Chapter 192 - The Four

After receiving the completed PMC training building from Lee Seol-ah, I spent several days with Seo-eun and Eun-wol setting up equipment and decorating. Finally, we were ready to welcome others.

"...Oppa, are you really going to reveal your real name?"

Of course, Seo-eun was worried about me revealing both my face and name in this venture, but I wasn't concerned.

Since Stardust already knew my name and face... being upfront was actually strategic. Besides, I planned to stay mostly inside the Yu-seong building, so it didn't matter much. With Lee Seol-ah controlling the media, there was no risk of external exposure.

That's how I officially acquired the position of Yu-seong Group's PMC Director. Though it hardly mattered since I was already an A-class villain behind the scenes...

Anyway, Seo-eun returned home, leaving just me and Eun-wol in the building.

"Eun-wol... you know what to do, right?"

"Yes, Da-in oppa!"

"Good. I'm counting on you."

After sending Eun-wol behind the wall, I cleared my throat and went to meet our PMC members waiting in the lobby. Now, let's see what the Ego-squad members look like in person.

***

In the latter part of the original story, as the world approached the brink of destruction with villains running rampant and monsters emerging...

Stardust single-handedly protected the already collapsing country, creating a heartbreaking and devastating narrative.

Heroes had mostly deserted, leaving Stardust as essentially the Association's only fighting force, while villains were everywhere. Even with Lee Seol-ah maintaining some semblance of order, the country still fell into chaos.

To prevent this catastrophe, my plan was to hire other ability users. Train them early so they could help Stardust when the apocalypse arrived. She shouldn't have to handle everything alone, down to the smallest tasks.

That's why what I'm doing now is incredibly important.

These young sprouts—who will eventually help Stardust save the world—need to have the right mindset. Though their abilities might not match our Ego-stream elites... that's only because my companions are among the strongest characters from the original story, and these kids are still relatively powerful in their own right.

Anyway, my role is quite important. My goal is to develop their abilities beyond their current level and make them earn their keep.

Now, I was looking at four young people.

"Hello. Are you the ones selected for Yu-seong PMC? I'm Da-in, your supervisor. Looking forward to working with you."

"Yes! Hello!"

"...Hello."

"....Greetings."

"....."

I looked at the four who greeted me.

These were the founding members of my Ego-squad... Yu-seong squad, who would become my elite team.

After brief introductions, I took them down to the spacious underground training arena. They were still awkward with each other, fidgeting nervously.

Once downstairs, I struck a pose and spoke in a solemn voice.

"...From the moment you arrived here, consider your previous identities abandoned."

"From now on, you're not individuals, but members of our Yu-seong squad. Understood?"

"Now, I'll refer to you as... No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4!"

"....Um, yes."

Despite my sudden announcement, they all looked slightly bewildered but nodded.

...Hmm, they all seem like good kids. Of course, that's to be expected since I specifically selected those with good character from the original story and through private investigation. Though out of the many who applied to the PMC, only these four were chosen... I have no regrets.

With these thoughts, I cleared my throat and addressed the young man standing at the front.

"Now then, No. 1, step forward! Show me what you can do!"

"....Understood."

At my command, No. 1 stepped forward.

A sharp-looking young man with gray hair tied back and a sword at his waist. He had a dark expression that hinted at a troubled past and a quiet, reserved personality.

Known as the "Silent Swordsman" in the original story. After escaping from some criminal organization where he'd been used as a hunting dog, he apparently applied to our PMC looking for a place to belong.

In the original story, he had no such background and first appeared wandering around, helping people after the Moon Light Cult and monsters had nearly devoured South Korea. I remember him as just an extra with ordinary abilities... but he was one of the few with a good personality, so I cast him immediately.

"Now, this is what you'll be fighting!"

With those words, I pressed a button to deploy a machine designed by Seo-eun for skill testing.

A huge robot resembling some kind of dinosaur emerged from the wall, startling the other three.

However, our white-haired swordsman showed no such reaction. He quietly drew his sword and charged toward my test machine.

[GROOOOAAAR!]

He jumped toward the dinosaur with his drawn sword. Then he began fighting with swift slashing movements.

What was his ability again...? Something about using the power of wind.

Thanks to that, he can move quickly, and his sword strikes are more destructive than a normal person's when combined with wind.

After some struggle, No. 1 finally defeated the dinosaur robot.

After quietly evaluating his skills, I nodded and called for No. 2.

"Now, No. 2. You're next!"

