77th Chapter – Unstoppable (7)
[What’s the Purpose?]
The monsters are undoubtedly corrupted and insane, just as Ren described. But they aren’t mad in the way of seeing illusions or delusions.
Intense desire and instinct. Beings swallowed by them.
The universal mission of Magical Girls is to eradicate such monsters, but I’m not your average Magical Girl.
“Why does that even matter? They’re monsters that kill civilians and wear their skins!”
[Yeah, that’s true. But is that really their purpose?]
I denied Ren’s words.
After all, even fallen angels are executive members of our Demon King’s army. It’s not a stain on the demon race to be corrupted and loyal to their desires.
“Are you feeling unwell? Your face looks stiff.”
“…No.”
He, or rather the monster, smiled at me and offered the fruit he held. Even now, I was pondering how to deal with them. I genuinely wanted to hear their intentions in the process.
“It’s delicious.”
I took a bite of the unfamiliar tropical fruit speared on a fork. Surprisingly, there wasn’t any poison on it. Well, we just met. When would they show their true colors?
Seeing that they didn’t even notice my true identity, they didn’t seem particularly strong.
“I’m glad you like it. Have fun while you can. I have work to do now.”
Park Tae-jun’s father, Park Ji-tae, left with a hearty laugh. Could it really be this uneventful?
If so, then it wouldn’t be a bad idea to let it go for now and come back at night to do some cleaning.
“Uh, should we just do what we have to do for now?”
At that moment, when it was just the two of us left in the room, Park Tae-jun, who didn’t seem used to the change in his parents, was the first to speak up.
“You study really well…? I thought you were smart, but how…”
“If you think that, let’s do the studying later. How about we talk about something a little different?”
No matter what happens, time keeps flowing without stopping. Lunchtime approached, and Park Tae-jun and I wrapped up today’s business in an instant. He was dumbfounded realizing my level was far beyond middle school.
“Something different?”
“Your brother, you said he’s working at your dad’s company? Call him. See if there’s anything that has changed like with your parents.”
“Suddenly, what’s that about?”
“…I hope you get along well with your brother.”
If the parents have already fallen, then the only remaining blood relative for him is a 26-year-old older brother with a 12-year age gap. To me, they both seemed like kids, but it would be easier if there was at least one person to lean on.
“I get along with my brother. He’s at work now. Doesn’t seem like anything’s… changed?”
“Well, that’s good to hear.”
Park Tae-jun, with a perplexed look as he fiddled with his phone, scratched his head and replied.
But whether his brother was alright might not be indicative of whether those monsters had started moving in earnest or if they were intentionally left alone.
“Next, what do you think about the monsters?”
“What?”
I moved to the next topic. There was only one goal. I wanted him to be less affected by the events that would happen soon. At the same time, the foul stench I had already sensed became more pronounced amidst my sharpened instincts.
*
“Lunch preparation… done.”
On this peaceful Saturday afternoon, while most families were preparing lunch, they were doing just the same.
Park Ji-tae and Yoo Ji-young, along with the hired maid and Yoo Ji-tae’s personal bodyguard. But their preparation was a bit different from other households.
“Even after the clash with Karin, who defeated our leader Rene, Casilena’s actions haven’t stopped. They’re publicly executing those involved in the violent deaths within the military right in the middle of the base…”
“Kihih, all these Magical Girls here are nothing but crazies.”
Park Ji-tae chuckled while watching TV in the living room. The large screen displayed news about Casilena, which the anchor was covering.
“It’s a good thing for us if they’re fighting among themselves.”
“Right. This place is just fantastic.”
At that moment, Yoo Ji-young chimed in as she entered the living room. Park Ji-tae nodded contentedly, looking at her.
The expressions, tone, and atmosphere of both were starkly different from how they had just appeared in front of the children.
“Meanwhile, Takilas, who defeated the SS-class Karin in one strike, has vanished again. Experts are suggesting that there’s no need to provoke Takilas, whose future actions remain uncertain…”
“We just need to be cautious of that uniquely crazy monster. Just a few traces of her path could make regular monsters seem trivial.”
Park Ji-tae frowned at the news about Takilas.
Even those once residents of the rough and terrible Nebaros, who had planned to steadily gain strength, found Takilas’s movements a matter of concern.
“Is it about time to start? The shorter the time, the better.”
Just then, the maid came in and rushed them. Her voice and demeanor were completely different than usual, but they certainly didn’t pay it any mind.
After all, they were a single group that shared all thoughts and senses, moving toward one single purpose.
“I’ve set up a chance to meet the power figures of this land through the Host and the Host’s brother, Park Ji-ho. We will make them our comrades, and… heh, swallow this country whole.”
