Chapter 12
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: My Precious Beef!
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My precious beef!
Literally, goblins rained down from the sky.
People around us started fleeing at the sight of those small but menacing green-skinned monsters wielding threatening daggers and clubs.
But something felt off.
I wasn't an expert on these phenomena since I'd only awakened recently, but I had looked into it a bit.
Monsters appearing outside the Tower usually slipped out through the entrance.
That's why the number of monsters that had ever shown up in the city center was so low. Even at most, a dozen or so.
So, no one had ever even heard of portals suddenly ripping open in the sky like this, with monsters pouring out.
"Isn't... there too many monsters...?"
Awakens Then Leaves Gallery furrowed her brow deeply, clearly sharing my doubts.
Why was this happening? Why were so many monsters suddenly being summoned right in the middle of the city?
Before I could dwell on those questions, a scream pierced the air from somewhere nearby.
"Kyaaaaaaaa!"
Hearing it, Awakens Then Leaves Gallery grabbed my shoulder with a grave expression.
"Eunha...!"
"Ah, y-yes! Yes!"
"Just in case, why don't you head back up to the restaurant? There are other Awakeners up there too, so it should be safer than out here."
At her words, I glanced around instinctively.
Goblins that had fallen from the sky were already starting to regain their senses here and there, staggering to their feet one by one.
Gripping their sharp daggers, they began banding together to chase after fleeing humans.
A few days ago, I definitely would have evacuated to safety just as she suggested.
After all, that's the only thing a non-Awakener could do in a situation like this—save their own skin.
But now...?
"U-um, Awakens Then Leaves Gallery...?"
"Eunha. I told you to just call me Ji-won unnie. Actually, that's not important right now. What is it?"
"I-I'm an Awakener now too. I want to help people."
I was an Awakener too.
One who had outranked even Woo Jin-seong to claim first place on the Tutorial Tower's Hall of Fame—a national powerhouse-level (prospective) Awakener!
So I couldn't just run away.
'Woo Jin-seong would've done the same.'
As my gaze hardened, Ji-won unnie hesitated, lips twitching, before reluctantly nodding.
"Fine. But don't overdo it. And don't stray too far from unnie."
"Yes...!"
"Also, since time's of the essence, unnie will handle the monsters. You focus on helping people escape."
"Got it!"
With that, Ji-won unnie rummaged in the car trunk and pulled something out.
She slipped on the black gloves I'd seen yesterday, strapped on silver shin guards that covered from ankle to calf.
And swapped her shoes for some unusual ones as a bonus.
"Huh? Those are...?"
"Oh, these are my gear. I got them in the Tower—they're the most portable stuff I carry."
You could get equipment in the Tower too, huh? As I watched curiously, she turned to me.
"Right. I haven't shown you my Awakening ability yet, have I, Eunha?"
Come to think of it, I'd never seen her fight. The most was her slicing through that Goblin King's corpse.
So I looked at her with a mix of curiosity.
"Mine's electricity. Well, technically a bit different, but close enough."
"Electricity...?"
I couldn't help but be a little surprised. Electric abilities were a cut above most others.
Incredibly versatile, with top-tier direct combat potential.
And rarer than most, since it was harder to awaken.
I'd even tried sticking chopsticks in an outlet once hoping for it—nearly died.
"Got it? So don't worry about anything else. Just guide people toward the restaurant, Eunha. You can do that, right?"
"Yeah! I can!"
I nodded, and she flashed a small smile before kicking off the ground and charging ahead.
The moment her legs moved, electricity crackled around her, zapping outward. Goblins approaching from afar started collapsing.
Fast. Strong.
From what I could tell, she wrapped her fists and legs in electricity to fight.
Unlike those in videos who blasted lightning bolts from afar, her style was brutally close-range and tough.
Goblins were still falling from the sky, but their numbers weren't overwhelming yet—no immediate worry.
Especially since every kick or punch turned them into fried goblin.
'I didn't bring Blackie or Juju, so I gotta be careful.'
While Ji-won unnie cleared nearby goblins, I started helping people evacuate.
"U-um, excuse me... H-head up to the restaurant above. It should be safe there."
"Huh? Oh, thanks, kid."
"Mhm."
Luckily, it was a weekday afternoon—streets weren't crowded.
Most people slipped into buildings during her goblin-roasting frenzy unscathed.
"Hahk, haaak. Running... haaak... all over... haaak... is... exhausting...!"
I panted, wiping sweat beading on my forehead, then glanced back at Ji-won unnie.
