(TL note at the end.)
[Pig-Jon] (TL: As you can tell, it's a pun on 'pigeon'. The 'Jon' is a Hanja character signifying 'up' or 'dignified'. Not sure what the author was going for here.)
The monster that likes to form a large flock and preys on food wastes. It resembles a large pigeon, but with a head that looks like a pig wearing a crown.
These monsters fly around in the skies above human cities and search for food wastes. If you disturb it during its mealtime, these monsters will become very aggressive.
Thus, discarding food waste is now a serious crime.
"Caw---!!"
A crow with two heads flew in and landed on Choi Kahng-Sik's right shoulder as if it was the most natural thing in the whole world.
'Two heads? If it's two heads, doesn't that mean.....?'
The crow that looked like a serious case of radiation mutation gone wrong stared back at him, and its right head began cawing joyously.
Choi Kahng-Sik's eyes opened up extra wide.
"How come an Oh-Racle is....?"
Indeed, this was the two-star ranked monster, Oh-Racle.
It was a helpful monster that predicted one's fortunes. These creatures didn't threaten humans, but neither were they seen as 'friendly'.
So, how could he go about explaining this situation?
'Judging by its small size, it's still a baby....'
[A certain god has noted something down on his observation diary.]
[A certain impatient god is trying to sneak a look.]
[A certain god hastily hides the diary.]
….Whether this was also due to the gods' meddling or not was unknown.
The two-star monster settled down comfortably on his right shoulder. Its two heads looked around the surroundings with great interest.
Understandably, the curiosity of the viewers was quite high, to say the least.
┖ Extend the live stream! *^^*
┖ Better tell us what's up with that Oh-Racle now.
┖ Oh, hey. Mister MS? It can't be? You ain't thinking of that, right? ;;
'Oh yeah, it is as you thought.'
Just like planned, Choi Kahng-Sik ended the broadcast there. He figured that, rather than continuing on, doing this would stoke the flames of the viewers' curiosity even higher.
As for the Oh-Racle itself...
*SFX for feathers rubbing together*
It began grooming its feathers on his shoulder.
"Oii. Don't clean your feathers on someone else's shoulder."
Choi Kahng-Sik reached up to brush away that small avian monster off.
"Caw~!"
However, rather than evading or trying to bite his hand, the baby Oh-Racle rubbed its right head on his palm, instead.
What a clear sign of friendliness this was!
"....Huh. Well, I'll be."
Choi Kahng-Sik lightly patted the heads of the Oh-Racle a couple more times. Meanwhile, the corners of his lips were arching up and up.
'The signs of something big happening is.....'
For now, he decided to observe for a little bit longer. If the creature left a short while later, then this whole thing could be chalked up to coincidence, after all.
He was already suffering from the fickle gods endlessly irritating him. This was nothing more than a two-headed crow added to the mix. That was all.
No need to get his knickers in a twist.
"M-Mister Choi Kahng-Sik....?"
By this time, the deputy had returned to Choi Kahng-Sik's side, having ended his phone call at a location a little distance away. Obviously, there was a very stunned look on his face.
How long had it been since he went away to receive the call from the lab? The call that said the heavily-guarded shovel 'Hae Mo-Su' had gone missing?
"Caw!"
And now, there was a two-headed monster sitting on the young man's right shoulder.
"If you've got something to say, please hurry it up. I've got lots of things to do. My time is far more valuable than you can imagine."
"Y-your shoulder...."
"Obviously, I'm not going to explain to those I don't have a good impression of."
Choi Kahng-Sik coldly replied.
'Yu Il-Ahm was nothing more than a stopgap. I gotta find a place to live first, gather some information, and quickly go on the hunt right away.'
[A certain god is smiling brightly.]
[Another god is agreeing with you wholeheartedly.]
….Because, the patience of these gods were as big as a grain of sand on a beach.
He had way too many things to do, that's for sure.
"The Korean branch of the Monster Association will never try to treat you poorly, Mister Choi Kahng-Sik."
"What about my shovel, then?"
"....It seemed that there was some kind of a communication error on the ground level. We're in the middle of punishing those involved. So, please, let go of your ange.... Mister Choi Kahng-Sik?!"
