Ch.74Chapter 13. Counterattack (6)

I always feel a strange sensation when I look down while floating in the sky.

No tools, no platform beneath me—just my body suspended in the air. Even birds need to flap their wings to rise, but I don’t need anything like that.

If circumstances were different, I might have enjoyed this feeling.

If only I’d had this ability when I was an ordinary combatant.

“…”

No, that’s not right. It’s precisely because I, an ordinary combatant, gained this power that things ended up this way.

I should never have become a combatant in the first place.

The circuit vibrated in response to my thoughts.

It’s ridiculous that I need to think depressing thoughts to fight. If I get caught up in the thrill of victory and let my guard down, the Despair Circuit doesn’t function properly.

Getting weaker as I gain the advantage—I hate it. Now I understand why combatants were weak. Not many people in this world would willingly sink so deep into despair.

After briefly looking down and contemplating my next move, I jumped down with my hammer in hand.

Right, I just need to do what I always do. Just smash whatever’s in front of me as I please, and retreat when the time is right.

I should also look for places where the chairman might be. The current chairman probably isn’t here, but if there’s some kind of shelter or hideout, I should destroy it. That would serve as a “warning.”

A warning to make the current chairman wary of me.

At first, I was worried about starting a fire. If the house used a lot of wood, the booster flames from my hammer could ignite it, which would be problematic since neighboring houses might be endangered.

At least the two magical girls following me could put out the fire under the pretense of stopping me, but it would still be dangerous.

Fortunately, the mansion built in the heart of Seoul in this modern country didn’t have many such concerns.

The furniture was wooden, but the walls behind them were made of solid marble.

As if flaunting its expensive nature, even the floor wasn’t wooden but made of what looked like costly stone. None of the furniture was made on Earth. Honestly, it all looked avant-garde with seemingly terrible functionality, but I guess that’s the taste of wealthy people.

Or maybe they’re not from Earth.

I broke through a window from the garden outside. The window, surely reinforced glass, couldn’t withstand the massive accelerated piece of metal.

Since I didn’t bother about the alarm, a blaring sound immediately filled the house. The first thing I destroyed was the speaker because the noise was annoying.

The interior of the house… apart from the natural marble interior materials and the avant-garde furniture, it looked more or less like a normal house.

Beyond the entrance was a spacious living room, with stairs leading up next to the kitchen.

No one came rushing out from inside, but—

The front door swung open, and four combatants entered. Probably two from the front gate and two from the building entrance.

Actually, they looked more professional than combatants. They carried submachine guns and wore watches on their wrists. At first glance, they resembled sturdy electronic watches used by the military, but the subtle vibration sound revealed they weren’t just watches but circuits.

Are they real circuits? Or resonance devices?

All combatants feared magical girls to some extent, so their circuits worked well when entering battle. Few maintained their composure until the end.

The end of despair was usually surrender.

Aliens with confidence in their abilities tried to hold out until the end, but among Earth humans, only the team leader and I didn’t lose morale and flee in the middle of battle, at least in our team.

The combatants at the tracking device building or headquarters seemed more professional, but they still ran away when I threatened to kill them.

I’m not sure if the Despair Circuit affects people’s emotions. The company distributed them under the guise of “courage” rather than despair.

But if the opponent doesn’t get scared and just sees this as a job, “resonance device” might be a more fitting term than “Despair Circuit.”

They must have known I was coming, even if they weren’t sure exactly where.

“Why don’t you all just step aside?” I asked calmly.

My voice was relatively composed, I think. But it doesn’t really matter. Even if someone has a calm voice, they can’t be considered “calm” after breaking into someone’s house through a window.

Looking at those special combatants pointing submachine guns—clearly larger caliber than 5.56mm—at me made me feel quite unpleasant.

They might be doing it for money, but that doesn’t mean I have to like people who shoot at me.

I spent my entire time as a combatant harboring negative thoughts about magical girls, so there’s no point in saying anything different now.

“Not going to move?”

If they have families, they won’t. If they’re really from the military, the company probably paid them a lot to bring them in.

Even if they don’t mind getting fired when alone…

“Alright, then—”

As I gripped my hammer tightly with both hands and the combatants tensed, clutching their weapons—

Bang!

That sound came from beyond the broken window.

Looking back, I saw the two magical girls watching me.

Hayun was running toward me, and Iris was—

Huh?

I quickly turned my body to dodge. A beam hit where I had been standing just moments ago. It was near my feet, but if I’d been hit, I might have stumbled.

For a moment, anger surged to the top of my head but quickly subsided.

Right now, the combatants are watching me.

This is correct since we agreed to show some division between me and the magical girls. In reality, Iris’s attack wasn’t as fierce as when we actually fought.

She aims at me and fires. But the beam only hits the spot after I’ve dodged. It didn’t directly hit me or even graze me slightly.

