Chapter 300 - Catch

"Mmmmm..."

On another clear day at the Hero Association office.

Stardus sat there with her lips tightly sealed, seriously contemplating something.

Specifically, how to approach Egostic...

'....'

...Actually, when she thought about it, was there even anything left to approach? What kind of relationship did they have? They had saved each other's lives and shared countless experiences together.

The problem was that it was a relationship between a hero and a villain.

"Sigh..."

...She just wanted to spend more time with Egostic. That's all. Why was that so difficult?

Because he was a villain and she was a hero? Or was it because Egostic wasn't very active, so there were few opportunities to see him?

...As she continued these thoughts—which no one would believe were a hero's thoughts about a villain—she eventually clenched her fist and made a resolution.

'Right. Next time we meet...!'

She would take the initiative.

Though she hadn't thought at all about what exactly she would take initiative on or how she would do it... that was her resolution nonetheless.

Hadn't Lee Seol-ah advised her to do the same?

But in reality, this conversation could only happen when Egostic caused a terror attack.

Since he had tricked her and escaped in Busan last time, he had vanished without a trace.

Right. He had taken that girl Ariel with him.

...Thinking about that again made Stardus feel inexplicably boiling inside, but she decided to endure it. In truth, there wasn't much she could do besides endure it unless she put everyone in prison... though that wouldn't be easy either since it would likely make Egostic sad.

"Egostic... when will you come?"

And so, during these unexpectedly peaceful days with no terror attacks for three consecutive days.

Today too, a hero was waiting for a villain's terror attack.

As she leaned back in her chair, her blonde hair flowing down, quietly lost in thought.

Suddenly, something occurred to her.

'That's right. Come to think of it...'

Wasn't this exactly when Egostic would usually launch a terror attack?

When she had waited and waited, and finally started to think he wasn't coming... that's when Egostic would always appear on TV.

This was an intuition she had as an Egostic expert.

And.

Several hours later that day.

[Hello, everyone!]

"...Yes, as expected."

"Ms. Stardus, Egostic is at the bank!"

"Yes, I know. I'll head there right away."

Finally.

At Egostic's terror attack after such a long time, Stardus quickly changed clothes and flew out the window.

The staff member who had rushed in to deliver the news opened the door, shook their head with a bitter smile, and muttered.

"Seriously, she only smiles brightly without even realizing it when Egostic launches a terror attack..."

...Someone who always turns serious and scary when other villains cause terror attacks.

The association staff member thought this as they left the room.

...Incidentally, almost all the staff at the association seriously believed the rumors of a romance between Egostic and Stardus.

***

Egostic's terror attack after such a long time.

If counting official terror attacks, his last one was the missile attack last winter, long before the Moonlight Bridge incident. In other words, this was Egostic's first terror attack in nearly half a year, no joke.

As such, the chat on the official broadcast was absolute madness.

"Hello, this is Egostic!"

*

[Is he here? Is he here? Is he here? Is he here? Is he here? Is he here? Is he here? Is he here? Is he here? Is he here? Is he here? Is he here? Is he here? Is he here? Is he here? Is he here? Is he here? Is he here?]

[He's here lmaooooooo Mango terror attack incoming lolol]

[He just straight up put "terror" in the title lol Mang-Emperor]

[Ego oppa take me with you waaah]

[Mang-kiyathou~! Mang-kiyathou~! Mang-kiyathou~! Mang-kiyathou~! Mang-kiyathou~! Mang-kiyathou! Mang-kiyathou~! Mang-kiyathou~! Mang-kiyathou~! Mang-kiyathou~! Mang-kiyathou~! Mang-kiyathou~! Mang-kiyathou~! Mang-kiyathou~! Mang-kiyathou~! Mang-kiyathou~! Mang-kiyathou~! Mang-kiyathou~! Mang-kiyathou~! Mang-kiyathou~!]

[Mang-hahahahaha Mang-hahahahaha Mang-hahahahaha Mang-khahahahaha Mang-khahahahaha Mang-khahahahaha Mang-kyahahahahahaha Mang-kaaaaaaah Mang!!!]

[Is Ego a stick? Is Ego a stick? Is Ego a stick? Is Ego a stick? Is Ego a stick? Is Ego a star? Is Ego a stick? Is Ego a stick? Is Star a dust? Is Ego a stick?]

[Number 1 man who makes everyone go crazy with just one terror attack, simply the GOAT lololol]

[The viewer count in just a few minutes wtf lol is this even possible with our country's population????]

[The chat is moving so fast I can't read anything lolol]

*

In the midst of this chaotic madness.

Egostic was smiling leisurely, standing on a rooftop wearing his mask with a bright smile, just as he always did.

"Yes everyone, I've returned with another terror attack! Have you all been waiting?"

As he said this, he smiled broadly at the camera while his cape fluttered.

And in front of him.

"Egostic..."

Stardus, who had just flown in, exhaled as she quickly arrived.

Seeing Egostic again.

And seeing his smiling face once more.

Thump. Thump.

Without realizing it, she felt her heart racing when she saw him.

