Ep.128 You’re Mistaken

[Stardus fever in Korea. #Stardus, there’s no sign of disappearing on the trending chart…]

[Hot topic… Stardus’ battle highlight video surpassed 10 million views in a short period of time… It’s on the list of popular videos around the world.]

[Even foreigners are paying attention to this incident… She’s the prideful Korean Hero Stardus who ended the first incident in which day turned into night.]

[The most popular hero of all time… The association is winning every battle.]

“Hahahahahahahaha!!!”

After the incident ended,

On the top floor of the Hero Association in Korea.

There, the president of the association was laughing loudly.

“Hey, Stardus. Are you feeling better now?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Yes! As expected, our Stardus. You were amazing this time! Do you know how surprised I was thinking our country was going to be ruined? Hahahaha!”

The president keeps laughing.

And looking at that reaction, Shin Haru felt uncomfortable.

‘……Was it really me who knocked him downed it?’

All right.

The last attack she sent against the monster, emitting the light, had a surprising output even now when she thinks about it.

Perhaps the strongest attack she has ever done.

But.

Shin Haru never thought she could knock it down with that attack.

She only did it with the determination to give it a final punch at the last minute.

Her instinct is telling her that it couldn’t go down with this usual simple attack. I don’t know if there’s something else like its “weakness.”

So.

Shin Haru couldn’t believe she knocked it down with such an attack.

And.

“Stardus, don’t worry. I’ll take responsibility and contact the International Association’s general affairs office to make sure that you should be promoted to S-level immediately! Hahaha, an S-class, in our association! Hahahaha!”

“…..”

Looking at the president who firmly believed she had knocked it down, she became increasingly uncomfortable.

….Did she really knock it down?

In addition to that doubt, a hazy memory that she saw after it fell down and before she also lost her consciousness.

There was a loud, gun-like noise when she flew the attack.

Someone must have been standing on the roof.

….And that someone might be.

As Shin Haru thought of someone, the laughter of the president filled the conference room again.

“Stardus anyway. I’ll give you a bonus this time, so take a good rest, okay? Go on a trip somewhere. I heard that there is a warm sea in the East Sea despite this weather, so go and get some rest. You should give yourself some reward, too. Now that you’re a national star, hahahaha!!!”

“That’s right, Haru. Take a rest since you worked hard. Hiccup. You did an amazing job, didn’t you?”

Icicle also said so with a warm smile on her red face.

Shadow Walker, who was deep in thought next to her, suddenly came to his senses and spoke up.

“Hmm… hmm, huh? Oh, yeah, Stardus. Your fight was awesome. Let’s get some rest for now. Aren’t you the hero of Korea? Icicle already said she’ll take care of everything else.”

“…Excuse me, hiccup. Ja-hyun? When did I say that?”

After the president, Icicle and Shadow Walker said such things to her, Stardus suddenly feels a bit guilty.

…Right, she did fight for her life.

But was it she who finished it?

The shooting sound, the shadow on the roof.

She knew more than anyone else, the one that had a gun as his main weapon, seemed to wear a mask, and always saved himself in a moment of crisis.

At the same time, a figure of a man passed through her head, but she shook her head.

….Too speculative. She might have misheard it and mistook it at the end because she was exhausted. There’s no evidence other than her own intuition. And he’s a villain in the first place.

But.

Shin Haru’s intuition shouted strongly until the end that one thing was certain.

….It wasn’t something she could knock down.

She’s sure that someone else helped her.

Maybe, surely he…

“Haha! To knock that monster down on you’re own, Stardus. The more I think about it, the more…”

“President.”

She cut off the chairman of the association who was so excitedly talking

Eventually, Stardus, Shin Haru confessed.

“…No matter how much I think about it, I don’t think I’m the one who knocked it down.”

The moment her words were finished

A sudden chill atmosphere

“….What did you say?”

The president’s face stiffened after hearing her shocking statement.

There were people who were even more shocked than him.

“……..Hiccup.”

“…..!”

Icicle and Shadow Walker turned pale.

***

“What are you talking about, Haru? Of course, you’re the one who knocked it down, hahaha, hiccup. Are you mistaken?”

The first one to speak out in such a frozen atmosphere was Icicle.

She had already heard the whole story from Da-in, so she knew he had secretly knocked down the monster.

‘…And because I’m doing it with the right timing, Stardus will never, ever know I did it. I’m sure that she will think that she did it.’

‘…Da-in, you said Haru wouldn’t know!’

Lee Seola, who seemed to hear him confidently on the phone, complained inside and continued to talk to Stardus, holding her dizzy head.

“Who else would knock it down other than you? Haru, did you hurt your head after passing out?”

“No. I definitely saw it. There was someone on the roof. And maybe it’s that person who knocked it down.”

“Stardus, it can’t be.”

“…Shadow Walker?”

Stardus questioned as Shadow Walker suddenly spoke up.

With her gaze, Shadow Walker thought quietly inside.

‘…Egostic. He definitely said he didn’t want to be identified.’

Then he recalled his memories on the rooftop that day.

He said he didn’t want to be known, and he wanted to live in the dark as a villain.

And he kept vomiting blood.

And there, Shadowwalker created a hypothesis.

‘…Does he have a time limit?’

