Reclaim the Earth: Warriors Unhypnotized (4)
"Hic...!! Hic!!"
"……"
"……"
"Hueek...!! Aaang!!"
"Stop bawling already! You think Scarlett's coming back just 'cause you're crying?!"
"But...! But nooo!!!"
Park Jisoo snapped at Sumire, who wouldn't stop sobbing.
"That idiot Scarlett got exactly what she deserved! She's always been careless. The second she got an opening, she'd brag about her gun, saying one shot and it's over, ignoring everyone who told her to be careful!"
"Scarlett sis... that's so sad..."
"Even this time! She could've just sniped him, but no, she had to get close and yell something. That was her fatal mistake! Why take that risk, you moron? She probably wanted revenge more than completing the mission. Put her feelings first. And look at the result—total humiliation!"
"To get brainwashed by Kim Hoyoung, the guy she hated so much, and end up like that... What are we gonna do about Scarlett sis? She said after this mission, she'd go back to acting... Hic. Hueek."
"...Damn it!"
In truth, Park Jisoo felt just as conflicted. Sumire seemed like a spoiled brat because she was Himeko's daughter and the previous generation's maknae, while Himeko, as leader, kept too many secrets for Jisoo to warm up to her. Truth be told... despite all their bickering, Scarlett was the only one Jisoo could call a friend.
Above all, seeing the most aggressive member kneel before Kim Hoyoung with a blissful smile and declare herself his sex slave—it was enough to crush the previous generation of W.L.K's morale.
That's why Jisoo was taking it out on Sumire.
"Sumire, you! Scarlett's the enemy now, so erase her from your mind! If we meet again, you might have to kill her!"
"K-Kill her...? Scarlett sis?"
"Obviously! Didn't you see that video? She's calling herself a loyal dog now! No, more loyal than a dog... an onahole! If we go after Kim Hoyoung, she'll definitely block us. She knows everything about us!"
"...What if we convince Scarlett sis again..."
"You idiot! If that were possible, we wouldn't be suffering like this! When have hypnotized people ever listened to us?"
"But Scarlett sis is special. She had hypnosis resistance, so maybe..."
"Sumire!!!"
"What?!"
The two let their emotions boil over, raising their voices. It was the first time Sumire had ever directly confronted Park Jisoo like this. She'd always been the mediator between Jisoo and Scarlett... Losing Scarlett was a massive blow to her.
"Enough of that, you two."
Fujiwara no Himeko, who had stayed calm throughout, soothed her agitated members. Having faced Kim Hoyoung multiple times and seen the organization crumble before, she wasn't rattled by losing Scarlett.
"Park Jisoo's right about Scarlett. She had a clear shot to kill him but failed due to her own mistake."
"Mom!"
"Sumire. Listen to Mom."
"……."
Sumire swallowed her words, clenching her fist under the table where her mother couldn't see. Even if it was her mom, badmouthing poor Scarlett sis was too much.
"Everyone, etch Scarlett's failure into your hearts and don't repeat it. For now... focus on defense over offense. Since she knows this location, we have to assume Kim Hoyoung does too. This place isn't safe anymore. Let's move first."
"Moving together is too risky. Plan G."
"Each takes their secret escape route. Good."
Plan G was their contingency to avoid a mass hypnosis wipeout. Since anyone could fall to hypnosis, everyone had a personal emergency exit only they knew about. Escaping separately via those—that was Plan G.
"We'll go to ground for a while. I'll call you when it's safe."
"Got it, Leader."
"Yes, Mom."
Himeko's final reminder to the members:
"Remember, Kim Hoyoung's hypnosis can spread through video or audio. Be careful with phones from now on. Scarlett knows our numbers."
"I was planning to anyway, Leader. Sorry, but I'll be going dark and suspecting you and Sumire too."
"Jisoo sis, doubting your comrades again..."
"No, Jisoo's right. Sumire, never forget—we could turn enemy anytime. Though my unique constitution makes me immune to his hypnosis."
"True, we can trust Leader on that."
"If Mom's got that special trait, then I, inheriting her blood, might be immune to Kim Hoyoung's hypnosis too—"
"Sumire!!"
Himeko sharply scolded her daughter, who seemed to be entertaining dangerous thoughts. Forcing her to look up, Himeko gripped her shoulders hard enough to hurt.
"Don't even think it. Scarlett fell because she acted alone. Next op... it'll be an annihilation strike: me included, three of us hitting Kim Hoyoung at once. Until then, stay hidden like mice."
"In an annihilation strike, what about Scarlett sis?"
"...She'll probably try to protect her master. We'd have to break through her shield to reach him."
"So you're saying we'll end up killing Scarlett sis."
"No choice."
"…………………………………Got it."
Sumire nodded quietly.
"You really get it?"
"Yes, Mom."
