Chapter 600 — Look at the back of the person standing in the front (5)
16 min read ·
Translator: miraclerifle
Editor: Borderline Masochist
The yellow eyes were looking directly at Cale.
“Shit.”
Cale quietly mumbled to himself as he stopped his assessment of the yellow head. But it was not the same for the others.
“…This quickly?!”
“Was the other one supposed to come?! I didn't know! Did the plans go wrong?”
“Wow, shit. This bastard seems even stronger-”
People were busy responding based on the information they had after seeing the yellow head appear.
But that did not last long either.
Chhhhhhhhh!
Blue blood shot into the air as if it was river water flowing in the opposite direction.
“Grrr, grr!”
The grounded blue head’s body was flailing wildly.
Click.
All people saw was Lee Soo Hyuk, who was covered in blue blood, bursting up.
Lee Soo Hyuk's eyes were not focused on the people looking at him but somewhere else.
“Roooooooooooooooar!”
The yellow head's eyes started to glow.
Crackle. Crack!
Golden currents rose out to cover the yellow monster’s body.
The yellow eyes and Lee Soo Hyuk's black eyes…
The two sets of eyes were directly looking at each other.
"Commander.”
Lee Soo Hyuk called out to Cale as he slowly started to walk.
He was walking toward the yellow monster.
“I'll slash again if you just take care of that electricity.”
He had said that he wanted to be in the front.
Lee Soo Hyuk was someone who kept his word.
‘Based on what Kim Rok Soo mentioned, only I am able to slash through those scales right now.’
Crack, crackle!
The yellow head that was now covered in beautiful golden light slowly opened its mouth.
“Grrrr, grrrrr-”
The monster’s eyes were full of anger as it growled like an animal.
“Even if you do that.”
Clang.
Lee Soo Hyuk took his sword out of the scabbard again.
“You’re still just my prey.”
His body started to charge off the ground and toward the enemy once again.
“Stop!”
It was at that moment.
“Kim Rok, no, Commander?”
Lee Soo Hyuk stopped moving as he was shocked at Cale's shout.
But Cale didn't have time to look at Lee Soo Hyuk.
‘I missed the moment!’
Cale had the people prepare for everything but had forgotten about it for a moment because of the sudden appearance of the yellow monster.
He might not have the time to use what he had prepared anymore.
‘I can't let that happen!’
Crack. Crackle!
The beautiful monster that was covered in bright golden currents resembled a yellow dragon.
Boooom-
The monster glared at Lee Soo Hyuk and raised its head.
“Cover your ears!”
Cale sounded urgent.
He immediately shouted again.
“I said, cover your ears!”
‘What?’
Lee Soo Hyuk flinched after hearing that before recalling something.
The yellow monster’s ability to handle dirt was something they had just learned.
It also had control of currents, as visible by the radiant currents surrounding the yellow head right now.
There was one last ability.
The yellow-headed monster’s other ability that the Commander had told them about…
Sound.
Lee Soo Hyuk had been distracted by the golden currents such that he had not noticed that the monster’s neck was stiffly headed toward the sky.
But he could see it clearly now that he noticed it.
The yellow monster's body was bloated.
It looked as if it had sucked in a lot of air.
It looked as if it was about to scream…
“Fuck!”
Lee Soo Hyuk started to frown as he quickly dropped his sword.
He then put his hand into his inner pocket to try to look for the earplugs.
But he quickly realized it.
‘It’s too late!’
Lee Soo Hyuk made eye contact with the yellow monster at that moment.
Smile.
Its yellow eyes curled up like crescent moons.
‘It’s smiling?’
It seemed to be sneering as if it was human.
He could feel it based on the monster's action.
‘That bastard covered its body in currents on purpose!’
It used its electricity to gather people's attention and then acted as if it would attack Lee Soo Hyuk in anger…
‘But in the end!’
It was planning on using its sound ability.
Lee Soo Hyuk looked toward someone.
The yellow head’s mouth opened at the same time.
“Screeeeeeeeeeeeech------------!”
Cale was able to cover his ears in time as he had taken out his earplugs while shouting at the others to cover their ears.
Cale then realized his mistake.
“Hey, you should have told me in advance too-!”
“…Hyung-nim!”
That was the case.
Alberu was also here.
Cale lowered his head.
The Dark Tiger, which had much larger ears than he did, started to frown.
