Chapter 60: Rich or Not, One Bullet is All It Takes (2)
Chapter 60: Rich or Not, One Bullet is All It Takes (2)
"We have arrived."
The Mutant, who had introduced himself as Huang, pulled the car up in front of a house.
He moved with practiced agility, opening the car door and snapping to attention. It was the kind of disciplined, orderly conduct of a wealthy family's chauffeur that one might see in a TV drama.
It was an impressive display in its own way. It even made me wish the Mutants I knew would move with that much discipline.
However, a single problem overshadowed all those merits.
With those muscles, he just looked like a mobster.
At the very least, he should have worn a suit that was a size larger. What was he trying to achieve with clothes so tight they put every muscle on display?
Even if he moved with discipline, looking like his clothes might burst and reveal his physique at any moment made his posture seem more like a threat than a courtesy.
Looking at the surrounding houses, this seemed to be a neighborhood for the wealthy. Wouldn't the police be called immediately if someone this suspicious-looking was wandering around?
Despite his appearance, he seemed determined to fulfill his duties as a chauffeur. As soon as I stepped out of the car, he ran to the front gate of the house and opened it for me.
"What about the car?"
"I will take care of it, so please do not worry."
He bowed at the waist with a smile.
Don't do that. You really look like a thug.
Do all Mutants find some kind of charm in acting like this?
Raiga from The Society was the same way, and seeing this guy do it too was giving me a headache. At least Raiga had a tiger's face; this guy looked exactly like a human, which made it worse.
I decided not to let it bother me.
I hadn't come here to sponge off Danger Rifle and Yumil for nothing. I didn't have enough mental energy to waste on someone like him.
Zap!
"?!"
The moment I tried to step through the gate, a spark erupted and stung my body. The sharp sensation made me instinctively take a step back.
"Ah. I forgot about that. I should have told you in advance."
"A Repulsion Field?"
"Yes. Most wealthy homes have at least one of those these days."
A common household item, he says. For something so common, the repulsion was quite strong.
It didn't just push back Otherworldly Power; it had enough defensive strength to blow away a weak Otherworldly Being entirely. Had the Management Bureau applied some new technology here?
"I will disable it now, so please wait a moment..."
Huang's face wore an apologetic expression as he spoke. Not that it meant anything, considering the hint of a smirk in his voice.
He definitely knew what he was doing.
Despite his appearance, he had a mischievous streak. He must have known I was coming and intentionally left it on. There was even a chance he had purposefully cranked up the output.
In that case, I had to play along with the prank.
"No need."
I threw myself straight into the field. Sparks flew across my body and my skin felt like it was being ground down, but this was nothing.
This was a barrier that could barely stop a D-Rank Mutant at best. What was the point of this level of stimulation...?
I see. So this was it.
An attack lunged toward my head.
Klang!
Two Pry Bars collided.
A crisp metallic ring echoed. Immediately following that, I felt something being fired toward me.
A small bullet tore through the air.
As if to ensure the bullet hit me, the Pry Bar above my head began to move. It was a subtle adjustment of strength, intended to pin my Pry Bar so I couldn't block the bullet.
It was a calculated move: if I didn't block the bullet with my Pry Bar, I'd be hit; if I tried to block the bullet, I'd be vulnerable to the Pry Bar.
A pincer attack designed to ensure at least one of them hit.
Not bad.
Their coordination wasn't perfect, but they showed decent movement. The melee fighter didn't get distracted when I intentionally showed an opening to lure them in, instead faithfully fulfilling the role of pinning my weapon.
The sniper, recognizing the melee fighter's movement, aimed for the most awkward spot for the opponent to defend.
The two were in sync. It was hard to believe they had been working together for less than a month.
If the erratic duo of Baek Si-hyun—who ran wild without a thought for her partner—and Han A-bin—who supported her from behind—was an unconventional composition, this was a textbook combination.
Of course, one side was possible because of a genius like Han A-bin.
And this side was possible because of a seasoned veteran who had reached the pinnacle of Weaponry Skills.
"Then I'll show you something too."
If you have my memories, you should know that there are ways to defend even in a situation like this. Even if you know it, you probably won't be able to stop it.
Klang! Klang! Klang!
