Endless Reconstruction
May 1, 2020. About three weeks after the failure of the Seoul reclamation operation. The Republic of Korea had undergone massive changes, known and unknown alike. The Monster Countermeasures Minister's suicide taking responsibility for the operation's failure, the government's international aid requests and rejections, the recovery of injured heroes like Fire Fist and the countermeasures for their power vacuum. Amid whispers of "Isn't something seriously wrong here?", people began vanishing without a trace one by one. Meanwhile, Shin Seoul continued its peaceful days as if nothing had changed.
In stark contrast, Seoul was changing rapidly. Unlike Shin Seoul, accustomed to peace and safety under the hero Gwanggeom, Seoul was being restored around Yeouido and Dongjak by Cheonghwa-dan. Could people return to live in Seoul again? As many weighed the costs of heading back, others were being expelled from Seoul. Villains. Those who had given up fighting Shin Seoul's heroes, only to slink back after Cheonghwa-dan's victory. They wanted to return to Seoul.
BOOM! An enormous explosion shattered the earthen wall. The man covered head to toe in dirt flinched and rolled away.
Bang! Bang-bang! Bullets pierced the wall, raining down on him. He hastily wrapped dirt around his body to shield his skin, but the bullets were faster, grazing his forearm.
"Gahhh!"
The bullet pierced through the dirt barrier and embedded in his forearm. The wound wasn't deep, but it wounded his pride far more.
"You damn mud monkeys!!"
The man, Gangseo's Ddeun-gae, slammed his palm into the ground. The park's soil surged like a wave. The muddy swell rose about 3 meters into the air, crashing down on Cheonghwa-dan's members.
Ddeun-gae racked his brain and shouted upon recognizing the familiar male voice over the radio.
"You damn Beacon bastard!"
A woman in a mask leaped forward from among the members. The one called Phantom stomped toward the oncoming wave of dirt.
Thud! The ground trembled. Her mana-infused stomp effortlessly crumbled Ddeun-gae's dirt wave. Spotting who she was, Ddeun-gae backed away.
"Ghost?!"
"......"
Phantom tapped her smartwatch silently, unwilling to speak. Beacon's reply came soon.
Beacon's radio cut out briefly before resuming.
"......Really?"
Phantom murmured softly. Ddeun-gae felt like he'd heard that voice before.
"Got it. Not needed then."
Phantom turned away. Ddeun-gae dredged up the memory of that voice.
"You! That crazy bitch?!"
Grit.Phantom ground her teeth. When had she met this rude dirt freak? Phantom—Ga-eul—racked her brain and recalled three weeks ago. Before the Seoul reclamation op, at the villain alliance meeting in Gangnam. She'd attended with Phoenix in tow, and Ddeun-gae had grumbled obnoxiously before even attacking her. The guy swinging a concrete sword. Ga-eul openly grimaced—hidden by her mask, of course.
"Ha. What nerve crawling back here? I told you back then, didn't I? Anyone who runs instead of fighting..."
Ga-eul pointed downward with her finger.
"...can't enter Seoul."
"Bullshit!"
Ddeun-gae roared, slamming the ground. The dirt formed mana-charged spears, ready to launch.
"If words don't work..."
Ga-eul slightly lifted the back of her long coat. Something grayish-white twitched inside. Facing it head-on, Ddeun-gae froze with inexplicable disgust.
"...then force it, right?"
Ga-eul raised her hand. Just as she was about to use her ability, a wind arrow flew past her, embedding in Ddeun-gae's shoulder.
"Argh!"
Ddeun-gae yanked out the wind arrow in agony. Blood fountained from the hole. Enraged, he erected an earthen wall. Another wind arrow struck it.
Crack! The wall crumbled. Ddeun-gae had already vanished. Beacon's radio came through.
"Got it. Thanks. More importantly..."
Ga-eul removed her mask, hanging it on her head. Her surging mana settled, her eyes losing their glow. As a revived kaijin, she felt corpse-like, but far more alive than the guy ahead. A black rider suit with blue flame patterns. Latex-like material hugging her curves—a bona fide woman. The issue? A helmet above her neck, with blue flames flickering inside like hair.
