I PICKED UP A CHILD IN A DUMPSTER-Chapter 43: We’re safe...?

***

Monsters surrounded us, their shapes slipping between trees and shadows. With every breath, they got closer, tightening the space around us until escape feels thinner by the second.

I looked back.

Oh, fuck...

The Frosthowl was charging again— but this time, it wasn’t just chasing us.

It was plowing through the mole-rats.

Bodies burst beneath its claws. Black blood splashed up its legs, smeared across its chest, streaked along its jaws as it crushed them without slowing down. It didn’t even acknowledge them— just ran straight through, turning the snow into a slaughtered path.

I stared at thefrost howl, then slowly looked down at the lit torch in my hand, the one with mole-rat skin wrapped around it, soaked in the same black blood. And the one that has scent that will make The mole-rat hostile.

...Yeah.

That was it.

Exactly.

Go. Squash them.

A sharp, almost hysterical laugh bubbled in my chest before I could stop it.

Then I saw her.

Up in the trees— not hiding, not running.

Just standing there.

Balanced on a thick branch like she belonged there, cloak barely moving, blade missing from her side.

The mysterious samurai.

She was grinning.

Not wide. Not manic...

Just a small, knowing curve of her lips— like she was watching a game finally go the way she expected.

And in that moment, everything clicked.

The Frosthowl. The timing. The way that woman was in front of the Frosthowl.

It all felt connected now— threads tightening, pulling toward a single point.

And it was toward her.

"...So it was you," I muttered, teeth grinding.

This bitch— just because I have her katana.

And wait, didn’t she have a blade?

No.

Focus.

I tore my eyes away from her and locked back onto the Frosthowl.

Closer.

Way closer.

Arven leaned forward, breath ragged. "Nivalis!"

I grabbed her wrist.

Hard.

"Wait," I said. "Don’t. Trust me."

She froze, eyes snapping to mine.

Then— a short nod.

The system window flared beside my vision.

「Distance to Target: 98M」

My heart slammed.

I looked down at my hand.

The torch.

Still burning.

Still wrapped in mole-rat skin— soaked black, reeking, dripping, like coal soaked in fuel, wrapped in cloth.

Then I looked down at Hana.

Hana was still pressed against my chest, small and warm, breathing evenly like none of this existed. Like we weren’t surrounded. Like we weren’t about to die if that monster caught us.

"Arven," I said, keeping my voice low. "Take her. Just for a bit."

I shifted Hana carefully and passed her over. She stirred, brow creasing as she mumbled, "Mm... Dad..." still fast asleep.

I almost laughed. Almost. "This girl..." I muttered. "Still sleeping."

I straightened, fingers digging into the edge of the saddle.

Then my eyes flicked to the window hovering beside me.

「Distance to Target: 54M」

Haha... whatever.

I sucked in a breath, twisted my body, and hurled it.

Straight at the Frosthowl.

The torch spun once—

Then—

The Frosthowl didn’t dodge.

Didn’t flinch. Didn’t even slow down.

It caught the torch mid-charge— claws closing around it like it was nothing more than a burning twig.

For half a second, the world froze.

Then—

BOOM.

The black blood smeared across its body ignited all at once.

Flames tore outward, crawling over its chest, legs, jaws— fire blooming everywhere the mole-rat blood had soaked in. The snow beneath it hissed and vanished.

Then every mole-rat in its path shrieked as the fire spread to them too, bodies jerking and scattering in wild, panicked bursts as the scent and heat overwhelmed them.

They went insane.

Screaming. Fleeing. Slamming into trees. Collapsing into each other.

I leaned forward, eyes locked, heart pounding— And then my stomach dropped.

The Frosthowl didn’t burn.

It didn’t roar or anything... It didn’t even react.

The flames clung to its fur— but never sank in. Like a fire on a stone, its stride never breaking, eyes still locked on us with the same murderous intent, and somehow annoyed...?

Fuck.

I swallowed hard.

Right. I forgot.

Arven said it already.

Even spells. Even weapons.

Nothing hurts that thing.

I glanced sideways.

Arven was holding Hana tightly, Hana still asleep— still peaceful, but Arven’s brow was furrowed deep as she stared at the burning monster behind us.

"...That was your plan?" she said flatly. "Si Hon."

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, dropping back onto the saddle with a shrug. "Relax. At least now we know."

She stared at me.

Hard.

"ಠ⁠_⁠ಠ Si Hon," she said slowly. "This is serious, don’t joke around. We’ll die if that monster reaches us."

"I know," I said quietly.

I looked back again.

At the Frosthowl.

Then— the ground.

A system window snapped open beside my vision.

UPDATE

「MOLE-RATS

Estimated number: 618 → 56

Threat: HOSTILE」

I blinked.

"Huh...?"

The answer was already happening.

The mole-rats— dozens of them, suddenly pivoted. Every single one that could still move turned away from us

And charged the Frosthowl.

Not us.

Well, some are still following us.

But I really didn’t care about that. Since in front of me... there was something good happening.

It made sense.

