novelraw Chapter 91 : Chapter 91
Chapter 91 : Chapter 91
Chapter 91: Freak (1)
The face revealed as the white mask split.
The air cooled instantly.
It was certainly a human face.
Yet it could not possibly be called a human face.
Thickly swollen jaw, blood vessels about to burst, ears that seemed half-melted, and trembling pupils.
The pupils were tinged with a faint grey light, trembling as they lost focus uncontrollably.
Rough breaths leaked out.
Instead of saliva and mucus, pale green fluid flowed down from around Gonta's nose and mouth.
The skin wasn't a normal color.
A mixture of rust and ash, cracked more like stone fragments than skin.
Strange lumps teeming above it were visible.
They seemed to be maggots.
Gonta, having shown that ‘hideous’ appearance, quickly lay flat and buried his face in the ground.
“Aaaah!”
The guy's single scream rang out.
That face was somewhat familiar.
‘Troll.’
A shabby appearance mixing human and the monster Troll.
And this was the secret of the bizarre ‘regeneration ability’ Gonta had shown.
Freak, beings combined of monsters and humans at the DNA level due to some reason.
Result of Collapse, or experiments.
The paths are varied.
Beings called Freaks are granted different ‘traits’ each.
Form and ability are determined depending on which monster's power they receive.
Among them, Gonta was one with Troll traits.
Troll is originally a genius of regeneration.
A monster that recovers in an instant even if limbs are cut off.
Gonta's side, which was cut off just before, was fully restored before I knew it.
Even among Freaks, those with this level of regeneration ability are rare.
In other words, Gonta is in a way a blessed being.
However, that grotesque face he had to hide under the mask was the problem.
Actually, I also only knew Gonta's setting.
This is the first time I've seen his face.
Regarding Gonta's face, only descriptions remaining as text ‘a very ugly and disgusting face’ were left.
Actual illustrations or images did not exist.
Lee Junhyeok, who faced Gonta in the original work, also never saw Gonta's bare face, and just cut this guy's throat with added luck.
In other words, he died without his face appearing until the end.
Therefore, among ‘Heroes Zero’ users, there was even a ‘Gonta Face Drawing Contest’.
Usually, there were two patterns: drawing it really disgustingly or conversely drawing it as a pretty boy.
I also once drew one diligently with Paint and mouse and uploaded it.
However, Gonta's real face was a shock exceeding all those drawings of the disgusting version.
It could be called a criminally disgusting face, extralegally dirty face, religiously blasphemous face.
“Keuheueuk.”
A sorrowful weeping sound broke the silence.
It was the desperate cry of one whose secret he didn't want to show was discovered.
I quietly kept my place.
Soon the guy opened his mouth while curled up.
“My face, did you see it?”
“…….”
I didn't answer anything.
Because an unusual atmosphere was felt.
And above all, there was one thing bothering me.
Gonta's body began to change gradually.
Muscles on his pale forearm bulged, then soon even his chest and shoulders repeatedly swelled and deflated as if fluctuating.
The skin cracked like basalt, and minute holes began to be engraved.
Then maggots wriggled in every gap of the revealed holes.
Deeply rising veins began to spread like spiderwebs, shaping an even more bizarre appearance.
[Gonta]
[Despair, Contempt, Sadness, Anger]
[Status: Encroachment]
[Encroachment in progress - Control limit reached]
Along with that, a warning window popped up.
Suffocating pressure crushed the air.
For Freaks, a ‘Trigger’ exists.
If one's trigger is extremely stimulated and that state exceeds the limit, they go berserk.
The process leading to such a berserk state is called Encroachment.
The moment Encroachment ends, the Freak turns into a complete monster.
From then on, it perceives all living things as enemies without reason or purpose.
“Why are you quiet.”
Gonta growled and muttered lowly.
“Did you see my face……!”
The air shook heavily.
I quietly swallowed my breath.
What is in front of me right now is not human.
It is a bomb where emotion and violence touch with a paper-thin difference.
A subtle mistake could cause an explosion.
So slowly, carefully, I must reverse that crack.
