Chapter 23
Snap out of it! As long as people have made it into the safe zones, they'll be fine. With the Qi-blocking barrier working properly, monsters won't be able to harm them even if they try. It's the law of this world. We just need to make sure the crisis doesn't drag on too long so no one stays cooped up in the shelters forever. If we can deal with the Gates somehow, rescuing everyone is totally doable.
The real problem? Not all civilians made it to the shelters. If the shelters were intact, it wouldn't be an issue—just shove any civilians we find straight into one. But now that ours has sunk into the ground, protecting them falls entirely on us heroes and Academy cadets.
"Maybe only our shelter sank, and the others are fine?" Ayumi spun a hopeful little fantasy, but I didn't buy it. By now, I'd bet every shelter had plummeted into the earth. Hell, we might actually be better off since we at least evacuated all our civilians first.
"Let's check it out for now." I didn't bother shooting down her optimism and just started moving. Our goals were simple: first, link up with any heroes we could find. Second, protect any civilians along the way.
Seemed straightforward enough, but inside a Gate—basically a warzone—it should've been no easy task.
Or at least, that's how it was supposed to be.
I held back the urge to ask, 'These monsters are ridiculously weak? Is this normal?' According to the setting, I was the veteran here, so blurting that out would just raise suspicions. Instead, I said, "Have the monsters gotten this weak?"
With the chains of civilian protection off, I was flying. Pups charging in without a clue about fearing tigers? One slash, and they were bisected. This wasn't some life-or-death battlefield—it felt more like a lame VR arcade.
Was it always this easy?
"...You're really a freshman? I knew you were a veteran, but... even so, your first formal Academy training was just this year."
The third-year senior muttered in a deflated voice, like she was questioning what her three years of effort had even been for. Hey, don't sweat it. It's just 'cause I'm such a genius. You're not untalented or anything.
"But yeah, the monsters really are weak. Even compared to the mock battle ones Instructor Sonya made last time, they're nothing special."
"...Huh. Yeah, they're a bit weak. Not dissing your skills or anything, but even compared to the ones I usually fight, their total Qi output is lower."
The senior racked her brain wondering why, then gave an answer that was optimistic at best. "Stuff like this happens, right? Sometimes enemies are stronger than usual, sometimes weaker."
Fair enough for a cadet. And it wasn't exactly wrong. But I had my suspicions about who—or what—was behind this.
They're either luring us into complacency... or conserving strength. Or both.
Either way, no immediate counter for now, so high alert it was.
"Save me!! Please, save me, heroes!"
Right then, a desperate shout from a man in his thirties echoed from above. From an apartment balcony, he was waving at us like a maniac.
"Over here! I was asleep and missed the evacuation! Save me! It's too scary holding out alone!"
We bolted straight up to the apartment. Naturally, I took point, Ayumi middle, senior watching our rear.
Sense Qi confirmed no monsters inside, but we stayed cautious, advancing slowly. The front door was already open, so we stepped in—and the guy in the living room charged us joyfully, only to freeze when he saw my face.
"I've been waiting! Hurry up and—Guh!?"
I used Sense Qi to check his body's Qi reserves. Not hero-level by any means, but way too much for a civilian. Maybe a bit less than our senior. And sleeping through the evacuation sirens? That blaring alarm and chaos? Suspicious as hell.
One oddity might be coincidence. Three stacked up? Red flags everywhere. This guy's one of those gutter rats.
I stepped in front of Ayumi and said to him, "We're here to help you, sir. But first, mind if we do a quick pat-down?"
"P-Pat-down?"
"Yeah, intel says gutter rats are prowling nearby. Just checking for dangerous items."
The guy lost it, screaming like he was having a fit. "What bullshit! You suspecting me!? Heroes treating innocent civilians like this!?"
He stomped around like a tantrum-throwing kid, hurling curses. Total drunk asshole vibe. We didn't flinch.
He thought bitching would get him somewhere. Nope.
"Sir, inside Gates, heroes' orders must be followed. Refuse, and we'll enforce it."
The senior backed my call. That just made him freak out more.
"Bullshit! You're just Academy cadets! Not even proper heroes yet, and you're already throwing your weight around! And you two are freshmen! Little shits who don't know respect for their elders..."
Oh, now he's going for the age card? In my old world, sure, a soldier patting down a civilian in wartime might get human rights complaints later. But not here.
This world didn't coddle rights when supernatural disasters like Gates could hit anytime. We could tie this gutter rat up and toss him—no repercussions.
Dead end for him. Better surrender the weapon and play nice. Claim he carried it for monster protection, and it'd fly.
"Tchiiit!! Hyaaah!!!"
Idiot picked the dumb option. Yanked a sashimi knife from his belt and lunged at me.
Crazy bastard. 3v1, and he charges? At me? Must've lost his mind for a measly 100 million.
Yeah, these types probably cropped up a lot—until they got themselves killed before we noticed.
I gathered Qi to guard my front. No way that knife would even nick my skin—the blade would shatter on impact.
...Or so I thought. Things went sideways fast.
"Yah!"
Before the knife touched my gut, Ayumi caved his skull in with her morning star. Spikes and all—looked brutal.
"Grk!?"
He hit the floor headfirst, writhing like a maggot before going still. Not dead, but out cold.
"...Ayumi?"
I finally called her name, lips flapping in shock. She puffed her cheeks and lectured me, blood dripping from her morning star.
"You can't do that, Hyowon! Even if you can block it easily, you can't leave openings! What if something tiny goes wrong!?"
"Uh... s-sorry."
Spot on, of course. But hearing it from Ayumi—wielding a gore-dripping morning star? Wild disconnect.
For the record, and Ayumi's honor: the blood was from a scalp gash, not a cracked skull. Minor for anyone who handled Qi.
"Ayumi's right. I get you're strong, but that carelessness will get you hurt bad someday."
The senior chimed in. No shock over the head-smashing. Watching them, it hit me.
This is the mindset of people surviving tough times?
After nearly 30 safe years in Korea, it was hard to adjust. Not that they were wrong—quite reasonable, actually. Stab-happy asshole shows up? Smash him. The casual brutality just clashed with my norms.
Especially from angelic Ayumi. Weren't heroines supposed to freak out in their first real fight, cheeks puffed in panic? National rule.
Maybe I was the naive one. Time to adapt to this world's headspace.
"Good thing you listened to Instructor Sonya. There really are people who'd kill their own for profit."
Ayumi gazed sadly at the guy she'd KO'd. I'd tipped her off, and Sonya had drilled the gutter rat threat into us freshmen: high Qi in civilians? Treat as suspect.
That's why Ayumi reacted fast. Probably saved a few other freshmen this way too.
"What do we do with this guy?"
"Leave him, and monsters eat him. Can't do that as heroes. We've disarmed him, so we gotta keep him alive."
Okay, so they do save him. Criminal or not, he's still a civilian.
"I'll carry him then. Seems like I'm the least useful in a fight anyway."
Ayumi volunteered. To piggyback the guy she bashed... complicated feelings.
"Hm... good idea. But we can't lug him forever. Might rescue more civilians, or nab other gutter rats..."
As the third-year pondered, a hopeful voice rang out.
⊳ If with civilians, bring them along.
⊳ Repeat: All Academy Cadets...