"………Fine. Let's scatter."
With a slightly distrustful glance, Himeko released her daughter. The three parted via their individual routes, and Sumire sprinted down the underground passage without her mother or Jisoo.
Her footsteps, filled with resolve, were rough and heavy.
"Mom and Jisoo sis both plan to kill Scarlett sis. I can't let that happen—never... They're all crazy. If we abandon comrades, how are we any different from Kim Hoyoung?!"
—Racing through the dark underground passage, Sumire recalled a year ago. That hellish moment when the world began to go mad.
"Are you well?"
"Thanks to you. And you?"
Gakushuin University, the school for highborn ladies. A through-school from kindergarten to university, Fujiwara no Sumire had entered Gakushuin Kindergarten at age five, progressing through elementary, middle, high, and now university—all at Gakushuin.
Once attended by imperial family and nobility, even after the class system ended, it retained prestige among the elite. For Sumire of the Fujiwara family—political dynasty proud of serving the Emperor—it was natural to fill her academic resume with Gakushuin.
Himeko had graduated from there too, befriending the crown prince as classmates.
A noble school entrusting elite offspring, it emphasized etiquette and refinement above all. Vulgar talk was unimaginable at Gakushuin.
Until that day—
"Lady Sumire, are you well?"
"Ah, Lady Kazuha. Thanks to you, I—"
Sumire couldn't finish her morning greeting, standard even among friends at Gakushuin.
Her friend Kazuha looked blatantly off.
"Fine weather today, Lady Sumire. All thanks to Lord Kim Hoyoung's grace."
"...Lady Kazuha?"
Ponytail with a striking red ribbon, the refined lady was the second daughter of Giota Motors' chairman—the world's top automaker. Though common-born, her family's wealth ranked top three at Gakushuin. Driven by her father's desire to buy nobility, Kazuha out-nobled nobles in upbringing.
Sumire had always admired her endurance, bearing her strict father's ambitions with elegant restraint.
"Ah, not feeling up to school today. You, Lady Sumire?"
"...Lady Kazuha?"
Yet here she was in a crop top and micro-miniskirt barely hiding her panties—an impossible outfit at Gakushuin. Sumire could hardly look, mortified.
But she couldn't look away: Kazuha had her hand in her panties, scratching furiously like she was masturbating.
Worried her friend had lost it, Sumire blocked the hand with her bag and scanned for onlookers.
"Lady Kazuha, please stop. What's wrong? Something shake you?"
"? Huh? Nothing like that. More importantly, you're blocking my pussy-scratching. Move the bag?"
"……………"
Pussy.
She knew the word... but hearing it? First time. A crack formed in Sumire's ladylike life.
"What's wrong, Lady Sumire? Don't tell me you're not under Lord Kim Hoyoung's hypnosis?"
"K-Kim Hoyoung? Who's that...? Sounds Chinese or Korean? Not Japanese... Associating with bad neighbors isn't wise."
Kind-hearted but raised under ultranationalist Himeko, Sumire harbored poor views of neighboring nations.
"Looks like you haven't received Lord Hoyoung's blessing yet. Whatever. The world will be his soon. Not long for you either, Lady Sumire."
"Lady Kazuha, sorry, but you seem unwell. Gakushuin has excellent doctors—come with me for a checkup. People might see this indecency."
"Sigh... such a pain."
"? What did you say?"
Kazuha scratched her head and spat on the street. Sumire's heart nearly stopped in shock.
"Said you're a pain~. I'm fine as Lord Hoyoung's sex slave. Ugh~ maybe drop out."
"You've mentioned this Hoyoung nonstop... Who the hell is he to make you like this? Lady Kazuha... did you get a sleazy boyfriend—"
That instant.
Every billboard in the city crackled, broadcasts halting for an unfamiliar man's face and voice.
Kazuha snapped to attention at the sight, ignoring Sumire completely afterward.
"Yes! Lord Hoyoung! Kazuha will obey anything you say!"
"Yes! Kazuha will do anal masturbation. Ahh, Lord Hoyoung commanded it. Can't disappoint..."
"Lady Kazuha! Stripping your skirt in public—what heresy is this?!"
"Who the hell are you~? You're blocking my anal play. Get lost. Ahh, fingering my ass while watching Lord Hoyoung's face... instant reaction. Oh, fuck, this is sex."
'Sorry, but I hate dirty jokes... sorry.' Sumire recalled Kazuha sternly rebuking a senior's light sex joke at a party. Contrasting that with the pervert now shaking her hips and fingering her ass on asphalt, she struggled to accept they were the same person.
"Lady Kazuha... how did this..."
Sumire looked up at the billboard man spouting nonsense with a bored face. This ordinary guy... made Kazuha like this?
I absolutely won't forgive him.
That was the moment Sumire first recognized Kim Hoyoung's existence.