70. Monster
He had never seen a pregnant monster until now, and it was his fourth year.
Ko Byeong-gap tilted his head and frowned. No matter how he looked at it, it was carrying a baby. The bump that grew long below its navel wasn’t something that a simple lumpy stomach could cause.
“Kyaaahhh!”
The Harpy let out a loud, frantic roar that he felt as if his ears were about to fall out. The creature flew up and widened its distance from his subjugation party.
The Class C and D monsters under its command roared and stepped forward. Ko Byeong-gap could tell they were trying to protect their boss.
“Keep in line. They’re coming.”
Their enemies consisted of approximately forty Horned Gabris, and soon, they all rushed in. It was like a wave in a way.
Boom! Boom!
Bang!
Kiriyan and Dorma started intercepting immediately. Explosions and electric shocks soared between enemy lines. At times like that, they would beat down one or two enemies while letting out thunder attacks.
“Changsik, Taesik. Stick together!”
“Yes!”
“I see!”
Ko Byeong-gap and the two Beast Goblins sprinted. Before they collided with their enemies, Kiriyan fired a spear of lightning to open the way and made it easier for close dealers to penetrate the enemy lines.
“Hing!”
“Aaah!”
Heads and hind legs flew in all directions. Ko Byeong-gap moved flexibly and evaded the onslaught of attacks. From time to time, he would stab his sword that would strike like bamboo grain on the face of their enemies.
Occasionally, a surprise attack would fly in from a blind spot. Changsik and Taesik gave him great support.
When their claws drew dangerous trajectories, a dense haze of blood filled the air. No matter how imposed the monsters were, they had no talent to withstand the hole left in their brains.
“Keeek!”
At that moment, stone shards bounced off the floor, and Changsik screamed. Ko Byeong-gap looked in his direction in surprise and saw Changsik clasped his legs and swallowed a groan.
“What the hell?!”
Ko Byeong-gap quickly searched the direction of the blind attack. It came from above, and the Harpy was there, plotting something.
“Kyaaah!”
A colorless and intangible shock wave launched from its gigantic jaws. Except for the momentary distortion of the space, it was difficult to even spot.
The shock wave flooded Changsik again. Ko Byeong-gap quickly stood in front of him and swung his sharp sword, which struck the shock wave.
“Are you okay?”
“Ugh! It’s alright. I’m okay!”
“Then get up!”
“Kyaaah!”
“Damn it!”
Three consecutive shock waves fell overhead. Ko Byeong-gap managed to hit two shots, but the other hit him on the left shoulder. Even though he strengthened his body, he felt a throbbing pain.
‘Damn it! I can’t see anything!”
He reached the limit of using his senses to counterattack, but right then, white light rose from the body of Ko Byeong-gap and Changsik. Suddenly, the pain went away, and his wound healed.
It was the healing power of the healer Varmond. Changsik quickly got up and grabbed the opportunity. Thanks to the support fire from the rear, the subordinate monsters were captured by more than 70%. Ko Byeong-gap gnashed his teeth while staring at the Harpy.
‘I’ll have to catch her first.’
“Changsik, Taesik! Get the subordinates!”
“Oh, yeah!”
“Kerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!”
Changsik and Taesik lured the subordinate monsters with their unique quick movements. Ko Byeong-gap slipped out of the monster’s torrent and targeted the Harpy right away, which flew about five meters above the ground.
‘Damn it, how do I catch her?’
It was said that some of the higher Awakeners could also reach the sky. It was no surprise that they could fly since fire and electricity were already flying on the ground. However, he didn’t have such talents.
‘If you don’t have teeth, you’ll have to use your gums!’
He couldn’t fly, but he could reach it. He bent his legs to the fullest extent and prepared for his leap. A burst of his aura gathered from the lower half of his body, and the next moment…
Hit!
The floor hollowed. In response, Ko Byeong-gap soared up into the sky.
“Kyaaah!”
The Harpy pulled herself out reflexively and emitted shock waves. When the shock wave hit his forehead, his vision became dark. Still, he never closed his eyes.
“Kyaaa—!”
“I got you, bitch!”
Ko Byeong-gap grabbed one of the Harpy’s arms, which were both arms and wings, so it disturbed the balance of her flight, and the two of them crashed to the ground.
