Chapter 1
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Chick...?
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Chick...?
[Balance: 3,480 won]
The number on the ATM screen stood out with unnatural clarity.
I pressed the buttons two, three times just to check again.
Maybe a zero had been omitted at the end or something.
But reality was kind enough to be precise.
Brutally so: 3,480 won.
Not enough for a single chicken, let alone delivery fees.
This was the current net worth of Kang Han-gyeol, a 26-year-old job hunter scraping by in Sinlim-dong's goshiwon village in Gwanak-gu, Seoul.
"Ha..."
A long sigh escaped me.
The ATM booth was warm, but a chill was definitely creeping down my spine.
My convenience store night shift pay wouldn't hit for another three days.
Three cups of ramen per day should do it...
I pocketed my card and headed back to my goshiwon. The humid winter air unique to Sinlim-dong filled my lungs deeply.
Academy flyers piled up along the streets, and chicken joint grease scents wafted over.
That greasy aroma held at least 10,000 won worth of happiness.
And something that looked even more expensive than that happiness was waiting in my room right now.
A red egg, half-covered by my blanket on top of the electric blanket.
At first, I'd thought it was a pretty decorative stone.
Three days ago, when I spotted it on a trail around Gwanak Mountain, that's what it seemed like.
When stress builds up, I go for a walk in the mountains.
No money, but the air's free.
I saw a red object gleaming oddly among the fallen leaves.
Luster.
Smoothness.
And... warmth.
"Huh?"
When I touched it out of curiosity, there was definite heat.
Too strange to blame on sunlight.
The sky had been overcast that day.
Once I brought it home and cleaned it, it got even weirder.
Smaller than an ostrich egg, but way bigger than a chicken egg.
Bright red color.
Perfectly even, like it had been painted.
I frantically searched "big red egg," "rare bird egg," "price of egg found in mountains," my breaths growing shorter.
Rare bird eggs had illegal trade rumors, but collectors apparently paid millions.
True or not, source unclear.
But that didn't matter.
In that moment, this egg wasn't a lifeform—it was opportunity.
"Please... eagle. Or hawk. Owl's fine too. Even barn owl. Just not a chicken."
I was dead serious.
I cranked the electric blanket to "high," draped a blanket over it, searched YouTube for "egg incubation temperature," and built my own makeshift incubator.
A few-hundred-won hope sitting smack in the middle of my two-pyeong goshiwon room.
The problem? I had to sleep right next to it.
My back burned, my waist soaked in sweat.
It stung like low-degree burns, but for money, shedding some skin was fine.
"Just hatch... please."
On the third night.
Crack.
At first, I thought it was my imagination.
A subtle cracking sound, like ramen boiling.
Again.
Crack.
I held my breath.
A hairline fracture appeared on the red shell, spiderwebbing out.
My heart felt like it was splitting along with it.
"Whoa..."
My mouth went dry.
I wanted to reach out but held back.
Didn't want to ruin a million-won beak by touching it.
Thud.
A shell fragment fell off.
I swallowed hard.
Waiting for that sharp, fierce raptor beak to emerge.
And then.
"Peep."
...Yellow fluff appeared.
My brain refused to process it for a second.
Yellow.
Round eyes.
Soft little beak.
Anybody could see it was a chick.
The exact kind sold for 500 won a box in front of elementary schools.
The fragile ones that wilted after a day or two.
"...Hey."
"Peep?"
"Why are you a chicken?"
The chick tilted its head.
"What was that big eggshell? False advertising? Nitrogen-packed? Scam?"
I laughed in empty defeat.
Not even sure if it was a native breed.
It shook off its damp fluff, wobbled to its feet.
Stumbled a few steps, then flopped right onto my palm.
Its tiny body touched me.
...Hot.
Not just warm.
Unnaturally feverish.
"Huh?"
I instinctively pulled my hand away, then carefully cupped it again.
The chick blinked nonchalantly.
"Ha... fine. You hatched wanting to live, what can I do."
