Chapter 118 - Family-like Atmosphere

# How long had it been since the last terrorist attack? And now, another one by Egostic.

Following the previous incident that had raised his public profile to its peak, this new attack was more than enough to capture everyone's attention.

Like the previous attack, this one was also carried out with members of Ego-stream, the villain alliance he had created.

Stardus was currently facing off against a girl in what looked like a mobile mechanical armor suit—someone who had practically become her regular opponent by now.

While people were whispering about where Egostic kept finding such powered individuals, the battle unfolded.

Initially, the situation favored Egostic's side.

Living up to her name as "Star Buster," the girl in the mechanical device had quite the upper hand against Stardus, who was responding defensively, dodging and blocking the machine's attacks.

Seeing this, everyone thought Stardus was being pushed back, but...

The situation began to change at some point.

[Huh?]

Bang-. Bang-.

A fierce battle with wind and dust swirling around.

As the mechanical device's fist swung and destroyed nearby walls causing chaos,

Stardus was launching an offensive against the Star Buster, which was several times her size.

[Damn it..! Are you really going to do this?]

Crash-.

Star Buster was sent flying far away by Stardus's attack.

Trying to regain her senses from the impact, the girl inside gritted her teeth.

Looking at the Star Buster, now emitting black smoke and with a dangling arm unlike before, Shin Ha-ru smiled slightly and spoke.

"Surrender and give up now. That would be better for you."

Gritting her teeth at this dismissive statement, the hacker inside replied:

[You've got to be kidding! Take this!]

As she said this, the massive Star Buster raised its arm toward Shin Ha-ru.

Simultaneously, something began to emerge from the mechanical arm with a clicking sound.

What popped out were small-sized missiles.

"......!"

[Haha! Goodbye!]

With that laughter coming from inside the machine, the missiles flew instantly toward Stardus.

At the same time, Stardus also launched herself forward.

Boom-.

The area where Stardus had been standing exploded.

The entire area was covered in smoke and dust from the explosion.

[...Gulp.]

Star Buster remained on alert, looking toward the smoke.

As Stardus's figure remained hidden in the smoke:

[....Hee. Oppa, I took down Stardus!]

The hacker inside exclaimed excitedly.

The chat window buzzed in response:

*

[She keeps saying "oppa" and it's kind of cute lol]

[For real, is she Mangostick's little sister? lol]

[Why is the villain so cute when heroes and villains are fighting? Makes me want to cheer for her like she's my cousin lol]

[Oh but did she really take her down...? Shouldn't say things like that carelessly...]

[Even though Stardus showed some weakness against the Moon Priestess last time, would she really fall to an explosion like that?]

[Defeated her? Spoiler: Not defeated.]

[Stardus resurrection in 5 seconds lol]

*

And sure enough.

From that smoke-filled area, a human shadow began to flicker.

And it gradually approached the outside.

What emerged from the smoke was Stardus, casually flicking her hair with her hand, without a single scratch. Even her suit was completely undamaged as she walked out calmly.

[No way, really. Haah.... What kind of superhuman are you? You survived that?]

The girl inside the suit muttered in a dejected voice, as if she'd already tasted life's bitterness at her young age.

*

[Fact: She is indeed superhuman]

[She's a supernatural ability user, so she is superhuman lol]

[Hacker sister is shocked that Stardus keeps getting up like a roly-poly no matter how much she hits her lol]

[Ah lol Stardus is a mid-S rank hero after all lol]

[???: You're still 100,000 years too early to face me]

[The deeper meaning is to come back when you're older lol]

*

While the chat window was bustling with expected reactions,

Stardus flew up again, swung her arm once, extended her fist, and flew toward Star Buster.

In response, the mechanical suit controlled by the hacker also raised its heavy arm and began to swing its steel fist toward Stardus.

And so the battle resumed.

[Ugh.]

Stardus simply overwhelmed her opponent, completely dominating the weapon called Star Buster.

***

[Aaaah!]

Boom-.

The final blow that she delivered with all her might.

The weapon that took a direct hit from it was finally sent flying into the sky with the scream of the girl inside.

The machine had been nearly destroyed by her attacks long ago.

The head part of the mechanical suit was also damaged, faintly revealing the girl inside.

Watching the shattered Star Buster flying away,

Stardus also kicked off the ground and jumped up.

Yes, this was the end of what had been a rather long battle.

...Whatever that weapon was made of, it was quite sturdy, which made the battle longer than expected, but in the end, it was her victory.