As the rider-suited woman slung her bow over her back, Ga-eul whined.
"Overprotective. I could block this blindfolded."
Protect Cheon Ga-eul no matter what.
The flames in the helmet flickered. No sound, but the woman's intent reached Ga-eul via mana. Ga-eul straightened her clothes with a pout. Her heart ached faintly.
"...So why'd you entrust that to the guy who killed me?"
The heroes of the beheaded Pine Tree Unit. The Lord embedded cores in their severed corpses, turning them into kaijin. Not even treated as executives—just disposable slave fighters. Among them, the most intact one was assigned as my escort.
Of all people, it was the hero Robin—Yu I-sin—who had killed Ga-eul.
"That name! Why such a weird one?!"
Ga-eul tore at her hair. Cheonghwa-dan members were either utterly tasteless or explosively sensitive in naming—no in-between. Her own Phantom was the tamest alias in the group. Especially the captain of the slave fighter unit 'Blue Feathers'—peerless in that regard. Even Phoenix found it a bit off-putting.
"Sigh. Anyway, I can handle this much. Got it? I'll call if I need you next time."
Yu I-sin was blackmailing her with his own life. After nearly three weeks by her side, Cheon Ga-eul saw his nature hadn't changed even as a kaijin.
"Ugh, fine. I'll be careful. ...Beacon? Nothing more here. Clear to return?"
"What? Got a problem?"
"Ugh, done!"
The Architect flopped onto the ground. Before him stood a pristine 20-story apartment building.
"Hah, hah."
If memory served, each unit was worth about 1.5 billion won—a luxury place. He'd restored them to original form, save one completely collapsed building. Thirteen buildings in total.
Three weeks. For three straight weeks, the Architect hadn't rested, rebuilding nonstop. Aside from key Yeouido structures for Cheonghwa-dan bases, he'd focused on homes and apartments, naturally filling them with refugees from Dongjak Underground.
"Good work, Architect."
G12's team leader handed him a potion. After learning to handle him with carrot-and-stick, Ji-hwa had assigned his team exclusively to the Architect.
"Ow! Twisted my ankle!"
As expected, the Architect started whining.
"Oof, my back! I'm dying!"
"As I've said many times, potions restore physical abilities fully. They're all-purpose. Here, you've rested plenty."
G12 handed him a map. Salvaged from the ruined city hall, it showed Dongjak District's admin zones—about 30% marked red. Areas restored by the Architect. Excluding parks and the national cemetery, buildings to rebuild overflowed.
"Argh, seriously! Give me a human break! We rebuilt all of Yeouido!"
For two weeks, he'd poured his soul into Yeouido's structures. Exhausted? Potions shoved in his mouth. Doze off? Potion syringe to the butt. Later, an IV drip to the arm—filled with potions, naturally. Thus, 24/7 peak condition, no need for food or sleep. Pushing human limits, he'd restored every building on Yeouido Island. Beyond endless core supplies, he'd returned the ruins to civilization.
Standing proudly before the pristine National Assembly, the devil whispered.
He wept. For the first time, bawling openly before others. He even confronted her, grabbing the boss's collar in a daze, demanding rest. Her response?
"Said I'd turn you into a kaijin if you puked once more. Kaijin don't need food or sleep. That heartless monster bitch. She sleeps and eats fine herself."
"Well..."
"You haven't done office life, huh? Evil corps are like that. 'Leaders set examples, lead by action, clear water at the top.' They brainwash newbies, but chairmen never do it. Know what that's called in Korean? Kon-dae, old-timer bullshit?"
G12 debated the truth, then muttered it amid the Architect's sneaky rest attempts.
"Beacon-ssi says Phoenix-nim hasn't slept even 10 minutes total up to today."
The Architect's face paled.
Fwoosh. Blue flames ignited over Phoenix's body. The 324th time. Frequency rising.
"...You okay?"