I'd already grown attached.
Slept next to it for three days.
Basically roommates.
"Your name... Fry."
To remind myself not to forget its fate.
A line drawn in case I got too fond.
Fry dozed off, pecking at my palm.
But the issue was, this guy was pickier than expected.
Knocked rice grains away with its foot.
Pecked at water, then tipped the whole dish.
"Peep! Peep!"
"...What."
"Peep! Peep!"
A subtly pissy tone.
I just stared down at Fry.
"Pek! Pek!"
'Tastes bad! Gimme meat!!'
...Or so it seemed. Probably just my imagination.
That night.
My stomach growled.
I threw on my puffer jacket to grab at least some ramen.
Fry, unfazed by the cold, burrowed right into my jacket pocket and settled in.
"You wanna go for a walk too? Alright, let's go."
Sinlim-dong alleys at 2 a.m. were dead quiet.
Streetlights flickered sparsely; trash bags piled under poles.
That's when I turned into the narrow shortcut to the convenience store.
Vrrr...
The air suddenly grew heavy.
An unsettling silence.
This was "quiet as the grave."
Normally, stray cats fighting or drunks yelling, but tonight? Nothing.
Zzzzt.
Fry trembled faintly in my pocket.
"What's wrong? Cold?"
As I reached in to pet it, it chomped my finger hard.
"Ow, why!"
I yanked my hand out.
And felt something off.
Rough breathing from the thick shadows under the pole ahead.
[...Grrr...]
A dog?
Stray large breed?
My breath caught in my throat.
2 a.m. in a Sinlim-dong alley—this wasn't normal.
"Hey? Anyone there?"
My voice came out smaller than expected.
No reply.
Trembling hands fumbled my phone flashlight on.
White beam sliced through the dark.
The instant it hit...
I forgot how to breathe.
"...Gasp."
Not a dog.
Not black fur— a lump of glossy, oil-slick darkness.
Size of a van, low and wide body.
And four eyes.
Two pairs side by side.
Each swiveling independently, scanning me.
Mouth torn too wide, fangs jutting past lower jaw.
Drool sizzling on asphalt wherever it hit.
Sizzle.
Melting.
"Zoo...? Bear...?"
Mumbling nonsense.
Bears don't look like that.
That was less creature, more botched creation.
[Meat... smell...]
A voice echoed—not in ears, in my head. Low, sticky.
I froze solid.
Hallucination.
Hunger.
Three days of ramen fried my brain.
But its four eyes gleamed, narrowing at me in unison.
Instinct screamed.
Run.
"Uwaaaah!"
I bolted without looking back.
No athletic genes, but that moment? Olympic sprinter.
Heart pounding like it'd smash ribs and burst out.
Bam!
Flash before my eyes.
Massive impact; black shadow blocked my path.
It had leaped.
Claws shredded asphalt like tofu.
Debris grazed my calf.
I collapsed.
Legs wouldn't obey.
[Wanna eat... soft... meat...]
It tilted its head.
Four eyes angled differently at me.
Mouth slowly opened.
Rotted sewer, blood, burning rubber stench assaulted me.
Nausea surged.
'Ah.'
This is it.
Life flashed: back rent, card debt, 3,480 won balance.
And the warm weight in my pocket.
Fry.
'Sorry.'
I clutched my pocket instinctively, curling up.
At least keep this little life from instant chomping.
Gigantic shadow loomed overhead.
Front paw descending.
Air compressed.
That instant—
"Piiiiiiiiiiiipeeeeek!!!"
Eardrum-shattering screech.
Pocket blazed like the sun.
"Hot, hot!"
Belly burned like fire coal.
I yanked the zipper down reflexively.
Flash.
Yellow blob shot out.
Fry.
Its palm-sized body swelled with light.
No more fluff—golden flames flickered.
It rocketed straight at the monster's snout without hesitation.
Tiny.
Too tiny.
A fly before that beast.
But its eyes.
Those bean-sized pupils held no fear.
