Everyone’s Circumstances (2)

Click click click!!!

“Welcome to Korea, Viktor-nim.”

“[Thank you.]”

Viktor, Russia’s S-class hero and the world’s No. 1 hero.

At the airport, his welcome and the shutters of reporters were in full swing.

“Then, we’ll escort you to the association.”

“[Please do.]”

The association staff pushed away the excessively crowded people and got him into the car.

“……”

“[……]”

Inside the quiet and silent car.

“..Come to think of it, it’s been a really long time since you’ve visited Korea like this, Viktor-nim!”

“[It’s been over 40 years, so I suppose so.]”

The association staff member, feeling the atmosphere was awkwardly silent, opened his mouth to say something.

“[Why would I want to come to a place where I killed my friend with my own hands and call it beautiful?]”

“……”

Although his effort became meaningless, as it turned into picking a fight as soon as he started.

‘..I’ll just shut up.’

The association staff decided to focus on driving earnestly, hoping this news wouldn’t reach his superiors.

‘..This place seems to have changed a lot too.’

Viktor looked out the window.

High-rise buildings and busy people visible through the window.

Some workers were clearing buildings collapsed due to terrorism, or using abilities to instantly build up buildings.

Viktor took in their appearances little by little as they moved by car.

‘……’

And he quietly closed his eyes and began to reminisce about old memories.

---

A little later.

“[Is this the headquarters of the Korean association?]”

“Yes. This is the Heroes Association headquarters located in A District.”

Viktor, who safely arrived at the association, was able to enter the association with the help of the staff.

“This is the front desk area that handles various civil complaints for the association. And from here on, instead of me, a hero will guide you to the association president’s office.”

“[Not you?]”

“Unfortunately, I have a schedule after this.. And that person should be more comfortable for you than me, Viktor-nim, as you’re acquainted.”

“[Someone I know?]”

As Viktor wondered, shortly after the association staff left, a woman approached him.

“It’s been a long time, Viktor-nim.”

“[..Ice Queen? Is that you?]”

Viktor’s eyes widened.

Ice Queen.

He knew she was a child with great potential from the beginning, but the aura emanating from her now and her changed appearance..

“[Have you awakened?]”

“Somehow.. yes.”

Ice Queen nodded, twisting the ends of her white hair as if embarrassed.

“I’m still far behind you, Viktor-nim, but I’ve worked hard.”

“[What do you mean far behind, just the fact that you’ve awakened already means you’re twice the hero others are.]”

It’s not that all S-class heroes are necessarily awakened, but awakened heroes almost always become S-class heroes.

That’s also why the individual skill gap in S-class is larger compared to other ranks.

However, as one gains power beyond the average S-class, awakening is even more difficult than just becoming S-class normally.

‘To think she’d awaken at such a young age.’

Of course, Viktor himself awakened in his 20s, but separately from that, he felt proudly pleased as if a non-existent granddaughter had succeeded, given Ice Queen’s awakening, with whom he had a sort of friendship.

“[Well. I’m glad to see you seem to be doing well.]”

And so Viktor and Ice Queen, meeting after a long time, headed to the association president’s office while chatting familiarly.

“By the way, what’s the reason for your visit to Korea this time? I know the detailed circumstances haven’t been revealed.”

“[Hmm, about that..]”

And Ice Queen was able to hear Viktor’s circumstances briefly.

“[Alpha. You know about that guy too, right?]”

“Um.. yes.”

Not just knowing, she was even part of a team to catch him.

“[Alpha, that guy was my friend and I don’t want to see him rampaging anymore.]”

“I see..”

“[I wanted to come earlier, but various diplomatic issues were involved, so it took some time.]”

Certainly.

It didn’t look good for a foreign hero to handle problems occurring in another country.

40 years ago, when Viktor killed Alpha, Viktor was staying in Korea for a hero exchange program, and more importantly, the association president at that time gathered heroes regardless of nationality to stop Alpha.

For the current association president, who values his own pride and shame the most, just letting Viktor into Korea must have been a big decision.

It made sense that Viktor only came now, after Alpha’s appearance.

“Then we just need to catch Alpha now.”

“[..I’ll have to talk with the association president here for more details, but it’s almost certain.]”

