"Grrrr...."
"Hk... hngh..."
"D-Dad... what do we do...?"
The daughter was shedding tears, grabbing her father's sleeve with trembling hands.
And the wife bit her lip, swallowed her tears, and strove to embrace her daughter tightly.
"Honey... Subin... don't ever leave my side...!"
The wife shielded her daughter and stepped back, but the moment her back touched the wall, she realized there was nowhere left to retreat and felt even greater despair.
"Don't lay a hand on my family, you bastards!!"
The head of the household swung a baton every which way to block the monsters and protect his precious daughter and wife, but the monsters scraped their sharp claws against the floor, making suffocating growls while drooling black saliva from their mouths as they glared at the family.
"Grrr"
"This isn't going to work..."
"Honey... I'll give you the signal, so take Subin and run away quickly."
"No, honey...!"
"I can't leave you behind...!"
"Dad, no...!"
"You'll die if you do that...!"
When the head of the household said it was his last request and begged them to stay alive, the wife and daughter only cried harder.
'Thud, thud'
One monster bared its sharp fangs with a howl and approached with its claws raised, causing the family's breathing to grow rougher.
"Grrrr!!"
The moment the monster raised its claws to attack the head of the household, someone appeared with a dull sound cutting through the air.
'Taptap!'
'Baam!!!!'
The approaching monster's body flew sideways, and simultaneously, a deep footprint was clearly visible on its face.
'Kwaang!'
The monster crashed into the building wall and fell. The head of the household collapsed on the spot upon seeing the boy who had appeared before his eyes.
"Are you alright?!"
"Ah.... aah....."
Covered in black blood on his clothes and hands, holding a steel pipe in one hand, the boy who appeared was Lee Suhan.
"Don't move from there."
"I'll finish this quickly."
"Grrr...!"
I stood with my back to the three people and fought the approaching monsters.
I dodged the sharp claw attacks while striking their faces with the pipe. Once again, a monster's head burst, drenching my clothes in black blood.
'Shiik!'
"Kuk...!"
A monster's claw grazed my shoulder and I felt pain, but I kept counterattacking without retreating.
'Bam!'
'Bam!'
After taking down about five monsters and checking myself, my white clothes were already stained black.
"I look like a mess..."
I hurriedly approached the three and asked if anyone was hurt.
"Ah... yes... th-thank you so much..."
"Evacuate quickly before you run into more monsters."
Thinking there were still more people who hadn't evacuated, I got up and started running again.
'Taptaptaptap'
===
"Grrr..."
"Please... someone... save me...!"
A woman was crouched in a dead-end alley.
Her desperate voice echoed through the narrow alley, and she slowly sank down as she looked at the approaching monster.
"Grrr.."
The woman desperately wanted to live, thinking of her beloved family.
But her legs trembled and wouldn't move at all, and looking around, there was nowhere to run.
'Thud... thud'
"Grrr..."
All she could see was a bright red monster approaching her with dozens of eyes fixed on her. She felt fear and despair.
"Grrr..!"
'Shuuk!'
The moment she desperately cried for help seeing the monster's attack coming, Lee Suhan appeared from above and slammed the steel pipe in his hands down with all his might on the monster's head.
'Kwuung!'
The monster was slammed into the ground, its head completely crushed. I slowly stood up and spoke to her.
"Are you alright?"
'Thump'
"Aah... thank you..."
"Can you stand up?"
"Ah... yes..."
After evacuating the last remaining woman, I hurried toward the shelter with my remaining stamina to return.
'Tatadadak'
"Grrr"
"Grrr"
"Grrrrr!"
"!!"
But monsters were chasing me from behind. I started running into alleys to shake them off.
I only had about half my stamina left.
If I fought more here, other monsters would swarm, so I was hurriedly running away. The moment I escaped the alley—
"Grrrr!!"
"!!"
One of the pursuing monsters appeared from above and launched an attack.
'Kwuung!'
'Tat'
'Tat'
"Kuk...!"
Fortunately, I dodged the attack, but the situation had turned dire.
