Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Someone's Sidekick
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Fear. A deadly poison that turns people into something less than human.
At least heroes learn how to overcome that fear.
But ordinary citizens aren't like that. And they never have to be.
"God, please save me, please, please..."
"Mommy...!"
The employees. The customers. They're all trapped in a panic, on the verge of losing their minds.
If this keeps up, they might snap completely—screaming and thrashing wildly.
Or they might decide they have to get out and try to force open the doors to escape.
Once poisoned by the venom of fear, there's no predicting what people might do.
Before that happens, the priority is to calm them down somehow.
"Everyone, please calm down. My sidekick and I came here for you. Cough, cough."
"B-but Hero, you're right now..."
"It's bleeding a lot, a whole lot, but I'm fine. Getting hurt comes with the job."
Even as blood loss turned his face pale and his body trembled uncontrollably.
Hero Shieldman poured his efforts into reassuring the civilians.
Hiding and bandaging his wounds so they wouldn't see was just par for the course.
"..."
A mere B-rank hero, but he gave his all for the citizens.
That sense of duty was A-rank. Maybe even S-rank or higher.
I want to be a hero like that. Kang Yuna thought as she listened intently.
'For now, no monsters seem to have made it inside the convenience store.'
Should she move right now? No, no. It could be a trap.
She'd learned in class. Monsters had basic intelligence too.
With the fresh corpse of one of their own right here, they knew people were around.
So they had to know there were humans nearby.
But it was so quiet? Definitely. They're hiding somewhere.
Thank goodness she'd studied up on shape-shifting monsters beforehand.
When she got back, she'd definitely thank that archive staff member.
Tell them it was thanks to their advice that she'd made it this far.
If she survived and returned. She'd say it for sure.
"...Cadet Kang Yuna."
"Yes."
"You're thinking the same thing, right?"
At Shieldman's words, Kang Yuna nodded slightly.
"Moving any more at this point... it would be tough, wouldn't it?"
"I'm sorry. I really can't move anymore."
Seeing his shirt soaked in blood made her anxiety peak.
Wasting time was dangerous, but so was trying to move.
When would backup arrive? Could they even survive to see it?
Should she never have volunteered as a sidekick? If she'd known...
'Get it together, Kang Yuna. Is this why you wanted to become a hero?'
Whether she survived or not—that wasn't the point.
Could she save these civilians and send them home alive? That was what mattered.
Everything else—erase it from her mind. Focus on that alone.
"Hoo."
Clearing her head lightened her heart a little.
And with it, a plan began to take shape.
"The monster outbreaks are concentrated around here, and with shape-shifters in the mix, we won't be able to clear this area completely anytime soon."
"That's my take too."
"Even if rescue gets here, if they don't know our position, it won't help."
Shieldman's phone and communicator had been smashed when he got injured.
And Kang Yuna herself had lost all hers in the chaos.
Lesson learned: tie your communication gear to your body next time.
"Shieldman, you stay here. I'll check outside."
"It's dangerous."
"I won't fight. I won't even step outside the store. I'll just see if any backup teams are passing nearby. Don't worry."
Hiding wouldn't solve anything.
Someone had to take on the risky job.
Shieldman bowed his head at the realization.
"As your senior. As a hero, I have no face left."
"No. You've done more than enough already. If it weren't for you, I might be dead."
"Thank you. Then take this at least."
He handed over his shield without hesitation, and Kang Yuna hefted it eagerly.
It was heavy. But it brought an inexplicable sense of security.
"If you need backup, just call. I'll come running."
Leaving the hero and civilians behind, the sidekick stepped out of the storage room.
The convenience store inside was already a mess of monster corpses and toppled shelves.
She cranked her Ability to max and gripped the shield tight.
"Hoo."
Steadying her breath, Kang Yuna cautiously peered outside the store.
It was dead silent. An eerie quiet unbefitting the city greeted her.
No friendly signals nearby, unfortunately.
What if backup passed through the area and just overlooked them?
That thought hit her, and Kang Yuna moved to mark their position as survivors.
Kieeeek!-
She whipped her head around at the ominous screech.
"...!!"
Monsters—plastered all over the building walls!
Kwaaaaaa!-
"Ughhh!"
She knew it. These bastards had dug in and waited for an ambush!
They planned to pounce the moment she let her guard down and drag her to their nest!
"Shieldman!!"
At Kang Yuna's scream, Shieldman burst through the door.
He collided head-on with the one lunging to snatch her.
Kwaang!-
"Guh!"
He peeled off the monster, but Shieldman's condition worsened.
She grabbed the hero as he collapsed, unable to stand.
Then back into the store. Desperately.
Kieeeek!-
The monsters swarmed. Some spat flames.
The store went up in fire in seconds.
Everything flammable, and it spread fast.
