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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Broadcast
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I don't have the ability to read people's minds.
So, I have no idea what Shadow Walker thinks of me right now.
…Still, considering his simple personality in the original story, I believe it won't take him long to trust me. Maybe after a few more times, we'll even be able to share a drink together.
His simple nature did lead to him being scammed and betrayed later on, but that's for another time, so let's put a pin in it for now.
After stopping the Shadow Walker's girlfriend's murder, which was the most urgent fire, and even building up some goodwill with Shadow…
Hmm. My mind feels at ease.
I could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
A slight feeling of tension releasing.
I recalled the achievements I'd made so far.
The most important thing, of course, was helping Stardust grow much faster than in the original story. Since Stardust is, after all, the alpha and omega, this is the biggest achievement.
And the fact that Stardust's stress would be much less than in the original was also a big advantage. In the original comic, by this point, her mental state would have been utterly shattered. But now? Compared to the original, she must be quite happy.
What else?
Right. Dozens, hundreds of people haven't died because of me already. Several cities have been protected. And this time, I also prevented Shadow Walker's corruption.
And the establishment of the Villain Alliance is also progressing very smoothly. So smoothly, in fact, that Ha-yul, who recently took the Suneung, finally got her university acceptance.
"Yeonhee University, Nursing Department?"
"Yes! I didn't even expect to get in here, but I did!"
Ha-yul said, beaming with joy. To be honest, I wondered what good university would do for someone who already had an S-rank healing ability, but since she wanted to go, I didn't try to stop her. University is an experience, after all.
But Yeonhee University is where Stardust, Shin Haru, attends.
I paused at that thought, but then I remembered that Yeonhee University's first-year students use a different campus than the upperclassmen, so I was relieved. Right, Haru is a senior now, isn't she? We won't have any reason to meet anyway. She'll even be graduating next year.
…They won't, right? No, surely not.
Right. Besides, Stardust has never seen our Ha-yul in person, has she? It'll be fine.
As I was thinking these thoughts, I also started to consider something else. Someday, when Stardust becomes strong enough, and the Villain Alliance can function well without me… maybe I could finally rest. That's what I thought.
No, the world is actually running quite peacefully.
It's been a long time since it diverged significantly from the bleak world of the original story. At this rate, it's almost a healing story…?
Of course, considering the Moonlight Cult, still very much alive and kicking, and the countless villains still remaining, it's not quite that, but anyway.
Ultimately, the important thing is that, as far as I know, nothing special will happen for a while.
Which means I can finally stretch out my legs and relax.
So, I decided to take it a little easier.
What could possibly go wrong?
***
A few days later, on a bright afternoon.
Sitting on the floor in front of the sofa, where the warm sunlight gently illuminated the living room through the window.
I swallowed hard.
"…Is everyone ready?"
"Of course. Oppa, get ready to lose. Because I'm going to be first."
"Hah. Seo-eun, I'm sorry, but first place belongs to your older sister."
I was sitting in the middle, controller in hand, ready.
And on either side of me, Seo-eun and Se-hee sat, each holding a controller and smiling.
And even Eun-wol, acting as the referee.
In front of me, on the TV screen, as I tensed up.
The numbers were counting down.
[Three- Two- One-]
[Go!!]
With that, on the screen, the cars each of us controlled simultaneously started.
The bet we three had made: the person who completed all three tracks in the game and arrived first would have their wish granted by the other two.
Thus, a fierce battle between villains unfolded.
"Aargh! I got hit by a shell!"
"Sorry, Seo-eun! That was me who shot it!"
"Seriously, Oppa. Are you really doing this?"
"Tsk… Why is this so hard…?"
A bloody showdown between villains.
And so, the first track ended.
The competition began to get even more electrifying.
No, it literally started to get electrifying. Static electricity began crackling around Choi Se-hee.
"Hey! Choi Se-hee! Do something about that static electricity!"
"Tsk. I'm focusing right now, don't talk to me."
"Unnie! My arm is starting to really sting!"
A characteristic of electric-type ability users: they can't control their electricity when concentrating.
Realizing that this would seriously affect the outcome of the match, I decided to take an extraordinary measure for an extraordinary situation.
What else? Run.
"Oppa, where are you going!"
"Sorry, Seo-eun! I need to survive!"
With that, I teleported to a spot far away from the sofa.
The greatest advantage of teleportation: you can change your position without taking your eyes off the screen while playing games.
But somehow, even though I was far away, I still felt static electricity?
"Hey, Choi Se-hee! Why is the static reaching all the way here? You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"
"Tsk… I don't know anything. Don't ask. Heh."
It was a game where one wrong move could send you plummeting, so I couldn't turn my head to look at Choi Se-hee. But I knew she was smiling without even seeing her.
…Alright. So that's how you want to play, huh?
And so, caught in the unfair static, I was in last place.
No. This wouldn't do.
As I said before, extraordinary situations call for extraordinary measures.
I used my telekinesis to lift up the controllers.
Mine, of course, but also theirs.
