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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Meteel's Retreat
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\[Overall] S-Class Hunter Meteel, who came to capture Egostic, returned to the United States this morning.
The Association announced that S-Class Hero Meteel returned to the United States this morning. The Association Head stated that Meteel was unavoidably recalled to her home country due to a shortage of heroes caused by unstable public order in the US. Netizens, however, are skeptical of the Association's statement, suggesting she might be fleeing after being defeated by Egostic.
***
S-Class Hero Meteel had returned to the United States.
Officially, it was stated she was called back because she had been in a foreign country for too long, but to anyone, it looked like she had returned after being defeated by Egostic.
\[Yes! It's Meteel's ultimate move, Meteor! He... hey, he blocked it!]
The video of Egostic magically blocking a meteor from falling on his abandoned factory had already been widely shared for a long time.
Although no other combat scenes were filmed due to the inability to approach closely, the sounds of battle had lasted for a long time, leading to the assumption that it was a rather fierce fight.
And the result of that battle was Meteel's defeat.
When Association agents arrived, Meteel was reportedly unconscious and collapsed. The Egostream members had long since vanished.
Thus, after the events of that day, Meteel left Korea today as if fleeing.
Among netizens, the talk is openly circulating that even an S-Class Hero is no match for Egostream anymore.
Furthermore, Stardus, who has single-handedly fought and won against such an Egostream until now, is also being reevaluated.
And in this situation,
Stardus, Shin Haru, was lost in thought, gazing out the window for a moment.
"...."
In the end, Meteel returned to the United States.
The image of her waking up in the Association hospital after collapsing, then suddenly jolting up with a shriek, was still vivid.
And since that day, Meteel's demeanor had changed quite a bit. She had become rather... docile, one might say. She no longer picked fights with Association staff, nor did she maintain her arrogant attitude... In particular, she subtly seemed to be mindful of Shin Haru herself. Though she didn't know why.
Anyway, that wasn't the only strange thing.
Clearly, something had happened given her collapse, but Meteel absolutely refused to reveal what had transpired inside the factory.
She merely said she had just fought Egostic, but...
'Nothing happened. I just... I just duked it out with Egostic-nim, no, uh, Egostic.'
...Her attitude was certainly a bit odd.
The way she trembled and looked around nervously just hearing the name 'Egostic' was definitely suspicious.
Where had the woman gone who initially dismissed Egostic, calling him 'just an A-Class, A-Class'? She suddenly became demure and abruptly returned to the United States, claiming she had a lot to do there.
...Yet, before, she had sworn she would absolutely not return until she had captured 'that Egostic trash'...
"Hmm..."
Shin Haru sat with her chin propped in her hand, silently gazing out the window.
...She wasn't a fool.
There must have been a reason for the arrogant and rude Meteel to suddenly change so drastically. And it must undoubtedly be because of Egostic.
It was highly probable that she had suffered a severe blow from him during their fight with Egostic, and that shock had caused her to become like this. Especially after checking inside the factory later and finding dozens of sharp rock fragments, it seemed even more likely. Meteel had probably intended to eliminate Egostic rather than capture him alive.
In fact, when she first saw it, she was angry, but since there was no blood or anything, she decided to let it go.
...Of course, she was angry because it wasn't right for a hero to summarily execute anyone, villain or otherwise, without a trial; there was no other meaning. She wasn't worried that Egostic might have been hurt.
—Shin Haru rationalized to herself once again.
Of course, even before that, when she saw the meteor falling towards Egostic in the live feed from the Association, she was startled and almost instinctively shot up to fly and save him... Well. She also sat back down with a sigh of relief after seeing him block it himself. She thought that this, too, was not because she was worried about Egostic, but because of the danger of vigilante justice, anyway.
...Though the conversation strayed for a moment, the conclusion was this:
The unconscious Meteel and the traces of a fierce battle. And the simplest inference one could draw from her trembling at the mere mention of Egostic's name was...
Perhaps Meteel had been utterly crushed during her fight with Egostic, suffering a psychological shock. This was likely it. The Association might be keeping it quiet, but everyone probably thought it was the case.
However, what was strange was:
'...She barely had any injuries.'
She seemed to have been severely affected, trembling so much at the sight of Egostic, so why were her injuries so minimal?
That point was peculiar, but since it wasn't something she could figure out immediately, she decided to let it go for now.
Rather, what she focused on was.
"...Hmm."
Egostic had completely shattered Meteel this time. To the point where she lost consciousness.
And judging by Meteel's trembling reaction, he seemed to have shattered her quite shockingly. She even looked like she was afraid of Egostic.
He must have done something terrifying enough to instill such fear, whatever it was...
But why...
had he never done that to her...?
"...."