"Screeeeeeeeeeeeeeech-----!”
The yellow head’s screech that continued without stopping was not a simple scream.
It caused vibrations in the air which made Cale's clothes flutter. It was quite loud even with the earplugs in his ears.
“Ugh!”
Alberu’s body staggered.
Cale urgently got off his back.
“Mm!”
Cale’s body staggered as well since he was a bit worn out.
‘Shit!’
But he was still in a better condition than the others.
“Ugh!”
“My ears, my head-”
“Gasp!”
There were ability users all around who had not managed to cover their ears and could no longer control their bodies properly.
Some of them were bleeding from their ears while others were clutching their heads.
Most of them looked quite dazed.
‘A few of them might snap out of it in a few seconds but most will be like this for a few minutes!’
Cale looked toward the people who were the closest to him.
“Ugh! To think I would make such a mistake-!”
Park Jin Tae stumbled while holding his ears with his gun still in his hand.
“Min Ah!”
“…You’re so loud.”
Bae Puh Rum was staggering but still managed to get to Kim Min Ah, who was on one knee, and supported her. Bae Puh Rum's eyes were full of fear.
‘It could cause such damage with just noise!’
He now understood why Kim Rok Soo kept warning them over and over about the unranked monsters.
‘The Commander-nim didn't give the blue monster any time to attack properly because these unranked monsters are so scary.’
Bae Puh Rum clenched his eyes shut after seeing that even Lee Soo Hyuk had his eyes closed and was holding his head.
“Fuck, something like this happened as soon as we followed it up!”
Kim Kang Hoon, Lee Seung Won, and Joo Ho-Shik who were climbing up from the subway tunnel were holding their ears as well.
“Ssssssssss!”
Bae Puh Rum’s suddenly felt chills on his back.
“Ssssh!”
In this short moment while everybody was out of it…
There was an enemy that would not miss this opening.
It was the yellow monster that had screeched.
“Ah!”
Bae Puh Rum tried to focus his sight that was shaking from having a headache and looked toward someone.
He was looking for the person who had shouted for them to cover their ears.
That person was charging toward the yellow monster on his own.
“N, n…no……”
That person had just cast a shockingly strong rose gold thunderbolt just now and had coughed up blood.
That person charging toward the monster on his own sounded dangerous.
“Ssssssssss! Ssssssssss!”
The yellow monster was using this moment when everybody was out of it to quickly move.
“…I need to hurry up and-!”
Bae Puh Rum could hear Kim Min Ah mumbling. She was certainly looking at the back of their Commander-nim who was charging toward the monster as well.
Crack!
Bae Puh Rum heard something breaking at that moment.
Bae Puh Rum could see Lee Soo Hyuk slowly standing up straight with his sword stabbed into the asphalt.
Drip.
Blood was dripping from Lee Soo Hyuk's ears.
He seemed to have taken even more damage than Bae Puh Rum. It made sense since Lee Soo Hyuk had been closest to the monster after Cale and the Dark Tiger.
Lee Soo Hyuk's closed eyes slowly opened.
His bloodshot eyes were full of anger.
Bae Puh Rum got the chills from looking at those eyes, even though he knew that the anger was not directed at him.
It was at that moment.
“Roooooooooooooooar!”
The yellow monster roared as its large body quickly started to move.
Bae Puh Rum tried to look for Kim Rok Soo once again.
He was probably charging forward on his own still.
Bae Puh Rum could see that Kim Rok Soo was smiling once he finally found him.
‘He’s smiling?’
Before he could say anything about it…
Cale was looking at something.
He was not looking at the yellow monster.
He opened his mouth to speak.
“As I expected…”
He made a short comment as he called for someone.
“Choi Han!”
He was looking at the underground tunnel from which the yellow monster had come.
Someone shot up from that tunnel.
“Yes, Rok Soo hyung?”
Choi Han, who had been covering his ears, had jumped up from underground.
He then immediately took out his sword.
Slaaash-!
His shining black aura looked violent as it shot out.
Cale and Choi Han made eye contact.
“You were covering your ears?”
Choi Han responded to Cale’s question with an innocent expression.
“I'm very good at listening to your orders, hyung.”
Choi Han’s sword then headed toward the yellow monster.
The black aura struck down on the yellow scales that looked gold because of the currents.
Baaaaaaaaaang!
There was a loud explosion.
