『Thunder Emperor』 Kang Cheonhu ① - Losing My S-Rank Hero Sister and Childhood Friend - 5
"Serin, go up and check. If a bombing order has come down, tell them to call it off."
"Yes, sis!"
At Miyeon's request, Serin shot upward at high speed, ascending into the sky toward the supersonic bomber. Pink cherry-blossom energy trailed behind her like scattering feathers.
Flying at full throttle, Serin quickly closed in on the bomber.
"Hey down there! Soldiers! We're still fighting the Behemoth! And there are tons of civilians around! Stop the bombing!"
Kwaaaaaang!
Having approached the supersonic bomber, Serin drew near the cockpit, activated the communicator, and linked up with the bomber as she shouted. Despite the gravity of the situation, her tone was innocently childlike.
"You're Team Valkyrie's 『Hero』 Serin, right? We're not from the military. Check the mark! The mark!"
"Huh? Not from the military...? Uh...?"
Hearing the response over the comms, Serin looked puzzled as she peered at the bomber. Instead of a standard military insignia, it bore a custom emblem shaped like a storm and lightning.
"That's... Team Tempest's mark?"
Recognizing it as the emblem of another hero team, Team Tempest, Serin realized the truth. Team Tempest was one of the top-tier hero teams, boasting an S-rank hero and immense prestige.
"What the—?!"
Kkiiiek!
The moment Serin confirmed the supersonic bomber belonged to Team Tempest, its bomb bay doors slid open. An object inside was dropped from the aircraft.
Shuuuuwung!
The falling object hurtled downward at tremendous speed, targeting the colossal monster-class giant, the Behemoth, on the ground. At first glance, it seemed like a missile due to its velocity from the bomber, but Serin quickly discerned its true nature.
"A human? A hero?!"
The silhouette was unmistakably humanoid. Dropping a person from a supersonic bomber sounded absurd for an ordinary human, but for a hero—specifically an S-rank like Serin herself—it was feasible. A B-rank like Jinseok would never survive such a drop.
Kwagwagwang!
Lightning and storms suddenly raged around the descending figure, like the eye of a hurricane plummeting to earth—an overwhelming display of S-rank power.
The hero dropped from the bomber dove straight at the Behemoth like a guided missile.
Kwagwagaaang!
"Kyaaak!"
The instant the hero collided with the Behemoth, a massive explosion erupted at the impact site. Astonishingly, the colossal monster-class Behemoth was obliterated in a single blow by the blast.
But the explosion's force rippled outward, demolishing nearby buildings and apartments.
"N-No! I have to block it!"
Witnessing the spreading destruction, Serin hurriedly deployed her barriers around the blast, gritting her teeth and pouring all her power into containing it. Thanks to her shield, the detonation—which could have leveled an entire city block—was barely suppressed.
"Urgh!"
Despite her frantic efforts, the damage was already done. Centered on the Behemoth's position, everything within hundreds of meters lay in ruins, reduced to a scorched wasteland as if a massive bomb had detonated, leaving total devastation.
"Uahaha!"
Pajijijik! Pajijijijik!
In the heart of the rubble, amid swirling storms and crackling lightning, stood a single hero. Muscular build, blond hair, tanned skin, clad in a black hero suit.
It was Kang Cheonhu, the 『Thunder Emperor』—an S-rank hero.
The master of storms and lightning. Leader of Team Tempest.
...
Kang Cheonhu wielded dual abilities—wind and lightning—both at S-rank levels, making him an extraordinarily powerful hero. Multi-ability users were rare even among the gifted, but he wielded both effortlessly.
Among S-rank heroes, he ranked at the pinnacle. Yet he was notoriously reckless, arrogant, and prone to rampages, trusting in his overwhelming strength. While most S-rank heroes exuded confidence (barring unique cases like Serin), Kang Cheonhu's hubris bordered on excess, earning him poor reputation. Still, his unmatched prowess made him untouchable.
"Kang Cheonhu…!"
Miyeon glared at him. She'd used her Sword Qi to mitigate some of the blast against the Behemoth, but she couldn't prevent the surrounding area from becoming a wasteland. Safe herself, she knew countless civilians had likely perished in the explosion. Rage boiled within her.
"Yo! Long time no see, Yoo Miyeon. Those hot pants look great on you today."
Kang Cheonhu smirked at her glare, his expression cocky and sleazy as always. His eyes roamed her lithe, athletic figure in the hot pants and t-shirt, devouring her like a starving man.
Miyeon was stunning enough to turn heads—a beauty surpassing most celebrities, with sharp features, long black hair, and a slender, toned body that earned her the title 『Sword Princess』.
Seeing his lecherous grin as he ogled her, Miyeon's face twisted in disgust. His gaze felt like an invisible tongue slithering over her skin. They'd crossed paths before, and each time, he'd repulsed her.
"Kang Cheonhu, what the hell do you think you're doing?!"
"What? Mad I stole your kill? You guys were dragging it out, so I finished it off quick. Don't hate me for it. Last hit takes the bounty—that's the rule."
He chuckled dismissively at her protest. Heroes received government bounties for monster kills, and beasts like the Behemoth paid handsomely. Squabbles over final blows weren't uncommon.
But that wasn't Miyeon's issue.
"Dropping it here causes massive civilian casualties."
Her complaint was about the reckless destruction: Kang Cheonhu had obliterated the Behemoth without care, turning the urban area into rubble. She could've slain it anytime but had lured it to the park to minimize damage—ruined by his stunt.
"Heh. Didn't think the haughty 『Sword Princess』 would care about randos."
He eyed her curiously. Known for her icy perfectionism, Miyeon had earned her epithet not just from her swordsmanship but her aloof demeanor—like a sword's princess.
"Our power, as heroes, comes with the Hero's Duty to protect civilians. Why do you disregard them?"
"Tch. Such outdated bullshit. That 'duty' is just crap civilians shove on us. Didn't expect you to buy into it too."
She invoked the sacred Hero's Duty, but he scoffed at it as meaningless drivel.
"This is the age of heroes—a world of the survival of the fittest, where the strong thrive and the weak fall."
Kang Cheonhu declared with smug confidence.