Five Minutes Before Total Chaos

Currently, a bank in the heart of Seoul has been openly occupied.

The Hero Association headquarters was in a state of absolute emergency. Emergency sirens wailed incessantly, and every single staff member wore a grim expression.

To make matters worse, the perpetrators of this incident were a rising villain group that had recently been stirring up trouble in Seoul.

The Masked Gang.

If you don't nip these kinds of emerging villain groups in the bud, they grow to an uncontrollable scale.

There was already a precedent for this.

The hero branches in Brazil and the Philippines, which failed their initial responses, are still suffering daily from villain coalitions that have grown to a global level.

And this place was South Korea, a country that had been far cleaner than ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠those two nations.

Although it is a world where only women possess supernatural abilities, thorough education and systems have prevented anyone from wielding power recklessly.

On top of that, this country, where even firearm possession is completely controlled, has established itself as one of the world's few "safe nations."

Perhaps because of that, the reaction to the appearance of villains was bound to be even more sensitive.

This was already the third incident involving the Masked Gang.

The Hero Association had no intention of letting them slip away this time.

The proof of that was this.

They had deployed an A-rank hero—someone in the top 0.002% of all heroes—to deal with a group that had only just appeared and was at the lowest level of the danger index.

She was a supernova, a candidate for the S-rank title recently scouted from the US by the Baek-San Group, which boasts the greatest military power among the four major Korean hero corporations.

Miss Seraphel.

They had sent an A-rank hero, capable of rivaling the national defense force of a small country, just to suppress a group of robbers.

"I will root out every trace of evil."

Seraphel, heading toward her destination in a limousine, was moving smoothly thanks to the roads cleared by police control.

In ten minutes, she was scheduled to arrive at the bank branch where approximately 50 billion won was being held.

The order given to her by the Korean Hero Association was singular.

It was not to rescue hostages or protect the money, but the complete annihilation of the Masked Gang.

In other words, it meant that if they resisted, she was authorized to "kill" them on the spot.

Since every hero is fundamentally granted a license to kill, no one could take issue with it.

And so.

Screech.

Finally, the limousine stopped in front of the large bank branch. Seraphel revealed her sharp claws, let out a low, beast-like growl, and stepped out of the door.

However, the scene unfolding before her eyes was unexpected.

"Everyone, look!"

"Hey, take the photos later..."

"This is the scene where all members of the Masked Gang, who recently shook Seoul, are surrendering!"

"Hmm?"

What unfolded before Seraphel was a scene where the vicious villain group, who had recently even met with brokers and armed themselves with rifles, were voluntarily putting handcuffs on their own wrists and obediently climbing into police cars.

"...Eh?"

I don't know why it happened at the very end, but regardless, the leader of the Masked Gang, Ms. Jang Marin, had collapsed.

While our group was fighting upstairs, the Masked Gang downstairs had also broken their own guns and completely lost the will to fight.

"I, when I get out of prison, I'm going to go down to the countryside and help my mother with the farming!"

"I'm going to learn a trade in prison and come out!"

"Let's definitely become useful parts of society!"

"That's right! So that the Korean men can be happy eating chocolate smoothies and fast food with the 'men's pension' we pay!"

...That last part sounded a bit weird, didn't it?

Anyway, the whole incident was settled, and the police began transporting the non-resisting Masked Gang members.

I also shared a high-five with Mentor Baek ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Seungha, who was entering the bank behind the police.

Smack!

"Well done."

"It's nothing. It was easy thanks to the police officers who were undercover as the Masked Gang and thanks to Ego."

"Ah, right... yeah, that's right. Anyway, good job."

"...?"

This incident was truly lucky.

Thanks to the hero-level undercover police inside the bank and Ego, who noticed them, I was able to approach the Masked Gang leader, Jang Marin, quickly.

Besides, Jang Marin looked rough on the outside, but after talking to her, I realized her heart was that of an innocent girl.

So, it was a bit of a shame there was no battle, but we solved the case safely, so that's that.

It was right when a smile was forming on my lips at that thought.

"W-wait a moment!"

"Hm?"

I heard a voice rushing toward me from behind as I turned, supported by Mentor Baek Seungha's arm around my shoulder.

When I turned around, I saw someone limping toward me after receiving first aid from the police.

It was the greatest superstar in South Korea, whom I had encountered completely unexpectedly today: Ms. Shin Yura.

"...? Who is that?"

"Mentor, you don't know? It's Shin Yura! She's the hottest superstar hero in South Korea right now! She's a talented person with a great body, a pretty face, and even a perfect personality!"

"......Is that how she looks to your eyes?"

Did she not know Ms. Shin Yura because she came from the US?

It was just as I was introducing Ms. Shin Yura, who was panting for breath as she ran up to me.

Vrrr-vrrr.

"Oh, huh? Ego, why are you doing that?"

Like a cell phone that had entered vibration mode... no, even more than that.

The dagger in my arms, Ego, began to tremble like crazy.

Then, the truth suddenly occurred to me.

'...Aha! Both of them are nervous because they're seeing a superstar right in front of them!'

Well, I had trembled like Ego too when I first saw Mentor Baek Seungha, a hero from the US.

