Chapter 18- Air Raid

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【Pig-尊 (pig-尊)】

A monster that gathers in groups, targeting food waste for survival. It’s a large pigeon with a head shaped like a crowned pig. It roams the skies of cities, preying solely on discarded food waste. It becomes violent if its meal is disturbed. Food waste dumping is a grave crime.

“Caw-!” A two-headed raven suddenly flew down and naturally landed on Choi Kang-sik’s right shoulder.

‘Two heads? If it has two heads…?’ The raven, which looked like a serious mutant, cried out happily from its right head. Choi Kang-sik’s eyes widened.

“Why is an Oracle…?”

The 2-star monster, Oracle. It’s a beneficial monster that foretells good or bad fortune. It doesn’t act hostile towards humans, but it’s not friendly either. So what in the world was this situation?

‘Judging by its size, it’s a chick…’

[A certain God writes an observation log]

[A hasty certain God peeks furtively]

[A certain God quickly covers it]

…It was unknown if this was also an influence of the gods. The 2-star monster sitting on his right shoulder moved its two heads this way and that, showing intense curiosity. The viewers’ curiosity was an added bonus.

• Let's extend the broadcast! *^^*
• Tell me what that Oracle is.
• MS. Surely not? No way, right? ;;;

It was that ‘surely not!’ Choi Kang-sik ended the broadcast as planned. He thought it would be better to stimulate the viewers’ curiosity this way rather than extending the broadcast. The Oracle…

Rustle.

…began preening its feathers.

“Hey. Don’t clean yourself on my shoulder.” Choi Kang-sik reached out a hand to push the tiny monster away.

“Caw!” The young Oracle, far from dodging or biting, rubbed its right head against his hand. Its two wings flapped wildly. A clear sign of affection!

“Oh, come on…” Choi Kang-sik’s lips spontaneously curved upwards as he stroked the Oracle’s head a few times, which had settled on his shoulder and showed no signs of leaving.

‘A sign of something big…’ He decided to observe it a bit longer. There was no point if it just sat there for a moment and then left. With the gods nagging him all day, this was just adding a two-headed raven to the mix. No need to make a fuss.

“Mr. Choi Kang-sik…?” The acting manager, who had returned after finishing his call, had a surprised expression. How long had it been since he received the call that the shovel ‘Haemosu,’ meticulously stored in the research institute, had disappeared?

“Caw!” A monster was clinging to his shoulder.

“If you have something to say, say it quickly. I’m a busy man. My time is more expensive than you can imagine.”

“Your shoulder…”

“I have no obligation to explain to you, who are full of regrets.” Choi Kang-sik replied coldly.

‘Yoo Il-am is just a temporary measure. I need to find a house quickly, gather information, and go hunting.’

[A certain God smiles brightly]

[A certain God strongly agrees]

…Because the gods’ patience was like grains of sand in the ocean. He had a mountain of things to do.

“The Monster Association’s Korean branch has no intention of treating Mr. Choi Kang-sik shabbily.”

“The shovel?”

“…It seems there was an error below. We are punishing the relevant personnel. So I hope you’ve calmed down… Mr. Choi Kang-sik?!”

“Just wasted my time.” Choi Kang-sik turned away without regret.

“Caw!” The young Oracle’s right head cried out happily. It seemed to have no intention of getting off his shoulder. The acting manager hurriedly followed, shouting, “Mr. Choi Kang-sik! I heard you lost your home and were staying in a shabby jjimjilbang!”

“Hmph! Don’t worry about it.”

“As an apology, we’ll provide you with a house!”

“What are you talking about? I have plenty of money now!”

The viewership of MS Cameraman, who had expanded from a small domestic audience to a global one, had different numbers of digits. When Choi Kang-sik saw the amounts sent by corporations and wealthy individuals as “tasters” for a meeting, all he could do was scoff.

‘Who do they think I am, a beggar?’ His reason for visiting the Monster Association was simple. The Buffalok horn. He needed a prize to send to the winner, ‘Thumbelina.’ He could have bought one on the market, but he thought it was polite to give a horn from a monster he had personally hunted that day.

“If you have a lot of money, you should probably start worrying about taxes, too?” The acting manager smiled meaningfully. Taxes that ballooned with more money! If the government was determined, no matter how much he earned, he’d have nothing left. Choi Kang-sik chuckled.

“I have no intention of saving money to become rich.”

“Excuse me?”

