Kaiju No.8: Devour and Evolve

After the intense battle, Kafka Hibino stood in place, his monstrous armor now tinged with a faint crimson. He turned to the little girl with a reassuring smile and said, "Hey, it's all over now. Take your mom to the hospital quickly, okay?"

However, the sight of his grotesque features only made the little girl burst into terrified sobs.

Ichikawa Reno quickly stepped in to comfort her. After several minutes of soothing words, he managed to calm her down. Then, turning to Kafka, he sighed, exasperated. "Senior, could you try being a little more approachable?"

Kafka tilted his head in thought before turning back to the girl, his face twisting into what he thought was a friendly grin. "How about this?" he asked, baring sharp teeth and revealing a monstrous tongue.

The little girl screamed even louder.

Reno smacked his forehead. "Forget it! Just run for it, okay? I'll take care of them and get them to the hospital!" he said, taking responsibility as usual.

Kafka bowed deeply in gratitude. "I'll leave it to you, then," he said softly, a hint of melancholy in his voice.

Once again, he felt the crushing weight of being ostracized by humanity. Would he ever find a place where he truly belonged? At thirty-two years old, Kafka was like a man lost in a fog, unable to see the road ahead. How had it come to this? How had he suddenly turned into a monster? Life often made no sense.

As Kafka turned to leave, defeated, the little girl suddenly shouted, "Thank you, Mr. Monster!"

Kafka froze. His mind reeled. This—this was the moment he had been fighting for, the acknowledgment that made all his sacrifices worthwhile. Even if he had become a monster, he was still protecting humans.

A shy smile broke across his monstrous features. "Haha, don't mention it! It's what I'm here for!" he said, his attempt at modesty only making him look more terrifying.

The girl's mother, unconscious from her injuries, couldn't see his reaction. The little girl herself trembled, unable to say anything more.

"Senior, that's enough! Let's go before the Defense Force arrives!" Reno urged, snapping Kafka out of his reverie.

Kafka rubbed his face, his features slowly reverting to his human form. "This time, I won't run away," he declared, determination glinting in his eyes. "I will join the Defense Force!"

Reno sighed deeply but didn't argue. He hurriedly dragged Kafka away from the scene. Over ten minutes had passed since the initial monster alert, and reinforcements were undoubtedly on their way. For Kafka's safety, they had to flee.

A few minutes later, Mina Ashiro arrived with members of the Defense Force. They immediately began rescue operations for the girl and her unconscious mother.

White Tiger, a monstrous creature who had been wreaking havoc earlier, was nowhere to be found. Only pools of blood remained, evidence of the intense battle that had unfolded.

"What happened here?" Soshiro Hoshina asked, wide-eyed, his disbelief evident.

Mina knelt beside the little girl, her voice gentle. "Are you okay? Can you tell me what happened?"

The girl, still shaken, began crying. "A monster! It was a monster!" she wailed, recalling the terrifying sight of the creature that had attacked her mother.

Mina sighed heavily. These monsters—when would they finally be eradicated?

Patting the girl's head comfortingly, she smiled. "Don't worry. The Third Division will make sure every monster in Yokohama, and all of Sakura Country, is destroyed!"

Mina's own childhood as an orphan had fueled her relentless drive in the Defense Force. Years of hard work and natural talent had made her the youngest squad leader in the division. She knew what it meant to protect those who couldn't protect themselves.

The girl hesitated, then asked timidly, "But… can you spare the good monsters?"

Everyone froze, startled by her words.

Hoshina furrowed his brow. "Good monsters? What on earth…?" he muttered, confused.

Mina's mind raced as she processed the girl's question. After a moment, she regained her composure. "Can you describe what the good monster looked like? The Defense Force will make sure to handle it… differently," she said, choosing her words carefully.

The girl nodded earnestly and described Kafka's monstrous form in detail: sharp teeth, a long tongue, and a fearsome grin. To the Defense Force members listening, it sounded anything but "good."

Mina quickly relayed this information to her superiors. The night was long and chaotic. Despite their efforts, the hospital monster remained untraceable, while the new monster that had appeared in Yokohama had been obliterated, leaving no trace.

By morning, news of Monster No. 8 had spread like wildfire across Yokohama, Tokyo, and the entire Sakura Country.

--------------

T/N:

Access 30 Chapters in Advance on my

P@treon: [email protected]/GodFic