Modern Monster

When does someone become a monster?

When They're born?

Or when they're sick of living?

Sen’s lunges hurt. His knees felt disjointed, and they ached with excruciating pain. But he didn’t stop running. He wouldn’t stop running. Sharp branches grazed his cheek, drawing blood, but he ignored them. Even when his boots got stuck in the mud, he quickly freed them and kept going. He knew if he stopped, he would most likely die.

This is what happens when you don’t have a Sense. It’s not like that sword is going to work. As he ran through the forest under the night sky, he glanced down at his hip, where a sheathed sword with a shiny gem in the center of the pommel hung. He had a Sense Sword, but he couldn’t use it properly.

Sen grimaced as he leaped over a fallen tree trunk, wincing at the pain in his abdomen. No, he shouldn’t complain. It didn’t matter what got him into this position. All he could hope for was to outlast the chasing monster or be heroically saved by someone. I don’t really like the thought of being saved by someone.

Maybe I do have pride. Besides, I lost my communication device, so I doubt anyone would save me even if I wanted them to.

He still had some energy left to create a plan. Even if he was the only person in the vicinity, he didn’t like looking weak in front of himself. He had standards, after all. But what could he do in his current position? Twigs crunched beneath his feet as he looked around for anything that might help. So how am I going to deal with this, Crydan?

Resembling its closest cousins, the wolf and the crocodile, the monster was classified as a bronze-rank. Due to its furry, lizard-like body, it didn’t run well on solid ground but could chase prey for hours. Not to mention its long snout, powerful jaws that could snap a deer in half, and sharp, sword-like horns on the side of its mouth for close combat. Their keen nose was also problematic. They all inherently had Smell as their sense, allowing them to track prey miles away.

Seriously… I feel like the ranks don’t do that hideous monster justice. The first day of the challenge was a rollercoaster, and in all honesty, feeling on the brink of death was exhilarating. He had never felt something quite like it before. A constant stream of thrill flowed inside his veins, dulling any noticeable pain. It felt as though he couldn’t feel the gaping hole in his chest anymore. Sen had grown used to it, but now he doubted if it were normal.

His emotions… he couldn’t recognize them anymore.

At that moment, he spotted a half-slanted tree leaning against others. It was the perfect elevation for someone to climb. Sen couldn’t ignore this opportunity. He needed to put it to good use. Stalking up the slanted trunk, Sen looked at a large branch from another tree a few feet above him. Still grasping the fallen tree with his hands and feet, struggling to keep his balance on such a steep elevation, Sen took a deep breath and sprang upwards. He wasn’t certain he would reach it, but his hands gripped the sharp bark, and he pulled himself up. Gasping, he sat on the branch's ledge.

That worked out better than expected… He wiped the sweat from his face with the sleeve of his white, red-lined tracksuit. Now, all I have to do is wait. It would have been cold to sit around and wait in this weather, but the special suit the academy gave all the contestants kept him oddly warm, even though it was paper-thin and light. He pulled the white tracksuit hoodie over his head and sighed, his warm breath creating a small cloud of fog in the cold air.

He wasn’t sure how long he was waiting, but it only felt like a few moments before he heard the sound of stomping paws dashing through the forest floor. Sen saw the furry, lizard-like creature escape the undergrowth, its red eyes glaring angrily. The monster wasn’t running anymore. It stopped directly below Sen, lifting its flat alligator snout and sniffing the air with confusion. The monster must have realized that Sen’s scent suddenly stopped with no trace. Which must have been unusual for the monster’s other prey. They never disappear. They merely run away.

Sen crouched on the branch to lower his profile right as the monster looked up, almost wondering if the human had grown wings and flown away. Puzzled, the creature circled the space, trying to find any scent trail. Sen waited and waited for the monster to give up its search, but it was stubborn. Hunkering below him, the monster would rather wait than accept a failed hunt.

Sen gritted his teeth impatiently. It doesn’t seem inclined to leave at all. What a stubborn monster.

He paused abruptly, recognizing something he never really thought about. A stubborn monster… He watched the creature again as it shook its fur and yawned like any other dog would. Can monsters be stubborn? he asked himself.

