Its tongue wrapped around my ankle.
Its teeth tore at my shoe, slowly attempting to swallow my entire foot.
The saliva was damp and cold, creating a horrifying sensation.
“Let go, you crazy monstrous bastard!”
I immediately collapsed, swinging my fist at its gruesome eye.
I repeatedly struck its bulging eyeball.
Despite the blows, it didn’t budge, and its scattered hair felt as though it was coiling around my fist with each impact.
Fortunately, though its hair was long, it didn’t move on its own.
Seizing this advantage, I yanked its hair and relentlessly pounded its eye.
Only when I pulled did it finally seem to feel some pain, letting out a sound.
“Geuk, Kehe… Kkeu-eugup.”
The biting force, proportional to its head, grew heavy, almost tearing my shoe apart.
I now began striking its eyes with both hands.
The creature, which had kept its eyes tightly shut, was finally succumbing to the pain.
“Keheheek! Kyaaaaaak!!”
It shrieked a horrific scream, unlike any I had ever heard, and released its bite.
Its tongue, which had coiled around my calf like a snake, unwound.
A small distance now separated me from the flailing creature.
Then, two options materialized in my mind.
Again, there were two.
1. Flee.
2. Finish it here.
I pondered the risks and rewards of fleeing.
Given that the insane head seemed to recover disturbingly fast,
I had to make a decision instantly.
My attacks had landed, and I knew that these ‘anomalies’ (TL Note: A common term in Korean web novels for supernatural creatures or phenomena, often translated as ‘괴이’ or ‘괴담’) could be killed.
Since this was undoubtedly one of them, I considered the reward.
Absolute safety.
Was it not a worthwhile endeavor, even at the risk of having to kill it?
“Damn it, I have no choice then.”
A human head possesses countless vital points.
While my only weapon at the moment was my fist, humans are creatures capable of using tools.
“I’m ending this. You crazy bastard.”
Its eyes, now riddled with burst capillaries, glared at me.
Simultaneously, it let out a roaring scream and began rolling toward me once more.
Its speed had noticeably decreased.
However, my injured foot meant my own speed was also diminished.
Yet, my ability to change direction was at least three times superior to its.
The creature, rolling toward me as if propelled by its own mass like a bowling ball,
I swiftly, deftly, dodged.
As I evaded, I maximized the brightness of the gallery.
Even a single stone nearby would completely alter the course of battle…
…and there was one!
“Come here.”
It foamed at the mouth, drumming its long tongue against the ground.
It seemed to be testing the waters.
Its recently struck eye appeared to be in pain, as it struggled to open one side.
‘Approaching first would be a bit risky.’
‘If I get injured, and there’s no place to treat it, that would be a problem.’
Thus, I opted for provocation.
“You don’t have this, do you? You can’t pick your nose or ears, can you, you big-headed bastard?”
I made a middle finger gesture, wiggling it provocatively.
The effect was highly satisfying.
“Kihuhuhuk!!”
It rushed toward me with the same speed as our first encounter, perhaps even faster.
Whoosh!!
My fist-sized stone, which I had hidden behind my back while provoking it, seemed to have gone unnoticed.
It was debatable whether it even possessed that level of intelligence to begin with.
I lowered my stance.
I focused on accuracy.
Fwoooosh!!
I plunged the stone, many times harder than my fist,
precisely into the philtrum of the rapidly approaching creature.
Then,
its eyeballs instantly rolled back.
Its movement ceased completely.
Of course, I had no intention of letting my guard down here.
I kept my gaze fixed on it.
I picked up a rather heavy stone from the side of the irrigation ditch path.
Crack! Crunch! Thwack!
I delivered the best possible finishing blows.
As I struck it down, my mind was devoid of guilt, disgust, or anything else.
Instead, I was already envisioning how I would react and how I would catch it the next time I encountered such a creature.
Its head possessed an unimaginable toughness, a tenacious hide.
But it *could* be broken.
