Rust - Chapter 628



Only Krnovel

RUST [RUST]-628

Of the five stray cats, one was caught, and it was soon discovered what the other four were doing and where they had gone.

Sizzle!

A few field mice that were scouting the outskirts have disappeared.

The field mouse was resistant to 9mm bullets and the teeth and claws of a rat that could gnaw through metal plates, but it could not withstand the claws of a stray cat.

[Chi-ik – Four of them came out where the stray cats are now. Did they dig a hole in the snow?]

A stray cat dug a hole?

A cat-like animal that isn’t a rat, rabbit, or weasel, but a burrowing animal?

It’s one thing to climb trees, but it’s another to dig a hole in the snow to move around. It’s not even on the ground, it’s in the snow.

The fact that a cat that hates the cold would do something like that meant that it would go against its instincts to some extent for the sake of hunting.

[It’s dangerous.]

In many ways.

Maru felt it.

There were signs that animals were going beyond their instincts, such as the behavior of herbivores such as moose and buffalo, and the movements of bears that had to hibernate.

Ironically, the most dangerous animal among them was the rat. With a short lifespan and frequent reproduction, rapid mutations occurred. Fortunately, the rate of mutation is slowing down?

[Chiiik- Hey- See- That guy was taken alive by the leader. I’ll send you the video.]

The image that appeared on the HUD (Head-Up Display) was a scene of a leaderless wild cat eating the head of a field mouse. It reminded me of the mutant rats I had encountered in a village in North Texas.

‘It’s dangerous.’

Maru’s senses began to warn a little more sharply.

A rat with a developed brain in North Texas ate human brains and absorbed their knowledge. The baby rats who inherited the trait were apparently reading flashcards, and the memory of them being wiped out completely came to mind.

[Is that guy just eating the head while it’s still alive?]

[Chiiik- Ah- You only eat mouse heads? That’s what wild cats do.]

In the cat world, the head. That is, the head of the prey is considered a delicacy, and is considered a part that can supplement essential nutrients. Isn’t there a saying like that? Fish head and meat tail.

[what?]

[Beep- When the story about the cat repaying a favor comes up, do you give the whole thing, including the head? Or do you just give the body without the head? They say they judge how grateful you are by that.]

[So… isn’t it strange that the leader of the wildcats cut off the head of a field mouse and ate it? Eating four of them all by himself?]

[Chi-ik – That could be possible.]

I wish it were so, but Maru’s instincts kept warning him. Contrary to what Gi-sun said, there was another reason why he only ate the heads of the mice that the leader had captured.

Maru explained the story of a rat that became smart after eating brains.

[Beep- There was a rat like that in North Texas? That’s not good… So you’re planning on killing it?]

[okay.]

What if the litter of pups with the traits of the leader cat starts to multiply? Can you handle it?

[Cheet-······. A cat would be a perfect animal to keep mice and crows in check.]

[That’s not the stray cat right now.]

Srrrrrrrr-

Maru pulled out his sword.

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At some point, the leader cat learned the habits of his prey.

Where the prey is running, where the nest is, how to respond. The changes are so fast that I thought I could naturally notice them.

The leader cat, who realized that every time he ate the head of his prey, he absorbed a fragment of the prey’s memory, concentrated on eating the heads.

After that, the hunting success rate increased dramatically. The story of a surplus of resources in the wild meant that there were enemies who wanted to hunt them, or that a pack could be formed.

The smart cat became the leader.

Kwajik-

Odok- Odok-

The head of the field mouse was definitely a delicacy. It was also fun to eat. Usually, when caught like this, they beg for their lives, but it was strange to see them screaming back.

When eating live prey, it was common to experience tastes and memories associated with fear. But these tasted different.

Feeling good?

Meow?

What is this?

Hot and burning, hot and bubbling?

A feeling welling up in my chest. A feeling like I can do anything!

Kyaaaaaaaah!!!

Charge!

Battle stimulant. So the leader cat howled after eating the drugged rat.

Meow?

Didn’t you say we were going to make a surprise attack?

Kyaaaaaaaah!!!

charge!

The onslaught of wild cats began, like a pack of field mice.

‧

‧

‧

[Chiiik- Are they crazy?]

Ki-sun muttered at the sight of the cats suddenly jumping out and charging fiercely. The stray cats that had been lying in ambush and even conducting a feint like humans suddenly charging?

[what’s the matter?]

Maru, who was taking a detour to where the stray cats were lying in wait, stopped walking.

[Chiik- The stray cats are charging now.]

[charge?]

An image appeared on the HUD. A pack of wild cats broke free from their ambush and ran in a straight line like arrows.

crazy.

Individually defeated?

Maru turned around and started running. At full speed.

The Naru clones were spread out in squads and platoons. They were positioned to prepare for a surprise attack by the wild cats.

“Where did the king go?”

“Have you seen the stray cat being caught?”

“Did you go to reconnaissance yourself?”

“Are you on a blimp?”

The Naru clones, who had question marks floating around, were in high spirits after catching the monster cat without any damage.

It was the same with the field mice.

They thought they were the ones who caught their natural enemy, the wild cat. They were the ones who got in through the wound in its side. But it was true that the humans helped.

‘You’re quite good for a human.’

The field mice looked at the noisy Naru clones and thought, These humans are pretty useful.

Sizzle!

It’s the enemy!

The scout rat’s emergency signal was dropped along with the sound.

