New Target Registration Complete (1)
Eunbyeol, having scraped the bowl clean in no time, patted her belly contentedly and let out a satisfied sigh. Ohoo, resting his chin on his hand, asked coolly, "Feeling full now? So, what was it you wanted earlier?"
"Ah, yes! Thanks for the meal!"
Eunbyeol straightened up, her eyes hardening with resolve once more. She stared straight at Miyang, who sat beside Ohoo picking at her chashu with chopsticks, and declared boldly, "I don't have my official license yet, but I'm an aspiring hero patrolling our neighborhood every night to protect the peace! And my goal is to rack up achievements right now and get a special recruitment into the Hero Association!"
Her booming voice drew glances from people nearby in the food court.
"So, Nyestringer. You're a broker dealing in back-alley snuff films, right? Hand over all the info on the locations of the major crime syndicates you deal with and who your bosses are! Do that, and I won't report you!"
"......"
"If you give me your info network, I can wipe out those crime groups and get the credit for a special recruitment! So cooperate with—mmph!"
As Eunbyeol's audacious and absurd rant continued, a vein bulged fiercely on Miyang's forehead while she idly poked at her ramen.
"Hey, you brainless pure girl. Have you lost your mind, nyang?"
Miyang slammed her chopsticks down and growled menacingly.
"You're seriously waltzing up to a villain in the middle of a supermarket in broad daylight and asking her to sell out her organization's info so you can get your hero spot?! That's a declaration of war on my livelihood, and you expect me to cooperate...? Haa..."
Miyang trailed off with a frustrated huff, then suddenly took a deep breath and swallowed her venomous words.
Eunbyeol's face. It was identical to Shooting Star's—the mother of her beloved master. She held back, not wanting to hurl abuse at that face or hurt Ohoo, who cherished his mother deeply.
Swallowing her anger, Miyang clenched her fist and glanced cautiously at Ohoo.
Ohoo caught her thoughtful restraint. The affection she showed in suppressing her rage purely for his sake, without the hypnosis forcing her.
Smooth—
Ohoo kept a cold expression above the table, but below, out of sight, he reached out with his large hand. He gently stroked the base of Miyang's fluffy blue tail swaying near her waist, his touch big yet soft.
Good girl. Thanks. A silent praise.
"......! Hn."
As her master secretly caressed her most sensitive spot, Miyang's flushed, angry face turned beet red in an instant.
"Nyaang......"
Feeling good, she twisted her legs under the table, unable to hide the smile creeping across her lips, and settled down meekly.
Oblivious to the intimate, erotic exchange under the table, Eunbyeol mistook Miyang's sudden calm for intimidation from her own outburst and puffed out her chest proudly.
Ohoo withdrew his hand from her tail, crossed his arms again, and stared at Eunbyeol.
Haa... What a headache.
His final first impression of her: hopeless. Summarized in that one word.
"......Ha."
A small chuckle escaped Ohoo's lips, slipping past even the emotional control hypnosis. The sheer, clear-headed recklessness of this apprentice pierced his defenses.
And then.
What if...
Ohoo reanalyzed her through a purely eroge lens. If this eroge system had replicated not just her looks, but her inner self—exactly like his mother from 20 years ago.
I'd want to say thanks.
To see Shooting Star, her wings broken and defiled in her fall, soar brilliantly across the night sky once more.
I want to witness it, somehow.
Even this hopeless bravado and sense of justice might mirror his mother's youthful days, fearlessly patrolling back alleys as a self-appointed vigilante from a young age.
Ding-ding-ding—
Ohoo's pocket buzzed noisily. He checked the caller, and his eyebrow twitched.
"Hold on." Ohoo raised a hand to Eunbyeol and answered. "Hello."
「M-Master... I'm sorry.」
Ayoung's voice came through the receiver, trembling with fear the moment the call connected.
「I should have quickly arranged the best training facility and dedicated trainer for you... But matching the security requirements took time. It's all my fault you got hurt pushing that extreme diet. Please forgive me...」
Her intense guilt as a slave for failing to execute her master's order swiftly poured through the speaker. Due to the obedience hypnosis, she believed his broken leg was her fault for delaying, and she was shaking in terror.