On top of that, Ms. Shin Yura was a rookie hero of the "Golden Generation" that the entire world, not just South Korea, was paying attention to.

With such an existence right in front of her, it's no wonder this little thing is thrilled.

As if to empathize, I patted my trembling chest to calm Ego down.

"Hmm..."

And as if to prove my assumption, Mentor Baek Seungha was staring intently at Ms. Shin Yura with sharp eyes, as if she were going to kill her.

'...Surely she doesn't like her so much that she's going to steal my sidekick spot, right?'

The moment that worry crossed my mind.

Ms. Shin Yura, having calmed her panting breath, bowed her head to me—a mere sidekick—to express her gratitude.

"Today, I am truly... grateful!"

"Y-yes...? Yes?!"

"This incident, I mean, Jang Marin—honestly, it wouldn't have ended this easily without Hyunwoo's help. In the worst case, even the hostages could have been in danger."

She bowed her head deeply once more and said.

"Truly, truly, thank you!"

"Oh my! It's nothing! If it weren't for Ms. Shin Yura, I would have been the one in big trouble!"

Hero and sidekick.

If the hero is the protagonist, the sidekick is a supporting actor.

Perhaps that's why a sidekick rarely receives formal gratitude from a hero.

Moreover, if that hero is a super rookie that not only South Korea but the entire world is watching? That says it all.

So I was about to bow my head even deeper to return the greeting out of courtesy, but.

"Don't bow."

Grab.

My mentor grabbed the back of my neck and forced me to stand up straight.

Vrrr-vrrr.

Ego in my inner pocket also stopped vibrating and radiated a strange energy, straightening my spine.

And so, I... despite being a rookie sidekick who had just debuted, ended up looking like I was arrogantly receiving a thank-you from South Korea's representative rookie hero.

...And it would have been nice if it had ended there.

"Excuse me, but... is that person Hyunwoo's assigned hero?"

"Yeah. So what?"

Ms. Shin Yura, who had straightened her back, was no longer smiling.

That was because she was no longer looking at me.

Her gaze was directed at my ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mentor standing next to me, cold as if she were looking at a villain.

"Using a man as a sidekick... Are you out of your mind?! Are you crazy?"

"...Ho-oh?"

"S-Shin Yura?!"

When I went to take my sidekick exam before, even the examiners there were careful with their words in front of my mentor.

But now?

She was openly pointing fingers and lashing out at Mentor Baek Seungha.

Is this the danger of a super rookie?

"Of course, I acknowledge that the incident ended well today thanks to Hyunwoo. But! To have a man as a sidekick! Aren't you crazy?!"

Ms. Shin Yura raised her voice with burning righteousness.

"Besides, to be a sidekick, you need official hero registration... You, state your rank, name, and affiliation."

"...Me, to you?"

"Yes. You might be acting arrogant because you're a bit older, but I have the authority to force those kinds of heroes to move."

She said that and handed me a business card.

On it were listed the incredible specs of Ms. Shin Yura, which I had seen many times on broadcasts.

"What is this? Cheong... Ryong Group?"

"It's one of the four major hero corporations in our country, Mentor! It's the undisputed number one in the country in terms of scale."

"Ah, is that so? ...So?"

Meanwhile... no matter how much she came from the US, our mentor. Isn't her reaction too cool?

Of course, in terms of hero infrastructure alone, the US might be several levels above Korea.

But this is Korea.

Just as you follow Roman law when in Rome, no matter how world-class a hero is, they must follow this country's rules in this country.

Moreover, the opponent is a super rookie cherished by the Cheongryong Group.

You're going to hit back head-on at someone like that?

...Seriously, our mentor. She didn't just drink American water; she's just crazy.

"Hyunwoo is my sidekick. And I don't say things twice. So, young lady, if you don't want to see something 'nasty,' go your own way now."

"...Ha! If even I, who have read the world hero encyclopedia from cover to cover, don't know you, you don't seem like a very famous person? And such a person is going to threaten me?"

Zzzzt.

Ms. Shin Yura's sharp gaze.

And my mentor, who just smirked at her as if looking at a novice.

In the atmosphere that was becoming increasingly dangerous, I tried to intervene between the two and stop them somehow.

But.

"...?! You are?"

"...Uh?"

Adding fuel to the fire, another person approached us.

Like a noble white beast, a dignified woman slowly revealed her appearance.

A strangely familiar silhouette.

With that straight posture and cold gaze, my brain flashed with a connection.

"You are... Seraphel, the one who interviewed me at Baek-San Group before?!"

"S-Seraphel?! That A-rank hero from Baek-San Group...?"

"...What is that female doing here?"

Baek-San Group, which forms a rival structure with the Cheongryong Group that Ms. Shin Yura ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠belongs to.

Seraphel, an A-rank hero scouted from there through the US.

She, who always had a face as stiff as an iron plate when on TV, pointed at me with a surprised face and said.

"I wondered who it was... It's the man who gave me a 'phantom pregnancy' before."

"Eh?"

"...What?"

"Ehh?!"

"I wanted to see you again. ...I've been suffering from 'phantom responsibility' every evening since that day, but as expected, imagination alone just isn't enough to satisfy me."

...But what kind of nonsense is this woman spouting now?