Ch. 32 - Why me? (1)

[This afternoon, the A-ranked hero Jung Ha-Yeon displayed a remarkable performance in blocking the suddenly appeared A-ranked gate...]

As expected, Sunday evening's news reported Jung Ha-Yeon's successful containment of the A-ranked gate.

Reports indicated that over a hundred monsters could have infiltrated the heart of Seoul if not for Jung Ha-Yeon's swift intervention, effectively neutralizing the threat.

"She exceeded my expectations."

I had anticipated the gate would take until tonight to be sealed, following the pattern of the original manga. However, it was sealed much earlier than anticipated.

"Ha-Yeon's strength surpasses what I thought."

My guidance evidently made a significant impact. While I was aware of her growth, I didn't realize it had progressed to this extent.

Given her role as the main heroine, with a bit of guidance, she's poised to shine brightly.

"I suppose there's nothing more I need to teach her."

A teacher's pride lies in a student who comprehends the lesson and excels independently. There's no need for further intervention or attention.

"I'm getting closer to my goal."

Now, I can just sit back and watch the main story unfold. Later on, I'll just watch her from afar and cheer her on.

It's for her own good; I have no intention of meddling with the main storyline.

"With the occurrence of the Class A gate, Episode 2 will begin."

Episode 2 was a bit unusual. The antagonist is not a monster but a human, or rather, a monster in human guise.

Unlike the incomplete monsters of the Monster Association, who melded humans and monsters, this boss assumes a complete human form.

The monster will soon arrive in Seoul, blending in among the humans.

"The place he hid was the Awakened Academy, right?"

In this world, there is a place called the Awakened Academy. An institution that gathers and educates children who become Awakened at an early age.

Most graduates of the Awakened Academy become Heroes, including the protagonist, Shin Chul-Min.

The main plotline of Episode 2 revolves around uncovering the monster hiding within the Awakened Academy.

"Even if I don't intervene this time, there shouldn't be any unnecessary casualties, so I can rest easy."

Compared to Episode 1, this episode is relatively milder. There are no fatalities, and even if someone sustains injuries, they're not critical.

So, I'll kick back, enjoy my beer, and tune into the news, keeping tabs on our heroes' progress.

"As I said, the investment in the Awakened Crime Division will pay off for sure!"

I'm grateful to have joined the Awakened Crime Division. I can already see the future of our office with a steady influx of money.

Long live the Awakened Crime Division! Easy earnings for the win!

Jung Ha-Yeon thought recently that this was too much even for her.

"How can the gate open five times a week?"

With gates emerging almost daily, Heroes were compelled to respond each time, even if they weren't as perilous as Class A gates.

The Hero Association had declared a state of emergency, necessitating round-the-clock standby shifts for a pool of Heroes.

"...At this rate, I might not see Ms. Hye-Rim for at least another month."

Perhaps even longer. The unpredictability of gate occurrences made it impossible to foresee when they'd next meet.

After Sunday's disappointment, Jung Ha-Yeon couldn't shake off the anticipation of seeing Shin Hye-Rim. Now, that future seemed distant.

"Ha-Yeon, you seem off. Are you tired?"

Lee Mi-Na, noticing Jung Ha-Yeon's furrowed brows, approached her with concern.

"What...? No, it's nothing."

Jung Ha-Yeon didn't say why she felt bad. She couldn't admit that it wasn't the gates but the absence of Shin Hye-Rim that troubled her.

"Well, that's a relief, but lately, it's been a bit too much to handle. Just yesterday, the gate unexpectedly opened in the dead of night, leaving me on edge, worrying it might happen again today."

That was the moment when Lee Mi-Na said.

The sirens sounded throughout the Hero Association, an all-too-familiar scene.

The gate opened again.

"Sigh, Mi-Na, let's go."

"......Yes."

Transforming into a magical girl, Jung Ha-Yeon soared towards the gate's location. Arriving swiftly, she found herself facing a horde of monsters already emerging from the gate.

With Jung Ha-Yeon leading the charge, Heroes swiftly rallied to suppress the gate, and before long, it was sealed shut.

