Chapter 2: That’s Just How Life Is (1)
Chapter 2: That’s Just How Life Is (1)
“It has been thirty years since the invaders from the Otherworld first struck.”
The host was blathering on about something.
That alone was grating enough, but the damn broadcasting station must have messed up the lighting because the glare was absolutely blinding.
The other girls, however, seemed perfectly fine, sitting there with poised, beaming smiles as if the lights weren't bothering them at all.
“Humanity faced an unprecedented crisis, but in the end, we endured!”
I couldn't quite wrap my head around the host, who was grandstanding into the microphone with wide, sweeping gestures.
Is that kind of thing popular these days? It’s been so long since I’ve bothered to watch TV that I wouldn't know.
I turned my head toward the screen in the back. A highlight reel of various past incidents was playing.
A Giant Monster that had toppled entire nations.
A secret organization that had forcibly turned every citizen of a city into machines.
A Mad Magical Girl who turned rainwater into drugs under the guise of making humanity happy.
An esper who paralyzed the entire global communication network.
A spirit queen who plotted to submerge the continents by controlling the oceans.
A phoenix that had agitated every volcano on Earth.
A cyber-mind that fought a final battle in the Pacific Ocean while piloting a colossal robot.
Countless crises that had brought humanity to the brink of extinction.
Looking at the events flashing by, it was a miracle anyone had survived at all. Every time a battle I had personally participated in appeared, a small spark of pride flickered within me.
“Unnie, didn't you take part in repelling that one?”
“I did. Has it really been two years already?”
“Aren't you about ready to retire? You’ve been at it for three years now.”
“I’d like to, but my story hasn't ended yet.”
“How much do you have left?”
“I think I just need to take down the Boss now.”
“I’m so jealous. I haven't even reached the Executives yet…”
“My perspective changed once it actually came time to retire. So, make sure you enjoy yourself so you don't have any regrets.”
“Yes, Unnie!”
Hearing the girls chattering around me, my brief moment of excitement vanished. Listening to them drone on amongst themselves, a wave of irritation began to wash over me.
It’s not like I can plug my ears, either.
I looked over at the guest seating on the opposite side. The male Heroes were all sitting in silence, staring at the screen with their mouths shut.
I wish they’d put me over there instead.
Being stuck between these chirping girls made me regret coming out here at all.
The program hadn't even started yet, but I already felt the urge to quit.
I seriously considered walking out, but then I remembered why I had agreed to this in the first place.
An empty bank account. A refrigerator with nothing in it but ice cubes.
Recalling that catastrophe calmed my spirit.
Right. Let’s just endure a little longer. I wasn't getting any income from Free Subjugations lately, so I had to bear it. Compared to fighting Enemies from the Otherworld, this level of annoyance was manageable.
…I’m really craving a smoke.
After a while longer, the station’s montage finally ended. The host began to shout enthusiastically again, waving his hands.
“And now, we begin the 30th Anniversary Special Broadcast of the Otherworld Invasion! Let’s start by introducing the teams of Heroes who protect us.”
Ah, so that’s why they sat us in these specific groups.
The only thing I’d been told about the program was that it was a talk show bringing together Heroes of the past and present.
“Leave the magic to us! The cute and lovely Magical Girls! We have four of them with us today!”
Starting with the Magical Girls? Why did it have to be our group first?
“We love you all!”
“Thank you for your constant support!”
“With cuteness and justice!”
The girls sitting next to me started striking poses and playing to the cameras. Even if it looked embarrassing, they were doing it because it was profitable.
Seeing them, I wondered if I should do something to appeal to the audience too, but it felt too late for that. I settled for a forced smile and a wave.
The people who knew who I was would recognize me anyway. If you’ve been grinding for thirty years, you tend to build up a reputation regardless of what you do.
“As expected, our Magical Girls are so full of energy! Now, let’s move on to the next group.”
* * *
The talk show proceeded smoothly through segments like Q&A for retirees, their feelings during certain incidents, and recent updates.
“After retiring and losing your powers, have you experienced any inconveniences?”
“Not particularly. It was borrowed power from the start, after all.”
I remembered that guy.
He was the leader of a Sentai Squad from the very early days. Transformation Squadron Red, the man who had swung his fists while fused with a giant robot during the final battle of his story.
We used to be quite close, but we’d lost touch somewhere along the line.
“Still, I understand you spent a significant amount of time honing that power. Don't you feel it was a waste?”
“The power is gone, but the trained body remains. Even now, I’m much stronger than the average person.”
“I see. Next question. There were many rumors after your retirement—what have you been up to lately?”
“I’ve been traveling abroad to do volunteer work in regions devastated by Otherworldly forces. There were opportunities to make money, but the pension I receive from the United Nations is enough to sustain my life.”
Pension. That dreamlike word brushed against my ears. Simultaneously, the thought of when I would finally retire surged within me.
My peers were sitting over there, comfortably living off their pensions, so why was I still out here on active duty?
“I see. You truly are living a life worthy of a Hero of old. Finally, do you have any words for your juniors?”
At that, he stood up with the microphone and looked toward the active-duty Heroes. Then, with eyes shining, he began his speech.
“What you are doing now must be difficult and exhausting. Some of you may be fighting lonely, solitary battles, while others fight alongside comrades.”
The speech began with a powerful voice. It was a common enough encouragement, but his voice carried the sincerity of a Hero who had lived through the old era.
“Everyone has likely experienced defeat at least once, and there must have been times when your heart was consumed by darkness, wondering why you have to do this.”
“The world will only want to see your bright side. Your aspect as a Hero, as a superhuman who transcends ordinary people. But I—we—know the truth. We know that you, too, are human beings who experience pain and suffering.”
