Chapter 81
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: The Mayor and Unity
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"Mayor! Out in the West Sea! Multiple bio-signals have appeared simultaneously on radar! They're approaching the Neo Incheon city center right now!"
"The Association President is currently engaged in combat with deep-sea monsters!"
Jin Yeonhwa had certainly kept her promise.
Right now, she was single-handedly rampaging against the monsters out in the sea off Neo Incheon.
Even through the monitor, the majesty of the Fire Dragon was palpable.
Roarrr-!
Every time she breathed out flames, a massive shark monster turned into a lump of charcoal and sank into the depths.
Against water-types, her power should be halved, yet she was performing like this. Then what was the point of type matchups?!
Of course, reality wasn't a game, but overwhelming firepower rendered matchups and strategies meaningless all the same.
The problem was the small fry slipping through the net named Jin Yeonhwa and flowing into the city.
'Small fry' here being relative to her standards.
To us civilians, A-grades and B-grades were disasters enough.
"Special Task Force Team 2! Commence intercepting the Crab Destroyers heading toward the coastal docks!"
"Hero Association support requested! Swarm of venomous jellyfish appearing in the southeast industrial complex! Civilian evacuation is urgent!"
"Third defense line breached! Deep-sea anglerfish approaching Songdo Super City!"
The situation room had turned back into a warzone.
Dozens of monitors broadcast live footage of heroes and Special Task Force members locked in desperate battles across the city.
It felt like being forced to watch the climax of a disaster movie. Would've been perfect with some popcorn.
"Mayor! Look at that one!"
One official shouted urgently, pointing at a specific monitor.
On the screen, a lobster-like monster was unleashing merciless punches at an office building.
Boom! Baaaam!
Every time its fist connected, the building's exterior crumbled like tofu.
"That's a Mantis Shrimp! Its punching power rivals A-grade in that one aspect! Its shell is insanely tough too—normal attacks don't even scratch it!"
The fastest punch in the ocean, said to match a bullet's speed.
But at that size... Ah, no math for me. Humanities major here.
Then it happened. Light burst from the screen.
"A single beam of light cutting through the darkness! Your North Star, Polaris, has arrived!"
Along with a familiar entrance line from somewhere, a streak of starlight sliced across the screen.
Polaris Hansia. From D-grade, C-grade, now proudly B-grade hero.
She zoomed in shining brightly and slammed a hearty kick into the lobster monster's face.
Thud!
...That sound was way too light?
Sure enough, the monster didn't budge. Instead, it casually swung its arm, sending Polaris flying like a paper sheet into another building's wall.
"Urk...! The shell's too hard...!"
Nooo! Not my investment sapling, fattened on my sponsorship money!
Polaris struggled to her feet. Blood trickled from her mouth. But her eyes burned undimmed.
That unbreakable spirit—that was protagonist material. And my investment points.
She gathered starlight once more and charged the lobster monster again.
But the result was the same. The lobster's punches were overwhelmingly powerful, its carapace diamond-hard.
A vast gap in attack and defense.
"At this rate...!"
Cold sweat trickled down my own back as I watched the monitor.
Wasn't this heading for disaster?
Forget my sponsorship money vaporizing— if that young girl died there...!
Then it happened.
As Polaris slipped past the monster's attack, her eyes flashed. An expression like sudden realization.
"That's it!"
Polaris abruptly veered toward a building rooftop.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The lobster monster pursued relentlessly, smashing its massive claws into the walls.
Reaching the roof, Polaris thrust both hands skyward.
"Starlight, blaze! Maximum Starlight!"
Middle-school syndrome ultimate move. But oddly, my heart raced.
An eye-searing intense light erupted from her body.
The monitor whited out from the sheer brightness.
Rain around Polaris and the lobster evaporated instantly, creating thick steam. The rooftop turned into a sauna.
Kieeeek!
Startled by the sudden change, the lobster unleashed an angry punch.
And.
Sssizzle-!
But this time, something was different.
The monster's entire body, as it punched, glowed shrimp-red like it was perfectly boiled.
Kieeeekkk!
The lobster monster's horrific scream.
That thing, a crustacean.
Crustaceans turn red when cooked. And edible. Delicious. Scientific fact.