To others, it might not look that way. My dynamic vision is much better than an average person’s when I’m surrounded by mana. Certainly better than those combatant unit members.

“Run away quickly!” Hayun shouted with a stern face.

“She’s here for revenge…!”

I swung my hammer at Hayun.

Well, not seriously.

Hayun easily blocked my hammer with her staff. After staying locked like that for a moment, I leaped back. To make it look like I was retreating at a glance.

Magic bullets flew one after another toward my trajectory.

Pak, papak.

Since they didn’t hit my body, the bullets naturally pierced and destroyed various parts of the house.

One hit the refrigerator door, blowing off that part. There was almost nothing inside. Is this evidence that no one really lives here?

Lights shattered and went out. Since it was a dim evening outside, visibility immediately darkened, though not to the point of complete blindness.

I swung my hammer repeatedly at Hayun.

Hayun narrowly dodged my hammer, and the missed hammer struck the floor, breaking it, destroying the dining table, and blowing away parts of the furniture.

“Run away… quickly…!”

Only after Hayun shouted did the combatants flinch and back away.

“Jieun, calm down!”

At those words, I felt like laughing, so I tightly closed my mouth. After taking a moment to catch my breath, I forced out words.

“Calm down?”

Hayun’s face stiffened slightly at my words. She’s acting well.

“You tell me to calm down after driving me to this point? Who pushed me this far?”

If it weren’t for the chairman, I’d still be getting by somehow. James would still be intimidating me, and he’d be secretly using me for that entropy or whatever nonsensical plan, but the orphanage and Jihye would be fine.

The magical girls would probably have driven out Noir Corporation before we graduated… though I can’t be certain.

In the end, I would have just become an ordinary adult, running around to make a living, but maybe I would have gotten along with Hayun, secretly envying her but managing somehow.

But those dreams are all over. I’ve become a terrorist, and I have to run until I clear my name.

“What’s wrong with getting revenge on the people who made me like this? Those lying trash are still living well!”

“…”

Hayun’s mouth opened slightly.

“I won’t forgive them.”

I spoke softly, with some sincerity.

“I won’t forgive them. Ever. Those trash who pushed me here with their lies—I’ll find each one and kill them. I won’t forgive anyone who gets in my way. I won’t forgive those who knew everything but abandoned me. They’re all just garbage.”

The company trying to get rid of me. The Federation knowingly or unknowingly cooperating with such a company. The government that turns a blind eye to it all.

They’re all trash.

I’m not saying I did well. After all, this all stems from my mistake. If I hadn’t responded to Noir Corporation’s words, maybe none of this would have happened.

But still.

If they wanted to get rid of me, they should have just cut me off from the beginning. At the very least, they could have asked for my cooperation. Or mediated when they committed illegal acts involving me.

They just chase after me like a lab rat that escaped, watching from above.

Even villains get criticized for being so one-dimensional. I don’t know what the company, Federation, and government are doing.

“Jieun—”

I charged at Hayun.

This time, Hayun barely blocked my hammer.

Maybe I put too much strength into my hands.

As she backed away as if bouncing back, she was pushed almost right in front of the combatants. Excellent distance control.

“…!”

As if suddenly remembering something, Hayun turned around urgently and shouted.

“I told you! Run away!”

Only after “Blossom” shouted loudly did the combatants hastily retreat, glancing back at me as they fled.

They seemed genuinely scared.

Well, life is more precious.

When I charged after the combatants, Hayun hurriedly blocked my path.

“Stop right there!”

“Jieun, calm down…!”

Bang.

The door opened hastily, and the combatants tumbled out of the house. How many times will they fall while fleeing to the main gate?

It was a bit mean, but they got off much better than the people I directly beat up before.

I repeatedly slammed my hammer on the floor.

The sound was for the combatants to hear. That way, they’d think I’d truly lost my mind.

After this, I’d need to keep making similar sounds while searching the place. It would be best to tear up the inside of the house as much as possible.

I considered creating a black hole but decided to postpone that.

To create a black hole that would wreak havoc on the surroundings, my emotions would need to sink that low. I would need to be “pushed” into the abyss of despair, like when I was shot by the police after rescuing Jihye.

One builds resistance to depressing thoughts. Well, many people still can’t bear it and die, but if you’re alive, that’s how it is.

For me, with my recently stabilized mind and body, it was a bit challenging.

“Jieun…”

“Hmm?”

I only stopped when I heard Hayun calling me.

When I came to my senses, the floor in front of me was already unrecognizable. It was not just crushed but almost ground up.

“…”

I blinked for a moment, looking at the spot, then turned around.

Iris was staring at me blankly, with her gun barrel slightly lowered.

I felt a bit awkward.

I looked up. What can I see around?

Spotting something like a CCTV, I threw my hammer at it.

