Zombies in the Hero Association

What the hell? Where are the heroes? Why are there zombies around?

Each floor of the Hero Association building was divided by department, so it looked like I'd wandered into the always-busy information bureau by mistake. I checked the elevator a short distance away.

[3]

"…Third floor, right?"

I wondered if the floors used by Hero Teams 1, 2, and 3 had changed, so I leaned back slightly to check the explanatory sign.

I'd come to the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠exact right place.

"…What the hell."

So… these people right in front of me were Team 1 members?

"Ugh… Huh?"

One of the team members shuffling along like a zombie spotted me.

I nearly jumped. His eyes were so bloodshot, I really thought a zombie was walking around.

"Who… are you… and why are you here…?"

"…Lee Ha-rang?"

"You… know me?"

"…I'm Lee Seojin."

Lee Ha-rang, who had been slumped over like a rag doll, straightened his back with effort and thought for a moment. As soon as it clicked, he broke into a huge, welcoming grin.

Of course, he looked so rough that I almost felt bad for being welcomed.

"Ah… Aah~ Right. You're Lee Seojin… You changed so much I didn't recognize you."

"Didn't we see each other like two weeks ago? I think it was when I came looking for Han Sujung before."

"Ah… Was that so? Sorry…"

Like a robot with busted joints, Lee Ha-rang suddenly bowed deeply. The motion was so eerie that I instinctively recoiled in horror.

"No… Anyway, where's the team leader?"

"Uh… Over there… inside… the meeting room…"

His arm trembling, Lee Ha-rang pointed to a room further in.

He'd mentioned recently that he was constantly holding meetings with the team in the conference room, and it seemed true. He hadn't gone up to the team leader's office on the fourth floor…

"Thanks."

"Ung… Sure. But what's with all that stuff you're carrying…?"

"Oh. This?"

Lee Ha-rang eyed the things in both my hands curiously, so I lifted them one by one and explained.

"Bought it for Team 1."

"Team 1…? Us…?"

"Saw on the news that heroes have been super busy with villains lately. Brought some to eat during a quick break."

"…Food?!"

"Yeah. This is toast, and this is coffee and juice—"

That was when it happened.

The moment I started explaining, I sensed the atmosphere shift in an instant. Just like in a zombie horror flick when you're spotted.

Groans came from all around, and then every gaze locked onto me with intense eyes.

"But…"

I cut off and scanned the surroundings.

Drooling or looking entranced, the team members were slowly closing in on me.

And as the distance shrank and they got a clear look at what I'd brought…

"Ooh!! Toast!! Food!!!"

"Coffee!!! Juice!!!"

"Meeeal!! Rations!!!"

"Wait! Hold on!!! Hey! Over here! Don't rush!!"

They went wild with joy and charged at me.

I hurriedly shoved out the plastic bags and coffee carriers, and the team members greeted me happily before snatching them away and dumping them on a nearby table to divvy up.

"Hey! Good to see you, Seojin! What's up!"

"Thanks for the toast! Gonna eat well!"

"Man! Seojin really changed!"

"This the same guy they called a lone wolf? Never ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠imagined he'd be this thoughtful!"

"Haha… Eat up…"

By the time I came to my senses, only the plastic bag and one coffee carrier I'd set aside remained.

…What the hell had happened to leave all of Team 1 in such haggard shape? It felt like a war had broken out without me knowing.

"What!? What happened! Did something else go down?!"

The lively chatter drew him out—a disheveled Kim Hoyeon emerged from the dimly lit conference room and yelled.

The team fell silent at his shout. As they turned to him, he glanced around and asked,

"…Nothing? Then why's it so noisy?"

"Team leader! Someone brought toast and coffee! Juice too!"

"What?! Toast? Coffee? Juice?! Who?!"

When a female team member pointed at me in response, I gave an awkward smile and waved.

"Haha… Hi, team leader."

"…What. It was you?"

※ Fourth floor, team leader's office.

Finally sinking into the chair after god knows how long, Kim Hoyeon let out a sigh of relief.

"Fuuuaah… So soft. Been forever since I got a break."

"You really never come to the team leader's office, huh."

"Yeah. Too busy these days to even make it up here. For real! It's insane! Villains swarming like ants you kicked—does that make any sense?!"

"Okay, okay. Calm down."

I set the toast and coffee carrier on the desk, and Hoyeon hyung grinned slyly, teasing,

"Oho. Nice sense. Our little Seojin~ All grown up?"

"Save the jokes. Here, yours."