Normally, it lives in water, using resistance to cushion shocks for punches—its survival strategy.
But Polaris evaporated all the surrounding water with starlight.
Result of full-power supersonic punch in waterless air?
Self-roasted.
"Yes! Go, Polaris!"
I clenched my fist without realizing.
Polaris seized the moment.
"Starlight Smash!"
Her fist condensed starlight from all of Neo Incheon.
That glowing punch struck precisely the lobster's forehead, its carapace's weakest point.
Crack! Craaack!
Spiderweb cracks spread across the monster's body.
It spewed white foam from its mouth and toppled backward.
"Hoo... I did it!"
Polaris panted, staggering.
But she had won.
Worth sending those lobsters and king crabs as gifts.
"Yes! Good job! Truly Neo Incheon's pride... not my kid, but still!"
Proving the timeless truth that crustaceans are best cooked— with that clever play.
Kuh, that's the essence of deep-sea biology I instilled by buying her king crabs.
People must learn. And eat well. A fine growth story.
"Mayor! Look over there too! Special Task Force and Captain Kang Jiyeong!"
Another monitor showed the Special Task Force led by Captain Kang Jiyeong in action.
A massive squid-like tentacle monster was ravaging a villa district, while Task Force members fought back, rescuing civilians.
Kang Jiyeong's performance was peerless.
She extended her hand, and nearby rubble and rebar floated up, skewering the monster.
Krunch!
Squid kebab, done in seconds.
Clean. No frills. Pro work.
"Citizens, the Special Task Force is here. Rest easy."
With her cool line, something even cooler(?) happened.
Vrrrrm-
The villa building trapping civilians groaned and deformed. Concrete and steel twisted, reforming into a massive metal ark.
Noah's Ark? No, Kang Jiyeong's Ark.
And that ark... floated into the sky.
"Whoa! We're saved! Thank you! Long live the Task Force!"
The rescued civilians cheered at first.
Until they realized they were riding their own homes.
"Huh? Wha? That floating thing... isn't that our house roof?!"
"Why's my house up there?"
"My house didn't collapse! I still have 30 years of mortgage left!"
The rescued pointed skyward, wailing.
But the half-destroyed villas. And beside them, grotesquely ripped-up asphalt and guardrails courtesy of Kang Jiyeong.
"...Wait. Isn't Captain Kang destroying more than the monster right now?"
My quiet mutter silenced the situation room.
Silence.
All officials averted their gazes in unison, like scripted.
Some counted ceiling lights, others untied and retied shoelaces.
I said in a trembling voice.
"L-Let's think about that later. Civilian rescue first. Right?"
The Disaster Preparedness Director cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Y-Yes! Absolutely right, Mayor! Lives come first! Haha!"
The others nodded vigorously, eyes still wandering.
It's fine. It'll be fine. Bill all reconstruction costs to those wicked Seoul bastards.
The Sea Dragon Cult was in Seoul anyway, right? Their negligence is to blame.
Reasonable demand. Totally.
"As expected of the Mayor! Prioritizing citizens with such wisdom!"
"Such insight even into finances! Impressive!"
No. Just hate spending my money.
This city's budget is basically my slush fund.
Then, Seria, standing beside me, said calmly.
"Mayor, I'll organize and submit the reconstruction budget claims by category, neatly."
This city was utterly doomed.
It had long derailed from common sense into incomprehensible territory.
"News from Michuhol-gu! Veterans are beating back jellyfish monsters with their canes!"
What? Like The Old Man and the Sea (Jellyfish)?
The monitor switched.
"Maintain formation! Second row, gather sword energy! Third row, target its tentacles!"
A white-haired elder swung his cane, barking orders.
Michuhol Swordmaster Alliance.
Average age 78.5. Hunched backs, slow steps, but eyes fiercely alive.
Normally playing go at senior centers, but swarming city hall with sword-energized canes at any whiff of budget cuts—a combative bunch.
"Take that, you commie bastards!"
Now, they were slaughtering jellyfish swarms flooding the coast.
Shwick! Shwaaack!
Sharp sword energy slashed from cane tips.
Pudding-like venomous jellyfish sliced cleanly, splattering the ground.
Mixed with groans like "Ow, my back," "Arthritis in my knees...," but their blades stayed sharp.
