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A hostile being capable of using energy.

No matter how you look at it, this is beyond what the police can handle.

Especially with equipment that can at best face wild animals!

[Do not commit acts of killing.]

[From the smallest creature to humans.]

[Every life is precious in its own way.]

[From a twisting insect to a fish swimming in the water, nothing is unworthy of respect.]

That crazy catfish was emanating an unusual atmosphere.

It was spouting words that sounded like something a monk would say while constantly, relentlessly attacking.

Its gigantic mouth, large enough to swallow a person whole, attempted to tear its prey in half, while it pulled out long thorns from its chest to throw at people. Not to mention it swung its staff to smash heads and used its tail like a spring, bouncing around freely.

“Do something quickly!”

“They say the military will arrive in 10 minutes!”

“That’s not the problem! Can’t you see that thing?!”

Moreover, the energy was an issue.

The blue light swirling around the prayer beads was deepening.

As if it were charging.

I don’t know why it’s charging, but if I consider the foul rotten smell emanating from those beads, it’s clear that if all that gathers, it won’t lead to anything good.

That’s why the police were doing everything they could to make the catfish drop the beads.

They pulled out revolvers and fired; one guy, who used to brag about his throwing skills back in the day, was making projectiles on the spot. Another, holding a net gun, fired until he ran out of ammo.

But the catfish seemed to mock their efforts by dodging every attack.

Thwump—!

Thwump—!

Isn’t this what it’s like to throw a bouncy ball into a place full of obstacles?

The catfish used its tail like a spring, moving freely horizontally, vertically, and diagonally.

It jumped to high places using trees as footholds and easily hopped from branch to branch. If the police even momentarily lost sight of the catfish’s flashy movements, it would suddenly come at them from somewhere.

Swoosh—!

The catfish propelled its body like a bullet, opening its mouth wide every time to swallow the police.

“Damn!”

“Get down!”

Of course, in those moments, the police rolled on the ground in panic.

Crash!

Kaboom!

The catfish flew fast, but fortunately, it flew in a straight line, so as long as one paid attention, it could be avoided.

Thanks to that, no police had lost their lives.

If they were a little more careful, every officer might be able to retreat safely from the catfish’s “territory.”

Since they had already attacked, there was a possibility it might chase them outside its domain, but in a situation where they couldn’t properly fight and were merely trying to escape, retreating seemed like a viable choice.

But the police couldn’t retreat.

Although they wished to, they couldn’t and shouldn’t.

The reason?

“Please leave! This is a real situation!”

There were citizens that needed protecting.

“Why?!”

The police couldn’t retreat because the citizens in front of them weren’t moving out of the way, even as they were risking their lives fighting the catfish.

The police couldn’t abandon the citizens they needed to protect.

So, they had to get them back, but…

These foolish humans just wouldn’t listen.

Of course, not every citizen was like that.

Most of them had turned to run as soon as they sensed the atmosphere getting odd.

But a few clueless individuals remained, watching the battle between the catfish and the police.

No, they weren’t just watching; they had pulled out their smartphones and were filming.

“If you stay here, your lives are in danger! We can’t protect you!”

“Oh, we get it. We’ll take care of our lives, so you don’t worry.”

“No, what the…”

Four men and women.

They were so engrossed in filming on their smartphones, it was as if they had dared to defy reason.

No matter how earnestly the police begged them to evade danger, they pretended not to hear, only staring at their phones, chatting among themselves like, “This video will blow up!” “The views on this will be insane!” “How much can we sell this to a broadcasting station for?”

They seemed to think they were reducing their noise so they wouldn’t get caught on camera…

But that sound was crystal clear to the trained ears of the police.

“Don’t worry about it! Umm, are those folks over there in danger? Can we not help them?”

“We’ll handle ourselves. You’re being overly concerned.”

And treating the worried police like annoying naggers.

The police, who had repeatedly warned them to get out of the way, eventually gave up on getting them down and dashed back towards the catfish. With their little ray of hope that at least they wouldn’t get hurt, they thought maybe they’d take care of themselves if it got too dangerous.

But human stupidity knows no bounds.

Isn’t there a basement beneath the ground?

When the police blocking their way vanished, their movements grew bolder.

Not satisfied with just filming from a distance, they began to inch closer to the catfish and police.

One step.

Another step.

They approached slowly, treating the battle happening right in front of them like a “show.”

And finally, when they crossed some invisible boundary.

[Huh.]

The catfish recognized them.

Seeing insolent beings daring to enter its territory, the catfish twisted its neck, staring at them. Then, still seemingly unaware of the danger, it slowly stuck out its long tongue and began to chant a mantra.

