Chapter 902

EP.902 [Light Novel Side Story] The Death Dinus of Creation 2 Vol. 019

Numbers were absolutely against them.

Xian’s team had only three Special Ability users, but the enemy numbered thirteen Monsters in total.

But individually, their combat power and equipment were overwhelmingly superior. Even though Xian couldn’t use ‘Thunder,’ the gun that had exploded Chun Bomi’s body due to the terrain, the trio’s strength had grown enough to handle the monsters easily.

“Raon takes left! Nuri takes right! Yuna, keep watch!”

Following Xian’s command, Raon blocked off the open space on the left while Nuri ran to the right, swinging her sword. They each took half of the 5-meter-wide open area to stop the monsters’ advance.

Kyaahh!

The mindless monsters charged like beasts. If an arm was struck by a spear and broken, they’d stab with their elbows; if a leg was cut off, they’d hop forward swinging their arms.

When one monster was pierced by Nuri’s sword and disappeared, another immediately leaped forward to grab the blade with both hands. Emitting eerie growls, the controlled monsters attacked as Nuri stepped back, swinging her sword.

“Zombie go die!!”

Kiieeek!

The monsters strained every nerve to grab onto Nuri and Raon. By tying up these two at the front, they aimed to target the other two behind.

Pajijik. The light hanging from the ceiling flickered as if about to go out. The light slowly dimming in the passage caused the monsters’ figures to start disappearing into the darkness.

Xian urgently called out to Yuna.

“Yuna!”

“Yes!”

Apparently Yuna was already prepared, as a glowing orb emerged from the tip of her staff, illuminating the darkening cave as the ceiling lights faded away.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Of course, the enemy wouldn’t just let that happen.

Sae-aek-!

Just before the light spread, a sharp whistling sound was heard. Instinctively, Xian raised her gun and deflected the projectile.

Kaaang! The metallic clanging sound revealed it was quite heavy. Realizing the projectile was substantial, Xian decided she had no choice but to alter its trajectory as much as possible. Meanwhile, Yuna shot the fading light orb upward toward the ceiling.

Xian caught sight of the mysterious projectile. The water-coated tip of the sword was aimed directly at Yuna’s heart.

“You…!”

With all her might, Xian batted the flying sword upward. The deflected blade grazed past Yuna’s earlobe as she clenched her teeth and raised her staff high.

“I’ll raise it again!”

Poof! Thanks to Yuna’s newly summoned light orb, the cave brightened once more. Raon swung his spear horizontally, striking a monster’s head and vanishing it, while Nuri, startled from further back, reached out toward Xian.

“Auntie! Danger!”

“Tch!”

Nuri warned about missing a monster. Seeing a monster charging toward Yuna, Xian raised her gun, while Nuri broke free from her position and chased after it with her sword raised.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Puk! Xian’s gun struck the monster’s temple. Though the bullets were spent, the gun still boasted a weight comparable to a decent hammer, knocking the monster flat on the ground.

“Nuri! Let me finish it!”

Realizing Nuri was trying to slash the downed monster, Xian pointed ahead.

“Kim Nuri! Not this side, look out in front-”

“That’s a fake!!!”

A sharp scream came from Nuri. In the direction the sound came from, behind the running Nuri who was struggling to break free from zombie monsters, there was another Nuri running toward them with a sword.

The real Nuri trapped by zombie monsters and the Nuri running toward them with a sword.

Xian’s eyes widened in shock as she realized the identity of the approaching Nuri, but it was already too late. The monster disguised as Nuri, Choen Bom, had already closed the distance to within striking range of Xian.

“Die!”

“Xian-sama!!”

Choen Bom swung her sword toward Xian’s neck, while Yuna tried to block with her staff, but it was too late.

Xian stared wide-eyed and raised her right arm to block the sword.

Ssgeuk!

Choen Bom’s sword sliced through Xian’s right arm.

* * *

<At that moment, Guro Base Camp Monster Detention Facility.>

[Seongbuk, Seocho, and Seodaemun subway tunnels! Penril monsters discovered! Hunters are intercepting them!]

