Chapter 99 - Rage

People walking the streets of Seoul often express their discontent with bad weather.

When it rains or snows, citizens find even simple walking burdensome. Especially in busy downtown areas.

And occasionally, when rare events like hail or typhoons occur, people can only shed tears. Walking the streets becomes labor.

However, as a Seoul citizen, if one had to pick the most absurd thing that could happen while walking the streets...

It would probably be the sudden terrorist attacks by ability users, like lightning from a clear sky.

"Kyaaaaaaah!"

And on a street in Itaewon.

People who happened to be walking on this street at this time today began to flee in panic.

Bang. Bang. Trees, streetlights, fire hydrants, transformers, signs, and traffic lights started breaking everywhere.

Everything standing on the street was being cut down and destroyed, turning the once peaceful street into chaos.

"Aaaaargh!! Get out!!"

People screamed. Windows of surrounding buildings shattered, and abandoned cars flew through the air.

In the midst of this total disaster, there was something causing all this mayhem.

[Hahahahaha! How delightful, truly delightful!]

Something wielding a black greatsword, clad in full armor with a helmet, emanating a black aura.

Passersby who encountered this had already fled in terror, but he remained alone on the street, continuing his terror by swinging his greatsword.

[My name is... Death Knight!! The knight of death from Ego-stream. Who dares to face me!]

He shouted in a voice like scraping metal, pounding his chest armor with his fist.

It seemed pointless to shout in an empty street, but in fact, quite a lot of people were watching this scene.

Through drone cameras broadcasting on the Ego-stream site.

*

[Death Knight has appeared lolololol]

[Is this Korea or medieval fantasy?lol]

[He's definitely an Ego-stream member. The second villain from Egostic's villain alliance]

[Where does Egostic find these villains? First time seeing this one lol]

[He does look pretty strong lol but why does he talk like an old man?]

[Why does it look like there's only black smoke inside the armor and no body? I'm scared]

[This is all good, but where's Mangostick?]

[Where's Ego?? "Hello, I am Egostic!" <---- Where did he go??]

[Looking at this, he'll probably appear soon lol. I believe]

*

As viewers continued their speculation, and the villain who identified himself as Death Knight continued destroying the street.

Finally, she flew in.

With her blonde hair flowing, she floated silently in the dusty air, looking down at Death Knight - Stardus.

Upon seeing her, Death Knight stopped his indiscriminate destruction and shouted toward her.

[Hooh. So you're the hero Stardus that 'he' mentioned!]

After shouting this, he gathered his hand and grasped a black spear that materialized in the air.

With an ominous black aura swirling around the spear tip.

He shouted once more at her floating in the air.

['He' certainly told me you would stop me. But I! Saint Pe... Death Knight will deal with the likes of you easily!]

And with those words, Death Knight charged at her with his black spear.

A truly threatening sight of a knight embodying death, emanating a black aura, charging with a massive spear.

And, facing such a formidable enemy right before her.

Stardus merely wondered.

'...So, where is Egostic?'

***

Boom. Boom.

Thunderous sounds that seemed to shake heaven and earth echoed through the street.

[Hahaha! Indeed, you're quite strong. Definitely strong. Of course, not enough to match me, Death Knight!]

Amid flying debris from surrounding buildings and roads.

The battle continued quite evenly.

The new villain, Death Knight, was holding up well even against the current Stardus, whose abilities had grown considerably through various incidents.

Even when she dodged his spear and landed attacks, his armor seemed sturdy enough to withstand them.

A powerful opponent she hadn't faced in a while.

The battle continued with constant flying, throwing bodies into attacks.

She deflected all incoming spears, blocked continuous chain attacks, and launched her own attacks.

And the viewers watching this battle were also following it with great interest.

*

[Wow, this Death Knight or whatever is evenly matched with Stardus?]

[A battle between the strongest in the universe, seriously...]

[Where does Egostic find such outstanding people? The king of villains, Mangostick...]

[But without Egostic's commentary, it feels 2% lacking]

[Where did Egostic go? He's not really not showing up today, right?]

