13

Thinking it over again, that might have been a trap.

Logically speaking, wouldn't it have been more advantageous to release one article a day instead of posting them in real-time?

If they posted pictures in real-time, it would be obvious that the opponent would recognize them.

…No, that's not it.

I don't think they would go that far just for one combatant.

I did earn some merit and get better equipment, but that's all. I'm neither an executive nor a squad leader.

"No?"

Maybe because I mumbled while listening to music, Ji-hye tilted her head in confusion.

The music playing was from The Beatles. I call it "The Beatles' music" because, honestly, I don't know the title.

I just put in the CD Hayoon gave me and played it.

Looking at the desk now, there are more CDs Hayoon bought than the ones I purchased myself.

That's to be expected.

It's rare for someone to buy every CD they see in large bookstores or music stores.

I usually bought one or two and listened to them over and over.

There are far more CDs I just "looked at and put back" than the ones I actually bought.

But the truth is, what I'm doing right now is betraying Ha-yoon, so it's no wonder I'm worried.

"No, nothing."

When I dodged the question, Ji-hye stared at me intently.

"Why?"

"You look like you're worried."

Does Ji-hye realize that her own future might be at risk because of what I did?

By helping Hayoon, my long-time friend, Ji-hye, another long-time friend, will be the one to suffer.

From Ji-hye's perspective, it must be incredibly unfair.

After all, she wasn't even in the webtoon.

On the other hand, Hayoon is the protagonist.

She gets pushed around, attacked, and everything else.

That doesn't mean she deserves it, though.

It's just… well, it is what it is.

"Are you worried about what happened last time?"

"No, nothing like that."

I was worried, of course.

Though it wasn't for the reasons Ji-hye thought, I couldn't say what I was truly worried about.

"You don't have to worry too much. Even if you were a criminal, the company said they didn't know about it."

That's what the news reported.

The journalist we hired from our subsidiary turned out to be a criminal, so they wrote some voyeuristic articles…

Apologies to the public.

That was the company's official stance.

We were just civilians caught in the middle.

So, there shouldn't be any real problems, right?

"Right?"

If I didn't respond here, it would only make Ji-hye more worried, so I gave a light smile and said, "Yeah, that's right."

Ji-hye sat up and shrugged her shoulders.

"Are you worried that this might block your future job opportunities? If so, why not talk to Ha-yoon about it? Apparently, the Galactic Federation is preparing to hire people from your area."

She smiled and added, "Maybe they'll even make you a magical girl."

"…Does that even make sense?"

I laughed helplessly.

A few days later.

"Nice gear."

The ever-mysterious leader from some unknown planet spoke to me.

There wasn't a hint of envy in their voice, more like mocking amusement.

I didn't feel like responding.

I was already feeling too uneasy.

'I lowered my gaze and checked my gear.

From the helmet to my boots, everything was new and sleek.

The overall design was tight, with a mini skirt-like leather leggings and boots up to my shins, making the outfit look like something a fetishist designed.

Well, it probably came from a tokusatsu villain, and the webtoon borrowed the design, so there was nothing to be done about it.

The bottom half looked almost the same as before, but the top was different.

I had a black leather jacket over my usual tight outfit.

I wasn't sure what it meant, but I was told it was to "better channel energy," so I assumed it had that function.

It seemed like Noir Corporation wanted their combatants to look more impressive.

The most important part, the wrist circuits, looked stronger and bulkier, with a battery inserted at the bottom.

The helmet wasn't much different.

Once I was suited up, I felt like a member of a biker gang.

They wouldn't give a regular grunt like me an expensive bike.

I didn't even have a license.

A whistle sounded.

I turned around to see the Earthling, arms crossed, watching me.

They hadn't put on their helmet yet, so their sparkling eyes were uncomfortably visible.

"Hey, aren't you actually some big-shot talent at the company?"

Well…

They probably see me as a useful tool.

Beep.

The helmet booted up, and a percentage appeared in the corner.

60%.

They said the capacity had increased, but seeing it start at this low level made me feel more uneasy than anything.

I glanced at my wrist, where the circuits were already buzzing with activity.

"Alright, mission prep!"

When everyone seemed ready, the leader shouted.

"Hey!"

I called out half-heartedly.

As usual, I wasn't given any clear instructions on what was going on at the infiltration site.

But I could tell that the atmosphere of this place was completely different from usual.

The places we usually went to were spots suitable for "contract workers."

Old residential neighborhoods, protest sites, and houses hastily built with wooden planks were common.

But here, it was different.

There were neat buildings, and around them, more were under construction. The workers must have already clocked out for the evening.

"Everyone, pay attention!" the superior shouted.

This wasn't James, the usual leader.

Unlike James, who wore a suit-like combat suit, this leader had on something closer to "workwear."

A one-piece jumpsuit.

But it wasn't just any workwear.

