[What's life, anyway? Just live as it comes]
[What's life, anyway? Just live as it comes]
There is a creature called an Original Species. To be precise, an Original Species refers to a native Earth creature that has awakened Gaia Force and become a Force User.
However, humans are called Force Users, not Original Species. The creatures called Original Species are animals other than humans.
Due to the Great Depression 20 years ago, Gaia Force appeared in the world, and people faced problems other than Enemy Species.
That is exactly what Original Species are.
Just as ordinary people awaken as Force Users in the face of trials and crises, animals can similarly awaken as Original Species and exert power beyond that of normal animals.
Cases of Original Species appeared in various ways all over the world. There were instances where a pet mouse became an Original Species and bit its owner to death, while a giraffe in a zoo became an Original Species but still followed its zookeeper well.
But the important thing is whether that Original Species is hostile to humans or not. And if wild animals become Original Species, nine times out of ten, they harm humans.
"No!!!"
The surprise attack coming from behind was as fast as a cannonball, so fast it was barely visible. The Original Species, pouncing stealthily and nimbly without even the sound of a breaking twig, could bite through an ordinary person's neck and kill them in an instant.
The person the Original Species was targeting was Choi Ak. Baek-ri already knew that Choi Ak was stronger than him, but he stepped forward reflexively.
The Gaia Force emitted by Baek-ri settled onto Choi Ak and wrapped around his entire body. It emitted a faint light, acting like armor.
Kagagak!!!
The Original Species bit Choi Ak's neck, but there was only the sound of twisting metal, and not a single tooth could penetrate. And in that gap, Baek-ri threw a punch, striking the Original Species in the face.
"Kyaaaack!"
"W-what? A wild animal?!"
"Ruri! Take the people and get out of here!!!"
Baek-ri shouted to the other people on the road and threw another punch at the creature's face.
Perhaps because there was an impact this time, the creature let go of the neck it had been biting and retreated. A low, growling sound echoed faintly.
"You, were you able to use that Reinforcement trait on others? I thought it was a self-buff, but it's just a buff. You could be a healer, or no, a monk or a paladin?"
"Is this really the time to be discussing that?!"
The Original Species growled, wary of Baek-ri and Choi Ak. It didn't rush in rashly because it had experience.
As you could tell from the text I saw just now, the Original Species was a Fox Original Species.
"Wasn't our country's native fox almost extinct?"
"Maybe one that was meant to be skinned escaped! Ah, come on! Hyung!"
Baek-ri clamored at the sight of him being the only one without any tension.
If Choi Ak stepped in, the matter would be resolved, but there were people nearby, especially the campus couple he met for the first time yesterday, so it wasn't appropriate for him to step in. He could only take action after they had evacuated.
However, there was no guarantee that the Original Species wouldn't attack in the meantime.
"Looking at it, it's a guy that's bitten a few people."
Choi Ak made an assessment after looking at the Original Species. But as you could see, there were blatant bloodstains on its reddish-tinged light brown fur. Especially around its mouth.
"That just now was no joke. It bit once, and all the Reinforcement trait I used on you flew away... But how are you perfectly fine, Hyung?!"
"I always have a Force Field up. No matter how weak I set it, something like that can bite and tear all it wants, it won't work."
"I worried for nothing."
Baek-ri tensed up at the news that it had bitten people.
Animals are basically superior to humans. The only things humans are better at than animals are the intelligence to form societies and endurance.
It's hard for a human to catch a cat with their bare hands, and if you move up to a large dog, you're lucky if you don't get bitten to death.
Even among wild animals, foxes are predators at the top of the ecosystem. Moreover, it seemed to have been awakened for a long time, as its size made it look like a completely different species from a normal fox.
A normal fox isn't a small animal that you can hug in your arms, but it's small enough to fit in your arms, but the Original Species in front of them looked like a medium-sized animal, much like a cheetah.
"Watch the slope. And think about the Taegeuk-naseon-gyeong."
"It's dangerous to even move, how do I do that?!"
"Try doing it without moving, just using your hands. Doing it without moving is the basic principle anyway."
The two were on a slope and the bushes were thick, so there was trouble moving. Choi Ak watched leisurely, giving advice to Baek-ri while stepping back.
