World Destruction (4)
"What the fuck is this shit?"
I picked up the bullet rolling on the floor amid the blood and examined it. If it could've pierced my head, it wasn't just any ordinary bullet.
"Tch."
I channeled demonic energy into my finger-gun and fired it in the direction the bullet had come from. It was less a bullet and more a black orb.
Bang!
The launched demonic energy burrowed into the man's arm on the TV with enough force to nearly shatter it.
Why'd he get hit?
He dug at the wound site with his finger as if nothing had happened to his arm.
But the embedded demonic energy had long since vanished. He stared at his shattered arm with an amazed expression.
"Too bad it didn't lodge in your skull." Since the guy couldn't hear me anyway, I started rambling freely. It was convenient being able to curse out loud.
"Go ahead."
The man bowed his head slightly and opened his mouth.
"A human designated as a monster?" Despite appearances, was he a monster like us?
He spoke as if he could hear my voice. Was it a predicted response?
"Hey! Can you hear me?!"
I nodded satisfactorily after yelling loudly. Looked like he couldn't hear.
I lay on the bed and drank the beverage from the table. It was bland without the chill. Should've bought ice.
"When the fuck does it end?!" This time, I yelled at the voice droning on from the TV while fiddling with my phone. Why the hell was he hijacking someone else's TV? I didn't give a shit if the Association pissed him off or not. If you don't wanna join, just form a cooperative relationship like me. And they couldn't even distinguish properly if I was a monster or ability user, yet they singled him out as a monster and tracked him? He must've done something shady.
"1st Grade Monster?" Re Nerd, the one I caught last time, was top-tier 3rd Grade. So something like the Underground Kingdom Great Enemy would be around 1st Grade? Even back then, it wasn't at full power, so I could probably smash a 1st Grade without much trouble.
"Don't get cocky!"
"Just the team leader from the Special Ability Agent Team who came to catch me would one-shot you!" She had the power to kill a 3rd Grade Monster in one go, so yeah.
[Yes / No]
I naturally pressed no.
The man's expression on the screen hardened.
Soon, the TV shut off.
Try shooting another bullet. I'll really reverse-trace this time. I ground my teeth and glanced to the side. Cold wind blew in through the broken window.
"Ha..." I had to pay for this. One more time catching my eye, and I'd kill them.
"She rejected our proposal."
At the man's words, countless eyes gleamed in the dark room.
"No need to waste strength fighting Heuk Seol-ah. Our ultimate goal is the Association."
"Heuk Seol-ah is merely in a cooperative relationship. Unless the Association formally hires her, she won't join the war."
The man spoke as if to reassure them.
"Even now, the Association just assigns her monster cleanup requests... Do you think they'd hire her for a war-like emergency?"
The eyes in the darkness responded.
"From now on, we'll dismantle the Association's Korean branch."
"Because of the current emergency, personnel from the Japanese and Chinese branches are gathered here."
The man smiled.
"Soon, support from the American branch will arrive too. If we play it right, we can inflict massive damage on all four nations."
"Of course. But their combat power isn't all in one place. The core of the Association's combat strength is ultimately monsters... So we'll face the Korean branch's power."
Thud, thud.
At that moment, a woman emerged from the darkness. Her eyes curved mockingly, and she held a saw in her hand.
"...Who are you?"
At the question, the woman shyly covered her mouth and replied.
"Choi Ha-bin, head of the Monster Dissection Analysis Team~."
"Fuck!"
A fierce shockwave erupted from the man. Powerful enough to crack nearby buildings.
"Ha~, back then I wore gear to hide my face... but I really prefer the saw. The essence of the Monster Dissection Analysis Team never fades."
Yet Choi Ha-bin stood tall, unflinching.
"You think that level can fight the Association? Lucky if you're not treated like toys."
"Shut up!"
The man tried to unleash an even stronger shockwave but couldn't.
"This...!"
Choi Ha-bin had closed in instantly and severed his arm.
"This saw cuts too cleanly. Saws are meant to be scraped and sliced."
"You crazy bitch...!"
Thwack!
The man glared at her but was immediately kicked down.
"1st Grade Monsters aren't scary?"
Choi Ha-bin trampled him coldly.
"Do you know what level of power you need to wear the Association badge in Korea? Enough to handle mid-to-low 1st Grade Monsters."
The woman's words continued.
"With branches from four nations gathered, think they'd come without combat tech? We're even stronger now, yet you idiots..."
Choi Ha-bin sighed.
"Think you can even scratch us? Even I'm 2nd Grade level, and you're getting crushed."
"How'd you find this place...!"
"You're asking that now?"
Clang!
With a swing of Choi Ha-bin's saw, the man's head flew off.
"Not scared of 1st Grade Monsters... but helpless against a 2nd Grade ambush, right?"
The eyes in the darkness flashed threateningly.
"Keep your eyes open~. I'll come to you."
Choi Ha-bin stepped into the darkness.
I slept to recover my fatigue. To reiterate, sleep isn't necessary. But it's the best for recovery.
No need to stay up all night, so I slept with Yoo Hwa.
Chomp, chomp.
"Yoo Hwa, pigging out like that at a buffet is rude."
"Pardon? Why?"
"You pay entry and eat free."
I scolded Yoo Hwa, who'd already devoured twenty full plates. We'd checked out and were eating at the hotel buffet.
Buffet style made Yoo Hwa's portions super conspicuous.
"Can't you feel the kitchen staff's glares?"
"I don't feel anything?"
"That's what I mean."
It was fine now, but more and they'd notice for real.
"Then I'll stop here..." Yoo Hwa said regretfully, scraping her plate.
"Good decision."
I praised her while finishing my last plate. We got up, left the hotel, and checked the map on my phone.
"We're in Eunpyeong-gu now, so head down to Mapo-gu."
"How many today?"
"Same as always, five. Up to Gwangjin-gu."
"Whoa..."
Yoo Hwa drooped gloomily.
"I'll buy lots of tasty stuff on the way, so cheer up."
"You have to buy a lot... or I'll collapse."
"Yeah, yeah."
I replied casually while looking at the map.
"The world's destruction is imminent!!!"
Suddenly, someone bellowed roughly. The volume startled me.
"What the?"
I looked up from the map toward the voice. About a hundred people stood in a line, shouting.
"The world hides countless secrets from us!!!"
Why are they like that?
Crazy bastards?
Passersby's reactions were cold, but not mine. I knew the world was going weird too.
Are they a group too?
Better than foreign god worshippers. At least no terrorism.
But what if guns or bombs came out... chills.
"In the end, we'll meet a horrific death!! So!"
The man reached into his bosom.
"We must grant people a peaceful death now!!!"
Click, click.
Guns and grenades emerged from their bosoms simultaneously.
Huh?
"Open fire!!"
Rat-tat-tat-tat!!
The area turned to chaos in seconds. Bullets embedding nearby, people collapsing, screams and cries.
"Goddamn it!"
I cursed and charged at them. Wasn't time to play hero!