Chapter 72
Severed Traces (5)
The axe unfolded a lightning bolt in a straight line.
It was accurate. Without any wasted force or starlight, it erased the trajectory of the fist above. Precisely to the necessary degree.
After burning all attacks that could harm him with lightning, he leaped upwards.
Contrary to the original intent, Pegasus’ charge was directed at Gemini, and Gemini’s fist was aid at Pegasus.
‘It’s impossible.’
It was too fast to react. Even with lightning-fast movents, the body’s reaction speed is not that of lightning. It was an attack too fast to see and react to.
Just as he possessed the speed of lightning, this side had the speed of wind and shooting stars.
Suddenly, Gemini realized an astonishing fact.
He did not act with quick judgnt right now.
Even before she and Pegasus executed their techniques, he had already taken action in advance.
Before Gemini’s fist could land, before Pegasus’ charge began, he had already finished preparing to swing the axe and leap.
As if he had known all these facts beforehand.
‘I was so wrongly mistaken. That guy’s ability is not power….’
He did not react. He simply acted according to what he had predicted in advance.
‘He predicts. The future!’
In fact, Gemini’s guess was accurate. Belt’s unique ability to observe possibilities. Right now, he was utilizing this function to see up to 3 seconds into the future. Precisely, the most likely possibility closest to the future.
Right now, he was closer to a machine than a villain. Quickly grasping and predicting what needs to be done, and acting without any excess.
The chanistic movents opposed the savage force. He could thoroughly calculate and take the most efficient action.
It was undeniable that his body leaked starlight. But there was a way to minimize that waste.
Gwahng! Pegasus and Gemini collided, both suffering imnse damage. Gemini’s hands were bent at strange angles, and most of Pegasus’ face caved in.
As he fell backwards, Gemini looked up at the sky once more.
Wordlessly, he readjusted his grip on the axe in mid-air. Lightning condensed just as he had swung at Pegasus monts ago. Looking again, there was no movent as tidy as that.
The lightning obscured his body, and its unique glow obstructed the view, so the details were unclear. But his movents from the start until now had not a single wasted motion. Clean straight lines. Movents of perfect straight lines that did not permit even the slightest curve or arc. An inhuman trajectory that only a machine could trace.
I had thought him a rampaging beast, but it was not. That was not an uncontrolled rampage of his own volition….
“A subordinate unit.”
He can only do what needs to be done. Probably cannot speak, nor think properly like usual.
But his body still moves. To destroy the villains before him.
For the sake of the girls suffering by their hands.
In advance, predicting, processing.
Like a computer receiving orders, without a word of objection, as if it were only natural.
An inhuman act that disregards free will, but quite effective when unnecessary thoughts are not needed, as now.
The axe descended like a lightning bolt.
Once more, two moons rose above the darkness. Showering the remnants of the sunset below, two moons marking the end of the brilliant day. One would set today, never to rise again, while the other would set today only to rise anew tomorrow. Though shining far more dimly than today.
Streams of light flowed from the corpses of the two villains, reaching him. Amidst the lightning engulfing him, all that light gathered into the belt that had not lost its function.
“Hahaha! Amazing! Incredible! When did you beco so strong? Is it because you found your purpose that you grew stronger? I can believe in you now! You have a purpose!”
Jason clapped in admiration. He silently watched Jason. eting his gaze, Jason flinched and stepped back.
“Ah, sorry I didn’t believe you before. No, actually I really didn’t know what those two were up to either? Anyway, don’t be so mad. Hey? You should smile to invite good fortune. That lightning was quite cool. Hmm, not a hamr, but reminded
of Thor. Thor, you know? The Norse mythology?”
When no response ca, Jason clicked his tongue.
“Aye, so dull. A person needs so wit, you know. Did you suddenly beco too stiff? I didn’t see you like that before. Aren’t you a bit too edgy now?!”
Step. He turned and started walking towards Jason.
“Oh oh, whoa whoa. No, you really got too edgy. Ah, this is going too far too.”
Jason manipulated the belt again. The surroundings began to distort.
“Hahaha, but it was still pretty cool. That lightning, pababak!”
Amidst the warping view, Jason’s final words struck ho.
“After all, a fellow villain is my comrade. My fellow villain comrade!”
***
Ippotranslation
***
It has been 30 minutes since Jason’s ability randomly dropped
sowhere in the city.
Fortunately, it wasn’t too far from Ah-yoon’s house, so I could return on foot.
Every ti the biting winter air passes by my ears, a sigh rises up.
‘Did Ah-yoon really want to make a contract with the stars?’
I know her personality. She’s kind but fundantally a realist. She naturally calculates gains and losses. For such a girl to make a contract with the stars without any benefits.
‘No, there could be a benefit.’
None other than life. The test results at the hospital showed that even though Ah-yoon used the Black Dwarf Star, she was in an unusually healthy condition. She should have been close to terminal, but the results were all green.
The doctor was puzzled and advised her to keep visiting the hospital, as symptoms could appear later.