Look, it was already flying helplessly after losing power from her final attack.

With such thoughts, Stardus reflected.

...Though weaker than herself, it was still quite a strong opponent. Probably A-rank.

How was something like this made? What did she mean by saying she had been hacking all along? What did she mean by living in the same house?

Shin Ha-ru had many questions for that girl who kept calling Egostic "oppa."

Well.

She could get more detailed answers after taking her to the association.

With that thought, Stardus flew up into the sky with her golden hair fluttering in the wind, reaching out toward the girl in the weapon still floating in the air.

And then.

Just before her hand could reach the unconscious girl, at that moment.

Whirr-

A purple magic circle suddenly appeared in front of her.

As the magic circle began to glow, Shin Ha-ru quickly dodged.

And simultaneously.

BOOM.

A destructive beam that she had seen in the storm before grazed her hair as it passed by.

After that sudden attack ended, when Stardus looked again, what she saw was:

"....Fufu, Ms. Stardus. I'm sorry, but I can't let you take my comrade so easily."

Egostic, with his hand on his black hat, descending from the sky with his cape fluttering, and...

"......"

The Moon Priestess, a red-eyed woman in white priestess clothes, creating small magic circles with both hands, watching her warily.

***

Phew, that was close.

While smiling on the outside, I was wiping sweat on the inside.

Since it was almost certain that Seo-eun would be beaten by Stardus, I had prepared everything in advance. Of course, I mostly relied on Eun-wol.

The original plan was to rescue her after she lost, but when Stardus suddenly tried to capture Seo-eun, I had to act quickly. I really didn't expect her to try to catch her in mid-air.

Anyway, thanks to having Eun-wol quickly fire a destructive beam, we avoided the disaster of Seo-eun being captured. Of course, Eun-wol also caught Seo-eun, who was flying through the air, with magic.

After stopping Stardus, I held the unconscious Seo-eun from inside the robot in my arms. She's light.

"....Egostic."

Stardus, who had been interrupted by me just before catching Seo-eun, muttered while glaring at me resentfully.

And I smiled at her and said:

"I offer my sincere apologies. But naturally, I have to take care of my comrades, don't I? They're my family."

"....Family?"

In the middle of the sky with cold winds swirling around.

While Stardus glared at me, and Eun-wol created magic circles behind me to threaten her,

I was floating in the air holding Seo-eun, thinking about my closing statement.

The attack was over. Now we need to go home.

What is Stardus saying? Family?

"Yes, of course! All members of Ego-stream are as close and intimate as family. A true gathering of villains. As such, now that... ahem, 'my longest-standing comrade' has fallen, how could I just stand by?"

Good. I said what Seo-eun asked me to say, and established our justification.

I manipulated the camera still floating near the fence with my psychokinesis, pulling it back toward me.

Then I began my final closing statement.

"Anyway! Very well, Ms. Stardus. It's your victory. You've splendidly defeated my comrade. Since you've won, I'll gracefully withdraw from here. I must hurry and treat my comrade."

After saying that, I gestured to Eun-wol.

Understanding my words, she immediately stuck close to my side.

Embracing her with one arm, I gave Stardus a final greeting.

"Well then, adios!"

"....."

Leaving Stardus behind with that lost expression, I teleported away.

Hey, why are you making such a heartbreaking face?

...Still, I can't give you Seo-eun, no way.

***

"Ms. Stardus, are you alright!"

"Yes, yes. I'm fine."

After the attack ended.

While being escorted by association staff and police officers who had rushed to rescue the hostages trapped in cages and clean up the scene, Shin Ha-ru was moving along.

With a cardigan-like garment they had given her draped over her shoulders, sipping from a cup, she mentally organized today's gains.

The terrorist attack ended without any casualties as usual, and the damage to the surrounding businesses would be fine since Egostic would probably handle some compensation or whatever.

It was unfortunate that she lost the hacker at the end, but she could summarize that today she had gained new information about Egostic.

In the car, she organized what she had learned today.

'That girl was the hacker... she probably did all the hacking-related work until now.'

'...And, living in the same house.'

'And what? Precious comrades, family. Living like a family, he said...'

As she mulled over these thoughts, she felt herself becoming increasingly upset without realizing it.

The image of Egostic holding Electra before, the image of him disappearing while embracing the two of them this time, and the image of him emphasizing that they were family-like comrades while holding that girl as if she were most precious—all these scenes flashed through her mind.

"........"

Family, family, huh.

Hah, really.