"Grrr"
"Grrrrr"
"Grrr..."
Monsters began appearing everywhere. Their numerous eyes glared at me as they started to surround me.
The steel pipe I held was already battered beyond repair.
I thought it was impossible to fight these guys with my remaining stamina.
If only I could use my ability, I could somehow manage, but I couldn't use my ability yet.
"The teacher and the kids must have all evacuated...."
I looked around, thinking of the teacher and friends who would have safely evacuated.
"Grrr"
"Grrr..."
"Grrrrr"
The monsters slowly approached, scraping their sharp claws against the ground, and I recalled what Hayun had said to me.
While reading a comic book, she had suddenly asked me which character I thought was the strongest.
I had said that of course the one with the most strength was the strongest.
But I recalled that Hayun had clicked her tongue twice and said that the character who never gives up no matter the situation is the strongest.
I had laughed it off at the time, but looking at my current situation, Hayun's words wouldn't leave my head.
The one who doesn't give up is the truly strong one. Those words breathed strength back into my weakening hands.
"Right... I have to survive and return to where everyone is."
"Since she said she wouldn't let me off the hook otherwise."
"Grrr"
As the monsters closed the distance further, I gripped the breaking pipe tightly and took my stance.
"I'll take you all on no matter how many there are, so come at me. Today, either you die or I die—one of us is definitely going to die."
With firm resolve, I dashed into the midst of the monsters, and they too began lunging at me.
"Grrr!"
Forcing my already exhausted body to move, I lowered my stance to dodge a flying claw attack and struck its head with the pipe, but as the monster's head burst, the pipe snapped at the same time.
But without panicking, I dodged the next attack and threw the broken pipe, embedding it precisely in the monster's head.
'Puk!!'
No longer having a weapon, I clenched my fist tightly and fought against the charging monsters.
'Bam!!'
'Bam!!'
"(I will definitely make it back alive...!)"
To get out of here alive, there was no choice but to take down all these monsters.
So I will never give up. I will defeat all these monsters and definitely return to where my family is.
===
Meanwhile, the Tigers unit was resolving the situation on another front.
A squad member approached the person who appeared to be the team leader and said.
"Team 2 Leader, all civilians in the vicinity have finished evacuating."
[ Tigers ]
◆ Combat Unit Team 2 Leader -Gang Suhyeok-
"Good work."
"Then we'll begin the operation now."
"Yes"
===
"Haa... haa..."
"Damn... they really never end..."
I felt like I had taken down nearly 50, but the monsters showed no signs of decreasing, and at the unchanging situation, curses I don't usually use popped out.
"Ah... I'm going to die from exhaustion..."
My body was already a mess from injuries, and my breathing was getting rougher.
"(I'm scared...)"
This very moment was too terrifying.
In a situation where I wanted to run but couldn't, feeling death approaching right under my nose, my hands began to tremble.
"(I want to live...)"
I wanted to survive and return to where everyone was, but my strength was fading and I no longer had any stamina left.
"Grrr...!"
And as one monster dashed in at high speed, I squeezed out every last bit of strength and blew its head off with my fist.
'Bam!'
"This is... the end..."
Tears fell, and the moment I felt no more strength entering my body and was about to give up, a miracle occurred.
'Pa-at'
[Normal Enemy Defeat (100/100) Complete]
[Conditions have been met.]
"?......"
Upon seeing the message that conditions had been met in the blue window that suddenly appeared before my eyes, I couldn't understand what was happening.
"What is this...?"
While I was distracted for a moment, the monsters began charging again.
The blue window began displaying unknown words.
[Analyzing situation. Critical situation determined.]
[Ability granting and Ether activation commencing.]
"??"
As information flowed into my head, my body began to glow.
While wondering what was happening, the monsters had already approached right before my nose, so I began using my ability with a mindset of just surviving first.
'Fwoosh'
'Puoong!'
Crimson and gold intertwined flames burst forth from my body.
They incinerated all the approaching monsters. As I felt my stamina and strength gradually returning, I began fighting the monsters again with the hope that I could make it back alive.
"(Let's survive first and think later..!)"
