The Battle for Siren's Heart (6)
While Steel Armor and Tough Guy were locked in a brutal soul-crushing brawl, High Fog was dealing with the ghost.
From his perspective, it wouldn't hurt if those two fought to the death and one of them dropped—far from it. So he focused entirely on the ghost alongside the monster.
"I told you it's no use, didn't I?"
"....."
The ghost spoke snidely, but High Fog kept his lips clamped shut and pressed the attack.
The dagger in High Fog's hand sliced across the ghost's throat, but she emerged unscathed. She swung her hand to swat him away, only for him to dissolve into mist and vanish.
Immediately after, harpoons rained down from every direction, as if the monster's strikes were closing in.
Rooooaaarrr—!
The monster's scream echoed through the fog. Its legs, piercing straight through the ghost's body, crumbled into powder and scattered like ash.
While Steel Armor and Tough Guy were inflicting lethal wounds on each other, High Fog and the ghost couldn't land any real damage.
The ghost called out to High Fog, who had vanished into the mist.
"What the hell is that monster, anyway?"
"....."
There was no reply. High Fog wasn't one to chat during a fight.
"Haa..."
The ghost sighed and spoke again.
"Let me be clear: I have zero interest in the Siren's Heart. I just don't want anyone getting hurt. So why not call off this pointless nonsense?"
Slash—!
High Fog materialized silently behind her, slashing at her throat before melting back into the mist.
"....."
The ghost's eyes narrowed. Even if she had no desire to fight, this kind of aggression was bound to stir her blood.
But before unleashing her power, she gave one last warning.
"Last chance. I don't want to fight. So..."
Slash—!
"...Fine. Let's do this for real. 'Expansion.'"
The ghost's body began to grow larger. She opened her mouth and exhaled.
Crackle-crackle-crackle—
The fog started to freeze. Within High Fog's domain, the ghost carved out her own territory.
Her breath was ravenous, like a living beast, devouring the mist endlessly.
"'Oni.'"
The moment she uttered the word, something astonishing happened.
Kyahahahahaha!
I wanna live! Why did I die? I wanna live!
Red bidet or blue bidet?
Her skirt billowed dramatically, and virgin spirits weeping blood leaped out from within.
The virgin ghosts flew through her domain, gnawing at the fog.
Rooooaaarrr—!
The monster bellowed, thrusting its legs into the ghost's territory. The virgin ghosts swarmed them, clawing, pinching, and biting furiously.
"....."
While the monster bought him time, High Fog—hidden in mist form—pondered his next move.
How could he kill this bitch in the most agonizing way possible?
People didn't see High Fog and Hazel Fox as threats. Some even rooted for them. They'd never directly killed or maimed anyone, and their targets were always the treasures of the filthy rich. Stealing from greedy hoarders? The public ate it up.
But that was just ignorance of High Fog's true nature.
Unlike his reputation, High Fog was brutally savage—a real "villain" through and through. He only suppressed his cruelty to hide it from his beloved wife.
If he hadn't met his wife young, his 9-level superpower would've landed him an S-rank villain designation from the Hero Association. He'd rival Shadow Killer in savagery.
Got it.
Single-mindedly fixated on slaughtering her, High Fog devised a plan.
"Honey?"
"Go."
High Fog cleared a path to the Siren's Heart for her, whispering in her ear. He grabbed a small mechanical orb from her side and returned to the ghost.
Click—!
Whirr—!
He pressed the protruding button on the orb, charging it with electricity.
It was the same Electric Ball that C-rank hero Curve Shot had used before.
Once charged, High Fog wrapped it in mist and floated it above the now-giant ghost, dropping it onto her head.
Of course, the mist-shrouded Electric Ball passed right through her skull and plummeted below.
Just like the monster's legs turning to dust, the mist around the Electric Ball dispersed.
Crackle-zap-zap-zap—!
"Kyaaaaaaaah!"
Lightning burst from the Electric Ball. Physical attacks meant nothing to her, but elemental ones were different.
The bolt spiderwebbed outward, striking her fatally.
Kyaaaaaaaah!
It hurts! It hurts! Hurts—!
The red bidet's broken! The blue one's smashed too! Kyaaaaang!
The lightning didn't stop at her—it ravaged the flying virgin ghosts before fizzling out.
"Ah... aaaah..."
The ghost's body shrank. Cracks spiderwebbed across her shell like fracturing ice.
Crack—!
It shattered, revealing the superpower user behind the ghost's power. Unconscious, she plummeted.
High Fog appeared above her, dagger poised for the throat strike.
"....!"
The instant he saw her face, his eyes widened. He couldn't stab. Instead, he caught her gently, cradling her to avoid injury as they landed.
"....."
High Fog stared blankly at the unconscious woman—no, his daughter.
"Ji... Ji-na, why..."
Why was Ji-na here? She was supposed to be...
He frantically searched the mist for her. Nothing. No sign of Ji-na anywhere.
He spotted his son leaning against the wall, but his daughter was nowhere.