Dust and smoke covered all directions that even Cale could not see the condition of the yellow monster.
Choi Han had used as much strength as possible to finish this hunt quickly.
“…Such strength!”
People who were seeing Choi Han's power for the first time clutched their dizzy heads and ears as they quickly retreated back in shock.
This was a smart decision.
“Roooooooooooooooar!”
The large monster was still quickly moving forward through the dust cloud.
“Fuck! This smart bastard!”
Cale frowned and couldn't help but swear.
He quickly channeled his ancient powers.
Choi Han started to frown.
“Sssssss!”
The yellow monster had controlled the dirt underneath the asphalt to cover its body like a sturdy armor the moment Choi Han launched his attack.
Choi Han’s sword naturally destroyed that dirt armor.
But the black aura was unable to make even the smallest of dents on the extremely strong yellow scales after its impact was decreased by the dirt armor.
Choi Han's brows scrunched together.
But he didn't have time to stand there and just stare at the monster.
“Block it!”
He heard Cale’s urgent voice.
The yellow monster was smart as Cale mentioned.
This bastard had dodged the attack and was charging toward the humans who were still unable to snap out of it from the aftershock of the sound attack.
The people plopped down on the ground looked full of despair as the yellow monster charged toward them with its jaws open.
Cale started to move after seeing the despair in their eyes.
‘Attacking it is not the issue!’
He needed to save these people.
Cale's body moved quickly once he surrounded it with the Sound of the Wind and he pushed one hand forward as soon as his foot touched the ground.
Paaaat!
A silver shield with two wings appeared in front of the people.
The Indestructible Shield appeared and cut through the fog.
‘Ugh.’
Cale groaned internally.
The Fire of Destruction. The Sound of the Wind. The Indestructible Shield.
Even though he could only use all these powers at half-strength, he had still used them more than he had expected.
Drip.
More blood trickled out of his mouth.
However, the people could not see the blood flowing down from his lips as they were looking at his back.
Cale did not see his blood either.
He was looking at the eyes of the yellow monster on the other side of the shield.
And the moment he looked into those eyes… Cale started to frown.
The yellow monster truly was shrewd.
Smile.
The yellow head’s eyes curled up again as it smiled.
Cale finally realized what this bastard was aiming to do.
He had not been able to look at the yellow monster’s movements properly because it looked as if it was charging toward the people.
He had not noticed it because he suddenly recalled his forgotten time as Kim Rok Soo the employee after seeing the despair in the people's eyes as they stood in front of this unranked monster.
The yellow head instantly turned its large body to the side.
“Ssssssssss!”
The yellow monster was charging toward the blue monster that was now coughing up blue blood and was almost dead.
The blue monster was barely breathing and had no chance of revival.
The yellow monster changed directions to head toward the blue monster.
And its large body would arrive there soon.
Cale realized its plan.
‘If the bodies come together…!’
He could not let that happen!
It would become multiple times stronger than right now if the two monsters fused together and returned to its original form.
He had to prevent that at all costs.
There were three people who had the same thoughts as Cale.
No, these people had realized it even before Cale.
Cale started to speak.
“Choi Han! Kim Min Ah! Lee Soo Hyuk!”
Choi Han… Along with Lee Soo Hyuk and Kim Min Ah, the two people who had snapped out of it before everybody else, were charging toward the monster in different directions.
Cale continued to shout toward them.
“Watch out!”
It was at that moment.
Craaaaaaaaaaackle!
Golden currents shot out from the yellow monster’s body in all directions, resembling a spider web.
They were heading toward all of the people charging toward it.
“Ugh!”
“Aaah!”
Lee Soo Hyuk and Kim Min Ah had no choice to stumble and retreat backward.
They were holding a sword and a spear.
They were made of steel.
Baaaaaang-!
Only the black aura slammed into the golden currents.
‘I'm going to pierce through it!’
Choi Han used the small opening created when his black aura clashed with the current to head toward the yellow monster.
But the yellow monster was a bit faster.
Crack.
The yellow monster’s face touched the tail of the barely alive blue monster.
Choi Han slashed his sword toward the yellow monster as he started to shout.
“No!”
‘We can't let those two fuse together again!’
Choi Han had a look of urgency on his face. He felt some wind gathering at his ankles at that moment.
It was Cale.
Cale had used his powers once again so that Choi Han could reach a bit farther forward.
It was obvious that he had overdone it already but it looked as if Cale might end up fainting.
