Chapter 49
Chapter 49
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Because I'm a Hero
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-Happy birthday, our son! We love you!
-We love you, Andrew~ Now blow out the candles!
-Okay! Hoooo~!
Standing on the rooftop with my arms crossed, I focused all my senses on my hearing. Then, bubbly voices drunk on happiness floated up from inside.
"Man, what a harmonious family!"
Andrew, one of the kids I rescued, must have had his birthday today. If I hadn't saved him, he probably wouldn't have lived to see it!
"Happy birthday, Andrew."
I quietly leaped down from the rooftop so no one inside would notice and slipped an envelope stuffed with cash through the door crack. Cash is the best birthday gift, as far as my philosophy goes.
Mission accomplished, I coolly climbed back to the rooftop and started running again.
"Now for the last one... Rachel's place."
Following the order I'd sent them home in, Rachel was up last.
That brave and kind girl Rachel, who struck up a conversation with me and worried about me even while terrified in that hellhole.
What really surprised me about her was how she beamed innocently at first sight of her mom, like nothing had happened.
If I'd been in Rachel's shoes, I'd have bawled my eyes out. Fuck, kidnapped at that age. Scary as hell, right? Just imagining it made me want to piss myself a little.
Of course, with my sturdy teeth and sturdy dick, I wouldn't leak a drop.
I just couldn't forget Rachel forcing a smile for her mom, who'd spent a year worrying sick.
I ran hard and soon arrived at Rachel's house.
"Hmm."
To hear Rachel's happy voice one last time, I crossed my arms—Steel Armor's signature pose—and tuned into my hearing.
-Hah... hah...
"...Huh?"
A groan? Come to think of it, Rachel's mom was pretty hot... No way, she's getting laid?!
Lewd fantasies popped into my head. A sleazy grin crept onto my face.
But it was short-lived. The next voice made my face harden.
-Someone... please help... God... please...
"....."
What the fuck is going on?
I leaped from the rooftop in a flash, kicked the door open, and barged inside.
"....!"
The house was trashed like burglars had hit it. Furniture overturned, floor littered with scattered books and junk. I rushed toward the sound.
"Fuck!"
Rachel's mom, Emily, lay collapsed in the bedroom, pale-faced and gasping. Her shirt was bloodstained—shot in the gut, probably.
Rachel?!
"Rachel! Rachel!"
I searched the room calling her name, but the girl was nowhere. I hurried to Emily instead.
"Hey! You okay?! Can you hear me?!"
"H-Help..."
"What happened? Where's Rachel?!"
"Th-Thugs... took Rachel... k-kidnapped..."
"....."
My body went rigid.
That sweet, mature little girl kidnapped again? Not once, but twice?
Rage nearly snapped my sanity. But I barely held on. I had to save Rachel, but keeping Emily alive mattered too.
"Hang on! I'll get you to a hospital!"
"R-Rachel..."
"...I'll save Rachel. Whatever it takes—even if I have to tear Dark City apart. So leave it to me and just focus on staying alive to see her."
"Th-Thank... you..."
"Fuck!"
With those words, Emily passed out. The floor where she'd collapsed was soaked in blood—she'd lost a ton.
I scooped her up and bolted to the nearest hospital. Every minute, every second counted.
Bang-!
"Kyaaah!"
"Wh-What?!"
"Uwaaah! V-Villain!"
I kicked open the ER doors. Waiting patients screamed and fled at the sight of me.
"Doctor! Where's a doctor?!"
"Don't move! We'll shoot!"
Stationed cops and security heard the screams, rushed in, and aimed guns at me. No doctor came—just armed goons. Holding my temper got harder.
I told them straight, pouring my heart into it.
"I'm gonna move. And the second you fire, I'll kill you all. If your lives mean shit, go ahead and pull the trigger."
"....!"
"Urk...!"
My words dripped with killing intent. We couldn't waste time here. Get Emily to a doc, then save Rachel.
"Doctors and nurses, get your asses out here! We've got an emergency—gunshot wound! Move it, you fuckers!"
"H-Here! Just calm down first!"
A nurse huddled in the corner finally approached, palms up to soothe me. Calm? I couldn't calm down.
"Gunshot to the abdomen. Needs surgery now."
"Got it. This way."
I followed her to the ER, laid the fading Emily on a bed, and said,
"I'll pay the bill later. Save this woman, whatever it takes. Fail, and I'll slaughter everyone in this hospital. Whatever it takes! Save her! Got it?!"
"Y-Yes, yes! Understood."
I roared at the nurse, then bolted from the ER. Exposed to my killing intent, the cops and guards froze until I was gone.
"Rachel...!"
Just hold on! Big bro—no, Uncle's coming!
*****
"Is that... Steel Armor?"
S-Rank Hero Memory Hunter, forced into an alcohol rehab campaign after a DUI bust, peeked out at the commotion and witnessed something unexpected.
A-Rank Villain Steel Armor, carrying a bloodied woman, had come to the hospital.
"That woman..."
He reflexively drew his gun but froze wide-eyed at the woman in Steel Armor's arms.
A few days ago, he'd met her—the mother of brave little Rachel.
Like how Rachel left a mark on Steel Armor, she'd impressed Memory Hunter too.
"No way?"
Recognizing her sparked grim thoughts in his head.
Years battling villains and reading crime memories let him instinctively know what happened from this scene.
"Damn villain scum!"
Biting his lip, Memory Hunter rushed outside and hopped in his car, chasing the maniacally speeding Steel Armor.
