Ch.72Episode 14. Power Loss (End)

“Break.”

As I placed my hand on the strange wall that separated the space and used my skill, the “barrier” that had been standing straight began to waver and disappear.

Glancing at the other side, I saw a red-haired woman checking my reaction before she began to flee.

Tell Moonlight. That she’ll need my help soon.

“W-who are you?”

I look straight ahead at the sudden voice. Numerous people appeared from a place that had clearly been empty before.

“What! The building that was here just a moment ago has collapsed?”

This was the power of spatial distortion.

When Lee Bangsil sets up a barrier that separates space, it becomes an independent world. For a brief moment, it can distort causality.

The people surveying the devastating scene flinched when they saw me and reached for their weapons. However, the Association President beside me stopped them.

“Don’t worry about this person. Everyone, search for and subdue the villains who might be trapped under the debris.”

The people in suits began to move at the Association President’s direction.

They seemed to be heroes who were affiliated with the Association and moved according to orders, rather than heroes who took requests from the Association.

“Why make things so complicated?”

Lee Bangsil, who had appeared out of nowhere, snapped her fingers, and the building debris began to float in the air.

Watching her clear away all the debris, I was reminded once again how convenient telekinesis was in everyday life.

Heroes who discovered people trapped in the debris began checking their conditions one by one and handcuffing them.

Some who were conscious tried to resist but were easily subdued by the heroes. Most of them were guys I had beaten up, so they probably couldn’t come to their senses.

“These villains… aren’t they all designated at least B-rank or higher?”

“Hey, the S-rank villain Blade is here too! Though his face is pretty messed up…”

“What? There’s an S-rank?!”

“He destroyed the building and subdued all these guys by himself?”

“Damn. That’s no joke.”

“At this rate, isn’t this a new S-rank for South Korea?”

Ah, I wasn’t the one who destroyed the building.

Everyone surveying the disaster site was impressed. They seem to be making some strange misunderstanding?

“You’ve made quite a mess again this time.”

The Association President said while taking in the villains sprawled on the ground. But his expression wasn’t bad. He looked somewhat relieved.

“…They wouldn’t listen.”

“Heh. Would a villain ever listen to a hero?”

He chuckled.

“You didn’t kill anyone, right?”

“I didn’t kill them.”

“That’s quite a suspicious statement.”

“I don’t think there’s any need for suspicion.”

“…Neither you nor Yujin can claim to be justice-seeking heroes anywhere.”

“…Becoming a hero was never my goal anyway.”

“So, did you find out anything?”

“I didn’t. But… I think I’ll know soon.”

The balance that has been maintained until now began to collapse today. Whether Moonlight likes it or not, the time will come when she must contact me.

Rather than being backstabbed by those who were comrades just yesterday, wouldn’t it be better to stab them in the back first?

Of course, I don’t think everything will go according to my plan.

If the person I just released doesn’t properly relay the message to Moonlight, this plan will be significantly shaken.

In that case, I’ll just have to move according to the standard procedure.

“By the way, you’re quite thorough in your preparations, Association President. I didn’t expect you to bring so many people.”

“…I knew it would be a mess. Heelak also told me about it.”

“I see.”

It seems unavoidable that I’ll be exposed to the public after causing this incident…

“Association President, is it possible to transfer this achievement to Ms. Lee Bangsil instead of me?”

“Whaat?!”

Lee Bangsil, who had been eavesdropping but not participating in the conversation, reacted with a distorted face.

“Why are you giving your achievements to me? Are you a sucker? Is your brain defective too?”

Your brain is the defective one.

“…It’s not that. I just don’t want unnecessary attention from people.”

“What? Are you some romantic hero who saves citizens without recognition or compensation? This isn’t some movie.”

What’s a romantic hero?

“The times are moving forward, but this defective’s thinking is going backward.”

“Don’t mind the ‘defective’ comment. Heelak is just jealous of you, Yujin.”

“Who’s jealous! Damn Association President!”

Oh. “Damn Association President.” Not bad.

I should try that sometime when I get the chance.

“Hmph! Anyway! Why are you looking for such useless romanticism while living in a capitalist era? Just take the money for what you’ve done.”

When she disses me with practical matters, I have nothing to say. It’s frustrating.

But what I did wasn’t as a hero. It was an action taken with the purely personal and selfish mind of a ‘reader.’

“I’m far from being a hero.”

“Why? Do you feel guilty about half-crippling these villains?”

“Of course not.”

Whether I’m taking after Yujin’s character or not, I’m becoming less hesitant about harming others.

If there were no laws, I wonder if I would have killed everyone here by now—I found myself making an assumption that would never happen.

“Hey. Yujin.”

“Yes?”

Maybe she didn’t like the expression on my face.

