CH 176

To be honest, I didn’t intend to cause such a big commotion with this terror attack. I just wanted to meet Stardus after a long time, and also take the opportunity to see her skills properly.

But I didn’t know Stardus would come out like this suddenly.

“Haa… Haa…”

After several attacks and defenses, I watched from inside the cockpit as Stardus, breathing heavily, covered her mouth with her arm.

Despite looking exhausted, his two eyes were clearly looking at me with burning intensity, as if he would crush me to pieces. It was a resolute expression that I hadn’t seen since my very first terrorist attack.

As I watched Stardus, who was burning with such intense passion, I was a bit taken aback.

…No, why is she like that?

The expression seemed like it could kill a person on its own. No, perhaps that expression really was trying to take me down.

…Why is she really like this?

My initial plan was simply to test Stardus’ abilities while keeping my identity hidden. In fact, I didn’t even think twice about hiding my identity; I just did it to objectively check his abilities.

But for some reason, his reaction was quite violent.

“…Let’s think about it.”

From Stardus’ perspective, a new villain suddenly appeared one day and caused a terrorist attack. And that villain had already figured out his attack patterns, and was even overwhelming him.

…Is that why?

t seems to be because of that, no matter how I look at it. Perhaps because I’m hiding my identity, there’s a heightened sense of suspicion. Well, from her perspective, a powerful new villain suddenly appeared overnight.

That’s why she seemed to be genuinely taking me seriously.

This was something I didn’t intend, and it was quite surprising. I was momentarily considering opening the cockpit and saying, “Ta-da! Actually, I’m Egostic!” and then making a run for it.

However…

“Ugh.”

I changed my mind while watching Stardus, who was clenching her fist and flying towards me again.

Right. I can’t miss out on such a valuable growth event.

Judging from what I’ve seen so far, I might be able to barely survive the upcoming main event, the Vampire Castle incident. But if I grow again here today, I’m sure I’ll be able to handle it with confidence.

Thinking that, I moved my machine to dodge Stardus and then struck her with one of my four fists.

As if she had expected it, she suddenly dropped down and flew from behind to attack me.

Her movements were much cleaner and improved than before.

But the problem was that it was me who got hit.

“Urgh.”

[Urgh…I’m gonna kill you!]

Gosh, what kind of punch hit the machine and even hit me inside? Even our Behemoth was wrapped around his abdomen. Behiya, try to block it well.

‘Huh?’

Now Behemoth’s hallucinations were audible.

Although I felt a tingling sensation in my bones, I managed to speak in line with the concept.

But her attack poured out without giving me a chance to speak. I avoided it and used several functions prepared by Seo-eun simultaneously. It was like a plasma bomb, flame thrower, and so on.

“Phew…”

It was a place like a pipe with barely enough space for a person, even though the cockpit was technically in there. I wiped the blood flowing from my mouth with my hand.

… If I get hit a few more times, my body might really be strained, but, well. If I don’t get hit a few more times, it’ll be over, right?

“Today, you fall here. I have decided that. Let this Chaos Destroyer defeat you!”

In a fight, what’s important is taking the initiative.

So I shouted loudly like that. Even though the situation was the situation, it felt like my limbs were trembling for some reason… Once I caught the concept, I had to go all the way.

And to my declaration.

Stardus also combed his hair with a serious face and spoke in a barely audible voice.

“…As expected, we have to handle it here…”

What the hell, why are you so scary?

I was considering using my ‘I’m gonna run away’ spell, Egostic, but I’m a man of my word. Once I’ve made up my mind, I have to see it through.

Now, I have no choice but to run.

“Die!”

I ran towards the Starthas, who began to shine with a yellow light in his fists, even though I didn’t mean what I said.

…Can I come back alive?

***

Danger comes unexpectedly at any moment.

Of course, there are cases where, like Egostic, they advertise their terrorism in advance, but most of the time it comes suddenly.

One of the most representative ones is the Behemoth of Haneun Group, also known as the Black Wave Incident. It suddenly appeared one day and almost swept away Seoul. There was also the Storm Incident of Moonlight Shaman. She also appeared suddenly one evening.

And the feeling I felt at such times.

Shin Haru was feeling it now.

‘….’

Of course, the opponent was not causing as much widespread casualties, but their strength was almost on par. From the beginning, Shin Haru felt that she had become considerably stronger than before. Even the head of the association mentioned that she seemed to be at the level of an S-rank mid-tier in terms of her abilities.

And yet, a villain appeared who overwhelmingly dominated her in close combat. And to make matters worse, he was controlling a bulky mechanical device.

It was only natural that she felt a sense of urgency.

