There’s a Monster Inside Me Chapter 25

There’s a Monster Inside Me
Chapter 25
Several days had passed since I dealt with the senior group, but nothing unusual had happened.
After learning about the incident, Princess Eun-deok had a major outburst. Then she refused to leave my side.
In the end, my alone time decreased even further.
“I’m hungry, so hungry…”
My stomach churned as I was changing clothes.
Damn food spirit demon! Wailing about being hungry again.
If Princess Eun-deok wasn’t sticking to me like glue, I’d somehow make time, but I couldn’t find a moment to spare.
“Be patient. I’ll find a way.”
After appeasing the food spirit demon, I secretly slipped out through the window.
Princess Eun-deok didn’t catch me, but I sensed someone following behind.
An ordinary student wouldn’t notice a follower, but I’ve lived my entire life as a fugitive. No way I wouldn’t detect a tracker.
A change that occurred after Princess Eun-deok learned everything. It was definitely one of her guards.
With eyes practically on the back of my head, heading to the Monster Forest was out of the question. So, I changed direction.
Sounds of wind being cut came from a wide space near the forest. Gurumi was repeatedly throwing and catching rotating blades.
“How’s it going?”
Gurumi was intensely practicing to imbue spiritual power into the rotating blades at will.
SWISH! SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!
Gurumi caught the rotating blade skillfully and turned around with a sweat-soaked face.
“Oh, where’s the Princess?”
“I’m terrified she’ll appear. Would you mind shutting that mouth?”
Gurumi chuckled.
“Maru, you’re suffering. Seems like the royal gift you received was payment for taking care of the Princess.”
“…SIGH, is that so?”
“Maybe she won’t chase you if we go monster hunting.”
“…Huh?”
Gurumi’s words snapped me to attention.
“What did you say?”
“Monster hunting, I said.”
Right, that existed! A way to feed the hungry food spirit demon!
“Is there a monster hunting notice posted?”
“Maru, didn’t you see it? It was posted in front of the dormitory this morning. I guess you didn’t see it because you were dragged around by the Princess?”
“In front of the dormitory, you say?”
Gurumi shouted at my back as I dashed off.
“Hey Maru, but first-years can’t go! Only seniors can participate!”
A grin spread across my face. Can’t go? There’s always a way.
I ran straight to the dormitory entrance. Sure enough, a large notice was posted.
-Monster Hunting Party Recruitment
Hunting party members: 33 intermediate level or above (must include at least 7 advanced level members).
If applicants exceed required numbers, selection will be through examination.
This hunting party will utilize the seasonal individual training period.
The purpose is preemptive defense of areas where monsters threatening innocent civilians have appeared.
-Note
(Students below intermediate level may take on auxiliary duties outside the hunting party. First come, first served, 7 positions.)
A way to fill the food spirit demon’s stomach and escape from Princess Eun-deok.
This is it!
I rubbed my palms together vigorously.
***
Gray fog filled the spaces between the conifer shadows surrounding us.
In fog so thick I couldn’t see my fingertips when extending my arm. Negative energy saturated the surroundings, making it difficult to breathe.
This was the region where the Thousand-Year School’s monster hunting party had been dispatched. No wonder monsters frequently appeared in such a place.
“Maru, are you there?”
Gurumi’s voice came from beyond the fog.
“Yeah. I’m here. I really can’t see anything.”
I answered toward his direction.
“They said auxiliary duties wouldn’t be dangerous. I wonder if it’s really safe.”
I understood Gurumi’s sighing sentiment.
Before the seasons changed, Thousand-Year School established a seasonal individual training period.
During this time, students train to address their weaknesses or take time for self-reflection.
The monster hunting party, which seeks out dangerous areas to defend against monster attacks, also operates during this period.
Only intermediate level or higher skilled students can apply for the monster hunting party, but first-years could participate in auxiliary duties, essentially acting as porters.
To appease the hungry food spirit demon, I volunteered for auxiliary duty, and Gurumi followed me.
TWEET!
A high-pitched whistle sounded from ahead. The signal for rest.
THUD! THUD!
Sounds of heavy luggage being set down came from all around.
Walking a rough mountain path with intense tension when you couldn’t see what was right in front of you was no ordinary task.
My shoulders felt like they were sinking into the ground from the weight of the fully loaded baggage.
“Maru!”
Gurumi called me from beyond the fog. Only when we were close enough to bump into each other could we finally see each other’s faces.
