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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: The Test
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[Hahahahaha! Destruction, more destruction!]
"Aaaah!"
Somewhere in the heart of Seoul, where things were never quiet.
The capital of South Korea, where superhumans of all kinds and cutting-edge science converged, was currently reeling from a taste of 21st-century technological prowess.
Floating in the middle of the city was a massive, spherical robot.
With four mechanical arms, it glowed red at its center as it wreaked havoc on the city.
[Bow down, everyone! This Chaos Destroyer will bring about the end of the old city!]
It continued its rampage, emitting a distorted, mechanical voice.
This was the new, unidentified villain, introducing itself as the Chaos Destroyer.
...At least, that's what I *wanted* it to look like.
"Whew... This is a pain in the ass."
Inside the war machine.
I sighed from the cockpit.
It was a cramped space, barely enough room for one person to stand.
From inside, I was busy piloting this robot that Seo-eun had made.
And occasionally, I'd deliver a line.
[Do you really think these brats can stop me? The true downfall begins now!]
As I spoke, I needlessly punched a nearby building.
The building was left with a rough dent.
It was already hard enough spouting all this weird dialogue to maintain the concept, but Stardus still hadn't shown up, making it even more of an ordeal.
Seriously, why aren't the A-listers showing up, and why are these weird B-list heroes the only ones coming?
When I first appeared in the city center with this war machine, I was a bit flustered when some B-list heroes suddenly showed up out of nowhere. Of course, they flew off after one punch and then ran away, but for me, expecting Stardus to arrive immediately, it was an incredibly perplexing moment.
When I caused terror as Egoistic, Stardus would rush over immediately, but doing it under a different identity, it seems A-rank heroes are hard to come by.
...But seriously, doesn't this war machine look pretty tough? Why are they sending B-listers?
Anyway, I diligently piloted the war machine, smashing several buildings. I made sure not to give away that I was Egoistic, continuously spouting strange lines.
This terror attack was a battle by Stardus, for Stardus.
More precisely, it was a terror attack to confirm if Stardus could endure the next main event. Our Stardus, I've worked so hard to help her grow. Let's see how strong she's become.
But why isn't she here?
As I idly played with a few buildings, waiting for Stardus.
Finally.
She arrived.
"....And what are *you*?"
Sunlight streamed through the clouds.
Beneath it, she descended, her long blonde hair flowing around her.
Stardus.
Just seeing her still made my heart skip a beat.
I momentarily paused at the sight of Stardus, whom I hadn't faced directly in a long time. But I quickly regained my composure.
Remember. I am a villain meeting Stardus for the first time today. I am a villain meeting Stardus for the first time today.
[Hah! So you're this 'Stardus'? You look even weaker in person.]
"...If you surrender now and exit that machine, I won't use unnecessary force."
[That's laughable. Come at me!]
"...Haa."
Listening to the words she always spoke to villains she met for the first time.
I prepared for battle.
And Stardus, floating before me, likewise loosened her fists.
...She feels colder than usual. Is she not feeling well these days?
Anyway. Stardus didn't seem particularly tense. Which was true. When you thought about it, I probably looked like just another common hoodlum Stardus had dealt with countless times before.
However, this time, it would be a little different.
Watching Stardus charge at me, I found myself grinning inside the war machine.
...When was the last time I directly confronted Stardus? Was it when I got Behemoth?
Right. Back then, I couldn't really show her, but now I can.
Just how terrifying an enemy who knows all your combat patterns can be.
Alright. Our Haru. Shall we see how strong she's become?
***
When Shin Haru heard that another new villain had appeared, she didn't think much of it.
They were just the same old villains she always dealt with, nothing new. Unless they were remarkably strong, they simply wouldn't register on her radar.
Especially if it wasn't Egoistic.
So Stardus, she headed to the heart of the city where a terror attack was underway today.
Although she wasn't feeling her best, apprehending villains and ensuring citizen safety were far more important.
Upon hearing the news of the attack and that other heroes had been defeated, she departed immediately.
What she saw was a war machine, a massive spherical mechanical construct with four arms.
Well, she was used to seeing villains who brought out these kinds of mechanical contraptions.
Of course, its ability to float alone in the air and its bizarre appearance were a little unusual, but other than that, there was nothing particularly unique.
Its response to her warning was also exactly like that of any other common villain.
However.
".....?"
Somehow, hearing that machine and its voice, she felt a sense of déjà vu.
Of course, its appearance was entirely new, and the villain's distorted, mechanical voice was unfamiliar.
It was more like...
Rather than the mechanical war machine itself feeling familiar, it was something about the person inside...
She instinctively sensed something was off.
'...Is it because I'm tired?'
She was too fatigued to delve deeper; her mind wasn't working well because of the exhaustion. She was already in a state where even pouring all her focus into fighting this villain wouldn't be enough.
Right, she'd find out once she defeated him anyway.
With little thought, Shin Haru charged forward to smash him.
And then.
"Ugh."
It dodged her attack, its massive body moving with effortless grace.
Immediately, one of its four arms shot out, aiming precisely where she was.
She instantly dodged upwards upon seeing it, but—
"Ugh?"
