Transformation or Death

A Little Money and a Place to Live Tomorrow is Enough (12)

[There are no errors in the quest.]

Belt calmly announced to the bewildered Han Jae-jung. That composed tone only accelerated Han Jae-jung’s confusion.

‘Then… Does that mean they’re all villains?’

No matter how you look at them, they only appear human. They look no different externally from the human figures living in this society. They look like they could walk down the street without any problems.

But there’s also an eerie feeling that they’re not of this world. Their pupils lack focus and drool drips from their mouths. They fall to the floor with broken joints but don’t even try to fix them, just getting back up and approaching this place.

They’re identical to the drug addicts overflowing in the back alleys. The problem is that these addicts aren’t in back alleys but in an upscale hotel room, and they came crashing through the ceiling instead of entering through the door.

The fact that they destroyed facilities while coming in is similar to White Davi, but there’s obviously a huge difference between someone you know coming versus strangers barging in.

Thud thud. More people fell like insects. Crack! Some had their necks broken, while others were crushed by those falling behind them, gasping ‘Kuhek’ as they exhaled.

Though he had seen plenty of grotesque sights before, his brow naturally furrowed.

Some of them got up again and staggered towards this direction. It reminded him of zombies from cheap horror movies. White Davi panicked and waved her horn flute around with the arm not holding Han Jae-jung.

“Wh-what are you people! Brother, what exactly do you do normally?! Huh?!”

“Don’t ask me. I don’t know about this either! I don’t know them!”

After blurting that out, Han Jae-jung examined their appearances again and felt something was off.

‘Hm…? They look somewhat familiar….’

He feels like he’s seen them somewhere before. Did he really pass by them on the street, or did he see them at some rescue site?

While Han Jae-jung was recalling his memories, White Davi seemed to remember something and shouted.

“Ah! Ah, the Argo Family! Those yakuza bastards!”

“…!”

Han Jae-jung’s eyes flew open. He immediately recalled the faces he saw in the Goldilocks Zone of the Argo Family.

Seems right. No, it is right. The faces of those life losers who unnecessarily tried to act tough were vivid in his mind.

Did they not only lose at life but give up on it altogether?

“Wh-why are those idiots here… Brother, did you borrow money from them?! Talk to me! I would have lent it to you at 30% annual interest!”

“You do loan sharking?”

“They probably hold a grudge for cooperating with the previous plan… Boss! Run away!”

White Davi pushed Han Jae-jung back and boldly stepped forward, rolling up both sleeves. She held the horn flute like a baseball bat and shouted.

“I’ll handle this!”

“Ah, wait.”

Just then, a crowd surged from the opposite side. People rushed in like a wave.

“How many of them are there?!”

“How would I know!”

White Davi, who had returned to Han Jae-jung’s side, rolled her eyes around. Han Jae-jung did the same. While scanning the surroundings, his mind kept racing.

‘What should I do with these bastards? And transformation… What should I do?’

Of all times, there are watching eyes here. White Davi has already failed to protect Han Jae-jung several times, so this time she’ll probably be stubborn about not failing. She’ll take responsibility and stay by his side.

‘Actually, what’s more problematic is….’

White Davi was a 4th-dimensional being who could go anywhere. While her standards were firm and she would never be corrupted by evil, she was equally a dangerous element who caused many incidents.

‘How did these guys get here in the first place?’

If it were Yoon Seol-hwa, she would have moved them here without leaving a trace. Even if traces were left, there was no reason for the Argo Family to be pressuring him like this now.

Of course, they had been given the excellent justification of revenge.

However, from what he’d heard before, their goal was to challenge the three beasts. Unless they were focused on expanding their power and training for that, why would they pursue such a meaningless revenge? And without any executives?

It doesn’t make sense. Fundamentally, villains are rational. They act according to their objectives. This is clearly abnormal behavior.

[Guardian, starlight is observed from them. Do not hesitate.]

‘I know that. But humans can easily gain starlight just by being exposed to environmental influences.’

