By Zephyria “What is this?”
On the way home from grocery shopping, an office worker muttered in bewilderment. Something was fluttering down from the sky.
“Snow in this season?”
Some saw it as snow, others as flower petals, and still others as discount flyers or dandelion seeds, all floating slowly through the air. Those who reached out and touched them out of curiosity were startled by a sharp pain. But it was only for a moment before their eyes glazed over.
“Ah, right… I have to go home.”
As if they had forgotten what just happened, the office worker began to walk their path again. But for some reason, their steps turned in one direction instead of towards home. As such people joined one by one, they soon became a vast procession.
At first, people didn’t realize anything was wrong. They appeared perfectly normal. But as people failed to return home and disappeared, reaching tens of thousands, it became impossible to ignore. Soon, the cause was identified and an alarm was issued, but many people’s procession had already headed somewhere. That place was near the Rift Management Agency.
Before long, six enormous flying creatures were spotted above the Rift Management Agency. The sight of the flying creatures, witnessed by drones, was shocking.
A chicken, a pig, a cow, a mosquito, a rat, and a fly.
Each with the head of a different beast or insect, but with a human mouth for a lower jaw, they were grotesque. Flapping wings of red membrane adorned with incongruous appendages like eyes, hooves, whiskers, or tails, the monsters hummed something.
― Come♪♬ Come♩ To the true world♬
― Ah! There lies true happiness
― Come forth to our glorious♬ and magnificent♬ Jade Orb♬
― Always welcome! Congratulations! We welcome you! Come!
― Debt, oh, debt, lo-debt! Ah! Debt debt debt! No, not debt, ah!
― Ooooh! Ooooh! Aaaaaah!
Though the song sounded enchanting at first listen, it was a bizarre chorus of dissonance. It was also a melody that cast widespread illusions and enchantments. Even so, the effect was weak, easily broken by a clear mind or a shock. But for those into whom the scale-shaped insects, scattered by the wingbeats of these six monsters, burrowed, it was different.
“Ah, home, my dear home! To home, home, oh, home!”
“I have to go there! The truly happy world is there!”
“Aaaah! Me! Me too, me too!”
The completely mesmerized people gathered densely near the Rift Management Agency. They stretched out their arms towards the six monsters, crying out. The monsters extended long, tube-like tentacles from their mouths and devoured them one by one. The Special Unit members stationed at the Rift Management Agency attacked, but the monsters’ resilience was so strong they were completely ignored. As people were caught by the tentacles and pulled into the air, they flailed in ecstasy. And when they were devoured by the monsters, they let out tragic screams.
The result of high-grade monsters, never seen before, appearing all at once was horrific. Even those broadcasting the situation for ratings or money, sending out drones, were speechless. Many rushed to save their family and friends, only to be similarly mesmerized and fall into the same plight.
― What the hell is that? …Wait, I think I’m going to throw up. Ugh…!
― Everyone, don’t go there trying to save your family or friends! Understand? Wait at home!
― It’s the Rift Management Agency nearby anyway, so rescue will be here soon! Everyone! Stay home!
The influencers and viewers who had been shouting so earnestly soon fell silent. As people continued to gather relentlessly, the sky cracked. Crackle, crackle…. A large, menacing Rift, as if making such sounds, spread in an instant. Soon, something formless poured out from it like a waterfall. The surroundings instantly darkened.
As if a giant, invisible tongue had swept by, new buildings and houses along the vast, sinister trajectory transformed as if left unattended for decades. The airflow stopped, and the sky’s color became ominous. The moon and stars vanished, replaced by an ominous sunset that neither set nor rose. This flow instantly swallowed a vast area equivalent to a city.
It took less than a few minutes from the gathering of the crowd and the appearance of the six flying creatures to the opening of the Great Rift. Its rapid progression and scope, entirely different from ordinary Rifts, clearly indicated a Great Rift. Everyone suffering from trauma screamed. They sat stunned on the spot.
― Great Rift??? Is a Great Rift opening now?
― Ah….
― What do we do, what do we do? I don’t want this, I really don’t want this….
A despairing silence settled among the crying and screaming people. Many viewers, unable to bear watching, left the broadcast. At the same time, many people tuned in after hearing the news. They were desperate to find their family and friends, even through an illegal live broadcast. The chat scrolled by rapidly.
― F\ we’re screwed.
― My mom isn’t answering her phone.
― What is the Rift Management Agency doing? They need to act fast.
― F\ F\ F\ F\ F\
― Please find my Yeon-ah. She went out wearing a white hoodie, a red hair tie, and a black backpack.
― Even if they issue an evacuation order, those people are too crazy to listen. This is bad.
― Si-yul, you’re not there, right? Please.
― I want to die. What’s the point of living in a world like this anymore?
