Chapter 176 - Dead Eyes

In truth, I didn't start this terror attack with any significant purpose.

I just wanted to meet Stardust in person after a long time, and simultaneously get a proper look at her skills.

But I didn't expect Stardust to react like that.

"Haa... Haa..."

After several exchanges of attacks.

I watched Stardust from inside the machine as she fell to the ground momentarily, covering her mouth with her arm while breathing heavily.

Despite looking exhausted, her eyes were clearly fixed on me, burning with intensity.

It was almost the first time since my first terror attack that I'd seen such a strong expression of determination, as if she genuinely wanted to destroy me.

Seeing Stardust's fiercely burning expression, I felt a bit flustered.

...Wait, why is she like that?

An expression that looks like it could kill someone.

No, maybe that expression really means she's trying to eliminate me.

...Seriously, why is she acting like this?

My initial plan was simply to test Stardust's abilities while hiding my identity.

Actually, I hid my identity without much thought, just to objectively check her abilities.

But somehow, her reaction was quite intense.

'...Let me think.'

Well, from Stardust's perspective, a villain she's never seen before suddenly launched a terror attack. And this villain knows all her attack patterns and is even overwhelming her.

...Is that why?

That seems to be the reason. Her wariness seems heightened because I'm hiding my identity. Fair enough—from her perspective, a powerful new villain has suddenly appeared overnight.

That's probably why she's facing me with such seriousness.

This was an unintended consequence and quite disconcerting. For a moment, I considered opening the cockpit and announcing, "Surprise! It was actually Egostic!" before running away.

However.

"Urgh."

Watching Stardust clench her fist and fly toward me again, I changed my mind.

Right. I can't miss such a precious growth event.

From what I've seen so far, she seems capable of barely clearing the next main event, the Vampire Castle incident, but if she grows more here today, she'll definitely be able to clear it, right?

With that thought, I moved the machine to avoid Stardust, then struck her with one of my four fists.

As if anticipating this, she suddenly dropped down and attacked from behind.

It was a much cleaner movement than before.

But the problem was that I was the one taking the hit.

"Kheok."

[Kheok. ...You, I'll kill you!]

Wait, how can a punch hitting the mechanical device affect me inside? Even though our Behemoth is wrapped around the abdomen. Behi, block it better.

'Kyuing?'

Now I'm even hearing Behemoth's hallucinations.

Despite feeling dizzy, I somehow managed to continue speaking in character.

But her attacks came without giving me time to speak. I dodged them while simultaneously using several functions prepared by Seo-eun. Plasma bombs, flamethrowers, things like that.

"Ssup..."

The so-called cockpit was basically a tube-like space with just enough room for a person. From there, I barely managed to wipe the blood from my mouth by wiggling my hand.

...I might really strain my body if I take a few more hits, but well, I just need to avoid getting hit a few more times, right?

[Today you will fall here. I have decided so. This Chaos Destroyer will bring you down!]

In a fight, establishing dominance is important.

So I shouted that out loudly. Despite the situation, I felt somewhat embarrassed... but once I've committed to a concept, I have to see it through.

And in response to my declaration.

Stardust, with a serious face, brushed her hair back and said in a barely audible voice.

"...Indeed, I must deal with this here..."

No, damn it, why are you so scary?

I seriously considered revealing myself—"Surprise! I'm Egostic! I'm going to run away!"—but as a man, Da-in decided to follow through with what he started.

Now I can only charge ahead.

[Die!]

Shouting words I didn't mean, I charged toward Stardust, whose fists were beginning to glow with yellow light.

...Will I be able to make it back alive?

***

Danger comes unexpectedly and suddenly.

Of course, there are cases like Egostic who advertises his terror attacks in advance... but most come very suddenly.

A prime example is the Han Group's Behemoth, also known as the Black Wave incident. It really appeared out of nowhere one day and almost swept away Seoul. Then there's the Moon Priestess's Storm incident. That also suddenly appeared one evening.

And the feeling experienced during those times.

Shin Ha-ru was feeling it right now.

'....'

Although the opponent wasn't causing such widespread casualties, its strength was almost comparable.

From the beginning, Shin Ha-ru thought she had become quite strong compared to before. Even the Director had mentioned that her skills were now around mid-S rank.

And now a villain appeared who overwhelmed her in pure close combat. And with that massive mechanical device.

It's natural for her to be on high alert.

So she thought.

She must capture it here, no matter what.

If it could pressure her this much without knowing anything about her, it might become unmanageable later when it has more data. Especially since it seems to be a mechanical engineer.