‘I have to speak well here.’
It's not too late yet.
Because Encroachment hasn't completely finished.
For now, soothing this guy carefully was the way to prevent a bigger accident.
“I don't think I saw anything particular. I was just surprised because you suddenly lay flat.”
I spoke pretending to be calm, suppressing my emotions.
“Damn it, don't lie……!”
Then Gonta slammed the floor with his hand while keeping his face fully lowered.
“You saw it. You saw my face. Our eyes even met!”
“…….”
It was an accurate point.
I saw his face clearly.
To be honest, I almost vomited the moment I saw it.
Green fluid and flesh mixed with maggots.
It was closer to a rotting corpse than a living creature.
However, I couldn't admit that now.
Because the single word ‘saw’ would become the trigger.
“I don't know what you are talking about all of a sudden.”
I continued as calmly as possible.
“Why are you so obsessed with your face? Is there, like, a problem?”
Keep denying it.
I didn't see it.
At least I didn't see it clearly enough to notice what the problem was.
I set such a premise myself and engaged in the conversation.
Gonta breathed roughly for a while.
Then, only after my words ended did that sound begin to subside gradually.
Encroachment is still progressing, but the speed wasn't as fast as at first.
‘Doubt’ intervened in the guy's emotions as well.
The guy seemed to have started thinking that I really ‘didn't see properly’.
‘It works.’
At that moment, the airflow changed very minutely.
The pressure that was tightening hard loosened a little.
“…….”
Gonta's gaze, covering his face with both hands, shook.
In those eyes, fear was deeply imbued rather than anger.
“I, I’m going.”
He muttered lowly.
And turned his body just like that.
One step, two steps.
The guy began to move slowly showing his back to me.
“What, why are you running away suddenly? What are you plotting?”
I shouted as if I couldn't understand.
Of course, it's acting. I know well why that bastard is doing that.
It is clear that showing his face is his trigger.
At this rate, the guy goes berserk.
And that is a flow I also don't want.
Because a berserk Freak shows strength on a different level from before.
Gonta didn't answer.
He just moved his steps silently.
I didn't bother to stop him either.
The guy's back shook while clearly exposed.
If I put my mind to it, I can cut him anytime.
Then a faint groaning sound was heard from behind.
It was Spike Blue.
‘Let's think only of the best result.’
My head spun fast.
Attacking Gonta now would only increase the risk.
If Gonta disappears like this, it's rather good.
There is a variable that he might cover his face again and return, but by then we would have joined other Heroes anyway.
I quietly watched Gonta's retreating figure.
The guy's steps staggered and shook.
Soon he slowly disappeared into the dim alley between buildings.
Only then did I turn my body.
“Phew.”
Sore pain wrapped around my whole body.
Sore pain remaining after the battle ended.
‘Fortunately, I didn't faint this time.’
Since I always ended up losing consciousness whenever I fought a big battle, today was somewhat special.
I immediately ran to the spot where Spike Blue had collapsed.
He, who lay on the floor, slowly opened his eyes.
Pupils pressed by heavy fatigue turned to me.
“Junior, you were alive.”
It was a calm voice.
His breath was rough, but his gaze was clear.
“……The enemy?”
“Ran away.”
“Really? That guy?”
He paused for a moment, then laughed lowly.
“……That’s amazing. Making the guy flee.”
Spike Blue grinned.
That was also brief; the corners of his mouth distorted.
“Kkeuak……!”
Spike Blue curling his body while clutching his severed arm.
Blood-stained bandages were wrapped neatly.
It seemed first aid was done.
“You managed to wrap it skillfully.”
“Heroes learn self-treatment first, you know. It's a required refinement. You will learn it too.”
He laughed while gritting his teeth.
I supported him to stand up.
As I held his shoulder, his weight sank heavily.
“Aaack! Hold gently!”
“ strictly speaking, I am a patient too.”
As Spike Blue shouted argumentatively, I retorted without losing.
Anyway, we passed the crisis.
We moved our steps with lighter hearts than before.
But it was then.
Murmuring noise was heard from afar.
