Chapter 96
Monster Busters
This major hospital's main building, located in the center of Anyang, was a massive structure consisting of two basement floors and thirteen above-ground floors.
And since it was right next to the containment line, there must have been a considerable number of people inside.
I tossed the phone I was holding onto the pile and stood up.
Gripping my rifle again, the first thing I did was eject the magazine I'd emptied while killing monsters.
Click.
After reloading, my first priority was explaining the situation to Hamza and Goryeoha.
"It looked like phones were falling out of empty air. I don't know if something swallowed them and spat them back out, but stay alert. Though before that, there's something we need to do."
"Something we need to do?"
Hamza awkwardly got to his feet and swallowed nervously.
Goryeoha also tilted her head, her bright eyes visible through the lenses of her gas mask.
I gestured toward her bleeding right hand with my chin.
"We seal every other emergency stairwell with your Stage One Hand magic before we move up."
Stage One Hand, [Blood of the Right Hand], was a spell that forced humanity's common sense onto monsters.
And nothing about monsters' grotesque biology and ecology could be considered common sense.
The Seoul Mages had survived by smearing [Blood of the Right Hand] onto baseball bats to compensate for their lack of firepower.
Goryeoha, a Stage Four Hand Mage, was no different.
True to her Seoul Mage background, she was accustomed to pain.
In fact, she almost seemed excited at the prospect of using magic.
"Sounds good. I'll start by sprinkling some around this pile of phones."
"Not applying it directly?"
"An invisible monster reminds me of something. If it's really a Transparent Veil, spreading it around is probably better."
Flick!
Goryeoha shook her hand, scattering droplets of blood around the nearby doorway.
The blood loss looked significant, yet she showed no signs of shock or any other symptoms.
This was where the synergy between Stage Two Heart and Stage One Hand truly shined.
The blood wasn't pouring out in torrents, but any normal person would have been crying from the pain, suffering from dizziness and anemia.
Goryeoha showed none of that.
Where Lee Sejun used Heart Mage abilities to wield heavier weapons and dominate through physical superiority, Goryeoha focused entirely on enhancing her magical capabilities.
Watching her casually flick blood droplets from her hand, Hamza let out a faint groan and edged closer to me.
"Jemin... are we really going to seal every single route?"
"Hamza. That's the kind of half-hearted thinking that gets people killed."
The monsters we fought existed to hunt and mock humanity.
Whether fragments of their human consciousness remained or not, their bodies viewed humans as prey rather than enemies.
I still didn't know their true origin.
But they clearly had ecological behaviors.
From everything I'd observed, monsters were fundamentally parasites.
Countless forms of parasitic organisms that used humans as hosts.
Especially as the only Supreme Mage who had witnessed the deep-sea transformation of the Han River firsthand, I had my own theories about why the amalgams and Devourer Spines had been pushed down to the first floor.
Monsters cooperated when there was plenty of human prey.
But contrary to what humanity assumed, monsters were different species.
When prey became scarce, they hunted one another without hesitation.
Size.
Ecological advantage.
Whatever gave them the edge.
That aligned with Colonel Frog's testimony.
According to him, a mobile strike force consisting of thirty ordinary soldiers, one Stage Two Eye Specialist, and two Stage One Ear Specialists had cleared up to the third floor.
Yet somehow the first floor was full again.
And the monsters had been hiding behind closed doors.
At first I'd assumed they were lying in ambush.
But after discovering the phone pile and realizing an invisible monster existed, a different possibility emerged.
Every monster on the first floor had fled from the invisible creature.
As I explained my reasoning, I kept scanning the surroundings with Stage One Eyes, viewing ten seconds into the future while aiming my rifle.
Fog spilled through broken windows and rose all the way to the ceiling.
Without looking back, I continued speaking.
"We're doing this properly. I don't want to get blindsided fighting an unidentified species. Hamza, keep checking routes and evaluating danger levels."
"Jemin... I wish you acted like this all the time."
By then, Goryeoha had finished sealing the routes and returned while flexing her fingers.
"It's done, Junior."