Choi Han bit down on his lips and let the momentum in the wind carry his body.
Baaaaang!
Through the small opening created by the black aura and the currents….
Choi Han’s sword pierced through like a fang and stabbed into the yellow scale.
Puuk.
As Choi Han started to frown after feeling that his sword stabbed into dirt armor again…
“Ah.”
In the short moment someone gasped…
Everybody's eyes opened wide.
“…Huh?”
They saw it.
Chomp!
The yellow head had done everything it could to barely make it to the blue head.
Everybody had been thinking that it had done all this so that they could fuse together and become stronger.
Even Cale had thought that.
Chomp, chomp!
The yellow head bit down on the blue head’s tail and dragged its body down.
It then bit down on the yellow monster’s head.
And then… It started to eat.
It chomped off the head of the blue monster.
It then started to chew.
Its movements were quite quick.
Although these two monsters were originally part of one body and probably akin to being siblings, the yellow monster ruthlessly cut off the blue monster’s head and put it in its mouth without any hesitation.
Baaaaaang!
It then started to hide underground.
It was running away.
The monster quickly moved while people were shocked by this yellow monster’s cruel cold-hearted nature.
“This crazy bastard!”
Cale released his shield and tried to cast another ancient power.
But he could not do that.
The yellow monster had launched its final electricity attack as it hid underground.
There were people who had gotten out of the aftershock of the sound attack and were quickly chasing the yellow monster.
Choi Han, Lee Soo Hyuk, and Kim Min Ah like before… There were also Jo Min Yeh and some other ability users as well now.
The shrewd monster did not launch its electrical attack toward those people.
It aimed its attack at the people who had been struggling for a few minutes and were barely snapping out of it.
The golden currents were aimed at those people as if they were sharp daggers or hail.
“Fuck!”
Baaaaaaaaaang!
There was a loud explosion as the silver shield blocked the currents once again.
The shock shook the ground and made it difficult to see as the dust mixed together with fog and smoke.
“Ugh!”
Cale's body staggered once more.
"Commander-nim!”
Jo Min Yeh supported Cale who was about to fall over.
The people who had taken the longest time to snap out of it were the ability users who were helping Jo Min Yeh hold onto the spider web.
Jo Min Yeh, who had been about to cast her spider web to protect them, grabbed Cale who had faced those currents in her place.
“…Haaaaaaaaaa……..”
Cale was breathing heavily and dark red blood was dripping out of his mouth.
“D, did it get away?!”
Some people poked their heads out of the tunnel that the yellow head and Choi Han had come through earlier.
They were Kang Il-Rae and Park Young Hoon's people who had come over after evacuating the people at Yeonsan station.
Jo Min Yeh sharply yelled back to Kang Il-Rae who asked if the monster got away.
“Didn't you see what happened?!”
“We just got here and saw the end bits!”
Kang Il-Rae was about to keep speaking before shutting up after seeing the area once the dust settled.
There were people who were bleeding out of their ears and finally getting back up.
The entire area was a mess because of the electricity attacks and the digging.
Then there was the large headless body of the blue monster.
Kang Il-Rae lamented the fact that he could not hurry over any faster and barely managed to speak.
“…I'm sorry. We would have rushed over if we knew it would get away-”
"Who said that?”
“…Huh?”
His gaze headed toward Cale who was being supported by Jo Min Yeh.
Kang Il-Rae had flinched after seeing a pale Cale bleeding out of his mouth before flinching once more after looking into Cale's eyes.
Cale's cold sunken gaze had the persistence of a hunter.
Cale slowly asked again.
“Who said… That it got away?”
Everyone's gazes headed toward one person at that moment.
Cale looked in the direction the monster had disappeared to as he continued to speak.
"We’re going to Seomyeon.”
Even if it left this area…
Even if it started to hide…
Even if it ran away…
“That’s the only place that that bastard can come.”
Both that bastard and he had the same final destination.
The first unranked monster had appeared on November 6th.
One day had passed since then.
Currently, it was 11pm on November 7th.
The Electric Eel monster still had not shown up again.
Only the thick fog around all of Busan let them know that the bastard was still alive and hiding somewhere while aiming to take them out.
Cale was standing at the watchtower when he heard Lee Soo Hyuk's voice behind him.
“Hey, Rok Soo. Isn’t it your birthday tomorrow?”