It was a simple question, but he struggled to answer it. The government's scientists always recognized monsters as devils incapable of any human emotions. But how true was that? If monsters were the embodiment of evil, then didn’t that mean they felt anger? If they felt anger, then who’s to say they didn’t feel sadness, too? Or even stubbornness.

Sen chuckled at that thought. Who am I to care about what a monster is feeling? He’s trying to kill me. Sen’s fake chuckle slowly flattened out. He steadily stood up on the branch and gripped the sword's handle, silently unsheathing it. He wasn’t going to get another chance. He was in perfect striking distance from the monster, and it had no idea he was there. If he didn’t do it now, he would be dinner. Sen bent his knees and clenched his sword.

But yet…

Moments passed by, and he didn’t strike. Sen blinked in confusion, wondering why his legs weren’t jumping. Was his body fatigued? Maybe he had no energy left. No, it’s something else, he realized. I… just don't want to do it.

Shaking his head, his breath grew unsteady for some reason. Sen’s mind began feeling muggy and cloudy, as if he were stranded in a dark, eerily calm ocean. Everything was so dull… and distant until an eye opened amid his foggy mind. An evil, ferocious pupil, one of a tiger.

Do it… A voice almost identical to Sen’s spoke.

Do it…

Sen groaned, trying to bang his head with his fist to make that odd voice disappear. But it didn’t. It remained there, like a part of him. It didn’t matter if Sen closed his eyes; he still saw the eye staring at him, commanding him to do something he didn’t want to.

Do it, the voice said.

Sen tightened his grip on the sword. “Why.”

Do it…

Sen’s eyes began flickering a blue hue, and an inconceivable aura exuded from his body. Pure evil and malice–an aura that could be felt from miles away, making any creature cower before it.

The Crydan below, oblivious before, now jumped in fear, sensing that horrid and vile atmosphere. But it couldn’t run away. It was frozen in fear—the same fear that humans felt. It could only stare helplessly and dreadfully as it locked eyes with Sen’s blue ones. Those were not the same eyes of the human it had chased. No, they were the eyes of a monster. A monster born from the depths of humanity’s hatred.

...

Before Sen was aware of his surroundings, it was already over. His sword was lodged in the monster’s head, and his boots were covered in blood. Sen gasped for breath as he collapsed on the ground, kneeling beside the limp monster. The blue flicker in Sen’s eye vanished as quickly as it had come, leaving him mind-numbingly staring at the night sky.

“Identifying monster, please wait… Monster confirmed– Crydan.” His techno watch beeped in a robotic voice. “Fifteen points added to Team Sen.”

He stood there in silence, way longer than he should have but shorter than he needed. Sen reached for his face, wiping off the monster’s blood splatter, and eyed the substance on his hand. He rubbed the blood between his fingers and saw the stuck expression on the Crydan’s face. It was scared…the very same way many people in his life were of him.

“What happened…” Sen asked himself, looking at his blood-stained hands. “Who am I?”

# A few hours before

“Don’t mind the monster, everyone,” Asashi said, standing on the podium indefinitely. The crowd wasn’t sure how to process what they’d just seen. They wordlessly eyed the Knight, trying not to notice the dead corpse of the monster that had been sliced in half a mere moment ago. Sen wasn’t sure if the contestants felt safer or more anxious. He sure didn’t know himself.

“I’ll give you a summary of the rules if everyone is ready.” He scanned the contestants for objections. No one dared speak out; they were too dazed to protest how uncomfortable they felt. No one is going to stand up and disagree with what he said after all that. Sen snorted. They would have to be borderline suicidal to do that.

Asashi’s display of power vindicated his status as a gold-ranked Knight. Those who didn’t know his name and capabilities had his image burned into their minds now. Sen couldn’t help but think it was planned to a certain extent. He recalled Asashi ignoring the other Knight’s panic. Asashi knew the danger of the monster but chose to handle it himself. But for what reason? The answer was quite simple.

Asashi wanted to strike fear into certain contestants while also creating a sense of intrigue and admiration for the others. I see what he’s doing. To think he came up with such a complex psychological ploy at that moment is impressive. It's only a matter of time before he gives the contestants one more chance.