“Kyaaah!”
“Gah!”
The Harpy and Ko Byeong-gap tangled and rolled on the floor. The shock of the fall was short-lived. It attacked Ko Byeong-gap, waving its fists and arms at random.
Ko Byeong-gap eventually let go of the Harpy’s arm, and it tried to fly up again. However…
Crunch!
“Where are you going?”
“Kyaaaah!”
He succeeded in amputating one of the Harpy’s arms, not losing concentration until the end. The Harpy stepped back, clutching its severed shoulder.
“Kyaaah!”
It poured out shock waves. Ko Byeong-gap instinctively leaned down and picked up a rock on the floor. In an instant, his arms went limp, but at the same time, the stone plummeted toward the Harpy’s stomach.
The Harpy covered her stomach in fright. It overreacted even though it was nothing but a stone.
‘As expected, it protects its baby.’
Such an attack without using aura didn’t do much damage. Even the attacked Harpy showed a bewildered reaction. Of course, there was a separate main dish. A stab full of aura flew into the Harpy’s face.
“Kyaaah!”
“Tsk!”
The monster barely turned its head to avoid the fatal wound. His sword brushed past its right shoulder, but it jumped up and widened its distance. She still had one arm around her belly.
‘You’re a monster, but you have maternal instincts?’
Ko Byeong-gap glanced at the situation behind him. The subordinate monsters were on the verge of annihilation, and the Harpy was now a rat in a jar. He picked up a stone again and laughed provocatively.
“Just give up. What are you doing, tiring the both of us like this?”
“Kiyaaaaaaaa!”
A shock wave rushed along with a high-pitched sound. Ko Byeong-gap flew to the side to avoid it, and then, he threw a stone at the Harpy’s abdomen, which was his target, again. At that time, the Harpy took in a breath big enough to bend her waist and released it for a moment.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
“Growl!”
A huge shock wave, like a lion’s roar in an open field, shot in all directions. The flying stone turned into powder, and at the same time, Ko Byeong-gap flew away as if a huge club had beaten him.
‘Shit!’
It was more deafening than it was a painful blow. Ko Byeong-gap felt the warmth in his neck as blood rushed to his ears. However, the previous attack seemed to have damaged the Harpy itself. The bleeding from its severed shoulder accelerated. Her body could not withstand the recoil of the attack.
“Ki… Kyaaa…”
The Harpy staggered. Ko Byeong-gap raised himself with his sword because his entire body felt numb. The healer Varmond immediately put him on his heels, and with the help of Ki-Breathing, his wounds healed quickly.
The Harpy, on the other hand, was a wreck. This was the importance of having a healer.
“If you don’t like it, you should have a healer!”
Ko Byeong-gap rushed like lightning. The blade that soared into the sky fell as if it had never happened, and the weak Harpy had no energy to escape.
“Kyaaa!”
‘Did you turn around and avoid it even in that state? You’re a tenacious monster.’
In fact, it did the same thing to his previous attack that aimed for its head. The Harpy earned her life in exchange for her arms for a few seconds. As soon as the blade hit the floor, it bounced like a spring. This time, he sought revenge, but the Harpy pulled out desperately.
The blade grazed her stomach very lightly, and the Harpy limped and collapsed. Ko Byeong-gap was in the best interest of ending it, but just before he could crush the Harpy’s skull, he paused and saw the Harpy shedding tears.
A human-like body and bird wings. Its strange head was half-mixed with that of a bird. Such a weird thing was shedding tears.
“Don’t do it!”
“Huh?”
The Harpy suddenly shouted back. It wasn’t a loud voice accompanied by a shock wave but a normal voice.
“You… You just talked..?”
“Don’t do it! Don’t do that!”
“Lord, are you alright?”
The attack squad who ended the subordinate monsters gathered near. They were stunned at the Harpy’s devastated look.
“I’ll put an end to it!”
Suddenly, Kiriyan gathered lightning in his grasp. Ko Byeong-gap freaked out and stopped him.
“No! Stay still!”
“Lord…? What do you…?”
“Everybody back up behind me.”
It looked like it was going to die soon, but it was still a B-rated monster. They could never know when it might shoot a shock wave. Ko Byeong-gap slowly opened his mouth, holding his sword so that he could swing it at any time.
