CH 82

The Korean Association of Superpowers, the Hero Association in short.

The operational control room there in Seoul was now in the mood of a mourner’s house.

“Yeah. So it was made by those HanEun Group’s brats, where is it now?”

“We are currently attacking structures in the abandoned factory area outside the Seoul metropolitan area. The men on that side have been evacuated, and no casualties have been caught so far.”

“…How far has the evacuation of citizens progressed in the city center?”

“Most of the people got to the outskirts, but the pace of that weapon’s entry is fast, so it’s going to catch up soon. There are no casualties yet, as the B-level heroes have helped the rest of us… But at some point…”

“…Haa. All right. Stardus. Where’s she again?”

“She said she’s flying at full speed now, but it’s probably going to take a while because it’s a distance from here.”

“…I see.”

The president of the association took a look closer at the monitor.

The giant, octopus-like robot moved forward, crushing the outskirts of the city.

There seemed to be nothing to stop that.

…No. There was only one.

“…Is ‘it’ ready yet?”

“…It’s still being set up, sir. If you shoot it, all nearby cities and citizens can get caught up.”

“The decision is made by the president, not me, so it’s no use telling me. Don’t forget that missiles are government authority.”

“…I see.”

“…But. You might have to make some sacrifices to prevent further damage.”

“…..”

“……If Stardus can knock that down, yes. It’d be great, but… What do you think the winning rate is?”

“I don’t know how long she can endure if she deals with that current thing at full power, but if she fights in the middle of the city like now, she has to limit her strength so that other people don’t get involved… I think it’s going to be hard.”

“Damn it. As expected. Can we reach Icicle?”

“She’s currently out of touch. Maybe she can’t be reached or she’s ignoring it intentionally.”

“Damn it. It’s obvious that the chairman went hiding because it was dangerous. He’s not helpful at all.”

The president of the association said with a mixed look.

The huge weapon that has now reached the center of the city where almost everyone is gathered.

Looking at it on the verge of attacking people, the association’s people couldn’t do anything.

They just sit helplessly, feeling deep despair.

So all hope is gone.

Right before the carnage.

Suddenly, it stopped working.

With only one scream

“….?”

The moment all the staff in the association are going out of their minds, in a sudden situation.

A little later, a sudden voice from the giant weapon.

It was unlike before. It sounds too bright and too cheerful.

[Hello, everyone! Greetings, everyone. It’s Egostic!]

“Egostic?”

The association’s employees’ heads were buffered.

Why the hell is he there?

He continued speaking when the situation suddenly became a little fishy.

As if it was so natural, so natural.

From the giant weapon, his voice came out.

[HanEun Group’s members made something really cool. Anyway… So, I’m taking it.]

[This is mine now.]

“Wow.”

Without knowing who did it, the silent association was filled with exclamations.

***

The shadow covering the thousands of people on the streets of the city was truly spectacular.

The shadow created by the weapon of tremendous size that makes you feel overwhelmed just by looking at it.

And it was shattering buildings and shaking them and talking about the end of the world, that symbol of fear.

I’m stretching, turning my arms and moving my legs on it.

[This is kind of fun! Hahahahaha!]

A cheerful Egostic’s voice emanated from the cavalry at a tremendous volume.

It was a weapon that was freely controlled, as if it was used for manipulation.

And people who stare blankly at the giant weapon doing that over their heads.

As if he had only just noticed their gaze, Egostic, who slightly bowed the head of the machine below, opened his mouth again and notified people.

[Well, everyone. What are you doing there?]

[I don’t need a spectator, so can you go now? Shoo, shoo.]

As if he was kicking out a fly, waving his hands and not interested in anything, looking at the citizens and telling them to go. To be exact, he meant to say ‘Run away’.

Only then did the people who began to wake up, one by one, rise up and hurry away from the weapon.

And words began to come out again as he watched them.

[By the way…]

[It’s been a while since I got a cool robot, but it’s boring to stay still like this.]

Then, he exaggerates as if it was a slightly mixed joke.

[I’m so bored so I want to destroy the city! Impulse to destroy after riding a giant weapon!]

[So.]

That’s what he said.

As if this is the point.

His voice is mixed with little giggles.

He opened his mouth.

[Ms. Stardus. Can you come and join me, please?]

The word came out of his mouth after a while, he was calling Stardus.

And

“Ha.”

And at his words.

Stardus, who had just arrived at the building and heard her name, was smiling unconsciously.

***

Shin Haru.

She never imagined such a sudden situation would happen.

Suddenly, a giant weapon suddenly appeared on one side of Seoul.

Watching it smash down buildings with one gesture, one step, she flew with her teeth clenched.

Why on earth do disasters like this always happen so suddenly?

Stardus flew to knock down the weapon that appeared unexpectedly. At full speed, she flew away, squeezing her limits.

What if it’s too late?

That was all she could think about.