As the bullet drew closer, the opponent's Pry Bar swung even faster. They must have felt rushed because I wasn't taking action.
They're still just kids, after all.
If they thought about it for just a moment, they'd understand what I was about to do. Even if their knowledge and Weaponry Skills were linked, they lacked the actual combat experience to apply that to the entire battlefield.
The bullet approached.
Until the very last moment, the opponent didn't let down their guard and swung the Pry Bar even faster, the metallic clashing sounds continuing without end.
And then, at the exact moment it was certain I couldn't dodge the bullet.
Boom.
A momentary Limiter Release.
I immediately reapplied the limiter, as I had no intention of crushing the opponent with raw power from the start. What I needed was the shockwave generated by the release.
Caught in the shockwave radiating from my body, the bullet rapidly lost its velocity.
The bullet, now reduced to the speed of a stone thrown by a child, tapped against my body.
This should be enough. If it's an unenhanced bullet, there are plenty of ways to block it even without a weapon.
"Satisfied?"
I stopped my attack, lowered my Pry Bar, and looked at her.
"I didn't think you'd block it like that, though."
Dressed in a black dress with a Pry Bar slung over her shoulder, she spoke.
"I thought the melee part was about even..."
She seemed unhappy about losing, swinging her Pry Bar and digging up the grass on the ground.
She had changed so much in the time I hadn't seen her.
Yumil, who used to be emotionless and blunt, now showed emotions befitting her appearance as a Young Girl. Even now, she was pouting to show her dissatisfaction with the fight.
"Yumil! You have to apologize!"
Danger Rifle approached before I knew it. She shouted as she grabbed the back of Yumil’s head and forced her to bow.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Teacher! I tried to stop her, but Yumil said she'd take full responsibility!"
Her long black hair scattered as she repeatedly bowed her head up and down. In contrast, the small girl was being forced to bow while grumbling under her breath.
I couldn't really say anything in this situation.
"No need for excuses. We'll call it practical training."
It was fun in its own way.
"That muscle Mutant was in on it too..."
I turned back toward the gate as I spoke, but there was nothing there. Only the gate remained, creaking on its hinges.
I had intended to finish things by giving the guy a beating, but both the car and the muscle-bound brute were gone.
He ran away.
Nothing to be done about it.
"Raise your heads. If you had used enhanced bullets, you might have actually scored a hit."
I offered words of praise to the two women as they looked up.
I only blocked it with a shockwave because it was a standard bullet. If it had a secondary propulsion and explosion magic engraved on it like the last one, I wouldn't have had a way—at least, not without releasing my limiter. If I released the limiter, I'd win with overwhelming power, but that's a realm where skill becomes meaningless.
Shouldn't I praise them for scoring a point with pure technique?
Chong So-rim beamed at my words. Yumil’s lips curled up ever so slightly despite her blunt expression.
They aren't even my disciples; what am I doing?
"If you're done, show me inside."
* * *
"Do you live away from your family?"
"Eh? How did you know?"
How could I not? Just look at the state of this living room.
Guns. Guns. Guns. Machines. Guns.
Wait, is that an anti-tank missile?
That's a motorcycle. That's a gun. And where did she steal this junk radio from?
The living room Chong So-rim led me into was truly surreal. It was a bizarre space where firearms hung all over the walls, a motorcycle was suspended from the ceiling, and an anti-tank missile was propped up in the corner.
"Are you interested in guns?"
As I stared blankly at the firearms, she approached and spoke to me. It was an active behavior quite unlike her usual trembling self. Was she the type to get talkative when it came to things she liked?
"Not particularly."
I've just seen them enough to know how to deal with them. I don't go around memorizing model names.
She looked dejected at my words and moved away from me.
As I scanned the guns one by one, a small frame caught my eye. A cheap frame hanging on The Wall. Inside was a strange photograph.
A large group of people were gathered, but the people in the photo didn't seem inclined to stay still; they were throwing punches at each other, and the camera was out of focus, making it impossible to recognize their faces.
It was a strange photo, yet it felt strangely significant.
"This is?"
"Ah. That's a photo of Heroes my uncle gave me."
At those words, memories began to resurface.
Back when the Management Bureau was being established, someone suggested we all gather and take a photo. A group photo of the Awakened, the non-Awakened, and those who sympathized with our cause.
