Chapter 431: Lily of the Valley (6)

Chapter 431: Lily of the Valley (6)

[Shin Haru]

A familiar name appeared on my cell phone screen, ringing with an incoming call.

I looked at the name, smiled sheepishly, and answered the phone.

"Hello. It's Egostic."

There was a pause, and then a voice.

[...Uh. Da-in. It's me, Shin Haru. Do you have a moment?]

"Yes. Can I help you?"

At my words, Stardus opened her mouth with a tired sigh.

[...That crocodile villain you were talking about? We've caught him. Is this the last one?]

"Yes, that's right, there are a few more left, but they're minor."

[Phew, yeah. That's good to hear]

Stardus looks relieved to hear that.

I smile at her reaction.

Now, you might be wondering.

How am I, a villain, talking to Stardus so casually on the phone? Or rather, how did I get her number in the first place?

This story takes us back three years.

But there's a lot more to this story, so let's skip it for now.

'Stardus? I'll give you the full story. My real name is Da-in. My primary abilities are teleportation and telekinesis, with side effects.

I know about the Association. Stardus. Real name is Shin Haru. Currently enrolled at Yonsei University. You were empowered by the god of the stars, Sīdus, and awakened your abilities.'

'...Who the hell are you?'

...Well, let's just say there's been a lot of talk.

The world is safe now that the Sun God's powers are gone. What's the point in hiding it anymore?

I told Stardus most of what I knew, and after a long time of proving my trust with my actions...I was finally accepted by her.

And now we are colleagues.

Perhaps because of my steadfastness, she seems to trust me quite a bit now, and, well, she was once my favorite. Our relationship isn't bad.

It's just.

"...What is it? Is it Haru unnie?"

I was on the phone.

Seo-Eun, who had come to my side, crossed her arms and looked at me with her thin eyes and whispered.

...Yeah.

The problem is, she's a little wary of Stardus...

Whenever the subject of Stardus comes up, or I'm talking to her, she starts to twitch.

I cut her off.

"Okay. Thank you, and I'll see you soon..."

[Wait]

Just as I was about to hang up Stardus interrupted me, and opened her mouth.

[Da-in. Is Seo-Eun there?]

"....."

"Huh..."

I wondered if the sharpness of someone with super intuition could be avoided by whispering.

Stardus' sharp insight caused Seo-eun to shut her mouth.

Stardus sighed again, and continued in a slightly softer voice.

[Good, good, this is something Han Seo-Eun needs to hear]

And out of Stardus' mouth came the words.

The words I, we, have been waiting for all this time.

[Da-in, we've found new evidence against the HanEun group]

"...!"

Hearing those words, Seo-Eun and I exchanged glances.

Finally, the words we had been waiting for all this time were spoken.

To understand Seo-Eun and this group's bad blood, we need to know what they were doing in the original.

The HanEun Group is a large South Korean conglomerate that, at first glance, seems like an ordinary company...

In reality, they were actually the "corrupt corporation" of the typical heroic trope, a group of villains who were secretly trying to take over Korea.

They were researching various technologies to conquer Korea.

From the Behemoth, a monstrous creature, to the Dehumanization Project to develop superpowers acquired through the use of the Octopath, an air raid weapon.

They appear as the final boss of the first phase of the manga Stardust! and attack South Korea with the Octopath, finally succeeding in destroying Seoul by turning it into a sea of fire.

So what is Seo-Eun's connection to this villainous force?

Seo-Eun is... a victim of their dehumanization project.

The dehumanization project of the HanEun Group is to create acquired superpowers in humans.

Seo-eun has a history of being raised as a test subject, undergoing grueling biological experiments and near-torture since childhood.

Somehow she managed to escape, but her heart was broken and she distrusted humans.

Living alone and quietly, she festered, until she finally became angry at the world for abandoning her.

She finally utilizes her genius intelligence, the result of an experiment. She emerges as an S-class villain, the White Witch, and causes the Great Breakout of the Villain Prison...

