“AAAAH!”
Against the backdrop of soft classical music, screams rang out.
Massive griffins flew through the air amid the people frantically fleeing. The chandelier had long since crashed down, and the white marble floor was slick with blood.
After the windows shattered, the once-peaceful hall transformed into an instant hellscape.
It was because griffins had stormed in.
A monster with the upper body of a hawk and the lower body of a lion—the griffin. It was a monster commonly used for research purposes, and just as well-known for it.
But the griffin one encountered in reality was nothing like the manageable creature read about on paper.
There were many people here who, despite belonging to the Association, had never actually faced a monster. They fell helplessly to the sudden attack.
Meanwhile, a few Hunters with dungeon-clearing experience took up combat stances and fought back. But without weapons or teammates, most could do little more than protect themselves.
Amid all this, there were two people fighting unusually well despite having no proper equipment.
To be precise, one person.
Seo Sinwoo and Jang Ijung took down approaching monsters from an inconspicuous spot.
Whoosh—
A knife cut through the air and lodged itself in a griffin’s head. Struck by a direct electric current, the griffin’s massive body collapsed to the floor.
Seo Sinwoo spoke, sounding displeased.
“Are you just going to keep hiding behind me?”
“…….”
Seo Sinwoo clicked his tongue.
I wanted to figure out what kind of ability he has.
No matter how much he prodded, Jang Ijung wouldn’t step forward, staying still. Standing behind, watching as if it were none of his business.
Was he possibly not a combat type at all? That was the kind of doubt it raised.
Leaving the unresponsive Jang Ijung be, Seo Sinwoo looked around. About five or six griffins remained.
“Is this a chicken coop or the Association…”
The rescue team would arrive soon, and it was about time to pull out. Just as he was about to move with Jang Ijung—
A loose wire sticking out in the corner caught his eye. Following the wire, Seo Sinwoo checked behind the stage and smiled.
“Oho.”
***
“KIIIEEEK!”
A griffin blocked the door in the center of the wall. It was the only remaining exit from the wrecked hall. Behavior unusually intelligent for a mere monster. With no time to question it, people had to find another way to survive.
Outside the window was a 30-story drop. Jumping wasn’t an option.
Some people crawled under tablecloths to escape the griffins’ line of sight, while a few capable of fighting kept their eyes on the griffins, careful not to show any openings.
As the chaos continued—
—Ahh, ahh.
Mic test, mic test.
An oddly calm voice, out of place for the moment, spread through the chaotic hall. Was it an emergency announcement? People held their breath and listened, clinging to a sliver of hope.
—Hello there, diligent civil servants.
A voice laced with amusement came through speakers connected throughout the area.
—The moon is beautiful tonight, isn’t it?
A greeting offered as if nothing was wrong. The theatrical tone felt grotesque. One by one, people realized something was very wrong.
—On such a beautiful night, for all of you who’ve set down your burdens, we at… Smile Clean have prepared a little surprise party.
A blatant mockery of the emcee’s earlier remarks. The man, identifying himself as “Smile Clean,” spoke with an air of nonchalance.
—So, how is everyone? Enjoying yourselves?
As if in response, a scream rang out from somewhere.
“AAAAAAAH!”
—Haha, thank you for the applause.
The leisurely tone mocked everyone listening.
—Is this it, you ask? Oh come on, griffins are far too unimpressive for a finale. We’ve got plenty more in store. It’s only going to get more fun from here, so look forward—kkkrzt—
The unidentified voice cut off amid static.
Whoever was behind it, their purpose seemed clear.
A terrorist attack…!
It wasn’t common for monsters to escape through Gates. And yet, of all days, on the very day of the Association’s 10th anniversary, a griffin storming the commemorative venue—it reeked of being deliberately staged.
As the mysterious voice had declared, it was almost certainly the work of a newly-formed organization calling itself “Smile Clean.”
Believing the monster attack to be the work of a villain’s terrorism, people fell into terror.
Soon, the hall echoed with the screams of panicking people.
Meanwhile—
Hidden behind the speakers, Seo Sinwoo set down the microphone.
Jang Ijung, who’d been keeping watch, poked his head out.
“Got more?”
“No, haha. That was just something I made up on the spot.”
Even Jang Ijung, who knew there was no real plan, seemed thrown off by it.
This should make for a decent headline.
Finding that microphone had been lucky. All that was left now was to slip away amid the chaos.
As the two carefully moved while scanning their surroundings—
A griffin sitting on a table caught their eye. It wasn’t reacting even as people passed by, and looking closer, they saw a person trapped beneath its claws.
“…….”
Jang Ijung quickly looked away. Even if it bothered him, he had no choice but to walk past.
But then—
“Argh!”
Seo Sinwoo’s voice rang out.
