Dragging Yoo Daon by the arm, I flee.
I recall the monster's weakness again.
[An empty cart rattles loudly.]
It's a proverb everyone knows.
But it's not exactly non-threatening when you consider how ridiculously fast it's taken over the Management Bureau.
So, is this thing actually a pushover? If I just close my eyes and shoot, will it drop dead?
Of course that's nonsense.
So what does it mean?
The first thing that came to mind was the mimicking monsters I'd encountered about three times.
In the hallway at first, then in the Security Team office, and finally in the underground corridor.
The common thread every time was crystal clear.
They weren't hostile from the start.
The one in the hallway just passed by me like I was any ordinary person. The one in the security office only talked to me and didn't attack. And the one Yoo Daon shot at first raised both hands to show it was harmless instead of firing.
Why?
There's a saying: if your head's no good, your body's the one that suffers.
I think that's spot on, but from my experience, the reverse holds true too.
If your body's no good, your head's the one that suffers.
Mimicry makes sense among predators. Chameleons hide and snap up bugs in one bite, after all.
But that's just a way to catch prey easily—they don't hide by mimicking bugs.
Hiding as a human wandering around? That I get. As a predator, it's key not to trigger the prey's defenses.
But why go through the hassle of that "procedure" where the predator chats with the prey?
Why bother raising hands and going through the "procedure" to prove it's harmless?
That's where the doubt crept in, and I reached a conclusion.
There had to be a reason it needed to do that.
Two possibilities sprang to mind right away.
1. The lowly main body's abilities.
2. Mimicry replication impossible.
First, number one.
The lowly main body's abilities.
I don't know the criteria for "lowly," but after seeing Yoo Daon get torn apart right in front of me, I wouldn't call it that.
Still... I glance at the larva chasing me.
It's slow.
Not crawling slow, but slow enough that even dragging Yoo Daon, I can outpace it.
But then what tore Yoo Daon apart? Another specimen?
That doesn't fit—the bizarre mark on her back matches the mimicked man's exactly.
So this larva turns into that monster from before?
Possible.
How?
I think back to Yoo Daon earlier.
The confident Yoo Daon who said everything was going well.
And the larva's talent: [Cognitive Distortion].
If it distorted Yoo Daon's perception in some way, making her misjudge the situation?
Then why am I fine? Am I not actually fine?
I quickly pull out the manual and flip to the page I want.
Let's see, mental... mental...
[Office Manual for Desk Workers]
R - Mental Control
1. If you suspect you're under mental control, see the items below.
2.
3. If you can't read item 2, you're normal. If you can read item 2, you're under mental control. Suicide is recommended immediately. If unable, see [T - Suicide Methods].
Okay. I'm fine.
Don't doubt the manual.
Number two: Mimicry replication impossible.
If it can't mimic even after killing, it might try to get friendly on purpose.
But then how did it seize the Management Bureau so fast? I need to figure that out.
Alright. That wraps it up—
[Your Insight has increased.]
[You can now view additional information on 'Butterfly's Life.']
[Critical: 0->1]
What the hell is this?
I turn my eyes to the larva still diligently following me.
[Name: Butterfly's Life - Larva]
[Age: ? ? ?]
[Talent: Parasitism]
[Ability: Cognitive Distortion]
[Background: Suppressed in the Management Bureau for a long time, it now lays eggs to find those with the potential to become butterflies. These offspring instinctively do what they must and seek new hosts to become butterflies.]
[Weakness: All life has a juvenile stage. Larvae require metamorphosis to become butterflies.]
The description's grown.
A lot.
Still dragging Yoo Daon, I pore over it.
So what's chasing me is the larva of some monster called 'Butterfly's Dream.'
Being a larva now means it's weak?
Should I really pull out Yoo Daon's gun and shoot?
I look at the twitching Yoo Daon, and only then notice her description has changed too.
"Urgh... ah..." Yoo Daon groans in agony.
I examine Yoo Daon again.
[Name: Butterfly's Dream Yoo Daon (Pupa)]
[Age: 2 ?]