Ohoo glanced at Eunbyeol, who watched him with clear eyes from across the table.
In front of this hopeless girl, I need to play the normal aunt-nephew act perfectly.
"Oh, what's up, Aunt? I have a guest here named Eunbyeol, so I can't talk long."
Ohoo fabricated a soft, polite nephew voice and cut her off. She caught on from the "aunt" title—he was defusing the situation.
Her sharp instincts as KHC Planning Director kicked in.
「Ah... yeah, Ohoo. Your aunt just took half-day leave and early out to head home.」
Ayoung continued hurriedly.
「I heard about your leg, so I borrowed something precious from the Association. It's a serum made from concentrated blood of a healing ability user. This can fully heal broken bones or torn ligaments overnight.」
"A serum?"
Ohoo's eyes lit up. With his shattered joints, he'd been fretting over derailed revenge plans and diet. This was like rain in a drought. Worth having an S-rank hero's daughter and KHC executive as a slave.
Deciding details were better in person, he spoke.
"Then don't go home, Aunt. Come to the mart where we are now. We have lots of stuff... Oh, and one more passenger."
「Got it. Be there in 10 minutes.」
The call ended. Ohoo pocketed his phone and stood toward Eunbyeol.
"Let's head out for now. Aunt's bringing the car, so we can talk on the way."
"Huh? Y-Your aunt?"
Eunbyeol blinked in confusion, but Ohoo replied indifferently.
"Yeah. Miyang can't give you all that villain org info alone. Let's go together."
Mart main entrance road. Not even 10 minutes later, a pickup truck screeched to a halt with a harsh friction sound.
A massive, menacing vehicle in matte black with bulletproof glass. Especially the rear seat, sealed tight like a bank vault with thick steel panels—Eunbyeol shrank back, intimidated.
W-What the hell is that car... It looks just like the ones villains use for kidnappings in crime movies...
As she gulped, the passenger window slid down smoothly, revealing Ayoung in a neat cardigan.
"Ohoo, is it bad? Sorry your aunt was so late."
Switching to warm aunt mode per their call, Ayoung's beauty and elegant poise left Eunbyeol blinking dazedly.
Ohoo and Miyang casually loaded bags into the truck's spacious bed and climbed into the back. Eunbyeol hesitantly squeezed in beside them.
"Um... who might you be...?"
Eunbyeol cautiously asked Ayoung in the passenger seat. Ohoo answered for her.
"Park Ayoung, director of KHC Planning."
"Huh? A KHC director?!"
"And for good measure, she's also the biological daughter of S-rank hero Rapidstar."
"R-Rapidstar's... daughter?!"
Eunbyeol's eyes nearly bulged out. The great hero who'd personally given her a pager—his own daughter right in front of her.
But shock faded into massive confusion.
"W-Wait. Then earlier, you called this director 'Aunt'?"
She pointed a trembling finger at Ohoo.
"Does that mean... you're family to Rapidstar too? His grandson...?"
Ohoo snorted at the wild guess and stated his identity flatly.
"Not family. I'm..."
Gulp.
"Shooting Star's son."
"......!"
"After Mom passed a few days ago, Aunt Ayoung—who was like a sister to her—took in this orphan and looks after me."
"Shoo... ting... Star's... son..."
Eunbyeol's lips quivered. Her lifelong idol, the hero Han Sara she'd loved and admired so much she handmade a crude costume—her real son sat beside her, having eaten the same ramen.
A mix of shock, joy, and awe choked her speechless. Ohoo's shabby, fat appearance vanished from her eyes. Just the fact he carried her idol's blood made him an object of absolute worship.
"I liked Master before I even knew who he was, nyang!"
Miyang shot a subtle glare of rivalry at her.
They arrived at Ayoung's penthouse.
Seated on the living room sofa, Ohoo cut straight to the point with the dazed, adoring Eunbyeol.
"Bottom line, Eunbyeol. Nyestringer... our Miyang quit villain work. She's retired."
"What?! R-Retired?!"