“Inform nearby hunters. Heroes, focus on sealing off the tunnels. Don’t rush in recklessly.”

[Yeouido – two hidden Penril monsters discovered! Arrested and core extraction complete! Returning via surface to Guro!]

“Heroes, please follow up. Control the hunters’ movements so they can arrive here smoothly. Maintain strict vigilance to avoid any accidents.”

[Ursa facing off against A-Rank Villain Sky Castle at Namsan Tower! Six critically injured, seventeen lightly wounded! All hunters!]

“…Dispatch rescue teams. Nearby heroes, proceed to Namsan Tower as quickly as possible. Leave Sky Castle to Ursa-senpai and focus on rescuing the injured.”

Seok Harang anxiously monitored the situation from atop a torn container at the Guro base camp.

“Remember, heroes prioritize human life rescue and hunter support… Assist hunters in ensuring they can capture the monsters safely.”

As soon as captured monster cores arrived, they were sent to Guro under Seok Harang’s supervision. Hunters entrusted their captures to Seok Harang’s containers before heading out to hunt more monsters.

The barrier Seok Harang erected not only prevented monsters from escaping Seoul but also served as a means to suppress hunters’ darker desires.

“Huff…”

Seok Harang sighed in relief seeing the Penril monsters being captured one by one.

‘This is all thanks to that guy…’

Thanks to the containment network Si-an established using capital, Seoul was sealed off, giving Seok Harang time to erect her barrier.

“So next…?”

Using the memo Si-an left behind, Seok Harang redeployed the heroes.

Si-an had predicted the Penril monsters would move through the tunnels and left notes for Seok Harang, allowing her to capture nine of them following those notes.

‘Almost 95% accurate.’

Excluding four captured by hunters, seven monsters remained. Of those, five were currently engaged in battles with heroes or hunters, leaving two whose whereabouts were unknown.

“Two…”

The reactions of the two monsters who disappeared after the initial detection still hadn’t reappeared. Seok Harang hesitated, then shook her head as she reached for her Magical Gear to contact Si-an.

“No, I can’t keep relying on him…”

Regardless of personal conflicts between Seok Harang and Si-an, it felt embarrassing to keep receiving help from a foreigner. She believed matters arising in Korea should be resolved within Korea…

Slap! Seok Harang slapped her cheeks.

“Idiot. This isn’t the time to worry about pride or policies.”

Now was the time to focus all efforts on capturing the monsters. Putting aside her inner conflict, Seok Harang activated her Magical Gear to contact Si-an, who was searching for monsters in Guro’s underground tunnels.

“……?”

No response. The call didn’t even connect. Just then, a member of <Megrez> guild who had gone underground with Si-an’s team rushed to Seok Harang in panic.

“Princess Snowflower! It’s an emergency!”

“Calm down… What is it?”

The guild member relayed the message received from their guild leader.

“Reporting for Megrez Guild Leader LP Seo Yesung! We’ve discovered another secret tunnel dug by the monsters inside the subway tunnel! Oracle Studio began exploring it immediately upon discovery!”

“…What?!”

Seok Harang’s face paled. The call still wouldn’t connect.

Creeak! Fine cracks appeared in the ice walls filling the container.

For some reason, she had a bad feeling something was about to happen.

* * *

The scent of blood filled the air.

The overwhelming smell of blood made Yuna feel dizzy. At this moment, she wished nothing more than to look away from the scene illuminated by the orb floating on the ceiling. Like red ink spreading across white paper, Xian’s white coat was soaked in blood.

That blood belonged to Xian herself.

“Khuh, haa.”

Xian collapsed to her knees. With a heavy thud, something fell to the floor. Xian’s gun hit the ground first, followed by her severed arm rolling to the side.

Clutching her severed arm, Xian groaned in pain.

“Ow….”

“Idiot.”

Choen Bom, the monster who severed Xian’s arm disguised as Nuri, sneered and raised her sword again.

“Hohoho, you fell for it?”

“Auntie!”

“Damn!”

Nuri and Raon pushed off the clinging zombie monsters and rushed to Xian’s side. Choen Bom casually dodged the two charging from behind and disappeared into the darkness.