[No way, he'll definitely appear. He's never missed a terror broadcast like this]

[Since it's under the Ego-stream name, he'll probably show up in the middle]

[With Stardus here, Mango has to come. MangoStar is eternal]

[If Egostic doesn't show up, I'll poop my pants]

[Captured the comment above, good luck]

*

The battle continued.

To others, it looked like a nail-biting, evenly matched fight where neither could let their guard down.

But Stardus, actually involved in the fight, kept thinking one thing.

'...What? When is Egostic coming anyway?'

This scene was clearly being broadcast on Egostic's channel. And the 'he' mentioned by that villain was obviously Egostic based on the circumstances.

So she naturally, very naturally assumed Egostic would be here.

But Egostic was nowhere to be seen, and she continued this wasteful, meaningless fight with this strange armored villain.

Ting-.

During the battle, she threw herself to deflect a serious blow from Death Knight.

Boom. As their attacks collided, both bodies were thrown in opposite directions by the repulsive force.

[Hahahahaha! Egostic was right. You are quite strong. To fight me evenly! I haven't had such an opponent in hundreds of years.]

Looking at the villain laughing from the opposite side, she felt irritation rising.

...Yeah, so where is Egostic? Why are you here instead?

As the battle dragged on for so long, with Egostic still nowhere to be seen, she finally shouted and asked him.

"So, where is this Egostic you mentioned and why are you here alone?"

Her question scratched the itch of viewers who were watching the broadcast, waiting for Egostic to appear.

*

[For real lol we're watching for Mangostick, when is he coming out~~~]

[My thoughts exactly!!!]

[Seeing this, I've decided to support Stardus]

[Seriously, where's Mango? Get rid of this weird old knight!]

*

As viewers also awaited Death Knight's answer.

Death Knight.

[Hmm? Egostic?]

At her mention of Egostic, he scratched his helmet with his finger as if confused, then laughed again and shouted.

[Egostic is not coming today! He said someone like me would be enough to deal with you! Hahahahahahaha!]

As he shouted this.

With the sudden news of Egostic's no-show, the chat naturally went wild.

*

[?????????]

[What the hell, this isn't right]

[The broadcast started on Egostic's channel but Egostic isn't coming? What does this mean?]

[This is crazy]

[Mangostick come out!!!!!]

[lolololol I had a bad feeling about this]

[No Mango today? No Mango today? No Mango today?]

[Oh? Getting angry?]

[🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥]

[Are you picking a fight?]

[Icicle=Personally brings a ship for terror / Stardus=Just assigns some random guy lololololol]

[Anger MAX🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥]

[Crossing the line....]

*

As the chat was literally on fire.

Stardus just stood still, head bowed.

...So, Egostic isn't coming today?

Ah. Well. That can happen. It's not important.

It's just that since Egostic's broadcast was on, naturally, very naturally she thought Egostic would appear. Well, it's not important that it's a different villain. After all, she's a hero, and heroes just need to defeat villains and save citizens, nothing else matters.

...But.

Why did Egostic personally go all the way to Busan, bringing a ship to face Icicle and cause terror.

But against her, he just sends one subordinate?

[Egostic is not coming today! He said someone like me would be enough to deal with you! Hahahahahahaha!]

The villain's words from earlier echoed in her ears.

What? Enough to deal with her?

Ha. Hahaha.

Her eyes sank deeply as this realization hit her.

Yes. The reason her insides were boiling was because Egostic had disrespected her. While he personally led a ship to face Icicle, he only sent one subordinate to her. Such disrespect. As if she no longer needed to be faced directly. As if he was done with her.

"....."

Grr. She bit her lip.

...So, no need to face her directly? This other villain is enough?

Well, then she'd just have to show him that wasn't the case.

And the moment she made up her mind.

The aura around her began to change.

***

"Wait, what's happening?"

I sat up abruptly from the sofa where I'd been eating popcorn, startled by the sudden scene.

"Brother, what's wrong?"

"Just a moment."

I gaped at the strange aura emanating around Stardus caught on camera, and the small stones beginning to float around her.

That phenomenon usually only happens when powers awaken again.

....Why is she suddenly awakening by herself?