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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Stardus vs. Katana
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After I introduced Katana.
The chat window, quite literally, descended into madness.
*
[???????? Why is sis there????]
[An identity I never imagined, LOLOLOLOL]
[Mangostick X Katana, a Korea-Japan collab, is this real? Egoistic is truly a legend....]
[Who's that Japanese woman??]
[Info) Katana is an S-class villain in Japan, leader of the largest villain organization in Japan, the Samhyup-pa, and with public trust in the Japanese government and association having plummeted, she's currently the most beloved figure, practically treated as a hero by the Japanese public. And with rumors that the Samhyup-pa has taken over the association, she can practically be seen as the real power in Japan, lol.]
[Thanks, Explainer-Wagon!]
[Seriously, now he's even playing on an international level, LOLOLOL]
[Isn't that Katana woman as hot in Japan as our Mango? Why is she here? She barely shows her face in her home country, wow, look at his connections, LOLOLOL]
[Mango, whose charm is so overwhelming he even bewitches villains from other countries... Who exactly is he?]
[No, but she's seriously beautiful. Are villains usually like this nowadays? Starting from Egostream, it's seriously unbelievable.]
[I can communicate with you through a translator. Why is Katana, a villain from our country, there? It is very confusing. But enjoyable.]
[Katana-chan is cute, LOLOLOLOL]
[Whoa, why is so much Japanese suddenly appearing in the chat? Stop!]
*
The chat window was scrolling up at an impossibly fast speed, too quickly to read everything.
However, I had no time to pay attention to it.
"....."
Just moments ago, Stardus had been smiling in front of me.
But now, her expression was shadowed, and an ominous aura began to spread around her.
To such an extent that even Katana noticed something unusual and tilted her head.
The air was heavy, oppressive.
"....Haha."
Yet, even in that situation, I managed a laugh.
No, what kind of situation is this? What did I do wrong? I clearly followed all my instincts. So why did the atmosphere turn out like this? Anyone could see Stardus was in a foul mood. Is it because I brought a foreign villain? That's the most likely possibility. *Tsk*. What do I do?
'No, isn't this actually good?'
At that moment, I changed my perspective.
Crisis is opportunity. Stardus being angry now means she'll approach the fight with even more seriousness. In other words, her abilities can grow even further.
'....I am a bit worried about Katana, though.'
Well, Katana is the top villain in Japan, so she should be able to hold her own against Stardus. If worst comes to worst, I can just tell her to run.
Having quickly made up my mind, I smiled brightly again and spoke to the camera.
"Yes! As you all might have guessed, my old friend, Ms. Katana, has specially agreed to fight for me today. Please show us Japan's finest swordsmanship, Ms. Katana!"
"...Yes, I understand."
At my words, Katana awkwardly bobbed her head like a robot.
....She'll be fine, right?
After giving a silent cheer to Katana, who was looking at me with a nervous gaze as if telling me not to leave yet, I let go of her hand and quickly teleported away from the scene. The air around Stardus had been growing heavier and heavier for a while now...
It was out of my hands now. All I could do was cheer...!
How much time had passed since I left and found a hidden spot on the rooftop of a nearby building?
-BOOOOOM.
From where I had just left, a sudden roar began to echo.
It seemed it had begun.
***
'....Annoying.'
Annoying. That was the thought running through Stardus's mind.
...Egoistic said he was going to commit an act of terror after a long time, but bringing a Japanese woman with him. Holding her hand tightly. Calling her a friend. All of it was annoying. She wasn't angry. It was just simply annoying.
Her smile had long since vanished. All she could see was the dazzling image of Egoistic holding that woman's hand, constantly replaying before her eyes.
....Ha, seriously. It's preposterous. What kind of relationship do they have to show up holding hands? While committing terror?
Of course, rationally thinking, he had to hold her hand since he brought her via teleportation... but Stardus was still angry.
Without even knowing why herself.
'....Right.'
She took a deep breath for a moment, then thought.
She was angry because Egoistic brought another villain. And a foreign villain, at that, to Korea? This wasn't right. Any hero would be furious in this situation.
'...So, it's logical to deal with the woman in front of me first.'
Thus, Stardus reached a cold and rational conclusion. After crushing that villain named Katana, she would expel her from Korea.
And then.
...As for what to do with Egoistic, ha. She'd think about that later.
She thought that, smiling cynically.
".....Then, please take care of me."
At that moment, a voice came from below.
Egoistic had already left, and the woman named Katana was now on the ground.
Seeing her, with her black hair tied back and fluttering behind her, dressed in a *dobok*, and drawing her *katana*.
Stardus, with a serious expression, clenched her fist.
As yellow light emanated from her fist, Katana, sharp as the wind, leaped towards her with her sword raised.
With a thunderous roar, the clash began in mid-air.
...This woman, she must be defeated here, no matter what.
With Stardus's firm resolve.
***
Before fighting Stardus at Egoistic's request.