Shin Haru thought such thoughts, falling silent for a moment.
No, wait. How terrifyingly must he have fought Meteel for her to be like that?
Yet, he had never really been like that with her, had he...?
Shin Haru recalled past memories of fighting Egostic, thinking such thoughts.
Egostic, who had encouraged her when she collapsed on the train.
Egostic, who had fought her with a giant robot stolen from Han-Eun Group, then caught her when she collapsed after barely blocking the missiles launched by the insane president.
Egostic, who always said with a smile, 'I won't fall for it next time!' before running away.
"....."
Comparing Egostic's attitude towards her with Meteel, who was now trembling so much from what she had endured this time...
Shin Haru realized something.
'...Could it be that he was only like that with me...?'
No, well.
Come to think of it, Egostic had always been saying things like 'You complete me' and even throwing his life away for her, so she hadn't really noticed.
But in truth, if you thought about it,
Egostic wasn't that kind to others. She had only truly realized it again now, with this Meteel incident as a catalyst.
He was only like that with Stardus. With herself.
"Hmmph...."
Having thought that far, she, who had unconsciously made a soft sound like 'Hmmph,' quickly shook her head.
No, that wasn't important. What was important was that Egostic and his villainous alliance were gradually growing stronger. She needed to focus on such crucial matters; there was no time to worry about anything else.
However, even as she thought that, she realized she had unconsciously felt a little pleased, so she cleared her throat and thought again.
...Well, yes. It must be because she was Egostic's only true opponent. She had only confirmed it again through the Meteel incident; nothing had changed.
Indeed.
Egostic was hers.
...Still. But what *really* happened to Meteel...?
That alone left Shin Haru feeling slightly perplexed.
***
Inside a private jet heading to the United States.
Meteel, sitting alone with the curtains drawn, was sniffling.
"Hmph... Egostic."
Sniffle. Sniffle.
Wiping away a trickle of tears with her sleeve, she clenched her fists tightly and vowed.
Ugh... Although she had been caught off guard and humiliated this time...
And although she had completely submitted to him and her spirit had been broken, sniffle.
"Next time... next time, I'll definitely... defeat him."
Sniffle.
Although her hands and feet still trembled just thinking of Egostic, and she felt like she might involuntarily recite the Hero's Principles of Justice up to Chapter 5, she was not yet completely broken.
...Of course, in her current state, if she saw Egostic, she felt like she would involuntarily drop to her knees, but regardless, she wasn't broken.
"I... I will definitely return! (I'll be back!)"
Meteel sniffled, yet clenched her fists and vowed.
She would work hard in America, as he had told her, to develop her abilities, and then return to Korea to crush him.
The deadline was approximately...
"About ten, ten years should be enough... right?"
No. Fifteen years...? Would it take that long...?
She pondered so seriously as she returned to the United States. Anyway, wasn't the important thing that she had resolved to get revenge? They said a good start was half the battle...!
It was a day when she longed for a peanut butter sandwich from home.
***
"Is someone talking about me?"
I felt my ears itching and muttered that.
The news was reporting Meteel's return to the United States.
"Oppa, but what exactly did you do to make that woman so scared she ran away? I came down late, so I didn't see."
"Oh, what did I do?"
I scratched my ear at Seoeun's sudden question, and Eunwol, listening nearby, awkwardly smiled and twirled a strand of her hair.
...Well, it wasn't anything special. I just 'massaged' her mind with the magic Eunwol taught me, you could say. It was a very non-violent and gentle process.
Of course, I don't expect the effect to last long because of that, but at least I succeeded in sending her back to the United States.
After I explained it roughly like that, Seoeun seemed to accept it.
Well, anyway. Things worked out pretty well.
And.
I looked up at the sky outside the window and quietly thought.
...If my guess was right.
The United States would no longer bother this side.
***
International Hero Association Director's Office.
After Meteel, who had been sent to confront Egostic, returned to the United States following her overwhelming defeat. The Director-General, who had conversed with her and sent her back, quietly leaned back in his chair and thought.
"...Egostic."
Cathedral, where only the leaders of the villainous alliance gathered. He was the only A-Class villain there.
After hearing that news, the Director-General sent one hero to South Korea. To confront Egostic.
Thus, Meteel, a newly minted S-Class Hero, was sent to Korea. To confirm whether Egostic truly was 'just' an A-Class villain.
And after observing the series of events that followed, the Director-General made a judgment.
...Indeed. Someone who had entered Cathedral couldn't possibly be an ordinary individual.
And after personally meeting and conversing with Meteel, who had returned physically unharmed despite her defeat, the Director-General became even more certain.
Don't do anything unnecessary and focus on the urgent matters here.
South Korea. Egostic's side...
They decided not to bother him anymore.