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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: The Unmasking
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Honestly, I hadn't put much thought into this particular act of terror.
I just wanted to meet Stardus in person again, and while I was at it, get a proper look at her skills.
But I didn't expect Stardus to react like *that*.
"Haa... haa..."
After several exchanges.
I momentarily pulled back and watched Stardus from inside my mech, her arm covering her mouth as she gasped for breath.
Though she looked exhausted, her eyes were fixed on me, burning with an intense fire.
It was the first time since my very first terror attack that I'd seen such a strong, determined expression, as if she truly meant to obliterate me.
Watching Stardus's intensely burning expression, I was a little flustered.
...No, what's wrong with her?
It felt like her expression alone could kill someone.
No, perhaps that expression truly meant she was trying to eliminate me.
...Seriously, why is she like this?
Clearly, my original plan was simply to test Stardus's abilities while keeping my identity hidden.
Honestly, hiding my identity was just something I ended up doing without much thought, purely for an objective assessment of her abilities.
But somehow, her reaction was quite intense.
'...Let's think.'
Alright, from Stardus's perspective, a villain she'd never seen before suddenly launched a terror attack. And this villain knew all her attack patterns, even managing to overwhelm her.
...Is that why?
It definitely seems to be because of that. It feels like her guard is even more heightened because I hid my identity. Of course, from her perspective, a powerful new villain just appeared overnight.
That's why, somehow, she was genuinely fighting me.
This wasn't something I intended, and it's quite perplexing. For a moment, I even wondered if I should open the cockpit right now, reveal myself with a 'Ta-da! It was Egoistic all along!', and then make a run for it.
However.
"Grit."
Watching Stardus clench her fist and fly towards me again, I changed my mind.
Right. I can't miss out on such a valuable growth event.
From what I've seen so far, she seems to have just enough ability to barely clear the next main event, the Vampire Castle incident, but if she grows even more here today, wouldn't she be able to clear it for sure?
Thinking that, I moved my mech to dodge Stardus, then thrust one of my four fists at her.
As if expecting it, she suddenly dropped down and flew, attacking from behind.
It was a much improved, cleaner movement than before.
The problem, though, was that *I* was the one getting hit.
"Gah."
[Gah. ...You bastard, I'll kill you!]
Seriously, how does a punch hit a machine and still impact *me* inside it? Even with our Behemoth wrapped around my abdomen. Behi, try to block a bit better.
'Kyuuing?'
At this point, I was practically hearing Behemoth's phantom voice.
Feeling my head ring, I somehow continued speaking, sticking to the concept.
But her attacks rained down without giving me a chance to speak. Dodging them, I simultaneously used several functions that Seoeun had prepared. Things like plasma bombs, flamethrowers, you know.
"Sss-up..."
Though it was called a cockpit, it was practically a coffin, barely big enough for a person to fit. From inside, I fumbled with my hand and barely wiped away the blood trickling from the corner of my mouth.
...It feels like if I take a few more hits, my body will really be strained, but well. If I just don't get hit a few more times, isn't that enough?
[Today, you will fall here. I have decided that. I, Chaos Destroyer, will defeat you!]
What's important in a fight is seizing the initiative.
So I shouted that with a booming voice. Even though the situation was what it was, it somehow made me cringe... But once I've committed to a concept, I have to see it through to the end.
And at my declaration.
Stardus, too, pushed her hair back with a serious expression, and spoke in a voice barely audible.
"...As I thought, I have to deal with it here..."
No, goddamn it, why are you being so scary?
I seriously debated whether I should perform a 'Ta-da, I'm Egoistic, I'm running away now' routine, but I'm a man. Once I've made up my mind, I decided to see it through to the end.
Now, there's no turning back.
[Die!]
Uttering those words I didn't truly mean, I charged towards Stardus, whose fists were finally beginning to glow with a yellow light.
...I can make it back alive, right?
***
Danger, it often arrives suddenly, at unexpected moments.
Of course, there are cases like Egoistic's, where he advertises his terror attacks beforehand... But for the most part, it truly comes without warning.
A prime example is the Han-eun Group's Behemoth, also known as the Black Wave incident. It truly burst forth overnight, nearly sweeping Seoul away. Then there's the Moonlight Priestess's Storm incident. That also appeared suddenly one evening.
And the feeling she experienced at those times.
Shin Haru was feeling it now.
'....'
Of course, her opponent wasn't causing such widespread casualties, but its strength was nearly comparable.
From the start, Shin Haru, in her own estimation, had become quite a bit stronger than before. Even the Association President had said that her skill level seemed to be around mid-S-class.
Yet, a villain had appeared that purely overwhelmed her in close combat. And it was wielding that massive mechanical device.
It was only natural for her to feel a sense of alarm.
So she thought.
Absolutely, she had to capture it here.
It was pressuring her this much even without knowing anything about her; if it gathered more data later, she might not be able to handle it. Especially since it seemed to be a mechanical engineer, even more so.