Amidst the cleanup, Jung Ha-Yeon noticed a figure lying near the gate's former location—a teenage student.

"Huh?"

Near the spot where the gate had materialized, a figure sprawled on the ground, resembling a student in his late teens.

Fearing that someone might have been caught in the crossfire of the sudden appearance of monsters, Jung Ha-Yeon hastened to the boy's side.

"Hey, are you alright?!"

Worried that he might already be deceased, she tentatively reached out to him.

Yet, in that instant, Jung Ha-Yeon was overcome by a chilling sensation creeping down her spine. As she neared the boy, an instinctual urge prompted her to swiftly pull back.

-Swing!

In a flash, a scythe-wielding arm lashed out, narrowly missing her.

The attacker? The very boy she sought to aid.

"...Tsk!"

The arm of the individual who appeared to be a schoolboy was no longer human; instead, it had transformed into a monstrous appendage. Jung Ha-Yeon had seen such aberrations before with the monsters of the Monster Association.

However, there was an unsettling distinction about this boy—something that set him apart from the rest. It emanated an aura that felt distinctly inhuman, unlike any human-disguised monster she had encountered.

In an instant, Jung Ha-Yeon recognized the truth: the figure before her was not human.

It was a monster.

"Monster! There's a remaining monster here!"

Jung Ha-Yeon immediately called out to the surrounding Heroes. Hearing her voice, the heroes quickly gathered around, and the human-type monster fled with a panicked expression.

"...Damn it!"

The monster made a swift escape, and Jung Ha-Yeon hurriedly pursued it. Yet, its speed proved overwhelming; even with flight, she struggled to keep pace.

But that wasn't the only thing.

"What in the world...?"

The monster's form underwent rapid metamorphosis as it fled, transitioning from a boy to a girl, then to a child, and finally to an adult.

The dizzying spectacle left Jung Ha-Yeon bewildered.

Continuing her pursuit, she eventually voiced her inquiry, breathless with exertion.

"Did it run into the city?"

She couldn't catch it until it disappeared into the center of the city.

"...... is a report that such a monster has been found."

The president of the Hero Association frowned as he listened to the report from his secretary.

"A monster capable of assuming human form and changing its appearance at will?"

"That's correct."

"And you're suggesting this monster is currently mingling among the populace in the city center?"

"...Indeed."

"Ugh, my head."

He massaged his temples, hoping that the news was merely a lie.

But the secretary had something even more troubling to say.

"A report just came in," she continued, "of a student injured at the Awakened Academy."

"Are you implying this monster is responsible for the attack?"

"Exactly. Fortunately, the student's injuries aren't severe, but it's conceivable that the monster could be hiding within the academy."

"And do we have any means of tracking it down?"

"Not at the moment."

'Well, I suppose so,' thought the president.

A monster in human guise, capable of shape-shifting at will. How could they ever hope to track or capture such a creature?

With each passing moment, the president felt as though he were losing his sanity in real time.

Having endured the ordeal with the Monster Association not too long ago, this new threat only exacerbated his distress. The turmoil churned within him, a gnawing ache settling in his stomach.

"So how about borrowing the power of the Awakened Crime Division?"

The secretary cautiously asked the already red-faced chairman.

"With the Awakened Crime Division?"

"Specifically, with Shin Hye-Rim, Team Leader 5. Didn't you mention recently that Shin Hye-Rim possesses the ability to detect monsters, evident in her discovery of the Monster Association's lure device?"

"...Yes, I did."

Upon hearing this, the President said, "But if she possesses such abilities, shouldn't she simply be a hero? Why go for the Awakened Crime Division?"

"I think it would be easy to find the monster with Shin Hye-Rim's magic this time."

The president found merit in the suggestion. If conventional heroes couldn't resolve the issue, seeking assistance from individuals with unique talents seemed feasible.

Shin Hye-Rim had earned the trust of the Hero Association, particularly after thwarting the Monster Association's terrorist plot. With her proven track record, confidence in her abilities had grown considerably.

For the first time, a glimmer of hope flickered in the president's eyes.

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