“Huh…? What is this…”
Noah’s face showed signs of shock.
“Uncle, you’re the Kraken…?”
“Yeah, something like that.”
After hearing my words, Noah’s expression distorted.
“Eh…Hey, are you joking, right?”
“It’s not a joke.”
“Really, don’t do this. It makes me uncomfortable.”
My head hurt.
Noah swallowed hard and looked at me.
“Uncle, you’re really not well… Just get in. Somehow it’ll be fine.”
Another one of these conversations. There was no sign of it ending as it kept going around in circles.
I sighed and turned around.
“Ah…Uncle, where are you going…!”
“To buy time.”
“Uncle, you’re in shock! You’re unwell, that’s why… That’s why you’re saying strange things like you’re the Kraken!”
I pulled out a tentacle from my hand and swung it demonstratively.
A monster descending the stairs turned into a piece of meat.
“…Eh?”
Noah made a bewildered sound.
Then he wiped his eyes or shook his pupils.
“Lie… It’s a lie.”
It seems Noah also recognized what this tentacle belonged to and whose villain technique it was. He had seen it for an entire year, to the point of being sick of it.
I would have liked to talk longer, but it seemed those guys didn’t plan to allow that.
“They’re coming! We need to leave now!”
It was Seo Jin-a’s shout.
As she said, monsters were pouring down the stairs.
“…Disgusting.”
There was no more time to waste. I spoke to Kkomkmu, and we began our transformation.
Every time I become a villain, I feel uneasy. But I’ve never felt as uneasy as I do now.
While feeling the gaze of the magical girls, I completed my transformation.
Wearing a long black coat, with a gas mask on my face, and tentacles wriggling at my feet – the villain Kraken.
“…This can’t be true…”
Stunned.
Noah couldn’t take his eyes off me.
I kicked the car standing dumbly there.
“Go. It’s hard to say how long I can hold on.”
“A…Alright. Let’s go! Everyone, hold on tight!”
Vroom!!
With a rough engine roar, the car sped away.
In the departing car, I could see Noah. The kid was staring at here with a dazed look.
The feeling of frustration was brief. With the sounds of “krakrak,” I swung my tentacles fiercely.
They break apart easily like watermelons hit by a bat – chunks of meat.
However…
“There are too many.”
Too many. Filthy amounts.
No matter how much I smash them, they never seem to end.
Chaaak!
I swung my tentacle widely, shattering everything nearby. Sticky pieces of flesh rolled and flew. Still, they kept charging at me.
These brainless demons are annoying for this reason.
They don’t feel fear. They act blindly according to instinct or orders.
“I can’t believe there are so many!”
“We have to hold out until they escape.”
“And then?”
“…I don’t know, I haven’t thought about it.”
My head throbbed.
“To Noah, I have nothing to say… No, I don’t even know what to do about that monster…”
Meanwhile, the creature is expanding its territory. While I’m here, it will soon start tracking.
To be honest…
“This is driving me crazy.”
Despite trying to clear my mind and strike with my tentacles, thoughts keep resurfacing. Noah’s despairing look when betrayed by someone he trusted.
I wanted to go to Noah right away, but I couldn’t.
“There are too many!”
“Let’s try to hold out a bit longer!”
Even though I’ve already slaughtered hundreds of monsters, there’s still no sign of the main body.
Of course. Rust is originally a raid boss.
While Iris, who’s about my level, goes after the main body, the remaining magical girls buy time.
It’s naturally difficult to do the work of four people alone.
‘If this continues, I might really die.’
It’s not just difficult.
Since starting this task, I’ve felt the threat to my life for the first time.
Even if I die, that’s that.
‘I need to buy more time.’
The problem is the magical girls. They probably haven’t escaped far enough yet.
They need to avoid the demons, and traffic won’t be easy either.
“…Damn… Is there another way…”
I quickly thought. There must be a way to defeat Rust.
Some weakness or strategy…
“…There isn’t.”
A hollow laugh escaped me.
There’s nothing. Nothing exists.
A way for me to defeat Rust alone.
I can’t deliver a powerful blow like Iris, nor does mental control work. At best, I can only restrict movement.
Kkomkmu gulped.
“What should we do now? All sides are filled with monsters. Escaping looks difficult too.”
“…”
“Should we somehow defeat the main body? Mr. Shin Hyun?”
“There’s no way to defeat the main body. That’s the truth. Our attack power won’t be enough.”
Kkomkmu sharply drew in breath.
It must have been quite a shocking statement. After all, it’s the same as saying we’re going to die.
“So this is the end.”