“Do you understand me?”
“Lord, what are you doing?”
“Shh! Be quiet!”
“Sorry, I’m sorry!”
Ko Byeong-gap cleared his throat and spoke again.
“You can talk, right? Is that so?”
“Die, die, die, die, die, die! Kyaaah!”
“You’re crazy!”
The Harpy’s eyes were bloodshot as she fired a curse with a quick shock wave. It was a creepy, dreary voice. In the end, she sputtered it out. Blood vessels stood out on Ko Byeong-gap’s forehead.
“If you come out so uncooperative, you will only suffer. When you say good things—”
“Die! Die! Die… Ahhh! Kyaaah!”
“Hey! What’s wrong with you all of a sudden?”
“Ah, I don’t know. I don’t know…”
Suddenly, the Harpy burst into laughter. Despite its lacerated arm, it held its stomach and began to groan. Soon, there was an embarrassing and uncomfortable scene to watch. The bottom of the Harpy’s groin was red.
It wasn’t long before blood and amniotic fluid poured out. Ko Byeong-gap shuddered and stepped back.
“Agh! Kyaaah!”
With a screeching sound, the Harpy struggled for a moment.
“L-Lord. what should we do?”
“Ah, how would I know that?”
“Are you going to kill it?”
“No, just leave it alone.”
With that, the attack squad and Ko Byeong-gap looked at the Harpy, struggling in pain.
‘Is the kid coming out?’
He could tell just by the looks of it. He was sure she was about to have a baby. It wouldn’t be a good sight to see. How would a monster giving birth be considered a good sight? However, he found it interesting.
About three or four minutes had passed, the Harpy’s bulging stomach sank, and a huge amniotic fluid burst out. Soon, a lump of object came out between its legs.
“Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha… Cough.”
And the Harpy died without any time to do anything. When the boss monster died, the back world began to vibrate and collapse. Meanwhile…
‘What the hell is this?’
Ko Byeong-gap’s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out. No, it was actually halfway out.
“Lord… Lord, that’s…?”
It was the same for the Goblins. Their eyes gathered in one place, and it was under Harpy’s groin. There was a little ‘something’ that cried with a hoarse voice.
It wasn’t unusual for a newborn baby to cry. The problem was, the Harpy’s baby…
‘That’s a person, isn’t it?’
No doubt it was a human newborn from head to toe. It felt like he was losing his mind. Was it even reasonable for a human baby to come out of a Harpy?
“Lord, I think we should move the meat first.”
“Uh, yeah, Kiriyan. Let’s do that.”
He opened the door to Ashvilam. Soon after, workers jumped out and moved the monster meat. Meanwhile, Ko Byeong-gap approached the child. He hesitated to touch it and was reluctant to speak frankly.
“What are you thinking? Are you going to kill it?”
“If we don’t do anything, wouldn’t it die on its own?”
“Well, I think that’s right. You don’t have to get your hands dirty, Lord.”
It had no chance of living if left alone in the crack.
“Waaa! Waaa!”
Meanwhile, the child struggled on the dirt floor. It began to move around.
‘What kind of newborn is that powerful?’
The child shivered and moved closer into its mother’s body. It was an instinctive action to maintain body temperature. Just then, a worker pulled the Harpy’s body away for its meat.
“Huh? This… What’s this?”
The worker looked at the child with a question mark in his eyes. His hand reached out to the baby.
“Hey, hey! Wait a minute!”
Ko Byeong-gap quickly stole the child.
“Lord. That. Meat?”
“Sigh…”
He sighed bitterly. He stared at the child in his arms and couldn’t answer.
“This isn’t meat.”
“No? Okay, I got it.”
The worker moved away nonchalantly.
“Lord?”
“Dorma, should I raise this?”
“You mean you’re going to collect what came out of the monster’s belly?”
Dorma asked with a voice full of bewilderment.
“No, I’m not saying I’m going to take it, but… Aren’t you curious? Aren’t you curious what it’ll be like once it grows?”
“Well…”
“I know what you’re worried about, but don’t worry. If you think it’s dangerous, I’ll go ahead and kill it.”
“I just trust and follow the Lord’s judgment.”
Dorma accepted bitterly. After the meat collection, the Goblins returned to Valtadren with the group and the child of the Harpy.
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