I Was Kidnapped By The Strongest Guild
Chapter 404: Is This Where Monsters Live?

I moved with several researchers and people who looked like soldiers.

As we walked, I received a brief explanation about MS.

"So you research helpful MS and eliminate harmful ones...?"

"Yes. Actually, MS13... the portal you came through is also marked for elimination."

"The portal?"

Portals were also the top elimination priority in our world.

Left alone, they kept spitting out monsters.

Of course, some portals like goblin dungeons that could generate steady profits weren't deliberately closed.

"More precisely, the portal and all monsters that emerge from it are targets for elimination."

Monsters from the portal.

Wait, did that include me?

Startled, I stepped backward and bumped into a soldier behind me.

"I-I came through the portal, but I'm not a monster... I don't eat people..."

"Ah... I didn't mean we'd eliminate you, Gyeoul. We do have some flexibility."

I see.

What a relief.

Whew, as I let out a relieved sigh, the soldier I'd bumped into raised their hand toward my head but quickly pulled back in surprise.

"...?"

What was that about?

I looked up at the soldier, then back at Evelyn.

"Seems the monsters from the portal aren't worth researching."

"We used to research them, but after years of no progress, we gave up and switched to elimination."

"I see."

So monster corpses and mana stones were useless to people in this world.

It felt strange thinking they treated such precious gems like garbage.

"Oh... but is it okay for me to know all this? I feel like I'm learning too much..."

"It's fine. This is all common knowledge anyway."

"Ah."

I thought it was classified.

So everyone knew about it.

Not exactly a secret organization then.

Scratching my cheek awkwardly, I followed the researchers into a room.

It looked like a containment chamber, with a familiar monster inside.

"This is..."

"A tree monster. Other creatures die when deprived of oxygen or starved, but this one and the fanged worm won't die."

"Oxygen?"

"Yes. Most living things die when they can't breathe."

"Ah."

Come to think of it, that's true.

No matter how strong, living things that needed to breathe died when deprived of oxygen.

They also died without energy.

Learning this potentially useful new hunting method, I grabbed the bow from my back.

"That's an ent monster. It looks like a normal tree, but attacks when you get close."

"We thought it was just a tree at first too. Almost got into serious trouble letting our guard down."

"Oh dear."

As I drew an arrow, Evelyn gestured toward something.

The massive containment chamber door slowly began to open.

"I heard from uncle that ents have very slow metabolism. They can survive over ten years without eating."

"Ten years?"

"Yes. They can probably hold their breath for a really long time too."

Each monster had its special abilities.

In our world, being able to hold breath for a long time wasn't even that special.

Boom-!

Seeing the door fully open, I nocked an arrow to my bow.

It was a fire arrow Jung Yu-na had made, but something felt different as I nocked it.

Whoosh-!

White energy rose from the bow and seeped into my arm.

The energy felt fierce yet warm.

'This is...'

The energy of Teranos, the pterosaur monster we caught with the children from that world.

Mixed with traces of mana from guild members.

Had it been enhanced somehow?

Aiming at the ent's heart area, I spoke:

"I'm going to shoot. Be careful."

"Yes."

After confirming everyone had stepped back, I shot the arrow at the ent.

Bang-!

Though I drew with normal strength, the arrow's speed was on another level.

It matched the speed of Teranos when it had flown at us.

Screech-!

The arrow flew with a thunderous sound, piercing through the ent's heart and embedding in the wall behind.

As the arrow penetrated near the ent's heart, the fire arrow's ability activated.

With intense heat, the ent's body began burning.

It twitched briefly before turning completely to charcoal.

"What the..."

I saw Evelyn and nearby soldiers staring in shock.

Of course, I was quite surprised myself.

It seemed Gaeul from that world had given me something incredible.

'Rechargeable, perhaps.'

I looked down at the bow surrounded by white energy.

The mana spent shooting the ent was slowly being replenished.

With this much mana, I could probably shoot about ten times in succession.

It might take thirty minutes to recharge one shot.

As I examined the bow through its mana, Evelyn approached me with a bright smile.

"Gyeoul, you're amazing! This is top-tier ability user level!"