Lee Bangsil uncrossed her arms with an annoyed face and opened her mouth.

“Listen to me carefully.”

Is she going to lecture me?

“When heroes and villains fight, someone will inevitably die. Especially heroes, who can’t break the law, are at a disadvantage in combat. But not villains. They don’t hesitate to kill heroes.”

“…”

“If you’re going to continue being a hero, consider killing your opponents. Even if you do kill, it can be somewhat mitigated if the reason is that the resistance was too strong. Especially if the opponent was S-rank, there’s nothing to say.”

Lee Bangsil points at Blade, who is still being supported by a hero, not having regained consciousness.

So Blade was already classified as S-rank during this period.

Three years later, Blade would be much stronger. Thinking that Jung Iyeon would defeat him makes me look forward to her growth in the future.

“Anyway, what I want to say is… prepare yourself. These days, Korean heroes are all weak and pathetic. We need someone like you.”

“As an instructor—”

“Shut up. I said I need you.”

This woman, should I use Break right now to make her kneel and spank her ten times?

I want to make her unable to lift her face from shame. But for the sake of the honor she would have as an S-rank, I decided to wait until an opportunity arises when we’re alone.

“Looking at it, Lee Bangsil seems to have a lot of unnecessary concern.”

“I told you not to call me that, didn’t I?”

Just facing Heelak’s glare makes my body tremble. I got goosebumps.

Still, as expected of an S-rank, just revealing her hostility made the air tremble. Heroes who sensed her aura looked over in confusion.

“It’s fine. Please continue with the cleanup.”

When the Association President spoke to the heroes, they started moving again. I could see them being escorted one by one. They boarded the hero transport vehicles equipped with barrier skills.

As I stood watching the group being escorted, a hero approached us.

“Association President. You need to come right away.”

“What’s the matter?”

“Multiple recently extracted organs and bodies have been discovered in the building’s basement. We’ve subdued those involved in human trafficking, but the workshop seems quite large.”

That’s right. This is reality.

Where is this hopeful hero world?

“I see. Then let’s check it out right away. Ah, before that.”

The Association President moved close to me. He whispered in my ear.

“Lee Bangsil admires strength. With your skills, you won’t be called defective by her. Try showing your abilities once.”

“Ah, yes.”

I don’t particularly mind being called defective, but.

I knew why she called weak people defective and treated the weak harshly.

In the novel, when Lee Bangsil was defeated by Gu Yeonhwa, I couldn’t forget the lingering impression from the glimpse of her past that was briefly shown.

Still, since you mentioned it, I’ll give her a special etiquette lesson soon.

“Then I’ll go ahead. Leave the cleanup to us, and Yujin, please return to the academy immediately. Heelak, you can also go back after organizing the debris in one place. Thank you for your hard work.”

I watched the Association President’s retreating back before turning around.

“Hey.”

“…What?”

“Where are you going?”

“To the academy. I have to work tomorrow too.”

“I’m cleaning up after you right now. Shouldn’t you wait tactfully? I’m your senior, you know.”

“…As far as I know, Lee Bangsil entered the hero industry two years ago. Including your time at the academy, I remember you failed the written test six times—”

My mouth was forcibly shut.

“W-what! How do you know that?!”

Her hand was pointed toward me. After looking at her slightly clenched hand, I shrugged.

For reference, she was twenty-five years old, the same age as me.

She passed the practical test on her first try, so her skills were solid.

However, this person was also famous for not studying, just like the special class.

In the original story, when Jung Iyeon and Lee Bangsil were talking, a passing colleague mentioned, “This woman is a blockhead. She failed the written test six times,” but I remembered it because it was funny.

“…Just somehow?”

“I-I even disguised myself when taking the exam so no one would recognize me…!”

As if your mint-colored hair could be disguised.

“Anyway, I’ll be going now. Have a safe trip back to Gyeongsang Province.”

“Hey, hey! Stop right there!”

She shouted while clearing away the debris she had been levitating. I swallowed a sigh that was about to escape and said:

“What now?”

“You promised to buy me ten tubs of mint chocolate ice cream.”

“I’ll send you gift certificates.”

“I don’t want that.”

“Well~ I don’t want to either.”

I snorted, sneered, and stepped firmly on the ground, heading toward the academy. However, she grabbed my body with telekinesis.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

I floated in the air for a moment, looking down at her. This is surprisingly comfortable.

But I can’t stay caught like this.

I used Break to erase the energy surrounding my body. After releasing the telekinesis, I fled again.

“What…!”

“Goodbye.”

“Hey, hey…! You’re dead if I catch you later!!”

I waved my hand, casually ignoring the angry voice coming from behind.

This is the real way to deal with an arrogant person.