Seoul Dragon - Chapter 30

"Hmm... seems like you're targeting me, right?"

Since he was taking a clearly hostile stance, I addressed him informally. I'm not the type to be polite to someone like him.

"That's right."

"Why, if you've killed people and gone into hiding, why not stay hidden? What brings you out now?"

"...Looks like the NIS has been talking."

"I've been cooperating with them in various ways. When they called me urgently, I wondered what was happening... and now some lunatic has shown up here."

"Lost my mind? That would be you, not me."

"That's rich coming from someone who goes around killing people as he pleases."

"After mutating, all you do is play hero?"

"Whether I play hero or not, it shouldn't particularly concern you, right? No, actually, it's because of guys like you that I've ended up doing something resembling heroics. I just wanted to live peacefully, you know? But when I woke up, I found that the perception of mutants had already been shattered."

This was a good opportunity to ask. Unlike the Minotaur-type mutant, this one hadn't lost his reason, so why did he go around killing people? Is it a situation where he can't control himself?

I continued speaking.

"Alright, let me ask you this. Why do you go around killing people? What benefit does it bring you? Is it some kind of instinct you can't control?"

"I just kill because I'm bored, you know?"

"...What?"

What did I just hear?

"I killed them because I was bored. What, is that not allowed? From the moment we mutated, we're no longer human. There's no need to conform to human standards, and I don't want to live that way either. The so-called authorities can't even catch me, so why should I constrain myself?"

"...Did you start thinking that way after becoming a demon, or were you always like that?"

"I was always like that. If I could, I would have wanted to kill all the annoying people around me. That damn boss, those damn colleagues, those damn parents... so I killed them all."

"You're insane."

"That's why seeing guys like you twists my gut. Gaining such power and all you do is try to please humans."

He's insane. I was certain.

No matter how terrible things are, the thought of killing others isn't something that comes easily.

No matter how wretched his living environment might have been, there are people who persevere steadfastly in such environments.

I don't consider myself to be such a righteous person.

I just have the mindset of an ordinary citizen.

I help if I can, and if I can't, I simply observe.

But still, seeing someone like him naturally twists my gut.

His basic humanity was fundamentally flawed.

No, to be precise, he's like an edgy middle schooler who's gone to the dark side.

A special existence?

Don't make me laugh.

No matter how special an existence might be, it's ultimately human society that acknowledges that specialness.

After all, it's humans who currently rule the world.

And a special existence is one that all members of society consider special.

Not one that's ostracized.

But I didn't convey these thoughts to him.

I didn't particularly want to argue with someone who wouldn't listen anyway.

And I didn't want to form any kind of empathy with him.

Why should I form empathy with such a lunatic?

Let's say his personality changed drastically after becoming a mutant.

If so, he should have at least made an effort to resist his tendencies.

Is a person who only moves according to their instincts truly a person? Or at least show the will to suppress it.

He's a beast.

Therefore, he is a beast.

A beast suffering from middle school syndrome, thinking he's the most special in the world, and considering humans to be an inferior species.

Above all... it's childish.

My goodness, since my mutation several months ago, this is the first time I've seen a mutant speak such nonsense.

"Wow... you're seriously so damn childish."

To the extent that such words inadvertently escaped my lips.

Oh, shoot.

I should have held back. But how could I?

I'm not particularly socially adept, so sometimes I blurt out things without filtering them.

"...What?"

At those words, he seemed quite angry. But he is childish, so why get so upset?

"No, it's just the truth. You're talking as if you're some kind of new species or something. Did you think people would treat you like a god for that? What do people in the world call you? Just a criminal, that's all. After all your mutation, all you've become is a criminal, and you're boasting about it as if it's a good thing... doesn't that sound like middle school syndrome? Heh... taking revenge on those who tormented me and doing as I please with them... is that it?"

"You...!"

"Can you go to a convenience store? How do you earn money to eat? Ah, well, since you're a demon-type mutant, I guess you manage somehow. But isn't it tiring? Constantly extorting from others seems incredibly exhausting. The authorities can't catch you? So what? They're still trying to catch you. In the end, you're a fugitive. Honestly, do you like that?"

He probably won't be able to refute my words. Why go out of your way to do such tiresome things? That's crazy.

"So every time guys like you strut around, mutants like me who are trying to live normal lives suffer. In the end, perceptions are formed by the minority, and when guys like you act up, it only makes things harder for us."

"I was just trying to create a world where mutants can live as they please! Why should we have to be mindful of others? Having gained the power to do as we please, isn't it more distressing not to use it freely?"

"No... do you think of yourself as the leader of some secret organization? That's why I said you're childish. So, how many have gathered for this secret organization of yours?"

"..."

"Ah, it's just you? Makes sense. Even I wouldn't want to be ostracized in a world filled with modern conveniences."

