episode_0013

Upon further reflection, it seemed like a trap. Thinking rationally, wouldn’t it have been more advantageous to release one article per day rather than in real-time if I were to lower my knight? By uploading photos in real-time, it would be natural for the opponent to recognize them.

“…No, that’s not it.”

It doesn’t seem likely that I would go to such lengths for just one combatant. I may have made efforts to obtain better equipment, but that’s all. I am neither an officer nor a squad leader.

“Not what?”

Perhaps it was due to hearing music, but Ji-hye smirked. The music playing was from The Beatles. I simply call it ‘The Beatles’ music’ because, truthfully, I don’t know the titles. I only played the CD that Hae-yoon gave me before. Now, looking at my desk, there were more CDs bought by Hae-yoon than those I bought myself. It’s only natural. Hardly anyone would buy every CD they browse through at a large bookstore or record shop. My consumption pattern involved buying one or two, at most, and listening to them repeatedly.

…But the very thing I was doing was betraying Hae-yoon, so I couldn’t help but worry.

“No, nothing.”

As I mumbled, Ji-hye stared at me intently.

“Why?”

“Even if you look at me, it’s a worried expression.”

“….”

Does Ji-hye know that her own future might be at stake because of my actions? If I help my long-time friend Hae-yoon, then my equally long-time friend Ji-hye will suffer. From Ji-hye’s perspective, it must be extremely unfair. She’s not some character that appeared in a webtoon. On the other hand, Hae-yoon, well, she was the protagonist. She faced plenty of rolling around and being attacked. But that doesn’t justify her being put through such things. It’s just… that’s how it is.

“Are you worried about what happened last time?”

“No, it’s not that.”

I am worried. Of course, not for the reasons Ji-hye thinks, but it’s a worry I can’t share with others.

“There’s no need to worry too much, right? Even though you’re like a criminal origin. You said the company didn’t know either.”

That’s how it was portrayed in the news. They hired a journalist from a subsidiary, who, in fact, was of criminal origin and wrote sympathetic articles… It’s a national disgrace.

That was the official stance of the company. We are just civilian employees. So there shouldn’t be any particular problem.

“…I guess so?”

If I don’t respond here, it’s obvious that I’ll unnecessarily worry Ji-hye, so I just chuckled slightly and said that.

“Yeah, I suppose.”

Ji-hye shrugged as she sat up.

“Are you worried that this might hinder your future job prospects? How about talking to Hayoon about it? It just so happens that the Haeyeon Corporation is also preparing to recruit employees from Earth.”

He added with a smirk, “Maybe they’ll even hire you as a magical girl, who knows?”

“…Are you serious?” I chuckled in disbelief.

*

A few days later.

“…Your equipment looks pretty impressive,” I said to the captain, whose planetary origins remained a mystery. His voice didn’t carry any hint of envy; instead, it sounded mocking.

I didn’t bother responding. I was already quite agitated. I glanced down at my attire. From head to toe, everything was new gear. The whole ensemble looked pristine, though it seemed like someone with a fetish designed the tight miniskirt and leather leggings that clung to my lower body. With boots reaching up to my thighs, it honestly looked like an outfit designed by some pervert with a penchant for bondage. Truth be told, it was probably borrowed from a tokusatsu villain or taken from a webtoon. Regardless, while the lower half looked exactly the same as before, the top did not. Over the original uniform, I had donned a black leather jacket. I’m not sure what significance that held. I heard it “enhances energy transmission,” so I guess it must serve some function. It seems Noir Corporation wants their combatants to look a bit cooler.

The most important change was the circuitry on the wrist, which appeared sturdier, and the battery below made it bulkier. The helmet hadn’t changed much.

After putting everything on, it felt like some kind of wild biker gang vibe. They wouldn’t hand out expensive stuff like this to foot soldiers like me. Besides, I don’t have a license.

Whoo-woo, a whistle sounded.

I turned around to see Jigu Bba holding his arms and looking at me. He hadn’t put on his helmet yet, so his sparkling eyes were somewhat unsettling.

“You, are you actually considered a crucial talent at the company?”

“…”

Well, it seems like they consider me a useful asset.

Beep-beep. The helmet finished booting, and a percentage appeared in one corner.

60 percent.

Didn’t they say the capacity increased?

Even though the capacity has increased, starting at this level, my mind truly feels troubled.

Looking at my wrist, the circuits were already whirring.

“Alright, prepare to move out!” the captain shouted, seeing everyone mostly ready.

“Hey!” I shouted back with little enthusiasm.

*

As always, we weren’t given precise information about what was happening where we were infiltrating. However, it seemed like the place we were heading to had a completely different atmosphere from our usual “errands.”

An area filled with old houses, a place where people gather for protests, and scattered shabby houses made of boards here and there. But this place was different. There was a neat building, and similar buildings were under construction in the vicinity. It was evening, so it seemed like everyone had finished work.

