Chapter 439 - Side Story. Lily Of The Valley (13)

After the terrorist attack on the Han-Eun Group's broadcasting station began, I was flying toward the area with Seo-eun in her suit while communicating with Stardust.

[I'll try to handle two locations by myself as quickly as possible. Egostic, you take care of the remaining one.]

"Yes, understood. Please be careful."

[...Aren't you going out with Han Seo-eun today? Be careful too. We can't let her get hurt.]

"Haha, yes. I'll keep that in mind."

[Alright... I've arrived first, so I'm charging in.]

With those words, Stardust's communication ended.

At the same time, among the numerous buildings below the sky, the broadcasting station currently under terrorist attack came into view.

Good. It's about time to start.

"Seo-eun. We've arrived."

"....Phew. Yes. Finally, the real thing."

In response to my announcement of our arrival, Seo-eun hesitated for a moment before answering in a tense voice.

With her suit covering her up to the top of her head, I couldn't see her face, but I could tell how nervous she was without looking.

Right. The first time is never easy.

With that thought, I grinned and pointed to the camera floating in the air.

"Don't be too nervous. Let's just do what we practiced. Oh, and I'm turning on the broadcast now."

"B-broadcast? Right now?"

"Yes. We don't have time... let's go."

With those words, I turned on the camera.

Simultaneously, the broadcast began automatically as I had set it up.

Looking into the lens,

I grinned and greeted my viewers after a long time.

"Hello everyone. This is Egostic!"

And at the same time,

The chat window instantly began to flood with messages.

*

[Mangostick! Mangostick! Mangostick! Mangostick!]

[Finally back lolololol How many months has it been?]

[The "Great Emperor Stick," practically the only ability user left in the world, is back! Like if you're happy lololol]

[Whoa lolololololololol Finally!]

[Finally the big one's here lolololololol]

[Look at Team Mango members rushing in even after a six-month broadcasting hiatus lol That's me lololololol]

[Han-Eun Group who made Mango turn on his broadcast < honestly kinda thankful?]

[Who's the suited guy next to him? lololololol]

[We are living in the era of Mango]

*

Glancing at the chat window that was too fast to read at a glance, I continued with a smile.

"Yes, it's good to see you all too. Have you all been well? Today I'm turning on the broadcast because the Han-Eun Group has launched a terrorist attack!"

After saying that, I let out a deep sigh and continued.

"Really... Haven't I said this before? One villain—me—is enough for South Korea. Seeing other villains who aren't on my side acting without my permission? I can't allow that. I'll have to teach them a lesson."

After finishing with a grin, the chat window started scrolling rapidly again.

*

[Whoa lolololololol]

[As expected from South Korea's S-class hero Mangostick lol]

[No other villains needed but me = I'll take down all other villains NEW MAN GO lolololololol]

[This is gonna be good lololololol Let's go teach them a lesson~]

[So who's that person in the suit flying next to you?]

*

Good. Now it's time for introductions.

With that thought, I introduced Seo-eun who was flying next to me in her suit.

"Oh, and! Today I'll be assisted by my villain colleague. Her codename is 'Silver Steel.' Let's welcome her with applause!"

After my introduction, Seo-eun tightly closed her mouth and quietly nodded.

...And didn't say anything more.

Hmm... Is Seo-eun feeling shy in front of the camera?

Well, that's not important right now.

*

[Oh, a new villain colleague lol]

[Wait what... I was sure Mango's new colleague would be a woman, this is shocking lololololol]

[Nice, now with a colleague the power doubles lololol]

[Not sure what's going on but let's go~~~~]

[The suit design looks kind of feminine, or is it just me?]

[So we're supporting Mangosteel now, right?? Gender unknown lol]

*

...The comments were a bit strange, but I ignored them and proceeded with the operation.

"Alright everyone, let's head to the broadcasting station now. Launch!"

With those words,

After flying close enough, I grabbed Seo-eun's suit and teleported.

***

After arriving inside the broadcasting station.

In the main lobby on the first floor, which was high and spacious,

...The Han-Eun Group employees standing around in bulletproof vests and green helmets jumped in surprise when we suddenly appeared.

[Who are these guys? Everyone attack!!!]

With that command, nearby employees rushed toward us.

Then they released blue electricity from their hands and began firing at us.

"Eek. Electricity powers this time? How predictable, so predictable."

I said with a smile as I dodged using teleportation, then moved behind the employees and struck them with my special gun.

I could finish them in one go using psychokinesis...

But that would expose my power too much. As a precaution, I always reduced my power like this when the broadcast was on.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

"Ugh..."

After taking down several of them, I looked over at Seo-eun's side.

Over there.