Rage, even.
Fwoosh!
Tiny beak parted.
Candle-flame speck shot out.
I thought, absurdly hopeless.
'With that...?'
The ember wobbled midair, touched the monster's nose tip.
That instant.
KABOOOOOM!!!
Red flames engulfed its face, turning golden in a blink.
Heat stormed like a gale.
I tumbled across the ground.
Smell of singed hair.
[Kieeeek!!!]
Monster shrieked—not beastly, metal tearing.
Black fur scattered as ash.
Flesh melted.
Four eyes popped one by one.
10 seconds.
Less, maybe.
The massive bulk swayed, collapsed.
Whoosh.
Just a pile of black ash left.
Alley silent again.
I sat there butt-planted, panting.
"Wh... what...?"
Couldn't comprehend.
My chick.
The one that just hatched.
Incinerated a house-sized monster.
A small shadow emerged from the smoke.
Waddle.
Waddle.
Ash-covered feet brought Fry to me.
Golden embers still danced on its body.
It hopped onto my knee.
Looked up.
Hot snuffle hit me.
"Pek."
Short, proud chirp.
Speechless.
I poked it with a finger.
Warm.
No—
Hot.
"...You."
Throat parched.
"...What the hell are you?"
Fry tilted its head.
For a split second—
Its eyes flashed red.
That moment.
Someone dropped from the shadows.
No—from a 2-story villa rooftop.
"Don't move."
Chilling voice. I looked up—a woman stood there.
Black slacks, long coat, hand on... real sword? A gleaming blue longsword.
'Cosplay? No, that blade looks real.'
She ignored me.
Gaze fixed on the black ash pile and the chick on my knee.
Her eyes wavered.
"...This aura."
She sheathed her sword and approached.
Her menace silenced me like honey-muzzled.
"You."
She leaned in close, like grabbing my collar.
"That fire just now—you produce it?"
"Huh? N-no! I don't even have a lighter!"
I waved frantically. If she pegged me as arsonist, disaster.
"Then what's this?"
She nodded at Fry on my knee.
"Oh, this guy's... my chicken. A chick."
"...Chicken?"
Her brow twitched.
She glared at Fry long, then at the ash, muttering.
"Low-grade yokai traces... complete annihilation by fire. No way a chicken spat flames."
She scanned me top to bottom, X-ray sharp.
"ID, please."
"Huh? Why on first meet..."
She flashed something from her coat.
Police badge?
No, gold, different design.
"Seo Hwa-rin, National Security Agency. Verifying identity for unauthorized entry into special disaster zone and hazardous materials violation."
National Security Agency?
Special disaster?
No clue what any meant.
But her aura crushed me; I meekly handed over my resident card.
She checked it against a call somewhere.
"Yes, HQ. Sinlim-dong Sector C. Civilian found. Yes. Name: Kang Han-gyeol. Registered Awakened? ...No? Certain?"
Suspicious glare as she continued.
"Roger. Fire's contained. Cause... unknown. Process as spontaneous from gas leak."
Hung up, returned my ID.
"Lucky you, Mr. Kang Han-gyeol."
"Huh? That monster earlier..."
"Monster? Gas pipe burst here—hallucination gas. Toxins make you see things."
Lie.
Brazen-faced lie.
But no rebuttal possible.
"My chick breathed fire" would just get me labeled nuts.
"Head home. And forgetting tonight's best for your health."
She slapped a yellow paper on my chest.
[Minor Offenses Act Violation - Fine: 70,000 won]
"No, wait! I came in startled by the monster... er, gas explosion!"
"Go. Unless you want worse."
She shooed me like unwanted guest.
I bit my lip, pocketed Fry.
Unfair. Nearly monster chow, now 70k lighter.
'Stepped in shit, for real.'
I grumbled showily as I hurried off.
But my heart raced wild.
Fry warmed my hand from the pocket.
I saw it clear.
This guy spat fire and torched that monster.
'My chick... is no ordinary chick.'