OMH Chapter 61
by Volare61. Guide (6)
The work Chae Seo-young assigned wasn’t out of the ordinary.
It was just the kind of work you’d normally do when coming to work at the monster breeding facility.
Because it was moving monsters to different cages in order to clean the breeding grounds.
In that process, it was very common for monsters to attack me, so it wasn’t even considered a problem.
Krrrreureureung!
So, the appearance of that monster, roaring and charging with dozens of pink gums and yellow-and-black fangs, wasn’t surprising at all.
As soon as the drooling monster came within striking distance, I kicked its chin upwards.
The monster, having its lower jaw properly kicked by my foot, tilted its head towards the ceiling, and its entire body floated up slightly.
The saliva dripping from the monster’s mouth formed a waterfall-like stream as the height of the source increased.
-Chiijik
The highly acidic monster saliva touched the floor and melted the surroundings.
And then, following that,
Thump!
The large monster’s body fell to the floor with a heavy thud.
The smell of the monster’s saliva melting the floor was awful. I hope it didn’t get on my clothes?
I twisted and turned my body this way and that, checking to see if any of the monster’s saliva had gotten on my clothes.
Fortunately, there was nothing on my clothes.
I let out a sigh of relief and turned to look at Cha Woojin behind me.
Since it didn’t get on me, who was right in front, Woojin, who was far away, would obviously be unharmed.
That’s what I thought, but Woojin was closer than I expected. He was only about 2m behind me.
Since he was so close, it was nice to see Woojin’s handsome face clearly.
But it wasn’t so good that Woojin’s expression was one of shock.
‘But why does Woojin have that expression? Did the monster’s saliva splash on him?’
Just as I was about to ask if he was hurt, Woojin spoke first.
“Your strength… is amazing…”
“Well, I’m a B-grade Enhancement-Type Esper~ Hehe.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at Woojin’s admiration. Woojin’s expression did look a bit bewildered, but people’s facial muscles are bound to look unnatural sometimes. It’s possible to be like that while admiring.
“Hey! I told you to move the monsters to clean the breeding ground, so why did you just knock them down? Move them to the next cage.”
“Ah, yes~ I will, I will~”
‘I only exchanged a word with Woojin, but he’s really nagging me.’
I grumbled and grabbed the monster’s hind legs and dragged it. The two monsters that had been living together in the breeding ground didn’t show any aggression and followed the one being dragged by my hand.
I safely herded all three monsters in and locked the door of the breeding ground. The cleaning of the breeding facility will be taken care of by the employees here, so I have to wait for new instructions.
But Woojin, who should be next to me, was nowhere to be seen.
‘Where did Woojin go?’
I was looking around to find Woojin when I heard the voice of the guy who was annoyed with me earlier, being annoyed again.
“Hey, Guide! If you rub it so lightly, will that stain come off? Put some strength into it. Put some strength into your waist! How can someone so tall be clinging to the mop? You have to put strength into the mop and push it!”
I turned my gaze towards the direction of the ear-splitting voice, and there was Woojin, being scolded while mopping the floor with a push mop.
‘What in the world is going on?!’
I was dumbfounded, so I immediately ran over there and snatched the push mop from Woojin’s hand.
“What are you doing?! A Guide isn’t a substitute for cleaning staff, so why are you making him do this? And constantly nagging him while you’re at it. What is a Guide, Cinderella? Are you the stepmother?”
“Then what kind of work should I give a D-grade Guide? He doesn’t have the strength to move monsters, and he doesn’t have the strength to subdue monsters. Until just now, he was just standing there blankly. He didn’t come here to hang out, so he has to work, right? Cinderella, my foot, judging by what he’s doing, he’s a complete Nolbu.”
Calling Woojin Nolbu! How can you say such harsh things?!
“Ah, he will work! But he didn’t come here as cleaning staff, he came to help manage the monsters! This is an abuse of power by the breeding facility researcher. I’m going to file a complaint with the Central Center!”
“Yeah, file it if you want. But if you’re just going to stand there blankly and do nothing, get out. You’re being a hindrance.”
“We’re going to subdue monsters together! So you should do the breeding ground cleaning.”
I handed the push mop I took from Woojin to that rude researcher.
And I grabbed Woojin’s hand and left the breeding ground.
*
After coming out to the exterior wall of the breeding ground, I let go of Woojin’s hand. Because I have something to give Woojin.
I lightly hit a square-shaped gap in the exterior wall of the breeding ground with my fist.
-Squeak
The square-shaped lid opened, revealing the self-defense supplies inside.
“What are all these?”
