The Tough Guy Hides the Villainess

010 – Even Ugly People Are Happy Just Seeing Each Other #4

010 – Even Ugly People Are Happy Just Seeing Each Other #4

“Instructor, will it be alright?”

A pristine white control room.

Students were marked as dots on the hologram-like display.

The positions of the students who entered the Great Labyrinth were identified and visualized using smartwatches and drones.

Active explorer Moon Hyun-ah took off her blindfold and carefully observed the students.

Among them, the team that concerned her the most was the one formed by those who were not chosen by the other kids, “No Leftovers Day.”

“Instructor, will it be alright? These kids. They’ve headed towards the stream where monsters reside. The monster there is the ‘Nose’ dog. It’s been weakened, so its aggressiveness is low, but….”

“A monster is still a monster. Ordinary people can’t even withstand the poison they emit and would faint. So why did they come here? Could it be they deliberately targeted the monster’s habitat?”

Instructor Kang Cheol-min knew that the team of Geum Tae-sung and transfer student Ha Nam-jin had started their practice on the cliff.

Due to the cliff climbing, their exploration was delayed by nearly 30 minutes compared to other teams.

In such a situation, finding artifacts imbued with concepts was like starting a sprint 5 seconds later than the other runners.

“At that point, these kids changed their route to monster hunting to earn points and began a forced breakthrough. You get 2 million points for hunting one monster. That’s 400,000 points per person. I don’t know who suggested it, but it’s really ….”

Kuhuhuhu-.

Captain Kang Cheol-min burst into laughter.

Soon, Moon Hyun-ah laughed along with him.

“Puhuh, it’s such a reckless and foolish plan. That mutant is not very aggressive, but it’s so quick and cunning that even our teacher team barely managed to capture it.”

Moon Hyun-ah recalled the time when they caught the dog with the concept of ‘Nose.’

Its eyes were scorched, but it had a keen sense of smell and hearing.

Even the slightest noise would send it fleeing far away, making it difficult to capture.

“Honestly, with the level of a third-year student, they won’t be able to slaughter it. Before that, the beast will run away.”

It was extremely difficult for students who were not yet adults to defeat a monster.

After all, the monsters in this training labyrinth were not placed to be defeated but to signal the time to escape.

In other words, it was an absurdity to show students their limits and walls.

‘But if this team manages to defeat the monster with their own strength, it means they are at a level similar to “Supernova”.’

The term “Supernova” referred to those who, despite being students, showed talents comparable to or greater than active explorers.

Moon Hyun-ah did not think those remaining children would shine so brightly.

‘Moreover, they are not our elite Class F students, who have gathered high potential, but the problematic Class D students full of variables?’

However, Instructor Kang Chul-min thought differently.

“There is one kid in that group that I have my eye on. That kid will probably become a “Supernova” soon. He will wear the Knight’s Brooch.”

“Oh, if you say so, Instructor… I can look forward to it too. I think I already know which student it is.”

Moon Hyun-ah’s gaze turned to the male student caught by the drone.

It was Geum Tae-sung, who had received a potential rating of 4th grade in the preliminary evaluation.

Geum Tae-sung would not have been out of place in the elite Class F, but he had been demoted to Class D due to his background.

As for the rest, there was nothing to see─at least that’s what Moon Hyun-ah, the homeroom teacher of Class F, thought.

# # #

I shouted clearly, though small.

“Look at that b*stard! His eyes are burnt as if they were scorched! It means he can’t see! That’s why he’s prowling around us without easily attacking!”

Just as humans become awakened through special circumstances, animals become monsters when they awaken.

Just as those among humans who grasp concepts become more special awakeners, so do monsters.

“The nose. That guy is the nose.”

I thought the monster in front of me had the concept of ‘nose’ or ‘smell’, ‘olfaction’.

His nose was so enormously large that it was easy to recognize intuitively.

“After losing his sight due to burns, the concept to compensate for it settled in his body. Abilities stem from strong desires. That guy was so inconvenient by his blindness that he awakened to a new ability.”

“So what does that mean!”

At the question from Candy Maker Chang-sik, I felt like I might sigh a little.

Even a fool would understand after this much explanation.

It seemed the fear of facing a monster was paralyzing everyone’s reason.

“Because of the boiling candy smell, our scent is faint. The sweet smell vibrating all around has sealed his nose. That’s why he can’t attack us, right?”

