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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: The Return of Egotistic
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In a part of downtown Seoul where towering skyscrapers stood here and there, and cars streamed busily along the roads.
On screen, a man stood high above, looking down at the cityscape from the open sky.
A black cape flapped in the wind, a wizard's hat sat upon his head, and a white mask obscured half his face.
He was currently the most popular figure in South Korea, the one who became the center of attention every time he appeared.
Egotistic, after a long absence, had finally started a broadcast.
"It's a new year, and I've come to see you all. How have you been, everyone? This is Egotistic!"
He flashed his characteristic grin at the camera.
After his last broadcast, he had vanished for several months, and now, finally, his stream had suddenly gone live. Naturally, the excitement from the viewers was fervent.
The chat window on the EgoStream page, where his broadcast was taking place, filled up so rapidly it was almost impossible to read with the naked eye.
*
[Ten-Year-Old finally showed up, lololololol]
[Mangostick finally makes a chaotic appearance after 524 seasons, lololololol]
[Finally, damn it!!! I knew you'd come, Mang-kiyah-hooo~~~~!!!]
[Ah, lol, today's gonna be wild, get the chicken ready, lololololol]
[Mango, how many EgoStream members are there now, why aren't you terrorizing them!!! Bro, do you want to see me go crazy?]
[How to reverently watch Egotistic's broadcast: 1) Turn on the TV 2) Open a beer 3) Order chicken. This is the good life, lololololol]
[Victory to the WFH crew who can watch the broadcast right away, upvote lololol]
[Mango's broadcast = time just melts away when watching, lololol]
[My heart is racing for the first time this year, ah lol. Is this... love?]
[I got sick just by watching the intro of this broadcast, thank you]
[The moment I turned on the broadcast and saw Egotistic's face, my time finally began to flow.]
*
Whether he knew of their passionate reactions or not, Egotistic continued to speak, still wearing his enigmatic smile, floating in the sky with his cape fluttering.
"Yes! Everyone, thank you for your enthusiastic welcome. Since it's been quite a while since my last terror attack, I've prepared something truly big this time!"
Ta-da!
He spread his arms and announced.
Naturally, the chat window became even more frantic. Everyone seemed eager to know what he would do next, or whom he would bring.
But Egotistic didn't reveal it immediately.
He simply maintained his smile, stating as if it were obvious,
"But of course, a good terror attack only truly shines when there's a worthy opponent, wouldn't you agree?"
"So, I'll wait. For my hero, Stardust. Until she arrives."
"Now. Please hurry and come."
He finished with a sly grin.
At that moment.
From one side of the sky, someone was flying.
Stardust, her golden hair shimmering as she soared.
***
He had finally arrived.
That news was enough to send Shin Haru flying immediately.
Was it because a villain had appeared, and as a hero, she instinctively rushed out?
Or was it because it was Egotistic, causing her to fly faster than anyone else?
She couldn't tell.
But.
Thump. Thump.
After his previous terror attack, that strange feeling she'd experienced while watching a TV show featuring the Statue of Liberty.
Her heart raced just thinking of him, a sensation as if she'd forgotten something profound. That feeling.
A feeling that if she met him, she might finally understand what this feeling was, what its true nature was.
And so, Shin Haru flew.
To see Egotistic.
Cutting through the cold wind, her hair streaming behind her, she headed towards the spot where Egotistic had appeared, a considerable distance from the Association building.
And there, she finally met him.
"Greetings, Stardust."
"...Egotistic."
In the cold, swirling air.
There, the two met.
*
[Stardust finally arrived, yay lolololol]
[Ego-Star! Ego-Star! Ego-Star! Ego-Star! Ego-Star! Ego-Star! Ego-Star! Ego-Star! Ego-Star! Ego-Star! Ego-Star! Ego-Star! Ego-Star! Ego-Star! Ego-Star! Ego-Star! Ego-Star! Ego-Star! Ego-Star!]
[If Egotistic and Stardust are just together, the broadcast is over that day, lol. Crazy chemistry.]
[It's a historical fact, recorded even in the murals of Goguryeo, that Stardust is the true endgame.]
[Huh, chats praising Stardust are being deleted, what's going on? Oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god Everyone hide!]
[Isn't that hacker girl managing this chat? lolololol]
[Ah, but Stardust is the true endgame *cough cough*]
*
Regardless of what people in the chat window were discussing among themselves, Stardust quietly stared at him, standing before her.
"Egotistic...."
"Yes, that's me. You keep calling me. You don't have to call me so desperately, I won't run away. Haha!"
He joked, laughing.
But Stardust, Shin Haru, could not laugh.
"....."
Standing before him.
Finally. Seeing his smiling face.
A whirlwind of emotions.
Many hours had passed. And that time, when you were there for me, those fleeting moments had accumulated.
I... you were...
She remembered nothing.
But.
...It won't be the end.
Even if time turns back.
Because it's just the two of us, in the end.
Someday, a day will come when we can talk like this again.
So, don't cry.
For some reason.
An overwhelming, tender emotion welled up inside her as she looked at Egotistic's smiling face before her.
For some reason, she didn't know why, but her heart raced in front of him.
She wanted to stand by his side.