"Busy wasting my time...."
Choi Kahng-Sik unhesitantly turned around and left.
"Caaaw~."
The right head of the baby Oh-Racle cawed happily. It was as if the creature had no desire to come down from his shoulder.
The deputy hurriedly ran after him and called out.
"Mister Choi Kahng-Sik!! We heard that you've been staying in a shabby dry sauna after you lost your place of residence!"
"Heng!! You don't have to worry about that."
"As a sign of our apology, we'd like to gift you with a house."
"Oh, really? Don't bother, because I've got money now."
The MS Cameraman, now that his streams were reaching past the borders of this small nation and into the rest of the planet, enjoyed high viewership figures with more digits than any local Monster Streamers could pull in.
And when he took a look at all the values and amounts of 'gifts' sent by various corporations and billionaires wishing to meet him, all he could do was to form a wry smile.
'You think I'm a pauper or something?'
He only had a single reason why he came to the Monster Association today. He wanted to get the Buff-Palrog's horn.
He was here to get the promised prize for 'Thumbelina'. He could buy a horn in the market, sure, but he believed it was the correct thing to give the viewer the horn he procured by his own hands on that fateful day.
"If you have a lot of money, then surely, you need to start worrying about your taxes, no?"
A deeply meaningful smile formed on the lips of the deputy.
The tax would balloon up higher and higher, the more one earned! If the government made up its mind and made a move, then no matter how much one earned, one would not have a cent left to his name.
However, Choi Kahng-Sik simply smirked.
"I've never worried about being wealthy in the first place."
"P, pardon?"
"As long as I don't have a financial burden weighing me down, then that will suffice. After all, I don't need a huge fortune to kill the Bul-Raid. Hiring mercenaries? A squad of men to fight for me? No, they would only serve as a hindrance, causing the b*stard's blades to increase in number."
"B-but, but...!"
Now that this method of approach was rebutted, the deputy was left with not much else to say.
'This b*stard, what the hell is up with him?'
It seemed that Choi Kahng-Sik was fundamentally different from other Hunters, to begin with.
For the others, hunting monsters was a way to become wealthy and famous. But for Choi Kahng-Sik, the wealth and fame were simply the means to hunt more monsters.
He was definitely not normal.
Well, he should've realised that from the moment the youth attacked the five-star monster without a shred of fear!
Snapping back to reality from his daydream, the deputy hurriedly spoke the next thing entering to his mind.
"I understand your intentions, Mister Choi Kahng-Sik. But, still. We'd like you to receive the house. We would never ask anything from you in exchange for the hou...."
"Caw!!"
The baby Oh-Racle, which had been keeping quiet until now, suddenly cawed. And for the first time it appeared here, it was not the right head, but the left one.
The left head that foretold the upcoming misfortune!
What could that signify, in this context?
"...."
"...."
An awkward silence gently drifted in between the two men.
Choi Kahng-Sik wordlessly switched his camera back on. Well, broadcasting the dealing between himself and the government, and letting the public witness it, was the best weapon he possessed that would place him in a more advantageous position.
He shot a glare full of suspicion at the deputy.
"Oh, so you really ain't gonna ask me to do something for you people, huh?"
"Ha, hahaha....."
┖ Mister MS? If you were going to do this, then just don't turn off the camera. ㅡ.ㅡ^
┖ Enough of that. So, what's up with that on your shoulder, dude?
┖ XX I can't sleep because of the curiosity, man!
The viewers were still clamouring to find out more about the small monster squatting on his shoulder.
How could a monster follow around a human being?
Sure, there were Espers with psychic powers that allowed them to freely control many monsters. However, this was the first time ever for a monster to willingly follow a human being.
"Caw!"
Suddenly, the Oh-Racle cawed again. And it was its left head once more.
The light within Choi Kahng-Sik's eyes changed immediately.
'Wait a minute! An Oh-Racle's supposed to tell the fortunes of its surroundings. So, how could it tell the fortunes related to a house it had never seen before?'
"...."
He then dodged right away.
His body reacted faster than his head did.
Kwaboom!!
And then... A huge and heavy lifeform dropped from the sky like a falling meteor. It caused a huge whirlpool of wind and blew away small objects around its vicinity.