Boom. Booooom. Booooooom.

[Argh, what the... Ugh.]

Like me, Seo-eun was flying through the air, avoiding electrical currents and shooting energy blasts from her hands to take them all down.

...Her movements were a bit awkward at times, but she was doing really well overall.

*

[Wow they're just slaughtering them lolololololol]

[This Silver Steel person? They seem pretty good at fighting too lol]

[Han-Eun Group massacre? Mango TV yeah...]

[If you want to be a villain in South Korea, beat Mango before Stardust lol]

[S-class hero Mangostick pretending to be a villain lol]

*

"Ha. This is pretty easy, isn't it?"

After we took down everyone on the first floor, we sensed more commotion from above the escalator as more electricity-wielders were coming down.

"From the looks of it, they're positioned from the first floor to the top. We should take it slow and catch them one by one as we go up, to avoid getting ambushed from behind."

"..."

Nod.

Leading Seo-eun, who hadn't said a word since the broadcast began, I headed up to the second floor to greet the ones trying to come down.

"Now! Let's start the real show!!"

***

And so our conquest of the broadcasting station building began, floor by floor.

Han-Eun Group's ability users kept coming down from above, as if they were all trying to confront us.

And it seems they weren't using fire abilities like last time. This time, the Han-Eun Group was sending out ability users who continuously used blue electricity.

Honestly, I wasn't that surprised.

I had expected them to have different abilities...

'In the original work, there was a villain called Electra who used electricity powers.'

I had already seen a villain with similar abilities in the original work.

The difference was that she fired yellow, fresh "natural" electricity, while these ones were firing some kind of alien blue electricity.

I could only guess that it was because their abilities were artificially created.

We continued to ascend through the broadcasting station.

Contrary to my concerns, Seo-eun fought quite well. ...Actually, from the beginning, her suit seemed to have electrical resistance built in, as she barely showed any reaction when hit a few times. As if she knew in advance.

Of course, she still hadn't said a word the entire time.

"Here we are! Finally arrived. Come at us!"

After some time passed like this,

We finally defeated all the enemies below and reached the broadcasting transmission floor at the top.

Dozens of computers lined up.

And people who clearly looked like researchers, wearing white lab coats instead of bulletproof vests, sitting and doing something.

"...Damn! I can't believe you made it this far. Fire at them all!!!"

"Oh my. Making a fuss until the very end."

Once again, a battle broke out with the researchers who, like those below, charged at us with blue electricity surrounding their hands.

And the result was, of course, victory.

"Keh... Keh..."

After taking them all down,

I grabbed the senior researcher with glasses who had been directing from the back and lifted him up with psychokinesis.

"Now. You've all been defeated. So tell me, what were you trying to do at the broadcasting station?"

"...Heh. Of course, cough, I won't... We were trying to broadcast the Han-Eun Group's declaration to everyone... Ugh."

The researcher, while speaking, grinned even as he was collapsing and said:

"...Ha. But it doesn't matter what you do to me, cough. Anyway... my other colleagues would have started the broadcast by now..."

The researcher continued to cough but still smiled as he spoke.

I had to remain silent for a moment at his words.

Because.

[Egostic. I've finished with both broadcasting stations. Are you almost done there? I'll wrap up here quickly and fly over to you.]

...I just received this message from Stardust.

"It seems like your other colleagues have also failed because of Stardust."

"What...?"

When I revealed this shocking truth,

The researcher's expression completely froze, and then he began to tremble and ramble incoherently to himself.

"Damn... What is this... Could it be all failed... What was the doctor... This... Then they still don't know our purpose..."

"What are you mumbling about...?"

"I can't just leave it like this... AAAAARGH!"

And at the same time,

The guy suddenly began to cover his entire body with blue electricity.

"Oppa! Watch out!!!"

KWAAAANG.

Just as he self-destructed with an electrical explosion, I escaped by moving toward Seo-eun in her suit.

"...Phew. That was dangerous. Thank you, Silver Steel."

"Ugh... Yes."

Seo-eun responded to my words while panting.

...What on earth has the Han-Eun Group transformed into? Some kind of cult? What is this...

Curious about how the chat would react to this absurd situation, I took a quick look:

*

[Oh.]

[Oppa? Oppa? Oppa? Oppa? Oppa? Oppa? Oppa? Oppa? Oppa? Oppa? Oppa? Oppa? Oppa? Oppa? Oppa?]

[What's with Silver Steel's voice lololololol]

[As expected, I believed in Mangostick lolololololol]

[From today I support Mangosteel <<< like if you agree lololol]

[!! Egostic, forget Han-Eun Group, explain about your female colleague first !!]

*

"..."

I considered just turning off the broadcast.