Chapter 36

[These hero brats really need to get their act together lol]

[Hope the villains keep winning today too lol]

[The incompetent Association can’t do anything except control lol]

“Hmm.”

What I felt after looking through the posts was malice.

Not towards me, but towards the heroes.

‘Looks like the chaos has really spiraled out of control.’

The Maker Gallery is basically built with security programs that make it hard for the Association to access.

It seems the news has spread throughout the community, with people coming from all over to trash-talk the heroes.

They seemed confident that no matter how much they insulted or attacked the heroes, there was no way the Association could sue them.

[Isn’t the girl next to you a hero? Why is she just watching?]

[It’s the Maker lol, is she the next target? Let’s raise the stakes this time…]

[So why is that girl just standing there lol, maybe if the Maker does something for her…]

Plus, they have the sturdy shield of the Maker now.

An Association-certified villain, and a bad guy from Eclipse.

They pretend to be his fans while only seeking irresponsible pleasure.

And the victims that result from this?

They don’t care. As long as they’re having fun now.

[Lol that kid should run away if their parents are dead, why are they crying there…]

‘I can’t stand to watch this anymore.’

It’s gone beyond sexually harassing Phantom Luna, now they’re targeting the kid who was there.

There were many other posts, but they were so out of line that I just turned off my phone.

“These guys!”

Narin must have seen the chaos in the gallery too, as she was looking at her computer and getting angry.

“If you’re going to talk, talk about our handsome older brother! Not the heroes!!”

*Thud thud!*

Narin slamming the desk.

“Saying I’m handsome right in front of me is a bit…”

“Why? I, the cutest and prettiest in the world, said it, aren’t you grateful?”

Now I see where Gayeon’s shamelessness comes from.

“Anyway! Older brother! Are you just going to take this? Even Mapi is getting infested with bugs!”

Narin huffed and showed me the situation on Mapi.

Sure enough, as she said, there were more posts trashing the heroes and the Association than talking about me.

‘Honestly, I don’t really care if the heroes or others get trashed…’

But it feels dirty being used like this.

“Let’s do as Narin wants.”

“Block them?”

“Do as you please. You have the admin rights for Mapi and the Maker Gallery.”

“Alright, you jerks! How dare you try to use the gallery I made and our older brother?”

*Tap tap tap tap! Tap tap! Thud! Tap tap tap!!!*

She gritted her teeth and hammered the keyboard.

“You think I’ll just block you? Watch this! Admins can check all accounts, right? I’m going to leak all your personal info!!”

It’s reassuring to hear a future S-class villain say that.

“If you’re leaking their info, send it to me too.”

“Why?”

“I might need it later.”

“Got it! I’ll block all these jerks and send it to you!”

*Bzzz— crackle! Crackle!*

*Tap tap tap tap tap!!! Tap tap!!*

After that, she started typing furiously.

“Oppa.”

While watching Narin, Gayeon came over and tugged on my sleeve.

She was looking at her phone, tilting her head, and then looked at me.

“What does ‘nong’ mean?”

“……”

“Huh?”

*Thud—*

Both Narin and I were stunned by her question.

Gayeon, thinking her explanation was lacking, added more.

“Here it says ‘lol nong Polia got wrecked…'”

*Tsk.*

No need to hear more.

“Ugh.”

“Narin.”

I covered Gayeon’s mouth and looked at Narin.

“Block that guy too.”

“Roger.”

After hearing the command, Narin’s typing speed noticeably increased.

***

“Ugh… I’m bored.”

“Kato! Posture! Please maintain some dignity!”

“What does it matter? No one’s watching.”

“Aren’t the people here people?”

Inside the Hero Association headquarters.

Kato, Suzuki, and Chise, heroes dispatched from Japan, were sitting in the break room chatting.

“Ugh… cut me some slack… it’s been days of just standby orders… I’m so bored I could die…”

“If heroes have no work, that’s a good thing! If we’re busy, it means villains are active, is that what you want?!”

Kato covered his ears at Suzuki’s scolding.

“I don’t care! And, we’re the only ones still on standby! The American and Russian teams have already started working, what’s up with that?!”

“Then we must have a special mission! So, as proud Japanese heroes, let’s maintain a bit more dignity…”

“I don’t care, I don’t care, I don’t care!! Hey, Chise. Say something to this stickler too!”

“What? Stickler? I’m done talking. Siscon!?”

As Kato and Suzuki bickered, things were heating up.