Kwaboom!! Boom!! Kaboom!!
It wasn't the only one, though.
The front yard of the Monster Association, charged with protecting the nation of Korea, was instantly occupied by the countless number of flight-type monsters.
It was a large scale air-raid and sneak attack by the monsters!!
Hunters hurriedly pulled out their weapons.
"Coo-ink!! Coo, coo-ink! Coo-ink!!"
"Coooo-ink! Coo-ink! Coo, coo-ink!!" (TL note at the end)
Too bad, they were easily overwhelmed by the huge number of the monsters, which was as many as a flock of pigeons. Even worse, their numbers continued to increase as seconds ticked by.
"Somebody, do something!"
"No! I don't want to die!"
The faces of the Hunters present became pale in an instant.
Was the immediate area surrounding the Monster Association the safest place out there?
Only half of that assertion was correct.
Because the truly skilful Hunters would be roaming around the outer edges of the cities where the monsters frequently appeared. It was safe here only because of those guys that ensured the outer perimeter of the city wasn't breached.
"Hiiiick?!"
"Hey, man! You said you could take on a one-star no problem?!"
"Sorry, but not today!"
The majority of these people walking around the Association building as if they lived there, was what you'd call a collection of wannabes who only looked okay from the outside. Naturally, they spouted all sorts of excuses and ran away, having lost what little fighting spirit they had in the first place.
What about their superpowers, the ones they were so proud of?
The moment they used it, they'd get swarmed by this huge flock and get massacred in the blink of an eye!!
Swallowed up by fear, they had become completely powerless.
And thus, they also ran away along with those who couldn't wield superpowers at all.
Stab!!
"Kkueechk?!"
….With the sole exception of a certain young man who didn't have superpowers, to begin with.
Thud!!!
A large monster keeled over and crashed to the ground, its tongue hanging out.
Choi Kahng-Sik pulled the shovel out from the pig-like head of the monster.
"Coo-ink!"
"Coooo-iiink?!"
The monsters were approaching the prone Yu Il-Ahm until then. Their attention snapped towards Choi Kahng-Sik right away.
He frowned deeply as he spoke.
"This is really odd. These Pig-Jons were supposed to prey on food wastes, so why are they here? Why are they aiming for Yu Il-Ahm... Wait a minute... Waste? Ahhh."
The majority of monsters liked to snack on humans.
Sooo, what about a human trash, then?
'Oh, my god. Yu Il-Ahm, what kind of a person are you....? Not only the gods, but even the monsters acknowledge you....'
┖ It's the human trash again? ㅋㅋㅋ
┖ He is really a trash. He even managed to draw monsters to Seoul.
┖ Wait! This isn't the time to make jokes, isn't it? ㅡ.ㅡ;;
┖ This is happening right in front of my place. Somebody save me. ㅠ
"....In any case, dear viewers? I'm extending my broadcast all thanks to a certain someone. Don't forget to show your love and donations to the MS fighting for the safety of all citizens!!"
[A certain god tilts his head in confusion.]
[A certain impatient god doesn't know how to.]
'I wasn't talking to you guys, though?'
Nope, it'd be more helpful if these annoying messages stopped popping up in front of his eyes.
[A different god has made a recommendation.]
[A certain relaxed god is taking a peek.]
[Number of viewers: 13]
'….Still, my faith in you guys is growing ever brighter like the early morning sun rising up to greet the day. I hope you guys know that.'
In any case.....
"There shall be LIGHT!!"
"Coo-ink??"
< Chapter 19: The Air-Raid/Sneak Attack (1) > Fin.
(TL: The title of this chapter is called "공습" which generally means "air raid", but it can also mean sneak attack as well. It depends on the Hanja letters used, but the author didn't provide them and I couldn't be sure which one he meant, so I'll just put both up there.)
(TL: I know that those onomatopoeia sounds come across as bizarre, but the author originally wrote those words as a cross between what a pigeon and a pig sound like. In Korean, it's written as "Ccool" but you probably can tell why that's a bit problematic when TLed into English. So, I did what I thought was the second best thing to do, and that is to combine the "coo" with "oink.")