So That's What It Was
So that was it.
A fierce battle of nerves was unfolding between the two nations that had made this mountain range their border. They differed in religion and ethnicity, had clashed throughout history, and were once again engaged in small-scale border skirmishes. Until now, the Management Bureau had not intervened at the organizational level, but this time was different. For some reason, the international order had shifted, and the policies of the great powers supporting these two nations had changed as well. The Bureau predicted that this skirmish would not remain a mere border dispute but would escalate into a full-scale war.
That did not mean the Bureau was stepping in out of some lofty sense of superiority, preaching that "war is bad and peace is good." After calculating every possibility, every gain and loss, the conclusion was that intervention would be beneficial, which was why we had been dispatched. Though the Management Bureau was a supranational organization, it did not play the role of a perfectly neutral mediator. Instead, it wielded heroes—the ultimate weapons—as instruments to influence global affairs. In that sense, our climb up this mountain had nothing to do with the noble ideals of justice and common sense that people usually associated with heroes.
So instead of exchanging stern, dignified lines like the heroes in the media, we chatted idly as we ascended.
"Hey, Kyo Suhyeon. Are you really going to become an academy professor?"
"I told you I am."
"Why?"
"I don't have the aptitude for being a hero, and even less for Secreto. Rather than walking a tightrope every day waiting to die, I'd rather retire early and live comfortably."
"Well, with your personality, you'd make a better scholar than a hero."
Seo Ji-ah, walking beside us, chimed in.
"Your nickname back at the academy was Gray Mold, wasn't it? Because you liked staying in dark corners. And now you're obsessed with defense studies, so you're basically..."
"A total nerd, right?"
Han Tae-woo burst out laughing at his own joke and slapped my shoulder.
"By the way, when are you going to show us that Mental Barrier thing you mentioned?"
"It's still a long way off. It'll be years before I can even attempt it."
"What the hell? A technique for managing mental health shouldn't be that difficult. Anyway... retire quickly and secure a position at the academy. By the time our Min-ha enrolls, you should at least be an associate professor."
"Associate professor? For that, I'd need to retire at B-class or higher. So bring me some good missions. That way I can get promoted and actually teach Min-ha."
"Ji-ah. Did you hear that? Record everything with the body cam so this bastard can't back out later."
Seo Ji-ah smiled and turned her body cam straight toward me.
"C-class hero Kyo Suhyeon. Callsign Grey Steel. Swear that you will make Han Min-ha, daughter of Han Tae-woo and Seo Ji-ah, into an S-class hero."
"There's no need to make it a formal oath..."
"Swear it."
Walking sideways, Seo Ji-ah spoke with a face full of laughter.
"Make Han Min-ha an S-class hero."
Knowing it was all in jest, I eventually smiled and looked her straight in the eye.
"I swear it. I will make Han Min-ha an S-class hero."
"Good. I've recorded it properly."
Turning back to walk normally, Seo Ji-ah tapped the body cam on her chest.
"Prepare plenty of money in advance. Private tutoring is expensive."
"Can't we just call it even with what you got last time?"
"That was already paid for when I put up a barrier in time to save you the time before last."
"Putting up barriers is a supporter's job. It's a bit much to demand compensation for doing what's expected."
"Then saving a teammate's life isn't something expected, but an act of generosity?"
Arguing back and forth, we continued climbing toward the ridge.
"We're almost there. Camouflage."
At the summit, Han Tae-woo gave the order. The surface of our suits rippled and shifted to match the color of the surrounding snow. Fully camouflaged, we crept forward, hid behind rocks, and peered over.
Below, in the valley, something protruded conspicuously.
"Is that it?"
Seo Ji-ah took out a monocular and examined it closely.
"The warhead looks similar."
"Then it must be. There wouldn't be another missile launcher here."
Listening to our exchange, Han Tae-woo spoke.
"Let's move in right away. Suhyeon, you provide support from here. Ji-ah and I will sweep through."
"You know we can't leave a single one alive."
"I know, you bastard. I said that before we left."
"Good luck."
Seo Ji-ah and Han Tae-woo wrapped themselves in aura and shot into the sky like bullets. As the snow they kicked up settled, I stood, cloaked myself in a barrier, and stepped forward.
High above, purple and dark red beams of light traced wide arcs before plunging viciously toward the ground. From all around the valley came curses and shouts as anti-air fire erupted toward the heroes. The entire valley filled with flashes and gunfire.
I scanned the trajectories of the bullets and deployed barriers where needed. Ordinary small-caliber rounds bounced off the aura itself, while heavier anti-aircraft fire exploded harmlessly against my barriers.
Of the two beams descending rapidly, the red one—Velvet Butcher Seo Ji-ah—halted abruptly in midair and unleashed indiscriminate killing beams in all directions. The blood-red beams did not travel in straight lines but traced elegant curves, homing in on enemies scattered throughout the valley like living creatures with wills of their own. Terrible screams erupted everywhere, and right below me, a soldier struck by one of the beams was torn to pieces.
They stood no chance.
Meanwhile, Han Tae-woo, trailing a long streak of purple aura, dropped into the valley and pierced straight through the missile launcher. A tremendous explosion shook the entire valley.
To avoid the tremors, I lifted slightly into the air and surveyed the situation below. A massive fireball rose where the launcher had been, and Seo Ji-ah drifted slowly past it. With no further reaction from the area, it seemed everyone had been eliminated.
This had been the first target. The roar and flames would surely be visible from elsewhere, so we needed to move to the next location quickly.