"What do you know about Transparent Veils?"
"They're incredibly rare... We never saw one around Konkuk University."
Transparent Veil.
The name was apparently known among Seoul Mages, but detailed ecological information wasn't.
Either that, or Goryeoha lacked clearance.
Which meant it was still an unidentified species.
We were going into battle without knowing its abilities.
I clicked my tongue and raised my left hand to get their attention.
"I'm taking point. Whenever we reach a corner or doorway, I'll stop. Hamza evaluates danger. If there's a monster inside, Ms. Ryeoha uses [Spirit Sight] to provoke it and draw it out. Every staircase gets sealed with [Blood of the Right Hand] as we move upward. Then we cross over, clear the next section, seal it, and repeat."
Even a single variable was unacceptable.
"Whoever started the fire probably tried using the sprinklers to locate monsters. We'll do the same. If Hamza finds a fire extinguisher, he sprays it around. If we need sprinklers activated, I'll shoot them. Ms. Ryeoha supports Hamza and uses [Telekinesis] to block routes. Since only she and I are combat personnel, Hamza keeps his phone on. Actually... did we bring a radio?"
The creature believed to be a Transparent Veil had spat out phones like watermelon seeds.
There was obviously some connection.
I needed to know whether it affected all communication devices or only phones.
"W-we brought a walkie-talkie. Before we came in."
Of course he had.
Typical Hamza.
While whining about staying behind to handle communications, he'd already planned for it.
I briefly wanted to point my rifle at him.
But since he was still here, I let it slide.
"Use the radio and contact the military outside. See if we can get drone support. Even through the fog, they should be able to observe through windows. Let's move."
Both Hamza and Goryeoha nodded and assumed their respective roles.
"Junior, you looked really impressive just now."
"Jemin... are you sure I'm not completely useless?"
I ignored both comments.
Because another source of rage was already boiling inside me.
Getting scammed out of my Four-Tiger Sword had actually worked out well.
I'd exterminate every last one of these monster bastards.
Not a single survivor.
The fire had started near a second-floor emergency stairwell.
The moment we stepped through the door, we found the walls blackened with soot.
Fortunately, the damage was localized.
The hospital's fire suppression systems had apparently activated before the blaze could spread.
The sprinklers were broken now.
Fog mixed with ash hung thickly in the air.
The low-powered flashlight was useless in such conditions, so I turned it off to conserve battery.
Then the extermination routine of two Supreme Mages and one sidekick officially began.
"Stairwell sealed!"
Once Goryeoha spread her blood and blocked monster access from the stairs, we formed up.
I took point.
Hamza stayed in the middle.
Goryeoha covered the rear flank.
Since I needed to be ready to activate Stage Two Eyes, [Cognitive Distortion], at any moment, I couldn't afford to run Stage One Eyes at full output continuously.
Magic always demanded a price.
That price was pain.
And humans couldn't overcome pain.
Only bury it beneath something worse.
Human will originated in the brain.
And brains suffered irreversible damage under enough strain.
So rather than pretending I could endure everything through determination, I simply accepted pain when necessary.
Following that philosophy, we established a three-stage reconnaissance routine.
Stage One
Whenever we approached a doorway, intersection, or blind corner, I stopped and covered it with my rifle.
I halted outside a room with a destroyed door.
Elbows tucked.
Both eyes open.
Finger resting on the trigger.
Safety already off.
Fresh magazine loaded.
Thirty-one rounds ready to fire.
This was where Hamza contributed.
"Uh... nothing. Safe."
Stage Two
Hamza evaluated danger using [Angel's Intuition].
When he gave the all-clear, I lowered my rifle slightly and stepped forward heel-first.
Passing the room, I caught glimpses of hospital beds through the fog.
Abandoned blankets.
Curtains swaying eerily.
No blood.
No phones.
Not even discarded clothing.
Just emptiness.
Then we reached a long hallway.
I stopped again.
Having Hamza check every single room individually would take forever.
It was time for the third step.
"...I see one."
Stage Three
Provocation through Goryeoha's [Spirit Sight].