It had sturdy steel plates on the shoulders, and the upper part had various buttons and a vest.

The face was covered by a mask resembling a gas mask, and a tough helmet was on top of their head.

The whole look screamed "post-apocalyptic."

This leader was someone I'd seen in the webtoon.

"I see."

I muttered to myself.

Given the atmosphere around me and the appearance of the officers, it seemed like this was a mission I was already familiar with.

It would probably become clearer once we entered the building.

"I'm sure you've heard about the evil deeds the Galactic Federation is committing on this land!"

The officer's voice echoed through the gas mask, amplified as if it had a speaker attached. The sound was loud enough for all of us to hear clearly.

"This is a secret base of the Galactic Federation! Down below, various illegal experiments are being conducted! Today, we fight in defense of this country's sovereignty!"

No one cheered in response to the officer's speech.

The aliens were only working for money, and the humans weren't much different.

The illegal activities were worse under the Galactic Federation, but the Noir Corporation didn't have a good image either.

That was something even those working there knew.

"It's a surprise attack, but with Warp Point technology, they'll catch up quickly. In the meantime, we'll take care of the experimental equipment underground! Let's go!"

With that, the officer shouted and took off running.

"What are you doing? Follow me!"

There were a few other squads involved in the mission today.

As I glanced around at the combatants, I noticed a few others in outfits similar to mine.

That meant the company considered this a rather important operation.

If that's the case, I'd need to score as many points as possible.

At the very least, it should improve my image.

I made up my mind and sprinted forward with all my might.

My reasoning was simple.

After all, a combatant couldn't defeat a magical girl.

The officer was the same.

The magical girl was the protagonist.

Plus, this mission was based on an episode I knew well.

According to the story, some experimental equipment would be damaged, causing some setbacks.

In that episode, the company had spent considerable effort on Anti-Warp Point equipment, which is why the magical girls were deployed a bit late.

It was the very beginning of the story, so all I had to do was break as much as I could and cause chaos.

"We're going this way!"

The officer chose the middle path out of several options.

I didn't know the internal layout of the place.

Webtoons rarely provided detailed maps, and even if they did, I didn't have the mental capacity to remember all of it.

I wasn't in charge, so I just needed to follow and do as directed.

We continued down the path until we reached a large entrance.

It was a thick door that opened sideways—something you'd expect to see in a sci-fi story.

The design of the door matched my memory, but there were no signs, so I couldn't be sure if this was the most important point, as in the webtoon.

"Hey, Earthling!"

The officer yelled at me.

"The equipment is good, so you take care of it!"

Without any objection, I stepped forward.

70%.

The circuits were running pretty smoothly.

I extended my left arm, and a blade sprang out from my wrist.

It was a black blade made of pure energy, with no physical form.

The blade was longer than the one I had used before, so the equipment definitely seemed better.

Szzzz!

I thrust the blade into the door, and sparks flew as if I were welding.

I inserted it into the seam of the door and slid it downward.

Clunk!

I heard a thick object breaking inside.

I inserted my hands into the door gap and pried it open.

The energy in my suit was transferred, causing the thick door to slowly open.

I heard a few people behind me express admiration.

Honestly, I was impressed too.

The output of this suit was far better than the one I used before.

I understood why the officer had been sarcastic earlier—perhaps he saw me as a threat to his position.

Beep…

Ah.

As soon as I felt a little more confident, the percentage dropped slightly.

But the power didn't decrease.

Inside the suit was a charged battery, continuously supplying energy.

Eventually, I was able to open the door completely.

"Tch."

I heard the officer click his tongue.

"Hey, what are you waiting for? Get inside!"

The combatants rushed in through the door.

The officer glanced at me for a few seconds before heading inside.

His visor made it hard to see, but he was probably glaring at me.

Beep!

The percentage climbed back up to 70%.

Should I be thanking them for this?

I sighed deeply and ran inside.

And then—

"Ugh!?"

With a loud thud, a combatant flew past me and crashed into the wall next to me.

Inside, there were—

"Combat robots!?"

Well, that made sense.

The Galactic Federation wasn't known for not using robots.

According to the background setting, there had been many wars and conflicts before the Federation was formed.

The robots didn't look human-like.

They resembled industrial robots with one arm, the kind you'd see in car factories.

At the end of their arms were red gloves, making them appear slightly comical.

It was exactly as I had seen in the original.

I didn't care how the others were behaving around me. I charged forward.

My left arm still held the blade.

Kiiing—

The security system detected me and made a menacing sound as it turned toward me.

I saw the arm pull back, and I threw a punch.

Crash!

As soon as the red glove collided with my blade, it exploded, and deep scratches formed in the steel part behind it.

My hand was unharmed.

Since the blade wasn't physical, it didn't take damage even though it received energy.

"Oh!"

One of the combatants shouted.

It was probably the Earthling.

