Chapter 50
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Terror (3)
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Catching the villain right in front of her eyes wasn't all that difficult.
If it had just been that one villain alone.
'The numbers are too much...!'
Most heroes were handling two or three villains apiece.
However, even with hundreds of heroes on their side, what if the terrorists numbered in the thousands—each one equivalent to a B-Rank Villain or even an A-Rank Villain?
B-Ranks weren't all that weak, so even an A-Rank Hero wouldn't find it easy to face three or four at once without holding back their power.
At least not all of those thousands were B-Rank or higher, which was the only reason they were barely holding the line like this.
This situation was tantamount to a terrorist attack on the entire world.
Even simple subjugation was no easy task. Naturally, with the heroes responding by killing villains outright, they were still being pushed back this badly.
'Other regions' S-Rank Heroes are on the way, but...'
Yu-ah bit her lip, cold sweat trickling down her face.
Not just the competitors, but heroes who'd come to watch the matches and those stationed here for security had all thrown themselves into the fray—yet they were still losing ground.
Casualties on the hero side kept mounting.
Even she and Seo-yul were slowly wearing down as they fended off multiple villains gunning for them.
"Fuck, you monster bitch...!"
"……"
The villain who'd been swaggering about catching the two of them just moments ago spat curses as his limbs went flying.
Before the villain could scream any further, Seo-yul's telekinesis burst his head open like a watermelon.
"Wha..."
Yu-ah closed in instantly and severed another villain's neck before he could even react.
"Just fuck her up! Those bitches are human too!"
"If we catch her, I'll make her wish she was dead... kekeke..."
Undeterred even after two of their comrades dropped dead in an instant, more villains surged forward to seize them.
"Ah...!"
Yu-ah, focused on slicing one villain after another, belatedly spotted an energy bullet hurtling toward her.
Her body froze in panic—but in that instant, it twisted aside, deflecting the shot.
"Get it together, Yu-ah...!"
Seo-yul's blood-spattered voice snapped Yu-ah back to her senses.
Seo-yul, so locked in on the fight that she couldn't even shield herself from the splattering blood, had sensed and blocked the bullet coming for her.
'At this rate...'
Having always lived by the heroes' code, Yu-ah had mostly stopped at knocking foes unconscious by slashing their spirits.
But suddenly forced into outright killing like this, her mind was in turmoil.
"Reinforcements... will surely come...! Let's just hold out until then...!"
Overwhelming and Ha Do-yoon.
No matter that strange villain had sent them off somewhere bizarre—they were strong enough to return in no time, or so she believed.
Beyond them, other heroes were racing here as well.
The civilians already caught in the terror and killed were beyond saving, but the heroes in the stadium were risking their lives to protect the rest.
She glared.
The local S-Rank Heroes were each locked in combat with S-Rank Villains.
No room to spare there either.
The villains even held the edge in S-Rank numbers from the start.
'Villain Alliance...!!'
She'd heard of them.
The largest villain coalition, operating worldwide.
They had to be targeting the global National Exchange to make their presence known.
Ka-grit.
Yu-ah clenched her teeth tight.
She couldn't give up here.
She had to take down more villains...
"...?!"
"Haa~ Without those monsters around, rampaging feels great~!"
Yu-ah whipped her head around at the sudden explosion followed by Korean.
A fist rocketed toward her face right after—she desperately raised her sword to block.
"Urk...?!"
"Oh... she blocked it?"
She hadn't blocked it properly.
The impact hurled Yu-ah far back. She spun through the air several times to dissipate the force before landing on the ground.
"...What...?"
Her hand throbbed.
And...
'It hurts...'
Her chest ached.
'No way...?'
Panting raggedly, Yu-ah looked down at the crack in her sword.
'It's... cracked...?!'
The blade was cracked.
This sword flowed from her heart itself—cracking it took either a weakened spirit on her part or an overwhelmingly powerful strike.
Yet somehow, there was a clear crack.
She was desperately trying to steady her mind, but this was her first time in such a situation, and with every moment a brush with death, it wasn't easy.
"Heh heh... Who'd have thought I'd run into Korean heroes here... and such chewy ones at that. Whew!"