Why on earth does the man live as a villain, not a hero? He’s doing good deeds, but claiming to be a villain?

Why did he seem to care about the world and people more than anyone else?

…Is it because his time is limited, he’s probably doing it in case he dies while staying active as a hero, and people in the world will lose hope?

The time is set anyway… If he wants to refuse any affection, just lives quietly as a villain and protects the world, then.

‘…Whoa. Egotistic. As expected, you’re a real man.’

A hidden hero who protects the world in the dark… Egostic…

So Shadow walker, who wrote an epic poem in his head, concluded.

Yeah, I can at least do this for such a true hero like you, Egostic.

Don’t worry, Egostic. Leave it to me.

Shadow Walker obsessed with that belief and again spoke brazenly to Stardus.

“I looked all around you just before you knocked it down for the last time. No one was near. Of course, there was no one on the rooftop.”

“…No way.”

“Trust me, Stardus. Don’t you think that I can notice that much no matter how weak my ability got in the dark?”

“At that time, there was no one around you. You’re the one who knocked it down.”

“That’s right, Haru. Who could have been there? Of course, you knocked it down. I guess you mistook it since you’re feeling empty these days. Do you want me to recommend a good vacation spot to you?”

“…….”

“…Hahaha! Yeah, Stardus, you’re mistaken. Oh my, I was really surprised. Then I have to explain to the reporters how our association helped, so I’ll go now.”

“Oh, Haru. I’m going to go, too. Ha, these days, businesses and politicians are all going crazy because they can’t eat up my business, hiccup. The countermeasures… Whew, I’m so fed up, really.”

“…I’ll go too. I’m definitely so sleepy since I’m awake during the day… But Icicle, is that alcohol?”

“What? I’m going crazy without this these days, so I have to drink it regularly.”

“……You’ve been hiccuping for a while… That. Nevermind. Do what you want.”

Their conversation gradually faded away

Soon in the conference room, Stardus was the only one left.

“……”

Everyone left the room.

Stardus, who remained so alone, murmured quietly with a serious expression.

“…No, that can’t be the case…”

A situation in which everyone except herself tells her that she’s mistaken as if they planned it.

….I’m mistaken?

That’s ridiculous. That’s really ridiculous.

Now that everyone denied it, she was confused.

Am I really just mistaken?

“…That, no matter how much I think about it, seemed like Egostic.”

She finally admitted herself.

…Yeah, maybe she’s mistaken because she depends so much on Egostic.

Wait. Depend? I’m relying on Egostic, the villain?

“……”

Blush.

She blushed without realizing it, shaking her head and quickly correcting her thoughts.

No way. My condition is weak these days so I’m getting confused.

…But really, it really did look like Egostic. That’s what her gut tells her.

“…Am I delusional?”

No.

Still, it seemed like Egostic knocked it down.

She was just muttering to herself quietly.

Okay.

….This time, I trust my gut.

With that in mind, she suddenly came to her senses and looked around the empty conference room.

….Wait. But come to think of it, everyone’s gone and I’m alone.

Just like that, Shin Haru who was sitting alone in an empty large office got up from her seat.

…Everyone was too much.

***

[Let’s talk about how Mangbung’s soul got sucked.]

Just like every day, I was having a hard time at work.

Suddenly, I heard a crackling sound outside.

So I went out in a hurry. But fuck, it got dark and a monster came out.

Everyone saw it and went ‘Aaaahhhh!’ and they started running everywhere.

Suddenly I couldn’t move my body as if someone had grabbed me, and then I was caught in the air and dragged to that monster;;;

Then suddenly, a feeling like someone had pulled my hair?

I felt something coming out of my body like an ice cream got squeezed.

I did invest in soul collecting a lot, but I didn’t expect my soul to be collected one day.

Anyway, after being caught, it felt so strange. I was stuck next to the monster, but it felt like I was dreaming. I was a little unconscious.

I was staying like that, then suddenly a yellow light flashed and I came back to my body. Without Stardus, my soul wouldn’t have gone back to me, right? Fuck, it’s scary just thinking about it.

I just feel it today, but it was like I went to the afterlife…

I know it sounds a bit nonsense.

Conclusion: Starting today, I decided to support EgoStar.

= [Comment] =

[The conclusion is a bit weird though?]

[Fuck hahahahahaha. It’s a rare experience I’ve seen in my life.]

[Seeing you finally accept EgoStar, it must’ve been a good experience.]

[Suddenly became an EgoStar supporter hahaha. It’s not even related to Egostic.]

ㄴ[Oh, OP likes both Mango and Stardus, so wouldn’t it be twice as good if you combine those two?]

*

“Ha, cough. That’s funny, cough. Cough!”

“Da-in! Are you okay?”

“Oh, of course, cough. I’m fi-… Cough. Cough!!!”

“AAAH! HA-YUL!!!”

“I’m coming!”

Ever since the incident ended.

After passing out, I was still bleeding when I woke up.

Ha. I only teleport a few times and now I’m on verge of dying. Does it even make sense?

People with poor skills will be so sad…

“I really can’t live because of you, Da-in!”

“Seo-eun… I’m going to pass out… Eunwol, cough. Give me a new handkerchief over there.”

“Okay, okay!”

Ha.

I have to hurry up and retire, really.