By Zephyria 
89
“……”
Ho-eun stared at the door with cloudy eyes. He couldn’t believe that a Devouring Ghoul was behind the door. No, he didn’t want to believe it. The situation that had unfolded was despairing. He had held onto hope until just moments ago, making the despair weigh even heavier.
As he stood there blankly, Seong-im pulled him back. Then, she drew her sword, tossing the scabbard carelessly onto the floor, as if she would never need to sheath the sword again.
In the meantime, the door shook again with a loud bang!
“……”
Pale-faced, Ho-eun stumbled backward. As he did, he took care of the girls who stood frozen in place, hiding them behind his small back, one by one.
Bang! Crash!
The Devouring Ghoul rammed the door with its body repeatedly. The latch connecting the door and the frame rattled precariously. The inside of the church was filled with darkness, but the rattling of the latch was clearly visible.
Ho-eun, Seong-im, and the girls continued to back away. Then, one of the girls tripped on the steps leading up to the platform and fell backward. The girls who were holding her hand and arm also tumbled down in a heap. Jeong-i hugged Jeong-woo tightly and fell flat on her back.
Before the startled Ho-eun could help them up.
Bang! The Devouring Ghoul slammed into the door even harder than before. At the same time, crash! The latch was torn from the door and clattered to the floor. The sight of the thick iron bar twisted like taffy was incredibly eerie.
Then, silence fell. As if the Devouring Ghoul knew that the latch was gone, it no longer rammed the door. Instead, it pressed against the door with its body. The door, now without a latch, creaked open about half a handbreadth.
Through the gap, a hand with jagged, overgrown nails reached inside.
“……”
“……”
“……”
No one could even scream. They simply huddled together, trembling.
The Devouring Ghoul waved its hand around wildly, then began to force its body through the opening. Chairs tilted forward, moving with a clatter. Ho-eun struggled and groaned just to move one of them, but the Devouring Ghoul pushed aside a dozen chairs at once.
As the chairs were pushed back, one side of the door swung open wide. And finally, the Devouring Ghoul’s full form was revealed.
“Ah……”
Ho-eun sighed softly. Wind rushed in through the wide-open door with a whooshing sound. Raindrops swept in, pattering against his face.
Caw……
The Devouring Ghoul stepped inside, crushing the chairs underfoot. One side of its Helmet Bone was grotesquely caved in. It seemed the bone had been broken when it rammed into the fence. The blood and rainwater that had pooled there dripped down, splattering wetly.
Soon, the Devouring Ghoul stood tall at the entrance of the church. Bathed in moonlight, its shadow devoured Ho-eun and the girls a moment before it did.
“……”
Seong-im, standing in front of Ho-eun, bent her body slightly and raised her sword high. Her eyes were twitching slightly. Ho-eun fumbled in his side for his Pistol. Even if he did, he wouldn’t be able to stop the Devouring Ghoul, but it was the only thing he could do at the moment.
Squish, squish. Squish, squish.
The Devouring Ghoul approached slowly. It seemed to know that they couldn’t escape. Of course, Ho-eun and the girls knew it too. The girls began to sob. Their fear soaked Ho-eun’s back.
“……”
Ho-eun bit his lower lip hard.
It was tragic. Not that they were going to be devoured, but that they couldn’t do anything.
He wanted to run to the Devouring Ghoul and beg it to devour him, to devour him and spare the others.
But Devouring Ghouls know no satisfaction. After devouring him, it would eat Seong-im, eat Jeong-i, eat the girls, and even eat Jeong-woo.
Ho-eun continued to bite his lip. His tender flesh tore open, revealing blood, but he didn’t even feel it.
He had to find a way… There had to be a way… He couldn’t just die helplessly like this…
He racked his brain, but a solution that hadn’t existed before wasn’t going to suddenly appear.
There was nothing he could do alone. If Tae-muk were here, maybe. He needed his God of War. He desperately needed him. If he was here, if only he was here… Just as he was thinking that.
Ho-eun remembered something Tae-muk had once said.
‘From now on, just shout.’
‘I’m faster than any Devouring Ghoul.’
After that, he remembered what Chilbok had said.
‘The Captain sees everything he looks at, and hears everything he listens to.’
Ho-eun didn’t think, ‘maybe, perhaps.’ The moment he recalled their voices, he immediately opened his mouth. And with his torn lips stretched wide, he called out to him, his voice cracking.
“General!”
Tae-muk.
“General!”
