Chapter 205

I wasn’t procrastinating, nor was I doing nothing. It’s just that there weren’t any immediate visible results.

As I spent my days in chaos, the day of confrontation approached unexpectedly.

When the confrontation finally began, I wanted to fight seriously against them, but last night, before the confrontation, I couldn’t sleep.

Even though not sleeping one night didn’t affect my condition, I realized anew how conscious I was of it.

While I was thinking about leaving after putting on my coat and stretching, I met SuA who had just finished showering in the bathroom.

“Are you all cleaned up?”

“Yeah. Are you leaving now?”

“Yeah.”

It felt strange to think that I would be fully engaged in a confrontation several hours after having an everyday conversation with her while she was getting used to living at SuA’s house.

“Alright. Don’t get hurt.”

Hearing a girlfriend say not to get hurt was pleasant, but it also made me feel odd knowing that the person who could hurt me was the one telling me not to get hurt.

Not wanting to express my current feelings directly, I replied, “Okay,” and left the house.

Throughout the journey to headquarters, the thought of whether I would be alright kept popping up. The idea of asking Luche to exempt me from the confrontation crossed my mind because the confrontation was so nerve-wracking.

Considering that my girlfriends were deeply pondering as well, I worried if today’s confrontation would go well.

The numerous uncertainties made me even more restless knowing that there was no way to resolve them.

“Did you come?”

Upon arriving at headquarters and entering the office, I met Theo, who was already dressed in the new suit and ready for departure, despite not wearing his helmet.

“How is the suit?”

“It suits me fine. I’ve worn it before.”

“That’s good.”

We exchanged trivial conversations as I passed by Theo and headed to the changing room. My colleagues were changing clothes inside.

In the changing room filled with familiar and unfamiliar faces, an awkward atmosphere lingered. If Klugger were here, something would have been done. I stood in front of my cabinet and opened the door.

Staring blankly at the cabinet containing only the new suit and helmet, I began to realize that the confrontation was real.

After a sigh, I slowly changed my clothes. The suit, which I had worn during an invasion on another planet long ago, fit without difficulty. It was like a robot moving unnaturally when powered on.

Standing in front of the mirror, I examined my overall appearance, feeling increasingly anxious about the confrontation. Despite knowing that worrying wouldn’t change anything, I found myself unable to stop.

While I was lost in these thoughts, the sound of commotion opened the changing room door.

“Good morning!”

Roy, who had arrived for work, greeted loudly. Everyone’s attention turned to him, but being used to Roy, I ignored him and checked the helmet in my hand.

“Senior. You don’t look too good. Are you nervous about the confrontation?!”

Thinking he had a reason to tease me, Roy approached and whispered sarcastically.

“Why did you hit me?!”

“Why did you deserve to be hit?”

Unlike before, Roy showed no signs of tension despite being back in action after 20 years aboard the spaceship, having returned to Earth.

Though not inexperienced enough to be tense, the fact that it had been a long time since the last confrontation should have made him nervous, but he didn’t seem so.

Suddenly, I thought it might be better to approach the confrontation with a lighter heart, rather than worrying excessively. If I remained anxious, it could lead to unforeseen problems, especially considering my girlfriends’ safety.

My priority was to maintain my usual state and investigate the hyper-human without revealing my relationship with my girlfriends.

Although investigating the hyper-human seemed like the main goal, my primary concern was the safety of my girlfriends.

Ignoring Roy’s complaints and setting aside my unease, I left the changing room.

I observed my colleagues in the office. The existing teammates were checking their suit conditions, while some of the new teammates were learning about the tactics used within the team. Others, however, were visibly nervous about confronting the experienced HunterKiller Team.

If Klugger were here, he would have raised morale with inspiring words. The absence of our former teammate felt more significant than ever.

“Hey.”

Turning towards a small voice, I met Luche’s eyes peeking out from her room.

Following her gesture, I entered the room and closed the door. Luche, dressed in her combat gear with a large black cloak, looked at me.

“What’s the matter?”

“It’s about the confrontation. Are you really okay?”

“I was just thinking about this until just now…”

For Luche, the team leader, the biggest concern seemed to be me rather than the new teammates. Understanding this, I spoke confidently without hesitation.

“I’m fine. You don’t need to worry.”

I’m unsure what will happen when I face my girlfriends, but I can’t worry Luche or myself. Determined to give my best, I prepared for the confrontation.

