#209 Thunder Emperor

Chwararararak—!

Feathers exploded outward from Siren's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fully spread wings like bombs, scattering in every direction. Each one was as long and massive as an adult man's height—fiercely, extremely threatening feathers. Siren's area-of-effect attack that could pulverize anything it touched!

She must've gotten fed up with me buzzing around her head like an annoying mosquito and decided to wipe me out in one wide sweep with this nasty trick.

"Phew. That was close to a wipeout."

I barely managed to cling onto Siren's massive body and let out a sigh of relief as I watched the feathers fly everywhere. If she hadn't needed time to prep that move and had just launched them right away, I'd be shredded to bits and fish food by now, my whole body torn apart.

"Mosquito OFF, cockroach ON."

Everything was stacked against me—even the battlefield favored Siren. Out on the open sea and in the sky. Fighting on flat ground was tough enough, but taking on someone who controlled water and flew? Straight-up suicide.

So I switched up my strategy. Siren's body was huge? Fine, then I'd stick right to that giant frame and grind her down!

Shashak—! Shashak—!

Siren freaked out at me sticking to her body like glue and started shaking violently to shake me off. Slapping at herself with her wings, pulling aerobatic stunts—whatever it took to dislodge me.

"You underestimated me too much, you harpy bitch."

But who am I? The Lü Bu among humans, the Jigu-ri among monsters! Sure, compared to a monster, Steel Armor was a fragile little baby, but my power was the real deal. As long as Siren didn't target me directly, I could hold on tight to those feathers. And with my Attraction skill cranked up, I was basically human superglue.

Now's the moment!

The chance I'd been desperately waiting for had arrived.

System. I'm using a Superpower Creation Ticket!!!

[7. Lightning Dominator]

[24. Thunder Emperor (Ivan the Terrible)]

[42. Lightning Pursuer]

[77. Lightning Slayer]

[101. Thunder and Lightning]

...and so on.

There were a ton of electricity-related Superpowers. But no need to check them all one by one. Most had similar effects anyway, just different names. So any would do.

Still, might as well pick one with a cool name. They say good-looking rice cakes taste better, right?

The one that matched my taste here... Yeah!

'Lightning Sla—wait, hold up?'

I was about to go for #77, Lightning Slayer, but something felt off. I checked the details.

'...That was almost a disaster.'

Whew, nearly stepped on a trap card!

Lightning Slayer was electricity-related, sure. But its effect was nothing like I thought.

'Fuck, it's an electricity counter!'

For every Superpower user who wields electricity, there's a counter. Lightning Slayer was that perfect counter. The moment you got it, your body became immune to electricity!

Great power, no doubt. But worthless right now when Siren could kill me any second.

'Sigh, fuck it. I'll just take #24, Thunder Emperor (Ivan the Terrible).'

Now to burn through those 9 Superpower Level-Up Tickets and spec out the traits... Huh?

"Attack the Siren!"

....?

"....."

A voice from afar sent chills down my spine. Nah, no way.

No way the heroes ignore me almost dying, then show up right when I'm riding Siren for a carpet bombing, right?

C'mon~ Heroes aren't that trashy, are they? Right? I believe in you hero teachers!

Kwaaaaaang—!

And our heroes shattered my expectations completely.

"You fucking hero bastards—!!!!!!!!!"

The heroes' carpet bombing sent me and Siren plummeting straight into the sea.

*****

Steel Armor thought the heroes were dawdling, but that wasn't the case at all.

Heroes knew monster dangers better than anyone. Few had real combat experience, but the education was constant.

Thanks to Steel Armor perfectly drawing Siren's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠aggro and buying time, the heroes finished preps smoothly.

"Hit it while it's distracted elsewhere!"

"Finishing up soon!"

Twenty-two heroes gathered on the beach. Just 22 couldn't stop a monster normally, but their lineup inspired hope.

Valencia Association President, retired Tough Guy, White Knight—all the Hero Association's S-rank heroes. Plus A-rank stars like Ice Queen, the next generation leaders.

Twenty-two S- and A-rank heroes. Dark City's top forces, excluding villains.