“Th-that so…!”

“All that’s left is hearing. That’s where Deok-soon needs to step up. Deok-soon, you said you could make the surrounding sounds quiet, right?”

“It’s not Deok-soon, it’s Deok-hee…”

The girl who corrected her name glanced back and forth between the monster and us.

“I can eliminate sounds… but only within a 10-meter radius around me… and only for about 20 seconds.”

10 meters for 20 seconds? That was enough.

An unexpected attack in a situation with no sound and no smell.

Even a monster would be as started as a bolt from the blue.

“Then, Deok-soon, please. It’s 2 million points! We can split 400,000 points each! You’re our key!”

“……”

Squeeze.

The introverted girl clutched her pants tightly.

Feeling everyone’s gaze, the girl continued to tremble.

Would it take a little time for an answer to come out?

“II can’t do it…”

Shiver.

Deok-soon trembled like a featherless duck in the middle of winter.

Her clothes were soaked with sweat, and her breath grew rough, as if she truly lacked courage.

Well, of course.

We are the leftovers.

Aren’t we like trash discarded because we weren’t needed?

There’s no way we could have confidence.

“Deok-hee.”

Swoosh.

At that moment, Tae-seong Geum grabbed Deok-soon’s hand.

Deok-soon was greatly started.

“W-what-.”

“When I’m really nervous, holding hands like this calms me down. How about it? Feeling a bit calmer?”

“O-oh, uh…”

“Deok-hee, let’s give it a try. Nam-jin is a multi-ability holder. Maybe this time will be different from the last practice. We have nothing to lose anyway, right?”

“Ugh…”

Was it because of the sleek, handsome face of Geum Tae-seong?

Or was it because of his unexpectedly kind voice, a contrast to his thug-like appearance? Odok-soon shivered, more tense than before.

However, it seemed like she was feeling something.

“… I’ll try. But about 20 seconds is my limit!”

Thump-thump-.

Having made her decision, Deok-soon began to dance. It was such an absurd, erratic dance that it almost reminded me of a child performing in front of their grandfather to get New Year’s money—awkward and bizarre.

It was almost painful to watch.

The face of the girl, visible through her long hair, was flushed a deep red, almost as though it might burst from the heat, and sweat dripped down, falling in droplets from her chin.

What was surprising, though, was that it felt as though the surrounding noise had been completely erased, as if we were wearing heavy headsets.

“━─.”

“━──!”

Everyone seemed to be shouting with their mouths open, surprised, but no sound came out. They looked like fish gasping for air in a tank.

Complete silence.

Clap-.

I clapped my hands together forcefully, but no sound came out, not even a small noise.

‘This is amazing. If I had a power like this, the difficulty of raiding the potato field would drop drastically!’

─Let’s go!

I signaled to everyone.

But they all just fidgeted, too nervous to move.

It made sense; After all, it was like charging at a living, rabid dog, so it was no wonder their feet wouldn’t budge.

I understood, but feeling frustrated, I took the first step forward.

One step. Two steps.

Koga didn’t seem to notice me approaching. His nose was buried in a bowl of hot sugar water, greedily licking up the sweetness.

What an idiot!

I moved closer, slowly, then, with all my strength, kicked him square in the crotch.

Thud-!

The massive testicles that were kicked caused the dog to—

━━───!

He flipped over, letting out a scream that was

Name: Blackie

Status: “Shock” – He hasn’t realized what has happened to him. He is in agony as if the world has shattered!

Good!

I didn’t miss the chance and kicked him hard again.

Boom-!

The dog, hit by my kick enhanced with the concept of leap, flew far away and rolled on the ground. Everyone’s faces brightened up at the sight.

“Everyone, stomp him hard! Aim for the groin if you can!”

I shouted.

Of course, they probably couldn’t hear me, but they must have understood my intention.

Everyone surrounded the dazed dog and stomped and hit him hard.

Thud, thud, thud-.

Like imperialist powers plundering a colony!

With faces once tense now filled with hopeful smiles!

The monster extermination was about to end─.

That’s what I thought at that moment.

Crack, sizzle, crunch, snap-.

A strange thing happened.

The wounds on the dog’s body, which had been beaten, began to swell, and then “eyes” appeared. They were like the eyes on a peacock’s tail feathers.

Flash-!

The dog, which had been beaten, seemed to notice us with those countless eyes and quickly ran away, widening the distance.

