Chapter 156: 31st Floor: S-rank Hero, Pink Spear
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 156: 31st Floor: S-rank Hero, Pink Spear
'Yeah, I can hold out for a week.'
For a solo play penalty, it wasn't bad.
And seeing the state of the Association, it made sense.
They weren't in any condition to do anything right now either.
The Association President's office was completely stripped of furniture, some unknown liquid—water or oil—was leaking from the ceiling, and the bare cement floor was exposed instead of tiles.
"A week… Are you sure about that?"
"In five days, the graduates from the Hero Academy in District 1 will arrive. To be safe, let's say seven days. If we rush, it might be possible in six."
"Sigh… I understand."
Right, it couldn't be helped.
This was all because of that S-rank Villain.
I had a slight suspicion that the S-rank Villain would turn out to be the final boss.
Just as I finished my business and was about to leave,
"Ms. Pink Spear...! It's a villain!"
My sidekick, whose voice I usually only heard over the communicator, came in person this time.
I remembered her admiring me quite a bit. She probably came because she wanted to see me in person.
A woman with short brown hair and an adorable impression... or she was, but now she looked even more exhausted than I did.
Even before she got close, the strong smell of coffee wafted over.
"R-Right. Where is it?"
"Block B-3. Please be careful. A-rank psychic energy has been detected!"
'Interesting...'
An A-rank Villain. This was actually an opportunity.
'If I overwhelmingly defeat a strong one, the small-fry villains should quiet down for a while.'
"I'm on my way!"
"P-Please be careful...!"
Leaving my worried sidekick behind, I quickly headed out.
*
As luck would have it, the villain was nearby.
"My money! Give it back!!!!"
When I arrived at the scene, a loud roar was echoing through the area.
The police had arrived, but they were at a loss, intimidated by the presence of an A-rank Villain.
A villain, who had grown to nearly four meters tall, was blocking the main entrance of a bank headquarters.
He was holding a female bank employee by the torso with one giant hand, shouting.
"My money, where did you sell off my money!!!"
The booming shout made the city center tremble.
“Kyaaaaaaah!! Help me!”
The villain's skin had turned dark like a demon's, black wings had sprouted from his back, and even his fangs had grown out. His upper body was muscular like a gorilla's, and his face had a protruding snout like a crocodile's.
A form closer to an animal or a beast than a human.
A rare mutation-type among villains.
A mutation-type that gains overwhelming physical abilities in exchange for some of their reason and intelligence. From the looks of it, he had just awakened his powers.
"That's enough. Surrender quietly, and there will be no trouble."
In truth, the line between a villain and a hero is very thin.
If you happen to awaken and register with the Association, you're a hero. If you wield your power without registering, you're a villain.
Of course, in District 1, there are special procedures and an academy to find suitable candidates and train them as heroes, but aside from that, awakening like this is the norm.
And if they haven't caused any casualties yet, it's possible to persuade them to become a hero.
"Grrrrr... My money... Give me my money!!!"
'But this one seems like a lost cause...'
It seemed to be a mutation-type that loses a lot of its reason.
"Grrrk, if you won't give it to me! I'll take it!!"
He threw the bank employee behind him and charged straight for the building.
It was a touch-and-go situation.
I could see the terrified faces of the citizens inside the building.
At this rate, everyone inside would die.
"Stop!"
I threw my spear, aiming for his leg, and jumped to catch the flying bank employee.
"Th-Thank you..."
"Don't worry. I'll protect you."
The bank employee's face flushed slightly.
'That bastard... he dodged it?'
Maybe his animalistic senses were heightened, but he quickly flew up with his wings to dodge before the spear could hit.
The creature flew up to the rooftop of a nearby skyscraper, spread his black wings wide, and shouted.
"Grrr... My money!! You interfering bitch, I'll kill you!!!"
His shout shattered the windows of the surrounding buildings, and people collapsed to the ground.
The massive figure flapped its wings and flew toward me.
"Hah... Assessing the situation as critical. I will proceed with immediate execution."
I stacked five layers of buffs.
I gathered strength in my thighs and jumped powerfully.
"Krawwwwww!!!"
The mutation-type villain fired a breath-like energy wave from its mouth.
I could have dodged it, but I didn't.
Because there were citizens behind me.
Shwaaaaaa!!
Absolute Barrier activated automatically, and I burst right through it.
"Where do you think...!"
The creature swung a fist the size of a human torso, but...
"Farewell, villain."
[Straight Heart One Spear]
A pink flash of light shone.
Kwajijijijijik!!!
My spear tore through his hand, sliced through his torso, and exited out his back.
Pshuk!
Black blood scattered in the air, and a long pink line was traced across the sky.
The mutation-type villain's body collapsed and fell to the ground.
Thud......!
"Oh... Waaaaaaah!!!"
"Sh-She won!!!!"
The citizens, who had been watching the battle with bated breath, rushed out and began to cheer.
"Pink Spear won!!"