"Hey, you!"
"Oppa!!! Why are you doing this to me too!!!"
Screams burst from their mouths as they experienced the astonishing, once-in-a-lifetime sensation of their controllers suddenly floating in mid-air while they were concentrating on the game.
Fight dirty with dirty, ability with ability.
Did they think I was powerless? I'm a proper dual-ability user with telekinesis, you know.
…Of course, I felt a little sorry for Seo-eun. Forgive these pathetic adults, Seo-eun.
Through these disruptive tactics, I managed to reclaim first place. Yes, this is it.
Incidentally, Seo-eun, caught in the unfair tactics of the two adults, ended up in last place.
"…Alright, so this is how everyone wants to play, huh?"
Seo-eun, gritting her teeth, suddenly stopped driving and began manipulating her controller strangely. Anyone watching would think she was mashing buttons for a combo in a fighting game.
For a moment, I thought Seo-eun had finally given in to her anger and rage-quit. Then, suddenly, my car, which had been driving, started flying high into the sky. My car sped off the track and into the distant cosmos, as if I were on Charlie's Great Glass Elevator!
"What the hell is going on!!"
"Tsk, Seo-eun! You did this, didn't you!!"
"Hah. Unnie and Oppa started it first! You thought I didn't have an ability, right?"
And so, Seo-eun, after inputting some code to send us to space, leisurely sped along the empty track in first place.
Even with our best efforts, Choi Se-hee and I, who had frantically returned to solid ground, were no match.
At this rate, we would definitely lose.
As I was thinking that, my eyes met Choi Se-hee's.
And simultaneously, having understood each other's thoughts, we nodded slightly. Right. There's an old saying: the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Sportsmanship had long since been thrown out the window. It would just be hypocrisy to act dignified now.
Seo-eun. Life is the real deal. When you go out into the world, your enemies won't fight fairly and follow the rules. They'll use any means necessary, dirty and underhanded, to corner you. To ensure Seo-eun wouldn't be flustered by the harshness of that world, I decided to give her a preliminary education.
Just as Seo-eun was about to cross the finish line, a jolt of static electricity hit her back, and the controller in her hand vibrated wildly, disrupting her control.
"Unnie!!! Oppa!!! Are you really going to do this!!!"
"Kugh… Sorry, Seo-eun. Forgive your pathetic older brother!!!"
"Tsk… I didn't do anything, Seo-eun. You believe your unnie, right?"
"Hey, you!"
"No, really!!!! No!!!"
The moment Seo-eun was flustered, the two of us quickly caught up again.
"Ugh…!"
"Tsk… Here I go!"
"Do you think I'll lose?"
Finally, just as one of the three of us was about to cross the final finish line!!!
-*Flash*.
Suddenly, the TV screen turned black and went out.
"…"
"…"
"…"
Instantaneous silence enveloped the living room.
As all three of us froze at the sudden turn of events.
Only Eun-wol, who had been blankly watching our antics from the sofa, said with an awkward laugh.
"…Uh. Well, that makes it a draw."
"…"
"…"
"Tsk… Seo-eun! You did something weird earlier, didn't you? Did you break the TV?"
"Unnie! Are you blaming me here?!"
"Pfft… No. *Cough*, this is truly hilarious. What the hell have we been doing until now? Look at this ending."
Choi Se-hee burst into outright laughter.
Seo-eun, who had been looking at her incredulously, also let out a chuckle, finding the situation amusing.
And seeing them, I smiled too.
…Ah, how long has it been since I've played with my brain turned off like this?
I felt like laughing myself for no particular reason.
…Right. This is happiness. In fact, happiness isn't something far away. Isn't true happiness just gathering like this, laughing, playing, and chatting together?
Though I don't know how long I can keep laughing without a care, for now, nothing special will happen, so it doesn't matter. Let's just enjoy this moment right now.
As I was thinking and smiling, the TV, which had gone out, finally began to glow and turn back on.
"Oh? It's turning back on?"
I said, pointing at the TV.
I mean, I used a pretty good TV, why is it breaking down like this?
A light indicated it was on, but the screen was still covered in pitch-black darkness.
Watching the TV, I was the first to realize something was off.
…Wait. This doesn't look like a malfunction.
And as if to confirm my thoughts.
Suddenly.
On the huge black TV screen.
A moon.
A white moon appeared in the center.
"…What's that?"
As Choi Se-hee tilted her head in confusion at the sudden situation.
Eun-wol, who was behind her.
Opened her mouth and spoke in a trembling voice.
"Moonlight…"
"Huh?"
"That moon is the symbol of the Moonlight Cult…."
Eun-wol mumbled that, her voice tinged with fear.
And simultaneously, from the screen, a crackling, old voice began to emerge.
[Ah….]
[Ah… my children of the sun….]
[I am Cheonwolhwang, the Grand Master of the Moonlight Cult…. I greet you for the first time. Are you well….]
Listening to that crackling, grating voice.
My face hardened.
No, damn it.
This definitely didn't happen in the original story.