[Talent: Mimicry/Immortality]
[Ability: -]
[Background: A larva has taken root in the body of this immortal human. She is an excellent host with high potential to become an adult.]
[Weakness: Like typical parasites, if the host dies, it seeks a new one.]
So that's it.
That monster burst out earlier because Yoo Daon killed the host.
Meaning if I kill Yoo Daon now, the monster loses its host and emerges.
And Yoo Daon revives in perfect condition.
But the problem is, I'd be left one-on-one with that monster, and my only way to win is...
[Critical: 1]
I gaze at the window that now pops up without needing to look at people.
If I use this, I can save Yoo Daon.
But it won't solve everything.
[Butterfly's Dream - Larva]
[Butterfly's Dream - Pupa]
What I've encountered so far: larva, pupa, and the half-emerged adult from the pupa midway.
I had to use Critical to take down the incomplete adult.
And per the background, adults are out there somewhere producing larvae to make more adults.
To end this mess, I need to somehow kill that adult. And without [Critical], I can't see a way.
Should I leave Yoo Daon and go after the adult? Logically, yes. Without this ability, I can't think of a win condition right now.
'I'll handle it, right?'
'...Thanks.'
The confident Yoo Daon's face flashes in my mind. Her shy expression when I handed her the jacket. Her hand shoving away the monster that lunged at me.
"Damn it."
The larva's still at a distance.
I draw the pistol holstered at Yoo Daon's waist.
Bang! Bang!
I fire a few shots at the larva. It flinches and freezes for a moment.
Too bad regular bullets won't kill it. And if I run out of ammo...
But I didn't shoot to kill the larva anyway.
"Pain's just for a second."
I aim the pitch-black pistol at Yoo Daon's forehead.
"Urgh... ... ..."
Did she hear me? Her eyes crack open.
Then, she gently presses her forehead against the muzzle. "..." I look at her and pull the trigger.
Bang!
A hole punches through Yoo Daon's brow, and she topples backward.
Blood pools behind her fallen form.
Now it begins.
I step back a few paces, aiming the gun forward.
Finger on the trigger, I hold my breath.
Crack.
Yoo Daon's back starts twisting grotesquely.
Rip!
Blood sprays as her back tears open, and something crawls out, charging at me.
I kill it.
[Critical: 1->0]
Once more, my eyes lock on the monster, the world turns black and white, and everything slows.
Its solar plexus glows.
Bang!
I pull the trigger.
The bullet streaks toward it like it's being sucked in, piercing the monster's solar plexus dead center.
It collapses without even a scream.
I check the larva.
After those shots earlier, it should be far—
Boom!
A massive impact slams into me.
"Urk!"
Like getting hit by something heavy, my body flies into the air and rolls across the floor.
Everything hurts.
Sss...
A huge shadow looms over me.
The larva.
"...I'm screwed."
Crack.
The larva's head splits open.
In the hollow maw, a single sharp stinger protrudes.
That's what it stabs people with?
I need to run, but my body won't move.
Am I dying here?
I squeeze my eyes shut.
What happens if it hits? Does my sense of self vanish? Do I turn into one of those monsters too?
Grab.
In that instant, someone snags the collar of my shirt.
A familiar voice rings in my ear.
"Why are you closing your eyes! Get up now!"
I crack my eyes open and look back. The stinger's stuck in the floor, and Yoo Daon strains to grip my collar.
"Argh, you're so damn heavy!"
She wipes the blood from her forehead and looks at me. The hole's already gone.
"You think I'd let the guy who saved me just die like that? Get up!"
She grins.
"...My legs are numb for a sec."
"I'll take that as a yes."
With Yoo Daon's help, I stand. She loops my arm around her neck to support me.
"Can you walk?"
"Give me a little time."
"Then we'll do it like this for now."
I glance at the larva.
It hasn't pulled the stinger free yet, wriggling backward repeatedly.
"What now?"
"Butterfly's Dream."
"Huh?"
"Find the Butterfly's Dream containment room. Now!"
"Got it!"
She doesn't question further, just drags me along.
I'm alive.
One more thing to handle, and we can break out of this crap situation.
Supported by her, as we walk, relief finally washes over me.
Looks like I made the right call.