"The rumors about her second awakening were true!"
"Long live Pink Spear!! Our district has an S-rank Hero now too!!"
"It really is a second awakening!!"
The citizens let out cheers full of joy.
The rumor that I had undergone a second awakening had spread quickly through online communities and word of mouth, but there was still a sense of doubt.
But now, seeing what was essentially confirmation of my S-rank status right before their eyes, they were overjoyed.
Due to the city's structure, where the regular army is stationed only in District 1, a hero's strength represents the strength of their district.
Therefore, an S-rank Hero is a source of immense power and pride for their district.
"Everyone, rest assured. I, Pink Spear, will defeat all the forces of evil!!!"
As I stood over the mutation-type villain's corpse, raised my spear, and lifted my arm high, the citizens erupted in frantic cheers.
""Pink Spear!!!""
""Pink Spear!!!""
The citizens chanted my name, ecstatic.
'Hehehe... This is what being a hero is all about!'
*
Meanwhile, as I was being worshipped by the citizens, the news spread to online communities.
[Hero Gallery]
A site for discussing the city's integrated heroes.
The story about Pink Spear from today was becoming a hot topic.
[Title: Breaking! Breaking!! District 5's Pink Spear confirmed as S-rank!!!]
[Body]:
Urgent breaking news!!
Pink Spear from District 5, who came back from the dead, has had her second awakening!!
She's fucking strong lololol
(GIF of Pink Spear piercing through the A-rank mutation-type villain)
Basically confirmed as S-rank.
-----
[Comments]
- Wow... so fucking cool
- Did she awaken through rage? I heard all her comrades died.
- Didn't she awaken a healing ability?
└ Yeah. But her physical abilities seem to have improved too.
- Fuck, the fourth S-rank Hero is from District 5?
- That loser District 5, the villain hotspot...
- Congrats congrats congrats
- That fight was insane. She even took the breath attack on purpose.
- Isn't that villain basically S-rank too?
└ The detectors are always hit-or-miss lol
└ fr the guy who developed it died so they can't even improve it
-----------
While most reactions were celebratory, some people took this opportunity to write different kinds of posts.
[Title: So our district is the best now, right?]
[Body]:
District 6 bastards, at attention.
District 4? You too.
Bow your heads, you mediocre districts with no S-rank Heroes~
(Image of Pink Spear raising her spear high and shouting)
-----
[Comments]:
- Fuck, she only survived because of our help.
└ [OP]: What did you do when you came? Don't you know District 5 became a villain hotspot because you were just dicking around and responded late?
└ fr, Pink Spear was doing the work of dozens of heroes who came as support by herself?
- At attention, you weakling districts. From now on, you're beneath us.
- But she's not officially confirmed as S-rank yet.
└ Denial lololol It's obvious she fights well enough to chew up and spit out other S-rank heroes.
- Why are you leaving out District 3 with its 20 A-rank heroes?
- Honestly, it seems like District 5 is probably next after District 2.
└ Damn, these guys getting all high and mighty is pissing me off lol
------------
In a near-future era where the concept of nations has disappeared.
But people's habit of creating divisions and taking sides hadn't gone away.
Especially with adjacent districts.
In the case of our District 5, we're always in a position of competing with District 4 or District 6.
Of course, falling behind doesn't change the district's name, but there's no greater humiliation than being told you're worse than a lower-ranked district.
In fact, among the top-ten districts, the rankings often change because of just one or two heroes.
What's so good about the rankings changing...?
Well...
.
.
.
.
Isn't it obvious that it just feels good?
When you get into an argument with someone from another district, you can mock them by calling their district a loser district with no S-rank Heroes!
Victory in the flame war!!
For online community users, this is a very serious matter!
Of course, that's half a joke. In reality, suppressing villain activity leads to investment and development from various corporations.
It's a very good thing, as it not only has an economic boosting effect but also guarantees the safety of the citizens.
And above all, it makes it easier for the other heroes to operate.
When an A-rank Villain appears, there's no need to mobilize all forces! An S-rank Hero can just go stab! and it's over.
What a great district to be in, right?
Those A- and B-rank heroes can then be deployed to catch other villains, creating a positive chain reaction that drastically improves the city's security.
Villains moving to the neighboring districts is just a bonus.
[Title: Hah... but no matter how I look at it, I don't think Pink Spear is S-rank...]
[Body]:
(GIF of Pink Spear one-shotting the A-rank mutation-type villain)
As if that's possible? lololol
That kind of thing~ will never~ happen~!!!
Taking down a mutation-type with a body slam? Fuck, even if she's not S-rank, you have to promote her to S-rank for that lololol
-----
[Comments]
- Go Pink Spear~! Body slam~
└ She did it with her spear, but she was so fast it looked like a body slam lolol
- And she even awakened as a healer lololol
- Please stop...
- Wow... are her physical stats and powers both S-rank?
- Goddammit, you District 5 bastards, just you wait.