Therefore, Shin Haru thought to herself that she must capture him here and now. Even in her current state of knowing nothing about herself, she was being pressured this much. If more data were to accumulate later, she might not be able to handle it, especially if it were from a mechanical engineer.

So, with all her might, Shin Haru suppressed her fatigue and fought against him.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she fought, but she kept rolling her head. Up, down, right, right. As if memorizing the pattern, she steadily delivered one blow after another.

At first, she couldn’t land a single hit on the mechanical device. But eventually, she began to land effective blows on it one by one.

[Urghhh!]

…It had a surprisingly satisfying impact.

With each hit, she made a sound as if she were dying and flew away.

That guy.

Of course, he gets up again right away, but it was a sight that proved that effective hits were being delivered. If she continues at this pace, she feels like she can take him down as long as he doesn’t run away.

However,

Thump, thump.

“…..?”

As she kept hitting him one by one.

Shin Haru continued to feel a growing sense of unease.

A feeling of doing something that shouldn’t be done. A premonition that she was doing something she would regret later. And a heartbeat that grew larger with such ominousness.

‘…Why is this happening?’

Shin Haru was confused by the strange feeling.

…Just attacking a newly appearing villain, so why does she feel this uneasy?

And such a harsh feeling, every time she hits him one more time during the fight and hears him groan, it grows louder and louder.

…Why does she feel this way towards a villain she’s never seen before? She really couldn’t understand.

Is it because she’s tired, or is there something else? Why does she have this strange premonition?

As she tried to think more about her uneasiness,

“Urghhh….”

Bang. Bang.

She couldn’t think clearly because of the constant attacks that came without rest. She was also exhausted from the ongoing fight.

So she tried to brush it off, thinking it might be because she was just tired. But no matter what, the inexplicable feeling of discomfort didn’t easily go away.

Despite this, she continued to fight for now. She didn’t have the luxury to think about anything else with the villain right in front of her for no reason other than her own mood.

Thus, she succeeded in dodging the villain’s attack and kicking him with her foot.

Momentarily pushed back and then regaining balance, the villain spoke with a mechanical voice that stabbed at her ears, “Urgh. Do you think it’ll end like this, clack? I’ll definitely bring you down!”

It was a machine-like voice that was unpleasant to listen to, but she suddenly felt something strange. Something… something that might come to mind…

However, that thought was cut off by the weapon that flew towards her again. By her own actions, Shin Haru’s arm was broken, and she continued to run with three arms.

Even at a glance, its condition didn’t look good, and the same was true for Shin Haru. With continuous intense fighting and constant concentration, she had visibly become more exhausted.

Without any time to think about it, she continued to fight.

…Yes. Once I take that thing down, this strange feeling will disappear. And once I see what it’s really up to, all of my questions will be answered.

Shin Haru gritted her teeth.

…Yes. I can’t be swayed by strange things. My only goal is to destroy that thing. I can’t think of anything else.

Thump, thump.

As her heartbeats grew stronger as if warning her, she ignored them. Shin Haru. She is a hero. And heroes don’t think of anything else when facing villains.

And so the fight continued.

Tearing off the other arm of the damn thing, now the machinery of its two arms were dangling.

Shin Haru gritted her teeth and delivered the final blow.

Now, she will end this tiresome fight here.

With that thought, a star-like bright light flashed on her fist.

As it is.

—————-BOOM.

[Urgh-]

At the moment her final blow struck the center of the machine’s body, the machine flew backward like a comet and crashed into the wall of the adjacent building, stuck there.

With a sound of destruction, the thing was slammed into the wall. Then, as if it had lost all power, it fell to the ground with a thud.

It was now a circular machine lying on the ground, with its two mechanical arms stretched out.

“Haa… Haa…”

And in front of it, Shin Haru, Stardus, gasped for breath, grasping one arm.

She succeeded. She had brought down the villain.

But…

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

Why was her heart beating so fast?

Why was this uneasy, ominous feeling not going away?

Something feels like a big mistake was made.

“…Strange.”

Something is strange.

No, there shouldn’t be a problem. She just captured the newly appeared villain.

…Yeah. Let’s check it out.

With unsteady steps, she made her way towards the fallen machinery.

Step by step, the ominous feeling grew with each step.

As she arrived in front of it, Stardus tried to suppress her uneasiness, grabbing onto one of the steel plates with her foot and tearing it off, thinking that the vicious villain would be inside.

What she saw inside the torn steel side was…

“…Oh…?”

“Cough. Hello, Stardus. Haha… Cough.”

Covered in blood inside, holding onto his abdomen, Egostic appeared, with red blood dripping from his mouth, but still attempting to smile at her.

…Huh?

And at that moment, Stardus lost the light in her eyes.