But the reality is different. By making a new contract with the stars and obtaining starlight, that starlight healed the wounds in her body.
In other words, she gained life as compensation.
‘But is it just life? Just wanting to live…?’
Of course, life is reason enough to look forward to sothing and hope for an opportunity. What’s weighing on
now is not the value of life itself, but Ah-yoon’s personality.
Did she really dream of life when she was on the threshold of death?. She must have been close to death, even if it was actually just fainting?
‘I don’t know.’
If even she can’t know for sure, how can I guess correctly?
While pondering like this, I found myself standing in front of the front door.
When I rang the doorbell, I heard the sound of feet pattering down the hallway from the other side of the door.
Soon the door opened.
“Did you co, brother?”
“Yes, I’m here.”
“Ugh. What kind of weird polite speech is that? You must be cold. Co in quickly.”
“Okay.”
As I entered, I felt the warmth washing away the winter chill on my skin. Ah-yoon’s gaze swept over
with concern. She knows there’s an issue. She must be curious about what information I’ve obtained.
“Ah… Ah-yoon. You know…”
“…Brother.”
“Yes?”
“First, go take a shower. Warm yourself up in the hot water, and then we’ll talk. Your body odor is no joke, brother.”
She cut
off with a playful smile. Whether out of consideration or avoidance, she seed to have guessed that I didn’t get very good results.
After looking at her for a mont, I smiled and answered.
“Shall I?”
If she wanted to beco like , how should I treat her? What does it an to protect her? Her free will or her life? It was a problem without an answer.
As I entered the bathroom, I suddenly recalled the last words Jason had said to .
Fellow villain. It must have been the result of being intoxicated by unpurified starlight, transforming his personality and behavior.
When I activated the Big Dipper, I was closer to being a villain than just a villain. My personal desires were thoroughly excluded. Only actions faithful to my purpose.
If Ah-yoon wanted the sa result as , would she end up in the sa situation?
No matter how much she contracted before the monstrous transformation, her appearance after the transformation would be no different from mine, a villain.
She could be weighed down by an even greater burden than before.
Should I push her into that abyss of loathing? Even if she wants it herself, shouldn’t I stop her?
Where is the line between respect and…?
Shhhhhhhh. The stream of water washed away my wandering thoughts like a shower of bullets.
Slowly entrusting my body to the hot water,
A voice flowed from the belt I was wearing along with the water.
[Activated the stars.]
“Hm?”
Well, I did defeat two S-grade villains today, so I could probably activate stars that couldn’t be activated before.
After the shower, I should slowly read those mories later. As I thought that, I recalled what answer I had given earlier.
‘Hm.’
Soone could take that simple question as an agreent.
This belt is quite inflexible. Once an answer is given, it cannot be undone, and it will be strictly executed.
Soon, with a whitening of my vision, I experienced lost mories.
***
Ippotranslation
***
“This is insane… Insane…”
No matter how many tis I looked in the mirror, it didn’t change. Not a single inch of human skin remained. Where flesh should have been, a hard armor-like skin had ford. My facial features had disappeared, replaced by a hard visor-like lens for eyes.
“Did I… beco a villain…?”
There was no doubt. After that crazy villain group attacked
yesterday, I ended up like this. Why? Why did Red Spica do this to ?
I couldn’t understand. What grudge did they have to turn
into a villain? Moreover, why do I still have mories of when I was human?
“Ah… uh… um…”
I was confused. After staring at the mirror for a while to sort out this ominous feeling,
“Huh…”
With a deep sigh, I finally ca to one answer in this confusion.
“I’ll kill myself.”
When there is no answer, suicide is the answer.
Out of the blue, after so ti passed, I returned to my original human body. I imdiately grabbed my wallet and left the house.
What I needed to buy right away was a sturdy rope and paper for a letter.
That’s how I began preparing for my suicide.
In the crowded city, I saw the faces of magical girls everywhere. After I disappeared, Blue Sirius seed to have regained her resolve and began a lot of activities, taking up a large portion. Just looking at her made my heart feel at ease. But it also made
nauseous, reminding
of my own sins. It was such a contradictory reaction.
I had already left many stains on her life. I couldn’t leave another.
At least while I still had my human mind, I had to et a gentle death.
“Oh right, the rope.”
My steps were light. The end always brought joy.
***
Ippotranslation
***
“Ughh!”
With a ragged breath, I opened my eyes. Looking around, it wasn’t a city but a modest ho. I had returned to reality again.
“…Whew.”
Letting out a deep sigh, I placed my hand on my heated forehead.
Now I finally realized why I had tried to kill myself that day.
What made , who had tried so hard not to commit suicide, try to take my own life.
In the end, the reason was the sa this ti too.
“Seol-hwa…”
“Did you call , senior?”
Startled by that voice, I turned my head.
“Huh? Brother, you almost drowned after passing out in the bathroom.”
Ah-yoon was looking this way with a concerned and angry expression.
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