Katana had researched Stardus beforehand.
"Hmm...."
Body enhancement abilities and flight, huh...
A typical physical-type ability user. However, stronger than any opponent who used physical attacks that Katana had faced so far.
Even so, if she lacked ranged attack methods or special abilities.
Katana was confident that she, with her sword, would win.
"Hup."
And so, back in downtown Seoul.
Katana held her sword, slicing through the air.
She darted through the sky at incredible speed, pressing Stardus.
Stardus and Katana. When abilities reached their level, a fight was no longer a typical battle.
The scene of the two of them looked like dazzling martial arts, impossible for an ordinary person to follow with their eyes.
*
[Wow, holy crap LOLOLOL. How fast are they flying that the camera can't even see anything?]
[Something yellow is flashing here and there, and the sword is glinting, but it all happens so fast you can't see anything LOLOLOL]
[Katana is seriously amazing. I thought she was just a sword-user, but she's appearing everywhere, here, there, wow LOL]
[Are they even hurting each other? It's moving too fast to see anything LOLOLOL]
*
Stardus, whose rank was still A-class, but who was now effectively stronger than most S-class ability users.
And Katana, who had gathered countless people under her with her swordsmanship and abilities alone, and had crushed the association by forming the largest villain alliance in her country.
In particular, Stardus had no intention of going easy on Katana.
And Katana, too, was taking this seriously, intending to use this opportunity to grow her abilities by another level.
Their battle was, quite literally, a bloody struggle.
'...As expected, the opponent is avoiding a direct confrontation.'
At that moment, Katana.
She was moving through the air with wind-splitting speed, thinking that.
Her long, sharp sword, swung rapidly while wreathed in sword energy, made it difficult for Stardus to approach. Especially since Katana's reflexes allowed her to parry every attack with her sword, no matter where Stardus came from.
On the other hand, Stardus relied solely on her fists, so if Katana could block all her attacks with her sword, it would be an advantageous situation for Katana.
However, unlike Katana, who applied her ability to leap high from the ground into the sky and then kicked off building walls to gain momentum for flight, Stardus could fly freely using her own powers.
However, even that didn't necessarily give Stardus an advantage.
"...This is frustrating."
In the sky.
With her hair whipping around, Stardus quietly thought.
Tens of minutes had passed since the fight began, but the situation was ambiguous.
As she tried to attack while dodging the opponent's sword, it wasn't easy to land a successful blow.
In fact, she had only pressured her so far, without landing any direct hits.
If Stardus had been overwhelmingly stronger, it would be different, but with their skills being similar, the sword was a dangerous factor. She might get cut trying to attack.
Thus, she was still avoiding Katana's attacks and trying to figure out a solution. Dodging Katana's sword wasn't a problem, but unlike Katana who could freely attack her, Stardus found it difficult to attack, putting her at a disadvantage.
As Stardus continued to fight, pondering how she could land an attack while avoiding the sword, at that moment.
'...Wait, why am I so scared of that sword?'
Suddenly, that thought flashed through Stardus's mind.
***
"Hah...."
Feeling her *dobok* flutter and her tied-back hair sway in the air.
Whoosh-.
Katana continued to press Stardus, searching for an opening.
...Just one hit. If she could just land one successful attack on Stardus, it would be Katana's victory. The situation was already advantageous for her. If Stardus was busy dodging her sword, an opening would eventually appear. And then she would just have to strike that opening.
Of course, it was equally true that if Katana took even one hit from Stardus, it would be over... But who was Katana? Hadn't she single-handedly defeated thousands before? She was an expert at not showing openings in the first place.
That's why Katana continued to fly through the air, aiming for her opponent's opening.
And then, at that moment.
"Hyaah-!"
Stardus lunged straight at her, extending a direct punch.
And then.
'...Found it, an opening.'
Katana calmly composed herself.
She didn't know why her opponent was suddenly acting like this, but this was an opportunity. She would deflect that punch with her sword, throw off Stardus's balance, then strike her flank, and it would be over.
'...It's not a fight to the death, so I just need to do enough.'
Making that judgment, Katana prepared to deflect the punch with her sword.
Suddenly, a powerful light emanated from Stardus's fist.
'...? What the-!'
"Hmph!"
KABOOOOM.
Then, she abruptly changed direction, throwing her fist diagonally not at Katana herself, but directly at her sword.
Before a bewildered Katana could do anything, the powerful light shattered her katana.
CRASH-!
Thus, Katana's sword shattered into pieces in mid-air.
Katana was flustered.
*
[Tomorrow's predicted 'Korean Pride TV' video title: [SHOCK][HORROR] Does a Korean Hero's K-Punch even beat a Japanese Katana? 1000 Years of Japanese Swordsmanship Kneels Before Korea's Overwhelming Fist! 'From today, I've decided to abandon the sword and learn Taekwondo.' Why the Japanese Kendo Master Said This While Crying?]
[Nah, this is making me dizzy;]
*