Leon Mask Crushes the Blood Dumpling
"Here, this is your target this time. Up top at that three-way intersection—the Hammer gang running Arabian Nights. This guy's their action captain, Ha Woo-jin. Goes by 'Blood Dumpling.'"
"What kinda retarded nickname is that?"
"Judo national champ. Famous for those dumpling ears. Oh, and our background check? Looks like he pickled a person once."
"Oh ho. Slipped by without getting caught?"
"They pinned it on one of their errand boys as a fall guy. Dude who should've been rotting in prison right now."
"Half-cripple this bastard, and the media'll eat it up. Kekeke! That's the fun of mask work."
"We sent a few fixers our way, but the guy's paranoid as hell. Not easy."
"This is my specialty. You don't sweat this—focus on Fine stuff. That news about corporate tax hikes? The job we ordered for it."
"Digging into the ruling party reps. The one who proposed the bill? We'll make an example—truck accident."
"So many loose-lips bastards make it easy. Kekeke!"
I pocketed the photo and stepped out of the pawnshop. Heading toward Arabian Nights, a cute little devil popped out of my pocket.
"Master! Off to kill and rape again, kishit?!"
"Keke. Yeah. How's the minus energy haul?"
"Insane, kishishit! Enough for a mid-tier monster at least! No, way more, kishit!"
"Stick with your master here, and rice cakes'll fall in your sleep."
"I'll follow forever, kishishit!"
Chatting with Kishishi, I reached the club. First things first: scan for CCTV and dashcams around.
With the Hacking Tablet, junk like this is nothing.
I fired up the Hacking Tablet and knocked out every surveillance device nearby. No electronic crap can touch me.
Slipped into a nearby building's restroom, donned my hidden mask, and approached the club. Door was open even in broad daylight. The two guard thugs in front bugged their eyes at me.
"L-Leon Mask?!"
"Oh. Yeah."
I smashed the two meatheads in seconds. No chit-chat needed. Nothing beats a fist for efficient talk.
Turned them into bloody pulps, then strode right in. Daytime, so the place was sparse. Mostly tattooed gangsters—like some kinda company booze-up.
"What the?"
"Th-that!? No way, Leon Mask?!"
"What!? Leon Mask?!"
I scanned their faces. No sign of Blood Dumpling.
"Where's Dumpling Face—or Blood Dumpling, whatever the fuck?"
"Shit! Real Leon Mask! Why the hell here?!"
"Heard you had some bad guys."
I caved in the nearest thug's face. His corn teeth sprayed everywhere; the rest recoiled in horror.
"Eek!"
"Where's Dumpling Face?"
"Right here!"
A rough-faced guy burst from the club's restroom, yelling.
"Boss!"
"It's the real Leon Mask!"
The underlings screamed in terror. But Dumpling kept his cool, eyeing me as he spoke.
"Dunno why you're here, but pulling this in our turf? Trouble. Folks call you a hero and shit, but we all know you're knee-deep in back-alley rackets."
"Smarter than the sheeple masses. Hit college?"
I didn't deny it. No point. Anyone with half a brain could sniff it out.
But people don't give a damn about facts—they want the image. Mine? The justice enforcer crushing what the law can't touch.
Once the media's in my pocket, it'll lock that image down tight.
"No need to piss each other off, right? You tanked half our orgs already. Call it good? Peace treaty—split the leftover pie between us."
"Why's it so hard to think your crew's next on the vanish list? What's good about a puny hood like Jinglebell City crawling with gangs?"
"Don't peg Jinglebell City as that small."
"Compared to the future I'm building? It's a speck."
He clocked no room for talk, hand diving into his pocket. Out came a pistol.
"B-Boss! Even that?!"
"Figures. Some meatheads just don't get words. First bolt-head like you I've seen in org life."
"Ha. That cute toy's got you talking big in my face?"
"Toy or not? Test it yourself. No head holes on punks like you yet?"
He fired at me.
Time Pause.
No way a normie's peashooter tags me. I saw the trigger squeeze crystal clear.
Paused time, swapped spots with Dumpling bastard. Released.
Pew!
"Gurk!"
The bullet tore through his own thigh. Physics-breaking shit right in his face—pupils blew wide.
"What the...!"
"Haha. Not a toy after all. Shame."
I sneered, cracking my knuckles. The terror-frozen crew couldn't even dream of running. I beat 'em all down.