If regularly exposed to starlight, even ordinary people can accumulate it in their bodies. Though the amount is minimal, it can have some effects on the body. Notable examples include healing power and physical strength.

Drugs utilizing this are still a hot topic of debate….

‘Ah, it’s drugs.’

Han Jae-jung finally realized where these people came from.

The Argo Family isn’t only connected to Han Jae-jung or the magical girls. There’s another organization closely linked to them.

Libra. The organization he operates.

All questions were answered.

If it’s Libra, they could probably pinpoint a location by sacrificing a few coins. The miracle of transactions is quite versatile. With appropriate compensation, it can be used for anything.

Moreover, Libra has justification for attacking this place. He shows an unusual obsession with him. Though it would be better if he disappeared elsewhere, unfortunately, he’s deeply rooted within Korea.

It’s clear.

Libra is operating them as private soldiers by getting them addicted to drugs.

“Ha, damn….”

Han Jae-jung gave a hollow laugh.

***

Ippotranslation 

***

“Ha.”

September, the leader of the Argo Family, laughed as if in despair.

“The territorial fee is too harsh. That’s too much.”

In a room of a wide, empty building. He examined the grey interior where concrete was exposed. It felt like cutting open the stomach of a starved person. Nothing came out.

Usually, numerous people would be standing guard beside him, but today there was no one.

Instead, people were gathered right in front of September. A pitiful number that couldn’t even fill this room.

That was all that remained of the Argo Family now. Of the hundred-plus members they had gathered until now, less than half of half remained.

“Wow, they used their head well. No, is it that their ability is good? I’m so fucking jealous.”

September drank alcohol repeatedly as if bitter. His words lacked their usual composure.

Actually, there weren’t just one but five drug packets in the money bag. How generous. They donated enough for all organization members to use.

The first person to notice this was the organization member managing the money bag. When a foul smell rose from the money bag, he couldn’t stand it anymore and opened the bag, only to find the previous smell had completely vanished. Instead, he discovered its contents.

Money and drug packets attached to the bag’s lid.

The member who opened to see what it was also saw the instructions behind the drug packets. Thus, he realized what these drugs were and what effects they had.

A drug that enhances the user’s strength. This white powder contained a sweet dream that instantly dominated his psychology.

Since they originally recruited people who were steeped in defeatism and inferiority complexes from society. Even now, after leaving human society, most still held considerable inferiority complexes.

Even after becoming villains’ allies, they weren’t much help and mostly did errands. They missed the times when they controlled slaves, but now almost all the slaves were gone.

Above all, power. Compared to before, they gained overwhelming strength, but compared to other high-ranking villains, it was insignificant power not even worth an ant. Not to mention the Argo Family executives and the power of Ursa Major seen when headquarters was attacked before.

Then there were the magical girls. Even after leaving human society, they were still weak before them. Their inferiority complex was stimulated once again.

They pursued power. Power enough to put everyone who looked down on them beneath them, power enough to properly contribute to this organization.

That’s why they immediately fell for this temptation. The organization member stole all the drugs and instructions there and ran away to use the drug. Afterwards, he shared it with other close organization members. Those members shared it with others, and gradually the drug began circulating within the organization.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

By the time September noticed, it was already too late. Many had already been exposed to the drug. There were far more who had tried it than those who hadn’t.

Since September had to manage them, he asked the third brother to go complain about this drug. Due to lack of personnel to manage the situation, he had no choice but to go to enemy territory alone.

As a result, the third brother went berserk and is destroying the city, and while attention was diverted there, all drug-addicted organization members disappeared.

Looking back now, there were too many mistakes.

The foul smell from the money bag was probably something with hypnotic effects. They found a strange device while investigating the money bag. Probably a dispersal device.

Even though they normally craved power, it’s strange that they would immediately think to try suspicious drugs. They probably lost their judgment and self-control while intoxicated by that smell.

Also, they should have considered that the second brother was with Libra until just before going berserk. They shouldn’t have sent him alone.

