Under Creature Chapter 11.3

“What?”

“If you go straight and then turn left, you’ll find the vigilantes.”

“Aren’t you coming, hyung?”

At Jewoo’s question, Yigeom hesitated.

‘There’s something beyond this.’

Something he couldn’t see but could feel when he touched it, a strange texture. Something was definitely there.

“There’s something I need to check out. Sanha, please look after the kids.”

“Okay! But you have to come back quickly, okay?”

“I will.”

Namgoong Sanha, entrusted with Yigeom’s request, disappeared with the kids and Geonwoo. In the meantime, Yigeom felt along the wall that gave him the strange feeling.

‘I can’t trust my eyes.’

Believing that only the vision seen through water was the truth, he grabbed the part where a handle should be.

Is this an illusion?

He turned the handle and opened the door. Then, as if a fog were slowly lifting, he felt his vision clear.

‘This place is….’

It was the prison guards’ breakroom. Yigeom walked cautiously, surveying his surroundings. A puddle of water splashed under his feet.

Splash, splash.

A chill ran down Yigeom’s spine. It wasn’t him; a puddle somewhere else was splashing. There was nothing there, but the falling raindrops told him someone was approaching.

Just as he swiftly turned to dodge, a knife slash appeared where he had just been standing.

“How did you know?”

“……!”

“Since long ago, Yigeom.”

It was a voice that wasn’t unfamiliar. Though he couldn’t see them, someone was there, speaking. And this situation felt all too familiar to Yigeom. A situation he had experienced, a voice he had heard before. And the owner of this voice was.

“You’ve always known exactly where I am.”

It slowly revealed its form.

“Very well.”

It was Kwon Sanghyuk.

Yigeom was momentarily bewildered.

Why is Kwon Sanghyuk here? He was a member of Orca, and wasn’t this attack happening to break Adam’s Choi Baekgil out?

If so, it should be a member of Adam here, so why Kwon Sanghyuk? Does he have some sort of connection with Adam?

Yigeom quickly gathered his thoughts and quietly drew his dagger.

“It’s nice to meet you like this.”

“……”

“But Yigeom. What really is your ability? You see through my illusions, and my invisibility doesn’t work on you. This is a first for me, so it’s fascinating.”

Kwon Sanghyuk was too busy grinning, simply enjoying the situation. Yigeom, on the other hand, grew even more composed.

How could he forget? The atmosphere of that day. The incident of that day. The times he had struggled.

“Kwon Sanghyuk.”

The one who killed Bae Sangwoo was right in front of him.

Ah. Kwon Sanghyuk.

I don’t know how you’re here, but.

It just so happens to be raining from the sky. Yigeom let the flowing rainwater hit him coolly. He felt somewhat unburdened.

I think, perhaps.

I’ve run all this way for this very day.

🦅࿐

Choi Baekgil, a user of the fire ability, had a personality that was, literally, like fire.

At times, he couldn’t control his surging anger, and he only felt satisfied after paying back those who had insulted him.

As one of Adam’s leaders, Choi Inha’s younger brother and closest confidant, no one dared to look down on Choi Baekgil. And it was even more so because even if people viewed him with prejudice as a nepotism hire, Choi Baekgil himself had the skills to seize that position.

But just once, there had been a man Choi Baekgil could do nothing about.

He had grated on his nerves as much as possible, then subdued him in a single breath. What’s more, that man hadn’t even used his ability, so to this day, he still didn’t know what his power was.

Now that he thought about it, a new idea came to mind. Could it be that he had used his ability without him realizing it? If so, what could that ability have been?

He had pondered it countless times while locked up in the detention center, but he still couldn’t find the answer.

Seo Dohyun.

He had known he was a somewhat famous guy among the Blood Hunters, but to think that guy would be the one to choke him. Without him even finding out a single ability.

That day was the worst humiliation of his entire life.

And now, Choi Baekgil was facing another humiliation.

The man wore a mask, but he seemed young. For a young brat, his insight was so deep that he saw through everything Choi Baekgil tried to do. Furthermore, every single one of his attacks aimed only for vital points, making it a struggle just to dodge.

Even so, it didn’t matter. No matter how well A understood the battlefield, he couldn’t see the future.

Adam’s leader, in other words, Choi Baekgil’s older brother Choi Inha, had a few subordinates he cherished. Choi Baekgil, the user of the fire ability, went without saying, and then there was Oh Hyunsoo, known to see the future, among others.