I’ve already graduated from all the mental struggles; my only problem is my empty bank account.
“When things are painful and difficult, I hope you always remember that we, your seniors, walked that same path. If it truly becomes too much, it’s okay to ask your seniors for help. Even if we’ve lost our powers, there are plenty of ways we can still assist you.”
As he said that, he scanned the active-duty Heroes sitting in the guest area.
The current Heroes looked back at the old Hero with sparkling eyes, but I just stared at him with a bored expression, having no particular thoughts on the matter.
My mental state is perfectly fine, so maybe he could just share some of that money instead?
“The great burden of humanity placed upon your shoulders is not yours to carry alone. I want you to know that your comrades, we, and your future juniors are all with you.”
With those words, he put strength into his gaze and looked at each of us individually, as if trying to engrave the faces of his juniors into his memory.
His gaze, moving from person to person, finally landed on the spot where I was sitting. His upright, noble gaze met my dull, disinterested eyes.
His eyes initially passed over me without recognition, but then he suddenly whipped his head back, his mouth hanging open as if he’d spotted something impossible.
A look of sheer bewilderment that screamed, ‘Why are you still here?’
What are you looking at, man? I haven't been able to retire yet, so what do you want me to do? I don't know why I’m sitting here either.
As the old Hero stared at me with a flabbergasted expression, murmurs began to ripple through the audience.
“Who’s that?”
“You know, her. The 30-year veteran Magical Girl.”
“Oh, I’ve heard rumors about her. Magical Bloody, the one who turns monsters into mincemeat. She’s a real person?”
My official Hero name is Crimson★Hammer, but either way, it’s equally embarrassing.
As the whispering grew louder, the host, sensing a golden opportunity, struck an exaggerated pose and called me out.
“Oh! The person sitting over there is our longest-serving Magical Girl, Crimson★Hammer! Please, come up to the stage!”
Dammit.
I had no choice but to stand up and walk toward the stage.
My old friend, whom I passed on the way, gave me a bitter smile as if he hadn't expected this either.
I could bicker with him later.
As I settled into a plush chair, the host smiled and addressed me.
“Well then, Crimson★Hammer-nim, would it be alright if I asked you a few questions?”
“Just call me by my name, Lee Ha-ram.”
“How unusual. Your real name instead of your Hero name. Is there a reason for that?”
Because it’s embarrassing, that’s why.
“I’ve been active for so long that my nickname feels too outdated. I don't really like it.”
“I see. I understand.”
The host nodded, expressing his empathy.
Honestly, the nicknames the kids use these days are just as childish, but as long as the host was satisfied with that answer, it didn't matter.
“Then, let’s move on to the next question. Serving on active duty for thirty years is a record-breaking feat, unseen even in other countries. How do you feel about this, Lee Ha-ram-nim?”
How should I know? I haven't seen hide nor hair of an Executive, so I’ve just been spending my life beating up enemies from other people's stories.
“I am happy to have been able to serve as a Hero of justice for so long. However, lately, I’ve been hoping that the enemies from my own story would finally show up.”
“When was the last time an enemy from your story appeared…?”
He’s really poking at a sore spot.
“The last time was ten years ago, when an elite legion swarmed in.”
“That has been quite a while.”
“But since the enemies from my story are quite powerful, I’d prefer it if they didn't show up at all, if possible.”
Actually, I hope the Executives and the Boss all show up together tomorrow. Please. Just let me retire.
The host nodded as if sympathizing with my words, then received a white note from a staff member.
“It turns out we have video footage from that time. Let’s watch it together.”
Wait, that footage might be a bit dangerous…?
Before I could stop him, the video began to play on the screen behind us.
A dark night.
I wasn't visible at first, perhaps because it was filmed from the air, but the screen was filled with black tentacles. Otherworldly entities that had swallowed an entire city.
The black tentacles had eroded the entire city, turning it into an Otherworldly domain, writhing as they took root in the ground.
Just as it seemed the entire city would be lost to those tentacled lifeforms…
Crunch. Snap.
The sound of flesh being pulverized echoed from somewhere, and a pillar of tentacles that had been growing toward the sky suddenly toppled over.
“Do you see that? Crimson★Hammer is currently exterminating the Otherworldly entities!”
The voice of a reporter blared from the video, likely filming from a helicopter. Accordingly, the camera zoomed in, and my figure was revealed, filling the screen.
A Magical Girl draped in bits of flesh, wearing clothes stained dark with blood. Her trademark Golden Hammer was covered in so much blood and gore that its original golden color was completely lost.
Inside the screen, I moved as if devoid of emotion, turning the approaching tentacle monsters into mincemeat with a single swing of my hammer, walking forward through a path of corpses.
A massive tentacle had taken root in the center of the town, spreading its branches.
Approaching it while swinging my hammer, I took a stance before the giant tentacle and swung a massive, blood-soaked Red Hammer, obliterating the pillar of tentacles.
If it had ended there, it would have been fine, but the shockwave generated by The Hammer spread far and wide, destroying the surrounding houses.
The shockwave didn't stop there; it continued to expand until it swept over the helicopter filming the scene. The video cut out with the reporter’s final scream.
The video ended, but silence hung over the studio. No matter how you looked at it, it was like a gory splatter film; a stunned reaction was only natural after broadcasting that.
Even the host seemed speechless, staring blankly at the now-black screen.
This is a total broadcast accident.
Did they not check the footage beforehand? I can't believe they just aired that.
One thing was certain: my name, which hadn't been mentioned much lately, was about to blow up on the internet again.