The Predator in Fairy Guise
“Let me introduce myself first. I’m Lee Gayeon, guild master of Neverending.”
“Yeah, hi.”
“At first, hearing you fell from another world sounded ridiculous, but now that I think about it, it’s starting to make sense.”
Lee Gayeon gazed at the peculiar aura emanating from Seoya, her fairy-like appearance straight out of some other realm, and spoke. If this girl were the same species as her, that would be the real shock. A human from another world? If anything, it was a relief.
“Baek Yena said your wounds are all healed, but is that blood on you really okay?”
“Yeah, I’ve got great regeneration.”
A recovery rate unimaginable for any Earthling. Lee Gayeon was starting to truly feel that the girl before her had come from another world.
“What world are you from?”
“Hmm, if I say the planet’s name... Toda?”
“And how do you speak our language?”
“It’s my innate trait magic.”
“To think I’m buying this nonsense... Ha, how’d you end up in this world?”
“That’s a long story.”
No matter how thoughtless Seoya was, even she couldn’t just blurt out, “I got exiled because I was so ridiculously strong I could dominate an entire world and they said I was too dangerous.”
“This is driving me insane.”
Lee Gayeon finally clutched the back of her neck. She’d planned to handle the monster wave that popped up downtown, pick up her guildmate roommate, and head home. Describe the feeling when that roommate brought back a girl who “fell from another world.” (10 points out of 10.)
And the worst part? It all sounded genuine, and she could even understand why Baek Yena had picked her up. How could you not help her? You’d have to be a demon.
But even so, there were issues that couldn’t be ignored.
“Yena, don’t you think we should report this anyway?”
“Ugh, that’s such a hassle~.”
“More dangerous things from other worlds might come pouring in.”
“What are you talking about? Does she look dangerous to you, Captain?”
Lee Gayeon stared hard at Seoya’s innocent face before turning away.
“Not saying she’s dangerous, but other dangerous things. We have to stick to protocol. I’m reporting to the government, no question.”
“Hold on!”
Baek Yena glanced at Seoya, then whispered into Lee Gayeon’s ear. As if Seoya couldn’t hear, of course.
“Look at how fast her wounds healed. Even world rank one couldn’t pull that off.”
“True, I’ve never seen healing like that.”
“So if word gets out she has that kind of power, what do you think happens? I can already picture the chaos.”
“Rules are rules.”
Seoya, who’d been quietly listening, turned her head to the window like she didn’t care. Everything in this world was so novel and fascinating. Towering buildings, tiny cars, lights everywhere...
“Huh?”
B-rank Monster Wave‘test_test_392’ occurring 07:49
And far in the distance, a massive, semi-transparent window floating in the sky. At that range, no Earthling eyes could make out the text clearly—but Seoya’s could. The numbers ticking down on the window, so out of place amid the scenery: 48, 47...
“Unnie, you see that window up there?”
“What window?”
“It says a monster wave’s about to start.”
“What are you talking about?”
Baek Yena replied in the gentlest tone possible, clearly thinking Seoya was mistaken. She acted like she couldn’t see the window at all. But earlier, Baek Yena had said she couldn’t see other people’s systems—yet Seoya could see Baek Yena’s.
And my gut’s been off since a bit ago.
Seoya’s instincts were never wrong.
“...Monster wave means it’s dangerous, right?”
“Obviously. You saw those monsters earlier. Like that giant bear thing.”
“Hmm, you really can’t see that window?”
“What window?”
In the end, Seoya decided to act. That steering wheel Lee Gayeon had been holding looked intriguing anyway.
“That handle thing—if I turn it right, does the car go right?”
“What? Yeah, but why all of a sudden?”
Seoya had already half-climbed into the front seat. She whispered to the baffled Lee Gayeon.
“Unnie, trust me just this once.”
“What?”
Seoya yanked the steering wheel to the right. The moment control passed to her hands, Lee Gayeon and Baek Yena freaked out.
“Hey, hey! What are you doing?!”
“Aaah! Baby, it’s dangerous—let go!”
Seoya ignored them and shouted. She could see it, after all!
“The monster wave’s about to burst!”
Lee Gayeon snapped to her senses, slammed the brakes, and was about to scold Seoya when she saw it too.
“...Monster wave.”
Far off in the sky, a gate shimmering with blue light was forming, rippling into existence.
