STM 7

I ran toward the pond while still gasping for breath.

With this level of stamina, no matter how the terrain helped me, a monster would eat me in one gulp.

But I had to try.

I pushed my legs harder and tried to take in as much of the surroundings with my eyes as possible.

Humans can’t notice an entire field of view, but Mo captured every incoming data point and told me what I needed. For example:

[Danger, danger! Object presumed to be a monster detected at three o’clock.]

A siren-red flash entered my sight, like Mo wanted to warn me. I didn’t stop heading for the pond, but I looked toward the direction Mo reported.

The resort main building I’d left earlier stood there, and I saw a black thing clinging to the outer wall of the third floor. The shape was disgustingly familiar.

There it is again, monster bastard.

I swallowed my anger and scanned the area quickly.

Why only one?

Strangely, it stood alone. Those things traveled in swarms.

‘Mo, where are the others?’

[No other monster sounds detected.]

Mo optimized for monster detection, so it caught noises beyond my perception.

But only one? Why? I was confused, but I also felt grateful for the luck.

One alone meant I could try.

The creature used many long legs to tear a narrow window and wall and push its bulk through. Its head spines writhed repulsively.

‘Mo, never apply filters to monsters.’

I gritted my teeth and stopped with my feet touching the pond water. The thing probably sensed people hiding below ground. Without barriers, the shelter crowd would be the monster’s lunch.

Marvin had said someone would come when the bell rang. So contact would go out somewhere, and I needed to lure the monster until then. I knew exactly how to draw its attention. I had to give off a fresh human smell the monster could not resist.

Splash.

I plunged into the pond until the water reached my waist. I took the kitchen knife and cut the inside of my arm without hesitation. Red blood welled out like thread and then fell drop by drop onto the water. Before many drops could fall, the monster stopped.

Good. A monster should react like that.

The thing pulled its head out through the ripped window slowly, and it turned its head directly toward me.

Its sight barely existed, but the many spines pointed at me. That proved the creature lived for the scent and sound. It went crazy for blood scent, human blood scent.

Other animal blood failed to lure it. The monster chased only humans. Simple reason: human blood and flesh tasted best to it.

I stared at the monster and greeted it.

“Over here, you bastard.”

The creature jumped down from the third floor. I dove under the pond at the same instant.

‘Mo, give me direction!’

The pond water was thick and murky, but Mo showed arrows to guide my path and I swam fast under water. The goal was not close, and I almost had to lift my head mid-route. Lu’s lungs apparently hadn’t seen any exercise in ages.

Luckily, before I broke and rose, I hit a welcome obstacle: dense, long roots like whiskers blocking the way. I pushed through them and came up with my head above the surface.

Huff.

I breathed through my nose, and a muddy, fishy smell hit me. No scent could pull my attention now. I hid among the water plants and stared at one spot.

The monster already reached the pond edge. Its speed would shock a human, but not the monster.

Why did it move so slowly?

I watched its movement instead of fleeing. I noticed two legs fall off. Both left-side legs came away.

What? Was it attacked?

The attackers were nowhere in sight. No matter. I never expected help when facing a monster. I did need other support, though.

‘Mo, did you analyze that bastard’s action data completely?’

[Yes.]

The answer I wanted arrived. Physical impact worked on these creatures. Back where I’d lived, industrial robots that humans wore as armor beat monsters down.

Those robots existed in far too few numbers. People grabbed axes, swords, even clubs and charged.

Humans stood weak against monsters, so those primitive attacks had limits. Fortunately, we had advanced tech. We built a system to predict monster movement.

[Type confirmed. Variables applied. Movement prediction initiated.]

Mo projected a three-dimensional model of the monster before my eyes.

Because its legs had been cut, its movement slowed, and prediction became easier.

But with my lack of strength, killing the thing remained impossible.

I needed something else.

The weak point.

Yes, monsters had weak points too.

Inside their bodies existed a black stone the size of a child’s fist.

If that stone broke, the monsters froze like machines with their switches off.

The problem was that the stone’s position differed for each creature.

‘The switch?’

[Three probable points detected.]

Mo’s answer came, and red X marks appeared on the model floating in the air.

Under the belly.

On the left side where the legs were torn off.

On the right foreleg.

But the brightest mark lay on the left side, which meant the highest chance.

A perfect spot for a strike.

Splash.

The monster crashed into the pond with a loud sound.

I used the noise to crawl out.

I scooped a handful of mud from the ground and smeared it over the bleeding cut on my arm.

Monsters reacted to sound and smell, but one place dulled those senses, the water.

It would now dig around the pond bottom, chasing the scent.

Meanwhile, I ran toward the gap between the large tree and the rock I had noted before.

Mo, without request, displayed a numeric countdown.

8, 7, 6…

I pushed my legs to reach the spot in time.

Huff, huff…

When the number reached zero, I slowed down deliberately to show part of my body.

As expected,

‘Krrrrik!’

The monster’ screech sounded like claws scraping a board.

It found its prey.

Water splashed and the ground shook as it chased me.

I pretended to hide deeper in the brush and turned ninety degrees.

A slope covered with shrubs and grass opened there.

Perfect for cover, and perfect for a strike from below.

But to make it work, I needed a small trick.

In my hand lay a noose I had tied without thinking while I moved.

‘Mark where to place the noose.’

The command left my mouth, and a noose-shaped mark appeared beside my right foot.

Thump.

I threw the rope and pressed myself against the slope.

I didn’t need to check if the noose spread right.

I had thrown it countless times before; my hand knew the feel.

Besides, no time remained.

The moment I lowered my head, the monster’s sharp foreleg tips came into view.

‘Mo.’

When I called its name, red digits appeared in the air.

[3, 2, 1]

When the last digit changed to zero, I pulled the noose tight.

Lu’s body could never overpower a monster.

So I used the force of its own charge.

And it had already lost two legs.

Thud!

A heavy crashing sound resounded, and dirt scattered.

One of its feet caught in the noose, its body flipped over, and it thrashed, then slid down the slope.

Right beside me.

The belly half-exposed before me was the target.

Mo marked the spot with a red dot for me.

I did not waste the instant.

‘Krrrrik!’

Please let the switch be here.

The kitchen knife stabbed into the threadlike gap of its armor.

Ah… damn.

Was it my strength?

Or the weak blade?

Even with all my power, the knife could not pierce the gap.