Midnight Summit: The Masquerade Crashes In
"Yaaawn." The man stretched with a long yawn. Even with villains from across Seoul gathering for the summit, he felt no tension whatsoever.
"Hey. You falling asleep right now?"
"What else would I be doing at this hour? I'm a morning person."
The man fought back his drowsiness and checked his watch. Five minutes to midnight. The meeting would start soon, and it wouldn't wrap up until at least 3 or 4 a.m.
"Everyone who's coming here?"
"Yeah. Even the Gangseo dirt dog showed. Guro's lighthouse is such a coward, he won't leave his turf."
"What about Yeongdeungpo? No one's from there."
"Dunno. Lost contact a few hours ago. Probably eaten by a monster."
The man mocked the dead as he leaned against the wall. It was basically night watch duty, but no lunatic would attack this place.
Click. Click. Click.
The sound of women's high heels echoed—impossible from the surroundings. It was clearly drawing closer from the darkness.
"...Hey. I didn't imagine that, right?"
Shing. In response to his partner's question, the man drew his sword from its sheath.
Thud. Thud. Dull footsteps accompanied the sharp heel clicks. The man quickly shone his flashlight into the dark.
"A woman?"
The beam swept from bottom to top, illuminating a woman's silhouette. Black high heels, light blue jeans hugging up to her hips. A black T-shirt tucked inside, topped by an elegant cyan-and-white robe. A veil of matching color draped over her nose, concealing the lower half of her face.
"Who are you! Why are you here?"
"...Why else? For the meeting."
Her voice filtered through the veil, sounding vaguely familiar to the man. She pointed at the sword aimed at her.
"Planning to keep pointing that at me forever?"
"Sorry, but where are you from? We didn't hear about anyone standing in for someone."
"Guro."
The man and his partner snickered. In all of Seoul, Guro was infamous for its cowards. No wonder even Haneulseong had written them off.
Knowing her background, the man's attitude turned flippant.
"Hey. Lighthouse send you? Sorry, but there's no spot for him here."
"Not the lighthouse."
As the woman finished speaking, blue flames erupted. The man raised his gun at the blaze illuminating the darkness.
Bang!
Flames spat from the silencer-equipped pistol. The bullet sliced through the night air amid gun smoke, heading straight for the woman's forehead.
Clang!
The bullet vanished with the clash of metal on metal. Only then did the man spot the massive puppet burning with blue flames.
Krrrrr...
A giant over 2 meters tall, dwarfing the man. Its body encased in pitch-black armor, blue flames flickering from the joints. Cyan-and-white feathers ringed its shoulders. An eagle-shaped helm crowned its neck, glowing eyes within flashing hungrily at the man.
"Stand down."
At the woman's command, the monster withdrew its hand. A crumpled bullet dropped from its palm to the ground.
Gulp.
The man's swallow echoed through the parking lot. The woman sneered at him and stepped forward.
"Move. I have business with your boss."
As the man and his partner hesitated under her presence, she strode into the building on clicking heels. The monster following glanced at the man and turned away.
"...What the hell was that?"
Inside the helm, only blue flames burned—no human head. The man fainted on the spot.
[Is that face really so shocking?] The monster grumbled sarcastically.
Ga-eul stifled a laugh and teased back.
"Everyone's startled the first time. Even Deok-bae, Ji-hwa, and me—we were blown away. Is that your ability?"
[No. It's kaijin transformation. Normally, I just mimic a human form.]
"So that's your true appearance?"
The eagle helm shook side to side at Ga-eul's words.
[I have a true form separate from this. No need to reveal it unless necessary.]
"Your speech changes completely too."
[In human form, I adapt to the appearance. No need to keep that speech now as a kaijin. It wouldn't suit this form.]
"...Mana-based telepathy? Right? Hard to tell without sound."
Ga-eul turned to meet the monster—Phoenix's—gaze. The blue flames beneath the eagle's beak stared straight at her, she felt.
"Your tone sounds so manly. How about talking like this normally?"
[I can't control it. It changes with the form.]
"...Hmph. Fine."
Ga-eul halted before the corridor. At its end lay the dining hall where the crime bosses gathered.
"......Kinda tense now."
[You can back out. I can switch to human form and go in.]
"I'm tense, not backing out. Just..."
Ga-eul's hands trembled. The moment that man had fired at her, she'd felt raw fear of death.
Phoenix's black gauntlet gripped her hand firmly.
[Don't fear.]
Blue flames seeped through the metallic glove, warmly enveloping Ga-eul's hand.
[Right now, you're the safest in the world.]
The flames in Phoenix's helm flickered—like a smile. Ga-eul opened her mouth, entranced.
[I'll protect you. Remember: I'm by your side.]
With that, Phoenix vanished. Invisibility magic beyond human sight. Ga-eul bowed her head at the warm grip on her hand.
[What's wrong? You seem flushed.]
"......."
Ga-eul quickened her pace.
"Everyone here?"
