Chapter 232: – For You

Chapter 232 – For You

[As far as I know, the villain has the ability to generate toxic gases. Everyone, please make sure to have gas masks at home in case of abilities related to manipulating gases.]

Shin Haru’s house.

More precisely, the hero Stardus’s house.

There, she anxiously watched the Ego Stream broadcast on TV.

‘We’re doing our best right now, but we can’t find him. We’re sorry...’

The Association had already stated they couldn’t locate him a while ago.

As a result, she couldn’t do anything other than watch the Ego Stream broadcast from her house.

“.....”

Watching his image on the screen with a worried expression as she tapped the table in frustration was all she could do.

The reason she felt so anxious was just one.

It was because she was worried about Ego Stream, specifically him.

“Is he going to be okay...?”

She said this with a slightly worried look. Of course, she had to admit that she felt somewhat resentful towards Ego Stream lately. She had been making plans to catch him somehow.

However, all those thoughts were temporarily pushed aside, and right now, her worry was greater.

Ego Stream, who was walking alone through that strange passage and laboratory to confront other villains, was wearing a gas mask. His appearance, which seemed unexpectedly cool despite the situation, wasn’t the problem.

Even if others didn’t know, she, who had faced him directly in battle, knew.

His usual demeanor of always being prepared and in control, along with his mighty colleagues who covered for him, made him seem invincible. Ego Stream’s pure physical power was actually very weak.

Therefore, the sight of Ego Stream walking alone through the clearly dangerous passage was enough to make her, the hero Stardus, anxious. Even though she didn’t like sticking close to him in normal times, she felt that way now... That was her concern.

In reality, if you thought about it, it might seem strange for a hero to worry so much about a villain.

‘Yeah. This isn’t strange at all...’

It was normal for a hero to worry about their assigned villain. They shouldn’t fall into someone else’s hands. They should be punished by the law.

And she herself, in a way, owed him her life. Even though she had paid that debt...

‘Cough. You owe me one.’

As she recalled that day Egostic, who was bleeding and dying in the underground lair with holes in his body, her lips twisted unknowingly in frustration. She was anxious and watched the screen with a sense of urgency, unable to do anything at the moment.

And finally, she met the self-proclaimed ‘Scream Maker’ that Ego Stream had mentioned.

[The rat has finally arrived...]

Seeing the bald villain, whose voice was mixed with a strange, purplish viscous liquid that filled the screen, Stardus’s anxiety increased even more.

...Can Ego Stream really beat that guy?

A sinister intuition that could be felt even though the enemy was on the other side of the screen.

That villain, just by looking at him, seemed formidable. The fact that such a person had been living in this country from the beginning was chilling.

It was also a mystery how Ego Stream had found this guy. But the bigger question was how he intended to confront him alone. She was more puzzled by that.

[...That gas mask.]

[It seems like you know what I’m researching.]

[Yes, wouldn’t that be obvious?]

[...I see.]

Their conversation continued in this incomprehensible manner. And then, along with Ego Stream’s final provocation.

The guy who had been in the incubator clenched his fist.

Boom-

At that moment, Ego Stream’s surroundings suddenly became thick with what appeared to be dangerous gas beyond the screen. All the unidentified weapons in the room activated automatically and started targeting Ego Stream.

Bzzzzzzzzzt-

“No!”

There was a glass laboratory filled with mice, and there were splatters of blood throughout, hinting at some kind of experiment.

These items were placed in dozens, if not hundreds.

“....It’s severe.”

She mumbled unconsciously. The thought that such a villain was developing their powers away from her watchful eyes made her feel terrible.

Grasping her head, she kept moving further inside, feeling dizzy.

Deeper into the lair, where Egostic had fought the most powerful of villains.

Finally, she arrived at her destination.

As she looked around the place, it was far more ominous and filled with dangerous objects than before, and she was left speechless.

What’s wrong with South Korea? Why are there so many powerful villains in such a small country...?

Honestly, if it weren’t for Ego Stream, she would have been completely unaware of all of this, and she would have fallen victim to it...

While pondering these thoughts, she noticed something.

“....?”

Next to a plain gas cylinder.

A lone yellow Post-it note stuck there.

She was so captivated by the sight that she found herself walking towards it.

Written in a hastily scribbled text, it said.

[Danger! Do not open under any circumstances. Inside contains a gas that is lethal even in small quantities. No matter how much you are Stardus, it is dangerous, so please do not drink it, and I hope you will report it to the Association for proper disposal – Egostic]

“Ah...”

And that Post-it note.

Stardus found herself staring at it for a long time, almost unknowingly.

She gently placed it down and looked around again.

Numerous other Post-it notes were scattered everywhere.

[Shoot the machine gun from the left wall if the power is turned on. Do not touch it.]

[Turning it on will release lethal gas from the ceiling. Do not turn it on!]

[It looks like the ventilation button. Inside, there seems to be a gas mixed with toxins, so it would be better to report it to the Association for proper disposal later.]

These were Egostic’s handwritten letters, scattered around for her safety.

It was clear that he was worried that she might accidentally harm herself.

Even within the hastily written words, she could feel his deep concern.

Stardus mumbled in astonishment, feeling all the tension she had held inside her release.

“If you do this... really. Haha...”

I can’t hate you.

What kind of villain would do this?

[I’ve cleared all the toxins. Well, just to be sure, don’t touch it.]

And finally, the lifeless body of the villain at the end, as she looked at it with a disappointed smile.

Perhaps, just in case she stepped on it, a purple liquid had been placed in the broken aquarium.

She let out another helpless smile and turned off her attention to the corpse.

...I don’t know what this guy was up to.

But this one, well, he’s a goner.

And more than that.

She became interested in the last Post-it note placed next to it.

“... What’s this?”

[For you, Stardus.]

The letter began with that familiar sentence.