episode_0010

Unexpected Beatdown

(Tadadadadada!!)

The gangsters shot their guns at the snow flower flying towards them.

(Ting! Ting! Ting! Ting!)

An ice barrier formed around the snow flower, blocking the bullets.

(Thud!)

The falling snow flower landed as a hero and ice rose around her, fitting her name. It looked as if she had landed in a state similar to a stone falling into a lake.

“Oh, Hero Landing.”

(Tadadadadada!!)

The gangsters continued shooting without pause.

(Kang!!)

With a heavy sound, the snow flower burst through the ice and leaped out.

(Peck! Peck! Peck! Peck!)

With each of her punches, the gangsters fell one by one.

“Subordinate 1! Can you buy us some time?!”

Arthur, who was running, told the headhunter that he might be caught by the snow flower if he kept going.

“Alright.”

(Swish!)

Upon hearing this, the headhunter took out two justice revolvers from his holster and turned around.

(Bang!! Bang!! Bang!! Bang!! Bang!!)

“Ugh!”

(Ting! Ting! Ting! Ting!)

Faced with the fierce sniping, the snow flower raised her arms and created an ice barrier in front of her to block the bullets.

(Bang!! Bang!! Bang!! Bang!!)

“…”

The precision of the bullets hitting exactly one spot on the ice wall until it almost broke sent shivers down the snow flower’s spine.

“Incredible marksmanship.”

Among the villains and criminals encountered so far, there were many who used firearms. Most criminals used them, and quite a few villains did too. There were also villains who broke her ice barriers.

But no one had ever caused damage to her ice barriers with firearms like this before.

(Swish, click)

Having used up all the revolver bullets, the headhunter put down the revolver and quickly grabbed a rifle over his shoulder.

(Tadadang! Tadadang! Tadadang! Tadadang!)

And then, in a rapid succession, he fired at a point precisely aimed with the revolver.

(Sizzle!)

As the ice began to crack, the snow flower stopped and focused her ability on defense.

“Hmm, this won’t work anymore.”

As she concentrated her ability on defense, the ice barrier, which seemed about to break, now showed no sign of giving way.

“Yes, let’s run faster then.”

Having saved time, they now began sacrificing their subordinates little by little to slow down the advance of Snow Flower.

“I didn’t know I would agree with that, but it seems like I was wrong.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“It’s interesting, indeed.”

“Is that so? Hahaha!!”

(Sound of footsteps!!)

Arthur, Headhunter, and the remaining subordinates came to a halt in the middle of the road.

“We’re in position.”

[Approaching Monkey Spanner]

“Okay.”

(Screaming!!)

A tremendous amount of smoke rose from where Arthur stood.

(Clattering!)

“What’s this?”

A few seconds later, Snow Flower arrived at Arthur’s location.

(Thud thud thud thud)

“Huh?”

(Flashing)

Strange sound effects accompanied by blue lights illuminated Snow Flower.

“Blue Corner Hero, Snow Flower!”

(Kugugugu)

“Challenging this, Red Corner!”

(Flashing)

This time, the red light pointed to a building’s wall.

“Where are you!!”

(Bang!!)

The ground shook, and a man wearing a bulky tank top burst through the wall, shouting.

“Villain, Monkey Spanner!!”

“…Villain?”

“Ahhhh!! Die!!”

Villain Monkey Spanner charged at Snow Flower with his eyes glowing red.

“It’s you?! It’s you!! Die!!”

“What, what is this?”

(Swoosh)

Snow Flower dodged Monkey Spanner’s punch and froze his foot, stopping his movement.

“Ugh! Ugh!”

With his foot stuck to the ground, Monkey Spanner tried to move around.

(Thump)

(Crackle)

As Monkey Spanner struggled, Snow Flower approached, placing a hand on the ground, causing ice to gradually spread over his leg.

“Ahhh!!”

(Smash!!)

Monkey Spanner exerted force, breaking the ice that bound him.

“Die! Die!”

(Bang! Bang! Bang!)

Freed from restraint, Monkey Spanner attempted to strike the swiftly moving Snow Flower, but only managed to shatter the ground repeatedly.

“Ugh…”

Arthur sat down on the rooftop, setting down his microphone.

“The drug is really potent.”

“It’s completely tasteless, isn’t it?”

Beside Arthur, the Headhunter, observing the fight between Monkey Spanner and Snow Flower through a sniper rifle, said,

“It’s an enhancement drug for the reinforcement system.”