“…Maintain formation. The battle isn’t over yet.”

“Xian-sama! But-”

“Calm down. I’m not dead yet.”

With a calm expression, Xian pulled her gun from her severed arm and held it in her left hand. Struggling to lift the gun with one hand, she handed it to Yuna.

“Now I can’t shoot, so you do it.”

“Eh?”

“…This is a prosthetic limb.”

Xian whispered so quietly that even Nuri and Raon nearby couldn’t hear, but Yuna caught every word.

“…Hmph.”

Yuna let out a sigh mixed with frustration, exasperation, and relief as she took the gun with both hands. Xian managed a sheepish smile before wincing in pain, while blood continued to flow from the cleanly severed arm.

“Really?”

“Would I lie?”

Yuna suspiciously supported her staff with her arm while fishing for bullets from her inner pocket.

“Really?”

“If I lied to you, I’ll serve you for life. No joke… Khk.”

Xian grabbed her head with her left hand. It felt like she was about to pass out from dizziness, so Raon supported her waist.

“Hey you bastard!”

Nuri shouted while pointing her sword forward. The young girl’s impudence made Choen Bom curl her lips in disdain.

“Hohoho, you’ll bleed out soon enough?”

“Don’t think you’ll die easy, old hag!”

“…What?! You brat without any muscle tone?!”

Choen Bom charged with her sword raised. Nuri met her head-on with equal fervor.

“Xian, don’t lose consciousness! Once we get to the surface, we’ll definitely treat you-”

“Don’t shout. My head hurts. Rather…”

Through blurred vision, Xian watched the two Nuri’s clash swords. They looked identical in appearance, voice, and even special abilities. Each time their swords clashed, they exchanged curses.

“Old hag who’s only getting older! Just die already!”

“Hey! Stop pretending to be me, you trash!”

“…Which one is Nuri?”

Xian, clutching her bleeding wound with her loose coat, was thoroughly confused. Choen Bom wasn’t just mimicking Nuri’s appearance, abilities, and voice, but even her “tone”.

“Doesn’t it make you embarrassed to pretend to be a school cafeteria lady, crazy woman?!”

“Are you calling someone crazy when you’re doing this for your own survival? Your character has deteriorated!”

“…This is bad. Can’t tell them apart since they’re equally immature.”

Xian clicked her tongue in disapproval at the ongoing battle. Choen Bom arranged the zombie monsters to confuse things further. Raon shouted while kicking the approaching zombie monsters in the face.

“Is this really the time for jokes?!”

“Mi, sorry.”

Raon’s unusually teary shout made Xian bow her head apologetically. Yuna silently gripped the gun like an assault rifle and aimed it at the zombie monsters.

“Firing.”

“Eh? What? Wait a minute!”

Before Xian could stop her, Yuna pulled the trigger with her index finger.

BOOOOOM!!

The thunderous sound filled the open space, and the line of approaching zombie monsters were swept away in one go. From the first monster to the last charging one, they lost their bodies and only their cores remained scattered on the ground.

“……”

“Uh, sister?!”

One Nuri stood frozen, at a loss for words, while the other Nuri was completely deflated by Yuna’s intensity. The fake Nuri – Choen Bom – kicked the real Nuri and screamed.

“You, you’re insane?! Using that will collapse this entire tunnel-”

“Be quiet.”

Yuna, with a stern expression, ejected the spent bullet and immediately loaded a new one into the gun.

“It’s more important that this person is dying from blood loss than worrying about the tunnel collapsing, isn’t it?”

The gun was pointed at Choen Bom. As Choen Bom grew alarmed, Xian too showed concern about the increasingly unstable tunnel.

“Y, Yuna! I’m fine so-”

“Xian-sama.”

Yuna smiled gently at Choen Bom pretending to be Nuri. Though her gun and gaze were aimed at the monster, her words were clearly directed at Xian on the verge of fainting.

“You’re not making deathbed jokes at the brink of death, right? …Because it causes misunderstanding.”

BOOOOOOM!!

The deafening explosion rocked the underground passage.