“These are self-defense supplies that are originally placed in each breeding ground for monster subjugation personnel like us to use. I don’t really need them, so I don’t use them often, so I didn’t take them out, but it would be good for Woojin to use them.”
I opened the storage box lid wide. There were only four expandable batons inside the storage box. Maybe it’s because the Association passes all the minor force issues to Espers, but they subtly discourage the use of weapons internally.
I took out the most brand-new-looking expandable baton and handed it to Woojin.
Woojin awkwardly received the expandable baton from me.
‘Haha… Woojin, the side you’re pointing towards your chest is the head of the baton. If you swing it in that state, you’ll get hit by the baton as it is.’
It seemed that Woojin had never used an expandable baton before. If I leave him like that, Woojin will be subdued by the baton before the monsters.
Before moving on to the next breeding ground, I have to teach Woojin how to use it.
I took out one of the expandable batons from the storage box and showed it to Woojin.
“Woojin, this is a weapon called an ‘expandable baton.’ This part, the slightly protruding part, is the head. If you swing it with this facing outwards, the baton will lengthen into a three-stage form like this.”
After watching my demonstration, Woojin finally held the baton in the correct direction.
And the way he swung the baton with precision, following after me, was really, very, truly cool.
If Woojin, who is perfect even in the way he swings it once, doesn’t utilize the expandable baton 100%, that wouldn’t do, right? I decided to teach Woojin the functions of the EGA Association’s special expandable baton.
Everyone who works part-time at the research center knows about it, so it would be good for Woojin to know it too.
“Wow~ Woojin, you’re so cool! It would be perfect if you could use the electric shock function on the baton now. The current activation button is on the upper part of the handle, so you can press that. Yes, that’s right. There. Press it firmly~”
Woojin pressed the button properly, and I took a step away.
Pajijik─
Electricity flowed through the baton, and sparks flew.
As expected, Woojin understands perfectly once I tell him. I clapped and praised Woojin.
“Wow~ well done. Now, I’ll tell you how to handle it.”
I pressed the voltage button on the baton I was holding. Sparks flew from my baton as well, just like Woojin’s.
“The expandable batons at the breeding facility are mainly used to subdue the monsters they raise here. So, the voltage isn’t enough to take down a monster in one shot, but it flows with 1000 volts, enough to stun them. When you turn on the power like this, you can see the current flowing and sparkling, right?”
I shook the baton with the current flowing and sparkling and asked Woojin.
Woojin nodded with a slightly dazed expression and answered my question.
I continued to explain to Woojin, who is a good student.
“The monsters here have a lot of experience being hit with the baton. If they see the current flowing from the baton like this, they won’t come close. But since our job is to subdue monsters, this is often a hindrance. We have to go to the monster and hit it with this, but the monster doesn’t come close. So, we have a technique we use.”
I turned off the electricity on the baton in front of Woojin’s eyes.
“We turn off the button like this to make the monster lower its guard and approach. Maybe it’s because the monsters live with the researchers, but they’re cunning. They’re not afraid of the baton when the electricity is off. When they lower their guard and come close like that, then like this!”
I turned on the electricity on the baton and quickly swung the baton.
“We shock them secretly while they’re off guard and subdue them. The key is to hit them quickly when they’re not looking. But the monsters that have been in the breeding ground for a long time don’t come near the baton at all. So, it might be better to just fold up the baton and hide it. It’ll be a little harder to hit them quickly, though.”
I also showed him how to fold the baton, turn on the electricity, and swing it.
This is a difficult move for beginners.
In reality, it’s simple, but monster subjugation has to be done in an instant, so if there are hand movements that require skill, it’s difficult to succeed.
In fact, there are many cases of people getting injured or killed while trying this method.
Woojin won’t get hurt while he’s with me, but who knows what might happen the moment we’re separated?
I don’t want to see Woojin get hurt again like last time.
So, I decided to give Woojin some practical training.
“We’ll do a little practice here with folding up the baton and unfolding it at once to attack. Would you like to try it?”
“L, like this?”
Woojin folded up the baton, pressed the voltage button, and swung it, just like I explained.
“……!!”
He succeeded in one try. As expected of my Woojin.
I applauded Woojin’s cool appearance as naturally as water flows.
“Wow~! That’s right! Like that! Swing it five more times like that, and then swing it at me once for a sense of actual combat.”
“…… What? At, at Hana-ssi?”
Kind-hearted Woojin was very flustered at the suggestion of swinging it at me.
But it would be good for Woojin to gain a lot of this on-site experience, so I encouraged Woojin.
“Yes, you have to feel the hitting sensation with that to be less flustered in actual combat. It’s good to strike around the nape of the neck. That area is more effective.”
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