READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 221
What started wasn’t exactly torture, just simple physical punishment.
Since no one knew where their heads were, they were made to hold a position that looked as painful as possible for about five minutes.
Ugh, grrr, the short minutes filled with groans of agony.
After the time was up, standing straight like a drill instructor, they spoke.
“Right.”
“Huff, hoo…”
After a bit of punishment, the monsters’ heavy breathing followed.
This moment seemed like the best time for learning, for any living being.
Holding the magic wand tightly, a few sentences were declared.
“If something like this happens again, I won’t let it slide. Tell that to whoever made you.”
“Yes…”
A weak, drawn-out response.
Though it’s hard to tell how painful it was since they look so different from humans, assuming they understood enough, turning away, they said.
“Alright, you can go back.”
“Um, Sun…”
“What now?”
Hearing a voice that seemed to grab at their clothes, they glanced back.
They said they could go back, but none of the monsters were operating or holding any kind of teleportation device.
Looking at them puzzled, one of the monsters cautiously opened its mouth.
“Please kill us.”
“What, why don’t you have it?”
“There was a risk of it breaking during this mission…”
“Tch.”
Sighing with a mix of pity and sorrow at the obvious reason.
“Then, just stay gathered there.”
With a lazy gesture, the monsters were herded together.
Seeing them line up straight at the command to gather, feeling frustrated, they approached the monsters.
“If you gather like that, the power will disperse. More like this, huddled together.”
Distributing the monsters evenly at the ends of the line, gathering them like bowling pins.
Then, taking some distance, aiming like shooting a gun, closing one eye tightly, preparing the magic.
Extending the wand forward, leaving a few words of heartfelt advice for the monsters, possibly experiencing this for the first time.
“Close your eyes tight, okay? It’s easier if you go all at once, living ambiguously is just more painful.”
The tip of the wand glowing red, a small red fireball quickly grew to the size of a demolition wrecking ball.
The fireball, leaving the wand’s tip with a hot wind, left nothing behind.
Like a drop of water swallowed by a stream, the monsters left no trace.
In the path of the flames, even parts of the cement road momentarily melted, a rare sight.
‘Job done.’
Smelling the acrid scent of burning flesh, carrying a small sense of achievement, leaving the redevelopment zone.
The first transformation point, taken over by smoking bugs, was unusable.
Reluctantly, releasing the transformation near the third transformation point.
“Release.”
The overflowing strength and clear mind vanished with the transformation, leaving only tired muscles and a hazy mind.
Though a bit farther from home, it was unavoidable.
“Huuaa-”
Stretching arms upward, grabbing the right elbow with the left hand, letting out a lazy yawn.
Even while stretching, a yawn slips out, bringing a hand near the mouth.
Feeling like today was productive, twisting the body here and there, Gomteng adds a few words.
“Today was a bit large scale.”
“Yeah, hurry up and get into the pocket.”
Past midnight, in an alley without CCTV, the cub was quite careless.
Feeling like a proper magical girl after a long time?
Whether it was a fusion or an artificial monster. Anyway, after hitting a proper punching bag for the first time in a while, a slight freshness remained in the body.
If I just lay down on the bed like this, I could sleep well.
It’s just a pity that it’s not near home.
Step by step, lonely footsteps walking through the night.
In the darkness of the street, the familiar light of a 24-hour convenience store.
Also, the faint light and greasy smell of shops like pig’s feet or chicken houses, busy late at night, replacing the daytime liveliness.
‘Wow, the smell is amazing.’
Whether it’s to vent the shop’s heat or to lure customers with a dark intent through smell.
Regardless of the intention, the strong smell of chicken makes the hazy mind even more confused.
An impulse to ignore tomorrow and immediately order a chicken.
But without stopping, steadily stepping forward, firmly escaping the smell.
The sensation of the shoe’s sole, with its bumpy insole, rubbing against the bare foot.