I handed him a toast and one cup from the two-cup coffee carrier. He glanced at it, then back at me.

"Americano."

"Six extra shots. Right?"

"Kuh~! You remember?"

"Hyung drinks coffee like a maniac… It's awe-inspiring every time. You're really not superhuman?"

"Hey, punk. Everyone does this much. I'm not special."

Who the hell drinks Americano with six extra shots…? If anyone does, they'd have to be superhuman. That's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠poison levels of bitter—how does it go down?

…I wanted to say that, but I let it slide and sat on the nearby guest sofa.

"Kuh~ This bitter taste. Perfect."

"Your tastes are weird as hell."

"Shut it, punk."

After gulping down some coffee, Kim Hoyeon started on the toast.

"Anyway, what's up with the team? Never seen them like this."

"Ugh… Tell me about it. What a mess."

"What the hell happened to make them move Team 1—"

"Pretty much every hero in this ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sector's on the move."

"Something big enough to mobilize everyone? And this exhausting? What the…?"

"…Haa… Lemme see… So…"

Sipping coffee and munching toast, Kim Hoyeon started explaining to me, but a visitor interrupted.

"Seojin sunbae! You're here?!"

"Yeah. Sujung-ah. I—"

I turned to greet the cheerful voice of Han Sujung coming in with a smile, but words caught in my throat when I saw her face.

Not as bad as the others downstairs, but she looked worn out.

The silver lining? She was so pretty it made her seem a bit better off.

"You're suffering too, huh…"

"Ugh, don't even ask. Villains are going nuts lately. Like an ant swarm."

"What the hell's going on to make even you say that?"

"Huh? Who else said it?"

I pointed at Hoyeon hyung, and Han Sujung gave an awkward laugh.

"Ahaha… You beat me to it."

"Sit. Let's chat since you're here."

"Sure thing. Team leader's office turned café, huh."

"What's wrong? We've hung out like this plenty."

"To be precise, whenever sunbae met the team leader, I'd wait outside the door. Hehe."

"Ugh, fine. Got it. Got it."

Hoyeon hyung sipped his coffee, and Han Sujung plopped down next to me, tilting her head.

"Sunbae. Where's mine?"

"Didn't get any downstairs? Bought a ton of toast, coffee, juice."

"Figured you'd have some special for me, so I came straight up!"

"Show-off."

I chuckled, pulled out the last strawberry juice and toast from the carrier, and handed them over. She beamed and thanked me.

"Hehe. Thanks, sunbae!"

"Yeah. Oh, right. You two, drink this too."

I pulled two fatigue recovery drinks from my pocket.

"What's that?"

"Special tonic."

"Lemme see… ◆◆ Fatigue Recovery Drink? Heard this one's super effective lately."

"Yeah. The kids kept seeing ads on TV and phones, told me about it. Grabbed some when I remembered."

"Ah~ Makes sense, they're at that age now…"

"16 and 14."

"Hmm… Seven years younger than me. Young and full of energy~"

"You're young too. 23, right?"

"Yeah. Two years younger than sunbae. You're 25, right?"

"Yeah. Halfway to fifty now. Getting old."

"Hey hey. Quiet. What does that make me? I'm 31."

The three of us chatted amiably about this and that. When the flow paused, they each took a fatigue recovery drink and thanked me.

"Anyway… Thanks, Seojin sunbae!"

"Drink up. And enjoy the coffee and toast."

"Yeah. So…"

I leaned forward a bit, sobering the mood.

"Now spill. What's got everyone so swamped?"

※ The three talked it over.

About why things had come to this, a rough update on the situation.

Lee Seojin tilted his head, thinking it sounded more serious than expected.

"Hmm… That's the situation, huh…"

Summarizing their story:

Villains had surged lately, popping up everywhere without regard for location.

They weren't particularly skilled or strong—most got taken down quick—but the problem was the frequency and numbers.

Popping out anytime, anywhere. Quiet for a bit, then more. Constantly, relentlessly causing issues and chaos.

Heroes were pulling all-nighters, skipping meals, always on edge and on standby.

"But they're villains? More like petty criminals. Not even worth ranking. E to C at best? C's generous—barely any that strong."

"News doesn't show everything, huh."

"Real villains are B, A rank… that level. Villains are wildcards anyway, but lately it's all small fry swarming."

"It was rough. Sigh… I'd rather hunt multiple A-rank villains."

"Sujung. You're A-rank, right?"

"Yes."