“Attention, everyone!” The officer shouted. This officer wasn’t James. Unlike James, who wore a combat suit with a design similar to a suit, this officer’s attire was more like work clothes.

A jumpsuit with sturdy metal plates attached to the shoulders, a vest with various buttons on the top, a mask covering the face like a gas mask, and a sturdy helmet on the head. A strange appearance, dressed in a work jumpsuit but exuding a “commander” vibe.

It looked like something that could come out of a post-apocalyptic genre. This officer was the same officer I had seen in a webtoon.

“…I see,” I muttered to myself. Judging from the atmosphere and the officer, this operation was probably one I knew about. It would probably become clearer once we went inside.

“I believe you’ve all heard about the heinous acts the Galactic Federation has been committing on this land!” The officer’s voice echoed slightly behind the mask, but the sound was loud enough for all of us to hear, perhaps due to a speaker attached to the mask.

“This is the Galactic Federation’s secret base! Various illegal experiments are being conducted underground! Today, we fight on behalf of this country’s sovereignty!”

No one cheered at his words. Aliens were just doing their job for money, and humans weren’t much different. The extent of illegal activities might be harsher in the Galactic Federation, but the image wasn’t any better on the side of Nuar Corporation. That was how the working people saw it.

“It may be a surprise attack, but they’ll surely chase us using warp point technology. We’ll handle the experimental equipment underground in the meantime! Let’s go!” The officer shouted and started running.

“What are you all doing? Follow him!” Such voices echoed here and there. It seemed that not only our unit was being deployed today.

Glancing at the rushing soldiers, I noticed two or three more soldiers dressed similarly to me. So, it seemed like quite an important operation even from the company’s perspective.

“…Alright.” In that case, I’ll do my best here. At least then, the image won’t deteriorate further. With that determination, I ran forward with all my might.

My calculation was simple. Soldiers couldn’t defeat magical girls. Officers couldn’t either. Because magical girls are the protagonists. Moreover, this operation was an episode I knew well.

In terms of the story, some lab equipment was partially damaged and suffered a certain impact. In that episode, even the company made efforts to use the anti-warp point equipment, so the magical girls were deployed a little late.

At the very beginning, an episode where the story truly begins. So, I just need to work hard and break things as much as possible.

“We’re going this way!”

On a path divided into several branches, the leader chose the middle path.

I don’t know much about the internal structure. It’s rare for webtoons to depict such details in great detail, and even if they did, I wouldn’t remember it all.

Since I’m not taking the lead, I just need to follow and do as I’m told.

After following the path for a while, we arrived at a large entrance.

A thick door that opens from side to side, typical of what you might see in a sci-fi genre. At least the design of the door was as I remembered it. However, there were no signs anywhere, so I couldn’t tell if I was heading to the most important point as depicted in the webtoon.

“Hey, Earthling!”

The leader snapped at me.

“The equipment is good, so try to handle it!”

Without expressing any reluctance, I moved forward.

70 percent.

The circuits were running quite stably.

When I extended my left arm downward, a blade sprang out from my wrist.

A formless black blade made purely of energy.

Seeing that it was longer than what I used before, I realized that the equipment was indeed better.

Sizzle!

As I inserted the blade into the door, flames erupted as if I were welding something.

I left it inserted between the meeting edges of the door and lowered it.

Clunk!

A sound of something thick breaking came from inside.

I put both hands into the gap of the door and pushed it open from side to side.

Energy transmitted through the suit caused the thick door to start opening little by little.

There was a sound of amazement from behind.

To be honest, I was a bit amazed too. It was much more powerful than the clothes I wore before.

It’s understandable that the leader grumbled. He might have seen me as someone threatening his position—

Beep beep…

Ah.

As soon as I started feeling a little better, the percentage dropped by a few points.

But the strength itself didn’t diminish. There was a charged battery inside providing a steady supply of energy.

In the end, I was able to fully open the door.

“Tsk.”

The leader clicked his tongue.

“Hey, what are you doing! Everyone, get in!”

At his words, the combatants rushed inside.

The leader looked at me for a few seconds and then went inside. It wasn’t clear under the visor, but he was probably not looking kindly at me.

Beep beep!

The percentage went back up to 70 percent.

…Should I be thankful for this?

