Chapter 88
Chapter 88
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: Awakening (2)
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A sudden hard choke on the neck cuts off the blood flow and oxygen heading to the brain. Assuming it's done right, you can knock out a person in under eight seconds.
Crow, who had slipped behind Orca's back, tensed his forearms and biceps, locking a chokehold around her neck. If the carotid artery choke landed properly, a human would pass out almost immediately without some special intervention.
Orca, caught off guard, grabbed at Crow's arm to pry it away, but shaking off a technique that had already sunk in was next to impossible.
Crow wrapped his legs tightly around Orca's waist while his arms fully subdued her head and neck, maneuvering her into a position where she couldn't move properly.
So,
Orca squeezed every bit of her fading judgment and pressed her palm against Crow's side.
She worried his recovery ability might have kicked back in, but first, she had to prevent the worst-case scenario of passing out herself.
Kwachud-!
Ice burst abruptly from her palm.
A powerful shockwave spread in all directions. It would have surely bisected even Crow if it had hit.
But he didn't overcommit—he released his hold and dodged before the ice could pierce his side. He felt even more agile than before.
"Kek... Cugh..."
A little later, and Orca would have lost consciousness. Even now, her face was flushed bright red, her mind still hazy.
Not missing a beat, Crow kicked open the doctor's shelf with his foot,
grabbing medical scissors from inside and a fountain pen left carelessly on the desk.
"C-Calm down...! I'm trying to... help you...!"
Orca hurriedly cleared her throat, trying to persuade Crow.
But Crow's fountain pen had already shattered the room's only light, plunging the infirmary into pitch blackness.
The human eye, exposed to bright light until now, needs time to adapt to darkness. Sometimes it takes tens of minutes in this physiological demand, leaving Orca to navigate by the occasional red emergency lights seeping in.
But not Crow. His pitch-black eyes were already sharply scanning the wrecked infirmary interior.
"I'm trying to help! Crow, calm...!"
An unexpected kick slammed into Orca's cheek. She didn't even register it fully—a tooth cracked, and blood welled inside her mouth.
But Crow never let up in a fight. He kept thinking, using every tool at hand with full seriousness until the opponent fully surrendered or he tired out.
"Agh...!"
This time, the scissor tips stabbed into Orca's shoulder. The intense pain radiated instantly to her collarbone, abdomen, lower back, behind her knee, and finally her Achilles tendon.
"Stop!"
Pureung-
Judging she had no chance in close quarters, Orca obliterated the infirmary door and bolted out, buying time to regroup. Blood streamed from wounds all over her body, but her palm never strayed from pointing toward where Crow was.
"Haa, hup... Don't make me fight for real. It's good you're recovered, but first, hear me out..."
Sporadic red emergency lights dimly illuminated the interior,
but Crow was nowhere to be seen.
"It's a riot. The inmates are rioting! I'm protecting you..."
Her blue eyes gathered strength, pushing back the red murky darkness. A blue chill and cold light began pooling in her palm.
"No, forget it. If talk won't work, I'll subdue you first. Surrender and come out by the count of three. Or else..."
In response, the man's figure slowly emerged.
Through the wide-open hole, Crow glared silently at Orca under the red light,
his fist still trembling from the drug's aftereffects,
yet his pitch-black eyes unwavering.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
8:45 AM,
As Orca faced off against Crow,
Lily and Deoksoon roamed the halls searching for Crow,
and Creep used her ability on the Special Supervision Wing guard—that very moment.
Scardi had already escaped the chaotic C Wing with Rin.
She'd given her other subordinates simple, clear orders to flee amid the confusion,
keeping only Rin by her side before setting out to find Crow herself.
Taang-!
Gunshots echoed sporadically. They seemed to have authorized live fire.
But the panicked inmates were brawling among themselves or charging at guards with fists flying.
Violence was rampant throughout the prison. Amid it all, only Scardi could sort her thoughts.
"Rin, ice walls are up around us."
Beyond the windows, unnatural darkness filled the view. Orca's ability had sealed off the entire prison.
"They're stalling for time. Called for backup. From the Association."
Scardi sensed the situation turning dire. Even inmates from A and B Wings had burst out, mindlessly sprinting halls, spraying fire extinguishers at each other—idiotic antics. Yet she sought the best gain in this mess.
"Justice is coming. Or should have been here already. Too late. Is she hesitating?"
"Kill them all! Slaughter every last...!"
Rin snapped a swift punch to the throat of an unnamed inmate blocking their path. Even weakened by drugs, her strike felled him cleanly, without waste.
She needed to let Scardi think clearly. Rin stayed by her side, expression unchanged amid the chaos.
"Rin, enough. Leave trash like this. We need Crow—or Justice."
They stepped lightly over the twitching inmate and pressed on.
"...Or maybe they'll all gather anyway."
Under the red emergency lights, only pandemonium reigned,
but their steps never faltered.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
8:45 AM,
the same time,
Justice had received the urgent support request and immediately ordered her subordinate heroes to deploy,
yet for some reason, she—the strongest force—hadn't moved yet.
"..."
In front of a full-length mirror,
she stared at her uniformed reflection, questioning endlessly.
Should she protect Crow,
or if not,
choose this world in his place.
[Director, can you hear me?]
Alarms blared inside Association HQ as info flooded in. Association agents kept feeding Justice updates.
[Reporters and civilians are already crowding the prison perimeter. Police have cordoned it off for safety and are on standby, but people are filming live or streaming on SNS.]
Humans who live for attention and buzz.
Superpowered battles always draw headlines. Especially a prison riot—prime material for website front pages.
[Team A ETA three minutes.] [Team B on-site standby. Awaiting orders.]
"Don't enter yet. Wait for me."
[Roger, holding position.] [No bullshit—clear out the reporters. Don't even mention riot.] [Got it.]
No more time to delay.
But Justice knew all too well: if she showed up, she'd have to subdue the rampaging inmates somehow.
That's what everyone wanted,
showmanship for justice, for the masses.
But if,
Crow was among those ringleaders.
Could Justice subdue him?
No—she had to. He was branded a villain. With the prison riot spotlight on, every citizen's eyes would be watching.
But she couldn't see Crow as a villain. Lily's shady conspiracy clearly proved his innocence.
"En route. All units hold."
...Her mind not fully made up,
Justice donned her cape and uniform, wrapping her body in golden aura.
"I'll take field command. Everyone except entry teams follows HQ. Ignore reporter mics. I'll brief the situation simply."
The morning sky hung dull. Rain seemed imminent.
Amid the humid air, Justice rose silently,
then streaked toward the prison, trailing a long golden tail...
Exactly one minute,
covering dozens of kilometers in a flash.
Her power was ample.
She just hadn't decided yet.
8:47 AM,
Creep smashed through the Special Supervision Wing door,
Justice and Hero Association arrived on-site,
"Eek! W-Wait!"
Deoksoon and Lily reached the left end of the infirmary hallway,
"...What."
Scardi and Rin reached the right end of the infirmary hallway.
Orca stood between them.
And through the massive hole opposite Orca,
"..."
Crow fully emerged under the red light.