Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: The Trash Mob's Inevitable Fate (2)
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Screeech.
A hefty van, commonly called a "Ban," pulled up at the dock entrance.
"You got here faster than I expected."
No sooner had Seti finished speaking than the van's door slid open. Despite its size, only a single person stepped out.
Soedungguri focused his mana on his eyes to check out the newcomer. He immediately furrowed his brow.
'...What the hell?'
The man who emerged was dressed in a crisp suit. The problem was his head... it was downright bizarre.
'Pig Head?'
Atop his shoulders sat not a human face, but a pig's head straight out of some ritual altar.
It wasn't just a simple mask or costume—there was no gap between the head and neck.
Either he'd hollowed out a real pig's head and flipped it inside out over his own... or that was his actual head.
Either way, it was grotesque.
The Pig Head sniffed the air for a moment, then started lumbering toward Seti and Soedungguri.
Soedungguri jerked his chin at Seti, the gesture loaded with a silent "What the fuck is that thing?"
Seti shrugged and replied.
"The government's Shepherd chasing me down, or more like their Shepherd dog. Looks pretty weird, right?"
"...A beastkin?"
"You think there'd be beastkin outside Africa or the protected zones? Nah, just... a modified human."
"...Human?"
He looked like a monster from beyond the dimensional gate, easy to believe.
Soedungguri swallowed his retort. Thinking it over, it wasn't all that strange.
This was the same government that had built corpse warehouses to trade with necromancers. Tossing in one more monster didn't change much—one of a kind or not.
"...So, that's one reason you hate the government? The Pig Head they showed me?"
"One of many. I'll show you the real reason soon enough. Hmm... but first, you might wanna hide for a bit..."
"Now? Where the hell am I supposed to—"
Before Soedungguri could finish, Seti dragged over a bent sheet of metal from the ground.
He said nothing as she draped it over him.
"Hmm, that should do it."
"...This is hiding?"
"Yeah, looks just like a corpse crushed under a sheet of metal."
"..."
"Take it easy for a bit."
Soedungguri didn't refuse Seti's suggestion. He'd started this silly question game to buy time for recovery, after all.
In the lull of conversation, he focused on his legs.
Pain was creeping up from his toes and knees—bones and nerves knitting back into place.
By the time his body had recovered somewhat, the Pig Head's footsteps thudded right up to his hiding spot.
The thing scanned the surroundings quietly from arm's reach away.
The filth-covered floor, explosion debris, the Titan's corpse... and finally, Hong Seti leaning on her warhammer.
A brief silence fell, and then the Pig Head spoke to Seti.
"Candidate, you've engaged in unauthorized combat. That's against regulations."
The Pig Head's voice was more ordinary than expected. But the moment Soedungguri heard it, he scowled—sensing the mana laced within.
He couldn't explain it precisely, his magic knowledge being shallow... but the mana coating that voice resembled a necromancer's curse.
In other words, repulsive.
"You've also used the Thunder Hammer without permission. Two regulations broken, Candidate. Do you think rules are a joke?"
"..."
"Explain exactly what happened here."
"I refuse."
"...What?"
"I refuse, I said."
"Regulation 15. Candidates cannot refuse a Shepherd's demands. Rules exist to be followed, Candidate."
Soedungguri puzzled over their bizarre exchange.
Shepherd, regulations, Candidate.
A string of unfamiliar terms, no clue where to start... but one thing was clear.
Seti had prepared herself for something to show him this scene.
Otherwise, he couldn't explain the fierce emotion burning in her blue eyes.
"Answer me, Candidate."
"No."
"Regulation 29: Disobeying orders counts as deviant behavior. Regulation 3: Candidate deviance is subject to sanction."
"Try it."
"You've got some guts, Candidate. Not afraid of the restraint?"
The word "restraint" triggered it—the mana in the Pig Head's voice surged all at once.
"Last warning. Explain the situation."
Mana aligned, spell wove together.
No omens, no sounds, but Soedungguri sensed the Pig Head had "loaded" some magic.
He tensed, ready to hurl a grenade if needed.
But Seti beat him to it, flicking a subtle hand signal behind her back.
—Just watch.
Watch what? Soedungguri eased his grip on the grenade.
"Candidate. Your answer?"
"Nothing to say."
"Further deviance won't be tolerated. One more refusal, and I'll sanction you per regulations."
"I'll refuse, so sanction me."
The moment Seti's curt reply left her lips, the Pig Head raised its hand like it had been waiting.
"Confirmed: Candidate deviance. Sanctioning."
Snap.
With a light finger flick, the loaded spell activated.
Contrary to Soedungguri's fears, it wasn't impressive magic. Just flipping some switch... simple stuff.
But Seti's reaction to the "switch" was anything but.
"...!"
She dropped to her knees, body shuddering violently. Tears soon streamed from her tightly shut eyes.
It looked like she was just enduring something, but Soedungguri—who could sense others' mana—realized what was happening inside her.
'...Twisting her body.'
Mana backflowed through her veins. Mana wrapped around muscles stabbed back at them, crushing vocal cords and lungs to silence even screams.