She wanted to be with him.
She wanted him to look only at her.
Strange emotions she couldn't understand herself, yet they clearly, vividly surfaced.
However, she firmly suppressed them for now.
...Right. We've met as hero and villain for now. I shouldn't think about anything else. These strange feelings, I can talk about them after everything is over.
However.
Her mind was so complicated towards him, it was hard to even meet his eyes with such confusing emotions, yet he seemed completely unbazed, just smiling.
Out of a sense of resentment, Shin Haru found herself snapping at him without realizing it.
"...Why didn't you come?"
"Pardon?"
"You said you'd come soon, so why are you only here now?"
Unconsciously, she tried to suppress her bitter feelings, disguising them as a sharp accusation. She couldn't help but snap at him like that.
"...Haha, did I say that?"
...And seeing him laugh at her words as if asking what she was talking about, yet subtly glancing at her, seemingly flustered in a way only she could notice.
She found herself smiling faintly.
***
It was the first terror attack I'd caused since the new year began.
When I started the broadcast high in the sky and called out to Stardust, I never dreamed things would turn out like this.
"You said you'd come soon, so why are you only here now?"
"...Haha, did I say that?"
Stardust snapped at me with a cold gaze.
All I could do was smile and reply.
...No, back then, I really thought we'd meet soon. We probably even did meet. It's just that after the apocalypse, everything was undone, and the memories vanished.
But there was no way I could say that. So I had no choice but to fumble for words. ...No, and I didn't expect her to actually call me out on it. ...She's not angry, is she?
I quickly changed the subject and glanced at the chat window.
*
[You said you'd come soon, why are you only here now? Huh... isn't this something lovers say?]
[Huh, what's going on between them?]
[I can already hear the dating rumors pouring out... lololol]
[Stardust X Egotistic combo is real, acknowledged, lololol. If they announce their relationship, all of South Korea will send countless congratulations.]
[A-class hero Stardust, S-class hero Apple Mango, hero couple born, oh my god oh my god oh my god. South Korea becomes a safe zone, cheers lololol]
[No, you fool! Moonlight Mango is the national rule for Egotistic....!!!]
[No? It's Electro Mango? Nonsense, no no no]
[Why are they fighting again, ah lol. But it's clearly Mango-Star, why are they saying strange things?]
[Fact: Anyone can see that the hero prepared for the villain's announced terror, but they didn't show up, so all their preparations went to waste, and that's why they're angry. What's with the romance? No over-immersion.]
[Is that so?]
*
...Fortunately, they were busy convincing themselves.
Anyway, that wasn't important.
I looked back at Stardust.
"....Pfft."
At that moment, she chuckled slightly, seeing me flustered.
"...No, why are you laughing?"
"Just. You're funny."
"....Honestly. To laugh at a villain. It's surprising. Ha."
I said that, but I let out a small laugh myself.
...Luckily, that earlier remark must have been a joke. No, a hero joking with a villain doesn't make sense, so maybe it was a provocation. Anyway.
I found myself smiling back at her, seeing her smile.
For some reason, I couldn't take my eyes off her smiling face today.
'...Am I crazy?'
I shook off the thought, clearing my mind for a moment.
Get a grip. A professional villain shouldn't act like this. Act like a professional.
...Still, seeing Shin Haru—no, Stardust—directly today gave me a strange feeling. Stardust was most beautiful when she smiled, too.
Anyway, Stardust and I stood there for a moment, smiling at each other.
*
[What's this atmosphere, what are they doing? (´,,•ω•,,｀)]
*
...Of course, I quickly snapped back to reality after seeing the chat.
Seriously, they're making such a fuss after just a few seconds. How am I supposed to carry out a proper terror attack with all this scrutiny?
Anyway, I smiled and prepared to officially begin the terror attack.
Lately, I'd had an uneasy feeling, so I was secretly worried, but seeing Stardust smiling, the atmosphere seemed good, which was a relief. ...Though, it's strange for a terror attack to have a good atmosphere. Anyway.
Therefore, I could proceed to the next step without worry.
"Alright! Ahem, in any case, it's time to officially begin the terror attack. Everyone, don't be surprised. I went to great lengths to bring her here!"
"Huh...?"
Seeing Stardust tilt her head in confusion, I instantly teleported.
To the rooftop of a nearby building.
"Ah, is it my turn already?"
"Yes, Katana. Show them what you can do. And you know, if things go south..."
"Yes, I understand. I'll do my best."
Katana replied with a faint smile towards me.
I smiled back at her, took her hand, and then reappeared with her in front of Stardust.
"Now, allow me to introduce her! My old friend who came all the way from Japan, Japan's number one villain, Katana!"
"...Hello."
She bowed slightly towards the camera.
Perhaps nervous now that she was on broadcast, Katana was slightly stiff and trembling, gripping my hand a little tighter. So, I squeezed her hand to reassure her.
And then.
"...Huh?"
Seeing us like that.
The smile on Stardust's face, which had been there just moments before, completely vanished. The light faded from her face.
The atmosphere suddenly grew heavy.
A surging ominous feeling, and a sighing intuition that was more volatile than before.
....Oh. This isn't right.