The creature fell from the table to the floor. Turning around, Jang Ijung saw Seo Sinwoo standing there, scratching the back of his head.
“Phew, made eye contact and it startled me…”
He flicked a knife with one hand, playing around. The knife spun through the air before landing smoothly back in Seo Sinwoo’s hand.
He’d thrown a nearby piece of tableware to take down the griffin.
“Sorry about that. I’m a bit of a coward.”
Seo Sinwoo smiled, eyes crinkling. His expression was shameless, looking nothing like someone who was actually scared.
Just then—
“H-help me!”
The person who’d fallen along with the griffin’s claws was struggling beneath the dead griffin’s foot.
“Uh, uhh…”
“Honestly…”
Unable to just watch, Seo Sinwoo nudged the griffin’s corpse aside with his foot. The limp foot of the griffin slid away lifelessly.
Having just threatened people as a villain, and now saving someone—it was a contradictory move.
“Uh… AAAAH!”
The freed man fled without even looking back. Too rattled from his brush with death to spare a word of thanks.
Watching the man run off limping, Seo Sinwoo thought.
Tch.
If it weren’t for Jang Ijung…
Look at that—saved his life and he doesn’t even know to be grateful. This is exactly why you shouldn’t save people.
Still, between this and everything else, he figured he’d done enough good deeds and bad deeds to balance out.
Just as he was thinking that, clicking his tongue again internally—
“KIIIIIEEEEEK!”
“Eek!”
The griffin standing by the exit let out a piercing screech and went flying out the door.
Everyone’s eyes turned toward the doorway.
After the griffin disappeared, the door opened to reveal Yeom Hajae. He’d apparently already been through a fight, blood dripping steadily from the sword in his hand.
Seo Sinwoo stood at a distance, quietly studying Yeom Hajae.
He didn’t run.
He’d thought Yeom Hajae had fled, but it seemed he’d gone to retrieve a sword he’d left somewhere else. At this point, Seo Sinwoo couldn’t tell if that was admirable or just stupid.
Either way, there had already been more than enough casualties—no need to add to it.
“Shall we go?”
Jang Ijung nodded absently. The two headed for the door.
The two massive doors leading to the corridor were now wide open.
While Yeom Hajae held off the griffins at the door to help people escape, the crowd began pouring out. Due to their size, the griffins couldn’t follow through the door, so only humans made it out into the corridor.
The two blended into the fleeing crowd and made it into the corridor. The corridor was already packed with people. The elevators seemed to be broken, as people had crowded in front of the emergency exit.
Now it made sense why the rescue team hadn’t arrived yet. The crowd trying to flee made it nearly impossible for anyone to get in or out.
“Move, all of you! Do you know who I am!”
“Ow, stop pushing!”
It was complete chaos.
“Ugh. Argh. Ugh.”
Getting jostled around and stepped on, Seo Sinwoo finally managed to make his way to a less crowded area.
But once he got out, Jang Ijung was nowhere to be found.
Where did this guy go now?
Seo Sinwoo stood at the edge closest to the hall. The area near the hall had relatively few people, since the corridor was filled only with people screaming and pushing further inward to avoid the griffins.
Seo Sinwoo looked around, partly to find Jang Ijung. Most people seemed to have already made it out into the corridor. Except for Yeom Hajae and a middle-aged man still inside.
Having checked the hall once more, Yeom Hajae also cautiously stepped through the door.
Just then—
“KIIIIIEEEEK!”
Provoked by something, the griffin inside began to rampage.
And it went after the last man fleeing—the middle-aged man—with frenzied speed.
Seeing the griffin charging as if it would tear through the wall, Seo Sinwoo reflexively grabbed the collar of the person beside him.
“W-what?”
The unknown person flinched in confusion and twisted around, but the hand gripping his collar didn’t let go.
Having secured a shield, Seo Sinwoo watched the situation for the moment.
The middle-aged man, stumbling out through the door, flailed his arms wildly. His panicked, flailing hand caught Yeom Hajae, who had his sword aimed at the griffin.
Seo Sinwoo recognized the intent behind that motion.
It was exactly what he himself had been about to do moments ago.
But then—
If Yeom Hajae dies here…
His body moved before he could think. Seo Sinwoo rushed out and yanked Yeom Hajae toward himself.
Just as he grabbed him and tried to push into the crowd—
A pale hand shot out from somewhere.
Thump.
An elegant motion shoved hard against Seo Sinwoo’s back. With all his attention on Yeom Hajae, Seo Sinwoo easily lost his balance and was shoved toward the doorway.
The griffin’s claws loomed right in front of his face. Yeom Hajae’s startled face seemed to move in slow motion.
“!”
BOOM!!!
The exit collapsed.