Every motion of the mana reeked of meticulously tuned malice.
No death, no blackout allowed... pure agony, engineered for torment.
No defense, no resistance possible. The attacking mana was her own.
Soedungguri silently watched her writhe in pain.
Part of his mind suggested fleeing now... but curiosity pinned his feet.
Why was this girl showing him such a sight?
Why ask about his bloodline, why hate the government?
And above all... why help him kill the necromancer?
No connection between them.
A brief clash days ago, stealing martial arts one-sidedly, trading unicorn horn for mutual gain—that was it.
Frankly, barely better than street vendor and customer.
As those questions chained in Soedungguri's mind, Seti's voice broke his reverie.
"Th-this...! Sh-should make it...! Cl-clear you...! H-hate the gov-ernment...!"
The Pig Head tilted its head as if she were babbling nonsense, then triggered the magic again.
Watching her silent scream, Soedungguri let out a small sigh.
To unravel his questions, he had to continue the game.
Decision quick, action swift. He shoved aside the metal sheet and stood.
He felt shattered bones mend, torn muscles realign. Not optimal, but far from worst.
"...Zombie?"
The Pig Head cocked its head at Soedungguri's sudden rise. Fair enough—his shredded, blood-soaked state screamed undead.
But no zombie ever lobbed a grenade on sight.
"You crazy—"
The Pig Head spat curses at the incoming grenade. Then it exploded.
BOOM!!
With the blast, Soedungguri launched off the ground.
He closed the distance flying, channeling acceleration into his legs to slam a kick into the Pig Head's neck.
A perfect ambush, yet he clicked his tongue. No impact feedback from his toes.
Backing off, he confirmed: a blue barrier shielded the Pig Head's neck.
"Flying Leg Art? Flying Leg Art...!"
Mistaking his footwork, the Pig Head trembled with rage.
"To dare...! A Candidate attacking a Shepherd!"
It glared at Soedungguri with furious eyes, prepping the same spell it had used on Seti.
Soedungguri didn't correct the misunderstanding. Instead, he dodged the magic like a Candidate might, dragging it deeper into delusion.
"Y-you... filthy traitor! The blood and sweat of our people in Flying Leg Art, and you have no patriotism?!"
"...A patriotic Pig Head? George Orwell would lose his shit."
"Shut up!!"
The Pig Head charged Soedungguri, fueled by rage and overconfidence.
Repulsive mana swiftly completed the spell. Without hesitation, it snapped its fingers.
Snap.
The unavoidable spell hit Soedungguri at point-blank.
But it did nothing to him.
He wasn't a Candidate—he was just a civilian who didn't even know what that was.
"What? How... Gahk!"
Soedungguri's foot crashed down on the stunned Pig Head.
The barrier flickered up late, but the stomp's force had long exceeded its limits.
CRASH!
Barrier shattered, hastily gathered mana dispersed. The direct hit split the Pig Head's neck with a sickening crack.
Pig flesh and cartilage parted, revealing the face hidden within.
"Gr... ugh...."
Wrinkled, mummy-dry skin. Eye sockets stuffed with talisman clumps instead of eyeballs.
The face emerging from pig gore was as grotesque as the head itself.
"Guuh... My... head, my head..."
Soedungguri narrowed his eyes, probing its mana.
"...Undead?"
Not quite a necromancer's Titan, but the twisted mana differed from a regular zombie.
"...Looks like it, but he's alive. Modified human cursed by a necromancer. Government's got a soft spot for these precious things."
Seti, freed from pain, spoke up. Soedungguri glanced back—she was using the warhammer as a crutch to stand.
"This?"
"Yeah. They can't wield mana themselves, but with a conduit, they can cast basic spells and curses. That's about it."
Soedungguri stared down at the modified human, then grabbed its neck.
It thrashed feebly, but a bit more pressure—crack—and its neck snapped.
"Ah...."
Seti blinked in surprise, eyes flicking between corpse and Soedungguri.
"What, thought I wouldn't kill it?"
"No, not that... figured you'd ask more first, then kill."
That exchange left an awkward silence between them. Seti caught her breath; Soedungguri sorted his swirling questions.
After a moment, Seti spoke first.
"...Continue the question game? Your turn to answer, Soedungguri."
Why'd you kill that government guy?
Soedungguri recalled her final question. He answered flatly.
"The government killed my comrades."
"..."
"Sold their lives cheap, then tried selling the corpses to a necromancer."
He paused, then added.
"I'm gonna kill every last one responsible. Grenade to the government bastard, snapping this modified human's neck—same reason. Satisfied?"
"...Yeah, better than expected. Honest, even."
"My turn, then."
Soedungguri toyed with his last grenade, pondering.
What to ask? Questions flooded in.
What was Flying Leg Art? Why stalk him? Her deal with the government?
What was her intent showing that scene? Why help kill the necromancer?
Why, why, why?
Countless queries sank unspoken beneath thought's surface.
But one pierced through, spilling from his lips.
"Seti."
Soedungguri asked calmly.
"What do you want from me?"
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