It sucked, but it was also a golden chance.
A moment to glimpse the true nature of the so-called villain Steel Armor.
Vroooom-!
Memory Hunter floored it after him.
*****
'Where'd they take her?'
Heading back to Rachel's house, I racked my brain for ways to find her. Nothing solid.
By the time I got there, the shit had already hit the fan.
Damn! What to do... Ah!
Desperation sharpens the mind, huh?
'Three Thousand Eyes.'
A superpower I'd eyed as a tutorial system replacement after it vanished.
Check any camera anywhere. Traffic cams, ATMs, phones, store entrances—cameras everywhere. Three Thousand Eyes would pinpoint Rachel easy.
Worth burning a Superpower Generation Ticket. Just one for saving her? No regrets.
'System. Use Superpower Generation Ticket...'
"Steel Armor!"
"Huh?"
A noisy voice called as I tried activating it. Glancing back, a bushy-haired, bearded guy aimed a gun at me.
'Who the fuck's this?'
Guns can't kill me, not even scratch. Plus, I wore Peter's suit, which shrugged bullets off.
'System. Superpower Generation...'
"What happened to Rachel? Kidnapped again?"
"....."
I ignored him to retry, but his words halted me. I turned to face him.
"Who are you?"
"S-Rank Hero Memory Hunter."
"Hero?"
Why's an S-Rank here? And how's he know Rachel?
Trap flashed in my mind.
"Better answer honestly. I could smash you right now."
As I approached, he suddenly lowered his gun.
"No time for that, right? Finding Rachel comes first."
"....."
I stopped. He was right. Rachel first.
And if it was a trap? Even better. Walk right in, snag a lead on her.
"Hero Association can check Dark City's traffic, CCTV too. Easier to find her."
"...Then do it."
"Already called them. They're scanning nearby traffic cams now."
"....."
Already on it? Fine, wait. Seconds dragged like hours.
'Why am I this pissed?'
Truth is, Rachel and I aren't close. She's a kid, not my 19+ target.
But knowing she was snatched boiled my blood.
Fuck, I'm the villain? So why this rage?
'Right. Don't touch kids—that's the rule.'
Yeah. These mystery kidnappers broke the code, that's why I'm mad. Nothing else explains it.
-Senior!
How long passed? The call from the Association finally came.
-Black car arrived 8:19 PM, thugs nabbed Rachel at 8:20—confirmed!
"Where'd they go?"
-North! Heading north! Briefing as we track!
"Keep briefing... H-Hey!"
-Yes?
"Fuck!"
-Cursing on air?!
Memory Hunter jumped in his car, chasing the bolting Steel Armor. Northbound the instant he heard it.
"Crazy bastard! Running blind without coords?!"
-Huh? Who's with you, senior?
"Shut up! Keep briefing!"
-Yes... Senior! Vehicle entered sector 66!
Memory Hunter rolled down his window and yelled at Steel Armor ahead.
"Steel Armor! Sector 66!"
Steel Armor veered sharply toward it.
Two villains and a hero moved to save the kidnapped girl.
*****
Just an hour ago, Rachel was happy.
Living alone with Mom without Dad, she'd never felt unlucky. Even during that year-long kidnapping separation.
-You'll see Mom again for sure.
Hope of reunion kept her going.
-Scary...
-I miss Mom...
-Waaah~!
-Don't cry, kids. We'll get home.
Rachel was scared too, but comforted the younger ones. Her warm words hushed their sobs.
While others got sold off, Rachel stayed—kidnappers realized she kept the kids in line.
When Steel Armor saved her, when she reunited with Mom, Rachel thought the nightmare ended. Hope exists, she believed. Home with Mom, she was happy.
But the world was cruel; joy didn't last.
Masked thugs burst in. Mom grabbed a shotgun but got shot before firing—silencer muffled it.
If she'd fired, neighbors might've called cops. Thugs were thorough.
Rachel begged them to save Mom, but they didn't.
Thus, Rachel was kidnapped again.
"Hic... snif...!"
Their van held other kidnapped kids too.
"Mom... Mom..."
"Take us home..."
"Shut up, you brats!"
"Kyaa!"
"Waaaah!"
"Won't shut up?! Fuckers!"
A thug shoved a scary gun at the crying kids.
"W-Wait!"
Fearing shots, Rachel blocked him.
"I'll calm them. No more crying. Please holster the gun."
"What? Ha! Cheeky. Who're you...?"
"Hey, stop. Kill 'em, more overtime for us."
"One more peep, you're first—like your mom. Heh heh... Got it?"
"....."
"Like your mom" blanched Rachel's face. But she didn't cry like the others.
"Tch."
No reaction? Thug pocketed his gun boredly. Rachel sighed inwardly in relief.
'Rachel? You're a hero.'
'You don't need powers to be a hero. True heroes keep hope and courage in tough spots. Without you, those kids faced grim fates. But you stayed brave, protected them—they all got home safe. Hero Rachel? Fist bump?'
Memory Hunter's words echoed.
'Hero.'
'If I don't lose courage... these kids can go home.'
'Hero.'
'I'm a hero.'
"Kids. Don't cry. Stay strong, no tears—we'll get home."
"Hic...! Really?"
"Yep. No crying. Want a fun story? Once, a princess loved a beggar..."
Even in despair, Rachel held hope. Held courage.
Because—
'I'm a hero.'
Rachel was a hero, after all.