Ice Queen nodded and walked along.

Ding!

And they got on the elevator that arrived and pressed the button for the floor with the association president’s office.

“[..Have there been any particularly difficult things lately?]”

“Pardon?”

“[Last time when I came for the exchange. Like how you were venting your anger on villains, I wondered if something had happened… No, never mind.]”

Viktor, thinking this might be too much meddling, quickly shook his head and cancelled his words.

Ice Queen couldn’t help but smile at Viktor’s behavior.

Probably because of her state when they met last time, he seemed worried even after seeing her awakened form.

“No, I’m doing well without any difficulties.”

It was like a close grandfather asking if she was eating well. It made her smile.

‘If it’s not difficult things but strange things, I do have something to tell someone..’

Thinking there was no need to mention such things, Ice Queen shook her head again.

Ding!

The elevator had already reached its destination and the doors opened.

And as they walked again, the association president’s office came into view.

Guards were waiting in front of it, but when they made eye contact with Ice Queen, they bowed their heads and stepped aside to allow the door to be opened.

“You can go inside now.”

“[Thank you for the guidance. The talk might be long, so don’t wait or anything.]”

“Understood.”

Viktor gave his final greetings to Ice Queen and went inside.

Creeeak.. Click.

And Ice Queen looked at the door for a moment before turning back the way she came.

‘There won’t be any dispatch orders today, I should go to the training room and exercise for the remaining time.’

As Ice Queen was walking towards the elevator.

Slurp.. slurp..! Slurp..

“..?”

A sticky saliva sound started to be heard from around.

Just as she was wondering what the sound was, not long after, two figures were kissing in front of the elevator.

‘What..’

Startled for a moment, Ice Queen gathered her wits and approached them.

“..I’d appreciate it if you did your public displays of affection elsewhere.”

“Eek!!”

Perhaps startled by the voice from behind.

The man who was kissing frantically quickly turned his head to look at Ice Queen.

“..Executive-nim?”

A skinny, neurotic-looking executive.

Among the executives, he was one of the more familiar faces, so Ice Queen could easily identify the middle-aged man.

“Ah, Ice Queen… M-Miss Jung. Something urgent suddenly came up, so I think I need to go first..”

“What? Suddenly?”

“It’s really urgent! Well then, I’ll be going!!”

“Wait-“

Perhaps because his indiscretion was caught by a famous hero, the executive blushed and ran away on the spot.

‘..That person. He had a reputation for being as incorruptible as my mentor.’

Can even such a person change when there’s a woman around..

Ice Queen took out her phone.

[Me]: Be careful of women.

[Me]: If you meet the wrong woman, you could lose your reputation you’ve built up, your family could fall apart, your children could be sad, you could lose money, be socially buried, even get sick..(omitted)

Ice Queen put her phone away satisfactorily as she saw Maker’s message saying he understood.

“Damn.. I finally got to have a meal.”

The woman left alone glared at Ice Queen while muttering incomprehensibly.

Ice Queen also sighed and opened her mouth at her familiar appearance.

“It might be better to exercise some restraint, Senior Spark.”

“Well, I’d like to, but there are just too many people who like me~”

She was Spark, the woman who had been constantly clashing with Ice Queen.

“Ah, you probably don’t know about such things, living off your own self-importance?”

After Ice Queen’s awakening, their relationship returned to being similar to before.

Just when she thought she was finally getting ahead, being overtaken again.

Ice Queen’s appearance of reaching S-class first, and even achieving awakening which is said to be difficult for ordinary people, was enough to stimulate Spark’s inferiority complex again.

“Selfish bitch. You look just like a clown desperate for attention.”

“……”

“No matter how hard you try, someone like you will never receive proper romantic love in your life.”

Spark, overcome with malice, continued to tear down Ice Queen.

“..Pfft.”

However, Ice Queen couldn’t feel even a bit of impact from Spark’s words.

“..You’re laughing?”

“I’m sorry, but there’s a fool who doesn’t give up and holds onto even someone like me.”

Of course, in the romantic sense that you like so much.

Although Ice Queen and Maker weren’t that kind of relationship, she said so to lightly scratch her and raised the corners of her mouth with a smirk.