[Chiiik- They’re heading that way.]

“attack?”

“It’s a wild cat!”

“Coming!”

“Tell them to retreat.”

The Naru clones were ready for battle in an instant. However, the squad that had been acting as bait had not returned. It was difficult for the squad to move quickly because it was made up of wounded soldiers.

“direction?”

“Right in front!”

“Riding the river?”

“Just charging in?”

“The firepower is dispersed.”

“Front-on!”

In order to deal with the surprise attacks characteristic of felines, the way to deal with them was to spread out and deploy in a way that eliminated blind spots.

There were feral cats coming down the Hudson River. There was no time to set booby traps, and there was no way to set them.

“Booby trap!”

“no!”

“It’s dangerous if the ice breaks right in front of you!”

“Sniper squad, forward.”

“We need some firearms platoon time.”

“What about the mice?”

“Wait on the riverbank.”

The rats were flanking the flanks. The plan was for the Naru clones to block the feral cat’s charge, and then attack from the sides and rear.

“We have to block their way.”

“We’re far away, what if we go sideways?”

“It’s late.”

“There aren’t enough barricades.”

“Sled. Block it with a sled.”

Before the Naru clones could react, the feral cats came into view.

Kyaaang!

Kyaaaa–

The stray cat’s charge was like the wind.

Wild cats running at incredible speeds as if possessed by a cheetah.

“In the middle. Big.”

“Sniper squad. The big one in the middle!”

“The leader in the center!”

Thump- thump- thump-

12.7mm bullets and 7.6mm sniper bullets rained down on the leader cat, who was right in the middle of the arrowheads. The leader cat simply deflected them with his head and hissed.

Kyaaaaaaaah!

The large feline’s characteristic low-frequency waves hit the Naru clones. However, perhaps because they had experienced it before, the Naru clones held out well.

The leader cat didn’t like that. Usually, when he yelled like that, the gathered prey would scatter or freeze and urinate.

But what are these?

Don’t humans run away?

Aren’t you scared?

Just as I was about to cry out loud again, I felt something strange.

It was because of fragments of memory.

???

The most vivid memory of all four mice was one.

???

It was something unknown.

Strictly speaking, it is death in human form.

death?

horror?

existence?

The brain of the wild cat, which was on drugs, could not properly process the information about the field mouse that was slowly being absorbed.

In this area, you and your flock were fear and death. So you’re afraid of humans? Let me tell you what’s truly scary.

Kyaaaa …

At the same time, the space was distorted. A black line that tore through the space headed towards the cat’s neck.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

A solid line that brushed the nape of the neck was drawn on the right side of the pack, running sharply in a triangle through the leader cat.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Starting with the neck of the leader cat running at the very front falling off, the heads of the cats running to the right of the leader began to fall off one after another.

Fusut-

Puhwaaaaaaaah-

Thud thud thud-

A stream of blood spurts out every time the headless torso jumps.

A heart that pumps hard without knowing that its neck has been cut off.

The ice rink began to turn a deep red as the headless bodies collapsed one after another.

“······.”

“······.”

“······.”

“······.”

The gunfire stopped and the jaw clenching stopped.

Only silence hovered over the frozen river.

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‧

‧

‧

And then there was an explosion of cheers.

“Gyaaaaaaaaaah!!!”

“Oppaaaaaaaaaah!!!”

A roar that shakes the riverbank.

“Kkiyaaaaaaaaaa!!!”

“It’s the king!!!”

“Oppaaaaaaaaa!”

“What the heck!”

“I’m dying!!”

“AAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!”

Even the wild cats on the left of the leader hesitated and backed away.

Maru was momentarily confused.

The reaction of those who saw his swordsmanship for the first time was unanimous.

It was a reaction and an atmosphere of being fed up with seeing ‘fear.’, ‘horror.’, ‘the grim reaper.’, ‘death.’ And that was the general reaction.

But what are these?

Did the group get rejected?

Or maybe only the unfortunate ones survived and the normal ones were all destroyed.

‘That could be the case.’

It would have been difficult for a sane person to survive on a plate cut by a meat shield. Maru approached the remaining stray cats without releasing his hiding spot.

The wild cats, having lost their leader, could not rush towards the rampaging brother’s troops.

Those were crazy people.

It felt like madness was overflowing, and a strange energy was emanating from it. My keen instinct warned me not to rush into it.

And that warning became reality.

Bam-

Even though their colleagues’ heads were being cut off in real time, it took several seconds for the stray cats to realize it.

A sense of smell numbed by the smell of blood.

Hearing impaired by the high-pitched screams of human females.

Even the beards that have become frozen and weakened in the cold air.

They were being slaughtered without even noticing anything.

Gyaaaaang!!

There’s something!

There was something.

Something that kills them.

Meow!

Run away!

The surviving wild cats turned and started to run away. And in the direction they were running away, several field mice suddenly appeared in their way.

Two field mice with tin cans wrapped around their bodies.

The stray cats who saw that were angry.

A rat blocking the road?

Prey and such- toys and such- how dare you-

But what mattered now was running away and surviving.

Kyaang!

Get out of the way!

Sharp, sickle-like claws protruded from its furry forelimbs.

Kyaaaaang!

Vicky!

The field mice cried out in unison before those sharp claws.

Jeeeeek!

God is great!

So you are already dead.

The ice broke with a loud bang.