Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Poison Sovereign #9
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"Right! The Management Bureau must have some way to handle this!"
My fist clenched tight.
The only thing I could trust now was the Management Bureau!
"Why are you telling me that?!"
The nun snapped at me, but the truth was, I was just a rookie agent who didn't know much myself. I'd been through a ton, but I was still a pure newbie when it came to actual knowledge.
"Nothing I can do about it. I'm new, so I don't know the details. From what I've seen, it seems like you need years of experience to really understand the Management Bureau."
"Then how can you be so sure they have a way?"
"Well... because it's the Management Bureau, right?"
This situation was terrifying, no doubt, but the Management Bureau surely had a method. They'd kept the world intact up to now precisely because they had ways to deal with things like this.
It wasn't like the Giant incident, where corruption spread in an instant. The Management Bureau headquarters was still fine. So there had to be a solution—even for a demon like that.
Grong, a mere rookie agent, might be powerless, but the massive organization that was the Management Bureau could handle it.
"Haa. You're really not inspiring much confidence."
Above all else...
I wanted to see with my own eyes how the Management Bureau handled a top-tier crisis like this—what their true capabilities were.
Hearing vague rumors was nothing compared to witnessing it firsthand.
I needed to know more about the Management Bureau.
"They'll show us something."
"So, what? We just sit here and wait for the Management Bureau to sort it out?"
If I didn't have my regression ability, that's probably what I'd do. But I had to check the scene myself, even if it meant risking danger.
"No way. I'm an agent. I'm heading to link up with the team right now."
First, rendezvous with Jaaldi.
She was the section chief and knew a ton about the Management Bureau. If this crisis got resolved, she'd definitely be at the center of it.
"But moving now is dangerous. The revived ghouls, that demon..."
"I'll manage somehow."
"Fine... I'll go with you partway. But we split after that."
"You don't want to contact the Management Bureau?"
"That's part of it. I also need to report this to the Vatican."
"Got it."
That's how we reached an agreement with the nun.
If it had just been vampires and ghouls, she probably would've shone. But this was different. I wondered why she wasn't using her Crusader Spirit summoning ability, even though she seemed capable.
Ah, maybe she couldn't because she lacked the archduke's power.
That made sense.
"Let's go."
"Yes."
Maintenance was done.
I stepped out of the church with the nun.
"But isn't this church building basically a cult structure too?"
"It wasn't at the time of construction. That's why we can use it."
"I see."
"Do you know the way?"
Honestly, everything was in total chaos right now, so I had no idea where anyone was. They might've scattered, and the Fake Management Bureau could've been wiped out.
Still, heading to our original spot might lead me to a rally point or some traces.
"Not sure, but I'll head to where we were before."
"Okay."
And so, we moved out together.
"Kehehek!"
"Kiaaaak!"
Ghouls swarmed from all directions. But with the nun there, their attacks were pointless.
—Splash!
The nun gripped her glowing cross like a baseball bat and swung wildly. Ghouls that touched it exploded.
"Haa...! They don't even turn to ash!"
"They normally do?"
"They scatter as ash. But now they just burst and fly off. And they're even regenerating slowly from that."
I could see the ghouls' flesh twitching.
Immortal.
In this red zone, under angelic protection, the ghouls couldn't die. Maybe it was some kind of localized degeneration regression ability.
Thanks to the nun, we covered a good distance.
"We split here. Don't die."
"Thanks, Sister. I got this far easily because of you. Once this is over, let me treat you sometime."
"Forget it. Later."
"Yes."
The nun left the party.
I scanned the surroundings and started running again.
"Hoo!"
Strange noises echoed from everywhere. But mixed in were gunshots, so the Fake Management Bureau hadn't been totally annihilated yet.
If those guys were still kicking, our team probably was too. Quras's head exploding was a real shame... but the others had to be hanging on somehow.
—Rat-tat-tat!
The gunfire grew closer.
Had to be the Fake Management Bureau guys.
Logically, I should've bypassed it. But then I thought: What were the Fake Management Bureau agents who survived this doing? Figuring that out might give me a clue. Come to think of it, didn't they seem to have better intel than our Management Bureau?
Decision made, I cautiously advanced toward the gunfire, using cover.
That's how I found the Fake Management Bureau agents.
—Rat-tat-tat!
Firing away desperately.
Their target was the Vampire Angel floating in the sky.
Wait, they were engaging it with gunfire?
Did bullets even work on that thing? Its head wasn't exploding?
Suppressing my fear, I looked up at the Vampire Angel.
"..."
A translucent blood-red barrier was blocking the bullets. A shield... Makes sense; getting hit would hurt, so it put up a barrier? Pretty human-like for an angel.
"Shit! Die, you fucker, dieee!"
"Don't give up—keep shooting! The barrier might break eventually!"
The Fake Management Bureau agents kept up cover fire with burning determination. Very human. Hell, I could even sense a blazing conviction.
They'd ripped out my brain or whatever, but risking their lives against such a mighty anomaly was downright heroic.
"Grong had power like that?!"
"Crazy foreign bastard!"
Huh?
What?
"Hey! Still not registered?!"
"Y-Yes...! Not in the database! Communications impossible too!"
"Fuck...! We have to report Grong's true nature!"
What the hell were these guys saying?
"As expected, someone has to run to HQ and report directly!"
"Not now...! The second we try to leave, our heads explode! Whatever it takes, we need Grong's info to survive! Keep shooting! It can't attack while we're firing!"
Hearing this bizarre exchange, I felt extreme dizziness.
These bastards...
Why were they mentioning my name while shooting at that Vampire Angel in the sky?