Everyone was equally bewildered by the sudden turn of events.

“Is it…possessing multiple concepts?”

Was it because Deoksoon stopped dancing?

The surrounding sounds returned to normal.

Catching her breath, Deoksoon shouted.

“The monster has awakened its second ability! It seems to be the concept of ‘eyes’!”

Nose.

Eyes.

If they were related, they were related abilities.

But of all times, the monster had to awaken its second concept now!

What terrible luck!

“…II think it’s because of me!”

Baek Yeoul, on the verge of tears.

Is Baek Yeoul’s ‘misfortune’ the cause of this situation?

━Grrrrrr-.

The dog, looking furious, drooled as it glared at us.

If it bites, rabies is a certainty.

While everyone was too stunned to speak, the dog made the first move.

━Woof!

“What the-! Eek!”

The target of its aggression was Baek Yeoul.

Out of all these people, it chose her first. Truly the icon of bad luck.

If this continues, Baek Yeoul will be seriously injured by the beast.

It’s time for me to step in.

I pull out my secret weapon.

“When I give the signal, everyone charge again!”

Swoosh-. Flip-.

Shouting with all my might, I quickly took off my pants.

“You crazy pervert! Finally showing your true colors!”

“Kyaaa!”

Amidst the women’s screams, my secret weapon was revealed to the world.

My flashy tiger-print underwear, which I couldn’t show during the debate. Price: 10,000 won.

The dog’s eyes, which had been fixed on Baek Yeoul, were now glued to me, drawn by the provocative pattern.

「Name: Blackie

Status: 《Attention》 – Focused on you!”

Now! Right now!

I kicked off the ground and lunged at the dog.

━Woof…!?

The dog, distracted by my underwear, belatedly tried to retreat, but my ‘leap’ was as fast as covering 100 meters in 3 seconds.

“Yaaah!”

Pop-.

In an instant, I closed the distance and grabbed the dog, tightening its neck with my hand and its body with my legs, completing the sleeper hold.

━Grrrr-!

But this damn dog’s resistance was no joke, biting and scratching me with its claws and teeth.

Damn it! It hurts like hell, but I have to do this!

“Everyone, hit it! Beat it up! Now! I can’t hold it for long! Now!”

“Namjin!”

Kim Taesung shouted loudly.

Soon, he ran towards me and started hitting the dog with his fists and feet, and at the same time, I got hit too.

“Argh!”

As expected from a former thug!

Damn, his punches hurt like hell!

“S-sorry!”

“No, don’t worry about it! Just beat this b*stard! Beat it up! 2 million points! I won’t let it go! Never! 2 million! Gaaah!”

Thud thud thud thud thud-.

The struggling damn dog.

Me holding it down.

The one-sided beating and violence surrounding it.

“You, you damn dog! Die! Die!”

Baek Yeoul shouted fiercely as he leaped into the air.

Whoosh, thud!

His kick struck down sharply like a beast’s blow, hitting the monster’s groin, but the problem was that it also hit my groin at the same time.

━Grrreeeaaak!!!!!

“Grrreeeaaak!!!!”

The monster dog vomited sugar water from its mouth, spewing filth everywhere.

Unfortunately, I was underneath it and got covered in it all.

“Ugh, the smell!”

My groin hurt, and now I was covered in filth. What terrible luck.

But I could feel the tension in the monster dog’s body dissipate. At the same time, my strength also gave out.

“W-we did it! We really did it! We took down the monster! Something only the elites of Class F could do, we did it! Together!”

Choi Chang-sik rejoiced greatly as he watched the monster go limp in death.

Baek Yeoul extended a hand to me, who was covered in all sorts of filth.

“Hey, are you okay? I didn’t mean to hit you on purpose!”

Honestly, I feel like I’m going to die.

But isn’t it a great fortune to have earned 2 million points?

With this, I’ve taken one step closer to my goddess Seo Ga-eul.

Nevertheless, there was something more important right now.

Since we killed the monster, shouldn’t we enjoy the ‘reward’?

“No time to celebrate, everyone! We need to retrieve that from the monster’s corpse!”

“That?”

“What do you mean by ‘that’?”

From noble mtl dot com

What else? It’s the treasure.

In the ruined world, it was common knowledge, but it seems that research on ‘monsters’ in this era is still incomplete.

Since no one else knows, does that mean I can take it all for myself?