"Kishishit! Minus energy overload today!"
Kishishi cackled. Mission done. Solid day.
"Hey! You!"
Wrapping up, heading back to school—a young woman's voice hit from behind.
"Massive minus energy! Finally found you!"
A cute, childlike voice chimed in too. I turned.
A girl with long, braided red hair glared daggers. Her vibe screamed "not an extra"—instant read.
New face though? Who the hell?
Cute mascot floating beside her? Magical girl confirmed.
Former gen maybe?
Heo Cho-hee had taken over her dad's little cafe in Jinglebell City. She'd helped out since high school, nailing the basics of running a shop, and took the reins right when others hit college.
Rough start with plenty of headaches, but now she was a full-fledged cafe boss. Her folks, who'd handed her the keys, were off globetrotting with mom, so management was all hers.
Royal Brown in downtown Jinglebell City kicked off at 7 a.m. Earlier than most spots—perfect for slinging americanos to the morning commuters.
"Morning, boss."
A part-timer clocked in. Cho-hee nodded while wiping down the coffee machine.
Three part-timers total, including the barista. Barista was full-time; the other two alternated days. She'd snagged her barista cert too.
"Let's prep for open."
Rush hour hit like a storm. Bodies flying busy as ever. Tiring grind, but gotta hustle to eat. Economy wasn't kind to small shops these days.
Post-9, things eased. After the frenzy, Cho-hee sighed. Shoulders throbbed good.
"Rush done. Good job."
"Yeah. You too, boss."
Breather time—she headed to the back.
Barista work was fun and rewarding, but all-day standing wrecked her legs. No way this lasted forever.
Like always, cig from the pocket. Never dreamed she'd smoke, but full takeover turned her into a chain-smoker.
"Fuu... Twenty-two this morning. Lighter than usual."
Recession blues tanking sales. New cafes sprouting like weeds didn't help.
Royal Brown boasted over thirty years rooted in tradition, but one slip in the race and you're extinct.
Especially those franchise invaders hitting alley markets—nightmare for mom-and-pops like hers.
Running a place? Endless headaches.
Brainstormed sales boosters. Most pie-in-sky fantasies.
"Fuu. World's a bitch~"
Deep drag, exhale, self-mocking mutter. Caught her reflection in the shop window.
"Still prime twenties. Aja aja! Let's go!"
Vowed it, turning to head in—then an unforgettable voice pierced her ears.
"Cho-hee!"
"!?"
Reflex spin toward the sound. There, a rabbit-like cutie bobbed in midair.
Regular joe would've keeled over, but Cho-hee charged and scooped it up.
"Euphonium! Oh my god! How many years?!"
"Took forever to track you! You moved?!"
"Yeah! Right after middle school! Not too far!"
"Phew! Glad I found ya!"
She hugged her partner, her mascot. Didn't seem this tiny back then—grown-up eyes made Euphonium pocket-doll size now.
"You've gotten so big!"
"Yup yup! Ages passed! You're boss lady now."
Cho-hee flicked the cig away, smiling.
Truly ages ago.
Carol Blue, Shadow World monster-smasher, was now Royal Brown's owner. Life lessons galore. The magical girl had grown up.
"You changed a bit too. Never ended sentences with 'hug~ hug~' before."
"Th-that was a kid tic! I'm grown now!"
Euphonium shuddered.
"Yeah? Time flies—you grew too. Body's the same, though."
"Spirits ain't human! Anyway, reunion's awesome! Kinda bummed the old Cho-hee vanished!"
"Huhu. That's growth. Humans keep growing till they croak. Sigh~ Miss the glory days. Bashing Shadow World beasts with you. No real-world bullshit back then."
"You nearly flunked and cried buckets!"
"Ugh! True... Kinda dumb in hindsight. No college plans—why sweat grades?"
Deep in fun catch-up, a part-timer called from inside.
"Boss! POS crapped out again!"
"Ugh. Time for a new one. Euphonium, chat later—tons to catch up on!"
"Oh! Forgot—my reason for coming! Big deal!"
"Big deal?"
"Boss!"
Part-timer nagging, she bellowed.
"Gut-punch him hard!"
"Ow! Works. Boss is different."
Shop squared away, eyes back to Euphonium.
"So, what's got you hunting me down after years?"
"Queen said reassemble the former magical girls!"