“An enhancer? But why is it like that?”

The problem with amplifying one’s abilities is that it also amplifies other things. When you use it, the taste changes like this. Originally, it was intended for use by soldiers, but when the military used it, they ended up shooting their own troops and had to abandon it.

“Where do you get something like this?”

“It’s all about connections.”

(Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!)

“Gasp! Gasp! Gasp!”

Monkey Spanner breathed heavily as if exhausted.

“Ughhh!! Huffing!!”

Although Monkey Spanner seemed to be out of breath, when he took a deep breath and exhaled strongly, his face returned to its original state. However, his eyes remained red.

“It won’t work.”

(Swish)

Snow Flower, confirming that her strength was greater than her opponent’s, flew into the sky.

“Come here!!”

(Thud! Thud!)

As Snow Flower flew into the sky, Monkey Spanner pounded the ground.

(Swish swish)

Large hailstones formed around Snow Flower as she flew through the sky.

(Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!)

And quickly flew towards Monkey Spanner’s arms and legs.

(Crunch! Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!)

“Ahhhh!!”

With her arms and legs pierced by the hailstones, Monkey Spanner became unable to move.

(Squelch!)

Then, the areas where the hailstones had struck began to freeze.

“Ugh!!”

“Villain Monkey Spanner, you are under arrest,” said a figure who came down beside the restrained Monkey Spanner.

(Bang!!)

Just as it seemed the battle was over, suddenly a gunshot rang out, and at the same time, a bullet swiftly struck Monkey Spanner in the head.

“Aaahh!!”

However, despite being shot in the head, Monkey Spanner did not die but instead cried out in agony.

!

Snow Flower looked in the direction of the gunshot.

(Swoosh, thud)

And in Snow Flower’s gaze, on the rooftop of a building, Arthur was seen tipping his hat and waving.

(Clang!!)

“Darn it.”

Whether due to the agony of near-death or not, Monkey Spanner shattered the ice and struck Snow Flower.

“Ugh!”

As Snow Flower was kicked away, she regained her senses and looked back at the rooftop, but no one was there.

(Thud! Thud!)

Now with eyes stained with blood and no longer visible irises, Snow Flower momentarily put aside her thoughts and resolved to confront the villain in front of her.

(Swish!!)

At a faster speed than before, Monkey Spanner approached Snow Flower, who was flying through the sky.

“Darn it!”

(clang! clang! clang! clang!)

Once again, Snow Flower, who was about to launch an ice attack, created an ice barrier around herself to block Monkey Spanner’s attack.

(clang! clang! clang! clang!)

“It’s okay, it’s not going to break. Just wait for the counterattack.”

(clang! clang! clang! clang! clang! clang!)

However, Monkey Spanner’s attack speed began to increase gradually.

(sizzling!)

As a result, the ice barrier started to show signs of wear.

“!”

Faced with an unexpected attack, Snow Flower quickly thought of a way to counterattack. But at that moment…

(bang! thud!!)

With a small explosion, Monkey Spanner collapsed.

“……”

.

.

.

.

“Well, that’s the end of Monkey Spanner.”

(swish)

Arthur, who had been watching the situation on a tablet from the passenger seat of a truck, tossed the switch backwards and said, “I like this.”

The headhunter examined the bullets here and there and said, “It’s a Black Enterprise piece. It was hard-won.”

“I’ll take this as the commission fee for a while.”

“I’m welcome to that.”

“But what are you going to do with this?”

The headhunter looked at the money bags piled up behind the truck and said, “First, we need to launder it and leave it for my retirement.”

“I thought you weren’t interested in money.”

“Money isn’t everything in life, but having it makes life happier.”

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

(beep, beep, beep, beep)

“I’m back from school.”

“Oh, you’re here?”

“Alice! Long time no see!”

“Hello.”

Alice bowed her head to Hector and the headhunter sitting on the living room sofa.

“This is Hector, my brother’s friend. You remember him from before, right?”

“Hello.”

“And this is my brother’s business partner, James Hardy.”

“You can call me Uncle Jim if you want.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

“Can you come upstairs for a moment? I have something to discuss regarding work.”

“Okay.”

Alice went upstairs to her room.

“That was perfect.”

Hector said as he received the teacup handed by Arthur.

“Right? Even I think I did well.”

“You definitely did well. Among the villains I’ve seen recently, the impact was remarkable.”