Right now, Oh Hyunsoo was here. He was known to be able to see even a few days into the future. It was likely his contribution that was greatest in figuring out the news of the transfer, which even Choi Baekgil hadn’t known, and preparing the surprise attack.

“We will be the ones to win anyway.”

And the one who saw the future was confident in their victory.

“Then what are those guys?”

Choi Baekgil gestured with his eyes toward the two who had been captured by the vigilantes and asked. Are they new recruits who joined Adam while I was locked up?

Oh Hyunsoo declared rather plainly.

“They are meat shields.”

“They’re not hyung’s subordinates?”

If they were subordinates of other leaders, he could understand such treatment. But the answer that came back was unexpected.

“They are not members of Adam.”

“What?”

If they’re not from Adam, why are they helping me escape? Choi Baekgil, wanting to get out of the battle first, attacked with a blast full of flames. Unfortunately, the rain halved his ability’s power.

“We simply took in those who had nowhere else to go.”

Choi Baekgil snorted.

“Why do they have nowhere to go? Are they beggars?”

Oh Hyunsoo dodged an incoming attack by ducking his body and replied nonchalantly.

“Orca. The organization was scattered by the vigilantes a few months ago. A few of them attached themselves to us. We took them in because they were pure-bloods and had useful abilities.”

Among Blood Hunters, pure-bloods referred to those who served only one type of creature.

Choi Baekgil roughly grabbed one of the guys fighting on his side by the scruff of his neck and dragged him over.

“Is he also from that organization, Orca?”

“That is correct.”

“H-huaaack!”

Unable to even dodge the vigilante’s blade stabbing at him due to the hot pressure on the back of his neck, he became Choi Baekgil’s meat shield and died in vain.

“Hmm, weak.”

Choi Baekgil tossed his corpse aside and muttered. Did Adam’s standards drop while I was away?

Oh Hyunsoo, as if he had seen in the future that Choi Baekgil would kill him, answered without any sign of panic, even though his own ally had been used as a shield and killed.

“One of them is useful.”

“One? Is there anyone else here besides you and me now?”

“There is. The one who was of great help in your escape.”

Oh Hyunsoo thought of the last member of Orca.

Kwon Sanghyuk. There was the man who had infiltrated the detention center with invisibility and illusions and smoothly planted explosives here and there. Without him, it probably would have been difficult to get Choi Baekgil out.

He had even been cooperative enough with Adam to find the key to the restraints that controlled the use of abilities. It was obvious that Orca, having nowhere else to go, was scheming to establish themselves in Adam, but they kept quiet because his abilities were useful.

Oh Hyunsoo reflexively looked beyond the collapsed detention center.

‘Though that valuable ability will also come to an end today.’

Then he quickly dismissed the thought, deciding to focus on his own situation.

Even for A, it was impossible to approach Choi Baekgil’s intense heat without any abilities. Water and ice ability users were constantly on standby next to A to block it, but even that wouldn’t be easy. After all, Choi Baekgil’s ability rank was ‘High’, in other words, A, while those guys were C or B at best.

The skill gap was huge. Of course, A was a handful, but victory would be theirs anyway. He had seen it in the future.

As his stamina began to run out, Choi Baekgil grumbled and asked.

“Hey. How long do we have to hold out?”

“Reinforcements will be here soon.”

“What’s taking the reinforcements so long?”

“……”

In truth, Choi Baekgil’s escape plan was Choi Inha’s personal opinion. As soon as Oh Hyunsoo happened to confirm the news of Choi Baekgil’s transfer in the future, they had started preparing in a hurry. Because of that, they hadn’t even gotten the consent of the other leaders.

In such a state, even if they were his subordinates, making a move rashly would obviously earn them the severe glares of the two leaders. The manpower Choi Inha could mobilize was, at best, Oh Hyunsoo and a few Orca members who had wanted to join Adam a few months ago.

Going in with a small force would have obviously led to annihilation by the vigilantes, which was why they prepared explosives. Only then was the balance of power achieved.

A little while ago, Oh Hyunsoo had contacted Adam to inform them that Choi Baekgil had removed his restraints and was just about to escape. Since Choi Baekgil was a great asset, the other leaders of Adam would be displeased when they heard the news, but now they would have no choice but to send reinforcements.

And then they would escape gracefully. That’s how it was in the future he had seen.

“…So when!”

Choi Baekgil flinched back from A’s swift movement aiming for his neck and shouted. If he had reacted a moment later, his artery would have been severed.

Oh Hyunsoo caught his breath without answering. If only Choi Baekgil hadn’t killed that guy from the Orca organization just now, they would have been able to handle the vigilantes with more余裕.

