Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Field Test
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That living like this with a screw-loose Eun Haon wasn't so bad.
That it might not matter anymore that the woman with that unguarded face had once been so vicious and cruel.
That if her current state was the result of having lost her mind, he hoped she would stay that way.
Though he thought it was ridiculous, Juyeol found the time he spent in the same space as Eun Haon to be quite pleasant.
“What do I do? It's all so good!”
“Then eat it all.”
“It's so good, it's a shame to see it disappear.”
“What are you talking about.”
After a satisfying meal, Haon, feeling drowsy from their nonsensical conversation, naturally made her way to the sofa.
Just before her fading vision went black, she saw Juyeol.
It wasn't until the next morning that she noticed the blanket she'd been sleeping under had been replaced with a new one.
From that day on, Haon began to come and go from his safe house as if it were natural.
* * *
A few nights later, in the old district.
*Thwack!*
For a sound coming from a Hero’s grip, it was rather plain and underwhelming, but the projectile’s effect was significant.
River fiddled with the patch gun that fit in one hand and stared straight ahead.
The villain, who just moments before had been crushing bricks with his bare hands, was now at a loss.
“W-what is this? What the hell is this! Why all of a sudden…!”
He could feel the effects of the stimulant fading due to some unknown force.
The stimulant, its duration now extended to ten minutes, was already causing numerous problems.
Not only was it being used in crimes, but it was also fueling turf wars, leading to an increase in major incidents.
Villains couldn't stop taking the stimulant despite the side effects, yet they had learned nothing about the existence of 'Phantom,' the one who sold it.
The same was true for the Heroes.
After timing how long it took for the patch to take full effect, River knocked the villain out with a blow to the neck from her long staff.
“How was it over there?”
She turned to her side and asked. Finder walked over, shrugging his shoulders.
“The fast ones are the problem. It's not easy to hit them with the patch.”
Neither of them looked displeased.
For the past few days, they had been using the patch guns Ghost had brought them, following Hunter's instructions. Despite being prototypes, they were remarkably effective.
And that was what made it suspicious.
The fact that Eun Haon, who had only ever made things for villains, was giving these away for free made them all the more wary.
Rumors were rampant that she and Nova had broken up, so it seemed a change had certainly occurred, but they couldn't let their guard down just because she suddenly appeared vulnerable.
Countless people had underestimated the viciousness packed into her small frame and paid dearly for it.
Besides, for reasons unknown, Eun Haon was targeting Ghost.
The combination of ‘Eun Haon and Nova’ was terrifying, but the combination of ‘Eun Haon and Ghost’ was just as dreadful.
If Ghost really were to quit being a Hero and become a villain…
It was an unbearable thought.
The idea of a former ally becoming an enemy was unsettling enough, but for that ally to be Ghost…
Every Hero who had ever sparred with him said the same thing.
That man was just born to fight.
Moreover, the grit he'd developed living on the streets of the old district was fully embedded in his fighting style.
As River and Finder headed back to Headquarters, the same unspoken thought surfaced in both their minds.
‘It would be easier to just lure Dr. Eun over to Headquarters than to let Ghost become a villain.’
* * *
A week later.
Haon was lying on her stomach on the sofa, reading through some documents.
She was reviewing the user feedback on the Potion Nullification Patch, which the Heroes had passed on through Juyeol.
It was already the second time she had slightly altered the patch gun's design and settings based on their feedback.
This was the third round of feedback.
There were many things to consider, as it had to be easy to use in the heat of battle, even for those who couldn't handle mana.
‘Looks like it’s still hard to hit fast-moving villains. I should make a separate patch gun with magnetic properties.’
Haon kicked her feet up and down before rolling over onto her side.
“She treats this place like her own home.”
Juyeol, having finished cleaning the kitchen, muttered as he watched Haon comfortably rolling around his safe house.
His tone was gruff, but the corners of his mouth were slightly turned up.
The safe house, with its small living room and two bedrooms, couldn't be called spacious by any stretch of the imagination.
But it wasn't so small that it would feel cramped just because a chestnut-sized person was rolling around.
Granted, there was an acorn-sized bird in the mix, but the two of them combined were smaller than the dining table.