Boom!

I swung my blade along the arm and sliced the robot's arm clean off.

Then, I quickly severed the lower part, where the catapult for movement was located, and the robot became nothing more than a pile of scrap metal with twitching joints.

"Let's go!"

I shouted.

"Whoa!"

The combatants behind me echoed the cheer.

Did they see some hope in our success?

Though, in truth, that might just lower our combat effectiveness.

The officer was watching me.

He was probably glaring at me again.

I could hardly stand it anymore.

Over there, they were getting frustrated, while we had to hold back. How unfair was that?

60%.

The battery level wasn't low enough to be a problem.

I'd need to use it again to open doors like the previous one, but right now, there were other things in front of me—computers and other devices.

In one of the rooms inside, I saw a window with server computers visible through it.

[You're doing well! Your squad will receive a bonus!]

The sound echoed through the full-helmet communication.

Seems like he is better boss than James, huh?

Though it might just be words.

I ran forward with all my strength and leaped.

Crash!

I shattered the server room window and entered.

Sizzle!

The security system inside the server computer fired a laser at my helmet, but I blocked it with my blade before it could become a threat.

Then, with another jump, I sliced off the camera-like device. The laser didn't fire again.

The next step was to destroy the computers.

I wasn't entirely sure if they were the actual servers. Well, the company hadn't given me any detailed instructions anyway, so I just did what I could.

After cutting off the distribution panel connected to the floor, I leaped back outside through the broken window.

It was a complete mess.

I wasn't holding a hammer, but I might as well have been a demolition crew.

Smashing computers, flipping desks.

…No executives in sight.

Did they leave with another squad?

Just as I was about to move elsewhere—

[Urgh!]

That sound rang again through the full-helmet communication.

[A M-Magical Girl, it's a Magical Girl…! Everyone, to the lab—]

Cut.

The transmission was cut off, and at the same time, the soldiers froze.

They all had a stunned expression as if they were utterly horrified. Even with their faces hidden by helmets, I could clearly sense their emotions.

"What are you all standing around for?! Get to the lab, now!"

The squad leader took off, seemingly desperate to take some credit before I stole all the glory.

The soldiers followed slightly later.

They looked incredibly unwilling, trudging along at a slower pace than the leader.

"..."

Seventy percent.

The moment they heard the words "Magical Girl," the numbers spiked.

I wasn't worried about lacking combat power.

*

Boom!

The squad leader, who ran ahead first, was also the first to be taken out.

Now I understood why Iris bothered using her "Warp Point" ability.

The path turned at a T-junction, and as soon as the leader reached the corner, a thick laser beam shot out from the side, erasing him without a trace.

I knew he wasn't actually incinerated to ashes but rather sent flying far away, yet it was still a chilling sight.

"Hiiik…!"

One of the soldiers gasped and fell backward.

I noticed someone I hadn't seen before—probably a newcomer.

Step, step.

Footsteps echoed.

That overwhelming sound whenever Iris walked through the air.

Beep-beep-beep-beep!

Eighty-five percent.

Even with my newly issued equipment, I didn't feel like I could win.

"…You've certainly caused quite the spectacle."

Iris's voice rang out.

More gasps followed.

Even the sound of footsteps running away. No idea where they thought they were escaping to, but I couldn't blame them if they were in a panic.

…The executive must've been taken out.

She probably didn't just warp him away. In this episode, he was supposed to be captured.

Iris had already destroyed the Anti-Warp Point device.

In the webtoon, Iris—who studied warp point technology—was the first to arrive at the most critical location.

The rest of the Magical Girls were probably still running in from the entrance.

"Hm."

I turned the corner and locked eyes with Iris.

…Huh?

Iris, meeting my gaze, smirked slightly.

"We meet again, little grunt."

…Huh?

"That scratch on your helmet."

Instinctively, I raised a hand to touch my helmet.

There were a few scratches, but nothing distinctive. Nothing big enough to feel through my gloves.

And yet… she recognized me?

Did laser burns and stone scratches look similar?

"You must be the one who escaped last time."

Iris smirked, narrowing her eyes at me.

"I haven't forgotten the humiliation from back then."

Ah, wait—

She pointed a gun at me.

Beep-beep-beep-beep!

Ninety percent.

Boom!

Crackle…

Everything around exploded. A flash of bright light filled my vision, and several nearby soldiers vanished before they could even scream.

But I—

"Huh?"

Iris's eyes widened in surprise.

Beep-beep-beep-beep…

Eighty-five percent.

I stared blankly at my hand.

A black blade still extended from my arm, which I had instinctively swung.

…No way. Did I just slice through a warp laser?

The stunned silence lasted for a few seconds.

I was the first to recover.

This time, I was the one charging toward Iris.

—Seventy percent. Given the expanded circuits, I could still fight.

The battery had just fully recharged.