Carrying the discomfort brought upon oneself, overcoming all temptations, returning home, quickly undressing, and flopping onto the bed in underwear.
‘……’
Blankly, covering with a blanket, lying face down, tightly closing eyes, trying to quickly fall into the world of dreams.
Tossing and turning.
After kicking the crumpled blanket to spread it and wrapping it around the body, still unable to sleep.
Picking up the smartphone, clicking the side button, tightly closing eyes at the brightly lit screen.
One eye accustomed to the darkness barely sees the time: 12:42.
Even though 20 minutes have passed lying down, still unable to sleep.
To make matters worse, the strong smell of chicken encountered just before returning home.
It seems it hasn’t been forgotten, as the brain commands to put something into the empty stomach.
‘Something simple…’
Taking out a pack of milk from the fridge, opening it for a cup.
Setting the microwave for 1 minute, rummaging through the fridge with rustling sounds.
A vegetable hoppang that’s been left uneaten, past its expiration date by about two days.
Just when wondering when to get rid of it, right now when the stomach is empty.
Taking out the hoppang still in its plastic, placing it on a small plate.
Beep, the microwave rings at the perfect timing.
Taking out the slightly warm milk, placing it on the table with a thud.
Next, putting the hoppang plate in for 1 minute and 10 seconds.
Stirring the milk with a small teaspoon.
A moderately warm milk and vegetable hoppang set.
‘Delicious.’
A modest late-night snack after defeating monsters.
A sense of achievement like a can of beer after hard labor.
Satisfied with all that, just needing to fall asleep again.
…Of course, if life went according to plan, it wouldn’t be life.
‘Sleep, not coming.’
Even after 30 minutes, consciousness stubbornly remains despite closed eyes.
Surely yawning, the body screaming for sleep, yet unable to fall asleep.
Need to sleep early to properly go to school tomorrow.
Thinking so, yet the hand fiddles with the smartphone.
Maybe fiddling with this will bring sleep?
Of course, having developed the habit of fiddling with the smartphone to wake up in the morning, it naturally doesn’t work.
Played enough games, bored, seeing community news through algorithms.
[Anyone felt the Incheon earthquake?]
[Magical girl mountain earthquake, entering the gallery lololol]
[No disaster alert came, so I was like what’s happening lol]
[Just now, freaked out and went under the desk]
[Wow, thought a bomb went off ㄷㄷ]
[Really, it was super strong]
The aftermath of the battle wasn’t in the magical girl gallery, but surprisingly, in the earthquake gallery.
Feeling vibrations from the ground, people first went to earthquake-related communities.
Realizing belatedly that the earthquake’s source was a magical girl, people were all scared, talking like ‘oh come on’ in a hahaho manner.
“Huuaam.”
Reading the community posts, time flies to 3 AM, yawning uncontrollably.
Finally feeling the eyelids closing on their own, placing the smartphone by the bedside, trying hard to close the eyes.
The earlier times of sleeplessness feel like a lie, consciousness comfortably drifting away.
However, the price of late sleep is fully paid at school.
“…Hngk.”
Tap tap, during barely scribbling on the test and falling asleep, someone pokes, making the eyes snap open.
Glancing up to see who woke me, it’s the history teacher supervising.
Feeling something off, looking at the desk, the test paper where my face was just resting is slightly damp.
“It’s good to finish and sleep, but don’t snore and disturb others.”
“Sniff.”
Wiping the damp mouth with a sleeve, trying hard to sit up straight.
No, if I fell asleep, how could that be possible.
With the teacher’s gentle touch, barely opening the eyes and enduring for a few minutes.
“Alright, 5 minutes left-”
‘Pleasepleasepleaseplease end quickly.’
With the teacher’s announcement of only 5 minutes left, muttering like crazy inside, waiting for the break time.
As the familiar school bell rings through the broadcast, OMR cards are passed from the back to the front.
Quickly passing it forward, immediately using the pencil case as a pillow, burying the face in the test paper.
Good night.