Chapter 6: When You're Young, You Heal Fast.
Chapter 6: When You're Young, You Heal Fast.
Whoosh.
A man’s fist sliced through the air right in front of my eyes.
How annoying.
I tilted my head slightly to dodge the punch. A few strands of hair were caught in the gust and vanished, but that wasn't something to worry about.
“You’re pretty good, kid!”
A burly, muscular bear taunted me while bouncing on his feet.
A boxing bear, huh? That’s a pretty unique form for a Mutant.
I had come out excited because it was my first Free Subjugation job in a while, but the thing that showed up was far below my expectations.
It was likely either a random manifestation of Otherworldly Power or something so weak that other Heroes didn't even recognize it as an "Enemy" of the Story.
The bounty for this level would be obvious.
Irritated, I flicked the stick in my mouth back and forth to express my dissatisfaction.
“Smoking in the middle of a fight? Do you even call yourself a warrior?!”
What’s with that way of speaking?
I don’t know which Story he belongs to, but his author must be embarrassed.
Ignoring the Mutant, I rested my hammer on my shoulder and looked up at the sky.
“What is that posture?! Are you ignoring a warrior in the middle of a sacred battle?!”
“Yeah.”
Why would I pay attention to someone like you?
“Then I’ll make it so you can’t ignore me!”
The bear suddenly stretched his arms back and took a stance to gather his energy.
It’s actually quite impressive how little I expect from an enemy, no matter what they do.
“Fierce Tiger Mountain-Shattering Fist!”
Having gathered all his strength, the bear charged at me. As he lunged, the image of a tiger appeared over his gloves.
“You’re a bear. Why are you using tiger moves?”
Unbelievable. A bear and a tiger?
I swung my hammer slowly, matching the bear’s movement.
Tracing a wide arc starting from my shoulder, The Hammer headed straight for the bear’s jaw. Upon impact, the bear’s head shattered into pieces and scattered.
He was so weak that I didn't even feel the sensation of the head exploding against The Hammer.
Having lost his head and his momentum, the bear collapsed onto the ground.
I should probably finish him off properly.
I approached the bear, raised my hammer high, and slammed it into his torso.
Thump.
The bear’s stomach burst upon contact with The Hammer, scattering flesh and entrails everywhere.
A long string of intestines flew through the air and landed right on top of my head.
Dammit, he was the type that actually had guts. Since he looked like something out of a child’s imagination, I thought he’d just be made of generic flesh. That was a lapse in judgment on my part.
If I’d known he was so unnecessarily full of innards, I would have just used a technique to vaporize him without leaving a single scrap behind.
But what’s the use of regretting it now? I flung the intestines off my head, sat down on the squelching corpse, and called the Management Bureau.
As I listened to the dial tone and felt the warmth of the deceased through my backside, a stiff female voice soon reached my ears.
“Yes. Management Bureau.”
“Registration Number 01-005-M.”
“Confirmed. How can I help you, Hero Lee Ha-ram?”
“I’ve completed the Free Subjugation of the requested Mutant. Please handle the cleanup and the payment.”
“Location confirmed. Payment will be processed once the elimination is verified—”
Click.
I hung up. I’d heard the rest of the speech countless times anyway. Now they’ll check the Mutant’s combat power recorded by the Bureau and send the money.
I’d left the house in high spirits for this Free Subjugation mission, but the guy was far weaker than I anticipated.
I thought I’d at least get a month’s worth of living expenses out of this. What a waste.
“Tsk. Can’t an Executive show up for once?”
Since the Story hasn't progressed in ten years, my only income is my basic salary and these Free Subjugation fees. At this rate, I might starve to death before I can re-establish the name of a Hero in society.
I tucked the stick back into my pocket and stood up from the pile of meat.
Ptooey.
I spat onto the remains of the Mutant and left the scene.
* * *
“I’m back.”
“You’re home?”
Lately, the white lump has been greeting me properly. He seems to have lost some weight, too. Has he had a change of heart?
I threw myself onto the living room sofa and spoke to Un-ho.
“Anything on the news?”
“I haven't seen any news about a Magical Girl being attacked at all.”
So it didn't even make it onto the TV.
I had searched news sites on my phone on the way home, but I didn't see anything either.
It’s possible I’m just bad at searching, but it’s more likely that the Management Bureau blocked the information.