...It must be because she flew here so quickly, right?

While she was feeling this way.

Egostic finally turned his gaze from the camera to meet Stardus's eyes, and with an even brighter smile, he opened his mouth toward her.

"Hello, Ms. Stardus! It's been a while!"

As she heard his voice.

...And saw his eyes trembling slightly, as if remembering what he had done last time.

Stardus couldn't help but smile, and with a grin, she opened her mouth.

...By now, she had reached the point where just seeing him or hearing his voice made her happy.

"...Hmm. So, what are you planning to do today?"

*

[Wow what's with Stardus smiling just now]

[Stardust is seriously pretty when she smiles lolol]

[Seems like she automatically smiles when she sees Egostic lolol good times lolol]

[Knowledge plate) Before rising to fame because of Egostic, Stardus was once known solely for her appearance.]

[Looks GOAT, skills GOAT, personality GOAT, not Stardus but Stargoat... Great Emperor Star Goat]

[Star Goat wtf lolol]

[Those two don't even seem to be trying to hide that they're dating anymore lol for real]

*

As Stardus smiled and said that.

Egostic seemed relieved, grinned, and then spread his hands as he spoke.

"Anyway, I'm a bit flustered since you arrived earlier than planned, Ms. Stardus... but let's start the terror attack right away."

After saying that, he extended his hand forward.

And then.

-Bang.

"Ugh?"

Before Stardus could react, a bomb exploded right in front of her.

Before she could respond, through the thick smoke.

Something like black tentacles shaped like spheres began to envelop Egostic.

Wriggle wriggle

The black tentacle-like things wrapped around both his hands, making them look like thick gauntlets...

*

[??? What is this, darkness evolution?]

[Wow! You know about Behemoth! Behemoth is a black tentacle-based enhancement suit that Egostic first used during the Moonlight Bridge disaster, believed to have been acquired during the Han-eun Group incident a few years ago!]

[Thank you, Wow-Behemoth-nim!]

*

After completing his transformation, he grinned and opened his mouth.

"This terror attack... is being carried out by me alone! The theme is sharing money and bombs, shall we say?"

After saying that, he pulled out numerous bombs from somewhere and floated them in the air.

Then, as he launched himself into the sky, he said.

"Everyone, my current location is the rooftop of Korea's premier bank. That's right. You can probably guess what I'm going to do, right?"

With those words.

Boom!

A much louder explosion than before was heard from the bank.

The wind blew.

Whoosh.

Money began to flutter down from the sky.

"Today's terror theme is risking your lives for a tax payback! Gather money here and now. Of course, I'll keep throwing bombs, so you'll have to risk your lives to come!"

*

[Lmaooooo]

[Tax payback I agree lolol]

[This is a real terror attack, I'm going now lolol]

[Fan meeting and sharing at the same time, simply GOAT lolol]

[Association staff are all deployed now, it's hard to even get near there lol]

[But the bank doesn't seem that damaged, where is the money coming from? Is that Mango's personal money again?]

[??? Come to think of it, you're right wtf lolol]

[Do you think a guy who causes terror attacks and then compensates with his own money looks like a loser? lolol]

*

"...And Ms. Stardus, if you want to stop me, try to catch me! Hahaha!"

Watching Egostic zoom into the sky.

Stardus sighed and chased after him.

...It seemed she was going to get some exercise with him again.

***

The terror attack by Egostic that continued for several hours proceeded quite conventionally.

Bombs falling with the bank as a backdrop, Stardus blocking them, Egostic taunting her to catch him...

He was handling teleportation quite skillfully, and as Stardus blocked all the bombs, quite a bit of time passed.

Of course, Egostic was throwing bombs one by one in a way that made them easy to catch, so the terror attack itself was easy to stop. According to a message from an association staff member, the money seemed to be fake, so she could focus on stopping the attack without worrying about burning it.

As time passed, Egostic also seemed quite tired.

But seeing him like that made Stardus even more anxious.

'...How am I supposed to approach him here?'

The situation was that he would run away if she approached.

To make matters worse, today's terror attack seemed to be coming to an end. There were no casualties and minimal damage, but... for some reason, she felt sad.

"Haa, haa. I'm getting tired now..."

"Then, just surrender already...!"

As she said this, Stardus reached out toward him as he wobbled in the air, his speed slowing down.

She already knew. That he would escape using teleportation like this.

Still, she had to try until the end—that was her mindset.

However.

Grab.

"Huh?"

Her hand, which she thought would slice through empty air, somehow caught his arm.

"Oh my, I've been caught. Haha."

Seeing him standing there, caught by the arm, almost in an embrace, smiling awkwardly as if troubled while sweating from exhaustion.

"...Huh?"

Stardus, making eye contact with him, unconsciously let out a dumbfounded sound.

"I surrender. It's my first defeat."

"...Uh, you're not running away?"

"...? No."

And so.

*

[?]

[???]

[Huh???????]

*

South Korea's worst villain, S-class villain Egostic, was captured by the hero Stardus.

And.

That day would also be the moment when South Korea was completely turned upside down.