Taking a deep breath, I leaped inside. And— “Eeok!?” With a thud, a combatant flew at me and collided with the wall beside me. Inside was— “A combat robot!?” …Well, yeah. It’s not like they don’t use robotic things in the Galactic Federation. There was a background setting that there were quite a lot of wars and conflicts before the ‘Federation’ was established. Calling it a combat robot doesn’t mean it looks human; it looked more like an industrial robot with just one arm. It would be seen much more in a car factory than a place like this. At the end, there was a red glove attached, which seemed a bit comical. It was just as I saw in the original. I didn’t care how things around me behaved and ran straight ahead. The blade was still attached to my left arm. Kiiing— The security system that saw me made a somewhat stern sound and turned its head towards me. Seeing the arm being pulled back, I threw a punch. Kaga-kang! As soon as the red glove met my blade, it shattered, and the steel part behind it suffered a deep wound. My hand was unharmed. Since the blade didn’t have a physical form, it didn’t bend my arm in the opposite direction due to receiving energy, or anything like that. “Oh!” One of the combatants shouted. Earth might be in trouble. Thud! Following the arm, I horizontally bisected the robot’s arm itself. Then, swiftly severing the catapult part below, the robot became a wriggling piece of scrap metal. “Let’s go!” I shouted. “Ohh!” The combatants behind me shouted together. Did they see a glimmer of hope? …But it might actually decrease our combat power. The captain was looking at me. He’s probably eyeing me again this time. That’s why it was even harder to endure this. Being annoyed over there while having to endure here, how unfair is that? 60 percent. It wasn’t a figure that required using the battery. To reopen something like the question a little while ago, I’d have to use it, but what was in front of me right now wasn’t a closed door, but various computers. There was a window inside, and through that window were server computers. [Well done! Your squad will receive a bonus!] Such words echoed through the helmet’s communication system. Better than James. Though in reality, it might just be talk. I ran forward with all my might and leaped. Clang! I smashed through the server room window. Screech! The security system inside the server computer fired a laser at my helmet, but I blocked it with my blade before it became dangerous. Then, I swiftly cut off the part that looked like a camera. The laser didn’t fire again. The next thing to do was to wreck the computers.

“I’m not sure if it’s actually a server. Well, since the company didn’t provide detailed information, I’ll just do what I can. After disconnecting the distribution board connected to the floor, I went outside again through the broken window. It was a mess. I didn’t even touch a hammer; there really wasn’t a separate contractor. I smashed the computer and turned over the desk… There was no sign of the officers. Did they go with another unit? As I started to move to relocate, [Gasp!] that sound echoed through the entire communication system. [M-Magical girls, magical girls…! To the lab—] Click. As the communication cut off, the actions of the troops came to a halt. Everyone froze in a chilling manner, despite their faces being concealed by helmets, their emotions were clearly visible. “What are you all doing! To the lab!” The captain began running as if feeling the need to do something before losing control. Slightly later, the troops followed suit. They seemed reluctant, moving a bit hesitantly, slower than the captain. “….” 70%. The figure rose as soon as I heard the term ‘magical girls.’ I thought there wouldn’t be a lack of combat power.”

*Bam!* The first to rush, the captain, was the first to fall. Now I understand why Iris insisted on using the ‘warp point’ technique here. It was a T-shaped bend, and as the person at the front was hit by a thick laser beam popping out from the side, they disappeared without a trace. I knew it wasn’t actually turning into ashes but rather flying off to a distant place, yet it was still a chilling sight. “Eek…!” One of the troops murmured and fell backward. There was someone I hadn’t seen today; perhaps it was that person? Clomp, clomp. Footsteps approached. The sound of Iris walking through the air was imposing. *Beep beep beep beep beep!* 85%. Even with new equipment, I didn’t think we could win. “…You’ve made quite a spectacle.” Iris’s voice echoed. More ‘eeks’ were heard several times. Even the sound of running was audible. They must have fled further inside for who knows what reason, but well, if they panicked, there was nothing to be done. …Did the officer retreat? Probably not sent away by warp; she’d be arrested in this episode. Anti-warp point equipment was sabotaged by Iris. In the webtoon, she was the first to arrive at the ‘most important place’ and was researching the warp point technique. The rest of the magical girls should be coming from the entrance now. “Hmm.” I made eye contact with Iris as she turned the corner… Huh?

The iris met my eyes, and she lifted one corner of her lips slightly as she spoke.

“Here we meet again, Mr. Novice.”

…Huh?

“The helmet’s injury.”

Unconsciously, I reached out to touch the helmet. There was a slight scratch, but nothing particularly distinctive. After all, I was wearing gloves, so there wasn’t a significant wound to feel.

But… she recognized it? Is a laser wound similar to one caused by scraping against a rock?

“It must be the person who escaped last time.”

However, whether I was flustered or not, Iris looked at me with a twisted smile.

“You still remember that humiliation from before?”

Ah, wait—

The gun was pointed back at me.

Beep beep beep beep!

90 percent.

Bang!

Everything around me scattered. A bright light was felt, and several nearby soldiers vanished without even screaming.

But I…

“Huh?”

Iris widened her eyes and mumbled.

Beep beep beep beep…

85 percent.

I absentmindedly looked at my hand. Unintentionally, the black blade was still protruding from my swinging arm.

…No way. Did I just sever the warp laser?

The dazed atmosphere lasted for a few seconds.

I was the first to come to my senses.

This time, I was rushing towards Iris.

—70 percent. Considering the enlarged circuit, I can still fight.

The battery had fully recharged a little while ago.