“As long as the financial burden is gone, that’s enough. I don’t need a lot of wealth to defeat Blade. Mercenaries? Attack squads? They’re just obstacles that increase the monster’s blades.”

“Th-that…” The acting manager, whose statement was also denied, became tongue-tied. ‘This guy, what in the world is he?’ He was fundamentally different from other hunters. For others, hunting was a means to wealth and glory, but for Choi Kang-sik, wealth and fame were merely tools to catch monsters. He wasn’t normal. He had seemed that way since he boldly rushed a 5-star monster!

Waking from his reverie, the acting manager quickly said, “I understand Mr. Choi Kang-sik’s intentions well. Still, please accept the house. We will absolutely never demand anything in return for this…”

“Caw!” The young Oracle’s left head, which had been quiet all this time, cried out briefly. It was the first time it wasn’t the right head. The left head, signaling ill omens! What could it mean?

“……”

“……”

An awkward silence fell between the two men. Choi Kang-sik quietly turned on his camera. The broadcast was his best weapon to gain an advantage against the government and the association. He shot a suspicious look at the acting manager.

“Are you really sure there’s nothing?”

“Ha, haha…”

• MS, if you're going to do this, don't turn off the broadcast. -.-^
• Okay, what's that on his shoulder?
• XX. I'm so curious I can't sleep. ㅠ

Viewers were still curious about the small monster perched on MS’s shoulder. A monster following a human? There were hunters who controlled monsters with mind-control psychic powers. But a case of a monster voluntarily following a human like this was unprecedented.

“Caw!” The popular young Oracle cried out again. This time, it was the left head. Choi Kang-sik’s gaze changed.

‘No, wait! An Oracle should only be able to sense bad omens in its vicinity? How did it sense a bad omen for a house it hasn’t even seen?’

“……” He ran. His body reacted before his mind.

Thump! A heavy living creature fell from the sky like a meteor. A strong aftershock swept away light objects nearby.

Thump! Thud! Thump!

It wasn’t just one or two. The front yard of the Monster Association, which was at the forefront of defending South Korea, was instantly overrun by flying monsters. A large-scale monster air raid! Hunters hurriedly grabbed their weapons.

“Oink! Oink! Oink!”

“Oink! Oink! Oink!”

But they were overwhelmed by the sheer number of monsters, like a flock of pigeons. Moreover, their numbers were rapidly increasing even at this moment.

“Someone stop them!”

“I don’t want to die!”

The hunters’ faces turned pale. “The area near the Monster Association is the safest”? That’s half wrong. That’s because skilled hunters mostly operate in the city outskirts, where monster appearances are frequent. This place was safe only because they protected it.

“Gasp?!”

“Hey! You said a 1-star was easy alone?!”

“Today’s not the day!”

Most of the people stationed at the Monster Association were poseurs and riffraff. They made various excuses, lost their will to fight, and fled. My glorious psychic powers? If I use them, I’ll be focused-attacked and there won’t even be bones left! Swallowed by fear, they were utterly incompetent. They evacuated, mixing with ordinary citizens.

Thwack!

“Squeal?!”

Except for the young man who had been incompetent from the start.

Thump!

A monster fell, its tongue lolling out. Choi Kang-sik pulled out the shovel he had embedded in the monster’s pig-like head.

“Oink!”

“Oink!”

The monsters that had been approaching Yoo Il-am, who was lying motionless, turned their attention to Choi Kang-sik. He frowned and muttered, “That’s strange. A Pig-尊 should only target food waste, right? Why are they targeting Yoo Il-am… trash? Ah!” A significant number of monsters eat humans. So, what about human trash?

‘M-my goodness! Yoo Il-am. What kind of human are you, really…? Not only are you recognized by gods, but even by monsters…’

• It's Cancer again? lololol
• He's really cancer. Luring monsters to Seoul.
• Wait! This isn't the time to laugh, is it? -.-;;
• I'm in front of my house. Save me. ㅠ

“…Anyway, viewers? The broadcast is extended because of someone. Please give lots of likes to MS, who fights for the safety of citizens!”

[A certain God tilts his head]

[A hasty certain God doesn’t know how]

‘I wasn’t talking to you guys, was I?’ It helps more if you just stay quiet without sending messages.

[A certain God recommends]

[A leisurely certain God peeks out]

[Viewer: 13]

…Still, my faith is as steadfast as the morning star on the first day of the month, all year round. You know that, right?

“Let there be light!” “Oink?!”