“No way, this can’t be real?! We closed one nearby less than an hour ago? The world’s finally gone mad.”
Baek Yena scowled, the monster blood still fresh on her leather jacket.
Seoya, listening to them, stared fixedly at the thing called a “gate.”
It looks creepy.
The gate churned like it was about to vomit something out any second. Lee Gayeon frantically pulled out her phone to call for backup, while Baek Yena herded the panicked, fleeing crowds in one direction.
“Baek Yena, we hold out until hunter support arrives. The ones who cleared the last wave can’t be far—they’ll get the call and rush over.”
Lee Gayeon issued calm orders, then glanced at Seoya, still in the car.
“Don’t get out of the car. Stay inside and wait.”
“No, Captain. We don’t even know how bad this is—leaving the baby here?”
“You think she won’t draw suspicion running off covered in blood like that?”
Lee Gayeon pointed at Seoya, soaked in blood from her waist down. Baek Yena shut up and closed the car door.
“Better to leave her in the car and protect her while we fight.”
Watching them, a question suddenly struck Seoya.
...Dangerous? Why?
Those monsters from before hadn’t even been a warm-up. Why were they all charging out like their lives depended on it?
Are all the people in this world just that weak...?
Seoya pondered, then flung open the car door.
“Unnie, want me to take them out?”
“What?”
Baek Yena’s jaw dropped, doubting her own ears.
“What did I just hear?”
“Those monsters looked weak. I could wipe them all out clean in one go.”
“...Don’t talk nonsense.”
Lee Gayeon shoved Seoya back into the car.
Why won’t they listen when I’m offering to help?
Seoya shot Baek Yena a hopeful look.
Maybe she’ll listen?
But Baek Yena crushed that hope.
“...Baby, stay inside.”
Slam.
Seoya stared blankly at the closed door, then had an epiphany. Oh right—she’d forgotten to mention she was strong!
“Unnie, wait! I’m super strong! Like, really strong!”
“Got it! Just stay in there, please!”
Ignoring Seoya’s frustration, Baek Yena and Lee Gayeon shook their heads and focused on the gate. It pulsed. Writhed violently. And then...
“It’s starting.”
The gate began spewing monsters like vomit. They shoved and trampled each other to escape, nearly a hundred strong. The ground shook with thunderous booms as they charged.
“Damn it! Captain, what kind are those?!”
Baek Yena yelled over the roar.
“Wait, I need them closer to tell.”
Meanwhile, fleeing civilians turned at the noise, locked eyes with the monsters, and began screaming in agony.
“Aaaah! I’m gonna die!”
“Don’t kill me! No, just tear me apart quick...”
The first signs of mental breakdown. High-rank monsters that eroded human willpower.
“B-rank monsters. Red Water Buffalo.”
Lee Gayeon muttered, squinting to make out the details. Red Water Buffalo weren’t red. They were just ordinary water buffalo. But no one questioned the name.
Because...
Red Water Buffalo traveled in herds with their bellies split open. They looked mortally wounded yet walked fine. Everywhere they passed was dyed red.
“Captain, how much mental drain do they do?”
“About 4 per one!”
“Shit!”
Baek Yena spat, realizing two against a hundred was impossible. Killing them all would sap 400 mental points—and hunters with over 100 were rare.
“Whew, Captain. I’ll take the front ones first. About thirty.”
Steel resolve not to retreat. They exchanged a glance. Even if it was hopeless, they were the type who never gave up.
Oh, right.
She’d forgotten to warn Seoya not to look at the monsters.
She should’ve sensed the mental collapse and looked away on her own...
Pausing her skill to call out, Baek Yena felt something off.
...The shaking stopped?
She looked up. The bizarre sight before her left her baffled; she glanced at Lee Gayeon.
“...What the hell.”
The Red Water Buffalo were backing away. The front herd halted, then slowly retreated. Those behind jostled as the leaders reversed, but soon they too withdrew. They backed up without fully turning, like wary animals.
They’re definitely scared of something...
Instinctively, Baek Yena and Lee Gayeon turned.
Ah.
In the shadows, a pair of piercing yellow eyes glowed chillingly. A small face. Snow-white skin. Cheeks flushed from the cold. Delicate features. She looked just like a child fairy.
Harmless impression.
But those eyes said it clearly.
What stood there was a single predator.