"The opponent is an animal. They fight instinctively. The way humans can beat animals is by using technique. Recognize that first and fight."
"Easier said than..."
Paat!
The Original Species lunged again, aiming for an opening. Baek-ri hurriedly put his hands together and drew a circle to respond.
Taegeuk-naseon-gyeong.
It is a martial art created by a Transcendent based on Tai Chi. The principle of Tai Chi is balance and harmony. It is extremely useful for canceling out and blocking an opponent's attacks.
The Original Species, which was attacking wildly, lost its trajectory as it lunged due to the movement of Baek-ri's hands and veered off. It was a speed that would have been hard to see even with physical enhancement, but Baek-ri succeeded.
"It worked!"
"It's coming again!"
With a growling sound, the Original Species jumped again, using a tree trunk as a foothold, aiming for Baek-ri's back. He tried to turn around in a hurry, but the moment he stepped back, there was a fact Baek-ri had overlooked.
The place where he was fighting right now was a slope. If you step back without thinking, it's easy to fall.
"Ah!"
Thanks to the reflexes of a Force User, it was just a momentary stumble, and he didn't fall. But as it lunged, aiming for that gap, Baek-ri was left defenseless.
Even if he used his trait right now to use 'Reinforcement' to block, it was dangerous. The Reinforcement he used on Choi Ak was pierced when it bit the first time. Because the animal's bite force, combined with its awakening as an Original Species, meant that even its bite had become a weapon. Fortunately, Choi Ak was fine because he always kept a Force Field up with his own ability; otherwise, he would have been bitten.
As a desperate measure, Baek-ri wrapped his whole body in Reinforcement, gritted his teeth, and squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the pain to come.
"You held your own."
Udeuk!
Before the Original Species could bite Baek-ri's neck, Choi Ak extended his arm and let it bite him instead.
However, the teeth did not penetrate. Even though the Original Species chewed and chewed, it didn't go any further than that line, leaving a tiny bit of space.
"The kids have left, so I can step in now."
Ruri had already taken the kids and the campus couple down the mountain.
There were eyes watching, but the reason he didn't help, even though there were ways to help without being noticed, was to let Baek-ri gain experience. The difference between someone who has experienced real combat even once and someone who hasn't is huge.
"Fox, fox, what are you doing?"
Udeuk, Choi Ak said while clenching his fist and looking at the Original Species biting his arm.
Before Choi Ak could swing his fist, the Original Species hurriedly let go of his arm and retreated. Its quick reaction wasn't just because of good reflexes, but because of the danger its instincts were screaming about.
The chilling threat of death that hit from the moment he clenched his fist was a murderous intent that any animal living life on the line in the wild would be able to recognize.
It felt like a predator had opened its jaws towards it. Realizing that, the Original Species hurriedly increased the distance.
"Oh, you dodged it?"
Choi Ak looked at the Original Species with curious eyes. Judging by its excellent crisis detection ability, it is quite proficient in using Force.
"Hey, Baek-ri. It's better to chase it away, right? If we catch it here, even if you and Ruri are here, it'll cause unnecessary trouble."
"I suppose so?"
Catching it is easy. If the fist Choi Ak was about to swing just now had even a little bit of sincerity mixed in, its head would have been smashed and it would have died instantly on the spot, regardless of reaction. But the problem is after catching it.
The people who already went down must have had someone call the police. Then, they would surely have to show the caught Original Species, and if asked how they caught it, they would have no choice but to lie.
To say that Baek-ri caught it would be an absurd bluff that a rookie who hasn't even been awakened for a few months caught an Original Species that is supposed to be caught by a team, all by himself. And that would be exposed in an instant.
In the end, chasing it away is the answer. Fortunately, there was no one dead, let alone injured, among Choi Ak's party yet.
"Anyway, the Original Species that killed people will be killed by the response team separately, so it's not something we need to worry about. So let's just chase it away."
There are some Original Species that are protected for research, but that is limited to animals raised by human hands, like pets or zoo animals, that follow humans well. There was no mercy for wild animals, and for an Original Species that had already bitten and killed several humans.
Either way, leaving it alone ends in death. The Original Species response team won't be fools, so they will be dispatching now, and at the longest, they can catch it in a day or two.
"Get lost."