"T-top tier...?"

Me, a novice adventurer in our world, top tier in this world?

I felt like the protagonist of a mass-produced isekai manga.

It must be the difference between being able to handle mana or not.

"Yes. Among MS... monsters, ents have particularly high hardness."

"Yes, that's true."

Trees are naturally harder than typical living things.

Even among level 3 monsters, ents were quite tough.

"You saved us. It was quite troublesome..."

"Hehe."

I'm glad I could help.

Evelyn's gaze fell on my gently swaying tail.

"Um... what about the fanged worm..."

"Well, I can't handle a death worm alone... I'd need to call other guild members..."

"Ah, I see."

Evelyn seemed to be trying hard to hide her disappointment.

I couldn't help but consider the situation.

'Someone must have opened the portal seeking help.'

Most likely for monster subjugation.

Using Gaeul's ability, I could easily return home.

However, I didn't want to ignore those asking for help.

"Um, should I bring my guild members?"

"Ah... that's..."

Evelyn hesitated awkwardly.

She looked quite apologetic.

"What's wrong?"

"While coming through the portal is possible, going back isn't... You'll probably..."

So I'd be trapped in this world?

That's how portals usually worked.

You couldn't return until completing the objective, but I had a workaround.

"No need to go back. I can just call them from here."

"Is that possible? But if you call them, they'll also be trapped here..."

"It's fine. I know how to get back."

"What...?"

Evelyn's eyes went wide.

The nearby soldiers and researchers looked surprised too.

"Each portal has different return methods we need to figure out... but should I call my guild members?"

"Ah... that would only be possible in two weeks."

"Two weeks?"

"Yes. The portal we're managing opens every two weeks. If you could time it then..."

Evelyn and the researchers began calculating with strange devices.

Calculations about the portal's cycle and timing?

As I watched the rapidly moving numbers, a familiar voice called from behind.

"Shuin!"

Though the sudden appearance was unexpected, I was used to it now.

I greeted Gaeul with a happy smile.

"Did you come, Gaeul?"

"Nyeng!"

Our tails wagged in harmony.

While we enjoyed our pleasant reunion, the researchers had gone pale.

"How..."

Evelyn tapped her earpiece, her face ashen.

Then she raised her voice at someone.

"Hey. You're supposed to report immediately if anything comes through the portal."

"What? What do you mean?"

"Didn't someone just come through the portal?"

"No one except that child Gyeoul from earlier."

Flinch.

Evelyn froze in place.

Then turned toward Gaeul like she'd seen a ghost.

"...?"

Her pupils trembled violently as she stared at Gaeul.

The MS facility had basic spatial movement restrictions.

It was to prevent teleporters from infiltrating.

'How did she...?'

She suddenly appeared in the MS facility despite the spatial restrictions.

There was no way to tell how or where she came from.

'At least they're both non-aggressive.'

Though Gyeoul had been very well-behaved so far, Evelyn remained cautious.

Following protocol, she wrote a report on the being that came through MS-132.

[MS132-Han Gyeoul]

Grade...

Let's hold off for now.

We probably haven't seen all the child's abilities yet.

However, instantly killing an ent and handling a spatial movement user like a subordinate...

She'd be extremely dangerous as an enemy.

Evelyn could only hope Gyeoul remained a good child.

There had been countless MS that only 'pretended' to be good.

Evelyn maintained her guard.

"Um, Gyeoul?"

"Yes?"

"How strong are you considered in your world?"

"Um... I'm actually just a beginner level."

"What...?"

A beginner with such monstrous abilities?

Was that even possible?

Evelyn's pupils shook violently.

'A world where monsters live...?'

A girl who could kill an ent stronger than titanium with one arrow.

Beings so powerful that this girl called herself a beginner.

And she was going to bring them to our world?

If they ever became hostile...

'Oh no...'

Evelyn looked down at her tablet.

She wrote a brief note in Gyeoul's information section:

-If the child's stated abilities are all true, grade is I

Grade I - given only to the most dangerous MS in the foundation.

Perhaps this child who came was Grade I.

The ability to freely summon otherworldly monsters without restriction was more dangerous than any existing MS.