58
Ch.58 Difficult
“I must have reported it already, right? The heroes were exhausted. There were three Despair-class monsters in W-City. They struggled so much just to minimize civilian casualties, and now you want them to fight again?”
[The Black Cat must have been just as tired. The odds were enough… No, you had the upper hand. It was alone, while you had all the heroes of W-City with you.]
“Ha, after what happened last time, you’re still underestimating the Black Cat.”
[Are you saying you’re lacking? Then all the more reason… Shouldn’t you deal with the Black Cat with this reinforcement? Instead of speaking like you’re reluctant.]
If the Black Cat had grown strong enough that even all the heroes of W-City couldn’t defeat it together, then they needed to act fast, while it was still weakened, and eliminate it with the help of an S-rank hero.
Yet, Yoo Anna couldn’t bring herself to agree easily. As she fell silent, Kage sneered.
[What, have you really become a monster sympathizer?]
“…I’m just concerned about the Black Cat’s peculiarities. If we let it run wild and escape, the aftermath would be unmanageable.”
[True… The Black Cat is a troublesome monster. If it decides to flee, there’s no way to catch it.]
“Right, so we’ll handle W-City ourselves. Don’t interfere unnecessarily.”
[That’s why I sent the fastest hero.]
Electress, the hero who controls electricity.
If Kage is A-City’s strongest shield, Electress is its sharpest spear.
The fastest hero in the world, surpassing all others.
“You really like the ‘fastest hero,’ huh? More like the worst hero.”
And the S-rank hero Yoo Anna hated the most.
Ignoring Yoo Anna’s angry voice, Kage flicked cigarette ash onto the hand of the woman bowing before him.
[My combat style didn’t suit it. It’s too tough, too versatile.]
Kage was a close-combat hero who trapped monsters in isolation barriers created by his ability, then whittled them down.
But confining the Black Cat in a small space would only give it time to rapidly cycle through abilities and test them.
[What you need against a monster that pulls out the most lethal ability tailored to its opponent is speed to evade and destructive power to strike decisively.]
And that was the shared trait of Starlight and Electress.
While Starlight’s destructive power was greater, Electress’s speed was overwhelming.
[If Starlight attacks the Black Cat and Electress prevents its escape, the two S-rank heroes can create an effective ring around it.]
With two S-rank heroes capable of soloing Despair-class monsters, defeating the Black Cat wouldn’t be difficult.
Add to that a hit-and-run strategy using high-speed flight and destructive power—a battle of attrition tailored for the Black Cat.
The odds were clearly in their favor.
But…
“Did you even read the reports properly? When first sighted, the Black Cat used Thunder Tiger’s ability. You do know what Thunder Tiger’s trait is, right?”
[Lightning absorption, immunity to electric abilities. I know.]
“And knowing that, you still think teaming her up with me will catch the Black Cat?”
[Electress is an S-rank hero. Even if her primary ability is blocked, she has plenty of countermeasures.]
“But her stats take a nosedive. What if she just pisses it off and fails to capture it?”
[Killing it is ideal, but failing to capture is fine too.]
“Fine? How is that fine?!”
If the Black Cat truly lost its temper and went berserk, how would they handle the fallout?
Even if they somehow managed, it’d still be a problem if the Black Cat didn’t rampage.
She was already worried about the Black Cat holding a grudge—this would only make it hate her more.
[Don’t you think it’s strange?]
“What is?!”
[The Black Cat isn’t Thunder Tiger. So why do you assume it naturally has Thunder Tiger’s traits?]
“Because it’s an amorphous monster.”
[It’s not an amorphous monster.]
With those cryptic words, Kage gestured, and a document appeared on the screen.
Records and footage of previously encountered amorphous monsters.
[Amorphous monsters mimic other monsters’ forms to hide their weaknesses, but they can’t freely use other monsters’ abilities and traits.]
Amorphous monsters were those with fluid bodies—slimes, mist, ice—centered around a core.
The Black Cat, however, had a proper body and body temperature.
[The Black Cat… Is definitely different from other monsters.]
The answer was vague, but Yoo Anna found herself nodding unconsciously.
Not because it didn’t attack humans—it was the unease felt by a hero who had fought countless monsters.
The Black Cat was different.
Neither Yoo Anna nor Kage knew why.
Only that their superpower instincts screamed dissonance.
“So if the Black Cat can replicate not just Thunder Tiger’s form but also its complete immunity to electricity, does that mean it’s not amorphous but some other kind of monster?”
[And if it only subdues Electress without trying to kill her… We’ll know for sure whether you’re special to the Black Cat, or if the Black Cat itself is special.]
“Kill or not, it doesn’t matter… Ugh…”
Either way, the Black Cat was a monster that had to die eventually.
Killing it meant removing a dangerous Despair-class threat.
Failing to kill it would still yield valuable intel.
Information on unique monsters helped in future battles.
For humanity’s sake, the Black Cat had to be eliminated.
Lately, Yoo Anna felt like she kept doing terrible things to the Black Cat.
It saved people, saved heroes, hunted monsters—it had done nothing wrong.
Yet she never trusted it, always tried to kill it.
…Well, it was a monster, so that was justified.
Yoo Anna is a hero, a superpower human who killed monsters for humanity.
So why did it feel like this?
With a heavy sigh, she slumped.
“Ha… So when is Electress arriving?”
[She’ll be there soon.]
“Soon?”
[Unlike me, Electress doesn’t need to take a train. You know that.]
Intercity trains moved fast enough to outrun most monsters.
Even if attacked, they were guarded by an S-rank hero dedicated to train security.