Choi Ak glared at the Original Species, emitting murderous intent. The murderous intent was enough to make even Baek-ri, who wasn't the target right next to him, feel suffocated and his legs tremble on their own.
The Original Species that was the target cowered. The feeling of being in front of a predator stronger than itself was intense enough to reflexively choose flight.
A normal animal would have done so. Just as a rabbit instinctively runs away when faced with a lion, the relationship between predator and prey was like that.
"Kiing! Kiing!"
Making the ringing cry peculiar to foxes, the Original Species did not run away. Even though it was clearly scared, it did not run away.
Choi Ak, having noticed something, expressed doubt.
"Don't tell me..."
At that moment, the Original Species reacted to something and pricked up its ears. It seemed to hear some sound from afar, and after checking Choi Ak's reaction, it retreated and then fled.
Baek-ri also expressed doubt about the Original Species' slightly strange behavior.
"What was that just now? You scared it, but it didn't run away immediately and held out for a bit."
"......That Original Species was a female."
"Huh? How did you know that?"
"Just sort of, somehow."
As the Original Species fled, Baek-ri leaned against a tree and gasped for air, as if his tension had been released.
The vacation he had taken after a long time was ruined.
The campsite they returned to had become noisy. The children were in the cars, preparing for any possible situation, and the other people were gathered together, holding thick branches or knives, preparing.
"Ah! Boss Choi!"
"Student Baek-ri! Are you safe?"
"Wow, Oppa, you didn't die! You have a tough life."
"Hey!"
The group welcomed them, seeing that they had returned safely without any injuries.
"Did you happen to call the police or anywhere else?"
"Ah, Ruri thought it was an Original Species, so she contacted the KFU. They'll probably be here soon."
Just as she said, about 10 minutes later, a couple of cars came up the mountain road. It seems that a report had come in even before they called, so they had been waiting nearby and came up.
Those who got out of the cars were wearing different clothing and equipment from the Enemy Species response team. The biggest difference was that they were carrying firearms.
"Hello, I am Team Leader Woo Joong-hyuk of the KFU Original Species Response Team, Gangwon Branch. Are you the reporters?"
"Ah, yes. We reported it."
"Is there anyone injured?"
I thought it would be better for me to talk here. I stepped forward and talked to Team Leader Woo Joong-hyuk.
"There is no one injured."
"And you are...?"
"This kid and I met that Original Species together."
"Ah, you are the witnesses."
The people who directly faced the Original Species were me and Baek-ri. The others must have gone down before seeing it properly, so they wouldn't have seen it properly either. It's more convenient for us to give testimony.
We changed places for a moment and started a full-scale conversation. In particular, it was in a format where Team Leader Woo Joong-hyuk mainly asked questions, which seems to be because information is needed to hunt the Original Species.
"That Original Species is one that has already harmed human lives. But how did you escape without any injuries?"
"Ah, our shop employee is a Force User, so after some back-and-forth, it just fled."
"A Force User?"
Team Leader Woo Joong-hyuk looked at Baek-ri and nodded immediately. It seems he felt the aura peculiar to a Force User.
"That is very fortunate. Although they are easier than Enemy Species, Original Species are hard for even a decent Force User to deal with, so to survive against such a creature. Moreover, it's not a herbivore, but a predatory animal like a fox."
"We were lucky."
"Yes, it's because you were very lucky. So, please leave the rest to us."
Team Leader Woo Joong-hyuk said confidently. He definitely smells like a veteran. It seems he was a hunter even before awakening as a Force User.
"I'm sorry to disturb your vacation, but for safety, I think you should go down. It will be fine if you go down to a nearby village."
"How long will it take?"
"Usually, herbivore Original Species have predictable movements, so it ends in a few hours, but predatory Original Species like foxes require tracking, so it will take a long time. When the situation is over, the KFU will send you a text message lifting the situation, so you can check with that."
His team, which seemed to be about a dozen people, was each carrying firearms. Judging by their appearance, they seem to be a type of shotgun, but since they are guns I've never seen before, they seem to be specially made guns for hunting Original Species.
Baek-ri asked curiously from the side.
"Does the Original Species response team use guns?"
"Because Original Species are also similar to Force Users. Enemy Species offset physical damage because of Raf Energy, so even if they are medium-sized, it's hard to keep them in check unless it's at the level of a mortar, but guns work on Original Species. It's similar to how Force Users also get hurt if they get shot."