As rationality returned, my trembling ceased.
Despite being thrust into this abnormal world,
I was slowly adapting.
It was all something I had learned during my time in the military.
****
[Newbie, take this.]
[Author: Anonymous (C-114)]
[(Photo of a recently crushed head monster)]
[Not sure if this is a disturbing image.]
[Just got here, have a ton of questions.]
[Comment, please.]
– Elevator Ghost) That’s a disturbing image, you bastard.
– Admin) Since you’re a newbie, I’ll let it slide this once… There won’t be a next time.
– Gourmand) What next time? Just ban them now. My appetite is completely gone.
The forum seemed to have a decent number of active users.
Seeing comments appear instantly after the post.
“Hmm?”
– Elevator Ghost) Wait, are you really a newbie? Why are you starting with a C-grade anomaly (TL Note: ‘괴담’ or ‘ghost story’ is often used in Korean web novels to refer to supernatural events, entities, or phenomena with a specific ranking system, C-grade indicating a certain level of danger or power)?
I quickly replied.
– Anonymous (C-114)) I didn’t get any manual or whatever, so I don’t know what you’re talking about. Explain in detail.
Everyone’s reactions were anything but ordinary.
– Admin) Wow, it’s been almost a year since I’ve seen an Awakened (TL Note: ‘각성자’ refers to an individual who has awakened special abilities or powers, often after a significant event or encounter with the supernatural.) one…
– Digging a Tunnel) I’m too lazy for a simple explanation. It’s faster to check the announcement post by @Kozmo.
– Admin) They died, but still the GOAT… The great gallery master… I’m sorry for being incompetent…
– Digging a Tunnel) You’re good at being an eraser (TL Note: ‘지우개’ or ‘eraser’ here likely refers to the Admin’s role in deleting posts or comments), so you’re not incompetent.
– Admin) Eh?
‘Died?’
I found Kozmo, that user with a fixed ID, quite intriguing.
Their comments clearly indicated they were an old-timer, and their posts were genuinely well-written and motivating.
Following Admin’s mention,
a few memorial comments and numerous questions began to flood in.
Most of the questions were about awakening.
‘I’ll ask about C-grade anomalies a little later.’
After all, I had already killed an anomaly.
Wouldn’t that mean no more would appear?
‘It’s a bit sad that a fixed ID user died. This place is definitely dangerous.’
Even someone so intelligent could die in an instant.
Setting aside my regret,
I began to thoroughly read the announcement post they had left.
The surroundings were still profoundly dark.
I was still relying solely on the gallery’s light.
[Explaining what an Awakened is.]
[Author: Kozmo – Date: 11 years ago.]
[First off, being Awakened is a mixed bag of pros and cons.]
[That’s my opinion, anyway.]
[Firstly, you don’t receive the manual.]
[I’m not sure if you can’t use the gallery, but you definitely don’t get the manual.]
[Instead, you awaken an ability.]
[No one knows what kind of ability it will be, or what category it falls into.]
[When you awaken is certain.]
[Once you kill your first anomaly, the awakening happens automatically.]
[Their numbers are so few,]
[and many die due to not receiving the manual in their first encounter with an anomaly, so there’s no further information than this.]
[Still, if you successfully pass your first anomaly encounter, the advantages definitely outweigh the disadvantages a bit.]
[There’s also talk of a ‘system’ (TL Note: A common game-like interface or power system in web novels) being used.]
[However, the biggest drawback is that anomalies often approach Awakened individuals first.]
[Even those that usually don’t initiate contact will attack them first.]
[I’ve also noted down unique characteristics of the Awakened.]
[]
– Soy Meat Soy Dish) I’ve barely seen ten Awakened people while browsing this gallery lol..
– Elevator Ghost) I’ve seen about twenty. But they all got overconfident and died.
As I read,
I sensed something strange.
I definitely hadn’t received the manual.
And every characteristic attributed to an Awakened person applied to me.
But why hadn’t I awakened…?