The Frosthowl was drenched in burning mole-rat blood, soaked far deeper than my clothes that only has smoky MOLE-RAT scent.

And to that guy. The scent pouring off it wasn’t just strong.

It was overwhelming.

Stronger than mine. Stronger than the torch ever was.

I exhaled slowly, a sharp grin tugging at my lips despite myself.

"...Oh," I whispered.

I glanced at Arven. "See? That was my plan."

She rolled her eyes so hard, but still smiled.

"...By the way," I added casually, still watching the chaos behind us, "how long until we reach the tower?"

Arven looked ahead, eyes narrowing as she judged the distance.

"Maybe an hour more. But don’t worry," she said. "That thing looks busy dealing with all the rats crawling over its body."

Good.

For a while, we ran in silence— only the pounding of paws, the hiss of burning snow, and distant shrieks fading behind us.

Then Arven spoke again, her voice cutting cleanly through the wind.

"By the way, Si Hon..." She glanced at me. "Didn’t the system say there were three monsters hunting us?"

"...Yeah," I answered. "Don’t jinx it lol"

Then—

The world lurched.

For a split second, the sky flipped— and then something slammed into Nivalis.

The impact sent her massive body rolling sideways, snow and dirt exploding outward as she crashed hard. A sharp, panicked whine tore from her throat.

Snow, branches, shadows, everything smashed together in a blur. I felt my body lift, then slam, then.

TING!!

A sharp ringing split my head.

Then nothing.

—

Wake up, Si Hon.

A voice cut through the darkness. Calm. Familiar.

Again, softer.

Wake up.

Then— another voice. Smaller. Shaking.

"Dad!"

Hana.

"D-Dad... wake up..."

My eyes snapped open.

Pain exploded behind my head.

I inhaled and the world rushed back all at once. I was on the ground, my back against a tree. Snow clung to my clothes. My head throbbed.

"Hana..." I croaked.

She was kneeling beside me, hands gripping my sleeve, eyes wide. Relief flooded her face the moment she saw mine open.

I looked past her.

Arven.

She was slumped against another tree, eyes closed. Blood ran from her temple, beneath her the snow was colored in red.

"Huh?" I breathed.

Then I heard it.

A roar.

I snapped my head forward.

Nivalis.

She was fighting.

Three MUNCHES surrounded her.

One of them locked onto her hind legs from behind, its weight yanking her balance sideways. Nivalis snarled, claws tearing trenches through the snow as she tried to brace.

Then another Munch stepped in at her side.

It planted its feet.

Raised a crude, jagged bat wood reinforced with bones.

And swung.

The blow slammed straight into her ribs.

The sound wasn’t a crack.

It was a deep, ugly thud, like something dense being struck from the inside. Nivalis’ entire body seized muscles bulging, locking hard as she tried to absorb it— but the force still punched the breath out of her.

A raw, broken cry tore from her chest.

"W-where is Boreas...?"

My head shook on its own.

Then my eyes dropped to the snow.

There.

The katana.

Three feet away.

I immediately pushed myself up. My legs shook. Hana grabbed my arm, steadying me as I staggered forward.

Each step felt heavy, like I was moving through deep water.

I watched Nivalis take another hit. She snapped her jaws, claws tearing into the snow, but they were swarming her— fast, coordinated.

I reached the katana.

My fingers wrapped around the hilt.

It was cold.

Heavy.

Then...

The katana felt wrong in my hands, too light, too unfamiliar and panic clawed up my spine.

I picked this up, but... what am I even supposed to do with it?

The doubt barely finished forming when—

A familiar window flickered beside my vision.

「Your skill, Si Hon」

And then it immediately vanished.

Just like that.

My breath caught.

"...Right," I muttered.

That skill.

The multi-directional something... whatever it was.

I shut my eyes.

And the world slowed.

Sound stretched— wind, snarls, Hana’s breathing, all drawn out, distorted. And most of all my body felt light. Too light.

Then—

ZIIIIIIIT.

My stomach lurched.

I opened my eyes.

Colors stretched— pulled thin like rubber for a split second.

The world flipped.

One sickening lurch, then suddenly I’m in the air, and no longer on the solid ground but upside down behind the MUNCHES.

Everything felt strangely light, the gravity, everything.... My body usually heavy with fatigue, now feels weightless.

I moved my arms.

The blade moved with me. And in one clean motion— I strike its head, it was so smooth, so smooth that cutting its neck felt like cutting a butter.

Then, time continued. I hit the ground, then an tinging impact was sent up my spine, but the momentum carried me, and I landed, side-first, it was painful.

Before my eyes, the decapitated head, its vacant gaze fixed on nothing. Then the dead MUNCHES body dropped beside me with a dull thud, snow puffing up around it. I glanced at it once, then away.

Meh...

looked up slowly.

The two MUNCHES froze.

The one striking Nivalis stopped, then backed away— step by step.

Then it stared at me.

A second passed.

Then— A slow, chilling smile spread across its features.

Maybe it noticed I wasn’t moving. Maybe it understood that I couldn’t.

It was wrong.