'Of course, that's not going to happen now.'

Seo-Eun, who is living with me, going to school, making friends, and enjoying life, would never cause such a thing.

But...HanEun Group was the problem.

[[Breaking News] Executives of HanEun Group, one of the world's leading conglomerates, 'drinking at night'. Evidence of state subversion is emerging from the basement of the headquarters... Shock]

'No, these assholes ran away?'

Right after the incapacitation and before I could do anything, the HanEun group just bolted...They literally disappeared from Korea.

My original plan was for Behemoth to escape from HanEun Group's basement at some point, and my plan to use that as an opportunity to capture HanEun Group...was thwarted.

So even though the Association, who heard everything from me, revealed the trace, they still haven't caught them.

Especially Kim Sun-woo, the technical director of HanEun Group and the de facto founder of the plan to overthrow the state.

That's why I want to clean up the unrest in Korea and avenge Seo-Eun... I continued to track down the HanEun Group.

And finally today, it seemed to pay off.

~The headquarters of the Korean Heroes Association building, in a huge operations meeting room~

I walked in late, and casually greeted the others.

"Hello, Ms. Lee Seola. It's been a while."

"Hmph. Mr. Da-in, you're here. Yes, it's been a while."

The first person to greet me was a woman with light blue hair, sitting on a chair and drinking wine. It's Lee Seola.

She was once an A-class heroine, Icicle, but now that her powers are gone, she's just the chairwoman of the Yuseong Corporation.

...But why is she drinking wine now? Well, I'm sure there's a lot of stress in running a company. I'll understand.

"...Egostic. There you are."

Shadow Walker was the next to greet me.

He was tiredly sipping his coffee and looking at his computer, but then he looked at me, nodded slightly, and went back to his computer.

As for Shadow Walker, he's lost most of his abilities... except for a few things, like his strength at night, and his eyes glowing. Some traits were retained.

Of course, I don't know why, and it's not a very important ability, so now he's just a desk worker with field experience...

I joked with him once and tears welled up in his eyes, so let's leave it at that.

So I kept walking and finally, at the end of it.

"...Da-in. I'm here."

Long blonde hair, blue eyes, a superhero suit that clung to her body and a face that always looks straight, Korea's one and only hero, Stardus.

Once my favorite girl, and now a woman who would never suffer the same unfortunate fate as the original.

...I'd be embarrassed for Seo-Eun if I went on and on about her beauty, so let's restrain ourselves.

Anyway,

Stardus stood in front of the map on the big screen, staring at it, and then, sensing my mood, turned back to me.

"Yes. It's me. Hello, Stardus."

"Yeah... But wait, isn't Seo-Eun Han here?"

After reacting to my greeting with such a smile, Stardus looked around me and frowned.

And at that, I simply shrugged.

"Yeah. She doesn't like crowds..."

'...Ugh. Oppa. I can listen to the association news at home anyway, so you go alone.'

'Really? Are you sure you'll be okay?'

"Yeah. And I don't think I'll be much help if I go...'

Well, that's what she said, but I guess that's what she meant. Seo-eun is so shy.

...Even if I've seen her with Stardus before.

"Well, that's just like her. Okay, Da-in's here, so let's get this meeting started. Shadow Walker, wake up that dozing president over there."

"Why would I... Haha, okay."

"Tsk... Beam... cotton.....Hup! Bitter, hmm. Hmm. What's going on?"

Then the chairman got up.

"Okay. Let's discuss the new evidence we've gotten about the HanEun Group."

Finally, the meeting of the Hero Association began in earnest.

At the same time in a pure white lab.

"......"

There, a long-haired man in a white robe stood with his back to the room as a voice was heard beside him.

"Doctor. We're ready."

At the researcher's words, Dr. Sun-woo adjusted his glasses for a moment before speaking.

"Okay. Let's go."

"Yes, sir!"

Sun-woo smirked.

"...The Association. I wonder how they'll react."

Today, they would attack the Association.