Became a Failed Experimental Subject Novel - Chapter 12

Yoo Anna flew towards the monster, attacking with both feet.

An ultra-accelerated dropkick, the monster’s body was torn apart by the powerful physical force and shockwave.

Seizing a tiny opening, Yoo Anna immediately grabbed the corpse the monster was biting and escaped.

Esperes who are defeated by monsters can’t even leave behind a corpse, so they try their best to retrieve each other’s bodies.

It was a sign of mutual respect, even if only the chest and right arm remained…

Just then, Lee Han-yeong’s right hand opened, and something fell from within.

Yoo Anna instinctively caught what she had held tightly even after death. She confirmed it was a button-shaped miniature camera, which Esperes were obligated to wear, and put it in her pocket.

At that moment, a Despair-Class monster zipped past her with terrifying speed.

Yoo Anna was startled by the imperceptible speed and raised both hands to block the attack.

Because of that, she dropped the corpse, and the monster snatched Lee Han-yeong’s body.

“Ah…!”

As if mocking Yoo Anna, the monster bit Lee Han-yeong’s arm in mid-air and shook its head.

The remaining upper body was torn off and fell, and Yoo Anna caught it, carefully placing the corpse on a nearby building.

Rage boiled within her.

Indeed, this is a monster, an enemy of humanity.

To say such a thing protects humans, what a foolish notion.

“Grind… grind…”

The sound of bones crushing between teeth. Yoo Anna stopped on the rooftop of the opposite building and took a stance towards the monster glaring at her.

“Hooowww…”

It was the stance from which she could launch herself fastest, the infinite solar reactor energy endlessly burning in her heart, a technique that involved directly firing that energy as she charged.

The most powerful technique Yoo Anna could unleash on the monster, a finishing move she named Flare Drive.

“D-dieeeeeeeeeee!”

A human bullet, shooting out at light speed and creating a sonic boom, struck the monster.

And the monster, ignoring Yoo Anna, plummeted to the ground.

Literally into the ground, as if sinking.

That was a power Yoo Anna remembered.

Lee Han-yeong’s special ability, Submerge. (Fruit Swimming)

One of the most highly-rated psychic abilities among the rescue Esperes, allowing one to sink below the ground to escape.

It had been stolen from Lee Han-yeong.

“That’s not a power you’re allowed to have…”

Her rage, pushed to its limits, burst forth, igniting her psychic ability.

The Human Sun, Yoo Anna, began to rotate the powerful thermal currents swirling around her body like a drill, burrowing into the ground.

“The power meant to save humans! Don’t you dare use it to run away!”

This monster, she would definitely kill it this time.

Yoo Anna, who had already won one surface pursuit, began a desperate underground chase.

A Despair-Class monster and an S-class Esper.

The human powerhouse capable of facing a Despair-Class alone, and the monster said to be capable of destroying an entire city by itself.

They tore through the underground of W City.
***

A Press Conference
In a chaotic downtown area, within a miraculously intact ramen shop.

I was eating ramen, listening to the TV.

According to the news, the battle scars left by the recent fight between a Despair-Class monster and an S-class Esper were immense.

They said an entire district was devastated, but thankfully, the shelters where citizens had evacuated were unharmed.

Surviving citizens emerged from the shelters to face their ruined city, and now they had Esperes standing before cameras, apologizing.

The destroyed area, especially underground, had completely melted, necessitating prolonged groundwork.

Well, these days, people are accustomed to quickly relocating and settling down.

Even with property damage, if there’s no loss of life, they can somehow recover.

[Was it really a Despair-Class monster? According to the Esperes’ communication logs, two Despair-Classs clashed! Is this even plausible? Only one district was wiped out!]

Indeed, in other cities, conspiracy theories were emerging, questioning how only one district was damaged after fighting a Despair-Class, or if only Disaster-Class monsters were involved.

If four Disaster-Class monsters had rampaged, the explanation that Esperes struggled to contain them to one area to minimize damage would be plausible. But two Despair-Classs and two Disaster-Classs, and only one district was destroyed?

This defied common sense.

[I understand Ms. Yoo Anna is S-class; wasn’t she just venting her frustration in that area?]

[Most of the destruction was caused by heat-related psychic abilities! According to previous announcements, Despair-Class designated Code Zero and Code Alpha had lightning and wind abilities, respectively!]

[Please explain, Ms. Yoo Anna!]

[The monster you’re referring to, the black cat, is currently protecting humans! Didn’t Ms. Yoo Anna needlessly provoke the monster and escalate the damage?]

“Slurrrrp!”

I slurped the ramen noodles into my mouth, watching the news with interest.

The other patrons in the shop were also eating ramen and whispering about Yoo Anna.

Just then, Yoo Anna struck the table, drawing everyone’s attention, and then turned on a large TV prepared beside her.