"Ah...!"
At this rate, they'd burn or suffocate.
But breaking through was impossible.
Shieldman had hit his limit, and civilians were still there.
No choice—they retreated to the storage room and slammed the door.
Kwaang!-
Bang!-
"Kyaaaaah!"
"I don't wanna die! Waaaaaah!"
Their flesh searing in the flames, the monsters still hammered at the storage door.
Kang Yuna and Shieldman braced it with their bodies, resisting to the end.
Kwaang!-
"Nngh! Cadet Kang Yuna! The shield!"
"Here!"
Shieldman took the shield and braced it against the door, activating his Ability.
In case the door broke—it'd be their last bastion.
The problem: his stamina was already rock bottom; it wouldn't hold long.
Kieeeek!-
Bang!!-
"Kuh!"
The door rattled. About to shatter any second.
Heat and smoke seeped through the cracks.
No way out now. They're done for. Dead.
"Moooooom!!"
The employee's scream made Kang Yuna think of her parents unbidden.
Mom. Dad. The two who prayed every day for their daughter's safety.
Who cheered her hero dreams but wanted to hold her back too.
Please don't get hurt. Come home safe and whole.
The words buzzed in her ears, tears welling up.
I'm scared.
Death closing in. Terrifying. Didn't want to die.
Scared. Wanted to bawl her eyes out right now.
Didn't want it to end like this. This wasn't her dream.
If she'd known, she'd have dreamed of something else.
Regret flooded in. Self-loathing boiled up.
"...No!"
Griiiind!-
Kang Yuna bit her lip until it bled and tensed her body.
Yes. She was afraid. She admitted it. More terrified than ever.
But she'd learned at the academy. What it meant to be a hero.
Courage wasn't the absence of fear—it was stepping forward despite it.
Overcoming terror to do your duty—that's when courage truly formed!
Even if she died here. To the end, for the civilians behind her.
To live up to the name of this era's heroes. To be a hero worth bragging about.
"Raaaaagh!!"
Kwaang! Bang!-
She braced with every ounce of strength from infancy.
Even as Shieldman beside her lost consciousness, leaving her alone.
Even as the screaming civilians choked on fear and smoke and collapsed.
In the loneliness of solitude, Kang Yuna never lost her courage.
Kwajik!!-
But despite her efforts, the door fell away limply.
In that instant, Kang Yuna raised the shield to protect everyone.
Come at me all you want. Unless you go through me, I won't let you touch them...
"Where do you think you're going."
From within the blazing crimson inferno.
"Falling to some other bastard. Instead of me."
Gripping the crumpled door in one hand.
"Get up. Now."
The Smiling Man stood there.
The moment the detection Ability heroes arrived, Valkyrie pushed into the site.
Monsters lunged, but her blade flashed—and they became mincemeat.
Overwhelming force. Flawless skill. Slaughtering monsters single-handedly.
A living strategic weapon. The nation's greatest asset. S-rank hero.
But even she couldn't avoid one thing.
"Valkyrie! Slow down just a bit!"
"Is the camera getting a good shot?! Good! Live in 30 seconds—get ready!"
Gnash—
Valkyrie gritted her teeth and glared ferociously at the reporters.
They could barely keep up as it was—live broadcast?
Show the world how strong an S-rank hero was?
It was absurd, but it was a direct order from Union HQ—she couldn't refuse.
Besides, those reporters were citizens too.
And heroes had a duty to protect citizens.
If she sped off too fast and they fell behind, only to get killed by pursuing monsters?
That would violate a hero's morals and obligations.
"Broadcast starting!"
"I'm here in the city center where monsters have appeared! Leading the suppression is Korea's proud S-rank hero, Valkyrie, and...!"
Ignore them. Just do my job.
So she thought, refocusing ahead.
"...Huh?"
Something ominous approached.
A monster? No. This wasn't monster energy.
"Hold on. What the hell is that."
"Camera! Camera!"
At first, even Valkyrie doubted her eyes. So did the reporters.
An entire building was barreling toward them!
Kwagwagwagwa!-
Mana Threads wrapping the building snapped one by one, slowing it.
Finally, it halted before Valkyrie, and someone peeked out.
"C-Cadet Kang Yuna?!"
"Instructor Valkyrie!"
The sidekick who'd gone missing. Who everyone assumed was dead.
What the hell was going on? As everyone gawked in shock.
"What a touching reunion this is."
Atop the shattered building. Someone sat with legs elegantly crossed.
Mana Threads fluttered around, gathering at his fingertips.
Cameras zoomed in unison at the voice.
"Ah."
As if just remembering upon seeing the cameras, he held up his coffee sip.
Blatantly, like look at this brand here.
The image of the wrinkle-free smiling man broadcast nationwide in an instant.