“PHEW, I wonder if we came for nothing. I’m especially worried about you, Maru, since you’re small.”
“HUFF, it is difficult.”
“Let me take some of that luggage from you.”
“You’re carrying heavy stuff too, so no way.”
Since departure, Gurumi had been desperate to take luggage from me. It was because my frame was so small, yet I carried the same load.
But though small in stature, my strength was definitely not inferior to Gurumi’s.
Spiritual power filled my lower abdomen, and through consistent training and practice, I had developed enviable muscle strength.
From dawn running to cliff climbing and rock throwing, I was constantly pushing beyond my limits.
Although I’d been eating everything in sight, my height hadn’t shot up like a cucumber, perhaps because my growth period hadn’t arrived yet.
But that day would come soon.
“By heaven, earth, and the power of the wood god, I create a protective barrier.”
“By heaven, earth, and the power of the earth god, I close the protective barrier.”
“By heaven, earth, and the power of the water god, I strengthen the protective barrier.”
The seniors’ voices could be heard.
A safe world was created in the middle of the foggy forest.
Shortly after the barrier was established, the thick fog disappeared as if washed away.
More precisely, only inside the barrier.
The abnormally high negative energy, inconsistent with natural principles, was removed, revealing the surroundings.
It was the fourth day since the monster hunting party arrived.
We hadn’t yet encountered a single demon or monster.
We had passed through two villages, reinforcing protective barriers around their outskirts, and were now heading toward the third village.
“We’ll depart again after a short rest.”
When the order came down, everyone drank water from their gourds and chewed on jerky.
The senior students of the Shaman-Warrior lineage standing at the front and rear of the group wore armor in addition to weapons like swords and spears.
Everyone else, including newcomers, wore blue uniforms with red hats. This was Thousand-Year School’s official outdoor attire.
The monster hunting party was an autonomous group within Thousand-Year School. During hunts, the most experienced top-tier seniors led us as both supervisors and professors.
“Are we going back without seeing any demon?”
Gurumi muttered in a disappointed voice while tearing at his jerky. I pulled up one corner of my lips into a smirk while eating my jerky.
“Your wish is about to come true, Gurumi.”
“Huh? What wish?”
Gurumi looked at me with blank eyes. How carefree, not even realizing the danger approaching.
That’s when the Shaman-Warrior seniors abruptly stood up.
RUSTLE! RUSTLE! RUSTLE!…
Several students sensitive to the sound of rustling leaves also rose.
“By the power of the earth god, I protect the barrier!”
“By the power of the wood god, I strengthen the barrier!”
The seniors responsible for the barrier chanted spells, while the rest glared at the fog where nothing could be seen.
The auxiliary personnel carrying luggage gathered in the center, anxiously staring at the backs of the seniors.
A moment of tense silence where even the sound of swallowing couldn’t be heard.
SWOOSH!
The sound of wind being cut.
CLANG!
Something sharp tore at the barrier. Beyond the grayish-white fog, a huge silver wolf bared its teeth!
The novices froze instinctively at the predatory gaze with blue light. Just making eye contact was enough to make your entire body shiver.
These weren’t ordinary wolves.
With bodies larger than bulls and fangs as thick as forearms, these monsters could swallow humans whole and still have room for more!
CLANG!
The protective screen shook as sharp claws tore at the barrier.
“Don’t move rashly!”
The top-tier spiritual practitioner shouted.
The opponent was a wolf demon!
Just like wolves on earth, wolf tribes from the underworld never travel alone. Only one silver wolf appeared before us, but we couldn’t know how many were beyond the fog.
SWOOSH!
The wind whirled again.
CLANG! CLANG!
There were over a dozen wolves raising their claws to tear at the barrier from all directions!
“HUHK!”
The first-year students who had joined the monster hunting party for the first time held their breath.
They had carried heavy loads deep into the mountains only to observe the seniors’ activities from afar; they never imagined being placed in the middle of such a dangerous area.
Actually, they had been dying to see demon. After all, as future spiritual practitioners, who wouldn’t want to see the demon they would face?
But they never thought it would be such terrifying silver-white wolf demon.
“Damn it!”
Gurumi gritted his teeth and drew his rotating blade. The divine object had become his constant companion.
I prepared for any possibility as well.
“It’s broken through!”
One side of the barrier was breached.
“GROWL!”
