Chapter 315

〈Chapter 315〉 Part 1, Chapter 14, Section 5

“Seriously, aren’t you just mad because you couldn’t pull off your techniques as awesomely?”

“…Gaeul, do you want some strawberries?”

* * *

Kinna-ra, defeated.

While the heroes of the expeditionary force debated whether shouting out hero skill names was truly productive, the world began focusing on the backstory of Kinna-ra’s appearance and the aftermath of its disposal.

– Why did Kinna-ra appear, and why did it run eastward like a maniac?

The prevailing opinion regarding the latter was that Kinna-ra instinctively sought out the most densely populated city.

New Delhi was home to tens of millions of people, not even counting the satellite cities around it, which brought the total population close to several tens of millions when combined.

Amidst various arguments, someone proposed a fairly plausible hypothesis.

<Professor>: “Could it be that it was involved in an unobserved territorial battle with Yasha, noticed Yasha’s death, and started moving from dawn?”

This Professor, who had been making waves in community discussions about monsters, argued that beasts operated much like animals.

In areas where S-Rank heroes resided, no monsters dared to approach, implying that across the vast expanse of India, two S-Rank monsters might have divided territories between them.

Perhaps there were unknown monster territories that humans could not detect, and Kinna-ra began rampaging after sensing Yasha’s demise.

Since problems only arose after Yasha’s death, the Butterfly Effect theory following Yasha’s elimination seemed quite convincing.

– Wow, so then the Executioners are totally getting away with honey? They threw away the Yasha Core they couldn’t take but went ahead and claimed other S-Rank monsters.

The corpse infested with flies was burned into flames.

However, the expeditionary team anchored the Baegnaroh near Kinna-ra, extracted the core, and gathered essential byproducts—such as the sturdy hooves, flowing mane, and whip-like tail—and loaded everything possible onto the ship before leaving. It wasn’t long before the heroes of the Indian Association arrived.

“We’ll help with the cleanup of Kinna-ra.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

Cheongnyeon summoned Black Flame Dragon, which grabbed the neatly packaged Kinna-ra with its foot and flew eastward.

Though its usual speed was slow, it would likely reach Yeongjong Island in Incheon by nightfall. The Black Flame Dragon left the battlefield.

Mahatma quickly returned to New Delhi and angrily protested against the expeditionary force’s outrageous actions of claiming all post-Yasha monsters as promised.

– No matter what, isn’t this just greed? If the expeditionary force hadn’t captured Yasha, New Delhi would’ve already been devastated by the crazed beast.

– Then why didn’t they negotiate properly?

– You didn’t even lift a finger…

As public sentiment against the Indian Association worsened, criticisms against Mahatma grew uncontrollably.

And at noon.

At the moment the sun reached its zenith, the Baegnaroh arrived in New Delhi, leading to an awkward meal with Mahatma.

* * *

<12:12 PM, New Delhi Branch of the Indian Hero Association>

“Thank you for defeating both Yasha and Kinna-ra, the S-Rank monsters.”

Mahatma bowed deeply, but his expression was far from pleasant. Unable to conceal his displeasure, his frustration was clearly directed at the Executioner.

“Nonsense. We merely did what we had to. Protecting citizens is the duty of heroes regardless of nationality.”

The Executioner upheld their ideals. With claims that were effectively irrefutable, Mahatma clenched his fists.

“Haha… Is that so? Heroes must prioritize the safety of civilians…”

Mahatma’s eyes spoke volumes. Though dripping with sarcasm, the Executioner’s words were sincere.

“Isn’t it the mission of heroes to protect civilians from the threats of monsters and villains?”

There was no hint of falsehood in the Executioner’s voice, though a faint smile graced their face.

“Just transporting Kinna-ra’s body via Black Flame Dragon to Korea is safer for processing.”

“What is the basis for that claim?”

“Have you heard <Professor>‘s hypothesis? After Yasha’s death, Kinna-ra advanced eastward. Now that Kinna-ra has also fallen, who knows what other monsters might emerge somewhere else?”

The Butterfly Effect.

The balance of territory among monsters disrupted by heroes intervening, causing the ecosystem to collapse.

Of course, the Executioner’s argument was speculation designed to gain the upper hand in discussion. <Professor>, knowing all truths, was deliberately spreading false claims to assist the expeditionary force.

Take it or leave it.

<Professor> always ended with a question mark.

Awoken mid-slumber, drooling over dozens of monitors displaying Blazing Phoenix Revival, <Professor> (a scheme orchestrated by Hikari) spread appropriate defensive theories within the community upon request from Phoenix.

“I see… But what will you do if another S-Rank monster appears?”

Mahatma challenged the Executioner first. The Executioner smiled gently while sipping tea.

“Of course, we must respond. Assuming it poses a threat to Indian soil, that is.”

“Will you continue fighting with only the elite members of the expeditionary force next time?”

“My goodness, you misunderstand.”

The Executioner chuckled leisurely, raising their coffee cup.

“We simply did our best to handle the monster urgently, and unfortunately, there were no Indian heroes available during the interception. If the battle had dragged on, the assistance of Indian heroes would’ve been crucial.”

The Executioner clearly drew the line. Mahatma realized he could do nothing more and bowed his head.

“Yes. Please take care while you’re here. ‘For however long you may stay.'”

“Yes, I don’t set my own schedule either.”

The Executioner joked lightly, deflecting the ball.

“Miss Cheongnyeon is rather free-spirited, so she might stay for a month. We’re just people who follow her movements.”

With an unexpected visit and no clear return date to their homeland,

Mahatma was burning inside but still had to entertain them.

“Is that so? Where is Miss Cheongnyeon now…?”