Wrapping myself in flames and attacking in all directions, a massive explosion of flame erupted and blazed brightly.
'Kwaaang!!!!!!!'
"What?!"
Gang Suhyeok was startled by the massive fire explosion visible in the distance when a radio transmission came through.
'Chhh'
"Team Leader Gang Suhyeok, we've confirmed the main body's location!"
'Chhh'
"Where is the location?"
"Twelve o'clock, 10km ahead from your current position!"
"However, powerful entities have gathered around the main body, so approach will likely be difficult."
"Understood. We'll handle that issue on this side."
"Team Leader Choe!"
He told Team Leader Choe next to him that he needed to go where the pillar of fire had shot up, and requested him to handle the main body.
"Yes, leave it to me."
"I will take care of it immediately."
As Gang Suhyeok left, Choe Minsu began moving with the squad members and discovered the main body emitting black smoke among the monsters in the distance.
"Is that the main body?"
The main body slowly moved its massive frame, separating flesh from its body to continuously multiply monsters.
If only that was taken down, the remaining entities would all disappear, but near the main body, elite soldiers guarding their commander glared at Choe Minsu.
'Psh'
"One against five... this should be fun."
'Shring'
Choe Minsu left the surrounding entities to the squad members, drew a long sword from his waist, and began running toward the main body.
===
The evacuees trembled with anxiety, hoping the outside situation would be resolved as soon as possible.
Inside the shelter, children's sobbing and adults' hushed conversations could be heard, and outside, small explosions rang out intermittently.
"Mom... I'm scared..."
When a child said she was scared, the woman embraced the child in her arms to comfort her and spoke warmly.
"Don't worry, Hayeon... everything will definitely be okay."
She too was very anxious about this situation, but to comfort the child, she forced a smile and spoke. On the other side, elderly people gathered and conversed with worried faces.
"It exploded again... I had hoped this would never happen again..."
"What in the world is this commotion..."
"Don't tell me it's getting as serious as last time?"
"Don't say that."
"Think of the people fighting hard outside. We're able to stay safe like this thanks to them."
On the other side, Suhan's friends and teacher had gathered, worrying about Suhan who still hadn't returned.
"Teacher... will Suhan be okay..."
Minjeong said worriedly with her head buried in her knees.
The teacher grabbed Minjeong's shoulder and spoke warmly.
"He'll definitely be okay..."
"Thanks to Suhan, everyone was able to get here safely..."
But the teacher too was filled with worry for Suhan, hoping he would return to the shelter quickly.
"I'm still thinking about Suhan..."
Jiyeong was also very worried about Suhan. In her mind, she kept picturing Suhan holding a pipe, ready to fight the monsters.
And Hayun, who was usually lively and mischievous, was anxious. She continuously clenched and unclenched her fists with a face full of seriousness and worry.
'Clench'
"Just what is that Lee Suhan guy doing and where..."
"He's making people worry..."
'Kuuung!!'
'Kugugugugu'
Then, a loud roar from outside caused the shelter to shake slightly.
Dust fell from the ceiling, causing people to panic with great anxiety.
"Wh-what...?!"
"Is it an earthquake...?!"
People realized something unusual was happening outside.
The teacher, feeling the great vibration, resolved to do something and stood up.
"Teacher, where are you going?"
When Hayun spoke, the teacher said with a determined expression.
"I'll go find Suhan."
"You guys stay here."
At those words, Hayun hurriedly grabbed the teacher's arm.
"No! If you do that, you'll run into monsters again!"
"If you don't come back either, what will we do!"
When the other kids shook their heads in objection, the teacher said.
"Don't worry, kids. I'll definitely bring Suhan back."
The friends made even more worried expressions.
The teacher, trying to avoid the eyes of the Tigers guarding the shelter, pondered how to get out, but—
"Excuse me...! My husband here isn't breathing well...!!"
Someone urgently called the squad members in the shelter. As the squad members went to check on the person, the teacher took advantage of the opening to leave the shelter and began running to find Suhan.
"(Suhan... please be safe...!!)"