skill gap between them...!'
At best, her hits would sting like a mosquito bite on skin that normally felt nothing.
From a distance, Yoo Cheol-ran was doing a solid job as bait.
She deliberately darted in and out of Twin Head's field of view, slipping between its groin like a taunting mouse.
"Everyone out?"
"Yeah! We're all out, hyung!"
"Good. We'll circle wide around Twin Head in a big arc to the shelter. Got it?"
Twin Head hadn't noticed our group of castaways slipping out, thanks to Yoo Cheol-ran.
The plan was to advance in a broad parabolic path around the giant and reach the shelter safely.
Despite its massive size, Twin Head had incredibly sharp senses.
If even one of us broke into a run, it'd detect the presence and realize there were fifty tasty snacks outside the sewer.
"Alright, everyone stay calm and let's move..."
We eyed each other to prevent anyone from bolting and began walking.
Meanwhile, from afar, sweat poured off Yoo Cheol-ran's face like a waterfall.
'Cheol-ran...!'
"Huff...! Huff...!"
Fighter Hunters couldn't wield weapons but were specialized in bare-handed combat through unique styles passed down in their schools.
Yoo Cheol-ran, born in Korea, naturally followed Taekwondo.
'Why is this thing so damn tough?!'
But.
Low kicks, high kicks, roundhouse kicks, and even the Taekwondo pinnacle, the 1080-degree spin kick.
Despite hammering the same spot with everything she had, Twin Head stood unfazed.
A chill ran through Yoo Cheol-ran's entire body.
It felt like fighting a mountain itself.
But seeing the group arcing toward the shelter in the distance, she remembered her purpose.
'I'm a hunter... Right, my top priority is protecting people!'
A hunter's goal wasn't to defeat monsters.
A hunter's true purpose was to 'save people' from monsters.
She had snuck into her dad's workplace against his wishes and nearly died there. That's when I was saved by a hunter like her... and became one myself.
"If you can't win, buy time."
"And once everyone's safe, ditch your pride and retreat."
All words from Commander Rolling.
Recalling her teachings, Yoo Cheol-ran steeled herself against an unbeatable foe.
Her pride in saving people was her greatest weapon.
She wouldn't lose. No way.
"Roooar... huh?"
"...! Cheol-ran!"
That held until the castaways started filing into the shelter.
Twin Head suddenly looked down, then both heads tilted skyward as one hand rose high.
In that instant, I felt my legs go weak, hit by an absurdly unlucky jackpot.
"This is bullshit...!"
A unique monster ability only rare individuals among A-rank threats and above could use.
"ROOOOAAAAARRRR!!!"
Equipment only monsters could equip.
Custom gear for the monster itself.
Twin Head roared at the darkening sky, and a black lightning bolt struck its palm.
"What the hell is that...?"
Suddenly, in its empty hand burned a massive goblin club, black and flaming.
'Twin Head could use Demon Armament?'
The odds of any given specimen wielding Demon Armament were exactly 1 in 10,000.
Like stumbling on a hidden boss in an RPG you almost never encounter.
And it appeared right when castaways clustered up, with Yoo Cheol-ran as perfect bait.
The coincidences piled up impossibly, leaving one conclusion.
'Today! The last day of the prologue where Yoo Cheol-ran dies...'
In the game, it flashed by so fast I never knew the exact timing or how.
By the time you arrived, only her severed head remained.
But seeing this, it was obvious now.
"ROOOOAAAAARRR!"
Thud.
Twin Head swung the 'Demon Armament - Goblin Club' at its own feet.
Demon Armament didn't change the monster's base stats, so Yoo Cheol-ran dodged like a mouse, hiding behind its heel.
But that was the wrong call.
"Cheol-ran! Below!"
"Huh?!"
Black energy spread from the slammed goblin club.
Then.
Czzzt.
"Aaaaagh?!"
"Cheol-ran!"
Black thunder erupted from the ground in a 100-meter radius around Twin Head, swallowing the startled Yoo Cheol-ran in an instant.
By the time the tremors subsided...
"Cheol-ran! Snap out of it!"
She was dangling by her hair, pinched between its thumb and index finger the size of a person, lifted toward Twin Head's face.
Her limp body showed she'd hit her limit.
"Shin... woo... nim..."
That was when.
The castaways had all fled into the shelter.
Only me, Cheol-ran, and Twin Head remained on the road.
And they say even the greatest people reveal their true selves when death looms.
Whoosh. Whoosh.
"...!"
Cheol-ran waved her hand toward me with her last strength.
The gesture was simple: not "help me," but "run while you can."
Knowing she'd be crunched soon, she flashed a smile before blacking out completely.
'Damn it...'
I barely knew her—a fleeting prologue character... no, a person.
Someone I could've protected, yet I'd pushed into the jaws of death.
No vengeful ghost here. Just a true hero.
"Fuck...!"
No one's watching anyway.
...Nah, screw it.
I'm past caring if anyone's watching. I'll deal with it later.
"ROOOOAAAAARRRR!!!"
Twin Head was in a good mood.
Like a chef finally catching the rat that stole ingredients from the restaurant storeroom every early morning.
It grinned at the thought of crunching the pesky bug that annoyed it from below.
How to eat it first?
Same as the others—straight chomp?
Nah, it'd end up tasteless, spitting out the head like before without savoring.
So it devised a gourmet plan.
Rip off the legs by hand and eat those.
One arm diced fine with front teeth; the other crunched with molars.
Save the torso—screaming in agony on death's door—for melting in its mouth.
Thrilled with the scheme, Twin Head chuckled wickedly.
"ROOOOAAAAARRRR!!!"
Until a fellow kin's roar echoed right beside it.
And an overwhelming killing intent shook its body for the first time ever.
"Grk?!"
It instinctively raised the goblin club toward the shelter and assumed a defensive stance.
Too late.
Plop. Plop.
Its thumb and index finger holding the bug—along with all other fingers—had fallen to the ground.
No chance to scream.
The thing was already at its feet.
A jet-black monster cradling the fainted Yoo Cheol-ran in its arms.
Ten years after Busan's [Grinning Monster Incident].
The 'Jamsil Monster' revealed itself once more on the Korean Peninsula.