Sen waited for Asashi to continue speaking, and surely enough, his theory turned out to be true.

“Before that, though, I would like to ask you young Knights a simple question,” Asashi said, his expression unreadable and flat. The contestants murmured among themselves as his silence stretched.

Asashi allowed a few moments of anticipation before unsheathing his sword and pointing at the bloody monster corpse below his podium. He was dead serious. Sen could feel it from where he was standing. “Could you really slay that monster if it attacked you?” he asked, giving the people time to absorb his words. “If it lunged at you, what would you do? What could you do?”

Sen crossed his arms and listened intently. Most people felt two different ways when Asashi slew the monster. One group, of course, would feel alarmed, but that would quickly be drowned by their adrenaline and admiration for Asashi. These people seek power and are fearless, not worried about their own safety as long as it means they achieve their goals.

The second group of people, however, would feel differently. They’re scared… and regretful that they even came here. Wishing nothing more than to curl up in their bedsheets and scroll through social media. They were the ones who didn’t have that burning ambition inside of them.

Those people are exactly the ones whom Asashi wanted to expose. He’s giving them another chance before they make a brutal mistake. Meanwhile, others who are naturally ambitious are left with even more driving motivation.

And before he knew it, the results were in. Many of the contestants confidently raised their hands, fully thinking they, too, could slay that monster, just as Asashi had. They were the ones who would inevitably continue to the second challenge. Sen, along with his friends, forcefully followed and raised their hands too. However, there were people who didn’t. Those people had no drive.

“I see…” Asashi said, scanning the crowd, then gave a rough sigh. “Everyone who didn’t raise their hand. The train will leave for Tokyo in the next ten minutes. Feel free to leave.”

Instantly, people shouted protests, most likely those who hadn’t raised their hands when Asashi asked his question.

“This is unfair. You didn’t tell us the circumstances of the question!” one shouted.

“You manipulated us!”

“We’re not leaving just because you said so—”

“Enough.” Asashi’s loud voice from the microphone silenced the protests. “I said, feel free to leave, did I not?”

Sen was amused by Asashi’s methods. He’s putting the pressure on them. It’s all up to the individual if they want to continue the challenge. And the people who didn’t raise their hands most likely don’t have the power nor the drive to endure being a Knight. They just don’t like that their uncertainty is being exposed, so they get defensive. Asashi’s method was simple… but flawless.

What puzzled Sen, however, was Asashi’s motive for the method. He didn’t seem like the type to care about the lives of others, yet his actions showed the opposite. Why did Asashi care so much about people he didn’t even know? Was it out of concern or some other ulterior motive? Perhaps it made him feel more superior. What's the real reason? What does Asashi have to gain from this?

“If you are not confident in slaying a monster, then you’re a fool to continue,” Asashi stated. “The second challenge will consist of one main objective. Survive seven days in the Mount Fuji forest, and gain as many points as you can for your team. If you cannot slay a single monster, there is simply no way you can participate.”

Sen frowned. Surviving a full week in the forest? Surely, that’s not all there is to pass the challenge. Asashi’s explanation only seemed to demotivate people who were uncertain, and they began murmuring with each other, debating what they should do. But Asashi wasn’t done speaking just yet.

“Specifically calculated points will be assigned to you and your team whenever you slay a monster. To keep things fair, the points are calculated based on your Sense and overall skill. People with Touch obviously have the advantage when it comes to combat, so their points will generally be less if they kill an identical monster to someone with, let’s say, Taste. Of course, if someone is very inexperienced with Touch, the Techno watch’s AI automatically accounts for that and gives points based on their aptitude,” revealed Asashi.

He needed to give credit where credit was due. Whoever came up with the points system was clever. Of course, how many points you gain in total will still set you apart from the rest. This is still a performance-based challenge. If a person is incompetent and unable to slay enough monsters, they will still be beaten by others. The points are given to set an even playing field for those who are genetically stronger.

“Furthermore, each day that you survive, your team will receive one hundred points at midnight. This will give you an incentive to stay in the challenge, even if you are not capable of slaying any monsters. And at the end of the week, the top fifty percent with the most points move on to the third and final challenge.”