Eunbyeol yelped in shock. Her promise to Rapidstar for special recruitment hinged on taking down the snuff film broker's backers. But the sole lead retired? It felt like her lifeline rotting away, disappointment clouding her face.
"Th-Then my special recruitment..."
"We'll help you instead."
Ohoo sliced through her despair with a bold offer.
"Miyang retiring doesn't erase her underworld info network. She's still J-district's top informant. And Aunt Ayoung here is a KHC director. We have connections to pull both shadow intel and official villain databases."
His eyes gleamed coldly.
"Eunbyeol. How about teaming up with our Miyang, catch villains, build merits, and debut as heroes together—like During the same period?"
To Eunbyeol, it was a miracle rivaling—or surpassing—the pager from Rapidstar. She'd charge in front, backed by a KHC director and ex-villain informant.
Miyang, sulkily arms-crossed at partnering with an outsider girl, reluctantly extended a hand at her master's firm gaze.
"Haa... if that's Master's will. Nice to work with, nyang."
"Ah, yes! Thank you!"
Eunbyeol grabbed the half-hearted hand and nodded vigorously.
"Then... since we're on the topic, we should set targets and estimates for villains to build merits."
Ohoo crossed his arms, eyeing her.
"Can we see what your abilities are like here, Eunbyeol?"
"Uh... got it!"
Eunbyeol flushed embarrassed but jumped up. Her face burned with tension—demonstrating before Shooting Star's son and Rapidstar's daughter made her heart race.
Miyang watched arms-crossed, half-curious, half-wary about what power let this brat track and challenge her.
"Hup!"
Eunbyeol squeezed her eyes shut, furrowed her brow, clenched her fists. Her toes slowly, ever so slightly lifted from the marble floor.
Float—
Her awakened ability. Flight.
But.
"......"
"......"
"......"
It was pathetic, as expected. She hovered, but at a snail's pace—2-3 cm per second. An absurdly slow, pitiful ascent, slower than if someone lifted her by hand.
"Hmm..."
Ohoo scratched his chin, breaking the silence.
"That's it?"
"Pfft! Ahahaha!"
Unable to hold back, Miyang rolled on the floor clutching her stomach, bursting into laughter.
"Totally lame, nyang! That speed for real? Even a fly's faster! How'd you plan to take down villain orgs and catch me with that, nyang?! Nyahaha!"
Eunbyeol's face turned tomato-red mid-air at the merciless roast.
"N-No! The height limit is basically none, so...!"
Even Ayoung beside her shook her head in disbelief, speechless. To the KHC director, it was below hero standards—embarrassing to even call one.
Tears welling from shame, Eunbyeol desperately explained.
"That's why... that's why Rapidstar gave me something special! You know since he's your dad, Director!"
She landed hurriedly, fished out a small, worn black pager from her pocket, and held it up proudly.
"Rapidstar gave me this personally! He said if I track Nyestringer and find the villain org, press it right away! He'll drop everything and come help!"
The moment she brandished the pager proudly, the room's air froze like a lie.
"R-Rapidstar...!"
Miyang yelped in horror at summoning an S-rank hero and dove behind the sofa.
Ayoung's shoulders visibly trembled at her father's name. Trauma flickered in her pupils.
As the pager chilled the room.
Fuck, if that Rapidstar geezer gets involved, it's dangerous!
First, neutralize the variable.
"Eunbyeol."
Ohoo called her in an extremely soft, calm voice. Quietly, he pulled out his smartphone from his pocket, aiming the camera lens at her face.
"Look here."
"Yes?"
The instant Eunbyeol glanced at the screen.
A swirling purple vortex mark hit her retinas dead-on.
4. Han Eunbyeol
Ding!
Ohoo's thumb flew across the screen, entering text at light speed and hitting enter.
>Command: Immediately block vision and hearing, stand there zoning out motionless.
Flash—!
The flash engulfed the room.
"......"
In an instant, focus vanished from Eunbyeol's eyes. Like time stopped, she froze in her ridiculous pose—pager raised high—like a wax doll, not even breathing.
"Whew..."
Ohoo sighed in relief and carefully pried the worn pager from her hand, examining it closely.