Chapter 33

Chapter 33

The Aesthetics of a Villain (1)

***

-Boom!!

Suddenly, soil erupted from the center of the crater.

Spiritas, bathed in the light from the helicopter, turned her head urgently.

“What the…”

Wasn’t the fight over?

No, it couldn’t have survived. The previous blow was akin to a meteor breaking through the atmosphere. How could she have blocked that?

“That, nooo!”

Yet something was tearing out of the ground from the center of the crater.

Not a person, but mud…

Precisely, a huge form shaped like a person.

“Spiritas…”

A voice seeped out from the widening gap, bearing her traces.

“Spiritas… Spiritas!!”

Femme Fatale Familia.

The drug coursing through her body was still causing her Gift to rampage.

As a result, the ‘earth’s nature’ from Gaia’s Blessing had taken over her entire body.

“Ahahahaha!!”

Yet, she did not despair.

Instead, her body losing its form allowed her to survive the previous impossible blow.

“You, you…”

She had abandoned her human form.

Given up being human.

“Now, you shine so brightly.”

Yes, she had seized this opportunity.

Realizing that, Femme Fatale’s grasp clamped onto Spiritas’s body.

A dull grip. But with her body pushed to its limits, there was no way she could avoid it.

“Yes, I also had times like that. Everyone, everyone had such times…”

In the hollow eyes buried in the mud, there was surely a feeling of admiration.

Who would have thought that a brat who inherited the power of her old friend and partner, someone she thought of as a foolish brat, would trust others so much and risk her life as a ‘hero’?

“But it’s all futile.”

Recognizing it made her feel pity.

She had been through it, and so had those who were with her.

“I spent my whole life…”

But the one in front of her still didn’t know.

“Spent my whole life trying to change this world, but I kept seeing the same scenes…”

That everything they believed to be right was just a convincing play built on lies.

The truth is exceedingly cruel, and just facing it is revolting.

No, she wouldn’t believe it even if explained now.

Like every time before, the person in front of her would deny that reality.

“So let me destroy everything…”

She didn’t want to see that noble light fall anymore.

Like herself.

She couldn’t bear to see more ‘corrupt justice’ that rejoices in living in such a wretched form.

“The hope of the past will take away the hope of the present! To at least show everyone that what they have worked for is wrong…”

So die before realizing it.

That would be her last act of kindness to her junior, and her final resistance to this world.

‘This is dangerous.’

But not knowing her story, Spiritas only felt the crushing force as a threat.

Yet her body, pushed to its limits, couldn’t escape this force.

Though she could exert more power than others, her superhuman strength quickly reached its limit.

‘Damn it, what should I…’

Losing the strength to resist, she felt her vision blur as breathing became difficult…

-Crack!!

At that moment, a sound of expanding moisture echoed.

With it, the surrounding warmth vanished instantly, and Femme Fatale’s body stiffened.

As the strength left her grip, Spiritas’s body sank down.

But Femme Fatale couldn’t think of picking her up again.

“W-What… why… why is my body…”

“So disgraceful.”

As she barely managed to voice her confusion, a cold voice echoed from behind her.

Colder than whatever had frozen her body.

“Who, who are you… Ugh!”

Following the voice, as she turned her head, a scream escaped Femme Fatale’s mouth.

It was despair.

Or a fear ingrained from past memories.

“Ah, ah!! Why, why are you here…!!”

As if denying even her death cry, an uninvited guest swung a sword in her hand.

From the sword, white powder spread around.

-Crack!!

The gigantic mass of mud exposed to the spreading wave was completely frozen.

But the woman paid no mind to it.

Her hand reached for something that had fallen from the mud.

“Drug, Rank-Up.”

The woman, picking up the syringe, spoke in a cold voice.

“I came to investigate this as it has recently caused several issues… I never thought it would find its way into the light.”

The syringe froze and shattered just by touching her hand.

The object, robbed of its heat energy, lost its inherent properties and disintegrated.

“How repulsive.”

Crack!

With a sound that hinted at anger, the syringe shattered and vanished.

The weapon used by the hero who had overpowered her was destroyed so effortlessly.

“I appreciate your desire to expose the contradictions of this society, but such means have no meaning unless they are legitimate. No one will listen to you using something like this.”

But her attention had long since left the frozen monster.

“I am disappointed in you, Femme Fatale Familia.”

