Ida-in, Coaching (2)
“Somehow, the protector I deploy just doesn't have any lethality to it. That's why I couldn't stop Blank's quick movements.”
Ida-in explained the battle layout in detail, letting out a long sigh. I'd experienced it firsthand, so I didn't really need the rundown, but right now, I was just a kind-hearted citizen giving advice to a hero. I nodded along with a gentle smile, reacting attentively as I listened to her.
“But when you broke through Blank's barrier, you wrapped one around your fist and swung it, right? Couldn't you use it more aggressively like that?”
“Ah.... Yeah, definitely. But it felt kind of like wearing gloves. The barrier itself has some physical force to it.”
Ida-in took a sip of her coffee.
“What about the radius of the barrier?”
I already knew from the canon settings, but I played it natural and asked anyway.
“Hmm.... I don't know the exact distance, but....”
Ida-in pondered for a moment, then set her Diabetes High-Pass Latte down on the convenience store's outdoor table and spread her arms wide, spinning her body with a whirr.
“I can create a barrier around this radius.”
Yeah. Thanks for the friendly demo. The setting was roughly a two-meter radius around her body. That was the case at this point in the story, anyway. Later on, it'd expand enough to cover an entire building.
“Does the shape of the barrier matter?”
“Huh? Yeah. It's a bit tough, but if I focus my imagination, I can make it whatever shape I want.”
Ida-in answered quite politely.
She's taking a regular citizen this seriously.
She must be dying to grow as a hero. I could feel her desperation, and it kinda tugged at my heartstrings.
“Then you could shape the barrier like a weapon and swing it around, right? If you'd gone for something with longer reach instead of boxing gloves, you might've even hit Blank.”
I wondered if I should be giving the enemy these tips, but screw it—charity it was.
“Ahh.... Yeah, if I'd made it like a spear or a club, it might've been different.”
Ida-in's eyes lit up; she knew how crucial reach was in a fight. If she'd generated a long polearm-shaped barrier right after I busted through and jabbed at me, that attack would've landed for sure.
“Writers really do have wild imaginations! I never thought of turning my barrier into a weapon to swing around!”
Ida-in looked at me like I was some kind of prophet.
“Ahaha.... Glad I could help.”
It was up to her to master it, but as the protagonist, she'd probably nail it.
As we chatted with Ida-in like that, a duo decked out in full “I'm super suspicious” gear came scanning the area, heading straight for the convenience store.
“This convenience store.... You sure?”
“Yeah. The security system's old-school. No defense bots either. We EMP it, grab the cash quick, and bail. Easy.”
“Look. And no customers. If we just sync up....”
They were whispering their crime plot like idiots when they spotted me and Ida-in sipping coffee.
“P-people....”
They freaked out at the sight of civilians—total noobs.
I got a bad vibe.
“H-hey!!! Freeze!!! Stay still and I won't shoot!!”
The masked pair whipped out pistols and aimed at us.
“Pistols....”
Illegal firearms, pointed at civilians. Villain material, no question.
“Citizens, stay put. I'll handle this.”
Ida-in stood with eyes blazing with justice, assuming a stance.
“I'm Ida-in, apprentice hero with the Hero Association!! Drop your weapons and surrender peacefully!”
Ida-in stepped like a fighter, swinging her fist through the air. Super heroic intro, but I barely registered it. I caught how she kinda glossed over “apprentice.” She was self-conscious about the title.
Did I really need to reveal myself and fight these random villains who crashed the party? A quick glance said Ida-in could handle them fine. Looked like I could just play the innocent bystander.
“Hah. A hero?”
“S-superpowered freak! Shoot her first!”
The shorter, stockier one next to the lanky guy seemed quicker on the draw. He aimed his pistol our way and fired.
BOOM———!!!
My ears rang from the gunshot as Ida-in deployed her barrier.
CLANG!!
He'd aimed right at us, but the bullet ricocheted off somewhere else. It had bounced straight off the barrier.
“S-superpowered....”
They'd planned this store hit as their villain debut, but zero experience showed—they were terrified of a superhuman.
“Once....”
Ida-in charged the villains, focusing power into her hand.
“...!”
I saw it. A translucent club forming on her hand.
She took my tip and mastered it already? Protagonist perks.
Ida-in swung the barrier-club with all her might.
“Hah...!”
It smashed clean into the forehead of the guy trying to shoot. He tumbled to the ground, out cold.
BOOM!!
As the other one tried firing, Ida-in dismissed the club, formed a shield-like barrier, and shoved with full force. Like a SWAT team slamming a tactical shield—textbook takedown. The last villain hit the deck.
Ida-in swiftly disassembled the pistols at their feet per protocol and kicked them away.
“You're under arrest.”
She said it with a stern face, then beamed at me.
“D-did you see? It felt just like you said—perfect!”
Using her barrier like a weapon. She'd taken my offhand advice and run with it, and she was buzzing with accomplishment.
