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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Busan Conquest
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The endless sea stretched beyond the horizon.
Above it, where the scorching sun's heat shimmered, reflected on the water.
A massive ship was floating, sailing along.
And at the very front of its deck.
There, with the sea directly before his eyes.
I spread my arms wide towards the camera and shouted.
"Hello, everyone! This is Ego-Stic!"
[Ego-Stic! Ego-Stic! Ego-Stic! Ego-Stic! Ego-Stic! Ego-Stic! Ego-Stic! Ego-Stic! Ego-Stic! Ego-Stic! Ego-Stic! Ego-Stic!]
[It's been so long, lolol]
[Mango! Mango! Mango! Mango!]
[Oppa, take me! Oppa, take me! Oppa, take me! Oppa, take me!]
[Broadcast just started and it's already a laugh riot, lolol]
[Where is this?? What's with the sea???]
[Looks like he's on a ship but why can I see the sky?]
[What kind of event is it today, lolol]
Looking at the chat window, still completely lacking in caution, I smiled. I'm not sure when it started... but, well, some things just are what they are.
Anyway, with the sea behind me and my arms spread, I continued speaking to the camera.
"Everyone. As I mentioned in the last broadcast, do you remember when I said I'd create a villain alliance, for villains, by villains? I'd named it Egostream."
I said that much, then grinned, and pulled over the three rabbit-helmeted figures who were hesitantly standing next to me.
"In that spirit, allow me to introduce them! These are the new villains who have decided to cooperate with our Egostream. So, would you like to introduce yourselves to the viewers?"
The trio flinched in surprise as the camera abruptly swung their way.
Then, the red one in the middle began to speak in a trembling voice.
"Uh, hello... We are the Le, Le, Lepus Crew... Yes, uh, um, oh, hello?"
Number 1 trembled like a rookie facing a panel of interviewers.
Seriously, what kind of villains are you lot, getting this spooked?!
[lololololol]
[Why are they so nervous, lol]
[Why did he say hello twice, lol]
[Is this a villain or an elementary school class president election, ah, lolololol]
[The villains are so cute, wwwwwww]
[I wanna lick those rabbit helmets]
[Wow, the characters are so fresh, lol. What are they?]
Naturally, the viewers' reactions were explosive.
What kind of school play is this, getting so nervous?
Number 1 was already standing there blankly, as if his soul had departed his body after just that much. Numbers 2 and 3 were the same.
This won't do. I'll have to help them.
I approached Number 1, who was still spaced out, put an arm around his shoulder, and smiled at the camera, saying.
"Hahaha. This friend seems a bit nervous, it being his first time on broadcast. Number 1, you should smile, right? Hahaha."
"Haha..."
"These friends are called the Lepus Crew, and since they had this magnificent airship, I coaxed them into an exclusive contract with our Egostream. I saw them just messing around in the sea with this airship, you see. So, at my suggestion, they joined forces with Egostream!"
"...Hahaha, yes. That's right."
[lololol why does Mango look like a thug when I see him like this?]
[How is a villain's name 'Number 1', lolol]
[Are they really friends?? No matter how I look at it, they seem like villains who've been reformed?]
[Why does that guy 'Number 1' look like his soul left his body when he talks?]
[You should smile, lolol]
[Is this advice from a veteran streamer?]
[Looks like Egostic noticed they were trying to terrorize with that airship, beat them up, and then declared 'This is mine.' Is it just me?]
...How did they know?
Anyway, let's skip these trivial matters. I brought up the main topic for today.
"Anyway, it looks like Busan is almost right in front of us! Yes, some of you might have guessed, but my terror this time is the conquest of Busan. A delightful journey to turn Haeundae into the Ego Republic!"
While I was speaking, the airship had already floated all the way to the front of Busan's harbor.
Standing before it, I once again spread my arms wide and spoke.
"Alright! Busan is mine now. Load the cannons!"
"Yes, Boss!"
With the chorus of Numbers 1, 2, and 3 from behind, the gunports on the side of the ship began to open one by one.
And at the same time, I shouted.
"Fire!!!"
"Fire!"
Along with their cheers from behind, cannonballs began to rain down on the city with a series of booms from the gunports.