“That poor girl ended up with broken limbs for nothing.”
“If you feel that way, why don't you just stop?”
“Then she’d be the only one who suffered. Pain should be shared by everyone.”
“Is that so?”
Un-ho looked at me with sad eyes for some reason, so I reached out and stroked his white fur.
“Don’t worry, no one’s going to die. I just… want to change things.”
“I don’t like it when anyone gets hurt, though.”
“Injuries heal fast when you’re young. As long as they don’t die, it’s fine.”
I went through much worse when I was young and I didn't die.
Un-ho’s fluffy fur felt good, so I kept stroking him as I sank into thought.
Attacking Heroes like this and leaving my message behind wasn't a bad plan.
Since there are no witnesses, my Public Enemy Designation will be delayed. If I keep at it and the number of victims grows, the Management Bureau won't be able to suppress the information forever.
“But it’s taking too much time.”
“Whash do you mean?”
Un-ho’s voice was distorted because I was squeezing his face. Even so, he seemed to enjoy the touch, rubbing his body against my hand.
“I was thinking about how to make my actions spread faster.”
“How about going on TV and announcing your claims?”
“It’s not as easy as it sounds—”
Wait, there is a way. I don’t necessarily have to stick to TV broadcasts.
I picked up my phone and quickly opened an internet streaming app.
I set the tabs to 'Live' and 'Hero.'
As I scrolled down, a significant number of broadcasts appeared. There were almost no streams with low viewer counts. Leveraging the brand power of "Heroes," every single one of them had a massive audience.
“What’s that?”
“You have your own phone at home, don't you know?”
“I don’t know how to use it, so I only watch videos. I like it because it shows me exactly what I like as soon as I press it.”
Is there anything this White Pig can do?
“You know how the areas where Heroes fight are restricted so civilians can’t come, right?”
“Yes.”
“So Heroes hire cameramen to broadcast it. The viewers get to see Hero action in real-time, and the Heroes get to increase their recognition.”
“Then why don't you do this, Ha-ram? You’re always complaining about money.”
“I got banned for being too violent.”
The fact that I rarely had fights to show and lacked a fixed viewership played a part, but there was no need to tell him that.
If I’d known it would turn out like that, I could have at least saved on the cameraman’s hiring costs.
Well, I didn't plan on doing it for long anyway, so it doesn't matter. Showing my face too much isn't great for the future, though failing to make some pocket money was a bit of a shame.
“I’ll leave this on for you, so find me a Hero who’s currently on the move.”
“Okay.”
Together with Un-ho, I quickly scrolled through, looking for a Hero heading out for Hero duties.
In combat, chatting stream, cameraman lost the Hero, a gaming stream? What is this?
“Found one.”
A Male Armored Hero.
The location happened to be close, too.
“I’m going to work.”
* * *
I arrived at the scene just in time.
Looking down from the top of a building, the Hero had already transformed and was fighting a monster. I could see the cameraman running around frantically, filming them.
The right time to intervene would be immediately after the Hero defeats the monster.
Gauging the timing, I reached into the air and summoned my Pry Bar.
I hadn't been able to check yesterday because I was too flustered, but since the Pry Bar had also become a magical weapon, I could now summon it from anywhere, just like The Hammer.
Gripping my new weapon, the Pry Bar, I steeled my resolve. The Hero fighting below me was our enemy.
My white hair turned black and fluttered in the air. My Blue Magical Girl outfit was dyed black, and the various decorations on the costume glowed before vanishing into the void.
As I felt my body grow lighter, The Enemy fired his ultimate move, erasing the Mutant from existence.
Tap.
I kicked off the ground lightly and threw myself into the air.
My dress fluttered in the wind, scattering Black Particles. The Black Particles carved a trajectory through the air, and I plummeted down along it.
The scene captured on camera must look quite fantastical. Like a black meteor.
“Did you see that?! Today, once again, with overwhelming power—”
BOOM!
He seemed to be trying to say something cool, but his words were cut short by my crash landing.
Right between The Enemy and the cameraman.
Having landed at that spot, I stood shrouded in Black Particles and pointed the Red Pry Bar at his face.
“A new Mutant?!”
Immediately identifying me as an enemy, he threw a short left hook.
He’s quick to act.