For someone so small, her presence was immense. Whenever she visited, the house felt surprisingly large after she left.
No. Should he say it felt empty?
Just then, Haon shot up.
“I'm heading out for today.”
“...?”
The curve of Juyeol's lips flattened back into a straight line.
Haon had never come to the safe house and left without sleeping over.
“What's with the sudden change?”
“I'm going to check out the old district. I need to try using the patch gun myself.”
Although she had created the patch gun, she had only ever fired it during tests at the lab. That alone wasn't enough to make it user-friendly for the field.
“I don't know how long I'll be, so you go to bed first. I'll do a round and then head back to the lab…?”
Haon was checking a map of the old district on her phone and heading for the door when she glanced to the side.
Juyeol was naturally following her.
He must have put on his tactical harness at some point, as he was now clicking magazines into the empty slots.
“You’re coming with me?”
“Felt like stretching my legs. It’s been a while.”
Right. He might be cooped up in the safe house now, but he was originally a Hero.
His baseline level of activity must have been immense.
“Perfect. Then you can try out the patch gun and let me know what you think.”
Haon handed him a patch gun and pulled her cap down firmly.
“So, where do I have to go to find villains up to no good?”
*BOOM! RUMBLE!*
Before her question was even finished, an explosion roared from outside.
“Did you forget where you are?”
Juyeol let out a short laugh and also pulled his cap down.
“This place is crawling with bad guys.”
* * *
“Keuk!”
A villain slammed into a wall after being hit by a mana bullet.
“Blue, what was the potion's duration just now?”
[It was 20 minutes. The side effect of muscle expansion began about 5 minutes after the potion was used.]
“Huh?”
Haon was surprised at how much faster the potion was stabilizing than she’d expected.
Who on earth were the scientists Halo had hired to be this skilled?
Had they really managed to uncover the nature of mana?
“Head down—never mind.”
*Rat-tat-tat-tat—*
The sound of gunfire rang out just as Juyeol stopped his warning.
He kicked off the wall, nimbly spinning his body in mid-air.
But there had been no need.
A section of the wall had shot out like a tree branch, blocking all the bullets.
Juyeol glanced back and saw that it was, as expected, Haon's ability.
He leaped onto the protruding wall. His movements seemed to defy gravity.
He easily neutralized the startled villain by shooting him twice in the leg.
It was the one who had been hit with the nullification patch before the side effects could even manifest.
As he landed lightly on the ground, Haon returned the wall to its original state.
“Should I make the magazine bigger?”
“It's fine. You said you’re making a magnetic patch, right? Then this is enough.”
Haon nodded at Juyeol's response and jotted something down on her phone.
He stared at her, a strange sense of dissonance washing over him.
He had assumed that since she had clearly lost her memories, she would have zero combat experience, but that wasn't the case at all.
While they were hunting villains to test the patch gun, Haon was…
‘Why is she so good at fighting?’
Juyeol replayed Haon's actions one by one in his mind.
Her stamina was rock bottom and her reflexes were terrible, but her positioning was superb.
She maintained a distance that kept her out of his way in close combat but allowed her to assist at a moment's notice.
If there were no cars or barrels on the roadside, she would even raise a wall to create cover.
Since her shield could block all bullets, her aim seemed to be to conceal his form and create shadows even under the streetlights.
She was assisting him while simultaneously monitoring potion reactions, testing the patch gun, and dealing with villains. It was remarkably adept.
She had been amazing at the private exhibition, but this was a little different.
Back then, it was more about manipulating cloth to hinder people's movements. Today, she looked comfortable in combat itself.
He even had the illusion that he was working as a pair with a seasoned field Hero.
“For people who aren't a bad match for mana, the side effects aren’t severe, so we can’t let our guard down just because the potion’s effect has worn off.”
Even now, she didn't bat an eye at the sight of someone bleeding from a gunshot wound.
How could this be the same person who used to tremble in fear at the slightest shout and cower before Heroes?
Was it because the memories remained in her body and subconscious?
‘Even so, the original Eun Haon wasn't the type to pay attention to her surroundings while shooting.’
Juyeol mulled over the unresolved question as he followed Haon.
For someone who kept muttering about how dark and scary it was, there was no hesitation in her steps as she led the way.