Chapter BONUS - Side Story: Return Of The Stars (5)

Like a picture-perfect sprawling mansion.

...Somewhere nearby, I was hiding.

My current target is the A-rank villain Teleporter.

"Let's begin."

I teleported into the living room of Teleporter's house.

And what I saw immediately after teleporting was.

His face...?

-Oppa, shoot!

As we both startled in surprise simultaneously, I immediately fired my gun with my right hand while throwing a tracking device with my left.

Bang!

After firing, I realized he was already gone from my sight.

I'm not sure if the bullet hit him.

Damn it, why was he in the living room making a fuss? He ran away immediately.

At this point, I'll go with Plan B.

I teleported about 500m ahead and found myself...

Wait, this is downtown?

"Kyaaaah!"

People were visibly startled when someone wearing a black robe and mask suddenly appeared out of thin air.

Looking to my right in the distance, I saw a man clutching his stomach with blood dripping from his body.

Oh, so that's where you were?

And you're already shot?

I felt an involuntary smile spreading across my face.

Right. Sometimes things should go easily.

Just as I was about to teleport toward him with my gun, he saw me and disappeared again while staggering.

"Alright, let's play this game, shall we?"

And so, an untimely teleportation chase broke out in the middle of downtown Seoul.

* * *

Korea Hero Association.

A-rank hero Stardust's office.

"Yaaawn..."

There, Shin Ha-ru, the owner of the office, was quietly rubbing her eyes and yawning while clicking on her computer.

She was searching through news articles to see if there were any terrorism reports.

...However, contrary to Ha-ru's hopes, there wasn't any particularly productive news.

Rather, the hero-related news section was filled with praise for her.

* * *

[Hero Stardust Takes Down Another Crime Organization! Watch the Criminal Den Crumble with One Punch... Read More]

[Stardust's Relentless Efforts to Normalize Seoul... What's Behind Her Sudden Awakening?]

[Republic of Korea's Terrorism Rate Drops to N%p Level, Examining the Hero Association Director's Changing Response]

[Dating Rumors Between Villain Egostic and Stardust... Unacceptable Glorification of Villains VS A Well-Matched Pair... Read More]

* * *

"Well... these kinds of reactions are a first."

Stardust muttered as she casually clicked on the last article with a bored expression.

Recently, she had begun to take more active measures. In other words, she started eliminating villains with her powers that had grown stronger than before the regression.

Because of this, praise for her was abundant everywhere online, from the internet to community forums. Even Seolhwa, who was in charge of Busan, called to grumble that Stardust's popularity had surpassed her own in her hometown.

Naturally, as a result, her standing within the Hero Association had also improved.

'To be honest, Stardust. How exactly did you get so strong?'

'What are you talking about, Director? I was always strong.'

'Hmm... Hahaha! Well, if our Stardust says so, then it must be true! By the way, do you need anything lately? Just say the word. I'll support you with whatever you need.'

Ha-ru smiled slightly as she scrolled down, recalling the image of the Hero Association Director who had muttered, 'Our country might finally get an S-rank...' while drying his hair.

In truth, it wasn't anything special. It was just something she had to do since she had gained this opportunity—or curse—of regression.

...If anything, she felt somewhat motivated since it had been a while since she'd done hero work. After defeating the Sun God, the abilities he had spread throughout this world disappeared, causing terrorism to plummet. It became an era where heroes weren't needed, so she went around having fun with Da-in and others.

"..."

Suddenly feeling melancholic after recalling the time before regression, she aimlessly browsed through the news.

...That's why she could only desperately search for Da-in.

After all, the only connection between before and after the regression, the person she had always loved, was only Da-in.

"When are you going to appear..."

Ha-ru muttered with a yawn as she thought about it.

She didn't have a genius-level memory, so she couldn't remember all the details from before the regression.

But she does remember the important points. Like the upcoming ice cream festival...

Also, sometimes she only remembers things when they happen.

Knock knock.

And that's when it happened.

A knock sounded at her office door, and an agent respectfully entered.

...This was one of the cultural changes after her regression. Association agents who calmly reported terrorism alerts instead of barging in urgently. This was possible because Stardust's response time after regression was faster than ever before.

"Excuse me. Ms. Stardust, a villain has appeared."

"Yes, I understand. Who is it?"

"It's Egostic. He's reportedly appeared in the middle of downtown..."

By the time she heard that much, Shin Ha-ru had already jumped up from her seat and completed her deployment preparations.

"I'll deploy immediately. Please mark the coordinates."

"...Yes. The location is..."

Whoooooosh

A while later.

She encountered Egostic, who was holding a villain like a caught mouse in the middle of downtown.