“Alright? I’ll do my best too.”

Luche, after checking who was coming in, spread out her cloak.

“What do you think? I got the new model too.”

With new equipment supplied to the officers, Luche, wearing a suit similar to the Spacystro uniform, asked me for my opinion.

The suit reminded me of Esmeralda’s, and it suited Luche well.

“It looks good. It suits you well.”

Seeing my straightforward response, Luche’s expression brightened.

“Really? Does it really suit me?”

“Yes. It reminds me of the old times and it’s good.”

The current Luche, unlike the past version known as Ati, didn’t resemble her much externally. Even though she wore a similar uniform, it didn’t evoke memories of the past. Perhaps due to our old bond, it brought back some nostalgic feelings.

“Thanks.”

Seeing Luche’s smile, I couldn’t help but smile too. As we both checked the time, a slight relief washed over us.

“Shall we go?”

“Yeah! Let’s go.”

With a vibrant tone, Luche led the way out of the room. We followed her, and all the team members moved toward the underground parking lot.

The new vehicle was a spacious medium-sized bus, much larger than the previous van. Despite the major events leading to this confrontation, the team members seemed excited.

However, their excitement didn’t seem genuine.

They appeared to be forcing themselves to be happy, perhaps trying to shake off the sadness of losing a teammate and the tension from the recent terrorist attack.

It’s common to lose teammates during long-term invasion activities. Losing a teammate due to sudden accidents in space is also frequent.

But no matter how many times one loses a teammate, it never gets easier when someone close leaves.

Seeing my teammates made me feel slightly ashamed for only worrying about my girlfriends. To avoid nagging from Klugger if he wakes up and returns, I decided to do my best in my current position.

This was not only for my girlfriends but also for my teammates and myself.

“Let’s go.”

After everyone boarded the bus and Luche confirmed the headcount, she instructed the new driver. The bus started and exited the underground parking lot.

The atmosphere was noticeably different along the way.

Previously, we used to joke around and tease Luche, but today, everyone seemed to be holding back their words.

I worried about the minimal teamwork that might result from this atmosphere, especially during our first confrontation under such circumstances.

“Is everything alright?”

Theo, who had just joined Team 3, noticed the uneasy atmosphere and cautiously asked me. Looking around at my teammates, I realized I lacked the ability or leadership to manage a large group effectively.

“Let’s go.”

There were many things to consider, but the task was simple. If everyone worked together towards a single goal, we could achieve the purpose of today’s confrontation.

The location of today’s confrontation was a clearing on a mountain in Jongno District.

After parking near the parking lot, we walked to the site in our suit attire and encountered the HunterKiller Team, who were already there.

A sense of tension immediately filled the air. Since all regular soldiers wore the same suits, my girlfriends wouldn’t recognize me, but the uniformity might make them hesitate to attack.

“Long time no see?”

Like before, Luche, who wore heavy makeup and held her specialized scythe, approached one step closer.

Yubin and Red took off their helmets first and looked at Luche with stiff expressions.

“So it’s true. You must have gone through a tough time because of the last incident.”

“You did. There’s something else that’s been on my mind too.”

Red—or rather, Luche, who glared through the HunterKiller team as if she saw right through them—caused Yubin’s eyebrows to furrow.

It seemed as if she understood Luche’s intention.

The casual greeting ended. Luche and the HunterKiller team weren’t on friendly terms, and this was merely a formality after the recent terrorist incident.

Heavy tension settled on both sides. As soon as Luche gave the signal and Red put on her helmet, we rushed towards the HunterKiller Team.

The moment I pulled out my staff, the scene flipped.

The situation became clear immediately. Red drew her sword and swung it.

That was all. The shockwave from Red’s swing sent me and my teammates flying into the air.

‘No!’

I couldn’t afford to be helpless again. To land safely, I adjusted my balance mid-air, but the sight of the destroyed ground made me shiver.

‘Don’t get hurt!’

Unable to speak, I shouted internally.

Feeling so one-sidedly attacked, I couldn’t help but feel annoyed. Reflecting, we were always at a disadvantage against the HunterKiller Team.

“Senior!”

Amid the silence, a familiar voice called out loudly.

With a sharp sound slicing through the air, Yellow stepped back, and Roy, in his suit, stood in front of me with his sharp claws extended.

“!”