Chapter 222 - Awareness

A few hours later.

Unlike the four PMC members sitting on the floor, breathing heavily, Stardust was standing perfectly fine.

'...Hmm, still not enough though.'

-At this level, they seem quite strong.

She thought while stretching her hands.

Despite wearing just a t-shirt during the fight, she didn't have a single scratch on her body.

...With a bit more development, they might not be bad. That's what she thought. Since they've only practiced among themselves so far, when a weak villain appears, she could train them under her name.

However.....

"Hmm...."

Feeling something strange, Shin Ha-ru looked down at the four trainees recovering on the floor and fell into thought.

'...Somehow, their fighting style seems familiar.'

The way they immediately retreat when at a disadvantage, or how they feint to catch opponents off guard. Why does it feel so familiar?

"...."

The whole place felt familiar too.

With that thought, Stardust quickly glanced around the training facility. There was a familiar feeling here as well.

...How should I put it? Like a familiar gaze? Something like that. Probably nothing.

Anyway.

...I wonder if someone else has been training them?

Stardust wondered.

For people who supposedly only practiced among themselves, they showed some surprisingly professional moves. A certain expertise. Familiar, even.

Well, having fought countless villains herself, it's possible she's just imagining things after experiencing so many fighting styles.

'...I'll keep watching them.'

That's what she thought.

Yes, they seem to have rested enough, so let's call them again.

Especially...

With that thought, Stardust looked at the small girl with blue hair resting against the wall with her eyes closed. Number 4, was it?

The weakest girl who could create large water droplets in the air.

However...

'She said abilities get enhanced near her water droplets.'

Right.

She had a very unique ability. The effect of enhancing the abilities of those near her water droplets.

Since it didn't work on Stardust herself, there must be some limitations, but it was certainly an interesting ability.

'...But if it also enhances a villain's abilities during a fight, wouldn't that be pointless?'

That was her only concern.

...It might be useful against civilians or beasts, but seems rather useless in typical terrorist situations.

Still, if she controls the distance of the water droplets well, she could enhance allies' abilities when fighting together, so it would be useful.

Yes. Let's experiment with that right now.

Addressing the four who seemed to have rested enough, Stardust calmly said:

"Now, all four of you come at me at once."

Still wearing just a t-shirt, she spoke as if she could easily defeat all four of them.

".....Yes, ma'am."

They simply prepared themselves calmly.

...Of course, the skill gap between these four with no real combat experience and Stardust, who had faced hundreds of villains in life-or-death situations, was only natural.

And so.

Once again, another battle began.

Unaware that there was another pair of eyes watching them.

***

"....They really do fight well."

In the basement of the Ego-stream, watching Stardust and the PMC kids fight on a large screen while eating popcorn, I muttered to myself.

I never thought I'd be using the CCTV I installed in the underground training area like this... Anyway, being able to watch live is quite profitable. It gives me a sense of checking firsthand how strong our Ego-squad members are, plus I get to see Stardust too.

'...But it's my first time seeing Stardust fight in casual clothes...'

Hmm, whether in a suit or a t-shirt, Stardust is beautiful.

....Wait, that's not the point.

"...Oppa, you're focusing on the fighting, right?"

"Huh? Oh, of course."

Feeling oddly guilty at Seo-eun's suspicious sideways glance, I nodded in response. Well, I was focusing. Yeah.

"She does seem to be going easy on them though...."

Still, our PMC Ego-squad kids were doing pretty well. I felt oddly proud since I trained them myself.

And so the sparring with Stardust ended.

Naturally, Stardust won, but overall it concluded on a good note.

"Hmm... not bad."

I thought as I got up from my seat.

Good, that should be enough for the PMC today. Our Stardust will take care of developing them from here. And after that, Stardust will help them grow.

With that thought, I took one last look at the screen.

They seemed to be finishing up for the day, dispersing in different directions.

Watching that, I left the room with Seo-eun.

Now all that's left is to eliminate a few villains in advance and visit our Vine Witch one more time.

"Oppa! Oh right, I made a new device recently. Want to see it?"

"Oh, what is it?"

"Hehe. It's a Fixed Variable Converter. What it does is..."

Chatting with Seo-eun, I closed the door.

...Deliberately ignoring the uneasy feeling I had in the room.

...With how thoroughly I've planned everything, nothing could possibly go wrong. I've coordinated everything, including the meeting between Stardust and our PMC kids.

Yeah, right. What could possibly happen?