“For that, what’s needed?”
“More prey. More… breeding.”
As if it were a continuation of their thoughts, they looked up all at once. Today’s prey was on the second floor. Slowly, and deeply, they would consume everything that lived and breathed in this world.
That was the desire and survival method of the ‘Corrupted Bug Collective’, native monsters of Nebaros.
“Go, bring the girl first.”
Park Ji-tae ordered Yoo Ji-young.
“To the underground?”
“Yes. To the underground. Before turning the Host’s son into our kin, he’ll witness the scene where his own female is gruesomely butchered and served on a plate. The process where that torso becomes a living egg sac! What expressions will he make while forced to eat that dish? He won’t be able to endure it.”
Park Ji-tae grinned as he imagined it.
The plan was already set. Turn Park Tae-jun, the Host’s Son, into one of them, while devour the guest, Lee Jin-ah.
He was confident that he could make the societal power he had now handle the case of missing Lee Jin-ah, an orphan with no ties, as an accident afterward.
“Well then, go on.”
Yoo Ji-young twisted her face for a moment but immediately turned away with a warm, sunny smile and headed upstairs.
“Jin-ah. Before dinner, do you want to see your aunt for a moment?”
She knocked and opened the door softly with a voice that was sweet and warm, calling for Lee Jin-ah, who was sitting at the desk.
“Uh, Mom. Why is it only Jin-ah…?”
“That’s enough. I’ll be right there.”
The flustered Park Tae-jun stood up, but it was Lee Jin-ah who stopped him instead.
‘…That human brat has eyes I dislike. Tsk.’
Yoo Ji-young, who had kept her mouth shut, clicked her tongue inside as she noticed the gaze of Lee Jin-ah approaching her.
Those empty eyes, however deep and unfathomable, gleamed arrogantly for an unknown reason, clearly looking down on her.
That said, she couldn’t get mad right now, so Yoo Ji-young made a mental note to torture and dismember her limbs later.
“Your father asked you to come down to the underground for a moment.”
“The underground?”
“He might have a present for you? Clothes or something like that.”
Yoo Ji-young, who came down to the first floor together, pushed Lee Jin-ah towards the underground waiting for Park Ji-tae. For a moment, Lee Jin-ah glanced up at her but silently turned her gaze away and headed for the underground.
“…Can I go in?”
“Of course. The door is open.”
Once she knocked on the underground door after going down the stairs, she found that while it was said to be an underground room, it was nothing but a slightly larger room used as a storeroom. The damp aura seeping out from there didn’t even try to hide itself. After all, the hunt had already ended the moment she entered this house.
“Why did you want to meet in a place like this? There’s nothing to give as a present.”
“You’re poorly mannered for saying such a thing while being a greedy little brat. Is it because you’re a parentless orphan?”
As soon as Lee Jin-ah took a step into the dimly lit room, the underground door slammed shut with a bang! and locked tight. At the same time, Park Ji-tae, who had been waiting inside, revealed his true colors devoid of the mask of a smile.
“This is a crime.”
“Hihaha! In a situation like this, do you think the police of this land will come to your rescue? Was the source of that arrogant impudence just those pathetic fools?”
Park Ji-tae, holding a large saw in his hand, advanced toward her, who was trapped without an escape route, grabbing her small chin roughly and lifting it to aim the saw at her neck.
Lee Jin-ah, looking up with her pale face at his crazed, glimmering eyes, felt her body freeze as the fear seeped through her hands.
And he, thrilled by that fear, licked his massive, stained tongue in delight.
“Yes. You should be afraid. That’s the emotion suitable for bugs like you. From now on, remember this; this is reality. In the world, the weak get eaten. Knowing your place, lovely little creature, scream beautifully in your pain.”
The moment of the hunt always erupted with pleasure. He couldn’t hold back and licked Lee Jin-ah’s face deeply.
“Hii…?”
But at that moment.
He realized in real-time that his body was freezing and panicked, his tongue still stuck out. However, the instinct overwhelmed with fear did not loosen its grip.
“Indeed, you speak only truth.”
“Heeek!”
The atmosphere changed in an instant. Desperately thrashing, he instinctively sliced at the neck with the saw he was holding.
But with a sizzling sound and sparks flying, it wasn’t the fragile neck that got split in half, but the saw blade itself.
“It goes to show the weak get eaten, huh? Since you’ve still managed to taste the flavor, you shouldn’t feel wronged.”
Lee Jin-ah’s eyes, which had caught his tongue, glimmered red as they twisted. Those eyes resembled his just before. The gaze of a true predator reveling in the moment of the hunt.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.
