Monster Zoo # 4
Monster Zoo # 4
"It's no good. There's no way to open it."
Leona, who'd been inspecting the bulkhead, delivered that conclusion.
"For real? Leona, even someone at your level can't do anything?"
"I'm a superhuman, but I can't break that thing. It's a defensive bulkhead built for exactly this purpose. You think you can just smash it?"
"Not even with Archangel power?"
"Not Archangel—Archangel's grandpa could show up and still couldn't do it."
Leona folded her arms, sounding utterly incredulous.
"It is pretty thick."
The wall definitely looked thick. You could tell at a glance it was made out of some kind of reinforced alloy. The thickness alone had to be dozens of centimeters. Breaking something like this would probably require actual specialized equipment.
Sure, we're superhumans, but we're not even active-duty Heroes yet.
No way we're breaking this.
"Amazing. The idea that something is impossible for Leona."
"What am I, Superman?!"
Is there even a Superman in this world?
"Aren't you Supermom?"
"Don't say weird shit. Mom, my ass."
"Anyway. What if we combine the power of our friendship into one?"
"Geun-cheol. Out of the four of us, one is defective, so combining the power of friendship would be pointless."
Si-hoo's sharp jab!
"Gah! So I'm the one dragging us down!"
Anyway, the door wasn't opening. While I was mulling that over, Yu-ri stretched and spoke up.
"Hey, hey. Why break anything? We can just stay put right here. Ungh."
Stay put, huh.
"Gate or whatever, the instructor's gonna handle all of it, right? We just have to wait."
She wasn't wrong.
"Yeah. Staying calm and staying inside here is probably best right now. If the emergency bell went off, a gate really did open, but it's outside."
Leona nodded in agreement with Yu-ri.
"Looking at this facility's defensive strength, we're safer than the people who went outside. Think of it like we walked into a bunker. We can stay safe in here."
—Knock knock.
Leona rapped her knuckles against the bulkhead.
"See? Do you think any monster could break through a wall like this—one we can't even break ourselves? Standard major government facilities like this don't even flinch against D-rank or lower monster attacks. They can withstand C-rank monsters to some degree, too."
"Whoa. Really? How do you even know that?"
"Heh-heh, this is basic knowledge. Kim Geun-cheol, you should study this kind of information, too."
"I will!"
It really was necessary knowledge. Being next to Leona really does increase your knowledge. When I shot her that kind of look, Leona brushed her index finger under her nose like she'd just accomplished something.
"Heroes come running the moment something blows up anyway. So let's just wait here."
"Let's."
Right now, this place is the first-floor zoo.
A space with restrained monsters caged in on either side. Except the monsters all seemed to be asleep right now. The moment the bulkhead came down, they'd gone completely limp, like some drug had been injected.
Probably part of the security system. A system that immediately sedates the monsters in an emergency to prevent accidents.
"Hmm... I would've preferred to fight, honestly. Waiting here doesn't suit me."
Si-hoo rubbed his chin and said that.
"Oh man. That's our Si-hoo. Total battle junkie."
"I am not a battle junkie!"
"Well, he's got a point. Fighting outside would've been better than waiting inside, yeah?"
Yu-ri said that, too—she probably wanted to fight as well.
"True. Doing something is better than just sitting still. But we've got no choice but to wait. Kim Geun-cheol, come here, quick. We've got to use this time to study, so we can prevent the unfortunate incident that is you flunking out."
What?! Studying!
"Aagh! Si-hoo! Save me!"
"Wha—!"
I immediately ducked behind Si-hoo, grabbed his waist, and yelled!
"Ack—! No! Geun-cheol! Stop it!"
"Please! If Leona catches me, I have to study...!"
"Hyaaaah...! Geun-cheol! That tickles, I said!"
"Gwack!"
—Wham!
The moment Si-hoo exerted his strength, I went flying like a volleyball!
"Honestly! If you don't want to study, I'll just have to force you!"
—Snatch!
Leona grabbed me!
"This can't be!"
"Did you think you could escape me?! I was originally planning to make you study history or social studies, but forget it! We're doing English!"
My worst subject!
"Why English, of all things?!"
But then a thought suddenly hit me. The main quest had activated—was it really okay to be goofing off here?
Hmm.
Going by the patterns so far, even if someone else achieves the objective, the quest should still complete. So... I mean... we're students, right? We just wait here quietly, and it'll be fine.
The moment I thought that.
—Ding.
[Additional Quest generated]
[Monsterkin plan to use short-range warp to seize a target within the facility]
[Stop them]
What—!
Short-range warp?! Wait, does that mean they could come from outside the building to the inside?!
"Hurry up. Sit down. We're starting English studies."
This is not the time for peaceful secret tutoring with Leona!
"Hold on! Leona!"
"You dare resist my class?"
"No! It's not resisting!"
—Whpash!
My eyes shot straight to the place where the Antillery monsterkin was locked up. The bastard was sedated and completely limp, same as the others. That was the only monsterkin in here.
Were they planning to come rescue that guy?
None of the other monsters stood out. As far as I could see, the probability was high they were coming to bust this bastard out...!
"Hey, Kim Geun-cheol. Give up and study English already."