"Mayor! Thanks to the veterans, Michuhol-gu's defense line holds!"
An official shouted emotionally.
I swallowed dryly instead of replying.
If those geezers hadn't threatened city hall with swords, Neo Incheon's finances would be twice as healthy.
This city's aging problem was brutally physical.
"Next, Gyeyang-gu! Gaia Circle!"
Screen changed.
Lush forest backdrop, green-clad people.
Environmental group, Gaia Circle.
'Eco-terrorists' binding construction sites with vines at every development announcement.
But now?
"Fear nature's wrath! But for now, thank its mercy and cross quickly!"
The leader auntie shouted.
They wove trees and vines into bridges for citizens stranded by swollen rivers.
Still no-holds-barred for goals, but shifting from eco-protection to rescues made them this useful.
"What about Seo-gu?!"
"Barrier construction already underway!"
Urk!
On screen, construction workers in gear vomited cement from their mouths.
Human concrete mixers. Human bulldozers. Human cranes.
Neo Incheon's superpowered construction workers. Development zealots pushing to bulldoze greenbelts.
"Gahhh! A dam in 30 minutes?! This is labor exploitation!"
One wailed while hauling and shaping concrete.
Calls it exploitation, still works.
Korean DNA? Grumbling but delivering.
The chaos didn't end there.
Chinatown merchants handing out dumplings to locals, downtown cults yelling "Now's the time to spread the faith with the Lord's love!" via relief efforts.
"Mayor! Heartwinning Hall!"
Sugar Girl's Heartwinning Hall.
The 7-story pastry complex had transformed into a shelter packed with hundreds of civilians.
"Waaah! My bread! My precious breads are all soaked! Ruined! How can I sell this?!"
She stomped in rage.
Krunch!
Sugar battlements rose along the outer walls.
"Huff... huff... This should... hold off most monsters..."
Wait, was Sugar Girl that strong?
Wasn't she a C-grade villain?
Love makes a girl strong?
Though her love's direction was seriously twisted.
She then hurled dampened display breads at evacuees.
"Hmph, gonna trash 'em anyway, so eat 'em all! Don't leave a crumb! Stuff yourselves!"
Civilians blinked, then teared up in.
"Thank you... so much..."
"I was starving... such delicious bread..."
"Ugh! Too much bread! My stomach's bursting!"
Sugar Girl whipped her head away, cheeks puffed.
"Hmph! Not thanks! You're just scavenging my trash!"
Amid all chaos, the most overwhelming sight was elsewhere.
The Neo Incheon seafront.
Main screen filled with Jin Yeonhwa.
Roarrrrr-!
Fire Dragon dyeing sea and sky red.
Each breath vaporized dozens of deep-sea monsters without screams.
Seawater boiled, blood-steam rained from skies.
Not battle.
Unilateral massacre. Incineration.
Seafood BBQ.
Cook time: 0.3 seconds.
Ingredients: S-grade to C-grade.
Method: Burn.
Hero Association President. S-grade Hero. World's strongest. Jin Yeonhwa.
Felt the weight of that name again today.
"Wooooh!"
"She did it! Again!"
"As expected of the President!"
As she torched a kraken-subspecies' head whole, the room erupted in cheers.
They hugged, slapped backs, high-fived.
Like NASA after a rocket launch.
Amid this mad city, such pure joy was surprising.
I stared blankly, then tossed to quietly standing Seria.
"Hey, Seria. Wanna join the mood and hug? For unity. Embrace. Hug. Y'know."
Seria slowly turned to me.
"Mayor. Has rainwater bloated your brain? Shall I drill your skull to drain it?"
Joke backfired into trepanation risk.
"N-No, just kidding... No need to get so serious..."
"Maintain mayoral dignity, please. Forget not—many watch you even now."
As I floundered back, she snorted, eyes back to monitors.
I coughed awkwardly, looking around.
At my feet, a tricolor furball yawned, bored by the racket.
Nero.
My cat. City's mascot. My sole ally.
"Yeah, just you."
I plopped down, scooping Nero into my arms.
Soft fur, warm body.
Nero purred contentedly, rubbing my chest.
Purrr...
The one constant, serene sound in this chaos.