The spell was even better at drawing out ambushers than detecting them.
The hostility it generated among monsters was absurd.
Even Devourer Spines hiding quietly behind doors would burst out immediately.
Naturally, dealing with them was my job.
One gunshot.
One bullet.
A shell casing bounced cheerfully across the floor.
A Devourer Spine's skull exploded.
The creature crashed down from the ceiling, legs twitching before finally dying.
Clean.
Fast.
Honestly faster than watching Goryeoha beat every individual monster to death.
"Junior, your eyes look incredibly smug right now."
"That's possible."
By the time we finished sweeping the second floor, we'd encountered only five Devourer Spines.
We headed toward the opposite staircase and sprinkled [Blood of the Right Hand] around the elevator entrances just in case.
Near the far stairwell, we found something new.
A pile of watches.
Using Stage One Eyes enhanced to one hundred percent through tongue magic and examining the past, I confirmed they had been left by the same creature.
Just like the phones.
The watches appeared from empty air and fell to the ground.
Exactly the same phenomenon.
"Couldn't digest them?"
"Ugh... this stings. Junior, can't you be the one spreading blood this time?"
"Ms. Ryeoha. I'm the one shooting."
The audacity.
Scamming someone and still acting shameless afterward.
Ignoring her request, I set the watch down and looked toward Hamza.
He was already attempting contact with the military.
Beeeep—
"This is Apho— I mean, Supreme Mage. Can anyone hear me?"
[Yes, we hear you. J-just a moment.]
A young voice fumbled around before being replaced by the familiar voice of Colonel Frog.
[Communication security. Aphorism, have you confirmed it?]
While Goryeoha and I maintained security and kept watch, Hamza handled the conversation.
Only two combat personnel.
No room for carelessness.
Fortunately, despite his awkward speech, Hamza was surprisingly diplomatic.
"Y-yes. It's a Transparent Veil."
[Transparent?]
"Jemin and Ms. Ryeoha both think it's some kind of invisible monster. Can drones see it?"
[Hey, Sergeant Park. Didn't we use thermal imaging?]
After a brief commotion, Colonel Frog returned.
[We conducted thermal scans before deploying the strike team. Exterior windows, internal reconnaissance up to the sixth floor. Nothing appeared. Are you certain it's an invisible monster?]
"Uh... yes? Right?"
Hamza turned to us for confirmation.
I felt like my eyeballs were about to pop from constantly watching him through my peripheral vision.
Still, I answered.
"Yep. Invisible monster."
After some thought, Colonel Frog made a decision.
[We'll deploy drone operators around the exterior and observe through windows. We'll also send reconnaissance drones inside. They won't have full freedom of movement indoors, so keep expectations realistic.]
We weren't stupid enough to solve everything ourselves.
Use every available resource.
That was the rule.
After finishing the second floor, we advanced to the third.
By the third floor, we could hear the buzzing of drones outside.
Radio communications also became much smoother.
Beeeep—
[Drone Control Center. Observing the third floor. No abnormalities detected.]
The tense voice belonged to a young soldier.
Probably under thirty.
Not surprising.
Drone operators tended to be younger.
Yet drone surveillance proved even less reliable than we'd feared.
The moment we sealed one staircase and entered the reception area—
Hamza panicked.
"No no no no no..."
My response was immediate.
"Back to the sealed staircase entrance."
"I'll use [Spirit Sight] once we're in position."
Even Goryeoha had abandoned her usual cheerful demeanor.
The three of us took up positions with the blood-sealed staircase at our backs.
Roles were clear.
Goryeoha would repel enemies with [Telekinesis] and provoke them using [Spirit Sight].
I would prepare Stage Two Eyes and mow them down with gunfire.
Hamza would coordinate with drone operators via radio.
Without speaking, Goryeoha raised her left hand.
Three fingers extended.
Then she folded them down one by one.
Three.
A burst of radio static sounded.
Two.
The fog rose to chest height.
Hamza tightened his grip on the walkie-talkie.
"T-this is Aphorism."
One.
