Herd of Beasts (1)
"Are you really sure about this? All by yourself?"
"I'm good. Lock up the windows tight while I'm gone."
I slipped on my shoes, leaving the Special Forces agents behind. Seong Ga-yeon approached and held out a wireless earbud.
"You'll keep us updated on the situation, right? We'll all listen through the speaker. If anything happens, we'll back you up immediately."
Her face was set with that stubborn look that said don't even try to refuse. I glanced down at the earbud, chuckled softly, and took just one, popping it into my ear.
"One's enough, yeah?"
Seong Ga-yeon handed me her phone. I punched in my number and handed it back.
"I'm off."
I stepped out and rode the elevator down. People sure worry a lot. I said I'm fine. Especially Seong Ga-yeon—she'd seen me fight plenty of times, and still...
...Honestly, though, even I'm a little tense. A dog the size of a house? A cat bigger than a tiger?
Ding.
The doors opened on the first floor, and Seong Ga-yeon's call came through right away.
"Oh, wait."
I shoved the phone into my pocket.
"Yeah?"
"We're switching to speaker now. Battery's full, so we can stay connected for at least four hours."
"Got it."
I shrugged my shoulders to adjust the duffel bag and headed toward Dong Chang-ri. The sun had already set; no trace of sunset, just that eerie greenish dusk. Walking alone down the empty street felt downright desolate. Hell, it'd almost be a relief to hear a dog barking somewhere. As long as it wasn't one of those monster beasts.
"Sung-hoon, are you sure we don't need to stand by nearby? Should we head out now?"
"I'm fine. Nothing's gonna happen."
Don't come. Better to fight solo than have you guys blundering around, drawing aggro and forcing me to protect you while I fight. Can't just leave you hanging, though.
I glanced up at the sky. Night over there, dusk here. A strangely beautiful sight you only catch at this hour. It even had a poetic charm blended with the wide fields.
But I wouldn't get to enjoy the view for long.
With a leisurely pace, I left the city behind, heading north and uphill. Before I knew it, night had fallen. Through the earbud came voices: It's fine. Nothing's happening. Don't worry. It's just taking longer than expected... Sounded like one of the Special Forces guys had a new girlfriend. I chuckled to myself as I walked, and soon houses came into view.
Single-family homes ringed by stone walls, scattered sparsely across the neighborhood. Streetlights, if you could call them that, were few and far between, barely illuminating the ground. Just your typical rural village.
...No wonder people were so scared. With houses this spread out, you couldn't help your neighbor even if something happened—and you might not even know it did.
Plenty of households here, though. The village was big enough, even if the houses were dotted around. Maybe that's why so many survived. Dense areas got wiped out in seconds—underground passages, marts, places like that.
I crossed the village slowly. The riverbank was visible in the distance.
...Something squirming over there. Like a swarm of earthworms...
I narrowed my eyes and peered at the river.
...Not earthworms.
Human beasts crawling up from the river onto the bank.
They didn't drown in water, but it sure slowed them down. The human beasts were hauling themselves out toward this side and across the river, flopping around like floundering fish, arms flapping uselessly. Water definitely debuffed their mobility big time.
"......"
I placed a hand on my sword hilt and kept walking slowly.
...Bow's better here.
Arrows regenerated, overflowing the quiver even. I'd brought thirty-five; with regenerations, nearly seventy now. If it copied one per minute, people would've noticed, but at three per hour, a stray arrow tumbling out just seemed like a mishap.
Items duplicating? Unthinkable. People rationalize weird shit within their logical comfort zone anyway.
Still, it'd get found out eventually. That I had special powers. The mart crew and Special Forces like Seong Ga-yeon already suspected.
I drew the bow from its case.
Whoosh.
Then unzipped the duffel bag slung over my shoulder. Couldn't bring my usual Adidas bag this trip—mission was weapons haul, so everyone packed massive 1.3-meter duffels for max capacity. Perfect for stashing meter-long arrows.
I pulled out Ingram mags from the bag and slotted one into each pouch on the leather thigh strap. Su-hyeon had rigged those pouches after I scored the Ingrams. Same with the lifting belt—couldn't imagine hauling all this gear without her.
Gotta give her a big hug when I get back.
Mags loaded, I drew an arrow from the waist quiver.
Click.