"My uncle told me stories when he gave me this photo. About how the old Heroes protected the world, and why no records of them remain..."
A photo taken as a final record for Heroes who would be erased from history. Even then, a fight had broken out, so it hadn't been taken properly. Yet, it remained here.
Half the people in that photo were dead. The other half had retired.
We were the only ones left.
"I see."
Hiding my emotions, I quietly sat down on the sofa in the center of the living room.
"You saw the photo?"
Yumil, who was sitting on the sofa gulping down fruit juice, spoke up. Since she lived in this house, she must have already known the identity of that photo.
"Yeah."
It was a simple answer, but Yumil didn't say anything more. She was also a being who possessed my memories. Though she had already become quite different from me, she likely knew exactly what I was feeling.
The hesitant Chong So-rim also sat on the sofa, and after some time passed and my emotions settled...
"Yumil."
"What?"
"Have you told Chong So-rim my identity yet?"
"Not yet. Weren't you going to keep it a secret anyway?"
"I'm thinking of changing my course of action."
Perhaps sensing the atmosphere between Yumil and me, the hesitant Chong So-rim looked back and forth between us.
"Black Marauder-nim's identity...? Isn't he just Black Marauder-nim...?"
Hearing Chong So-rim mutter that in a small voice, I realized she was quite slow on the uptake.
"Yumil. Let me ask you one thing."
"..."
She fell silent as if she had guessed what I was going to say. Not that I needed to stop.
"Danger Rifle. Is Chong So-rim a Hero who can be fully trusted?"
It might be a cruel question for Yumil. I couldn't know the exact relationship between Chong So-rim and Yumil. However, it was certain they had some level of friendship. Otherwise, they wouldn't be traveling together like this.
Perhaps they were friends. The first friend Yumil had ever had since she was born.
Even so, I had to ask. Whether she was someone who could be trusted until the very end. Whether she would betray me, just as so many friends in my memories had.
Yumil’s expression twisted. Just like mine.
With a grim expression, Yumil agonized for a while before finally giving an answer.
"It'll be... okay. Probably... she won't betray us."
"Then, I'll ask Chong So-rim. No, Danger Rifle."
"Yes? Yes! I'm ready!"
Not expecting to be called upon, she straightened her back and turned toward me. A stiff expression and cold sweat—clear signs of nervousness.
"From now on, we will begin to clash with the Management Bureau. We might even become their enemies."
"..."
I continued speaking to her as she listened intently, her mouth shut tight.
"Of course, I'm not looking for a bloodbath. What's needed is a new Hero faction. A faction that advocates for Heroes who aren't lax and complacent like they are now, but who suffer hardships and forge themselves anew like the Heroes of old."
"..."
"We will shake the Management Bureau by creating such a faction. It doesn't matter which side wins. The Heroes will suffer through that upheaval."
Chong So-rim's face began to turn dazed. As if my words were the absolute truth.
"In that story, can you remain without betraying me?"
"Yes! Of course! I've thought that way from the very beginning!"
An off-target answer. It wasn't a response to my question, but a declaration of loyalty to the ideology. Her face shone brightly, as if she had found her purpose.
"Then, I'll show you my identity as well."
A Golden Hammer was summoned into the air.
"A Golden Hammer...?"
"Tsk."
Yumil clicked her tongue. Chong So-rim stared blankly at the light.
The Hammer settled in my right hand, and the blackness that had stained my body receded. What appeared was my form as a Magical Girl.
Silver hair, red eyes. A Golden Hammer.
"Crimson★Hammer. A Hero of the old era."
The Hero name I claimed for myself. For her, this was enough.
I reached out my hand toward her. Completely captivated, she also reached out her hand toward me.
The justice she craved, spoken by the legendary Hero she admired. Who wouldn't be deceived by such a perfectly orchestrated situation?
"Tsk."
Yumil clicked her tongue as if she didn't like the situation, but she didn't interfere.
Chong So-rim's hand met mine.
With this, a single pawn was born. A pawn that would serve as the hands and feet of the Black Marauder and drive a wedge into the Management Bureau.
* * *
"Now that you're done, aren't you going home?"
"I'm staying the night."
"There's only one bed, though?"
What?