Flame Witch (1)
"First, I need to lure that fox out of her den..."
I'd prepared weapons for hunting the fox. Now it was time to figure out how to drag her out. Once that was set, I'd lay the perfect trap to catch her.
"Right now, there are three people at the Hero Association connected to me."
Hero name: Ice Queen, Han Ji-min.
Hero name: Aqua Girl, Yuna Reyes.
Hero name: Memory Hunter...
"...What's that guy's name again?"
Come to think of it, I'd known Memory Hunter for a while, but I still didn't know his name. Not even his age.
"Eh, doesn't matter."
I was a little curious, but only a little. The important thing was the Gumiho.
"Anyway, Memory Hunter won't help me, so pass."
He got along with me fine, but he wouldn't bait himself to lure the Gumiho out for my sake. He was one of the Hero Association's rare S-rank heroes.
"Ice Queen for the same reason—pass."
She'd become my woman, but that didn't erase the justice dwelling inside her. What I planned to do to the Gumiho was straight-up a crime. She wouldn't help with that. So Ice Queen was out of this operation too.
"That leaves Yuna..."
This was tricky. Yuna would do anything for me—if I said I wanted the Gumiho, she'd jump in with both feet. But she was just a B-rank hero. There was no way to use her to draw out Valencia's secretary and closest aide. Plus, Yuna had only met the Gumiho once or twice; they barely had any connection.
"...I thought I had a straw stuck in the Hero Association, but it turns out it was just a thread."
I felt ashamed of my past complacency. Back then, I should've jammed a full-on straw into the Hero Association instead of chasing pussy all day!
But sex is justified.
"Self-reflection over."
From now on, I'd pay more attention to the Hero Association.
"A way to drag the Gumiho out of her den..."
Since I couldn't use Hero Association connections, I needed another approach. Brain, work! Come up with an idea for the dick, quick!
"Come to think of it, S-rank heroes show up in Dark City, but the Gumiho never does?"
Since I appeared, Dark City had seen one huge incident after another in just a few months. Most involved me, and I was always at the scene. But I'd never spotted the Gumiho there.
Except once.
"Monsters?"
When Siren appeared, the Gumiho showed up. She even wore a mask and stood right in front of me. Which meant...
"The Gumiho is the Hero Association's secret weapon for monster hunting?"
It was plenty plausible.
"Whoever came up with that, it's a damn good idea."
Use a monster (Gumiho) to catch a monster. A strategy any aspiring tactician dreams of: using barbarians to control barbarians.
"The one the Gumiho's loyal to right now is Valencia Association President..."
Probably his idea too. That old man's a boar-bodied raccoon-headed freak.
"Anyway, this could work to draw her out."
Siren, whom I'd beaten to submission, was quietly holed up in her home somewhere in the ocean. Come to think of it, I should check on her.
"That bitch bird. Dared to puke on me after I saved her ass?"
Siren had thanked me for sparing her by vomiting up undigested White Knight chunks and vanishing. I needed to smack her one.
And there was another reason to see Siren.
"That Peter Elder fucker's dead meat."
Peter Elder bet with me on whether I could tame monsters. Believing in my infinite potential, I bet yes; he bet no. Cocky old geezer. Daring to doubt me?
Anyway, I had to show him Siren and claim my win. Then I'd put him to work as my personal item crafter.
"First, show Siren to Peter Elder."
Then tell her what to do for this fox hunt.
"Fuck, why am I so goddamn smart? Spinning plans right from my seat like this? Dark City's top brain, for sure!"
You brothers think so too, right?!
My spiritual pillars and eternal brothers, silent as ever! Yeah, it's too obvious to need a reply.
See? Even my brothers call me "that fucker"—basically admitting I'm Dark City's top brain, since that's me!
Snap!
"I'm Iron Man."
Brothers, if you admit it, vanish.
With a finger snap, my brothers turned to dust and vanished. See you next time, muah muah muah!
"Where else you gonna find a brother this goddamn nice? Cannes should give me the Golden Little Bro award."
Who else gives screen time so his bros don't get forgotten?
"Anyway, back to the point."
If my guess was right, Siren reappearing would draw out the Gumiho too. That'd be my moment to snag the fox.
"Problem's the heroes."
If a monster shows, every S-rank hero swarms in. Meaning I needed to distract them so kidnapping the Gumiho wouldn't cause issues.