The wooden shafts clacked faintly. I nocked it, let my arms hang loose, and scanned ahead.
Squirming human beasts climbing ashore.
...Snipe now?
...Nah. Wait a bit.
Human beasts? I could kill them anytime.
"Sung-hoon? Your breathing slowed. Where are you now?"
Seong Ga-yeon. I murmured low.
"About fifty meters from the riverbank."
"Beasts showed up?"
Her voice tensed slightly. I shook my head.
"Not yet. But the ones that fell in the water are crawling back out."
Muffled whispers from the guys. Too quiet to make out.
Seong Ga-yeon spoke up.
"Say the word if anything happens. We'll deploy right away."
I shook my head. No need.
"...Got it."
Then, a sound. Shoo, shoo?
I turned. A window in the master bedroom of the nearby house. An old man poking his head out, shooing me.
Our eyes met.
"Hey, kid. What're you doing out there? Dangerous. Beasts are coming. I'll open the door—get in here quick!"
Nice old man. Kinda hard to hear him whispering like that.
I flashed a small smile.
"Thanks. I'm good."
Grrrrowl—
Spoke a bit louder than usual—maybe too loud. The human beasts heard. That familiar snarling bark. They reacted to my voice.
I nodded at the old man.
"Close the window, draw the curtains. Stay quiet."
"Kid, don't do that. Come on in."
Hm. Nice, but annoying.
Whatever—he'd handle the window. I turned back to the distance.
Human beasts rising slowly from the bank.
Grarl—
Grrrowl—
Mixed in with their noises—something else.
Ruuuuumble—
Like a bass singer holding a long note. Echoing from deep in the mountains, far off.
I looked up, peering into the distance. Mountains beyond the river. Massive shadows swallowed by the night.
There.
Rumble rumble!
The air shivered. I whipped around. Across the river, past another house—something black engulfed the human beasts on the bank.
Crunch, crack, squelch!
It devoured the clumsy human beasts fresh from the water. Too dark to see clearly—just a shadow. But four legs. And a long tail.
...Big.
Human beasts nearby gave scale. About the size of a one-ton truck.
The thing chewing through them lifted its head, jaws gaping.
Ruuuuumble!
Air quivered again.
What the hell is that sound? Familiar from somewhere...
I raised the nocked bow slowly, aiming at it, teeth gritted unconsciously. Tense, huh. Felt like apocalypse day one.
"Hoo."
I steadied my breath and drew the string.
Shiiiing—
A transparent circle appeared. The massive beast locked in it glowed red.
It snapped its head around. In the dark, its eyes gleamed like fireflies.
Release—!
Gone.
...Fast!
Where? Shit, should've Acceleration-shot it.
I scanned left and right. Nothing.
Then, air shivered behind me.
Ruuuuumble!
Spine chilled. I spun instinctively.
On the house roof—a huge silhouette.
It shattered the tiles and leaped. Expanding rapidly!
Ruuuuumble!
Acceleration!
[Auto-cast: Acceleration]
The breeze turned to slow, jelly-like air. I drew and aimed instantly. It glowed red.
That's when I realized.
This is... a black cat.
Fur patchy, slit pupils veined like scratches, jaws torn open to the throat. But definitely a cat.
A truck-sized cat...!
I released.
Twang.
Dropped to one knee, grabbed an arrow from the duffel, nocked, fired.
Twang, twang, twang, twang, twang!
Acceleration round two. It's closing in. Dodge!
I clutched the duffel and hurled myself sideways. Acceleration ended. Monster cat swiped with a forepaw. Seven or eight arrows slammed into its eyes, jaws, head like a hailstorm.
Thud thud thud thud!
"KRAAOOOOWWW!"
The monster cat crashed down, cratering the earth, smashing a stone wall. Thunderous collapse. Faint scream from inside the house—someone home?
"Hoo, haa."
Damn, that rumbling earlier. Cats purring on steroids. Thought it was a helicopter rotor, but no—fucking monster.
Kneeling, I eyed the rubble. Arrows buried in its skull—it had to be...
Fizzle, crumble.
Debris shifted.
Grrrumble—
Ruuuumble—
It lifted its head slowly.
"Sung-hoon? What happened? What's that noise?"
...Arrows in the skull and it's not dead?
I burst out laughing in disbelief.
"...A cat."
"...Pardon?"