"Haha, just kidding, everyone! I don't suddenly harm innocent citizens! When I'm about to do something, I always notify in advance and heroes... Stardust?"

A man lying collapsed in front of Egostic... Looking at the situation, she vaguely remembered. Was this when he took down that Teleporter?

After quickly assessing the situation, Stardust smiled at Egostic, who was surprised by her sudden appearance.

...So Egostic was in the middle of his usual work—eliminating villains who would pose greater threats in the future.

But of course, she couldn't show that she knew this, so Stardust naturally addressed him.

"I came out after receiving a report that a villain had appeared... and it's you again, Egostic. What were you doing?"

Stardust asked with a smile, her blue eyes shining.

...Though she didn't know it, Da-in's heart skipped a beat when his favorite person suddenly appeared with her blonde hair fluttering, smiling and asking like that. Of course, Da-in didn't show any sign of it.

Instead, he also smiled casually and began to speak confidently to Stardust.

"What was I doing? I was just eliminating villains who are like parasites to society. Doing what heroes should be doing."

When she heard that much, Stardust finally began to remember this moment completely.

Right. This was when she first encountered Egostic's private punishment. When he killed Teleporter.

How did she respond at that time...?

"..."

"...Ahem."

Egostic seemed to interpret her momentary silence as she recalled her memories in some way, as he flinched before opening his mouth again to begin some explanation.

"Of course! Of course, I did carry out private punishment without borrowing public authority! I did, but I think there's a need for extenuating circumstances. Teleporter, this cruel guy, was designated as A-rank due to the power of his ability and the risk of escape, right? If he's A-rank, isn't it possible for heroes to make summary judgments on the spot at their discretion?"

After hearing Egostic's continued words, she remembered everything completely.

'Yes, that's right. What I heard and did at that time was...'

She clearly remembers being angry. Asking why someone who wasn't even a hero was carrying out private punishment. She was furious, yes.

And she also remembers that the public's reaction, as they watched us talking in the middle of downtown, wasn't good in response to her words. Did they criticize her, saying what did Egostic do wrong...? Typical of her sensitive heart that remembers negative comments for a long time, she remembered that moment clearly.

So.

This time, she should do the opposite.

"Right. Thank you, Egostic. Even though you're a villain, you've done this hard work. ...Is that okay?"

So she nodded and said that willingly.

And in response to her reaction.

"..."

Instead, Egostic showed a perplexed reaction.

He probably hadn't expected her to respond like this at all.

Somehow finding that expression deeply enjoyable, she put her hands behind her back, smiled, and asked.

"Why? You look somewhat surprised."

"...To be honest, I am. I thought you would say that I'm not a hero so I shouldn't do this. Something like, from a hero's standpoint, private punishment cannot be tolerated no matter what... that kind of feeling."

When their eyes met as he readily agreed with her question and asked in return, she could instinctively read the emotions in his eyes.

Anxiety, confusion, suspicion—

'...!'

Ha-ru flinched momentarily at such heavy emotions directed at her, but soon she calmly analyzed his feelings. After all, they had been together since confirming each other's feelings.

The suspicion he harbored toward her—it must be a question about her and the different Stardust.

The Stardust he knew was someone who couldn't tolerate injustice, who stood for justice... Though it's embarrassing to say herself, probably an image of a hero who doesn't compromise. She knows that's how she was often evaluated.

Anyway, for him, a 'hero' Stardust who turns a blind eye and says nothing when a villain carries out private punishment is an impossible image.

He's probably thinking—this isn't something Stardust would do!

But how could she explain this to him?

'To begin with, I don't think of Da-in as a villain at all...'

Who was it that lived with the primary goal of preventing the destruction of this world and helping her, and ultimately sacrificed his own life to save her and the world?

It was Da-in, the very person standing before her.

And naturally, we call such a person a hero.

As such, to Shin Ha-ru, Da-in's current actions weren't private punishment carried out by a villain.

...It was simply another hero like herself, eliminating villains who would become threats in the future—an action more just than anyone else's.

So, she couldn't explain all of this to him now.

But...

Perhaps she could use this situation to her advantage.

"You're right. As a hero, I can't accept actions like someone's private punishment, no matter how righteous they claim it to be. I have no intention of tolerating it either."

Stardust nodded and answered like that.

"But why..."

And as Egostic continued.

"But."

With the same word, Stardust cut him off.

With her sky-blue eyes meeting his, she smiled very slightly and said to him.

"But, strangely, I find myself letting your actions slide."

"..."

"I wonder why?"

That was the last exchange between the two that day.

...And.

That day was also the day that caused endless confusion in Egostic's heart.