CH 44

Spotty groaned and pretended to be dying. In the Demon Realm, he reigned as an apex predator, but even so, he had to learn to survive during childhood. He had occasionally used camouflage to escape from monsters that preferred live prey. It worked great on people too.

He was doing this because he was told to tire the humans, but he wasn’t told how it should be done. Spotty decided to demonstrate his superior control of his.

“It seems that its health is getting worse and worse.”

“Will it return to its full size when it dies? If it doesn’t we might have to do our experiments with that tiny body? That might alter the test results.”

“Why don’t we give it a little bit of nutrition? Just enough to not die.”

“Wouldn’t that make the situation dangerous again? That’s why I haven’t given it any food.”

“Still, it’s better than dying like this.”

The director of the lab thought for a moment before nodding in agreement.

“Okay then, just a little bit. A monster I’ve never seen before was brought in; it’d be a waste to kill it.”

“Does it eat meat?”

“Maybe?”

People opened the door a little and threw some meat in. However, Spotty groaned and did not even look it.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“Then, let’s deliver the nutrients another way…”

An Awakened in protective gear entered the fortified holding cell.

“Good luck in there!”

They only needed an Awakened for when things like this happened. The pushed Awakened grunted, trying to recall what the researchers had said.

‘Since the body is small, insert the needle into its back. Don’t put it too deep.’

A gloved hand touched Spotty’s sagging body. And now was the moment Spotty had been waiting for. Laughing while widening his mouth, Spotty immediately rushed to the Awakened person. His now-gigantic body crushed and wounded the Awakened.

Thud!

A loud noise resounded throughout the holding cell each time the body collided with it.

“Paralysis, pump paralysis gas in!”

Gas immediately spread throughout the cage, but it was already too late. The cage had been cracked during Spot’s rampage. The clever Spotty continued hitting the body against the weakening area.

The Awakened was now covered in blood and no longer moving.

Weiiiing!

The alarm bell began blaring, and the saints who were guarding the laboratory flocked to it. At about that time, Spotty was pulling his long neck out of the broken cage.

“You must not let it get away!”

“Catch it!”

In the midst of the commotion, Spotty opened his mouth. He began spewing a poison that dissolved everything. The saints quickly retreated, with those unable to escape its path grabbing hold of their melted bodies with cries of pain.

As the attacks continued, Spotty pulled his foot out through the enlarged gap. The building was half-collapsed and with a crackling sound, his huge body emerged free.

Then it was a nightmare. He couldn’t fly because of his injured wing, so he ran rampant on the ground. No one died right away, but many were seriously injured. In particular, the non-awakened researchers who had not been able to avoid the path of destruction suffered the most.

Until the Guardian Guild’s first team arrived, they were nothing but sacrifices.

“Oh my god.”

Leon clicked his tongue when he saw the Black Drake, after the guild had barely managed to restrain it. Since there was no huge cage to put it in right away, they simply tied and nailed it to the floor, but even in this state it acted cleverly.

It hangs as if dead, only to bite any approaching Awakened. Realizing that method wouldn’t work anymore, it started struggling like crazy. The string that tied it up was pulled taut as if it were about to unravel at any moment.

“Can’t you do anything about it?”

The head of the research institute looked at it with a sad gaze.

“For now, I think it would be best to kill him.”

“No! We can’t do that. It’s a new monster! We have a unique opportunity to research such a monster! We will learn so much more using a living specimen. “

“So?”

The Seon-Hyeon Guild had originally caught the monster and were claiming their share, but the director of the research institute acted selfishly.

‘Because humans are really selfish.’

But in that aspect, humans were also interesting. So, Leon decided to be more generous with the director of the research lab, who was as troublesome as the monster.

“We will try using a tamer.”

“Yes! That’s a brilliant idea. Hopefully, that will resolve the situation while we conduct our research!”

The director of the lab was pleased with the Guild Leader’s solution.

The next day, a few tamers arrived at the research center. Upon being greeted by the sight of such a ferocious monster, a few immediately gave up.

“What? You expect me to be able to handle that? It’s a freaking monster! The highest I’ve ever tamed was a red bore.”