"There are a fuckload of them on the third floor!"
His scream echoed through the corridor.
The fog surged forward.
Hospital room doors exploded open simultaneously.
Heavy footsteps filled the hallway.
Grotesque screams and moans assaulted our ears.
Bones hammered against the floor in a terrible rhythm.
And then—
The monsters charged.
Amalgams.
Devourer Spines.
The creatures that once made my legs shake now felt almost comforting.
Before they could unleash their annoying death cries, I raised my rifle.
Recalling Instructor Song Smith's lessons.
Keep your elbows in.
Raise the rifle.
Keep both eyes open.
Pull the weapon into your shoulder.
Don't hesitate when moving the muzzle.
I followed every instruction faithfully.
The muzzle flash swallowed the weak fluorescent lighting.
Gunfire battered my eardrums and left ringing behind.
Spent casings flew.
Recoil shook my body.
Through the gas mask lens, I watched fog mix with blood and yellow pus.
Sometimes monsters simply exploded backward.
Goryeoha's Stage Three Hand—
[Telekinesis]—
was doing its job.
Hamza wasn't idle either.
Just as I sensed my ammunition running low—
A heavy magazine flew toward me.
"Jemin! Magazine!"
I caught it with my left hand.
The impact nearly bent my wrist backward, sending fresh pain through my arm.
But style mattered.
It was finally time to perform the tactical reload Instructor Song Smith had taught me.
Click.
The empty magazine dropped away.
A fresh one slammed home.
Clack.
The satisfying sound made my trigger finger feel lighter.
Then something strange happened.
Monsters started collapsing even when I wasn't shooting.
I glanced toward Goryeoha.
She looked just as confused.
"Junior... did you secretly learn some new magic?"
The answer arrived with a buzzing noise.
A drone.
One loud, obnoxious drone hovered above the corpses.
Beeeep—
[Aphorism, this is Drone Control. We're withdrawing due to ammunition depletion. The exterior observation drone will continue ascending with you.]
The armed drone that had entered the building and supported us vanished back into the fog.
That settled it.
Drones were far less useful for reconnaissance than we thought.
And far more useful in combat.
As we waited for Hamza to stand back up and resumed advancing, that conviction only strengthened.
We'd just killed over twenty monsters.
A mixed group of amalgams and Devourer Spines.
More than twenty monsters had been hiding on the third floor alone.
Yet the drones hadn't detected any of them.
Closed doors.
Drawn curtains.
Dense fog.
Sure.
But this was ridiculous.
"Don't all drones have thermal imaging?"
"Jemin, thermal drones are expensive."
"And besides," Goryeoha added, "they said thermal scans already failed earlier. The drones doing indoor reconnaissance probably don't use thermal cameras. To search through walls and glass properly, they'd need much more expensive equipment."
Which meant one thing.
The invisible monster was becoming a much bigger problem than any of us had expected.
Money might have become less useful than bullets, but that didn't mean expensive equipment had suddenly become cheap.
Clicking my tongue internally, I led these two idiots through the rest of the third-floor sweep.
Fortunately, it seemed the monsters we'd killed earlier had been the last of them. We searched everything, even the bathroom stalls, but found nothing else. There were operating rooms on this floor too, yet contrary to expectations of blood and carnage, everything remained strangely intact.
No corpses.
No hospital gowns.
Nothing.
There were orderly stacks of patient clothing in storage rooms and carts used for hospital deliveries, making the entire place feel less mysterious and more outright bizarre.
The monsters might have devoured the bodies.
Fine.
But clothing should have remained.
More than that, the fact that the monsters had hidden behind closed doors bothered me.
Still, there was nothing concrete to investigate, so we had no choice but to keep moving despite our unease.
The change came on the fourth floor.
The moment Goryeoha finished sealing the stairwell entrance with [Blood of the Right Hand], Hamza narrowed his eyes and pointed toward the fog-covered reception desk.
"Nothing. There aren't any monsters on the fourth floor."
"Absolutely don't believe that. Go grab a fire extinguisher from the desk. I'll cover you."