The fedora-wearing middle-aged man scanned the room as he spoke. Those seated at the tables raised hands or nodded in response.
He asked the villain beside an empty seat.
"Guro and Yeongdeungpo?"
"No word from Guro. Yeongdeungpo's gone dark."
Haneulseong stubbed out his cigarette.
"Cowards. They ran."
His eyes gleamed under the fedora. The near-S-rank pressure made the regional bosses swallow hard. A few A-ranks were present, but none as close to S-rank as him—that's why he led the alliance de facto.
"This is why I said no cowards..."
"Smart move. Staying put with two S-ranks incoming? Insane."
A man at the table's end mocked Haneulseong—the Gangseo unifier, Dirt Dog.
"Shut it, shit dog."
Dirt Dog wagged his index finger. Gangnam and Gangseo, east and west giants, always clashed. The alliance split into their factions.
"Face reality. Seoul reclamation? Sounds nice, but it's a hero trap to round us up."
Other bosses groaned in agreement. Heroes wouldn't stop at monsters.
"Arrested by heroes? Half rot in Shin Seoul's underground prison forever, half branded as Pine Tree Unit hounds. Heh."
Dirt Dog pointed to his neck—a pine tree scar where skin was flayed.
Haneulseong surged mana to pressure him.
"So you'll tuck tail and flee? Without even fighting?"
"Lose a sure fight? Obviously run. We should've packed and bolted already."
Dirt Dog stirred his mana too. Sky and land in their names—their views polar opposites.
"Seoul's abandoned by the nation. We claimed it—why hand it back? What have those bridge-bombing Shin Seoul bastards done for Seoul?"
"Nothing. But without power to hold land or cash, pay with your life. Corner thugs vs. the country? No way. You know, Haneulseong—War on Crime. Right?"
Dirt Dog scanned the room. Other bosses wavered.
"Enough. We're not here to run. We're discussing how to fight."
"Heh. Gangnam landlord can't quit. Villain alliance? Glorified street thugs. Think we beat heroes united?"
Dirt Dog rapped the table.
"Wake up. Sell everything, flee overseas. Seongnam and Incheon's already got bounties on us. Pool cash, bolt to China or Russia. That's survival now."
"Then why are you still here?"
Dirt Dog shrugged.
"Sold it all already. Watching you clowns before I bounce. Gangseo's public domain now. Heh."
He patted his vest pocket with a sly grin. Seeing property-obsessed Dirt Dog ready to flee shook the bosses for real.
This won't do. As Haneulseong moved to shift the mood, a voice came from beyond the door.
"Oh. Perfect then."
Click. Click.
Heel clicks at the entrance. Villain eyes turned.
"Was itching to take Gangseo anyway."
The sudden woman entering flustered them.
"How'd you get in?!"
"Through the front door, obviously. So you were Gangseo's owner?"
Her veiled face half-hidden, but her eyes mocked Dirt Dog.
"Mind if I say hi? That turf's ours now."
"You bitch...!"
Dirt Dog leaped up, slamming the table. Stone spikes erupted from the floor at the woman.
"Such...!"
Haneulseong startled, stirring mana—but massive mana blocked the spikes first.
Boom!
The spikes exploded in a mana surge. Dirt Dog, riding the last ones, tumbled covered in blast debris.
"Gaaah!"
The woman kicked the needle-studded boss aside with her heel, checking the seat.
"Nameplates? Getting serious."
Yeongdeungpo, Guro, Gangseo. She shoved their chairs aside and sat boldly at Guro's spot.
Haneulseong raised a hand to calm the agitated villains.
"Where's the lighthouse?"
"Busy polishing Guro's windows. Guro's 'ours' now."
"Yeongdeungpo too?"
"Oh, sharp? As expected from a Y University prof."
Haneulseong groaned. She knew his identity—no one else here did.
"...Who are you? From where?"
"Your guards asked the same. Since we're here, introductions."
The woman stood, hand lightly on chest, bowing.
"From the villain group that took Guro: Cheonghwa-dan's Masquerade. Here to consult on Seoul reclamation before it starts."
Haneulseong eyed her, doubting the mana flow he sensed. Non-powered. But the chilling aura behind her was beyond his grasp. Only top A-ranks in the room felt it. B-rank bosses bristled at this upstart acting like owner.
"Hmph! Fresh meat needs initiation!"
A sleeveless man charged, fists clenched.
The woman stared blankly at his fist.
"...!"
Haneulseong saw it—the giant monster pressed against her back. It manifested in an instant to protect her, grabbing the fist and hurling him through the window.
Crash!
Bosses panicked at the man flung meters out.
"Telekinesis?!"
No. Haneulseong was sure. The hidden monster behind her eyed him especially.
"Kaijin... human?"
His scholar instinct labeled it. Human ferocity like a monster. Mana like a beast. What else but kaijin?
Bang!
The woman slammed the table, drawing eyes.
"Let's get to it. How we defend Seoul."
Confidence brimmed in Cheon Ga-eul's smile beneath the veil.