The last bit of information sent a ripple of gasps through the participants, which Sen didn’t share. He knew there was some sort of catch from the start. Just surviving for a week didn’t sound right. The stakes weren’t high enough. Although just surviving in the danger zone seems tough on its own, I feel like they're hiding something from us.

That thought made him remember his short conversation with Baru, on how he said the challenge wasn’t going to be dangerous. Either he was stupid as he usually was, or there was some merit to his statement. Sen had no way of knowing.

“Two more important things before we move on,” Asashi hushed the noise. “One, you will be granted the appropriate weapons and supplies for the week. Keep in mind that it's very limited, so use what you have wisely. Two, and most importantly, under no circumstances will you jump the wall.”

The wall? Sen blinked.

“I know you may be confused about what that is, so please listen carefully. There is a wall circling a large part of the forest, including this one; if you attempt to go beyond this wall, you will not only be disqualified from the challenge but also be taken into custody by the AOK. Is that clear?”

Asashi’s clear-cut words threw Sen for a loop. So, is it against the law for someone to go over the wall? No, then he would have said that. Someone would be taken into custody, which doesn’t necessarily mean breaking the law; it just means going against the AOK and their interests. But why?

Beside him, Baru snorted comically. Shifting his attention towards his teammate, Baru was almost holding in his laughter. It certainly wasn’t out of character, but it wasn’t appropriate timing for something like that.

“You find something amusing?” Sen asked him.

Baru dismissed it with a shake of his head, chuckling. “No, no, it's nothing, really. It’s just funny, that’s all.”

“Funny?”

“Yep, it’s funny because it’s like we're chess pieces on the board. We keep on moving and killing, thinking we’re the ones making the decisions. But we’re really not.”

Hana grimaced. “That sounds awfully cryptic and unlike you.”

Baru stuck out his tongue childishly. “Kidding, of course. I just thought I’d lighten up the tense mood.”

“How was that supposed to light up the mood? Idiot!”

“What? Should I have said something sexist, or?” Baru asked as Hana deadpanned threateningly. “T–that’s a joke too…” He gulped.

She rolled her eyes. “At least that’s more like you.”

Sen kept his thoughts to himself. There was no need for him to ask for an explanation because Baru wasn’t going to give him one—not in public, at least. He was simply giving him a hint, implying that he knew something that Sen didn’t. We’re just chess pieces on a board… he wondered what that meant.

“I’ll take the silence as a yes, I suppose,” Asashi said to them. From the corner of his eye, he spotted a signal from one of the AOK Knights in the back of the gathered people, telling him it was time. “Oh, and ahead of schedule, too. It seems the train to go back to Tokyo is ready. This is your last chance.” He warned, his tone almost challenging. “Participate in a challenge where it's guaranteed that half of you will be eliminated, or snuggle in your bedsheets and have a warm home-cooked meal?”

The people had made their choice, and Sen was half-expecting the outcome…

Roughly a hundred people from the nine hundred and seventy-seven had chosen to quit, breaking off from the rest with their heads lowered in shame. The small group of deserters waited beside the linked trains, not even interested in what Asashi had to say next. Or, to put it into better words, they were too ashamed to listen further. Less than one-tenth, huh? Looks like Asashi’s method ratted them out.

Sen watched them disperse inside the trains and slowly dwindle away before there wasn’t a single person left. Sen had recognized a few of them from his own train, and before the second challenge started, they celebrated passing their first hurdle… only to give up moments after, seeing a glimpse of what was to come. Was it pathetic? Or was it expected?

“I commend the rest of you for staying,” Asashi’s gaze locked onto Sen’s. He normally could discern Asashi’s scrutiny, but this time, it was different. It wasn’t his usual irate expression, but more… worried, perhaps? Why would Asashi be worried for him?

“I bid you all good luck,” Asashi bowed respectfully to the aspiring Knights. "The challenge will be something you’ll likely never face again. With that, I’d like to finish off with a quote I’d like you all to remember." Asashi closed his eyes, breathing in the cold mountain air.

“We're all monsters. Some just show it less than others.”