"Shut up...!"

"And if it weren't for guys like you, we wouldn't have to be mindful of others in the first place. It's just baffling that the main culprit who made us have to be careful is saying such things."

Whether he had nothing to say or not, with a face reddened with anger, he spat out at me as if grinding his teeth.

"This won't do. If you had just obediently followed my words, I would have kept you as a pet..."

"A pet? Aren't you a bit too confident? I guess becoming like a demon from mythology has filled you with baseless confidence... Unfortunately, I'm also overflowing with baseless confidence."

"Shut up!"

With that, he charged at me. As he violently kicked off the ground, the earth exploded.

BOOM!

The well-formed plaza was instantly destroyed.

Damn, what is this bastard doing to my university!

That's part of my tuition, damn it!

Alright, if you want to get beaten that badly, I'll grant your wish.

His fist approached me in an instant. Faster than I expected. But still...

Slow.

I could clearly see his movements. I firmly grasped the fist coming toward me.

CRACK!

Just by simply grabbing his arm without controlling my strength, I heard something breaking.

He hurriedly spewed flames from his entire body.

WHOOSH!

Wow. Is it because he's a demon? So he can control fire too? I can do that as well.

"Urgh...!"

The pain from having his arm grabbed must have been quite intense, as he quickly distanced himself from me. Oh, he's enduring it pretty well? With a casually thrown punch, I can crumple alloys, yet even when I grabbed his arm with full force, it only ended with a broken arm?

"Demon. How many months has it been since your mutation? You're quite sturdy."

"What nonsense are you babbling...!"

"I'm asking how many months it's been since your mutation. This level... about two months?"

"..."

My words seem to have hit the mark exactly. I clicked my tongue.

If he's two months in, did I kill so many people with just a month's difference?

No, above all, it's too stark a comparison with Sia, who's also two months in. At least try to live cheerfully like her.

"With just that level of power, you're going to make someone your pet?"

"Ha, I haven't even started yet!"

"Ah, I see..."

I didn't even feel like retorting anymore. Just need to wrap this up quickly and hand him over to the agent.

Just as I was thinking that, his demeanor changed.

His body suddenly began to swell, and his skin started to turn red.

Additionally, his lower body became covered in fur, and his head gradually transformed into a shape similar to that of a goat.

It resembled the image of the demon Baphomet, as seen in Christian legends.

It wasn't just his appearance that changed. Flames ignited around him. Ominous black flames. Ah, so he did have something up his sleeve.

But... I didn't feel like I was going to lose.

No, rather, he started to look somewhat pathetic.

"Ah, phase 2."

"I'll burn that arrogant mouth of yours!"

With that exclamation, he created an enormously huge fireball in his hand and threw it at me.

Seeing the black fireball flying toward me, I somehow felt like I could easily eliminate it.

I extended my palm.

The fireball, which seemed like it would not only incinerate me but destroy everything in a straight line, was completely absorbed into my hand.

I thought it might work, and it was easy.

"Impossible...!"

"Is that all?"

"Not yet, not yet!"

Saying that, he was growing an even larger fireball than before. If he were to launch that, it would be a fireball large enough that the surrounding area wouldn't remain unscathed.

I could see people who were watching in surprise starting to flee.

This madman doesn't know moderation, does he?

Fine. If you don't want to be moderate, I have no choice but to be serious.

This is actually good timing.

To ensure that mediocre beings never dare to act up in front of me again, I need to show them clearly.

The reason I hadn't transformed until now was because my home would be destroyed just by my transformation.

Just spreading my wings was enough to turn the furniture in my house into a mess, so what would happen if I brought out a much more massive main body?

I knew the approximate size of my dragon form. Naturally, I thought, ah, if I transform, I'd be about this big.

And knowing how massive my main body was, I didn't dare to transform even if I wanted to. If I did it on the street, several buildings would be destroyed, how could I do that?

But now, I'm in a spacious university campus.

Moreover, thanks to his rampage, all the surrounding structures are already destroyed.

That is, there were no structures left that could be further destroyed if I transformed into my main body...

Which means, I could return to my true form.

If I end up naked, I can wrap myself with my wings and tail and ask for help from others.

Ah, but what happens to my smartphone?

Whatever. If needed, I can get a new one. My contract has ended anyway, and I have plenty of money.

I didn't want to think about such trivial things right now.

It was more important to teach a lesson to that bug who was rampaging without fear of the world.

I released as much of the power boiling inside me as possible.

WOOOONG-!

In an instant, the surrounding objects fluctuated. The ground vibrated as if there was an earthquake, the air trembled, and shockwaves erupted.

I could distinctly feel the maximally released power flowing through my veins.

Simultaneously, my view of the world changed.

My clairvoyance became permanently activated, and the people passing by around me looked as small as ants.

And the same applied to the demon.