Why did they mistake it for me...?
My stomach churned.
"W-We’re low on ammo! We need to decide!"
"No choice... Scatter and retreat! Don't think about anything else! Make sure HQ gets this info! One cheer! Long live the Management Bureau!!!"
"For humanity!!!"
In this bizarre chaos, one thing was crystal clear.
I couldn't let these Fake Management Bureau agents go.
—Rat-tat-tat!
My K2 spat fire. Holes riddled the heads and torsos of the agents just starting to scatter.
"Huh, heok?!"
"What!"
"Grong! It's Grong!"
"What?! Grong's up there...!"
"Two Grongs?!"
—Rat-tat-tat!
The confused voices cut off.
All the suited men collapsed, leaving only hollow silence.
"What... the hell."
Why call me the Vampire Angel?
Like I was the same as that thing?
That doesn't make any fucking sense!
"Ugh!"
I barely held back the vomit. Couldn't waste my precious garlic here. Right, garlic. Garlic... The favorite of all you vampire hunters... Ahh, yeah. If I really meet them, I'll bring my sketchbook. We can all draw in it together. No need for crayons—just minced garlic. Chant "Vampires die! Long live vampire hunters!" and have a blast.
There had to be a reason they equated me with the Vampire Angel.
But nothing came to mind.
Wait.
That mosquito bitch... She freaked out when she saw me.
She knew something related to this! There was a definite reason! Why they saw me as that angel!
Clutching my head, I recalled what Spandal and Jamtree had said earlier. Fake Management Bureau talk was just random empty noise from the void.
I didn't buy it.
Our Management Bureau had plenty of suspicious aspects—tons of them. Whether those two seniors really believed that or were just misleading me, what was clear was that the Fake Management Bureau I'd seen and experienced firsthand wasn't some group spouting random bullshit.
Plus, there were real humans like Jinseop in there. Sure, even if they were anomalies, they could brainwash real people into joining, but...
Either way, with real people involved, it wasn't random nonsense.
Which meant...
That Vampire Angel really was the same kind of existence as me.
"Kieeek!"
I shot the appearing ghoul dead.
Couldn't think more now. It was a problem that wouldn't resolve with just thinking. Dead or alive, I had to resolve this crisis to find out.
I kept moving.
Then, a sudden thought hit me.
I'd just massacred Fake Management Bureau agents.
Appeared out of nowhere and wiped out ones trying to retreat.
...
Isn't that straight-up anomaly behavior?
If that led them to equate me with the Vampire Angel...
Then the Management Bureau I was in...
As I was running like that...
—Whoosh.
I sensed presence behind me and spun around fast.
Reflexively went to shoot, but... Spandal?
"You're alive...!"
"Senior Spandal?"
She was alive.
—Whoosh.
The moment I thought that, Spandal pulled me into a hug.
A pleasant fragrance spread.
I'd definitely used unscented perfume, but with just a layer or two of clothing between, her bare skin let the scent through. It calmed me down for sure.
"Really glad... Grong. Thought you were dead."
Her shocked tone was unimaginable from the Spandal who'd always talked about rookies dying quick. But I'd long since figured she had a kind heart.
"Barely made it."
"I'll hear the details later. This way. You know it's an emergency, right?"
Spandal, releasing me, grabbed my wrist and led.
"Yeah. Mess up and you're dead."
"Right. If you don't wanna die, stay sharp."
"I am. By the way... Hugging me like you're so happy. Guess no one loves their juniors like Senior Spandal."
"Sh-Shut up. No time for pointless talk."
Dodging the point.
But not denying she's happy.
"Senior Spandal. Does the Management Bureau have a way to resolve this?"
"Yes."
See? The Management Bureau had a way.
"Come in."
"Yes."
And so, I entered the temporary hideout with Spandal.
"Grong."
Inside the darkness sat Jaaldi.
"Good to have you back. You're alive."
"Yeah. Managed somehow."
"Sorry. Tried to rescue you but couldn't find you. That monster kept bursting heads, so we couldn't push further... You suffered alone."
"No big deal. I ditched the spot to survive too. Normal you couldn't find me... Huh?"
Jaaldi stood.
One of her arms was gone.
"Team Leader Jaaldi! That arm!"
"Barely blocked my head exploding."
"Ah!"
As expected from a section chief—some serious skills.
"Good. But sadly, Quras fell in battle."
"Most of the Suppression Team did."
Gorgodio too, huh.
"What about Jamtree?"
"Jamtree too. Tried to get info on that demon-like thing and went down heroically."
"..."
Something heavy thudded in my chest.
Jamtree had always been so kind to me.
And she was gone?
"That's how dangerous it is. We're classifying it as a religious entity. Easily surpasses A-rank by Management Bureau standards."
"Can... we resolve this?"
Jaaldi nodded at my question.
"Probably. And we're already trying."
"What?!"
Already attempting it?
"Religious anomalies like that need something similar to counter."
"Like what?"
"Yeah. There's one sleeping in the underground containment facility. We've ordered it awakened."
What terrifying existence was this?
"Of course... We'd rather not use it. Side effects are severe, could lead to something even worse. Rarely used in Management Bureau history. But with a religious entity like that, no choice. Have to."
"What kind of existence makes you say that?"
"A demon."
A demon?
"A demon?!"
"Using a demon against it. Spandal. Grong's here—take him. I'll hold this place."
"...Understood, Team Leader. It's been fun."
"Same here. If I die... The rest is on you."
"Grong. Let's go."
Spandal extended her hand.
I took it and moved.
"..."
The Management Bureau was employing a demon.
I had to see what that demon was with my own eyes.