Team Valkyrie ④ My S-Rank Hero Sister and Childhood Friend Stolen Away - 4
"Aw, come on, don't be embarrassed. He's not a little kid anymore, but he keeps asking for hugs...."
"Hehe. Maybe it's because she likes Jinseok so much?"
"We're just friends, that's all."
"Yeah, I know that."
During the battle, Jinseok had been caught hugging Serin by Ye-eun, and now he felt like he'd been seen in some shameful scene he shouldn't have shown anyone. Even if his intention had been to calm her down, embracing Serin like that was still mortifying for him.
"But Serin's so cute, though. Why not just date each other?"
"W-well, it's just... We've known each other since we were kids, so she doesn't feel like a girl to me or something...."
Jinseok was well aware that Serin had an incredibly cute face. In fact, he thought she was extremely cute. But he made excuses, claiming he didn't feel any romantic attraction toward her.
I'm just a mere B-rank hero.... There's no way I could ever be with an S-rank like Serin....
The feelings Jinseok harbored toward Serin stemmed from an inferiority complex—he believed his abilities were far too lacking to stand beside her. Even among ability users, the gap between an S-rank hero and a B-rank was enormous.
"So it's like that? Similar to how you don't feel that way about Miyeon at all?"
"Yeah, kinda. Noona's definitely pretty, but to me, she just doesn't look like a woman or anything."
"Oh. I should tell Miyeon that later."
"N-no! Noona will scold me again!"
"Hehe. Just kidding. Don't worry."
Hearing Ye-eun's words, Jinseok paled in horror. Miyeon was cold and a bit strict with both herself and others. Jinseok had been chewed out by her several times for minor mistakes during missions.
"Jinseok, you really seem scared of your sister. Miyeon cares about you a ton, you know. She's even told Serin and me to watch out so you don't get hurt on missions."
"Noona's a perfectionist. Ow—wait, now that you mention it, it stings.... Urgh."
Suddenly, pain surged through Jinseok's entire body. He let out a pained groan and slumped onto a chunk of shattered concrete. Thanks to Serin's help, he'd survived, but the scorching heat blast had left him with partial burns all over. His skin was red and inflamed, with blisters forming in spots.
"Oh no, you're hurt."
"Urk! Yeah... looks like I got some burns...."
The moment he realized it was burns, the pain intensified, washing over him in waves. Serin's barrier hadn't fully blocked the heat blast, it seemed.
(Serin looks totally fine, though.)
Jinseok glanced up at Serin flying nearby. She'd been right there with him, yet she appeared unscathed. S-rank heroes had vastly superior physical abilities thanks to their powers.
(At least I have my B-rank ability. Should I be grateful just to be alive? Tch.)
Without his Physical Enhancement, Jinseok might have been cooked alive. His ability didn't just boost strength—it greatly enhanced his body's defense and durability beyond normal human limits. He figured he'd never have survived without it.
(At least I didn't end up like that....)
The Cerberus and Hellhounds right next to him had been incinerated by the intense heat, reduced to charred husks. Cold sweat trickled down Jinseok's back at the thought of how close he'd come to the same fate.
"Man, I look like a dog on the hottest day of summer...."
"What? Jinseok, you don't eat dog meat stew, do you...?"
"N-no! It was just a figure of speech! Seeing them all charred black like that."
As Jinseok muttered unconsciously while eyeing the Cerberus and Hellhounds, Ye-eun, who was approaching him, froze in shock. She was gentle but had a somewhat germaphobic side at times. Jinseok hurriedly explained it was just a metaphor.
"Hold still. I'll heal you."
"Thanks, Ye-eun noona."
A soft white light emanated from Ye-eun's hand. As it enveloped Jinseok's body, the pain throughout his body melted away. It was Ye-eun's Healing ability.
"And don't worry. Even if you end up all charred like that, this Ye-eun noona will heal you right up."
"No, I'm grateful for the healing, but I'd rather not get charred in the first place...."
As an S-rank hero, Ye-eun possessed tremendous healing powers. Even if someone was burned pitch-black, as long as they were still breathing, she could restore them in seconds.
……
Kaboom—!
While Jinseok received treatment from Ye-eun, Miyeon and Serin were locked in fierce combat with the Behemoth, the air filled with explosive roars. Miyeon slashed at it with Sword Qi, while Serin blocked its attacks with barriers made of cherry blossom petal energy.
"Grrrrowl!"
The Behemoth recoiled in fear from Miyeon's Sword Qi, which could slice through its thick hide in one strike. Unlike the Hellhounds and Cerberus that had mindlessly mauled at Jinseok only to perish together, the massive monster possessed considerable intelligence.
"Serin! Erect a barrier and herd the Behemoth toward the safe park area. Then hit it with everything we've got!"
"Got it! Miyeon unnie! Hyaah!"
Following Miyeon's orders, Serin unleashed energy around the Behemoth, forming a barrier. Her pink cherry blossom-like energy spread outward, making it look as if pink petals were fluttering around the beast.
"I won't let it threaten anyone! Haaah!"
Serin manipulated the brilliant, dazzling petal-like energy with effortless grace, resembling a cherry blossom fairy. Her beauty, skills, and powers made her more popular than celebrities among civilians—an S-rank hero adored by all.
"Grrrrowl!"
Harried by Serin's energy barriers and Miyeon's Sword Qi assaults, the Behemoth was slowly being pushed back. Miyeon and Serin aimed to lure it into the nearby park before finishing it off. With its building-sized bulk, simply toppling it could cause massive collateral damage. And as its powerful heat ray attacks showed, it held immense internal energy—attack it wrong, and it might explode.
"We have to handle the Behemoth carefully!"
"Got it, unnie!"
The veteran hero Miyeon fought to minimize damage to the surroundings, proceeding with caution. She and Serin breathed in perfect sync, fully containing the beast. Fortunately, a suitable park for the kill was nearby, so they poured their power into driving it there.
"Huff... huff..."
"Haa... haa..."
Even with two S-rank heroes, shoving a colossal monster wasn't easy. Miyeon and Serin panted heavily from the effort. They could have one-shot it easily, but that would risk huge civilian casualties in this area.
"Unnie, this is tough. Haa... haa..."
"Not yet. This is a densely populated zone. Huff..."
"Right. I'll push harder. Haa..."
"Huff... huff... Just a bit further..."
Then, it happened.
Skreeeeeen—!
A deafening tear ripped through the sky. It was the sonic boom of something breaking the sound barrier. An object streaked across the heavens at supersonic speed.
Miyeon and Serin looked up. A sleek bomber jet hurtled toward them from above.
"What is that...? A bomber...? Did the military deploy it?"
Miyeon recognized the distant silhouette as a military supersonic bomber—a terrifying strategic weapon that carpet-bombed monster hordes into oblivion.
"A bomber?! Are they seriously going to level the area already?"
Serin and Miyeon felt a surge of alarm. Sometimes, when heroes couldn't contain a monster outbreak, the military would send bombers to raze the entire zone.
"No way. There are still civilians everywhere...."
But with heroes like Serin and Miyeon already engaging the monsters—and civilians yet to fully evacuate—a full aerial bombardment would be unprecedented.