"Eh... me already? Well, alright."

With a half-hearted response, a young woman stood up with a bow in hand.

When I deployed another dinosaur robot, she quietly took aim from a distance.

Though she had no arrows, strangely, a light arrow formed as she drew the bowstring.

When she released it with a twang, the light arrow flew quickly and embedded itself in the target. The power didn't seem particularly impressive.

I watched the girl who was shooting arrows while saying "Yap, yap" under her breath as she kept her distance.

...Actually, I never saw her in the original story. I recruited her simply because I'd never heard of such an ability, and she seemed to have potential. I mean, shooting a bow without arrows? That's the dream...

Of course, Lee Seol-ah's thorough background check confirmed she wasn't a bad person, so...

After No. 2 eventually defeated her target, I naturally called for No. 3.

"Yes! Finally my turn! Let me show you what I can do!"

A girl with red hair confidently burst into laughter.

Looking like someone who enjoys physical activity, this energetic girl immediately produced fire from her hands and charged at the test robot.

No. 3. She appeared at the very end of the original story. She also first appeared saving people trapped under monster debris. Though she died immediately after...

Anyway, she seemed to have potential. If properly trained.

I watched as she recklessly pummeled the monster with her fists.

After somehow managing to defeat her opponent through what seemed like a difficult battle, I finally called for No. 4.

"Now, your turn!"

"Umm..."

A girl with short blue hair.

She hesitated slightly, then with a small "Eih!" released something like soap bubbles.

...Let's leave it at that.

After the four rookies completed their somewhat chaotic skill tests.

I quietly gathered them and said:

"You're all too weak."

My words seemed to shock and confuse them.

In a way, that's understandable. Though it took some time, they did eventually defeat those dinosaur-like machines. And those things even breathed fire!

But they were definitely weak. Of course, they might be stronger than me with my meager psychokinesis and teleportation, but compared to our Ego-stream members, they were embarrassingly weak.

This was the time for shock therapy.

But as I mentioned, I couldn't demonstrate anything with my weak psychokinesis that depletes after just a few uses.

That's where Eun-wol, hiding behind the wall watching me, becomes important.

Now, time for what I do best. Let's put on a show.

As they looked at me with somewhat indignant expressions that seemed to say "Well, how strong are you then?" after my declaration that they were too weak, I shouted loudly:

"One more test machine!"

As I shouted, another wall of the training room opened.

From there, another large dinosaur robot emerged, roaring "GROOOAAR!"

I had been fiddling with the gloves on my hands, and now I quietly walked forward.

'Eun-wol, are you ready?'

I'm counting on you.

After passing by the kids and standing before the large robot.

I spread my hand high toward the sky.

Then, clenching my fist tightly.

KWAAAANG!

The robot in front of me was crushed as if compressed, then exploded with a thunderous sound.

To anyone watching, it would appear I had destroyed the robot with some kind of ability by clenching my fist.

But in reality...

'Thank you, Eun-wol!'

I silently thanked Eun-wol, who was somewhere behind that wall.

Of course, this was a setup between Eun-wol and me. The moment I clenched my fist, Eun-wol, who was hiding and waiting, attacked it instead, making it look like I had defeated it.

Pure deception, but... those kids had no way of knowing.

Feeling the intense heat and flying debris behind me, I turned away from the explosion site and faced the kids who were staring blankly at me—the person who had defeated in seconds what had taken them dozens of minutes to overcome.

With a smirk, I declared:

"This is how strong you need to become."

Only then will they be able to help Stardust.

And to achieve that, naturally...

They'll have to suffer!

I let out an evil laugh at the thought.

Now, it's time for the kind-hearted Egostic everyone loves to become a terrifying drill instructor.

***

'....He's strong.'

The gray-haired man, Lee Se-geom... no, now No. 1, muttered to himself as he looked at Da-in standing before him.

The others might not have noticed, but with his keen senses, he could feel it. The moment that man clenched his fist, energy concentrated in the center of the machine and then exploded. Moreover, Da-in seemed to be deliberately limiting his power.

...In reality, this was Baek Eunwol's ability, but he didn't know that.

'...He's much stronger than those in our organization.'

With these thoughts, he gripped his sword.

If he followed this man and worked hard, could he become that strong too?

Then. Could he break free from the shackles of his past?

No. 1 made this resolution as he tightened his grip on his sword. Yes, he would work hard here. And then, destroy the organization.

...What he didn't anticipate was just how much harder he would have to work than he expected.