Of course not. She was unconscious in his arms right now.
"What the hell have I just..."
Tried to kill his own daughter. The realization plunged High Fog into shock.
No matter how vicious his nature, that was reserved for outsiders. Who unleashes their true self on family?
Reeling, High Fog stood frozen in place.
*****
Bam—!
Bam—!
Bam—!
Bam—!
Bam—!
In mount position, Tough Guy ignored the agony from his mangled ankle, pounding Steel Armor like a madman.
Flesh tore, blood sprayed. Bones snapped, shards flying everywhere.
Yet his fists never stopped.
"Hah... hah... haaah..."
He halted only when his hands went completely numb.
Gasping raggedly, he peered down at Steel Armor with trembling eyes.
"....."
Dead? Or just out?
Tough Guy watched the motionless Steel Armor intently. He prodded his cheek with his ruined hand before finally sighing in relief.
"Monster bastard..."
Slumping aside, he gazed at Steel Armor with dread in his battle-hardened eyes.
Steel Armor's head was a mess—blood pooled, white bone fragments visible.
"Hah... Never wanna fight this guy again. First time I've seen someone tougher than me."
Tough Guy glanced at his own hands. They were pulverized, like they'd been smashed with a hammer.
Yeah. All that wreckage had come from his fists.
His body superpower made him far stronger than any normal human, but against a pure defense body enhancer like Steel Armor—especially with Steel Skin active—it fell short.
Pummeling steel barehanded? His hands were lucky to be intact at all.
At least now he'd never have to fight this freak again. Just slap on superpower-suppressing cuffs and drag him to the prison in District 144—hell for villains.
"Haa... Oh, right, the Siren's Heart..."
Sighing repeatedly in relief, Tough Guy suddenly remembered and turned.
His eyes bulged.
"Damn it!"
"Oops? Busted. Sorry~ I'll take this~ Thanks for the hard work, Tough Guy~"
"Stand still, Hazel Fox!"
Tough Guy spotted Hazel Fox holding the Siren's Heart, waving cheerily before vanishing into the mist.
"That damn thief bitch...!"
"Hey. Why so seeeerious~?"
"Wha...!"
Rushing to chase her, Tough Guy froze at the sinister voice behind him.
He spun, swinging his least-damaged elbow, but Steel Armor was faster.
"Rear Naked Choke!"
"Guhk! Grkkk!"
Leaping onto Tough Guy's back, Steel Armor locked his tree-trunk legs around his waist and crushed his throat with both arms.
"Guhk! Gack! Guuuuuh..."
Tough Guy thrashed desperately but couldn't break free. Deprived of air, he blacked out and collapsed.
Whew... That was rough.
Gazing down at the unconscious Tough Guy, Steel Armor sighed inwardly in relief.
Being pinned under that burly bastard for ground-and-pound? He'd wanted to shove him off a dozen times. Not some hot babe—just a sweaty dudebro! Disgusting as hell.
But for the Siren's Heart, he endured. Seriously, he gritted through it.
He even had to let Hazel Fox approach it. Eyes locked on the Heart even mid-beating, he waited for that exact moment.
If Tough Guy had paused even a second later, Steel Armor would've hurled him toward the Heart.
Phase 3 cleared. Time for the grand Phase 4. Where the hell's Dad, though?
*****
Waiting outside, I—Mark Two—called Yuna.
—Yes, Master.
Inside the museum, she whispered softly.
"Start now. Time to head out."
—Got it.
The water pooled on the ocean exhibit floor began seeping out the door at her command.
I (the original) followed its flow. The moment I emerged from the mist, I swiftly unsummoned Mark Three and ditched the mask.
"Hm?"
"W-We survived! Fuck, we made it out! Escaped that hellhole! Fuck yeah!"
"One more just came out!"
Heroes and early escapees waited outside. One approached me.
"This way, sir."
"Outta my way!"
"Hm?"
"Bathroom! Gotta hit the john! Can't shit my pants! Nooooooo!!!!!!"
I shoved past and bolted for the restroom. I felt the heroes' baffled stares but ignored them, dashing inside.
Thankfully, no one followed. I quickly checked for company—clear.
"Clone summon."
Resummoning Mark Three for my alibi, I flipped my mask back on and slipped out the window.
My body snagged, so I ripped the frame out entirely.
Ducking prying eyes into an alley, I leaped lightly to a rooftop overlooking the museum.
Other clones and the baldheads—who'd scattered smokescreens—were already surveilling it.
Mom stole the Siren's Heart, but Dad was the one who'd carry it out.
She lacked clones like me for alibis. Plus, as Sanctuary Corp's VP, her absence would be noticed fast.
So who walks out with it? Obviously Dad, who "skipped" the exhibit officially.
He could turn to mist, making escape a breeze.
Soon, a hero's voice rang out: the mist inside had cleared.
"Bingo."
At that instant, I—Mark Five—spotted mist exiting a window.
Me and the clones raced toward where it dissipated.