She fought skillfully. One straight punch—bam!—fried three or four goblins black at once.
But their numbers weren't dropping.
More kept pouring endlessly from the portal overhead.
'What do I do?'
Ji-won unnie's face twisted from afar. She couldn't handle this many alone forever.
But I couldn't help much. Without Blackie and Juju, one hit and I'd be down.
As I racked my brain, scanning around—
Thud! Three goblins plummeted from the sky, landing right in front of me—close enough to touch if I fell.
"Gob, gobbel?"
Dazed from the impact, they spotted me standing alone and drew rusty daggers.
Maybe I looked small and weak, so they targeted me first?
Ji-won unnie was off holding off dozens elsewhere, too busy to notice.
"Gobbel!"
"U-uwahh."
With Blackie, goblins seemed like nothing. Alone? Terrifying.
I gulped, backing away—
Thud.
"Eek?!"
The bag with my precious top-grade double-horned Hanwoo tenderloin steak slipped from my waistband and hit the ground.
I'd tensed my stomach without realizing, and it popped out.
Worse, it landed right in front of the goblins.
One drooled, approaching, then sniffed and eyed the hygienic bag.
"Gob?"
"N-No!"
As it snorted closer, grubby hand reaching for my treasure—a flood of thoughts hit me.
That cost a fortune! I brought extra because I felt bad eating alone. Teacher said not to waste food.
In this do-or-die moment of losing my steak to a goblin, I remembered my skills.
They had weird descriptions, so I'd avoided them, but one I'd used before.
[Call of the Origin (E)]
I shouted the skill name inwardly.
"Blackie! Juju! Your mommy's in danger!!"
"Gob?"
My yell drew their eyes from the meat to me momentarily.
And then—
Bampapabapabapabam—!
A familiar trumpet blared from behind me.
I whipped around. There they were—welcome sights.
"Pbbt!"
"Bam, bababam!"
Blackie standing tall on eight legs, majestic. Juju puffing cheeks, blasting trumpet.
Joy surged—I ran to them.
"Babies! F-First, Blackie, help Ji-won unnie. Juju, uh, um. Can you fight?"
Juju's round yellow eyes widened eagerly, nodding. Black tail wagged confidently.
Blackie seemed to approve, slapping legs toward Juju.
"What? No need for me? Leave this to Juju?"
Blackie nodded. Juju trumpeted hard again.
This time, different sound.
G—!!!!!!!
A trumpet shouldn't make that noise. The "G!" echoed everywhere—goblins with daggers froze solid.
"Go... bl?"
Not done. Their eyes—whites and pupils clear—turned pitch black, creepy.
Then, goblins who'd heard collapsed one by one.
Even those fighting Ji-won unnie.
She noticed her encirclement drop, turned toward us.
"E-Eunha...?"
Crack!
The blue portal spewing goblins cracked like shattered glass.
It splintered completely, vanishing.
No more goblins.
I scooped Blackie and Juju, trotting to Ji-won unnie.
"You okay...?"
"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. Eunha, you brought that puppy?"
"Huh? Oh, no. I used my 'Call of the Origin' skill, and they summoned."
"Straight from home to here?"
"Yep!"
"Whoa... Your ability really is insane. Everything around you is just one surprise after another."
"Heh, hehehe."
She was drenched in sweat, exhausted but not at her limit.
"Looks like we cleared this area thanks to you, Eunha. Other Awakeners probably handled elsewhere—no issues."
"Phew, good..."
Then she raised a brow.
"But weird... Eunha, remember what happened when you caught goblins on Floor 1?"
"Huh? Oh, right! Blackie went pabapabak, and they poofed away without bodies."
"Yeah. But look around now."
I did. Oddly, goblin corpses hadn't vanished.
'In the Tower, they dissolved into blue particles later.'
Bodies stank, sprawled everywhere.
I glanced at Blackie and Juju—no clue from them either.
"Huh, why's that?"
"Hold on, unnie'll check."
She flung open our car door, slumped in the seat, pulled out her phone, and called someone.
We learned a few facts from the call.
First: This phenomenon hit worldwide simultaneously.
Second: Only Tutorial Tower Floor 1 goblins appeared.
Third...
"E-Eunha."
"Y-Yes...?"
"Association Awakeners checked the Tower to see what happened."
"Uh-huh."
She looked flustered.
"...All monsters on Floor 1 are gone without a trace."
"Huh?"
I blinked blankly back at her.
"Floor 1 has no monsters anymore."
What the heck?