With a murmur, a crack spread.

With that, the frozen body shattered and fell to the ground.

The being who had troubled her so much died so easily.

Seeing this, Spiritas felt a chill she had never experienced before.

“Who are you?”

Straightening her posture to face the overwhelming presence, she looked up.

A woman in a hanbok wearing a white mask.

In her hand was a traditional sword from an ancient eastern country, a Hwandudaedo with no crossguard.

More outlandish attire than her own for this situation.

But more disconcerting was the quiet atmosphere compared to the previous battle.

Yet, it was chilling…

“Spiritas, the Star Girl.”

A mysterious woman spoke her name.

“No… Originally named Spirit Star, but due to an administrative error, it became that, didn’t it?”

“What!?”

Spiritas expressed her shock.

What the woman said was shocking from her perspective.

“No, how do you know that!? It wasn’t even revealed in any broadcast… How, how?”

“Sorry, but I know a lot about you.”

The woman adjusted her mask.

“But you probably don’t know about me. So first… Yes, let me introduce myself out of courtesy.”

She bowed politely.

“Nice to meet you, Spiritas. I am a former executive of Ouroboros and a member of the newly formed Villain Alliance – Pandemonia.”

Her courteous and disciplined attitude didn’t fit someone claiming to be a villain.

But she symbolized a villain with that demeanor.

“And I am your enemy, Seolhwa.”

The Ice Empress.

An executive of the worst and most feared villain organization of three years ago.

A person who disappeared after the war, whose death was never confirmed.

‘Why is such a big shot here…’

Realizing this, she found it hard to breathe.

No, her breath had long since faded.

The cold air that flowed as she appeared continued to invade her body, sapping her warmth.

‘No, it’s okay. The rebound has recovered by now.’

Spiritas steadied her body.

Though her body was wrecked by the rebound, she could still launch a counterattack.

‘If I push myself one more time…!’

She attacked before her opponent could move.

-Crack!

But her resolve was in vain, as her left foot, about to move, was fixed in place, rooted to the ground.

Ice had surged from the ground, binding her foot.

“Be careful. If you force it, your leg will fall off.”

“Damn!!”

Spiritas lifted her frozen foot, breaking the ground.

She aimed a kick at Seolhwa’s head, but it was a futile struggle.

-Crack!

As Seolhwa bent and drew her sword, the air froze.

Just entering that space made cold seep into her, freezing her muscles.

‘My body won’t move.’

Losing her balance, she fell.

Trying to move, frost formed on her skin.

Frostbite locked her in place, making it impossible to move.

‘This is Ouroboros.’

But more astonishing was her movement in dodging the attack.

Even against a kick at supersonic speed, she moved gracefully with minimal effort, blocking the attack decisively.

It was only a ‘small part’ of her power.

Even at her best, Spiritas couldn’t guarantee a win against her.

‘This is the organization that took half the S-Class heroes’ lives three years ago…’

No, she would surely lose.

She realized it immediately from the brief exchange.

“Indeed.”

Amidst the overwhelming pressure, Seolhwa looked down at Spiritas and murmured quietly.

“Even though you are still immature, you are too strong.”

With a low voice, she raised her Hwandudaedo.

The frost at its tip grew, increasing its sharpness.

Quiet but sharp…

More threatening than the previous monster.

“If left alone, you might become a hindrance in the future. It might be better to eliminate you here.”

Her voice carried no empathy.

A voice from someone accustomed to killing.

The dryness in her voice added to Spiritas’s fear.

‘I’m going to die.’

Soon would come a miserable and helpless end.

Unable to face it, she closed her eyes.

-Bang!!!

With a sudden crash, Seolhwa’s body twisted.

Though she blocked the attack with her sword, she couldn’t ignore the sudden intrusion.

Someone had intervened from her blind spot.

“Long time no see, Seolhwa. Have you been well?”

Turning her attention to the intruder, Seolhwa stopped the execution.

Picking up the kukri she deflected, a man wearing a paper bag on his head entered the crater.

Dressed more ludicrously than her, a man with a comical appearance.

“Who are you?”

“Who am I?”

He chuckled, holding the kukri.

“I’m your old friend, you damn bitch.”

At his provocation.

-Crack!!

A fierce snowstorm began to swirl from Seolhwa’s feet.

End of Chapter