“Thanks. That was close.”
Watching her grow felt pretty good. Keep leveling up and save the world, kid. I'll handle my own quiet survival.
“Nah, just doing my hero duty. Hehe.”
Ida-in enunciated that part super clearly. Clearly proud of sounding so heroic.
“Um.... What should I call you? Now that I think about it.”
Ida-in was all excited, then brought up the name thing. But I totally caught it—she'd almost said “mister” before catching herself.
“Just call me mister. Whatever's comfy.”
Did I look that old? Blank did have a bit of a weathered look. Maybe all those villain hardships aged him prematurely. Face looked pretty beat-up.
“Ah.... Okay, mister. Thanks to you, I feel like I had a breakthrough! Seriously grateful! Best decision ever asking for advice!”
Ida-in bounced around like an overexcited puppy, grabbing my hand and shaking it wildly.
“...Ah. Sorry. Got too hyped.”
She realized she'd overdone it, cleared her throat, and let go. Her face was beet red.
“You took my casual suggestion and made it work right away. Impressive talent. You might end up a huge hero someday. Haha.”
Not empty flattery. Canon had her blowing up big-time. Her quick adaptation proved it. Protagonist material through and through.
“Oh! Wanna be my fan? Sign up now and you're No.1!”
Ida-in grinned ear-to-ear, staring right at me.
“Sure, No.1 fan it is.”
I gave a casual nod.
“Anyway, what's your hero name gonna be?”
Canon was Paladin, but that was someone else's pick, not hers. Kinda meh.
“Um.... Shield Girl? That's what I was thinking.”
Ida-in dropped the name she'd floated at me yesterday.
“That's lame. Don't go with it.”
Disastrous naming sense. Guess I had to drop Season 2 coaching on her.
“Ah.... Yeah, it is kinda lame.... Even the villain I fought said so.”
Ida-in looked a bit down. Hero talent? Top-tier. Naming? Tragic.
After that, cops showed up, hauled the villains away, and Ida-in and I wrapped up casually.
“Hey. Mind giving me your number? Fate brought us together here.”
“Didn't you give me your card last time?”
Should I even give her my digits? I stalled with a question to buy time.
“I did, but that only lets me contact you. No way for me to hear back.”
Ida-in pouted and chugged another Diabetes Latte.
“Fair point.”
Flat-out refusing would've looked even shadier, so I punched in my number and handed it over.
“Ehehe. Cool if I text if I wanna consult something?”
“...Yeah, go ahead.”
“Name?”
“Han Yo-han.”
I barely knew my real name. Only knew I was Blank. Nothing on canon real name anywhere. So I faked it with my old world's name.
“Yo-han.... Got it saved. Hehe.”
A villain swapping numbers with a hero. Was this fine?
After swapping numbers with her mysterious benefactor, Ida-in grinned at the new contact in her phone.
'Someone who.... didn't mock my dream.'
Everyone had been skeptical when she said she wanted to be a hero. But the Coffee Deity (her made-up nickname) she'd met at the convenience store had listened seriously, even giving tips on aggressive superpowered combat.
'What a fascinating guy.'
The advice was gold, but talking to him just.... eased her mind somehow.
'Yo-han, huh. Said he'd be my No.1 fan.'
Ida-in smiled and added a note to the contact.
Blank Han Yo-han
'My No.1 Fan'
Round, bubbly letters appeared under Blank Han Yo-han's name.
———
At that moment, Seo Ha-yoon was locked in a staring contest with her Hero Association handler.
“Blank's such a hot topic right now.... Even Karls Industries' chairwoman Ryu Ji-eun's interested. Other heroes are eyeing the case too. They want to hand off via shared jurisdiction. Cool with that? Your colleague Midas Girl's keen—same 23rd District coverage, right? Blank pops up there a lot. You two team up, squeeze him out?”
The operator pitched it to Seo Ha-yoon, expecting the usual shutdown.
This was a no.
“No. Blank's my case. Investigation's ongoing, and I'm the hero with the most fights against him. Makes me the best fit. Other heroes jumping in now? Just looks like credit-grabbing. Tell Midas Girl: Blank's mine.”
Seo Ha-yoon shut down the Association's handover request cold.
“Ahh.... Understood.”
Seo Ha-yoon was one of the Association's rare S-rank heroes. When she flat-out refused, they had no choice but to back her.
Plus, economics: the value generated by heroes chasing Blank didn't touch what Flash Seo Ha-yoon brought in. Association sided with her.
So damn stubborn.
Lots of heroes shared villain hunts, but Seo Ha-yoon was obsessed with Blank. The operator tsked and reported upstairs.
Seo Ha-yoon left the meeting room with a satisfied smirk, smug about defending her prey.
'Blank. You're the villain I have to catch.'
Blank had something other villains lacked. The Brain Buster incident confirmed it. She wanted to nab him herself and hear his thoughts straight-up. No way she'd hand him off.