(beep)

Today, a new villain appeared at the Union Bank F04 branch. The name is Mad Hatter, and the management department designated him as a B-class villain. At that time, the A-class hero Snow Flower responded to confront Mad Hatter, but during the pursuit, the B-class villain Monkey Spanner appeared and intervened, ultimately defeating him.

“It’s already in the news.”

The F04 area was the territory of the villain Monkey Spanner. However, while the hero Snow Flower was pursuing the newly appeared villain Mad Hatter, she encountered Monkey Spanner, who had been attacking those who assaulted her, and “coincidentally” confronted him. Snow Flower defeated (read: killed) Monkey Spanner.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the expressions of Anderson and CEO Choi Myeong-wol tomorrow.”

What kind of expression will they have? Just a few days ago, a magician who was performing at his club suddenly became a B-class villain.

“Oh, right. Seo-hyun was looking for you.”

“…Seo-hyun?”

“Well, who else would it be?”

“This is crazy! Did he say he’s coming?”

“Yeah.”

“Hey, do you know where he lives?”

“I told you.”

…”

(Shivering)

Arthur trembled in fear.

“I have to get out of here.”

And he hurriedly changed his clothes.

“If he comes, I’ll say I’m not here.”

(Vroom!!)

As Arthur was about to leave the house, he heard the sound of a motorcycle outside.

(Vroom)

And then he heard the sound stop in front of the house.

“D-damn.”

“Darn it, darn it, darn it. Think, think, there must be a way to survive.”

(Knock, knock, knock)

“……”

(Bang!!!)

The door, which should have been locked and very sturdy, flew off, crumpled.

(Knock, knock)

A woman with high heels, leather pants, a leather jacket, and long red hair entered the house.

“…Where is he?”

Entering the house, the woman looked at Hector and asked.

“I don’t know?”

(Sigh)

Hector shrugged and smiled at the woman.

“Do you want to play hide and seek?”

“Come out.”

The woman said, looking around the living room.

“……”

“If you beg, I’ll consider it.”

(Thud!!)

Not knowing how, Arthur, who had been hiding under the sofa, immediately jumped out and knelt in front of the woman.

“I’m sorry!!”

“Did I do wrong or not?”

“I’m sorry!!!”

“…”

“Ha. Haha… Ha. Ha.”

Arthur awkwardly smiled as he looked down at the woman’s face.

“Well, how have you been?”

“How do you think I’ve been?”

“Sorry.”

(Sigh)

(Swish! Swish!)

As the woman sat on the sofa, Arthur brought a teacup and poured tea with a stiff posture.

“Please have some.”

“…If there’s no contact from now on, I’ll die.”

“Thank you! I’ll contact you every day!!”

After hearing the words of forgiveness, Arthur breathed a sigh of relief and then said with determination,

“Is there a spare room at home?”

“Hmm?”

“Is there a spare room or not?”

“There is.”

“Alright, that settles it then.”

“Hmm? What does that mean?”

That day, Arthur’s old friend, Oh Seo-hyun, stayed at the house where Arthur and Alice were staying. Of course, Hector Adler also stayed as a temporary resident.

* * * * * * * *

Inside the police station’s interrogation room

“……”

Detective John Layton frowned as he leaned against the wall.

“He’s dead.”

“I can see that too.”

In front of Detective Layton and his colleagues, one of Mad Hatter’s henchmen was found dead with a pencil stuck in his neck.

“It seems like he was stabbed several times judging by the additional holes beside his neck.”

“Is that possible with a pencil?”

“It’s not an ordinary pencil.”

(Thud! Thud!)

The forensic officer tapped the table with the bloodied pencil.

“It’s not made of graphite, it’s made of steel.”

“What? This is from our police station.”

“It seems to have been mixed in somehow.”

(Clack!)

“Detective!”

“What is it?”

.

.

.

.

“So, you’re saying he died from suffocation?”

“That’s right. However, there are no signs of bruising or drug ingestion around the neck.”

“Then what does that mean?”

All of Mad Hatter’s henchmen who were apprehended inside the police station have died, but the strange thing is that none of them died in a normal way.

“It’s one of two things. Either someone with the ability to manipulate air removed the oxygen and killed them, or…”

“Or what?”

“They stopped breathing on their own.”

“……. ”

The detective understood. Whether it was the former or the latter, it was a very serious problem.