She didn't know who he was.
But few villains could deliver a shock like this to her.
"Korean...?"
"Korean-American! Lived in prison all this time, but that's over now. Kickickik..."
They'd broken him out for this incident...?
If true, how utterly oblivious to danger could they be, letting the National Exchange proceed?
"How about it? Feeling good—want to hear my heroic tales? As you can see, I'm pretty big, yeah?"
"...I didn't ask."
"Listen, listen. Oh right, 'big' isn't just my body—other parts too. You know?"
"……..."
Yu-ah twisted her face in disgust.
Time-waster.
'Seo-yul...'
She looked busy fending off other villains.
No help to expect there.
Then she needed to dispatch the enemy in front of her fast and go aid her.
'Full of openings...!'
Yu-ah's eyes flashed as she closed in instantly and swung her sword.
However,
"Whoa, feisty one. Hope your retreat's as quick?"
"...?!"
He dodged.
Just like that?
"Thing is, I'm so big and strong that all the girls who charge in thinking they're fine just burst like that. That impressive?"
"……"
Filthy talk.
She didn't want to hear it.
"Of course... this is the real story."
She twisted away from the incoming fist.
But,
'Urk...?!'
She raised her sword to block the follow-up punch.
The instant his fist met the blade,
"Gahk...!"
Fierce wind pressure blasted her, shock engulfing her body—she was flung back into the wall.
"Ah, figured an A-Rank Hero could take a bit more."
The bald villain shook out his hand lightly, flashing a sleazy grin.
"Big tits but paper-thin? Can't even tank one hit. The others took a couple."
"Shut... up..."
Yu-ah ground her teeth, trying to rise.
But for some reason, her body wouldn't obey.
"Can't move, right? That attack wrecked your insides."
"Ugh... kuh... haa... haa..."
"Limbs shattered too? Impressive you're even trying to stand."
Her guts churning, limbs screaming in agony, a migraine threatening blackout—Yu-ah collapsed, face contorted in pain.
'Sword... broke... ugh...'
The sword had shattered.
This foe was far beyond her.
"Sigh, no fun like this. Looks like that side's wrapping up soon too..."
"...!"
Yu-ah whipped her gaze over.
Seo-yul was panting, staggering back.
She'd prioritized blocking villains lunging at Yu-ah first, holding out somehow—but the psychics disrupting her telekinesis, combined with the others, were slowly breaking her.
'Damn...'
Still no reinforcements?
At this rate, defeat.
Despair began blooming in a corner of Yu-ah's heart.
Thunder Emperor was tied up with another S-Rank Villain—couldn't come save them.
Other heroes busy saving their own skins.
No backup.
"Then, guess I'll have fun with the next one?"
The villain muttered, expression cooling like a snuffed flame.
'Grandpa...'
Suddenly, her grandfather back in Korea flashed in her mind.
They said your life flashes before death—why grandpa?
Not just him.
'Do-yoon... ssi...'
Do-yoon, absent from this place, came to mind.
He must be trying to get here now too.
Absurd as it was, a vain hope flickered—maybe he'd come rescue her.
Absurd... notion, but...
In the end, Yu-ah closed her eyes amid despair.
………
………
That was when it happened.
[An unidentified object is approaching this location at terrifying speed...!]
[Building and road damage is severe! At this rate, collision imminent!]
'What the—...'
She'd thought reinforcements had arrived.
Suddenly some object...?
"...What? This vibration..."
Faint but unmistakable.
Something approaching from the distant horizon.
That it was drawing near.
That it was nearly upon them.
"Eh?"
The villain turned his head just then.
The massive wall of their building exploded as something shot through—hurling the villain away at invisible speeds.
Yu-ah gritted her teeth against the crushing wind and shock slamming into her.
At least lying down let her endure it.
She gaped at the villain, who'd smashed through multiple thick concrete outer walls before vanishing from sight, her eyelids drooping heavy.
"...Sorry I'm late."
The familiar silhouette.
The familiar voice.
The voice she'd longed to hear, steadying her soul.
'Ahh...'
Only then did the tension drain from Yu-ah's body.
She closed her eyes.
Relief.
True relief.