[Om Abokya Beirosan Makabodara Mani Handoma Jinbara Harabari Taya Un.]

A bizarre sound that imitated human speech.

It was a mantra, but the pronunciation felt off somehow.

There was a subtle sense of incongruity stemming from the difference in pronunciation.

“Uh, um…?”

The foolish four finally sensed the looming crisis.

They realized that they couldn’t safely observe from afar anymore; the imminent danger could reach them at any moment. They recognized that they’d carelessly stepped into the heart of a storm, one that would pluck their bodies and hurl them high into the sky.

Indeed.

They were only now.

Finally realizing it.

[You foolish beings who dare commit sins and fall into hell. I sprinkle this soil and sand for you to wash away your sins with light and enter the Pure Land of bliss.]

But as they say, regret comes late.

They would have to pay the price for their foolishness in stepping into this territory.

The catfish flicked the bead of its prayer beads with its fingers.

Thwump—!

With a heavy noise, the bead shot through the air like a pearl.

The pungent stench and ominous blue energy filled the air.

The bead flew toward the four of them in a rapid path leaving a blue trail behind it.

As it drew near, the energy contained within surged violently, threatening to explode, and cracks began to form along its surface.

Is this what a bomb about to burst looks like?

The bead approached them, radiating a menacing aura.

“Yikes!”

“Save me!”

If only they had thought to run.

The four of them stood dazed, frozen in place or cowering on the ground in shock.

If that bead touched them, they would meet a horrific end without putting up any resistance.

Thwang—!

But they still had a sliver of luck left.

Kaboom—!

A shot rang out from a distance.

The bullet hit the bead squarely, causing it to explode in midair.

The explosion that should have happened right above them erupted harmlessly in the air instead.

Moreover, the divine marksmanship ensured that rather than exploding in all directions, it blasted upwards, sending fragments of the bead flying harmlessly into the sky. Thanks to that, everyone avoided both the explosive force and secondary damage from the shrapnel.

“Nice shot!”

The police cheered at the sight.

Thwump—!

Thwump—!

And then, gunfire began echoing from all around.

It was as if they had formed a siege; the sounds of gunfire rang out from all directions, and with each blast, the catfish flinched.

Pop—!

Pop—!

The bullets fired by the soldiers struck the catfish’s body precisely.

However, it sounded dull, like shooting into thick mud, and instead of creating large wounds as the bullets passed through, they lodged into the catfish’s flesh.

This happened because the bullets used by the soldiers were special.

Bang!

Boom!

The bullets embedded within the catfish’s body detonated from the inside.

Though the explosion wasn’t vast, the effect was significant due to it detonating while still lodged inside.

[Ugh. The pain is surging in. Those bound by flesh shall suffer in torment, this is indeed the fate of those ensnared in the cycle of reincarnation.]

The catfish’s body was rapidly turning to shreds.

The spots where the bullets had lodged became grotesquely gaping holes, and the catfish staggered, struggling to maintain its balance.

Yet refusing to yield, it righted itself and flicked the bead again.

Thwump—!

Thwump—!

Thwump—!

The beads shot from the catfish’s hand, tracing blue arcs as they soared into the forest.

Towards the gunfire that had erupted.

Thwump—!

Thwump—!

In retaliation, a soldier opened fire and struck the bead.

The bullets from marksmanship experts struck without error, accurately hitting the bead and redirecting the explosion upwards, nullifying the attack.

“Fire the stake shell!”

The soldiers, having successfully defended against the catfish’s attacks, launched a counterattack.

Boom—!

They fired a special bullet called “stake shell.”

Kaboom—!

The stake-shaped bullet, launched by a soldier hidden within the woods, tore through the air with a powerful roar.

The enormous stake bullet, flying at incredible speed, struck the catfish, causing a tremendous sound upon impact, and the moment it did, it unleashed an overwhelming frost.

The ice properties contained in the bullet and the chemical agents danced around the catfish’s body, freezing everything in their wake.

As a result, the catfish stood frozen, resembling it had been in a cold storage for hours; its body was rigid, covered in frost, with icy spikes protruding from its mangled form.

“Hey, shotgunner. Confirm the kill!”

However, the soldiers did not let their guard down.

Boom!

They sent out a soldier with a shotgun to fire scattering magical projectiles.

Facing the frozen catfish, the bullets erupted and smashed it into pieces.

It shattered like a frosted statue being crushed with a hammer.

“Ah.”

Thus, the catfish monk was dealt with.

 

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