As if it knew she would move in that direction, another arm swung towards where she had dodged.
She was struck just as she evaded.
She tried to block it, but it was useless; she'd been hit by a solid steel fist at an unexpected moment.
And so, Stardus was sent momentarily recoiling from the punch.
"Ugh..."
She barely managed to stop herself in mid-air, righting herself above, but—
Seeing the war machine charging straight at her, she had no time to think and immediately braced herself.
Its attack began instantly.
"Ugh..."
It continued its assault as if it knew exactly where she would dodge, or how she would try to attack, leaving her momentarily flustered.
[Hahahahaha! Come on, try dodging this!]
Whirr. Clank. Whirr. Clank.
High above the city.
There, her hair whipping in the wind, countless missiles flew towards her.
Naturally, she effortlessly dodged the small missiles, weaving through the sky as if dancing, but what blocked Stardus's path as she flew through the smoke that erupted with a *boom* was—
A steel fist, crackling with electricity, flying towards her.
"Ugh..."
She barely dodged, but now a laser shot out from another of the war machine's arms with a *whirr*.
She dodged it, and then as she dodged again, a fist flew towards her original dodge direction, but—
Stardus wouldn't be caught twice.
Like taking a sharp turn, she instantly changed direction in mid-air, finally clenching her fist and landing a solid blow on the mechanical device.
CRASH!
With that sound, the war machine's body recoiled slightly.
However.
'...It's tough.'
Shin Haru judged, feeling the pain in her fist.
She had faced quite a few villains wearing these kinds of suits before. After all, it was one of the only ways ordinary people could contend with superhumans.
However, this particular villain's suit was on a completely different level of perfection.
Of course, the dent where she hit it showed that her attack had indeed landed, but for other villains, their suits would have shattered from that last blow.
[Is that all you've got? You're utterly insufficient as an obstacle to my new world. I'll dispose of you quickly!]
The war machine declared this in front of her, its voice a deep mechanical hum.
The dialogue itself was childish and pathetic, full of empty bluster, like something a third-rate villain would spout.
Stardus, however, was no longer complacent.
'...Strong.'
She had to admit it. It was strong.
No, in fact, strictly speaking, it wasn't *that* strong compared to other enemies she had fought so far.
However.
'....Impossible.'
To a bizarre degree.
It was reading her every move, as if predicting them all.
What she would do, where she would go, what decisions she would make.
As if it knew everything.
Throughout this exchange of countless blows.
That thing hadn't been hit even once, except for that one blow just now.
Not even once, despite piloting such a massive machine.
...How was that even possible?
With a chilling sensation, Stardus made her judgment, her eyes dark.
'...I *must* capture it here.'
She didn't know where this thing had come from, but she had to capture it here. If she let it get away this time, she didn't know how much stronger it would return next time.
Especially since it seemed to know her combat habits inside and out... it was almost terrifying to consider what kind of being it was.
It was as if it was arrogantly declaring itself.
As if it was... her counter. Her adversary. Her natural enemy.
She had to capture it here.
Stardus repeated this to herself, becoming serious.
No trace of fatigue remained on her.
She only pondered how she could defeat that villain.
'....Right.'
And she made one more decision.
That thing, moving as if it was reading her, might become her counter at any moment in the future.
Today, here, while she had the chance. She had to defeat it.
No matter what.
'...The only villain I need to worry about is Egoistic.'
No one else was necessary.
Aside from Egoistic, no other villain held any significance for her.
That thing, it would be dealt with here today.
Even if it meant death for that thing.
She would absolutely end it here.
As the air around Stardus shifted.
She charged at the war machine, more fiercely than before, gritting her teeth.
***
One thing I realized after causing this terror attack.
Stardus had definitely grown stronger.
Of course, even so, I, who knew her perfectly, could still easily handle her.
'...Hmm. At this rate, she might be able to participate in the next main event...?'
Thinking that, I diligently provoked her and fought back, trying to gauge her full strength more accurately.
And then, as time passed.
'...Huh?'
Something had changed. That's how it felt.
...She seemed to be fighting even better than before?
No way. Was her power growing even while fighting me?
'...Is this what a protagonist is?'
I let out a hollow laugh inside the machine without realizing it.
Right. Stardus would be capable of that.
Well, that's good. It turned into a two-birds-with-one-stone situation. I get to help her grow with this opportunity too.
I smiled at that thought and engaged in the fight with even greater enthusiasm.
Alright, Haru. Let's evolve a bit more today!
Yes, I was thinking happily like that.
Until I got hit.
"Gah."
[Gah!]
How long had the battle continued?
During the fight, I finally took a proper punch from her and was instantly sent crashing to the ground.
...Ugh. That hurts like hell. My insides feel twisted.
I made a mistake for a second. I could have dodged that.
No, but why did she hit so hard? She's trying to kill me.
Thinking that, I righted the machine.
It was only when I looked straight ahead to assess the situation for a moment that I truly saw Stardus's eyes.
More precisely, Stardus's eyes, burning with intent as she flew towards me, clearly intending to absolutely destroy me.
'...Oh.'
Am I screwed?