While Hamza awkwardly fetched a fire extinguisher, I had Goryeoha test the area as well.
The results were similar.
She tilted her head and looked around.
"Huh? They're not reacting. I think there really aren't any."
"Can Spirit Sight see through walls?"
"No. But monsters normally notice when I use it and come running."
This was the first time I'd felt unsafe despite every sign saying otherwise.
Just in case, I activated Stage One Eyes continuously.
Couldn't trust the drones.
Couldn't fully trust Hamza.
Couldn't trust Goryeoha at all.
As the saying went, the only thing worth trusting in this world was yourself.
So I started searching.
The fourth floor felt more like a rehabilitation ward than a hospital.
Outside, beyond the windows, there was a small garden with neatly arranged benches and trees.
Inside, there was even a children's playroom.
Goryeoha completely forgot she was wearing a gas mask and practically glued herself to the glass.
"The kids must've had so much fun here~."
"Those kids already got hired by a horror theme park. Keep moving."
The outdoor garden was completely swallowed by fog, making communication with the outside impossible.
Fortunately, several drones spotted us and slowly drifted closer.
After circling around us for a moment, they disappeared back into the mist.
Beeeeep—
[Communications Security. Drone Control here. The higher you go, the weaker communications become. Sixth floor is our limit.]
"Is... is it a monster?"
Hamza asked in a trembling voice.
The drone operator replied.
[It's the fog. Vertical communications degrade severely. Horizontal communication works relatively well. We'll support you as far as possible.]
The fourth-floor search appeared to conclude without incident.
There were four separate staircases designed for evacuation, and sealing every one of them consumed an absurd amount of time.
By then, darkness was beginning to creep in outside.
Just as Goryeoha finished sealing the final staircase and prepared to move—
Something caught my eye.
"Wait."
I raised a hand, stopping both of them.
Blood.
Actual blood.
Despite being a monster-infested hospital, bloodstains had been strangely rare.
These droplets led upward.
Not downward.
The pattern suggested someone walking while injured rather than being dragged.
For a moment I considered using Past Vision.
Then I shook my head.
I already had too many responsibilities.
Back when Shin Nain was around, she'd casually handle all the detection work.
Now that I was doing it myself, I realized how difficult it actually was.
I almost felt guilty for all the times I'd treated support mages like tools.
"Hamza. Threat assessment. Pull the extinguisher pin and keep it ready."
"Y-yes!"
"Ms. Ryeoha. Let's go."
"You'd fit right in with the Seoul Mages, Junior!"
Fifth Floor
No monsters.
Again.
But Hamza's reaction was completely different this time.
"U-uh... uhhh...!"
His face turned pale as he waved the extinguisher hose around, unable to decide where to point it.
I checked using Stage One Eyes.
No red footprints.
Nowhere.
The dense fog reduced magical backlash, allowing me to maintain Stage One Eyes at full power despite the mounting pressure behind my eyes.
Still nothing.
Even Goryeoha's [Spirit Sight] produced no useful results.
Yet she'd lost all traces of her usual smile.
Her fists were clenched.
She was scanning the surroundings constantly.
"Junior. We should move quickly."
"Agreed."
If either of them said something was safe, I'd question it.
If they said something was dangerous, I'd believe it immediately.
The search itself went smoothly.
While Hamza and Goryeoha watched our surroundings, I stopped opening doors directly.
Instead, I stood to the side and turned handles from a distance.
Rifle first.
Door kicked open second.
Every room was empty.
Patient rooms.
Nurse stations.
Nothing.
At some point, even the blood trail vanished.
Then, at a three-way intersection of hallways, I spotted movement behind the curtains of a conference room.
A military uniform.
A person.
But seeing a human didn't mean I was about to stroll over and say hello.
I activated Stage One Ears.
[Mind Reading].
It had been a long time since I'd used ear magic.
My version of Mind Reading manifested as the sound of a flowing stream whenever someone harbored hostile intent.
Its penalty was awful.
Most of the time it only let me hear Lee Sejun's inner thoughts.
But it was useful for detecting dangerous survivors.