“Not exactly. There’s one method left.”
“But you said we couldn’t defeat it?”
“That’s right. We can’t defeat it. Still…”
There’s one method worth trying. The problem is that failure means death.
‘…Should I try?’
Anyway, staying here will eventually lead to death. Dying while fighting feels less unfair.
Paaaang!
After creating a guard with my arm, I swiftly ran forward.
“What are you doing!?”
Kkomkmu’s voice of alarm reached me. To him, this must look like suicidal behavior.
“Swing the tentacles!”
“No matter what happens, I don’t know…!”
Massive tentacles swing around, crushing chunks of meat.
But due to the sheer numbers, some slip through occasionally.
And those ones…
“Ugh…!?”
“Mr. Shin Hyun!”
“I’m fine! Do your job!”
Without exception, they pierce through me with tentacles spewed from their mouths. Pook- large holes are torn in my arms, legs, and torso.
Still, I can’t stop.
Because I’m moving so fast, it ends with being pierced by the tentacles. If I slow down even a little, I’ll be pierced and captured.
If that happens, it’s game over.
Ending up as their prey is unacceptable.
“Ugh…! Aaaaaaah!!!”
Pooong!
The last one blocking the door exploded, and bright light poured in.
At the same time, a figure came into view. It resembled a rabbit doll more than a person.
“You.”
“Isn’t that Mr. Kraken? My goodness, you’re terribly injured. Are you alright?”
“…Thanks to you.”
“Thanks to me? I’m hurt. Besides, who do you think enjoys this situation?”
“…”
“Initially, the Demon King and I have found your choices quite entertaining. Your decisions are rather interesting.”
At his words, I smirked bitterly.
That’s it. This is the way to transcend the current situation.
Whether it succeeds or not, let’s give it a shot.
I looked at the rabbit and brought up the main topic.
“Listen.”
“Yes? What is it?”
“I’ve come to make a deal.”
+++++
“The pursuit has stopped…”
“Then it’s good, I’ll step on it harder. Hold on tight.”
After a very short conversation, no one opened their mouth again.
The relief of surviving and the joy of finding Noah again were overshadowed by the unexpected shock.
Yoo Yul fidgeted her fingers while checking Noah’s reactions.
She remained silent. Since that man transformed and ran off somewhere else.
Noah sighed.
That villain who annoyed her so much. That villain she hated so much. That villain she wanted to capture so much.
That person… whom she loved so much.
‘Could Uncle possibly be…’
Did he intentionally befriend her from the start? Was he watching her closely and playing with her heart?
When you think about it, their first meeting was odd. Who approaches a girl alone in a convenience store?
If you consider that there was intent from the start, it’s not surprising. Yet, his smiling face approaching her remains vivid.
The kind and handsome older brother—bah.
“…Haa…”
It couldn’t be.
There must be some reason.
Thinking about it, she realized how soft she’d become. In the past, during the days when she chased justice and followed her father’s ideals, she wouldn’t have even considered such thoughts.
Defending a villain and trusting him—what a change.
Back then, she would have shouted: “Villains to jail! There are no good villains in the world!”
Pushing aside the jumbled thoughts, Noah spoke.
“Uncle…”
“Hmm?”
“Uncle will definitely come back.”
Noah clenched her fists tightly.
“After that, I’ll definitely ask him. What am I to him.”
“…”
“I must also find out why he approached me.”
“QQQ… Noah-sama, that…”
“QQQ. Don’t say anything now. I want to hear it directly from Uncle.”
“QQQ… Understood-”
Her response was cut off. A screeching sound of friction interrupted.
“Onee-san!? What’s happening!”
“…It’s blocked.”
Seo Jin-a looked out the window.
The road was blocked.
Monsters had overrun this place somehow.
“…Can we break through?”
“It’ll be tough.”
“…”
“…I’ll go out. Somehow I’ll-”
At the moment Noah tried to transform into Iris,
Gulp…Gurrrlp…
The creatures that had been stationary suddenly began moving together.
Where are they heading?
They moved off the road, climbed onto buildings, and extended long tentacles toward the sky.
Then, using the tentacles as ropes, they climbed up.
“What is this…?”
“Anyway, we’re safe for now. Everyone, sit back down! We’re heading to the Association!”
Arriving at the Association with lingering doubts, they heard something even more incomprehensible.
“…That monster has disappeared.”
“Wha…?”
“The giant mass dropping chunks of flesh from the sky… Named Rust. It vanished without a trace at some point.”
The incomprehensible news that the monsters had suddenly disappeared.