“Miss Cheongnyeon? I told you, she’s a free spirit.”

The Executioner’s smile was pure.

“She wants to explore many places while she’s here. I’ll join her soon.”

“……”

The specially prepared food in the dining room grew cold.

* * *

<12:32 PM. Near the Taj Mahal>

“Phantom, did you know? The Taj Mahal is actually a tomb.”

“So what? It’s all burnt anyway.”

Gaeul and I strolled down the street, drinking lassi with chunks of strawberry. Around the Taj Mahal, though not monks, there were plenty of people praying, and we joined them in clasping our hands together.

“Namo Amitabha.”

“Is this what they call crocodile tears? Can we really pray like this? They say a terrifying killer comes out.”

“Everyone’s praying, so it’s fine.”

What they called “<Killing Techniques>“—despite the villain threatening only believers, when the Taj Mahal caught fire, people gathered in great numbers. Gaeul and I naturally blended into the crowd through disguise and transformation.

“Hey, aren’t you too relaxed? A Killing Technique could burst out and wreak havoc here any second.”

“There’s a guy I roughly anticipate, so don’t worry.”

It was so blatant that I found it funny instead.

“And even if it does, can a mere villain handle such a battle?”

I led Gaeul inside the Taj Mahal. Many people were inspecting every corner of the Taj Mahal, checking for any remaining embers.

“So all we have to do is wait.”

I basked in the sunlight leisurely, letting magical power flow at the entrance. The sky was cloudless, and the Taj Mahal was filled with fiery energy.

“Until Garura is born and Karna arrives.”

“…So what are you going to do about these people? Are you going to drive them away?”

The Taj Mahal was packed with pilgrims. The visible number easily exceeded thousands, and including those outside, it was almost reaching ten thousand. The number was bound to increase further.

But I had no intention of driving them away.

“Why bother?”

“Wait, seriously?”

Gaeul glared at me, stiffening her expression. I immediately shook my head to dispel her misunderstanding.

“I’m not some insane mass murderer. Why would I offer these people as sacrifices? I’ve already offered what’s suitable.”

I tapped my foot lightly on the ground. The conditions for Garura’s birth were already met, and in about an hour, Garura would spread its wings and be born.

“Fire attribute beings are noble. Would they indulge in indiscriminate slaughter?”

“They seem to conduct selective killings.”

“……That’s only when absolutely necessary. Anyway, relax, Garura is safe. It’s a non-aggressive mob.”

“What?”

Gaeul’s eyes widened.

“An S-Rank monster is a non-aggressive mob?”

“Yes. Time’s almost up….”

Kiyo-o-o-o-o-o!

The sound of a bird taking flight accompanied by surging magical power began. Invisible flames converged high above the Taj Mahal, forming a massive egg.

“Ah, aaah!”

“What is it?!”

People screamed and fled. I saw no need to escape, and Gaeul clung tightly behind me.

“This, this is serious…”

Gaeul could feel it. The immense magical power of Garura. The egg, easily exceeding several dozen meters in diameter, belonged to a monster with destructive power rivaling the top ranks among S-Rank.

“Be careful, Gaeul.”

“What?”

Jjek, jjek.

Cracks appeared on the egg. The flaming surface flickered and subsided, revealing Garura inside.

Pee-yak.

“…”

Gaeul covered her mouth with both hands. As expected, it was an overwhelming sight.

“Indeed, Garura.”

Yoo-a-a-a!

A red chick several dozen meters tall landed at the Taj Mahal. Stepping onto the empty plaza where people had fled, Garura scanned its surroundings before sitting down and lowering its head.

Swoosh, phoooh.

“Wh-what is that…!”

“It’s one of the strongest monsters in India and one of the three great Fire Attribute S-Rank monsters.”

“THAT?!”

Gaeul trembled, unsure of what to do. Her magical gear was already in video recording mode, capturing the sleeping Garura.

“Let’s take it back to Seoul. Let Cheongnyeon tame it.”

“Do we have space to raise something that big?”

“We can build a livestock shed! Or float it on the Han River like a rubber duck!”

“It’s fire attribute; water would be dangerous.”

Gaeul was overwhelmed by Garura’s destructive power. Initially panicked, everyone calmed down when Garura settled down quietly and fell asleep without causing chaos.

“Still, since it wasn’t originally part of the capture plan, let’s take it. Just a sec, let me undo the disguise-”

“S-Rank Monster! We cannot hand it over to Korea anymore!”

“What the heck?”

A monk-clad special ability user leapt toward Garura, swinging a sword. The sword struck the sleeping Garura’s beak but shattered against its steel-like surface without cutting it.

Pee-yak?

Garura opened its eyes. Its crimson pupils made me momentarily lose focus.

“How does it start trolling right from the beginning…?”

I snapped my fingers, summoning the small sun I’d prepped yesterday just in case, illuminating it high above the Taj Mahal.

Hwa-reok!

Below the sun, a blue sun rose. Garura’s head snapped toward the blue sun, and it raised its wings diagonally.

“Isn’t that something Black Flame Dragon often does?”

“Yeah.”

Garura’s attitude under the sun was infinitely solemn.

“Even if it lost its mind, instincts remain.”

Unwavering loyalty to the sun. And obviously, who else could that sun represent but me, Blazing Phoenix?

“Should we butter it up before Gocheonkwang shows up?”

It’s imprinting time. I approached Garura’s feet and undid my disguise.

“Hello?”

Garura stared at me for a while before bowing its head. Though unable to speak, it recognized me and pledged allegiance—

Pee-yak.

Thud.

I got eaten by Garura.

…

You little birdie?