The large hammer, spinning with the power of the booster, flew and embedded itself in the ceiling. The CCTV-like object fell down along with parts of the ceiling.

Should I cut the wires completely?

We couldn’t talk comfortably until I found and destroyed all such things. The current chairman might have installed various surveillance devices to monitor the former chairman.

The former chairman was currently missing, but he might sneak in to look for things.

How long would it take for the police to arrive? Probably less than five minutes.

My destruction of the CCTV seemed to serve as a signal, as Iris and Hayun also appeared to regain their composure.

“Ji-Jieun, calm—”

This time, Hayun’s voice had a theatrical tone, but it was decent enough. After all, in acting, what matters is whether the other person knows it’s an act or not.

Bad acting in dramas or movies would be ridiculous, but bad acting in reality just looks a bit awkward. Of course, there are people who are genuinely terrible at lying.

Ignoring Hayun’s words, I walked over and picked up the hammer that had fallen to the floor.

The hammer, which had closed after falling from my hand, opened again.

Hot flames erupted.

I gripped the hammer upside down.

Alright.

Whether there are devices inside or not, let’s burn everything so they can’t hear anything.

If conversations still leak out after this… I’m not sure what to do.

*

Hayun stared blankly at Jieun’s back as she destroyed everything around her.

The words she had just spoken.

The expression on Jieun’s face as she said them.

Thinking it wasn’t just an act, Hayun couldn’t bring herself to stop her.

Though she hadn’t come to stop her, even saying that much was difficult.

Trash.

It was the first time that word had come directly from Jieun’s mouth.

Of course, she had seen Jieun angry before. It’s understandable that she hates the people who shot at her. And that she wants to vent about the Federation, the company, and the government.

If she resented Hayun, that would be natural too. If Hayun had actively protected Jieun from the beginning, none of this would have happened.

Could it be that those words weren’t directed at Hayun?

Could Hayun not be included among the “trash” she resented?

Jieun acted a bit awkwardly whenever Hayun approached. Especially after they met again following their separation.

She felt like she had seen the cause of that rejection.

Before coming here, Jieun had touched and played with James without hesitation.

Of course, he looked like a talking hamster from an Earth human’s perspective… but why would she interact so comfortably with a being that had an adult male’s voice?

Perhaps because James was the one who had genuinely helped Jieun until now.

Even if not affection, they were at least comfortable with each other.

“…”

Dust and small fragments scattered everywhere. A large wall-mounted TV split in half from the middle and fell to the floor. An avant-garde designed ceramic, seemingly from another planet, shattered along with the table beneath it.

The ceiling lights broke, and darkness descended. All that was visible was the moonlight from outside and the light from the propulsion part of Jieun’s weapon.

As if wanting to burn everything inside, Jieun moved violently.

The once-white walls were now turning black from being scorched. Some parts exploded as if something had been hidden in the joints, while others simply melted or turned red-hot.

“…Haa.”

Jieun turned around with an expression that seemed somewhat relieved, and their eyes met.

In the dim light, illuminated by the moonlight, Jieun looked dusty but somehow refreshed.

But those eyes darkened again as soon as they met Hayun’s.

…What illusion had she been under?

Getting overconfident because Jieun had given her space.

Maybe Jieun had simply given up on everything and didn’t bother to drive her away.

Jieun slightly averted her eyes, took a deep breath, and said,

“That’s enough now.”

*

Why do I feel so embarrassed?

Ah, is it because I realized my behavior probably looked like a child throwing a tantrum for a toy in a department store?

For a while, I just went on a rampage, smashing things without any logic or search purpose.

It was partly to destroy any hidden listening devices, but that doesn’t mean my actions weren’t forced.

“…Why don’t you two help?”

I still had to be careful with my words in case any listening devices remained.

“Look for the chairman.”

“…If anyone was inside, they would have come out by now. Or they would have fled while you were rampaging.”

Iris spoke with a somewhat cautious voice.

“Y-yes, that’s right, Jieun.”

Hayun picked up the conversation more calmly.

We all understand the situation. We discussed the possibilities before coming here.

Is it because we’re hiding our intentions? Somehow, things don’t seem to align well… but whatever.

The goal is to intimidate the chairman.

It might be better if they hear this conversation.

I slammed the floor with my hammer again.

Hayun and Iris’s shoulders momentarily flinched.

“Weren’t you going to cooperate?”

I spoke in a flat tone.

“Then, search. For any traces.”

Finding even traces inside might help.

The hamster waiting outside on a drone said finding traces of the former chairman would be helpful.

He also told me to destroy things.

“…”

Hayun and Iris looked at each other.

If it was acting, I could say it was decent. Their expressions of confusion were vivid.

Conversely, if it wasn’t acting—

Hmm, maybe I overdid it a bit.

…Should I tone it down?