The terror had begun.
And...
I briefly moved the camera aside.
Then, I quietly opened my mouth and muttered.
"Right. The terror starts now. Have all the people been evacuated?"
As I muttered that, I heard Lee Seol-ah's voice, tinged with laughter, through my earpiece.
[Yes, of course. They've all been evacuated under the Yoo-sung Group's name. I'm sure the news will soon report Yoo-sung as being more competent than the government, heheh.]
"Right, right. And for now, the attack will only be in this southern district, okay? What's your plan?"
[Hmm... It might be a bit sudden if I appear right away, so I'll go in a little while. Roughly, there's no one in the south, and a few people who haven't evacuated yet are left in the southeast. So I think I can step in when you attack that area?]
"Alright. Do as you please. I'll see you in a bit then."
[Yes. See you then.]
After cutting the call, I looked down at the ship below again.
The scene captured by the camera was that of a city being attacked by a giant ship floating in the air.
People would never know. The fact that this was a rigged game.
From the very beginning, it was a massive public deception, with the timing and outline of the terror all pre-arranged with the heroes.
While the terror attacks I'd caused with Stardus until now had all focused on helping her grow, this terror was different.
It's also meant to demonstrate that I don't only cause terror in Seoul, where Stardus is. It's about expanding Egostream in cooperation with this Lepus Crew, and it's also a terror designed to help Icicle's popularity rise concurrently.
In short, it was already a thoroughly planned play.
All execution plans were already laid out. Roughly, I'd blast away at the city, and just before people were attacked, Icicle would make her dramatic appearance, save the people, defeat us, and rescue the city.
A perfectly clean job, without a single flaw.
I thought, looking down from the ship floating in the air.
This new kind of terror, enjoying the sea breeze in a new place, feels fresh and good.
But still, doing it with Stardus is the best.
Well, I have to focus on Icicle now, though.
So, after attacking the coastal area to my heart's content, I moved further inland.
Now, the real show begins.
***
Bang. Bang.
The city was under attack. People fled.
"Wow... what is that thing."
Looking at the giant airship that covered the city in shadow, people's mouths gaped open.
And now, the airship began to approach the areas where people had gathered after evacuating.
"Aargh!"
And just before they were attacked.
Pshoooooooong.
Suddenly, with a sharp sound coming from somewhere.
A massive wall of ice materialized in front of the people.
And from behind, a woman's shout.
"Don't worry, everyone! I'm here!"
And the woman who appeared before them, her sky-blue hair fluttering.
It was A-Class Hero, Icicle.
She appeared at that critical moment, just before the people were attacked.
She shot ice at the incoming cannonballs, stopping them mid-air, then began to shout towards the airship.
"Did you say Ego-Stic? Stop the bombardment right now, or you won't get away unharmed!"
And after her shout, a loud male voice came from above.
[Hahaha! I can't do that. You must be Icicle, the pride of Busan! A pleasure to meet you. Well then, why don't you try to stop this!]
And with his shout, bombs began to pour down towards Icicle.
"Not a chance!"
And she began to defend against all those bombs by firing ice in all directions.
Then, Icicle created ice footholds in the air, leaping from one to another as she began to approach the airship above.
[Hahaha! Yes, come on and try to catch me!]
"Ego-Stic! I will defeat you right here and now!"
With the conclusion of the hero and villain's exaggerated, almost theatrical dialogue.
On one side, ice flew; on the other, bombs rained down.
And so, above the skies of Busan, the real battle began.
***
Seoul, Hero Association Headquarters.
The President's office on the topmost floor.
From there, the President looked at the blonde woman standing before him, a troubled expression on his face.
"So, Stardus. You're saying you want to go to Busan right now?"
"Yes."
"...Uh, from what I see, Icicle seems to be handling it well enough. Is there really a need for you to go?"
"To prevent any unforeseen additional casualties, I believe it's right for me, an Ego-Stic expert, to go. I also think it might be too much for Seol-ah to handle alone."
Looking at Stardus, who spoke calmly with slightly sunken eyes, the President unconsciously scratched his head, feeling a bit lost.
...No matter how he looked at it, there seemed to be no need for her to go, so why was she acting this way?