Deok-bae handed her a paper with worried eyes. Phoenix blankly scanned it top to bottom.
"Move into Yeouido housing first? No. They haven't even joined Cheonghwa-dan. Rejected."
She crumpled it and tossed it skyward. A flick of her fingers turned it to ash.
"Next. 'Human waste and trash stink too bad. Do something?' ...After living underground fine till now?"
Phoenix tapped her smartwatch. Clock read 3 a.m.
"...I'll swing by Dongjak. Note it: Incinerate with flames for odorless disposal. Next. Restore a university? Not urgent. Send to Architect. Handle at his discretion."
"You okay?"
Phoenix swayed side to side, reading the next. Elementary diary scribbles—resident suggestions.
"Yeah. Just lend mana to amplify hearing. Oh, three more underground for morning. Batch 'em. Note it."
"No, are you okay?"
Phoenix blinked. Fwoosh. Blue flames enveloped her again. 325th.
"You haven't slept since that night with Cheon Ga-eul."
"Oh? We just held hands to sleep? Subordinate No. 2 ruined it."
"...Yeah."
That day, Deok-bae died and revived as a kaijin for the first time. Crime: leering. Culprit: Cheon Ga-eul. Accomplice: Phoenix.
"Come to think, Ga-eul-ssi drops casual with everyone since then."
Phoenix set papers down, stretching arms. Deok-bae hid his secret notebooks behind his back.
"More comfortable for me, but kinda disappointing."
"That future Cheon Ga-eul stuff?"
Phoenix nodded. She flicked mana; Deok-bae's hidden notebooks flew to her hand.
"Yeah. Maskerade was a lawless villain. Phantom's a villain now too, but different vibe."
With Cheon Ga-eul claiming Phantom, Maskerade became the term for her future self.
"Like Yellow Turbans and Righteous Bandits—same thieves, different styles."
"Thieves vs. robin hoods?"
Phoenix scratched her head with a wry smile.
"Thanks to Phantom, we're stuck playing robin hoods."
"So you planned to exploit all 60,000 Dongjak refugees?"
"Nah. Bury 'em underground. Avoided this hassle."
Deok-bae let it slide.
"Anyway, plenty joined Cheonghwa-dan out of 60k. Yeouido ones work hard."
"No salary from us—they won't bust ass without incentive. Humans don't work that hard sans reward."
Phoenix tore notebook pages one by one.
"Some like Ji-hwa crave power, Architect has pride. Most bowed to survive. See? Barely comfy, desires pop out."
She shook the papers—mostly pleas to escape cave life for modern comforts.
"Don't misunderstand—not bad. We're 21st-century folks, not primitives. Enjoy what we can. You too, Deok-bae-ssi? Data cut makes you antsy after smartphone life. These folks did Stone Age for years."
"So you'll grant 'em all?"
"As feasible. What choice? Picked 'em up, gotta own it."
"Seoul refugees ain't strays?"
Phoenix shrugged noncommittally.
"Strays. Puhuhu. Not wrong. Build homes, fetch food. Oh, Milky Way ingredients?"
"Loaded on trailers to Seongnam. As stolen raid loot."
"Pay for trailers too."
Phoenix stood, incinerating useless papers. She stretched by the window. Fwoosh.Azure Flame again. 326th.
Like force-feeding Architect potions for peak condition, Phoenix cycled mana forcibly for hers. April 14 to May 1—18 days, no sleep.
"Don't worry. Feels civilized, still manageable."
"What now?"
"Listen, Subordinate No. 2. Kaijin don't need food or sleep inherently. Human habits linger for mental satisfaction—"
"Getting wordy means you're sane."
Deok-bae cut in, pointing at her smartwatch alarm.
"Check it. I'll finish these."
"Yes."
Deok-bae left. Phoenix checked the message.
"She's lost it."
Phoenix chuckled, closing the screen instead of replying.
"Fine. We'll see when they come. Not her personally."
She called Beacon. That morning, an envoy from Shin Seoul arrived in Seoul.