But S-rank heroes with high mobility didn’t need trains.
“Which route is she taking?”
[She said she’d clear out monsters in a closed district on the way. ETA: one hour. Told her to head to HQ when she arrives.]
“Is she really clearing them out?”
Electress was all bluster and lies—hard to trust.
Annoyed, Yoo Anna stood and put on her jacket.
Either way, with an S-rank hero coming, she had to prepare.
Whether to do something that’d make the Black Cat hate her more or to stop that infuriating woman from causing trouble.
“I’ve been pissed off enough lately…”
Surely Electress wouldn’t just provoke the Black Cat and leave, right?
But with her pride surpassing even Kage’s, she might.
And if she did… Yoo Anna wouldn’t let it slide.
…Actually, maybe that wouldn’t be so bad.
Not that a hero should think that way.
With mixed feelings, she sighed and left the comms room.
“Haah…”
Still, surely two S-rank heroes from A-City wouldn’t both be that stupid?
***
“L-Let go! Do you know who I am?!”
The woman, who had tried using her ability on civilians, struggled in my grip.
Crackles of electricity surged wildly, threatening bystanders.
A broken signboard caught fire, filling the air with acrid smoke.
Random shocks spread in all directions. I tightened my grip on her wrist.
“What… You… lightning superpower human? Why… Aren’t you… Affected?!”
It’s not that I’m unaffected.
It stings a little.
“Kkh… You’re siding with these inferior humans? No pride as a superpower human?!”
Oozing disgust, she ramped up her output.
The civilians would be caught in the blast—this wasn’t just a stun.
Meaning, this woman…
“Needs to be taught a lesson.”
“Let go right n—GYAAH?!”
“WAAAH?!”
“W-What’s happening?!”
WHOOSH! I swung her down, slamming her into the cracked pavement.
Yank—BAM! Then the other side—BAM!
Superpower humans don’t die this easily.
ZZZT! Stronger currents raced through me into the ground.
Her ability dug underground, scheming something.
I swallowed the electricity and glared at her.
“Are you a villain?”
“W-What… Was that?!”
Using abilities recklessly around civilians…
BAM! BAM! BAM! I kept slamming her until she went limp, then lifted her by the wrist.
Battered and bruised, she trembled as I growled,
“Deactivate your ability.”
“H-Hic… Haah…”
Silent panting. I slammed her down again—CRASH!—then lifted her.
Tears welled in her eyes.
I drove a fist into her stomach.
THUD! THUD! Blood-flecked foam spilled from her mouth.
Finally, regret and fear surfaced.
Grabbing her hair, I locked eyes.
“Answer.”
“Y-Yesss…!”
“If you came to eat, get in line.”
“Y-Yes…”
“Apologize for the disturbance.”
“S-Sorry… I’m sorry…”
“Hm.”
I dropped her and joined the line, recalling my talk with Yoo Hyena.
Those who break rules by force when they could just wait are villains.
You shouldn’t punish them without knowing their circumstances.
But if they’ve clearly wronged others for selfish reasons, they’re closer to monsters than humans.
I can distinguish human and monster scents.
Those who smell like monsters…
I can deal with as I please.
Still, this was a restaurant. For the diners’ sake, I didn’t kill her.
Just beat her half to death.
As she scrambled away, wailing like a child,
“WAAAH!”
“Eeek…!”
“H-Hyuk…!”
The other customers fled too, leaving only the aroma of delicious pork cutlets.
“…Maybe I shouldn’t have acted on impulse.”
Human rules are still hard.
***
“What the hell?”
Arms crossed, Yoo Anna stood before W-City’s Hero HQ, utterly baffled.
Electress, the S-rank hero who arrived slightly late, was a wreck.
Her clothes were torn, revealing blood-crusted skin. Swollen eyes, a massive bruise on her always-exposed stomach, and limping legs.
This wasn’t an S-rank hero—just a patient.
“W-What?! I took down a Despair-class monster alone on the way, so I’m a little hurt!”
“…Are you sane?”
Truth aside, an S-rank reinforcement arriving in this state?
Even if she’d encountered a Despair-class in the closed district, the norm was to retreat and report.
Fighting in monster territory risked losing an S-rank asset to an ambush.
“Ha, you don’t believe me? I cleared out W-City’s closed district for you.”
“What did you kill?”
“…A giant gorilla.”
Tch. Yoo Anna clicked her tongue, slightly relieved.
With her this battered, the Black Cat operation might fizzle out.
“Thanks. Now W-City won’t have a giant gorilla problem.”
“Yeah, you’re welcome. Be grateful.”
“You’ve helped enough. Rest up and go back to A-City.”
But things didn’t go her way.
“Hah? Go back? I’m here to bag the monster Kage couldn’t!”
“You’ll fight the Black Cat like this?”
“I’m an S-rank hero! These injuries will heal in three days. I’ve got a week in W-City—prepare properly so I can slaughter that cat.”
Smug, Electress thrust a hand at an A-rank hero beside Yoo Anna.
“What?”
“Uh… Handshake?”
“Why would I hold your ugly hand? The list! W-City’s hero roster!”
“How would they know what you want if you don’t say it?”
“Hmph! If an S-rank hero graces you with support, the least you can do is report your forces!”
Is she always like this? Iron Might frowned at Yoo Anna, who mimed vomiting.
“That bitch… How dare she… Who does she think I am…?”
Snatching a tablet, Electress scowled at the hero list.
“Why isn’t he in A-rank…? B…? Why not…? C…? No, C’s impossible…!”
Her face fell further.
“Why isn’t he in the villain registry either?!”