"Everything all right?"
"All clear."
Seo Ji-ah flew to my side, and we watched the black smoke together. Soon, Han Tae-woo emerged through the dark cloud.
"Whew. Diving is always exhilarating."
"Then let's head to the next site."
Just as I was about to turn, something caught my eye between the rocks. A bloodied soldier was aiming a recoilless rifle at us. He had somehow survived and was trying to land a final blow.
The moment he pulled the trigger, I created a circular barrier around him. The high-explosive round struck the barrier and detonated instantly. The soldier inside was consumed by the blast without even a scream.
"Well, damn... They really do come up with the strangest tactics."
Han Tae-woo clicked his tongue at the sight.
"Let's move."
Watching the steep peak across from us, where the explosion had triggered an avalanche, I spoke.
"All right. Next is TP3. We have clear satellite imagery, so we'll strike without landing."
"Understood."
"Given their armament level, we probably won't need barriers. Everyone switch to offense. Let's finish this fast and head back."
"Yes!"
"Yep!"
We launched into the air simultaneously and flew toward TP3. As the impossibly vast mountain range spread out below, Han Tae-woo transmitted over comms.
[These lunatics. Who in their right mind would fight all the way up here?]
[Once you claim it, you can hold it indefinitely. That's why.]
Seo Ji-ah flew between us and added,
[We'll reach TP3 in three minutes. Stay sharp, everyone.]
[Ji-ah and I will go in first. Suhyeon, follow behind and clean up anything we miss.]
[Understood.]
We pushed through strong winds and clouds, accelerating toward the target.
[Clouds are blocking visibility. Descend. Lower altitude.]
As we dropped quickly, the ground came into view.
[Huh?! What is that?!]
Seo Ji-ah cried out, pointing below. TP3, our target, lay directly beneath us. But it had already been completely devastated by someone else. Corpses were strewn everywhere. Strangely, while the people were dead, the facilities and equipment stood completely intact without a single scratch.
[What the hell? Why is it like this?]
[Could there be another overlapping mission team besides us?]
[I don't know...]
[Don't tell me they're unauthorized heroes?]
[Unlikely. These guys don't have that kind of money. What is this?]
[Should we... take a look?]
[Let's do that. Maintain formation. Suhyeon, cover the rear.]
[Yes.]
We exchanged opinions quickly and descended slowly. Han Tae-woo and Seo Ji-ah flew about fifty meters ahead of me as I watched the rear while we approached the site.
Suddenly, Han Tae-woo sent an urgent transmission.
[Kyo Suhyeon! Barrier! Maximum strength, now!!!!]
I turned from watching the rear and saw an indescribably strange cloud-like mass rushing toward us. Realizing the situation, I quickly enveloped the couple in a barrier.
[What the hell is this?!]
[Kyo Suhyeon! Keep the barrier up and fall back! Don't come any closer!]
Just as I tried to cast a barrier on myself, a searing pain suddenly burned through my throat and nose.
"Kuh...?! What... poison gas?!"
If I created a barrier now, it would be like sealing myself in a gas chamber... I had to get out first...!
But the toxic gas was so potent that my consciousness faded rapidly before I could do anything.
[The barrier's coming down! Cough! Suhyeon...! What are you doing?!]
[He must've been hit! Hold on! Something's coming from the front!]
[I'll hold them off... Cough cough! Help Suhyeon!]
In my darkening vision, I saw Han Tae-woo burst through the gas cloud.
"Hey, you bastard! Snap out of it!"
Behind him, within the clouds, terrifying flashes of light flickered repeatedly.
"Senior...! Cough! Ji-ah...! Go to Ji-ah... I'll handle myself... Cough!"
Turning to see the successive flashes, Han Tae-woo spat out a low curse.
"Damn it..."
"Even if you fall from this height, you won't die... so go... quickly...!"
"Kyo Suhyeon."
Han Tae-woo looked me straight in the eye with a solemn expression.
"If both of us die, take care of Min-ha."
"Don't talk nonsense... Let go... and go to Ji-ah first... A child needs a mother even if she doesn't have a father..."
"You're out of your damn mind."
Even in that situation, Han Tae-woo smiled, then released his grip on me and shot toward the clouds where Seo Ji-ah was.
With my consciousness fading, I mustered my last strength to cast a maximum-strength barrier over Han Tae-woo. Then I plummeted helplessly toward the ground.
That was the last thing I remembered.
When I came to, I was lying on the ground. I tried to stand quickly but nearly blacked out from the excruciating pain in my left shoulder. Touching it lightly, I realized the bone had been completely shattered from the impact of the fall.
"Hah...?! Senior?! Seo Ji-ah!"
I looked up. The strange cloud still hung high in the sky, but the flashes had stopped. And then...
"No..."
Han Tae-woo and Seo Ji-ah were falling toward the ground like purple and dark red comets.
"No... No...!!!!"
Their auras flickered a few times before vanishing completely, and they crashed between distant mountain peaks.
I tried to run forward but lost my balance and collapsed.
"Shit... Shit..."
Clawing at the ground with my hands, I crawled forward, muttering endlessly.
I... I couldn't maintain the barrier... It's all my fault. Because of what I did...!
Guilt and rage surged through me, making it difficult to stay sane. A dull pain spread across the back of my head, and a splitting headache assaulted me, blurring my vision.
I killed them... I killed them...!
At that moment, an immensely powerful wall rose up and sealed my mind away.