"Have Siren take 'em out?"
It was proven that even a full S-rank turnout couldn't catch her. But I couldn't get complacent. I'm the world's strongest—no one who's lost to me beats me again—but a loser like Siren could lose to a rematch.
"Let's see..."
Who were the S-rank heroes again? Memory Hunter's a detective nerd who can't fight, so exclude him...
"Valencia Association President, punk-ass White Knight, Tough Guy who got his ass handed by me, Jenaraider who got punked twice by me, Hive Master who counters mind attacks, rookie Wind Line, fake Joker Piero, space-manipulating Ether, and Flame Witch."
A-rank heroes? Who cares how many show. S-ranks were the issue.
"...Huh?"
Thinking about it, one S-rank was easy to exclude.
"I forgot about my reserve fuckhole, Flame Witch?"
Make her my woman, and S-rank forces weaken instantly. Without her, no hero could block Siren's flame waves.
"Gotta eat Flame Witch before the Gumiho."
Claim her first, then nab the fox.
"Heh heh heh. Wait just a bit, witchy. Big bro's coming."
I pulled a camera from my inventory, hooked it to the computer, and prepped a gift for Flame Witch.
*****
Flame Witch.
An S-rank hero representing the Hero Association, beloved by many alongside Ice Queen.
One difference: Ice Queen's fans were mostly women; Flame Witch's were mostly men.
Hero for 14 years this year, age 30. A talented superhuman who debuted at just 14.
Heroes usually start at D-rank (superpower level 1-2). Newbies pair with seniors as sidekicks—raw recruits needing growth.
They climb steadily, step by step.
But Flame Witch skipped the ladder—a mutant.
She started at B-rank. Overwhelming talent, rapid growth; she had high-level powers before catching the Association's eye.
She needed training, sure, but lumping her with D-ranks was a stretch. Some called starting her at D-rank a waste.
After internal meetings acknowledging her power and talent, the Hero Association let her debut at B-rank.
She reached her current spot in just four years. Pretty face, explosive body. Sultry eyes that ensnared tycoons and top heroes alike.
But she rejected every advance, saying:
"I'm the best, so my man has to be the best too, right?"
Arrogant, haughty words. But from an S-rank hero's mouth, they fit perfectly.
She chose the strongest hero, White Knight, as her man. Everyone thought they were soulmates.
Yeah, Flame Witch and the public thought so.
*****
"Honey, what're we doing today~?"
Flame Witch hooked her arm through White Knight's, cooing sweetly. Her ample breasts buried into his firm bicep.
A scene to make even the celibate grin like an idiot. But White Knight's response was shocking.
"Get lost."
"..."
He shook off her arm with cold brutality and a curse.
She was S-rank, but her powers were flames, not body enhancement. No physical prowess; she stumbled back powerlessly.
Flame Witch glared hard at him. But soon she beamed and grabbed his arm again.
"You're so prickly, that's what I love~ Don't be like that..."
"I said get lost."
"Eek!"
He shoved her again, harder. She fell flat on her ass.
"Ow ow... Hey! What the hell..."
"..."
She tried protesting, but he'd already turned and walked away.
Too cold for lovers.
"Grr...!"
She bit her lip, glaring at his back. He never looked back.
They were lovers, technically. She'd confessed boldly; he'd accepted.
But he'd never warmed to her. She was just a trophy to flaunt his superiority—another S-rank to parade.
Always cold, he'd grown icier after losing to Steel Armor. Peak chill after beating Siren.
Now he looked at her like a bug.
"Bastard..."
Her fist trembled at his retreating back.
Whoosh!
Flames erupted from her fist, ready to hurl at him.
She wasn't some fragile heroine.
"...Hah."
But the fireball vanished. She knew it'd ruin things beyond repair.
White Knight didn't love her. Shockingly, she loved him for real.
Objectively, he was hot. Actor-level handsome. Buff, strongest hero.
Her type: handsome and strong. White Knight nailed it.
Love at first sight.
"Jerk. Think I'll give up? Just watch—you'll love me eventually."
She dusted her ass and stood.
"Ahng!"
Suddenly, a lewd moan escaped her.
"Again? What's wrong with me?"
She stared confusedly at her butt. Since the Siren fight, it throbbed randomly. Like her body craved something inside.