Three wolves rushed to the same spot at once, sensing the broken barrier.
CLANG! CLANG!
Two long swords imbued with spiritual power attacked the wolves.
“YELP, YELP YELP…!”
These weren’t ordinary swords.
Weapons infused with top-tier spiritual practitioners’ power could inflict fatal wounds on demon with just a graze.
The wolf demon were startled by the impact, incomparable to that of ordinary hunters.
Still, the wolves didn’t stop their attack.
Two more wolves leaped over the weakened barrier.
WHOOSH!
Behind the Shaman-Warrior seniors stood the Earth God lineage seniors.
Fireballs shot from their hands hit the silver wolves.
“YELP, YELP YELP YELP!”
A wolf demon with its entire body aflame fell to the ground.
SLASH!
Someone cleanly beheaded the wolf that had fallen inside the barrier.
“HOWL…”
The wolves outside the barrier howled mournfully seeing this.
Meanwhile, the barrier practitioners reinforced the collapsed barrier, and the rest adjusted their attack formation.
Thousand-Year School’s monster hunting party showed no more openings.
The wolves, accustomed to slaughter, must have seen it too.
RUSTLE! RUSTLE!…
The sound of wolf footsteps faded and soon disappeared completely.
That brief moment felt like quite a long time.
After the silver wolves completely disappeared, the leader’s voice was heard.
“We depart again!”
Conversation ceased among everyone. The fear of wolves attacking again weighed on our shoulders.
Only the desperate wish to arrive at the next village remained, despite the hardship and pain.
“Maru, are you tired? You’re sweating…”
“No, I’m just a bit nervous.”
As Gurumi said, my body was drenched in sweat.
It wasn’t from fear. It was because of the food spirit demon.
“I want to eat! I want to eat! It looks delicious! I want to eat it soon!”
It was because of this crazy guy throwing a tantrum in front of all the seniors.
Damn it!
I pinched my stomach hard without Gurumi noticing.
***
We finally arrived at our destination village after half a day more.
While the senior guides talked with the village chief, we unpacked and set up temporary tents.
Each tent housed four to seven people.
The seven support staff had to share a tent together.
“Whew, I really thought we were going to die earlier.”
“I heard the seniors say that tomorrow morning we’ll fix the village barrier and then go on a full-scale demon beast hunt.”
“Are we hunting wolf demons?”
“Those terrifying creatures? Surely we don’t have to go too?”
“Of course not us! What good would support staff be except getting in the way? We wait here while only the seniors go.”
“Oh thank goodness.”
The rookies who volunteered for the demon beast hunting team were brave in their own way, but their enthusiasm had been dampened after encountering wolf demons larger than bulls.
“Gurumi, how was it for you?”
“Honestly… it was pretty bad.”
Gurumi frowned.
“I could handle one, but seeing them in packs. Sheesh…”
“Right?”
“One thing became clear though.”
“What’s that?”
“That we need to train hard! Maru, when we get back, let’s practice until we drop!”
“Yeah, I agree.”
I deliberately made my shoulders tremble.
If it weren’t for that crazy demon guy salivating with excitement, I’m sure I too would have trembled with fear.
Night fell instantly in the deep mountain valley.
Inside the tent, various snoring sounds were loud. After confirming everyone was asleep, I crawled out of the tent quietly.
Two people were guarding the bonfire and keeping watch.
Getting past just two people was as easy as eating cold porridge.
SWOOSH!
Crossing the village barrier and escaping into the forest happened in an instant. Nobody noticed.
The mountain at night was filled with gray fog.
The smell of beast fur gradually filled my nostrils. It was the scent of the silver wolves we met earlier!
RUMBLE.
My stomach skin rippled and the food spirit demon appeared.
Tearing through the fur, it laughed excitedly. It looked forward to the upcoming feast.
I couldn’t see anything because of the fog anyway.
I concentrated on my sense of smell, touch, and the other sense that detects demons.
Compared to before enrollment, my five senses had opened up remarkably, and my transcendental sense was also fully awakening.
RUSTLE! RUSTLE!…
My eyes snapped open at the faint footsteps.
The silver-white wolf demon approached closely after smelling human scent!
Despite being as big as a bull, its footsteps were as quiet as an ant’s.
RUMBLE!
Almost simultaneously, the food spirit demon sprang up.
“GRAAAH! KYAAAANG!”
The misty forest shook violently for a moment.