"Jemin? What do you hear?"
"Nothing."
Opening the door became Goryeoha's responsibility.
Using [Telekinesis], she carefully turned the handle.
I covered our surroundings.
In wide areas, I handled security.
In narrow hallways, Goryeoha's close-combat abilities made her the better choice.
We hadn't discussed any of this.
Yet our coordination was flawless.
Which made me feel awful.
Creeeak...
The door opened.
Goryeoha rolled a blood-stained bottle cap between her fingers.
Hamza gripped his fire extinguisher and nodded nervously.
Only then did I thrust my rifle through the doorway and enter.
"Hands up. Don't move."
No red footprints.
Hamza judged the area safe.
Spirit Sight hadn't provoked any reaction.
Still.
The guy could be insane.
Keeping my rifle trained on him, I examined the soldier leaning against the wall and breathing heavily.
For once, the two idiots moved intelligently.
Hamza immediately approached the injured soldier and dropped to one knee while digging through his backpack.
Goryeoha shut the door and used [Telekinesis] to drag chairs and tables into place, creating an improvised barricade.
Safe.
Only then did I lower my rifle and ease my finger off the trigger.
"Hamza. Status?"
Hamza rolled up the soldier's sleeve and answered in a dry voice.
"He's cut. No, stabbed too. Someone bandaged it, but there's pus. Severe fever too."
Goryeoha and I moved closer.
Unlike ordinary soldiers, this one wore an orange armband.
A specialist.
His ID badge revealed his name.
Staff Sergeant Jeong Sin-il. Specialist.
Squatting beside Hamza, Goryeoha spoke with unusual urgency.
"Mr. Muslim. Can you save him?"
"He's going to need antibiotics. This wound's been neglected for a long time. I only brought Cefotaxime."
Hamza pulled a first-aid kit from his backpack and began unpacking disposable syringes.
Clean gauze.
Disinfectant.
The man's preparedness was impressive.
Goryeoha looked at him hopefully.
"If you need anything, I can make it."
"We're in a hospital. We can probably find—"
Hamza stopped.
Then slowly looked between Goryeoha and me.
I reminded him.
"Stage Four Hand. [Material Transformation]."
"I know, but..."
He stared at Goryeoha.
One eyelid twitched.
"Ms. Ryeoha. Isn't making antibiotics out of blood disgusting? Can't you just go find some?"
"Mr. Muslim! What kind of thing is that to say?!"
The two of them were somehow about to start an argument over a reason I never would've predicted.
I immediately raised my rifle.
"Whether it's disgusting is secondary. We can't split up. Either we use her blood or we shoot him."
"Jemin! What kind of solution is that? You can't just make antibiotics from human blood and inject them!"
The former medical student chose the strangest moments to become courageous.
Even with a rifle pointed nearby.
I lowered the gun slightly.
"Think about it. We found exactly one survivor on the fifth floor. Not in a medical storage room. Not hidden somewhere secure. Right beside a major hallway intersection."
A perfect location.
A bait location.
As unfortunate as it was for Staff Sergeant Jeong, a bullet through the forehead would probably be more peaceful.
And as a bonus, his corpse would become valuable educational material for learning what happened to low-level mages after death.
Yet Hamza firmly rejected my recommendation.
Instead, he handed a syringe to Goryeoha.
His hand shook harder than an elderly man's.
"Metronidazole. C6H9N3O3. Molecular weight 171.2. Can you do it?"
"I'm a science major too, you know?"
Slash!
Without hesitation, Goryeoha cut her left palm with a military knife.
Blood dripped down.
Bright red.
Then something tickled my vision.
The droplets became transparent.
One drop entered the syringe.
"Here!"
"Jemin. If he starts dying, shoot him."
Hamza accepted the syringe with trembling hands.
He looked as though he was committing murder while administering the injection.
After fumbling around for several minutes, he finally finished.
Fortunately—or unfortunately—Staff Sergeant Jeong didn't die immediately.
Hamza snapped the needle and tossed it aside.
"If it worked, it'll buy us time."