Clanking iron sounds, and urgently bursting shouts.
That direction was beyond the alley where Gonta disappeared.
A strange feeling flowed along my spine.
“……Please wait a moment.”
“Why? Is there a problem?”
“There is something I need to check briefly.”
I sat Spike Blue down for a moment and slowly approached the alley.
Dust rose every time I stepped through the gaps of ruins and debris.
My heart beat faster and faster.
The moment I crossed the alley, my vision opened wide.
And there, Gonta was.
Covering his face, surrounded by three Heroes.
Amidst that, one person's gun muzzle was aimed at Gonta.
At that moment, intuition told me.
That we are screwed.
***
‘It’s a mess.’
Before the corpse of the fallen monster, the man adjusted his gun.
They dealt with bizarre things.
Forms that looked like forced mixtures of humans and monsters.
They had no intelligence and just rushed unconditionally when they saw humans.
While wondering if they were demonic beasts, the ‘human-like appearances’ revealed here and there were nothing but disgusting.
“Isn't it that some experiment was done?”
“I know right. Must be some mad scientist. Makes me want to vomit.”
Those who formed a team urgently complained.
Heroes who visited Hero Land for the weekend.
It was somewhat fortunate to have colleagues amidst such an accident.
“Cleanup finished.”
“Good, let's check the next sector too.”
They moved immediately.
The sector they were in charge of was already suppressed.
Unusual reactions were detected in the immediately adjacent Parade Zone.
But it was quiet. Strangely so.
The smell of rotten flesh and blood tangled together pressed the air damply.
It was then.
A silhouette walking with head down in the middle of the empty road was seen.
“Over there, someone is there.”
The colleague walking ahead raised a hand.
The man nodded and stepped forward.
“Stop there!”
Despite the shout, he didn't stop walking.
He moved forward staggering with his waist bent.
The man took a wary stance.
“Identify yourself. Who are you?”
There was no answer.
Instead, he kept his head down covering his face with both hands.
The colleague behind muttered lowly.
“That, doesn't seem normal somehow.”
“Something is flowing from the face.”
“Blood? No, slime?”
The man narrowed his brow.
“There is a possibility it’s not human. Let's suppress first.”
Cheolkeok—
The man adjusted the gun's attribute.
[Freezing Bullet]
“Don't move!”
Pulled the trigger.
Taang—!
Freezing bullet hit, and ice crystals spread on the target's upper body.
Perhaps due to that impact, the figure staggered.
Eventually, the guy staggered and collapsed just like that.
Low moan leaked out.
“……Uugh. It hurts.”
The man wrinkled his nose.
‘It speaks. Human? Strange for that.’
The man approached it cautiously.
Even after collapsing with his back on the ground, the guy was still covering his face with both hands.
“Hey, you can speak, right? Move your hands. Don't try anything funny.”
“……No. No.”
Strange guy repeating only no.
“If you can speak, that’s enough. Let's finish suppressing.”
Behind the man, a colleague took out magic power restraints from inside his clothes.
Metal rings imbued with faint blue light sparkled at his fingertips.
“Now~ don't move.”
Approaching, he thrust the restraints.
The curled-up being continued covering his face without movement.
“Give me your hands. Let's talk slowly. Suspicious fellow.”
The man grabbed the arm and lifted it forcibly.
And at that moment, the hidden face was revealed.
“……!”
Skin was half-melted and stuck, and one eye was sunken.
Blood and fluid flowed down mixing in the air.
Those bizarre pupils trembled minutely.
“As expected…… you saw.”
The air cooled chillingly.
Simultaneously with those words, the being's body twisted.
Flesh burst and the form began to collapse.
“What, that bastard—!”
A shout burst from behind, but it was already too late.
Blood splattered as if bursting, and black steam spewed out explosively.
The road floor they stood on vibrated and cracks began to be engraved.
“Back! Fall back!”
The man shouted.
But the monster howled before that.
Ear-splitting roar.
The air twisted and shook.
‘……Not human. It’s a monster.’
The man's fingertips trembled.
The gun held in his hand shook.
Soon the monster's gaze turned to them.