How long has she been flying?

And almost, really almost. When she almost arrived.

A voice came out from the earphones in her ear that she had plugged in to hear the news.

[Breaking news! The giant weapon has arrived right in front of the city center! It’s trying to pull out a building and throw it at people! Oh, how can this be… I’ll connect you to the site…]

With the anchor’s trembling words, the low mechanical sound can be heard from the earphones. No. The creepy mechanical sounds coming directly from afar into her flying ears.

[Good bye.]

[Just blame the the incompetent association.]

[Go to hell, humans.]

Hearing that, she clenched her teeth.

Is this how everything is going to end?

Is she too late?

So when she was heading there feeling devastated.

Suddenly.

An extraordinary thing happened.

[Argggggg!]

Suddenly, there was a scream from the robot.

[Huh? Everyone, all of a sudden, the giant weapon stopped and started screaming! What’s going on?]

The anchor was shocked by the sudden situation and delivered the news.

After a while, a much brighter voice than before was suddenly heard.

And that is…

[Hello, everyone! Greetings, everyone. It’s Egostic!]

Her arch-enemy, it’s her arch-enemy.

[What’s going on? Suddenly, Egostic appeared!]

“…Egostic?”

It was Egostic.

***

She turned off her earphones as she was almost there.

As the giant weapon stopped moving for a while due to earlier, she did not miss the opportunity and flew through the limit.

Finally, what she can see after settling on the rooftop with a panoramic view of the giant weapon.

Egostic, who was repelling people who were about to die as if they were annoyed, so in a word, he’s letting them go.

[Ms. Stardus. Will you come and join me, please?]

A laugh and a voice calling for her from the giant weapon.

And she saw it.

“Haha…”

Unknowingly, the corners of her mouth went up and formed into a smile.

On the roof of a building

In a windy place, fluttering her blonde hair.

Standing on the rooftop, probably riding on Egostic, looking at the weapon that was trying to slaughter everyone earlier.

She remembered.

Yeah, I’ve had this situation once somewhere.

She remembers someone coming out and taking care of everything in this difficult situation.

On the same rooftop as last time, the voice that she heard just now.

‘Hello, everyone! It’s Egostic!’

All right.

When that crocodile assailant popped out of the festival, causing terror.

When people were about to die, she was about to step up and expose herself.

The one who solved the problem for her instead, giving her a weird reason.

….And now here.

Thousands of people. No, in a desperate situation where maybe tens of thousands of people would die.

He popped out of nowhere, and solved the whole situation.

Looking at him, naturally saving people and letting them go, as if he were just lazy.

Stardus, Shin Haru.

She realized it before she knew it.

“Haa…”

Her heart was beating unknowingly from the time she heard that he was Egostic.

Soon, after suppressing all the situations, he saved people as if he didn’t mean to, and called her out as if it were a natural thing to do.

Without herself knowing, she laughed out loud.

“Okay…”

She felt a sense of security all over her body.

Soon, she turned to Egostic, grinning and muttering.

“First of all, since you called me.”

“I guess I have to come out.”

So, without any hesitation, she stormed the ground and flew toward where he was.

And even when she flies away.

The corners of her mouth were slightly raised.

***

“Da-in. Stardus are finally coming at us now!”

“Really? Then let’s move back a little bit. People are going to die if we fight around here.”

“Hey, are we just going to do some hitting and fighting? That sounds fun.”

“Da-in, be careful with the operation. You’ll be in big trouble if you fall down.”

“That’s right. Da-in.”

“All right, all right.”

In the head of the giant weapon, the control room.

I’m moving back a little bit after bickering with Stardus, and now the people insisted that they’d follow me together. In front of them, I was controlling this giant weapon.

Look at this solid steel skeleton that moves at my fingertips. This is the man’s dream. It feels awesome. Literally, I feel like I can do anything.

I smiled involuntarily, looking at Stardus, who came closer to me before I knew it.

“Haru. Let’s power up properly today.”

It’s a rare opportunity to fight one-on-one without any other hindrance to these huge weapons.

Let’s strengthen your skills twice as hard today.

I smiled and loosened my hands, and moved the steering wheel in earnest.

My plan is to fight Stardus for a little, and then run away quickly when I think she’s grown to some extent perfectly.

All right. This time, after a really long time, the plan is working out perfectly without a single error.

Let’s go home safely today!

***

At the same hour.

The President’s Office.

In the dark, an agent continued.

“Mr. President, stealth missiles are now ready to fire.”

At the end of her speech, another agent next to her added, and opened his mouth.

“I just got a call from the association. There have been reports that the situation has stabilized to some extent and that missiles may not have to be fired. It is said that there is a low possibility of additional casualties.”

“……”

The president, who quietly listened to them, was hiding in the shadows.

Without saying anything, he just quietly fiddled with the missile launch button.

“…Hmm.”