"Mr. Muslim, you're amazing!"
I walked over and held out my hand.
Hamza grinned and placed his hand on top of mine.
What the hell was this idiot doing?
"What?"
"Huh?"
"Give me the walkie-talkie."
Taking the radio, I immediately attempted communication.
Beeeeep—
"This is Aphorism. Survivor found. Staff Sergeant Jeong Sin-il, Specialist. Request identity confirmation."
Normally the reply would've come immediately.
Responses had been instant up through the fourth floor.
This time—
Nothing.
Several seconds passed.
Still nothing.
Beeeep!
"This is Aphorism."
"J-Jemin, let me try."
Hamza sensed something was wrong and reached out.
Instead of handing it over, I set the walkie-talkie on the conference room floor.
Exactly as I'd suspected.
"It's a monster. I'm activating the sprinklers. Hamza, prepare the extinguisher."
At last, the reason became clear.
The invisible monster hadn't merely spat out phones.
It reacted to communications.
And interfered with them.
Goryeoha dismantled the barricade she'd built.
We needed to move.
The moment we exited the room, preparations began.
And the person contributing most was, naturally, me.
Baek Jemin.
I rolled my tongue.
Target. Monster. Kill. Five minutes. Route.
If I shot the sprinklers and flooded the area, visibility would become even worse.
Without Eye Magic, accurate shooting would be impossible.
But if water flowed over the monster's body—
I could shoot it.
I aimed at a sprinkler barely visible through the fog.
"Firing."
BANG!
The sprinkler burst.
Water exploded outward.
"I'll watch the floor, Junior."
"Stay calm."
SHHHHHHHHH—
Rain fell indoors.
Water ran down our ponchos.
Hamza stood nearby holding a fire extinguisher.
He looked ready to abandon it and run.
But he didn't.
Because the Staff of Courage stood beside him.
Otherwise known as my rifle.
Nobody became braver than Hamza when he knew I might turn him into a holy relic.
Water dripped.
Sprinklers rattled.
Puddles formed.
My precious AR-15 was getting soaked, but that wasn't important.
The monster was.
The invisible thing on the fifth floor.
I needed to know what it looked like.
How it hunted.
All three of us shared that determination.
Then—
A chance appeared.
"Goryeoha."
"Yes."
Doctrine-type magic.
[Spirit Sight].
The spell wasn't flashy.
It merely detected monsters.
Normal people would've never found the creature in this flooded, fog-filled hospital.
But Spirit Sight possessed one crucial advantage.
It provoked monsters.
Dragged hostility to the surface.
Forced action.
Even the most patient monster would move.
Even slightly.
And once magic recognized something—
The floodgates opened.
Rustle.
Movement.
I saw it.
Immediately.
I raised my rifle toward the ceiling.
The fog was already thinning.
Beyond the falling water.
Within the swirling mist.
Red footprints appeared.
My finger was already on the trigger.
RATATATAT!
Blood sprayed.
Foul bodily fluids mixed with the water.
And finally—
The monster revealed itself.
Its shell resembled a centipede's smooth exoskeleton.
Except patches of eyelids covered its body.
And countless eyeballs rolled beneath them.
But what fell wasn't the whole creature.
SPLAT!
"AAAAAAAH?!"
FSSSSHHHH!
Hamza unloaded the fire extinguisher.
Within the white cloud of powder, something flat writhed violently.
"Fire Virtue General. Transformation of Fire. Overcome Metal."
BOOOOM!
A glowing red bottle cap pierced through it.
Yet I wasn't aiming at the thing on the floor.
I was aiming at the distant ceiling.
The direction the real monster had fled.
"Motherfucker..."
Transparent Veil?
What a glorified name.
I only saw it briefly.
But I was certain.
It was a subspecies of the Skin-Flayer Fly.
A monster composed of broad segmented plates.
A creature that peeled humans flat and thin, keeping them alive through exposed internal organs before wrapping itself around them and lying in ambush.
From this moment on—
I refuse to call it a Transparent Veil.
I'm calling it a Skin-Tapeworm.