└ K, says the District 4 loser getting pushed around by 5 lolol
- Anyway, isn't she still just an A-ranker?
└ She's postponing her promotion evaluation to save citizens...
└ Ahh... skills, personality, looks, body, all perfect...
└ fr she's not lacking anything.
- What are you talking about, she's a pervert bitch who walks around with a zipper on her pussy.
└ That's a bonus point lol
└ fr lol
--------
And unlike the communities used by ordinary citizens, there was also one secretly used by villains.
[Under Site]
A community created by an anonymous digital villain. Any villain could join as long as they provided proof of being a villain. Sometimes, invitations were sent out first.
Of course, not all villains used it; only about 20-30% were active.
[Title: Looking for people to go catch Pink Spear in District 5.]
[Body]:
Fuck, that goddamn bitch…
She's clearly using excessive force!
We villains have our own stories too, we can't just take this lying down.
Everyone, gather 'round.
Let's show that whore what's what!!!
Let's get together, catch her, and fucking pass her around!!
-----
[Comments]
- Ahem...
- Why don't we just go to another district?
- Give it up, her body itself is just fucking strong.
- You think that'll work?
- She kills without hesitation even when there are hostages.
└ fr she's so fast you can't even react.
Just as all the villains were complaining that District 5 was now too difficult,
- [Administrator]: Fufufufu... I will offer my support. Let us do this together.
└ ????
└ Who the hell is this guy? Why does he have an orange tag?
└ Fuck, the legendary orange mod has appeared!
└ Is that the Administrator?
└ Oh...!!
└ The bastard who made this site is offering support?
------------
Meanwhile, Lee Do-hee, unaware of these developments, was still grinding away.
The number of villains had certainly decreased.
But just because the number of daily villain appearances dropped from 50 to 30 didn't mean I could relax.
"Keuk, you damn bastards, you should just all come at me at once!"
[Civilian Casualties: 87]
Thanks to my astonishingly swift response, there weren't many civilian casualties, but people were still dying from villains who kept popping out of nowhere.
There were even cases where the number would secretly go up without any reports being filed.
Of course, not every villain makes a scene like a daytime stabbing spree. There are also those who secretly kill citizens somewhere.
'Getting an EX-rank is impossible from the start, and even SSS is tough.'
At this rate, it was almost certain I wouldn't get SSS, and even SS might be difficult.
But that was fine. If I get an S-rank, raise it by one level with the 'Life is a Gamble' trait, and then raise it again with the solo play reward, wouldn't that basically be SSS-rank?
'Keeping the casualties under ten thousand is doable. If I do well, I can aim for a thousand, maybe even EX!'
It was pretty much a battle of mental fortitude, but that was something I was ridiculously good at.
'When it comes to mental strength, I'm the one.'
Staying up all week?
If I had to, I would.
And so the next day came.
As I was spending another full day chasing villains,
[A large group of villains has appeared in Sector C-9! They are low-rank villains, but please be careful!!]
Speak of the devil. A real villain organization appeared as a group.
"Damn it, I didn't think they'd actually show up as a group... HQ, what are the civilian casualties?"
[None... yet. But they have hostages. They're surrounded, but they want to negotiate.]
"Damn it..."
The easiest way to solve a hostage situation is to kill them before they even have time to resist.
But when it's a group, things get a little tricky.
Perhaps this time, there might be some sacrifices.
*
The location was an apartment complex in Sector Y-3.
"Back off!! One more step and the hostages are dead!"
Villains in black ski masks were threatening the police with a detonation switch.
Dozens of police cars and even a SWAT team had arrived, but they were powerless to act.
"We've planted a massive bomb in the apartment's basement. If it goes off, all 300 people living here will die!"
The entire high-rise apartment building had become their hostage.
The citizens couldn't escape because of the armed villains below.
"Keuk, what do you want!"
"Fifty billion, and Pink Spear! Strip that bitch naked, make her kneel, and bring her here!!"
They were all comrades of villains killed by Pink Spear!!
In fact, Pink Spear had long been famous for dispatching villains without mercy.
And as that piled up, it had finally exploded this time.
"We villains are people too! There are those among us who can't help but commit crimes because of the dark desires stirring inside them!"
It sounded like bullshit, but there was actually some truth to it.
Usually, the awakening of a power is often the manifestation of one's desires. This is why there are overwhelmingly more villains than heroes.
So, a guy who always had a strong desire to low-kick women's legs becomes the Low Kick Villain, and a villain who enjoys fart-terrorism in public places becomes the Poison Gas Fart Villain.
So what did that mean?
It meant they were always that kind of person.
So while what they said was true, it just meant their powers brought out the actual criminal from the potential one.
And just then.
"You were looking for me?"
THUD!!!
Pink Spear appeared from the sky, her pink hair fluttering.
And at the same moment, as the villains' eyes were momentarily distracted by Pink Spear's large, bouncing breasts and the zipper over her crotch,
The hand of the villain holding the detonator flew into the air, spraying blood.
"Huh...?"