“Both of you, stop it! Are we the only ones using this place?!”

“Eek…”

“Ugh…”

At Chise’s words, the two suddenly looked around.

Everyone was staring at them.

“……”

The looks weren’t exactly friendly.

““S, sumimasen…(S, sorry…)””

As they bowed their heads to apologize to the people in the break room.

*Knock knock.*

“Are heroes Phantom Luna, Purple Shiny, and Electrostorm here?”

“Uh… that’s us…”

“You’ve been assigned a special mission. Could you follow me for a moment?”

Following the staff member who came to find them, Chise and the others left the break room.

***

After walking down the hallway for a while,

the Association staff leading Chise’s group stopped at a luxurious room.

“Young master Ji-hyuk… no, Hero Optimus. I’ve brought the heroes you requested.”

-Oh~ come in, come in!

At the staff’s words, a frivolous voice came from inside.

The staff slightly opened the door and looked at Chise’s group.

“Please go in.”

“Ah… yes.”

“Oh~ welcome~”

As soon as Chise’s group entered, they saw a man.

A man who looked like a thug greeted them.

‘Who is he? An executive of the Association? He looks way too young for that.’

“Uh… you called for us.”

“Ah, no need for formalities~ I’m a hero too.”

The man chuckled and stood up, walking towards them.

“C-class hero Optimus, real name Han Ji-hyuk.”

“C-class…?”

“Hero?”

Chise’s group had looks full of doubt.

“Well, I am a hero, but I’m not combat-oriented~ Instead, I have other skills, so I’m doing office work like this.”

“…So what’s the mission we’re assigned to?”

“Ah, it’s a simple mission. But first.”

*Step step.*

“Uh, excuse me?”

“You’re Phantom Luna, right?”

Han Ji-hyuk ignored Kato’s question and looked at Chise with a sly smile.

“Wow, you’re even prettier than I thought?”

Han Ji-hyuk looked Chise up and down and licked his lips.

Seeing this, Suzuki and Kato’s expressions hardened.

“Are you free tonight?”

“Sorry, but that’s a bit…”

“Why? I’m not asking you to sleep with me, just to have dinner. My treat!”

“……”

“I want to get to know you personally, that’s all.”

Han Ji-hyuk smirked and took a step closer to Chise.

“You need money, right? I heard you have hospital bills…”

“Hey.”

“Excuse me.”

*Crackle. Crackle.*

*Whoosh…*

“Keep talking and you’re dead.”

“Calm down.”

Kato grabbed Han Ji-hyuk’s neck, and Suzuki pinned his legs.

They had already activated their abilities, glaring at Han Ji-hyuk with fierce expressions.

“Well, well. Bringing your lackeys along, huh?”

“What? What did you just say…!”

“Alright~, my bad~ okay? I won’t lay a finger on her, so let me go.”

Han Ji-hyuk raised his hands and casually asked to be released.

Angry, Kato tried to increase the output of his ability, but.

“Kato, Suzuki, that’s enough.”

“What? But Chise, this guy just…”

“We can’t afford to make enemies with the Korean Hero Association because of me!”

Chise, pouting, stopped them, and Kato and Suzuki, though annoyed, had no choice but to let Han Ji-hyuk go.

“Oh, you’re charismatic~? I might fall for you.”

“Enough nonsense! Just tell us what we need to do!”

“Alright, alright. I was going to tell you anyway~”

Han Ji-hyuk looked at the three and slowly began to speak.

***

“Maker. I heard you wanted to talk to me?”

“Yes. I want to be assigned a mission.”

A few days later, in Astra’s office.

At my sudden request, Astra looked puzzled.

“A mission? What kind of mission…?”

Unless it’s directly assigned by the Chief or Astra,

missions in Eclipse are mostly voluntary.

Usually, we take on missions officially posted within Eclipse, but…

‘This time, it’s going to be a bit special.’

“Actually, it’s not an existing mission. More precisely, it’s a mission I’d like you to create.”

“If you want a mission created, what’s the content? I need to know exactly to assign it.”

And if it’s too difficult, I won’t send you.

She looked at me with a serious expression.

“Don’t worry. It’s not a very difficult mission.”

And it’s an important mission.

Once she hears the content, she’ll have no choice but to assign it.

“I’ve found some clues to restore the Chief.”

*Thud!*

“Is that really true?!”

Astra stood up abruptly and looked at me.

‘Of course it is.’

I was planning to get more involved in the original story and take the first step in restoring the Chief.

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