A red bore looked like wild boars with red fur. It was a monster favored by tamers because of their thick leather and fast speed, but they were also smaller than Spotty.

After some of them had left, only those with the desire to tame the giant monster and those with obligations remained.

They took turns among themselves and came forward one by one.

“I’ll be the first!”

Nick, a fairly famous tamer, rubbed his hands and stepped forth. But soon after he almost lost both hands. If Leon hadn’t pulled him from where he had been waiting, Nick would have been swallowed.

The other tamers fared no better.

All of them were defeated. Despite their wholehearted efforts, some laid on the floor, collapsed and vomiting blood. They were truly incompetent.

“What are we to do now?”

The director of the lab made a crying face.

‘I don’t want to see the crying face of an old, middle-aged man.’

Leon clicked his tongue and fell into his thoughts.

‘Should we try using the first generation for this?’

Although Ji Seon-woo lovingly cared for him, they were undoubtedly interested in this monster.

“Just wait a little longer. We’ll find someone to deal with it.”

“Please, please hurry up!”

Leon left the director of the lab and the laboratory.

***

That afternoon, Hyeon-woo was visited by Leon.

“Hello?”

Leon, who came to their hotel, greeted them with a smile.

“What’s going on here?”

Seon-woo stepped forward and faced Leon.

As soon as Seon-woo stepped forward he shielded Hyeon-woo behind him, as Do-jin also guided him inside. They might not get along well with each other, but in times like these they moved in sync.

“Might I come in for a moment?”

“Before I consider letting you in, I’d like to know the purpose of your visit.”

“Hmm. You’re interested in the Black Drake, no?”

“I’m interested, but why have you been ignoring the request until now?”

“It wasn’t intentional. It’s complicated here, too. So, will you let me in?”

Seon-woo took a step back with an expressionless face. It was an invitation to enter. Leon calmly stepped inside.

“There’s something I want him to listen to as well.”

“I’ll listen and deliver.”

“Oh my. Do you not even trust me?”

Leon of the Guardian Guild was an Awakened with a good external reputation. He was a man to be trusted under normal circumstances, but Seon-woo felt reluctant. For that reason, Seon-woo only maintained a public relationship with Leon when traveling to and from the United States. Because of that, the last time he was with Leon, he remained attached to his older brother the whole time.

Seon-woo neatly ignored Leon’s words and went straight to the main point.

“So what do you mean?”

“The Black Drake. It’s out of control.”

Leon willingly revealed his intention and secrets.

“I’ve called tamers, but they were unable to do anything. I can’t kill it either. You understand the value of a new living monster.”

Seon-woo stared at Leon without answering.

“Can I borrow your Hyung for that reason?”

“It is a monster that even a tamer could not stand. Do you think my Hyung can stand it?”

“I think he can. He tamed that monster.”

Leon’s hand pointed to Kero, who was lying on the floor.

“And that monster easily subdued the Black Drake.”

“Kero-ya (케로야) dealt with that problem. The new monster is a different story.”

(TN: the tone is that it wasn’t a big deal)

It wasn’t a very negative reaction. If he was completely opposed to the idea, Seon-woo would have undoubtedly attacked by now. He was an Awakened rumored to love his Hyung that much.

“Is there anything you want? I’d hate to return empty-handed.”

“We will cooperate with you. However, we want the monster. We are willing to provide experimental materials if necessary.”

“That is not a very easy condition to fulfill. But it’s not impossible.”

It was possible for Leon to accomplish, even if it wasn’t for anyone else. Not only was he a Guild Leader, but he was also the child of an extremely successful American businessman. He was also able to exert significant influence over the Hunter Institute.

“But it seems a bit unfair to just give it all away like this. So let’s get me one more thing out of this.”

“What do you want?”

“A conversation with the First-Generation Awakened. I only want that.”

Leon raised the corners of his lips. Seon-woo’s expression hardened hearing his words.

“I wouldn’t do anything that would harm him.”

Leon raised both of his hands and looked at him as he continued.

“I’m just curious. What is the difference between the Demon Realm he experienced and the one I lived through?”

“Is that all?”

“That’s it. I’m not related to the first generation Awakened. I have a desire to become stronger than I am now, but I think you will ultimately achieve that first.”

It was a candid answer.