― Korea is finished.
At that moment, someone watching the Great Rift breathlessly from nearby shouted.
― Rift Management Agency helicopters are up!!!!!!
Two helicopters entered the airspace above the Rift Management Agency. The monsters, busy picking and eating people one by one, reacted to the sound of the helicopters. They shot long tentacles like arrows towards the helicopters. However, as if reading their trajectory, the helicopters immediately veered sideways. From their sides, exposed at an angle upwards, someone leaped out. It was Jeong Si-young, who had returned from Busan as soon as she heard the news of the cocoon’s metamorphosis.
Despite the dizzying altitude, there was no fear on Jeong Si-young’s face. Her face, revealed after a long time, held only fierce determination. Thump! As she landed on the chicken-headed monster, its massive body twisted from the impact. Jeong Si-young didn’t miss the chance and plunged the great sword she carried on her back into it.
― Aaaaaaaah!
Surprisingly, the monster let out a human scream, deeply unpleasant to hear, instead of a chicken’s crow. It flapped its wings wildly, desperately trying to shake Jeong Si-young off, but she didn’t budge. Black bodily fluid flowed from her back, dripping down. It was when the remaining five monsters attempted to ascend to a higher altitude.
“You bastards, where do you think you’re going!”
With a resounding shout, a golden net shot out from another helicopter in a circling flight. It then wrapped around the five monsters at once, like living creatures. It was Seo Yakrin’s ability.
Seo Yakrin, also aboard the other helicopter, leaped into the air. The monsters, their wings entangled by the ropes, struggled to break free, but the more they thrashed, the tighter the net became. Seo Yakrin, holding the five giant flying creatures without any sign of strain, greeted them cheerfully.
“Unni Si-young! It’s been a while since our joint operation!”
“Yes, seeing your welcome face… is good!”
Jeong Si-young, having regained her smile after a long time, free from Corruption, replied as she tore apart the monster’s back. Below them, while the monsters were distracted by the aerial attack, people who had swiftly infiltrated were taking action.
Intermediate Awakened individuals, including Lee Chan-ha, each deployed barriers. The blue barriers enveloped the still-disoriented, jumping, and screaming crowd. Then, a soporific gas spread thickly within the barriers. People stumbled and fell to the ground one by one. Once things had calmed down to a certain extent, the main assault followed.
Special Unit members aimed anti-air weapons developed to deal with high-grade flying monsters at the creatures. Clink. With synchronized mechanical sounds, the tips of giant harpoon guns, tipped with finely honed Eternal Stones, were all aimed at the monsters. Each weapon consumed an enormous cost. Then, a firm order was given.
“Fire!”
Boom! Bang! With the shock of gunpowder exploding, the launched harpoons pierced the monsters’ bodies. Then, the heads of the harpoons unfolded like umbrella ribs. It was an efficient and vicious design, intended to prevent a pierced harpoon from dislodging. The monsters writhed with tragic screams. It wasn’t mere noise.
Some of the Special Unit members fell into a state of confusion upon hearing the brain-rattling screams. To make matters worse, they allowed the harpoon lines to unwind endlessly or even cut them off. Those who hadn’t fallen into confusion due to their high resistance kicked the legs of their comrades hard.
“Snap out of it! What are you doing!”
Fortunately, the strong pain was enough to quickly regain consciousness from the state of confusion. As Awakened, they recovered quickly. It was fortunate they were wearing fully enclosed suits, as any contamination from the falling contaminant, still pouring down like snow, would have driven them mad. Of course, even these suits weren’t invincible and would eventually become contaminated over time, so not a moment could be wasted.
“Drag them down to the ground! We have to stop these monsters from flying any longer!”
The unit commander roared and yelled. Clink! It was difficult to drag the monsters writhing in the air down using only mechanical force. Their upward force was astonishingly fierce. Seo Yakrin’s golden net pressed down from above, while they were pulled down from below.
The monsters that still resisted were greedily consumed by Yoon Seung-ryong’s poison. Their fluttering movements slowed, and their altitude gradually decreased.
The first to fall was the monster Jeong Si-young was handling. Once its wings were cut off, no matter how strong it was, it had no choice but to fall.
CRASH…!
The chicken-headed monster plummeted to the ground, scattering immense dust and contaminant. Even though it was dealt with at the lowest possible altitude, the aftermath was so great that one building cracked and a couple of barriers shattered. Then, the other five monsters either fell after resisting or gave up flying and landed on the ground. Even in that state, Lee Chan-ha’s barriers held firm.
It was a stroke of luck that, thanks to the monsters gathering them, there were no citizens outside in the streets in this vicinity. It was easy to protect them as the crowd was concentrated. As soon as some of the broken barriers were re-established, attacks rained down on the monsters that had fallen to the ground.