His God of War.
Ho-eun’s voice echoed loudly in the cold stone church. The echoing sound became a reverberation, piercing through tens of thousands of raindrops and spreading outward.
“General!”
Ho-eun called out to Tae-muk desperately. His throat ached as if he had swallowed a knife, but he didn’t care. At the same time as he shouted Tae-muk’s name for the last time, the Devouring Ghoul came running with a thud, thud, thud, and leaped into the air.
Seong-im widened her eyes and raised her sword, Ho-eun shielded the girls with his arms, the girls cowered, and Jeong-woo burst into tears. It was then, as the Devouring Ghoul’s shadow loomed darkly over them.
Clang!
The sound of a window breaking rang out. And shards of glass scattered like flower petals. Along with the glass shards, someone landed inside the church. He immediately blocked Seong-im.
Bang!
He struck the Devouring Ghoul on the side of the head with his fist. With tremendous force, the Devouring Ghoul flew straight into the wall without even touching the ground.
“Kack……”
The entire church shook as the Devouring Ghoul collided with the wall. The Devouring Ghoul clung to the wall for a moment, then slowly slid down. It shook its head, which was buried in the floor. It seemed to be dizzy.
In front of the Devouring Ghoul, a foot in military boots stopped. The Devouring Ghoul raised its head and looked at him. The next moment, a large hand grabbed its neck and lifted it up. The house-sized Devouring Ghoul was lifted up in an instant. Its legs flailed in the air.
Kieeeeeek…….
The Devouring Ghoul let out a suppressed groan, but still opened its mouth wide and tried to eat him. It also swung its hands. Sharp fingernails pierced his shoulders and arms, but he didn’t budge. As if he couldn’t feel the pain. Or perhaps he had become numb to it.
He began to tighten his grip on the Devouring Ghoul’s neck. Small and large wrinkles formed on the Devouring Ghoul’s neck, and soon, his fingertips pierced through the tough skin.
Kiiiiii…….
Blood gushed from the Devouring Ghoul’s neck. But he didn’t stop there. He continued to tighten his grip.
The Devouring Ghoul’s neck became thinner and thinner, and the flesh and muscles, unable to withstand the pressure, burst through the skin. Then, snap- crack- the neck bones broke. At the same time, the Devouring Ghoul’s limbs lost their strength and drooped. It seemed the nerves had been severed.
Only then did he release the Devouring Ghoul. The Devouring Ghoul, having lost its support, fell with a thud. The severed limbs tumbled haphazardly. The joint between its body and neck dangled as if it would break at any moment.
Keck…….
But the Devouring Ghoul did not die. It glared at him with bloodshot eyes. It bared its dirty teeth and slowly opened and closed its mouth.
“……”
He looked down at the Devouring Ghoul with cold eyes. Then, he slowly raised one leg and stomped down. The Devouring Ghoul’s thick Helmet Bone shattered like thin ice. His foot went all the way into the Devouring Ghoul’s head up to his ankle and came out.
Squeak…….
The Devouring Ghoul died instantly. Its tongue lolled out onto the floor. But even after that, he continued to stomp on the Devouring Ghoul’s head. Thwack, squish, thud, splat, the dull sounds continued. Blood spread out in circles. Each time he pulled his foot out, unidentified chunks of flesh bounced with a squelching sound.
“……”
Ho-eun was watching him blankly. Long legs, a wide back, thick shoulders, a straight neck, and black hair, soaked and swaying heavily.
Looking at it again and again, he couldn’t help but call out.
“……General?”
It was a call murmured as if to himself, but Tae-muk’s movements stopped abruptly.
“……”
He slowly turned around. Their eyes met from a distance. At that moment, thunder rumbled. His face was brightly illuminated by a flash of lightning, then darkened again. Seeing this, Ho-eun rose as if possessed.
Was it really Tae-muk?
Was it really him?
Had he come?
Had he heard his call and come?
“General……”
Ho-eun, who had dropped the Gun he was holding, staggered towards Tae-muk. Tae-muk stood still, staring at Ho-eun. He didn’t approach, nor did he call him to come, but he didn’t take his eyes off Ho-eun.
“General……”
Ho-eun walked unsteadily, like a baby just learning to walk. Then, when he had crossed half the church, he started to run. His footsteps echoed coldly on the frozen floor.
Tae-muk was getting closer and closer. Then, when he was close enough to touch, Ho-eun jumped into his arms. His long Braided Hair fluttered wildly.