The reason Spark kept bringing up male-female relationships was simple.

Because that was the only way she could completely beat Ice Queen.

“And you might know, but I haven’t dated not because I couldn’t, but because I chose not to. I don’t want to use my body carelessly like someone.”

“What?!”

Although it was just a difference that arose because Ice Queen wasn’t interested, it gave Spark a great boost to her self-esteem.

However, what if she realized that Ice Queen actually had the upper hand even in this dating business?

What would happen to her then?

Ding!

Ice Queen smirked and passed by the motionless Spark to board the elevator and close the doors.

“……”

And Spark, left alone.

She gritted her teeth and used the stairs to find the women’s restroom.

After passing a few floors, she found the restroom.

Bang!

After confirming that no one was in the restroom, she glared at the mirror above the sink.

“You, come out and talk right now.”

“……”

“I’ve already figured out that there’s no one here.”

At that moment, her hair began to twitch slightly.

Starting from there, one of her eyes began to change.

It was, as Maker had seen before, an appearance with the colors of the white and black of the eye inverted.

Gurgle.. gurgle..

As various changes came over her body for a moment, eventually the pupil of the inverted eye literally ‘opened’.

[What.. is it..?]

Bang.

With that one word, an enormous presence flowed out.

Fortunately, it was something only Spark could feel.

“..This is different from our agreement.”

[The agreement.. was kept.. Haven’t you.. become stronger?]

Bang!

“I want to be stronger!! I need to be even stronger!!”

Spark, enduring what would have driven an ordinary person mad long ago, instead shouted at it.

At her words, it continued speaking haltingly.

[I don’t.. have much.. influence.. in that world..]

“If you increase that influence, can you give me more power?”

[Yes.. I can.. infuse more.. of my authority..]

“I’ll listen to anything you can do for me, so tell me!”

[Create.. followers.. who follow me.]

Spark could be considered a follower who received power from it.

And what it wanted was a kind of missionary activity.

She thought that much would be easy.

At that moment.

[Someone strong enough.. to withstand my power.. and with strong anger.. towards the world.. would be good.]

“What? Withstand your power?”

At its subsequent words, Spark became furious.

Withstanding the power.

Even for Spark, who was at the top of B-class and had endured all kinds of training that would be done in some special forces, it was power received after overcoming about 15 near-death experiences.

“Are you playing with me?”

And in Spark’s opinion, to stably receive its power, at least an A-class or S-class would be needed.

The problem was that A-class and S-class heroes are too busy enjoying the power given to them to unnecessarily hate the world.

“That’s easier said than..! Wait a minute..”

It was then, just as she was about to burst out in anger towards it.

[Do you.. have someone.. in mind..?]

“..There is one.”

There was one person that came to mind.

A strong individual who harbors anger towards the world.

There was one incredibly strong person who met all the conditions and wasn’t affiliated with the Heroes Association.

Wouldn’t it work if she could somehow seduce that guy?

“Alright, I got it. I’ll prepare.”

If that person becomes a follower of this thing, its influence would grow too.

The thought made her feel as if her mind was clearing up.

[I will.. be waiting..]

And the pupil slowly closed.

The enormous presence beside her disappeared, and her eye bore its original color as if nothing had happened.

Spark looked at the blood flowing from her lip and smiled grotesquely.

“..Right, there’s nothing to worry about.”

When she has this monster.

A monster whose reason for existence, whether it’s a mystery or an alien, is unknown.

Although its identity is unknown, it gave her excellent abilities she never had before, and thanks to that, she was able to become stronger.

Creeak..

“Oh, unni, you were here? Were you fixing your makeup?”

Just believe in it.

If she has it, she can become the best that everyone looks up to.

“..You came at a good time. I was feeling hungry.”

“Unni, you still haven’t eaten? That’s great. I haven’t eaten either. Let’s just fix our makeup and then together..”

Crunch!!!

So first, let’s have a meal.

Crunch! Crunch crunch crunch..!!!

A voracious sound quietly echoed from the secluded bathroom.

“Dogs and cats are still less efficient than humans after all.”

The cleanup is a bit annoying though.

Spark smiled as she applied lipstick rolling on the bathroom floor to her lips.

“Mm~ My makeup’s looking good today.”