And one more.

"This smell..."

Gumiho, the Hero Association's ultimate weapon, waited in the rear. Even S-rank heroes didn't trigger her. Revealing her power risked exposing her as a monster.

But with stakes this high, she prepped too—masked, in a black suit to hide her identity.

Gumiho glared at the dark sky where Siren loomed, frowning.

"This smells like Steel Armor?"

She remembered Steel Armor's scent from their clash in Shadow Killer's underground base.

She sniffed it amid Siren's thick stench. Why was Steel Armor's smell on Siren?

Did he send her?

"No way."

Impossible to control monsters. Countless tried taming them like pets—all failed, never returning, not even corpses.

Then—

"...No way."

The thought that Steel Armor was fighting Siren flashed by, but she shook her head. Villains were selfish; they never stepped up for monsters, even S-ranks. They chased personal gain, not greater good or others.

So villain Steel Armor wouldn't either.

—That's what Gumiho thought.

"President, preps ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠complete."

"Then let's begin."

Valencia nodded at Ice Queen's report and eyed Siren flapping in place.

"Dead one revived or new one—doesn't matter."

Weeeeng—!

His mechanical gloves whirred to life.

"Dark City is the salvation our ancestors forged from hell. No forgiveness for those who try to tear it down."

Valencia commanded the heroes in position.

"Remember! Cripple those wings first! Then—"

"Attack the Siren!"

His order dropped, and heroes unleashed: White Knight's laser beams, Jenaraider's lightning, Flame Witch's flames, Wind Line's storms, Ice Queen's ice, and A-rank assaults.

Kwaaaaaang—!

All slammed into Siren.

Siren plummeted into the sea, screeching.

And—

"You fucking hero bastards—!!!!!!!!!"

"...Huh?"

—The heroes tilted their heads at the human voice.

*****

Siren crashed into the sea from the heroes' attack.

"Don't let your guard down! It's not dead!"

Valencia, who'd fought Siren with Tough Guy twenty years ago, knew that attack wouldn't kill her. He yelled to keep the heroes sharp.

Tense heroes stared at the sea. But it stayed eerily calm, like nothing happened.

"...Did we get it?"

An A-rank muttered at the silence.

No way... Did we actually kill Siren?

The sea stayed still. An A-rank mage raised his arms, chanting.

"We did it! We killed it! Siren's dead!"

Valencia said she wouldn't die, but honestly, that barrage? No monster could survive the Hero Association's elite.

Other heroes looked doubtful too.

Did we really kill it?

Of course—

"Eut?!"

—Siren wasn't dead. She burst from the sea amid dozens of geysers. Her beautiful feathers charred black, blood streaming from wounds.

Distracted by Steel Armor, Siren took the hit hard—her eyes flickered with murderous rage like heat haze.

The geysers accompanying Siren shot toward the heroes.

"Block it!"

Heroes activated powers against the geysers. Flame Witch ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠shone brightest.

"Dance of Ifrit."

Her skill summoned a massive fire spirit rivaling Siren. Ifrit extended arms, spun in place, spewing flames.

Chiiiiiik—!

Fire met geysers, blanketing the beach in massive steam.

"Can't see!"

Steam blocked vision. But Flame Witch kept going.

Whoosh—!

A sharp whirlwind pierced the steam beyond. Geysers unrelenting, she couldn't stop.

"Winds, obey!"

Wind Line stepped up. His skill blew the steam skyward.

Partial visibility returned, but steam lingered thick.

So they didn't notice.

"These fucking bird-brained bastards..."

Steel Armor emerging on the beach, soaked in seawater.

Pazik—!

Sparks crackled across his body.

Clinging to Siren, he'd planned to spec traits, but ended up holding his breath underwater to finish all 9. The heroes' attack plunged him into the sea, but it pulled Siren's aggro away, buying time.

"Thought I'd drown for real."

Siren's hit wrecked his Sanctuary Armor—no underwater breathing. Without superhuman lung capacity, he'd be goner.

"Beep boop."

Steel Armor eyed Siren battling the heroes.