[Let me reiterate, what was there was indeed a Despair-Class. However, it was a unique individual.]

Yoo Anna displayed a graph comparing the wave patterns of past Despair-Class appearances with the wave patterns recorded by the alert system.

Following that, several videos, including footage of me and posts from social media, appeared here and there.

The image of a giant black panther near people, being filmed but doing nothing. Then, footage of another monster that had existed previously, appearing similarly docile, was played.

[Citizens tend to forget the monster’s true purpose after a little time, but some monsters possess high intelligence and try to lure humans to hunt even more prey.]

“Ugh, damn it…”

“Ugh…”

“Slurrrrp!”

Next came shocking scenes that utterly ruined people’s appetites… A festival of guts and blood splattering everywhere as the monster rampaged.

For me, it felt no different from watching a cooking show while eating, so I continued slurping my noodles undisturbed, but those around me turned their eyes away from the TV.

[The currently observed Despair-Class also appears to hunt in the same manner, and it’s exhibiting abnormal behavior, so I believed it needed to be dealt with quickly to prevent a greater danger later. Therefore, I apologize for not giving up the pursuit and causing the damage to spread. But! If things continue as they are, W City could truly be wiped out by a single monster!]

Yoo Anna then showed everyone a video of me transforming from a phoenix into a tiger, and the sight of me devouring Lee Han-yeong’s corpse.

[This monster is a shapeless monster that can transform into forms humans find likable. Esper Lee Han-yeong has already been hunted! How much longer must we endure this? For humans to be hunted by monsters because of such simple tricks!]

A cry filled with indignant emotion, Yoo Anna’s persuasive power silenced the noisy reporters’ clamor.

[I once again apologize for the prolonged pursuit out of sheer frustration in trying to deal with it. However, I urge citizens to abandon the mistaken belief that monsters are harmless as soon as possible. Suppressing a monster’s instincts for a greater harvest must be reaching its limit. The Black Cat will soon attack humans.]

Finally, Yoo Anna said that the Esperes would also contribute to the city’s restoration, then bowed and left.

Esperes have it tough, her face looks very tired.

But… why “Black Cat,” anyway?

I’m not a cat.

“Ugh… this is serious… it means it’s confirmed there’s a Despair-Class in W City…”

“Since it’s exhibiting abnormal behavior, it might be quiet for a while… but shouldn’t we move to another city?”

Everyone in the ramen shop murmured.

I, the only one still focused on my meal, picked up a dumpling and thought.

Hmm, this really is a good dumpling place… this crispiness, this juiciness… truly delicious.

…And the beer was good too, they said.

“Two beers, please.”

“Two beers, sir?”

“One more dumpling too.”

“Um… are you sure you have money, sir?”

I nodded, tapping my pant pocket for the blinking clerk, who seemed to find it strange that I was still sitting in one spot and continuously eating.

She seemed concerned that I had ordered too much food and might try to eat and run.

And rightly so, as I had eaten 10 bowls of ramen and 22 dumplings so far.

I’m sorry, but I have a free dumpling coupon and money.

Even if I were broke, I could easily pay for 10 bowls of ramen.

“Yes, here’s your beer!”

“Hmm.”

As soon as the beer arrived, I drank one and left the other untouched beside me.

But only for a moment. Suddenly, I wondered if I should drink this one too, so I just drank both.

The beer that they said was so delicious… it wasn’t.

What exactly is the point of drinking alcohol?

Feeling full, I ordered one last plate of dumplings.

I had sustained many injuries from my confrontation with Yoo Anna, all to consume Lee Han-yeong’s hands, which had intensified my hunger.

Still, it was a promise made to a dying human, and I had to keep it.

After finally filling my stomach, I pulled all the banknotes and coupons from my pocket, handed them to the clerk, and stood up.

“Check, please.”

“Wait, customer?! Just, just a moment!”

Then, the clerk, who had been unfolding the money I gave her, urgently called out to me.

I turned around to see what was wrong, and the clerk held up a free dumpling coupon, pointing to the tiny writing on the back.

“The coupon is for one dumpling per coupon, sir…?”

“Hmm…?”

That means… since I ate 23 dumplings, deducting two coupons leaves 21 dumplings…

I’m short on cash.

“…Is there any dishwashing to be done, excluding the paid dishes?”

“No, sir?”

“Any heavy lifting?”

“Customer…?”

Oh, dear, I scratched my face, embarrassed.

No choice, I very carefully pushed past people and escaped towards the exit.

“Cus-customer?! Customer!”

“I’ll put it on tab.”

“Hey! You! Thi-thief! Catch the dine-and-dasher!”

“I’ll definitely pay you back!”

I now had more places to pay money to, besides the ramen shop.

Someday, when I earn money, I’ll definitely come back and pay them back.

I carefully pushed my way through the crowd and disappeared.