***

"No matter how I look at it, Master Da-in must be Egostic."

That night.

The four of them huddled together, speaking with serious expressions.

After Lee Se-geom, No. 1, had already shared all the evidence he'd gathered, they all sat with grave faces.

"....Yeah. I think so too."

"...Seo Chae-young?"

At that moment, the woman with yellowish-orange hair, No. 2 Seo Chae-young, muttered with her mouth slightly open and a blank expression.

When she readily agreed that Da-in was Egostic—despite having denied it vehemently at first—the others looked at her in surprise.

She continued in a somewhat soulless voice:

"Sister Stardust... when I saw her this time, she was so beautiful. There's no way he wouldn't like a woman like that...."

"Weren't you under a recognition filter so you couldn't see her properly?"

At No. 3's innocent but cutting question, No. 2 replied in a weak voice:

"No... you can feel it even through that filter. What did you see? Ahhh. Why am I facing such trials..."

While Seo Chae-young was grabbing her hair in agony.

The remaining three gathered among themselves, putting their heads together and whispering.

No. 3, Heo Da-hee, asked with a curious face:

"...So, if Master Da-in is Egostic, why did he teach us? Isn't Egostic a villain?"

"....Well, maybe he wants to turn us into villains too?"

"Gasp. So we're villains now? ...Is that actually good?"

While No. 3 and No. 4 were having this exchange.

No. 1, who was listening, shook his head and said:

"...No. That can't be it. Don't you remember his constant teachings about a hero's mindset?"

"Oh, that's true."

As No. 3 acknowledged this, No. 4 continued in a quiet voice:

"...No, that's not it. If Egostic is a villain, he might be raising us as heroes first, then planning to corrupt us into villains later. Like fallen heroes? That kind of feeling."

"....Hmm."

Hearing this, Lee Se-geom closed his eyes and thought.

Fallen heroes... those who once pursued justice but became corrupted and turned their blades against humanity.

....That does sound plausible.

"....That could be it."

As Lee Se-geom said this with a slightly confused look.

Suddenly, Seo Chae-young, who had been spacing out, slammed the floor and said:

"....A-Anyway! W-whether Master Da-in is a villain or not isn't important. What's important is that now we know he's a villain, what are we going to do about it?"

"...Why is that important?"

Lee Se-geom replied indifferently to Seo Chae-young's words.

"Whether Master Da-in is a villain or a hero, we've already decided to trust and follow him. So that's not what matters."

"...That's right. I already owe him a debt."

"Yeah! Um... but does this mean we're not Yu-seong Squad but actually Ego-squad? Ego-squad... that rolls off the tongue better!"

"...Ego-squad. That's a pretty name."

While they were talking.

Seo Chae-young frowned and said incredulously:

"...No, what are you all saying? That's obvious, but what I'm asking is what we're going to do now. Are we just going to go to Master Da-in and ask if he's Egostic?"

"Hmm..."

Lee Se-geom fell silent at that.

In the meantime, Heo Da-hee offered her opinion:

"Let's just tell him! Say we know he's Egostic, but we don't care. Tell him he doesn't need to hide it, we'll trust and follow him anyway."

"...Right. I think that would be best too."

As No. 4 San Soo-ah nodded in agreement.

Lee Se-geom shook his head and said:

"...No. Not yet. We're not 100% certain he's Egostic, and we don't know much about him either. Isn't it strange that he, clearly a villain, is working with Lee Seol-ah, who's a hero?"

"...Ah! Now that I think about it, that is strange!"

As Heo Da-hee clapped her hands together.

Lee Se-geom nodded and said with a serious face:

"Right. So let's find out more... and later, we can be honest with him. Until then, absolutely do not tell anyone."

"Got it!"

"Yes."

"Hmph... fine."

And so.

Those who had started calling themselves Ego-squad began quietly investigating Egostic.

"But seriously, doesn't Master Da-in really like Stardust? This is like 'We Got Married' level!"

"What's 'We Got Married'...?"

...Very diligently.

***

"So, if you put mint chocolate cake in here? Ta-da! It turns into tiramisu cake. Huh? Oppa, what's wrong?"

"Ah. It's nothing. Keep explaining, it's fascinating."

In the basement.

While looking at the Fixed... whatever Converter that Seo-eun had made, I suddenly felt uneasy and looked around, then refocused on Seo-eun's explanation.

...I must really be feeling weak lately. Maybe I should take that tonic Ms. Su-bin used to give me again.

My ears were itching.