"Saw some A-rank villains on the news. Made me think of you every time."

"…Worried about me?"

"Yeah. Can't put it into words… Just hang in there."

"…Thanks, Seojin sunbae."

I patted her shoulder reassuringly, and Han Sujung smiled brightly.

"But how are there so many?"

"No idea… Wait, no. I have a guess…"

"Huh? You know something, hyung?"

"…Nah. Forget it."

"Oh? Uh… Got it."

He seemed like he wanted to say more but stopped. I was puzzled but figured he had his reasons and let it go.

"Oh. But something felt off."

"Off? How?"

"Villains are usually nuts, right?"

"Mana's not all good—plenty of those types."

Mana was the source of superhuman power and key to modern tech advancement.

But it wasn't all upsides.

It warped based on the user's nature. Bad people? It backfired hard.

Mind breaks, body twists—villains were often evil souls amplified by mana side effects.

Hence the weirdos among them.

"Edgelords, posers, psychos… Think any acted sane? These felt extra weird. Uniquely off."

"Plenty of weird villains. The one I caught before acted like a chuuni wuxia master."

"No. It was… I dunno. Particularly bizarre… Recent ones all like that."

"Hmm…"

I tilted my head, not quite getting it.

From catching countless villains, most were missing more than a few screws.

Didn't know what was different, but I nodded knowingly.

"Yeah. Sure. Anything I can help with?"

"Nah, punk. What can an ex-association guy do?"

"No, just… personal help?"

"Sure you'd help. Anyway, why're you here? Just for food?"

"Nah. Came to ask about Adriel Hero Academy instructor entrance exam… But with things like this, maybe later."

I waved it off awkwardly, but Kim Hoyeon shook his head.

"No no. If it's that, ask now. I said I'd tell you."

"No. Looking at you—"

"Drop it, punk. It's your interview or exam anyway. What do you wanna know?"

"Umm… Not sure how to apply. Got the form you gave me before…"

"Ah, that? Still got it? Place has huge rep, so usually recommendation only. They do post public recruitment sometimes, but competition's insane—rumored to be brutal."

"Really? Yours was a bigger deal than I thought."

"In my twenties, I hustled hard everywhere. Hold on."

Kim Hoyeon grabbed his phone and dialed somewhere.

"Hello. This is Kim Hoyeon, Team 1 Leader of Hero Management Association 7th Branch. Actually…"

Kim Hoyeon started asking around during the call.

But something bad must've happened—his expression hardened bit by bit.

"…Yes. Got it. Yes. Go ahead. Yes~"

Click—

"What'd they say?"

"Well… Sigh… Sorry. No spots."

"Huh? No what?"

I looked confused, and Kim Hoyeon sighed deeply.

"Haa… Didn't expect this… Recommendation slots are full. They plan a mid-term recruitment notice, so wait for that. There were spots when I gave it to you…"

"Guess I'll apply then. No biggie."

"…No. I'll pull some strings."

"It's fine, hyung. I'm not that weak. High competition? So what. I'll smash through and pass."

"…Sorry. Really."

"No worries. Don't sweat it, hyung."

I smiled big to show it was okay, but Hoyeon hyung still looked uneasy.

I'd been training my body and honing my swordsmanship, regaining strength bit by bit—I really could pass…

"Guess I'll head out."

"Huh? Already?"

"Came to ask about the academy. No go, so gotta bounce."

"Sigh… Sorry. Didn't see this coming."

"Told you it's fine."

I stood, patted the sighing Kim Hoyeon's shoulder.

"See ya."

"Ah, sunbae! I'll go too."

"Huh? Shouldn't you rest?"

"Hehe. Wanna get some fresh air outside."

"Alright. Good work, hyung."

"Take care. See you next time."

I exchanged goodbyes with the beaming Han Sujung tagging along and left the room, exiting the building.

Outside, warm sunlight and a cool breeze greeted us—proof winter was fading into spring.

"Mmm~ Feels good out here."

"Gotta go out to catch villains anyway, right?"

"Different vibes. Stepping out for a quick break like this is the best."

Han Sujung pouted petulantly, and I chuckled briefly.

"Yeah. Good work. Heading out."

"Bye~ See you next time~!"

We waved farewell and turned to part ways.

But then someone bumped my shoulder passing by.

"Ah. Sorry. Wasn't paying attention."

"No problem. It's f—"

I started to brush it off and leave.

But I couldn't.

The moment I glanced aside, I saw something I could not ignore.

It was… the sword I'd used during the war.