"Yeah, Geun-cheol. Just shove some English vocab into that head."
Yu-ri and Si-hoo were laughing and teasing me.
But this isn't the time! If it's a short-range warp, a gate is going to appear somewhere! I've got to find it fast!
—Bzzzzz!
No sooner did I think it than I spotted the gate!
"No—! No, no! Guys! Over there! That! It's a gate! Gate incoming!"
The moment I yelled.
"Huh? What did you— a gate... What—! It's real!"
"What the—! Why's a gate appearing here!"
"Geun-cheol! Get behind me, now!"
My friends reacted fast. The three of them yanked out their swords, kicked off the ground, and charged straight at the gate!
"Yo, fuck! Waste the bastards the second they come out!"
"Got it! Kim Geun-cheol, you cover the rear!"
"On it!"
They really are all capable fighters. Reacting that fast the instant a gate appeared.
—Shwing!
I drew my sword and went on alert, too. The three of them would handle the gate up front. I just had to watch for other gates!
"Hraaaaap!"
"Kill them!"
Battle cries rang out.
"P-ch-ch-cht!"
"P-hraaaaaahk!"
E-rank monsterkin.
Antillery were coming through the gate. Their heads were a full size bigger than the one locked up over there, and they were carrying swords that looked like they'd been made by grinding down carapace.
—Shwack!
Leona cut down a monster the moment it emerged. Even so, the Antillery didn't flinch—they kept throwing numbers forward, forcing their way out...!
"Yo, fuck! They're pushing us! Maintain spacing and fall back!"
"Right!"
"Ngh...! There's more than I thought!"
—Step.
The three of them pulled back slightly, letting some of the sword-wielding Antillery soldiers through.
"P-ch-ch-cht!"
"P-rrrrrr-cht!"
The ones who got through let out roars and swung their swords. Individually, their skill level wasn't anything special, though.
"Hyap!"
—Schlack!
Leona, sword aura blazing, cleaved through them easily, and Si-hoo and Yu-ri were slicing them down just the same. Bodies were piling up. But if there were too many of them, they might get overwhelmed.
That moment.
"Shit!"
—Bzzzzz!
Another gate appeared behind us...!
"Hey! Guys! One showed up over here, too!"
"Dammit!"
I reported it immediately and sprinted toward the gate. No way I could just stand around! I'll hold them off as much as I can!
"P-ch-cht!"
But this time, what came through was a small Antillery—around the same size as the one locked up. Now that I thought about it, I'd read it earlier. Antillery are classified into soldier and worker castes.
So the ones fighting my friends over there are soldiers, and this one's a worker?
Thinking that.
"Die!"
—Shweeeek!
I swung my mana-enchanted sword!
—Skeck!
"P-shyaaaaahk!"
My sword split the Antillery beautifully. The blade drove into its shoulder and cleaved the bastard clean in two. At the same time, green mucus splattered on me, and a notification chime sounded.
[Coins acquired: 23]
It's giving coins—so these things are weak as shit?
—Bzzz.
Another one came through. I eyed it, then swung my sword again.
"P-ch-cht!"
"These bastards are weak as shit!"
Only workers were coming through this passage!
They're shorter than me, and they don't even have weapons. If I just keep swinging, I can hold them off to some degree. They're exactly the kind of opponent I can handle at my level.
But.
"God-fucking-dammit! There are too many!"
"Fuck...! There's a shit-ton! They just keep coming with no end!"
"Geun-cheol! You okay over there!"
The number of monsters coming through seemed enormous. Dozens of Antillery corpses were piled up, but soldiers were still pouring through...!
So goddamn many, seriously!
But right now, there wasn't anything else I could do. Just kill the monsterkin right in front of me!
"Yeah! I'll call out if it gets dangerous!"
"Okay...! Hyap!"
Si-hoo answered and split another one's head open. No matter how well you fight, if your stamina drops, it'll be dangerous.
That moment.
"What—!"
Leona shouted.
—Boom!
She was pushed back slightly, like she'd collided with something.
—Clank.
And from inside the forward gate, a figure walked out—a head taller than the Soldier Antillery that had been getting absolutely massacred moments ago.
And not just one.
—Boom!
"P-rrrrrrrt!"
"P-ch-cht!"
Three of them burst out!
"Yo, fuck! Aren't these the bosses!"
"Antillery Guardians! These ones are tough!"
No more soldiers were coming out. Right. They shoved all their soldiers in first, and now the commanders show up at the end!
"P-cht!"
—Thwack!
I kicked a lunging worker in the gut, then drove my sword into its head. Only workers were coming out on this side. I could handle them on my own.
But the Guardians...!
"P-ch-ch-ch-ch-cht!"
—Boom-boom-boom!
The Guardians roared and charged.
"Hey! Lee Si-hoo! Leona! Take one each!"
"Got it! You be careful too, Geun-cheol!"
"Right! Woo Yu-ri! Be careful!"
The three friends reignited their fighting spirit.
Then I'll do the same!
"Ant motherfuckers!"
Breathing as hard as I could to calm my bursting lungs, I thrust my sword at the wave of workers spilling out!