The Replaced (1)
The hero's party ultimately exterminated the demons and protected humanity's peace. However, not only the hero but everyone else couldn't help but feel puzzled.
Why had the Demon King vanished? Why had their greatest obstacle, the one that could block their path, disappeared so anticlimactically?
But they had to deal with the remaining monsters and demons, so they put aside resolving the mystery. Time passed, and the monsters threatening humanity vanished. Now, the only non-human species left on Earth were animals.
Demons hadn't appeared since they were slaughtered by the hundreds. Naturally, they didn't lower their guard. The Empire issued a massive wanted order for demons and poured all their efforts into hunting them with enormous bounties. But after that, no demons were ever caught.
10 years, 20 years. As time went on, everyone began to forget their fear of the one who led the demons—everyone except one, the hero. He knew the terror of the Demon King better than anyone.
No one else had seen the Demon King up to now, excluding him. Because everyone who encountered the Demon King had died. Only the hero knew the Demon King's freakish strength.
Rumors were circulating that "the Demon King died after losing a faction war with the demons." The hero knew that was nonsense not worth debating. He firmly believed the Demon King still existed somewhere.
To prepare for the Demon King's inevitable return, he established an unofficial small organization. That was the precursor to the Monster Management Association.
And one day, something that was neither demon nor monster began appearing in the world. At the same time, certain concepts started vanishing from people's minds. Mana.
The concept of the power that protected humans. Demonic Energy. The concept needed to fight enemies. They faded from people's minds as if they'd never existed—except for a tiny elite who had built up their vigilance.
Swordsmen had to reach Swordmaster, mages 8th Circle to escape this mass conceptual erasure. They resisted, trying to spread the knowledge of mana to people again, but everything they'd built over long years had already crumbled.
Even when taught, people forgot again, and those who remembered were buried by time and died. Thus, 150 years after the demons vanished, the concepts of mana and demonic energy were completely erased.
'Fuck, what am I supposed to do with this.'
After reading all the records, I scratched the side of my head. There were two pieces of info I could glean. First, the hero founded the prototype of the Association.
Second, for some reason, the concepts of mana and demonic energy were erased, and those who resisted died of old age.
If I had to add a third, it was that demons vanished at some point. The info cleared up a bit, but it wasn't enough to resolve my questions. Still, since it was helpful, I'd let it slide.
'The hero founded the precursor to the Association...' As expected of a hero. Even after the war ended, protecting humanity didn't stop, huh. Though I'd really gone into hiding and fucked everything up.
"Hoo..."
In the end, I'd only found clues, nothing concrete.
Ding.
Then a text came in on my phone.
It was from Jeong Seol-yoon.
I replied curtly with a one-word answer and set my phone down. I'd decided to keep a moderate distance from the Association.
'It's awkward, you know.'
The Association itself was an indispensable part of this world. They managed monster extermination, info control, group hunts, and more. Gotta give credit where it's due. I couldn't do what they do. Back when catching one monster in Seoul was a pain in the ass, how could I manage the whole world?
Pure combat ability? They'd lose to me. But in various other capabilities, the Association far outstripped me. Dismantle them?
The world would turn into a monster field, and I'd have to go into hiding again. So I wouldn't dismantle the Association. But since they betrayed me, I'd keep my distance. The ringleader was already dead, and they'd coughed up proper compensation. Starting a fuss now wouldn't make sense financially.
Of course, I'd gotten their top authority or whatever, so I'd use that well. When needed. Only when needed.
"Ah, one more round!"
"—You're gonna lose anyway."
I could hear Yoo Hwa and Frame gaming outside. Yoo Hwa was good, but she couldn't compare to Frame, who could basically cheat. Wait, does that make me the worst gamer in this house? Depressing. Might as well talk about Yoo Hwa's changes after absorbing demonic energy.
First, she got ridiculously strong and even prettier. She was cute before, but only at human levels. Now she'd stepped into superhuman beauty like me. Not quite my level, of course. As if.
Thud, thud.
I stepped out of the room, and there was Frame inside the TV. Nom, nom.
"Waaah..."
At Yoo Hwa's request, Frame was summoning food from the TV and mukbanging. She said herself she could taste it but felt no fullness. No hunger to begin with.
'...Nothing to do.'
After reading the old records, I had zero tasks left. I'd planned to investigate based on that, but there was no hook to dig into. If I had to pick something, finding the hidden demons. But no leads, so I'd have to comb the entire Earth brute-force style. No way I'd do that insanity. Investigation on hold till info piles up.
'Fuck, this unease is killing me.'
From experience, idle times meant incidents soon followed. Not Great Legacy scale, but still annoying. Honestly, with 500 billion in the bank now, I could live off interest forever. If only monsters and groups vanished from the world.
"Sigh."
I sighed and hung my head.
"Huff, huff!"
"Good, one more set!"
Kim Hyeok-jin, newbie of the Logic of Power, was diligently working the machines again today.
'My body gets better every moment!'
He was rediscovering the joy of growing stronger, long forgotten. With ultra-efficient routines from fellow members and special protein to fully absorb it, Kim Hyeok-jin's body was strengthening rapidly. Already beyond bodybuilding worlds. He had power far surpassing humans, yet he wasn't satisfied.
"Okay, rest!"
"Hooo..."
At the assisting member's word, Kim Hyeok-jin exhaled long and released the machine.
"How's it feel? Good, right?"
"Yes!"
Kim Hyeok-jin shouted loudly at the member's words.
"No matter how I think about it, we scored big. Where'd this guy come from?"
"Right?"
People working out nearby praised Kim Hyeok-jin as they passed. From their view, no reason to hate a guy who'd purely trained to a decent level.
Thud, thud.
Then the gym door opened, and someone huge entered.
"!!!"
Everyone's eyes widened.
"Boss is here!"
They all bowed deeply in greeting.
"Boss!"
Kim Hyeok-jin, quick on the uptake, bowed fast too, but rolled his eyes up to peek.
'That's the boss?'
He marveled inwardly nonstop. If the members he'd seen were near-perfect, this was perfection. Every muscle's position, size, shape—like a statue. No, they'd have to sculpt statues to match this. Unprecedented perfection. He wondered if a lifetime of training would get him close.
"Ughk, ghek, grhek..."
But why can't he talk?
"...?"
Others' faces showed question marks too.
"Ah, everyone's doing well?"
But in a flash, the boss recovered and spoke in a deep, calm voice.
"Y-yes... Everyone's doing great."
The first to greet noticed the weirdness but answered awkwardly.
"..."
"..."
A brief silence hung.
"Why's everyo—"
"It's not the boss! Take it down!!"
Someone yelled, and everyone charged at once.
"Me too..."
"You stay put!"
Kim Hyeok-jin, still a newbie with weaker physicals, stayed back, but the rest rushed in.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
"Kuhk...!"
"Damage's going through! Not the boss!"
Air exploded as blows rained on the fake boss. Punches, kicks, stabs—naturally, its body shattered, bones breaking.
"Guhk, kuhk..."
"Who the fuck are you!"
A massive foot stomped the fallen fake.
"Krr, kugh...!"
Something burst from the fake boss's mouth. A brain with tentacles.
"Wh-what the?!"
"Grab it! Fuck!"
Like a real brain, the fake's head shriveled once it emerged. The brain whipped tentacles to flee but was snatched and crushed by a member in an instant.
"Which bastard did this to our boss!!!"
Roars of fury echoed everywhere.