Chapter 93: Pony Training. Military Horse Training (2026-02-04)

“Even if she kicks a little, it doesn’t matter, right? Once we tie her up with a rope and catch her, it’s over. After selling her, the market guys will lock her in a small pen and starve her for days while retraining her, or beat her with a whip until she understands—that’s not our problem.”

“We’ll just sell her and split the money fairly. Right? Look at her. What kind of cheap mongrel mare does she look like? That long, flowing golden hair and those uninhibited steps. She’s probably worth a lot more since she’s well-trained.”

“Hah… really…! Let’s get ready quickly.”

With no master present, this perfectly trained military horse. The thought of snatching this ponygirl and selling her for a life-changing sum sent a greedy flame of lust into every idol fan’s eyes.

—Thud!

With a dull impact, the first herb gatherer to charge forward collapsed right where he stood.

He took a direct hit to the ribs from Sonia’s rear kick, the wild military horse’s special move, and didn’t even scream before passing out. Just like the “thunder party” Luce once described from a dungeon, no one helped the fallen man.

Instead, the other herb gatherers began rummaging through his bag to see if there was anything worth taking.

What… what is this… These people… They look like herb gatherers… Why did they suddenly charge at me… H-Huh… Could it be… the kidnappers I heard Luce talk about so many times?!

While carefully descending the mountain, Sonia reflexively turned at the eerie killing intent she felt from behind.

Hah… haa… Panting heavily, the herb gatherers in strange outfits charged toward her with eyes burning with greed.

Sonia’s body moved faster than her rational mind could process.

Just like it had been imprinted through countless repetitions over long years. She spun her body and struck with her rear foot—a steel-hard kick using the military horse special move—straight into the man’s side.

Wait, I need to adjust my strength. The thought flashed through her mind, but the perfect strike had already left her foot. The herb gatherer was sent flying like a sheet of paper and slammed into a tree.

This… This is self-defense since I was the one who was attacked first… B-But right now that’s not the issue… What on earth are these people? H-Huh… Could it be? The kidnappers… human traffickers… that Luce warned me about over and over?!

Cold reality slammed into Sonia’s head. This situation wasn’t training or role-play.

Human traffickers?! Really… are these people actual human traffickers?!

The cool, damp night air felt like a blade slicing through her thoughts.

At that moment, the story of the nighttime patrol request that Luce had once rambled about in a heroic tone flashed through her mind like lightning.

The story of a mysterious group in black latex bodysuits kidnapping people indiscriminately as brainwashed combatants, causing adventurer guild requests for nighttime patrols to flood in like an overflowing river.

Could it really be that these shabby-looking people in front of her were the perpetrators of that vicious crime?

The people standing before Sonia’s eyes were nothing like the shadowy, knife-sharp organized crime group Luce had described.

They were just a group of mismatched herb gatherers who had climbed the nearby mountain today to gather herbs, gotten carried away by one of their companions’ ridiculous fantasy, and were now chasing a big dream with a full battery of happy circuits.

Even the ropes in their hands weren’t professional restraint tools but something easily obtainable anywhere. Rather than threatening, they looked so pitiful that anyone watching would feel sorry for them.

“S-Stop moving! This is an order!”

“Hug…! Haa…!”

One of the herb gatherers squeezed out every ounce of courage to shout, but his voice trembled with unmistakable fear and dissipated into the night air.

In Sonia’s mind, the image of the vicious criminal organization from Luce’s stories mixed with the pathetic reality before her eyes, beginning to weave a bizarre and surreal fantasy.

If they really were the culprits behind the chain disappearances, what would have happened to the countless kidnapped victims by now? Would all their useless memories before joining the organization have been wiped, turning them into obedient brainwashed combatants who only followed commands?

Perhaps the victims were following the order to act as if they remembered nothing and behave normally, secretly hiding in the deep darkness of Sky City.

Just like how magical girls who fell to evil villain organizations would do.

Sonia’s delusions stretched on and on, but reality was nothing more than a pathetic farce unfolding in the deep midnight of Sky City on a quiet mountain slope where hardly anyone passed.

A one-sided fight where weak, overeager herb gatherers were kicked around and rolled by a female military horse hero overflowing with fighting spirit—an embarrassing spectacle to even call one-sided.

These… these scoundrel human traffickers…! I didn’t deliberately look for them, but since they appeared before me, I will never forgive them…!

A group of herb gatherers who had hastily changed their schedule to catch the appetizing ponygirl in front of them. Sonia had completely mistaken them for a massive criminal organization threatening Sky City’s peace—vicious chain kidnappers.

They weren’t even military ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠horse training, just ordinary, greedy herb gatherers who could be easily subdued by a D-class hero’s weak kick.

Uh… uh…? This… might be more fun than I thought…?

Sonia lightly extended her foot without putting much strength into it, pushing them away like a reed swaying in the wind. Nevertheless, the “human traffickers” rolled around ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with pitiful screams and passed out easily. Their resistance was utterly futile.

Not human traffickers, but rather herb gatherers who had planned to leash a wild ponygirl and sell her at the market. Pony sellers… or just shabby, greedy herb gatherers.

Human traffickers… vicious criminals… If they’re at this level, I could wipe out all the remaining villains in Sky City in one go… No. This is definite!

Sonia’s happy circuit began spinning at breakneck speed. Even though she didn’t have the plasma pistol issued by the association right now, she had these sturdy legs trained like steel by the military horse special move.

Her outfit was a bit embarrassing and humiliating, but suppressing them all was a simple matter of time.

Sonia’s happy circuit, which had completely misunderstood ordinary herb gatherers as a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠massive villain organization, refused to stop.

By the way, the association said if we gather activity points, they’ll lend us new equipment… Of course, but… for simple requests like facility checks that don’t require equipment, they barely give any points…

Despite having joined the Megacorp Hero Association later than Sonia, the sight of junior heroes equipped with the latest gear after diligently gathering points through the special association guidance training that Sonia had received floated before her eyes.

The girls with voluptuous breasts barely covered by black latex bodysuits and complex mechanical parts on their heads that Luce had casually mentioned from a chance encounter on the road. It was unbearable to see them overtaking her.

Human traffickers. Villains. A criminal group composed of multiple people. If she wiped them all out and reported discovering a villain base…

If the report was written well—even if she exaggerated a little by saying she hadn’t lied but had slightly inflated the facts—Sonia could become a great hero who single-handedly wiped out an entire villain base in one breath.

“Huf… hit… phuh…”

Huuit… hit… hehe…

At the exact moment her mouth unconsciously curved into a smile from being deeply immersed in the sweet fantasy, Sonia felt a strange sensation as if something in her mind had “clicked” and switched circuits with cold force.

Ah… hee…?

Her vision blurred. An intense flash of light that could blind her eyes burst forth.

Black and sky-blue geometric patterns flashed intensely, paralyzing her rational thinking.

The sounds of reality faded, and a soft, sweet synthesized voice from the past whispered directly into her mind.

Her body was fixed in a cold ergonomic reclining chair, and the sensation of obediently repeating the voice coming from the helmet on her head returned.

And.