"Ah, I see."
Firearms like guns don't work on Enemy Species, but they work on Force Users. Even if traits are divided, unless they are monsters, there is no human who can withstand a missile bombardment.
Master users might be able to intercept or block it in the middle, but they'd be done for by a nuclear bomb.
Anyway, what's effective in dealing with Original Species is, first of all, guns. No matter how excellent their physical ability is, they won't be able to exceed the speed of sound, so if the same Force User holds a gun, they can easily defeat a special forces unit alone.
"We'll just pack up our things and go down right away. Then, good luck."
We packed up our things in a hurry. We originally intended to rest until tomorrow, but it ended up like this. However, I think it's fortunate that we played for at least a day.
As for the rest... well, we'll have to go down to a nearby village or look for another valley. Or there's a way to wander around a bit and go in late.
"I originally planned to play until tomorrow, it's a shame."
"Let's go down to a nearby village or downtown first. Since the unit I served in is around here, we can play around there, so that would be better for now."
Since I know the geography, I can roughly figure out where to play. Come to think of it, there's a pension where my platoon used to go for overnight leave in the summer when I was in the military, so let's consider that too.
"I took time off for vacation, and what is this at the last minute... Ugh."
"I know, why did an Original Species have to appear there of all places. Anyway, let's pack our bags too. Yejin! Iseul! Help me out!"
The campus couple also packed their bags and prepared to leave. They seemed to be sad about having to leave due to an unexpected incident after having fun for a day yesterday.
"Thank you for taking care of this and that, Boss Choi. We'll be heading back first."
"Let's meet again sometime!"
"Thank you!"
"Goodbye!"
I waved and said goodbye to the campus couple. We all got in the car and decided to go out to the nearest downtown.
Duryusan and Sachang-ri, where I served, were not very far apart, so if you followed the road for about 20 minutes, you would reach the downtown area. It wasn't a very big place, but even though it was small, it had a bus terminal, and since it was a place where they did business with soldiers and made a living, it had everything, even if it was expensive.
First, I'll go down and feed the kids a chicken each... and I should do some work for a while.
After coming down the mountain and following the road for a while, a place where people lived slowly appeared. Maybe because it was a weekday, there weren't many soldiers visible yet.
"Baek-ri, just play with the kids for a bit. You don't have to worry about money since my wife is there, right?"
"Hyung, where are you going?"
"To that place earlier."
"No, why there?!"
Baek-ri was shocked and tried to stop me. But seeing as the feeling was unsettling, it felt like an atmosphere where I had to go and do something.
"First of all... you saw that guy earlier, right? The one that looked like a big fox."
"Ah, yes."
"Did you bulk up like that after awakening as a Force User?"
"Uh... it did, but it took some time."
When you awaken as a Force User, Gaia Force settles in your body, so you get a body that doesn't change with moderate overeating or laziness, and rather, you get stronger muscles and sturdier bones to fight.
But that's not a sudden change like a complete transformation, but a feeling like improving your constitution, changing slowly over time.
"Wouldn't it be the same for animals? Even if it awakened as a Force User, don't you think it would take time for a small fox to grow that big?"
"Uh... now that you mention it, that's true."
Because the physical structure of animals and humans is different, even if an animal that became an Original Species grows more, it needs a certain amount of time.
At least a few months, at longest about a year.
As his thoughts reached that point, Baek-ri asked a question that popped into his head.
"Why has the guy that already killed people been quiet all this time?"
When people gain power, they want to use it. Using that power to earn money or gain power, that's a natural desire. Then what about animals?
Because animals are instinctive, and material things have no meaning to animals. They just need to hunt and live.
If it became an Original Species, hunting is very easy. It can even hunt and eat animals like wild boars.
"Foxes are curious, so they don't attack unless you threaten them. And if it's an Original Species, it should be somewhat intelligent, so the possibility of it attacking humans on purpose would be low."
"What if it attacks?"
"In the case that a human touched it first."
And here, one more problem arises.
"Who would have touched that fox that you could tell was an Original Species just by looking at it?"
I don't know the reason. And the basic evidence was also lacking.
But in our heads, a department store that was burning came to mind.