So Shin Ha-ru fought against it with all her might, suppressing her fatigue.

She kept thinking strategically even while fighting to the point her eyes were watering.

Up, down, right, right.

Step by step, as if learning patterns.

And so, she who couldn't land a single hit at first.

Soon began to inflict effective damage on the mechanical device, one by one.

[Kuheouk!]

...Incidentally, the impact was quite satisfying.

The guy flew away making death-like sounds with each hit.

Of course, he got up right away, but it was proof that her hits were definitely effective. If this pace continued, she could take him down unless he ran away.

However.

Thump. Thump.

".....?"

As she kept hitting him one by one.

Shin Ha-ru felt an increasing sense of unease.

A feeling like she was doing something she shouldn't. An intuition that she was doing something she would regret later. And her heartbeat increasing with this ominous feeling.

'...Why am I feeling this way?'

With this strange feeling, Shin Ha-ru was confused.

...It's just attacking a newly appeared villain, so why does she feel this anxiety?

And this unsettling feeling intensified each time she hit him again and heard him groan.

...She really couldn't understand why she felt this way about a villain she was seeing for the first time.

Is it because she's tired, or is there something else? Why does she have this strange intuition?

Even when she tried to think about it more carefully due to this sense of unease.

"Kheuk...."

Boom. Boom.

The constant attacks coming without a break made it impossible to think clearly. She was also tired from the continuous fighting.

So Ha-ru tried to dismiss it—maybe it's just fatigue.

But no matter what, this inexplicable uneasy feeling wouldn't easily go away.

Nevertheless, she continued fighting. She couldn't afford to be distracted by unfounded feelings when facing a villain right in front of her.

And so, she successfully evaded his attack and landed a kick.

The machine was momentarily pushed back, but soon regained its balance and came back toward her.

[Kuheu. Do you think, cough, I'll end like this? I'll definitely take you down!]

The loud mechanical sound pierced her ears.

Although the mechanical voice was irritating to hear, she suddenly felt strange. Something... something seemed about to come to mind...

But that thought was interrupted by the machine flying toward her again. The device, with one arm broken by her, charged at her with its three remaining arms.

At a glance, its condition didn't look good, but the same was true for Shin Ha-ru herself. She was noticeably more fatigued from the continuous intense fighting, exchanges, and mental concentration.

So without time to think more, she continued fighting.

...Yes. Once she takes it down, this strange feeling will disappear too. And when she sees who's behind it, all questions will be answered.

Shin Ha-ru gritted her teeth.

...Right. She shouldn't be swayed by strange feelings. Her goal is to destroy that thing, nothing else. There's no time to think about anything else.

Thump. Thump.

Her heartbeat grew stronger, as if warning her.

But she ignored it. Shin Ha-ru. She is a hero. And heroes don't think about other things when facing villains.

As the fight continued.

Finally tearing off another of its arms, leaving the mechanical device dangling with just two arms.

Shin Ha-ru gritted her teeth and delivered the final blow.

Now, she would end this exhausting fight here.

With that thought, a light as bright as a star flashed on her fist.

And then.

—————————Crash.

[Kuheouk-]

As her final blow struck the center of the machine's body, it flew back like a comet and was embedded in the wall of a nearby building.

With the sound of something being smashed, it was stuck in the wall.

Then, as if losing all power, it fell to the ground with a thud.

The circular machine collapsed, sprawled on the ground.

With its two mechanical arms drooping, it finally fell.

"Haa... Haa..."

And in front of it.

Shin Ha-ru, Stardust, was barely breathing while clutching one arm.

She had defeated it. She had barely defeated it.

She had succeeded in capturing the villain.

But.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

Why was her heart beating so fast?

Why wouldn't this anxious and ominous feeling disappear?

Why did she keep feeling like she had made a huge mistake?

"...Strange."

Something is strange.

No. There can't be a problem. She just captured a newly appeared villain.

...Right. Let's check.

So she staggered step by step toward where the mechanical device had fallen.

One step, one step. With each step, this ominous feeling grew stronger.

When Stardust reached the front of the device.

She tried to suppress her anxious feelings, grabbed one of the steel panels, secured it with her foot, and decided to tear it open, thinking there would be an evil villain inside.

And what she saw after tearing off the steel side was.

"......Ah...?"

"Cough. Hello, Ms. Stardust. Haha.. cough."

From inside, stained with blood, clutching his abdomen.

It was Egostic, with red blood at the corners of his mouth, coughing up blood but still trying to smile at her.

....Huh?

And at that moment.

Stardust's eyes.

Lost their original light.