So Shin Haru suppressed her fatigue and fought with all her might against it.
To the point of her eyes watering, her mind continuously churning even as she fought.
Up, down, right, right.
As if learning a pattern, one by one, step by step.
Thus, she, who initially couldn't land a single hit on it.
Soon, one by one, she began to land effective blows on that mechanical device.
[Urgh!]
...By the way, it was surprisingly satisfying to hit.
Every time it got hit, it would let out a sound like it was dying and fly away.
Of course, it would get right back up, but it was still proof that effective hits were landing. If she continued at this pace, she felt like she could defeat it as long as it didn't run away.
However.
Thump. Thump.
".....?"
Every time she struck the opponent another blow.
Shin Haru felt a growing sense of unease.
A feeling that she was doing something she shouldn't. An intuition that she was doing something she would regret later. And her heartbeat, growing faster with that ominous feeling.
'...Why am I like this?'
Shin Haru was utterly confused by this strange sensation.
...She was just attacking a newly appeared villain, so why was she feeling so uneasy?
And that chilling sensation intensified with each additional blow she landed during the fight, each time she heard its groans.
...Why she felt this way towards a villain she'd never seen before, she truly couldn't understand.
Was it because she was tired, or was there something else? Why was she having this strange intuition?
Even when she, feeling uneasy, tried to think about it more deeply.
"Kugh..."
Bang. Bang.
Because of the incessant attacks, she couldn't calmly gather her thoughts. She was also exhausted from the continuous battle.
So Haru tried to dismiss it, thinking 'Maybe it's just because I'm tired-'
But no matter what, this inexplicable nagging feeling wouldn't easily disappear.
Nevertheless, she kept fighting for now. She had no time to think of anything else with a villain right in front of her, especially not for a ridiculous reason like 'it's just a feeling.'
Thus, she successfully dodged its attack and landed a kick.
The mech was momentarily pushed back as if bouncing, then quickly regained its balance and returned towards her.
[Khh. Do you think I'll end like this, *cough*, you bastard? I will definitely defeat you!]
A loud mechanical sound, piercing her ears.
It was a grating mechanical voice just to listen to, but she suddenly had a strange feeling. Something... something, she felt like she was about to remember...
But that thought was cut short by the mech, which once again flew towards her. One of its arms, broken by Shin Haru herself, hung limp as it charged with its three remaining arms.
At a glance, its condition didn't look good, but the same could be said for Shin Haru herself. She was noticeably more fatigued from the continuous fierce battle, the incessant exchanges, and constant mental focus.
With no more time to think, she continued to fight.
...Right. Once I defeat it, this strange feeling will disappear too. And once I see what kind of guy it is, all my questions will be answered.
Shin Haru gritted her teeth.
...Right. I shouldn't be swayed by strange feelings. Her only goal was to destroy it, nothing else. There's no time to think of anything else.
Thump. Thump.
Her heartbeat, growing stronger as if warning her.
But she ignored it. Shin Haru. She was a hero. And heroes don't think of other things when facing a villain.
And so the fight continued.
Eventually, she ripped off another of its arms, so now only two mechanical arms dangled loosely.
Shin Haru gritted her teeth and unleashed her final blow.
Now, she would end this tiresome fight here.
With that thought, a star-bright light flashed in her fist.
And then.
—————————CRASH.
[Uuuurgh-]
As her final blow struck the center of the mech's body, it flew backward like a comet and slammed directly into the wall of a nearby building.
It was literally embedded in the wall with the sound of something shattering.
As if it had lost all power, it then crashed to the ground with a thud.
The spherical mech, having lost its power, lay sprawled on the ground.
With its two mechanical arms hanging limp, it had finally fallen.
"Haa... haa..."
And in front of it.
Shin Haru, Stardus, gasped for breath, clutching one arm.
She'd defeated it. Barely defeated it.
She had succeeded in capturing the villain.
But.
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.
Why was her heart beating so fast?
Why wouldn't this uneasy, ominous feeling disappear?
Why did she keep feeling like she had made a grave mistake?
"...Strange."
Something was wrong.
No. There couldn't be a problem. She had only captured a newly appeared villain.
...Right. Let's check.
With faltering steps, she moved one foot after another towards where the mechanical device lay defeated.
Step by step. With each step, this ominous sensation grew stronger.
Stardus finally arrived in front of it.
Suppressing her uneasy feeling, she grabbed one of its steel panels, held it in place with her foot, and began to tear it open. Thinking that a wicked villain would be inside.
And what she saw, as she tore open the steel side, was this.
"...Ah...?"
"Cough. Hello, Stardus. Haha.. cough."
From the blood-stained interior, clutching his abdomen.
It was Egoistic, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, coughing up blood, yet still trying to smile at her.
....Ah?
And in that moment.
Stardus's eyes, just like that.
Lost their original light.