CHAPTER 56: MONSTER ATTACK [2]

What exactly is a monster?

Isn’t it a term for beast-like creatures that act purely on instinct, not reason?

In most fantasy worlds, even if something looks human, it’s still considered a monster if it’s ruled by instinct. On the other hand, if a creature can communicate and think rationally—no matter how non-human it looks—it’s treated as a different race.

There’s even a running joke that goblins have their brains between their legs. That’s how much instinct governs them.

So naturally, monsters like ogres should be no different—they chase whatever prey is in front of them.

That’s the theory, at least.

"Then why the hell is this bastard only following ME?!"

WOOOOOAH!!!

The earth trembled as the ogre let out a roar that shook the air. I sprinted for my life, lungs burning, heart pounding like a drum.

It didn’t make sense. There were other students closer—some still standing, some already collapsed—but the ogre didn’t even glance at them. Its beady eyes locked only on me, like it had decided I was the only thing in the world worth smashing.

"Damn it, this isn’t how this was supposed to go!" I muttered between ragged breaths, weaving through the wreckage of what used to be our training ground.

Cries echoed from behind me—some students shouting for help, others too terrified to move. But the heavy thudding footsteps never changed direction.

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

Each step sounded like the end of the world was getting closer.

"Ugh..."

A faint groan reached my ears.

"Are you... regaining consciousness?" I asked, glancing over my shoulder.

Someone was stirring among the fallen—a girl, blinking dazedly as she tried to sit up. Her eyes darted around, unfocused at first, then suddenly widened.

"Uh... Huh? An ogre??"

"Yeah, no kidding!" I yelled, dodging a chunk of debris as it flew past me.

She looked utterly confused, muttering to herself, "Why is an ogre here...? Could this be part of the plan too? But the wall breaking down wasn’t supposed to happen..."

What the hell was she talking about?

"Hey!" I shouted, still running. "Now’s not really the time for—"

"Excuse me," she interrupted.

I nearly tripped. "Huff—What?! Can’t you see I’m kind of—huff—busy not dying right now?!"

Her tone was way too calm for someone facing a rampaging ogre.

Still, she didn’t flinch. Her eyes, clear and sharp now, were fixed on me.

"Can I borrow some blood for a moment?" she said.

And just like that, my blood ran cold.

"B–Blood?"

What was she even talking about?

My mind went blank, trying to make sense of her words—but before I could ask, the answer came in the most shocking way possible.

"...mp."

"Aaah! What are you—?! Hey!"

In one swift motion, she yanked my collar down and sank her teeth into my neck.

Something warm and wet spread across my skin, and goosebumps ran down my entire body. The sudden sensation made me stumble, nearly twisting my ankle as my heart pounded in confusion.

"Slurp."

The sound was followed by a strange, dizzying weakness spreading through me, as if something vital was being drawn out.

Wait, this feeling—

It was eerily similar to when I donated blood once... except this time, it was far more intense, and she was literally drinking it.

A cold shiver crawled down my spine.

Aaaaargh...! My blood! My bloooood...!!

The draining sensation made my vision swim for a moment, my legs wobbling beneath me.

Then she finally pulled away, licking the corner of her mouth with an expression that could only be described as... disappointed.

"Tsk. Your blood doesn’t taste very good," she said casually, wiping her lips with the back of her hand. "It stings."

...What?

Her quiet remark snapped me back to reality.

"Excuse me?" I blurted out, still reeling. "Did you just—did you just say my blood tastes bad?"

I didn’t know why, but for some reason, that hit harder than it should’ve.

’Why does that hurt my pride?’ I thought, dumbfounded.

I mean, come on—I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I eat healthy! My blood should be premium quality! At least grade-A, right?

But before I could complain further, she suddenly hopped off my back, moving with effortless grace.

"Rest for a bit," she said flatly, her tone almost indifferent.

"Ah! Wait, what do you—hey!" I reached out, but she was already stepping away, her crimson eyes glinting faintly in the dim light.

Confused, I stopped running and turned around.

The ground shook under my feet. The ogre was charging straight toward us, its face twisted in fury, each thunderous step sending vibrations through the forest floor.

The woman didn’t flinch. She stood between me and the monster, calm and still, as if she’d been waiting for this exact moment. Then, raising one slender finger, she whispered—

"Blood Cannon."

Woong—Ta-ang!

A crimson light rippled at her fingertips, pulsing like a heartbeat. For a brief instant, it looked almost beautiful—until that light exploded forward, creating streaks of red afterimages as it tore through the air.

BOOM!

The blood-red projectile slammed into the ogre’s chest, punching a gaping hole clean through its body.

The creature didn’t even have time to scream.

Its massive frame swayed once, then collapsed with a deafening THUD!, sending a shockwave through the ground. Dust and leaves burst into the air as the echo of the impact faded.

I just stood there, frozen.

That... that magic had enough power to instantly kill a high-level monster like an ogre. And she’d done it effortlessly—one single spell, one word.

My mind tried to process what I had just seen. The crimson light, the way she’d drawn blood from me before, the name of the spell...

"Blood Cannon."

There was no mistake. That was blood magic.

A rare, forbidden art that draws strength from blood—both one’s own and others’. Incredibly powerful, but also incredibly dangerous. Few dared to use it because of its side effects and the price it demanded.

But still...

’Wasn’t there a heroine in the story who used blood magic?’

The thought struck me suddenly.

Yeah, I remembered now. Among the heroines who had that complicated, tension-filled relationship with Ed, one of them was a blood mage.

And as I looked at the woman again—standing silently over the ogre’s corpse, her expression unreadable, a faint red glow still lingering in her eyes—something clicked.

’She does look... similar.’

Not identical, but the resemblance was uncanny.

It wasn’t just her face. It was her whole aura—the calm, dangerous air around her, the quiet strength that made the world seem to hold its breath when she moved.

For a moment, I forgot about the dead ogre, the blood, everything.

All I could think was—

’Just who is she?’