Bang! Hero Nova Awakens
Bang! Pop! Celebratory fireworks exploded, painting the interior in brilliant colors.
Hero Nova Awakens
"Kahahaha! Alright, eat and drink your fill!!"
"Woof!"
"Meow!"
"Quack!"
"Squeee!"
The moment we got home via the warp device Makina had made for me, I threw a party. Me, of course, and a feast fit for kings for my animal crew who'd busted their asses alongside me on that bridge showdown. It was always a trip watching these beasts—who'd just been decked out in massive armor, punking an S-rank hero moments ago—revert to their pathetic, adorable animal selves once the Core Relics powered down.
Just like I'd used my Resonance ability to turn Nova into a compatible user, I'd tried it on the animals on a whim—and damn if it didn't actually work. Was this the power of the Core Relics too? I couldn't help but marvel at this bizarre application that never showed up in the original story.
"Using actual Core Relics on animals instead of humans... I just can't wrap my head around it, no matter how I think about it."
Makina, meanwhile, was still pouty as ever, her lips pursed in that classic sulk.
"Jeez, you little brat still on about that?"
"Eek! Don't call me a little brat!"
God, she was such a kid sometimes. I chuckled and pointed at the sauce smeared on her mouth.
"Wipe that sauce off your mouth first, then talk."
"Eek?! What're you doing?!"
"Hold still. Eating like a slob with sauce all over your face—who else but a little brat?"
I wiped it off lightly, and her face flushed beet red as she grabbed a napkin and scrubbed her mouth roughly.
"J-Just say something next time!" she barked, flailing her arms. I figured any more teasing and I'd be up all night regretting it, so I smoothly changed the subject.
"Anyway, like I said before, using Core Relics on animals was purely because I can control them perfectly."
Why bother with unpredictable humans when I could command animals with my Resonance?
"Makina, we've only got three years left. It's not a short time, but it's nowhere near enough to find compatible users for all eight Core Relics one by one."
Not one or two—we're talking eight. To get that immense power into hands that wouldn't betray me and would stick to my plan all the way, it'd take serious time and effort. In the original story, they were all the protagonist's buddies with established bonds, but I had zilch like that. Convincing even one introvert like me—Makina—had been exhausting enough; doing it eight more times? Just thinking about it made my head spin.
Animals, though? One snap of my ability, and they're loyal without all the drama. Plus, take our salmon-vacuuming kitty over there—he one-shotted S-rank hero Flare with the Core Relic's power boost. Human or animal, the Relic's lending the strength either way. Why fixate on humans?
Makina opened and closed her mouth, but couldn't counter my logic.
"Ugh, but... still..."
She was still hung up on it, huh. No wonder—the girl had crossed from the future to the past hunting Relic users. Seeing me slap them on random animals must've shattered her worldview. I got her frustration, but at this point, it was brain-breaking territory.
"No buts. They don't seem to mind—neither should you."
I pointed at the Core Relics—er, cans—zipping around midair, chirping in their own language like they were having a blast. Even the Relics looked thrilled, leaving Makina speechless.
"Ughhh... The longer I hang with you, the more my common sense crumbles."
"Heh, get used to it, Makina. There's plenty more where that came from."
"Eeeeeek..."
In the end, Makina melted into the sofa like goo. God, she never got old.
Could there have been a happier day since getting dumped into this world? The long-awaited "Make Nova the Protagonist" project had finally taken its first step. The Core Relic—Stella—that the shape-shifting protagonist was supposed to claim was now in Nova's hands. Talk about a delicious troll.
Kukuku, how's that, Tanaka-kun? Bet you're fuming!
The protagonist's destined encounter snatched by an extra? If the original author was watching, he'd be twisting in rage, screaming his lungs out.
Of course, we were just taking our first wobbly steps—long road ahead. But that was fine. Over the next three years, I'd whip her into shape, push her to take down the absolute evil that'd destroy this country.
Steal the protagonist's role and save the Korea he was gonna doom? That was the ultimate fuck-you to Tanaka-kun.
So get ready, Nova. I'll pour every ounce of know-how from my loser life into showing you exactly what a protagonist's trials are like.
So get strong, Nova. To protect this country. To crush that absolute evil. And to shove a massive middle finger right up the ass of this world's creator!
@ Was it because it was my first booze since arriving in this world? When I opened my eyes, it was already morning.
"Urgh... Did I overdo it? Something feels heavy—nightmare or what...?"
Clutching my pounding head, I sat up—and holy hell, what a disaster zone.
"Kuuuul..."
Makina sprawled across my stomach, still deep in dreamland, and the animals conked out all around us. No wonder it felt heavy—who'd I mistake for a pillow?
"Okay, forget that for a sec..."
Looking at the trashed room made my head throb for reasons beyond the hangover. Too thrilled that Nova had become the protagonist, I'd gotten blackout drunk—didn't remember much after—but I knew what came next.
"...Gotta clean first."
Was this a home or a zoo pen? Life was such a grind.
"Yaaawn~ Good morning..."
"Morning? Sun's already high."
I called out to Makina's tousled face as she stirred, but she was still half-asleep, stumbling around.
"Uwooo... Food. Hungry..."
"Sigh, you slept through the whole cleanup, and now it's food the second you wake up."
I grumbled—after solo deep-cleaning worthy of the name—but handed her fresh toast anyway.
"It's hot—eat slow."
"Coffee too."
"What, little brats drinking coffee? Be good and have milk."
"Eeeek! Who's a little brat?!"
"Who d'you think?"
"Grrr..."
Wide awake now from the brat jab, Makina huffed but plopped down obediently and started munching. Only then did I sit and tackle my late breakfast—I'd skipped it feeding the animals post-cleanup.
"Hey, gimme coffee too. How'm I supposed to start the day without morning joe?!"
"Kek, kids stay away. You're way too green for grown-up coffee."
"Tch."
We bantered over our late breakfast when the TV news grabbed our attention. It covered yesterday's failed escort mission, the mystery villain raid, the bridge collapse—but miraculously zero deaths, Oparts safe, praising Korean heroes and all that jazz.
I smirked after it wrapped.
Oparts safe, huh. Yeah, safe and sound.
Not headed to some government or Association lab, but bound to Nova—close enough.
They'd saved the Oparts from villains, but things might stay chaotic on their end for a bit.
"You're something else."
"Me? Something else?"
Makina gulped her warmed milk and continued.
"Pull off a raid like that with zero deaths. Makes me see you in a new light."
"All that buildup for that?"
She'd built it up so dramatically, but it fell flat.
"Listen up, Makina. My goal's just awakening Nova—nothing else matters."
"Nothing else, huh? Then why sneak-heal all those injured folks?"
She nailed me on treating the blast-trapped civilians.
Sure, ignoring lives could've scaled it bigger, maybe rage-fueled Nova into powering up more. But still.
"Creating needless sacrifices for my goals? That's third-rate villain shit."
What if she cracked mentally instead of awakening? Trauma turning her into a shut-in? No need for that risk.
That aside, most importantly...
"And sacrificing for the 'greater good'? Isn't that what you hate?"
"..."
She'd seen countless "for humanity" or "for the world" deaths. How could I pull that on her?
"...Tch. How do you even know that stuff?"
Worn out from my spot-on reads, Makina stood with a jaded look.
"Toast was good. Tastier than it looks."
"Skip the looks talk—wash the dishes properly."
"Yeah, yeah."
She whipped around, but couldn't hide her red ears. Such a tsundere brat.
Anyway, breakfast done-ish. Time to plot the next move?