Even if he was the leader’s younger brother, Oh Hyunsoo didn’t like Choi Baekgil’s ignorance.

He was a simple-minded brute whose head didn’t have to work hard because his physical abilities were just that good.

But this too was part of the calculation, something that had happened in the future he had seen. If they held on a little longer, that person would appear, and after that, the reinforcements would….

“Hello.”

Oh Hyunsoo stabbed and killed a vigilante rushing at him and checked the direction the voice came from.

“…Seo Dohyun.”

Choi Baekgil muttered the name he had never forgotten, not for a single day or hour.

Oh Hyunsoo felt a sense of relief at his appearance. It’s done. After this, all they had to do was wait for the reinforcements that would soon arrive.

Seo Dohyun greeted him warmly as if seeing an old acquaintance.

“Have we met before?”

BOOM-!

Oh Hyunsoo discovered Choi Baekgil next to him, spewing flames with explosive force. The rainwater that touched Choi Baekgil instantly vaporized, spreading as hot steam and suffocating Oh Hyunsoo.

‘Where is this power coming from…!’

Oh Hyunsoo hastily tried to stop Choi Baekgil.

“Don’t get too excited. That man will die here anyway.”

“To whom?”

“To you. Soon.”

At that answer, Choi Baekgil muttered with satisfaction.

“If that’s the future you saw, then I guess I have to make it happen.”

Choi Baekgil then consistently ignored the enemies rushing at him and charged toward Seo Dohyun like a storm.

Oh Hyunsoo looked away from their fight, thinking there was nothing to see. It was because he had seen a future where Seo Dohyun, belying his high reputation among Blood Hunters, died at Choi Baekgil’s hands.

It was his first time meeting Seo Dohyun today, and he dismissed him, thinking that the rumors surrounding him were only partially true and the rest was exaggeration.

But in that moment.

“……!”

The future had changed. Why? In the future he saw, Seo Dohyun died from full-body burns caused by Choi Baekgil’s heat.

But he was still flying around freely, giving orders to the ice ability users.

‘What is this?’

Oh Hyunsoo tried to focus to check the changed future, but there were too many obstacles. When Choi Baekgil went to deal with Seo Dohyun, he and A were automatically pitted against each other.

‘I can’t hold on by myself!’

Originally, the scenario was that Choi Baekgil, after killing Seo Dohyun, would more gallantly defeat the enemies, and then they would leave after the reinforcements arrived.

But the time Choi Baekgil was spending against Seo Dohyun was dragging on.

Oh Hyunsoo hurriedly shouted at Choi Baekgil.

“Return to this position!!”

“What?”

Choi Baekgil, bewildered by the sudden instruction during the fight, asked back.

“The future has changed! Hurry!”

“……”

This guy is a lower rank than me.

In the end, Choi Baekgil’s expression hardened coolly, and he approached Oh Hyunsoo.

Then, A, Seo Dohyun, and the other vigilantes joined forces and attacked.

While Choi Baekgil struggled to face them alone, Oh Hyunsoo stood perfectly still without a single tremor.

“What are you doing!?”

“The future has changed. I need to check it now. Please hold on for a moment.”

“What… gasp!”

Choi Baekgil began to be pushed back. He had used more power than expected when he rushed out to face Seo Dohyun just now.

Oh Hyunsoo paid no mind and focused, clasping his hands as if in meditation. This was his weakness, always moving safely by knowing the future. An uncertain future was always filled with fear, and he had to check it compulsively.

“Oh Hyunsoo!!”

At Choi Baekgil’s roar, Oh Hyunsoo, having just seen the future, looked utterly lost, as if he had seen a ghost.

The future was changing in real time. With Seo Dohyun at its center.

This was a first. Something was wrong. They had to retreat, fast.

“The future is changing. At this rate…! We must retreat right now! Reinforcements should be coming from behind, so if we join them!”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“I don’t know for sure either. The future has split into several branches…!”

“A peculiar ability. Seeing the future.”

Suddenly, a chilly voice came from behind Oh Hyunsoo.

Seo Dohyun.

A chill ran through Oh Hyunsoo, and his body trembled faintly. He had instinctively recognized the one who would kill him.

“A split future, you say.”

Seo Dohyun muttered nonchalantly, striding forward like the Grim Reaper. The battlefield was like his own front yard, his steps as if he were out for a light stroll.

Like a phantom, the Grim Reaper drew its scythe.

“So, which one of them do you think is the right answer?”

Slice.

Finally, the Grim Reaper slit Oh Hyunsoo’s throat.