“Oh my god, this is insane.”
Just in case, I looked toward the head I thought I had killed.
The head, which I had crushed with a stone,
was twitching, attempting to escape somewhere.
‘Insane vitality, isn’t it? Its skull should have been almost completely shattered.’
If it was alive, if it was a head with a skull, I had battered it enough to break it.
It still wasn’t dead?
“Geheuhk… Kkeureureuk.”
“Damn it.”
Thud, thud.
I approached to finish it off.
Crunch-!!
I struck it one last time with the stone.
“Kyaaaaaaaaaak!!!”
The creature let out a final, tremendous scream,
and then it died.
This time, it was certain.
Because if it wasn’t dead,
something like this wouldn’t appear as a reward.
{A special being gazes upon you}
{Name: Han Siyoung}
{Awakening: Martial God (TL Note: ‘무신’ or ‘Musin’ literally means ‘Martial God’ or ‘God of War’, often referring to a supreme master of martial arts.)}
[Catalog: Stat Window unlocked, gain experience points by killing anomalies. Shop unlocked.]
[Currently held skills: Elemental Enhancement (B+), God of Weapons (R)]
{+1 is granted to basic stats}
{Bonus experience points are granted based on weapon proficiency}
{Level Up}
.
.
.
{A penalty is imposed due to having a higher level than required}
“I… awakened? Martial God? The Martial God I know?”
It felt real.
My ankle, bitten moments ago, hurt less.
My body felt a little more energetic.
And I could see a bit more clearly ahead.
Just that alone made the psychological burden instantly lift.
Without ceasing my vigilant perimeter check, I briefly surveyed the stat window and the shop.
{Stats}
Lv. 3
Strength: 5 (+1)
Agility: 7 (+1)
Stamina: 9 (+1)
Mentality: 17 (+1)
[]
“Whoa… there’s a lot. It would be easier to think of it as a game.”
There were an enormous number of detailed stats.
Perhaps it was a system where Strength, Agility, Stamina, and Mentality were basic, with detailed stats built upon them.
‘Why is my Mentality so high?’
The shop was just a shop.
I merely confirmed there was a food section and then closed it.
It would be great to have a weapon, but since I didn’t even have any ‘mileage’ (TL Note: A common term in Korean game-like systems referring to a points-based currency or reward system), all the items were locked.
And there was something more important than that.
Because my gallery was vibrating frantically.
The endless stream of notifications felt like a constant tremor.
’80 new comments?’
Turning off the vibration, I opened my post.
There was only one reason for such a flood of comments in such a short time.
– Kozmo) Get to high ground immediately. Or find fire.
It was because that fixed ID user, who had been mentioned as dead, had commented.
Numerous fixed ID users and Admin were replying in a panic.
‘Find fire? Where would I find fire in this pitch-black place?’
I hadn’t yet decided if they were trustworthy.
Nevertheless, since they seemed to possess the most information, I carefully scrutinized their comment.
Feeling a sudden urgency myself, I quickly scrolled.
Swish, swish.
I was certain they must have said something else.
Someone who explained things so thoroughly in “See More” couldn’t possibly just say something so brief and be done with it.
And among the countless comments,
I found another comment from Kozmo.
– Kozmo) They are not alone.
“Not alone… Hup!”
A chill.
Goosebumps erupted.
No way.
…This is insane.
I quietly loosened my body. Quickly, efficiently.
Then, I tried to calm my racing heart by breathing as slowly as possible.
“Geheuhk… Kkiheuaak…”
“Bue… Kehet, Kihihhi..”
Roll, roll.
Roll, roll, roll… Thud, clatter.
Rumble… Thump, roll…
The vibrations echoing in my ears.
I understood what it was with horrifying ease.
I took a deep breath.
And began to run at full speed.
My ankle hurt, but there was no time to care.
Because,
from the darkness beyond,
heads.
No, *multiple* heads were rolling toward me at an incredible speed.