Armor-type, physical enhancement... judging by his ultimate move, he might have a bit of psychokinesis too.
I raised the Pry Bar against his incoming fist.
Clang!
The sound of the impact between the armor and the Pry Bar rang out.
“You shouldn't just throw punches without sizing up your opponent first.”
His speed and power were decent, but sloppy swings can always be countered with technique. I let the Pry Bar slide against his fist as I lunged into his personal space.
Realizing it would be hard to land a punch on my small frame at such close range, he tried to create distance.
But he was clumsy.
As he backed away, I twisted my wrist and yanked the Pry Bar downward.
With a metallic click, the Pry Bar hooked onto a decorative protrusion on his armor.
I felt the weight in my hand. A familiar combo.
I immediately pulled the Pry Bar, dragging him toward me. I saw the look of panic on The Enemy’s face.
He probably couldn't believe he was losing a contest of strength to such a small child.
It was a familiar expression I’d seen countless times.
The Enemy was drawn in.
As I clenched my left hand, black dust gathered to form a black gauntlet.
The color was a bit different, but it was a function my previous Magical Girl outfit had as well.
I swung my gauntleted hand to give The Enemy a decent blow.
However, what I got in return was...
Thud.
A dull, drum-like sound, and my arm stopped in mid-air without any sensation of impact.
There was no feeling of hitting something. Psychokinesis? It seems he uses it for defense as well as his ultimate move.
I twisted my right hand to pull the Pry Bar free.
The Enemy reached out his right hand to grab me, so I spun my body and slipped through the gap under his left armpit.
Seeing him make such a blunder, he clearly had no experience fighting opponents smaller than himself.
As I slipped out of his reach, I pulled my right arm back. The Pry Bar, still hooked on him, caught his left arm.
I poured my strength into it and yanked.
Despite having already lost his balance once, The Enemy—lacking both sense and experience—didn't even try to steady himself and tumbled toward me.
I swung my gauntlet at the head of the off-balance enemy.
CRACK.
The sound of impact.
His head snapped back.
Feeling a solid connection, I stepped aside so he could fall straight to the ground.
The armored Hero tumbled onto the dirt. He seemed to have lost consciousness, frozen in the posture of trying to grab me.
Just in case it was a feint, I gave his body a few light kicks.
“Eeeek!”
I heard a scream.
Turning toward the sound, I saw the cameraman slumped on the ground.
He probably thought it was his turn now that the Hero was down.
I had no intention of bullying an innocent civilian, so I held out a note containing my claims.
“If you show this on screen for a moment, I’ll let you go quietly.”
I spoke in a slightly more feminine, decorated voice so as not to be associated with my usual self.
“U-understood!”
The cameraman hurriedly captured the note I handed him on camera. The chat room for that broadcast must be going wild right about now.
Well, that part of the job is done.
Now, I have to give this Hero some hardship.
I tapped the armor with the Pry Bar a few times, but it didn't seem like his limbs would break easily.
Do I have to strike it multiple times? How tedious.
If I brought out The Hammer, I could solve it in one blow, but that would be a stupid move that reveals my identity to everyone.
As I slowly examined the armor, I got a feel for where and how to strike.
Now then, from here on out, it’s for mature audiences only.
“Mr. Camera Guy? You’re done now, so please turn off the broadcast.”
“O-okay!”
He ditched the camera and bolted from the scene.
I didn't mean he could just run away like that, though.
The reason I asked him to turn off the broadcast was because I was worried this channel might get flagged and banned for violent content.
Taking away someone’s livelihood is too cruel. This Hero has to make a living, too.
Now. Let’s get to work.
Clang. Clang. Clang. CRACK.
“AAAAARGH!”
“Are you awake? I still have one arm and one leg left, so just bear with it a little longer.”
Clang. Clang. CRACK. Clang. Clang. Clang. CRACK.
“AAAAAAAAAGH!”
The work was finished, but his screams didn't stop.
I couldn't see his face because of the helmet, but I’m sure the inside was a mess of echoing screams and pouring tears.
“I broke them cleanly, so there shouldn't be any permanent issues. Get a brain scan, though.”
“Augh... huff... huff...”
Whether he was listening or not, I simply said my piece.
Things went better than expected.
I hummed a tune as I left the area. With this, the Management Bureau will definitely have to move.