“What can we do about regretting it now when it’s already too late?”

“….”

“Right? Youngest.”

September emptied one bottle of alcohol before opening a new one. It was still cheap whiskey. He turned his eyes to look at the old CRT TV.

The news was broadcasting on that TV placed in the corner of the room.

[Most of the city is still flooded and casualties are still occurring…..]

The special correspondent reported the horrible flood scene with an urgent voice. September listened to it like radio while turning his eyes back to the youngest.

Jason, the villain who likely contributed greatly to this flood disaster.

He suddenly returned to the organization just as suddenly as he had escaped. Probably traces of using his ability.

As soon as he returned, he was crying out madly for the third brother. He seemed to be looking for him who wasn’t by his side.

In the end, he found the third brother not in reality but in the TV broadcast.

Since then until now, he hasn’t taken his eyes off the disaster on TV. Even with chains wrapped around his body, with bricks placed on top of several kneeling knees.

“Youngest, do you feel guilty?”

“….”

“Hah~ shit, he’s not even listening.”

Jason was focusing all his attention on the disaster scene on the TV without even pretending to hear his brother’s words.

Bound in chains for running away on his own, he trembled as if ready to jump into that disaster scene at any moment.

“Youngest. What’s done is done. Don’t worry about it.”

“No… I can’t do that….”

“Is that so?”

September smiled and changed his arm into a cannon.

“Seems you really don’t fit in with our side. Hey guys, any of you bothered by that?”

Voices of denial erupted from all around.

“See? This is the normal reaction.”

He pointed the cannon at Jason.

“But what about you? Why are you, a villain, sympathizing with humans? Huh? Fucking disrespectful bastard. Do you think humans will thank you for that? They’ll hate you for being hypocritical. Tsk, idiot doesn’t even know that. Not even that.”

Then without any delay, he fired the cannon. Bang! The thunderous sound shook the building. Grey powder fell from the exposed concrete.

“So. Learn a little.”

The cannonball broke the bricks and chains on Jason’s knees.

“Go experience it firsthand. What you did.”

Jason immediately stood up and ran out the door.

September watched his back with a bitter expression.

“While you’re at it, maybe save brother too… No, never mind.”

He took another drink.

“Why bother saving someone who won’t die anyway.”

***

Ippotranslation 

***

“Hiyaaap!!”

With a shout, Red Vega’s kick struck the villain. The villain’s body glowing with blue starlight plunged into the water he was controlling. The head where the foot connected was dented and crushed. Cracks ran down to the shoulders.

However, Red Vega’s expression wasn’t good. Despite the clearly effective hit, he wasn’t feeling any satisfaction from it.

The villain’s body floated back up to the water’s surface. The injuries that had just crushed his head were completely gone, and he waved his hand with an intact body.

Then a tsunami rose towards Red Vega. A massive wave at least 20m high. Moreover, its mass was on a different dimension compared to ordinary waves. Each of those water streams would slice through her body like a blade.

However, Red Vega was no ordinary magical girl either. She gathered fire again in the foot she had just swung at the monster, and shot it straight at the tsunami.

A hole was blown right through the middle of the wave. Red Vega quickly launched her body through that hole to escape the tsunami.

Then she frowned while looking at the unscathed villain.

“Another villain like this?!”

A villain with infinite healing power that emitted vast light like pseudo-divinity. It was essentially an invincible, impossible opponent.

[Ms. Vega, duck!]

While she was grumbling, Orange Altair’s voice came from the jewel in the center of the ribbon. Red Vega immediately ducked.

Whoosh! A sound of air being viciously cut passed by the back of her head and headed toward the villain. It was Orange Altair’s arrow.

Bang! However, just before the arrow could make contact, the water current summoned by the villain blocked it.

“Tch!”

Orange Altair clicked her tongue.

“Do better!”

“That’s not so easy, you know?”

Beside her was a brilliant pink villain. The villain wielding flowing fabric like celestial robes had the constellation of Cassiopeia. However, she used five Denebs. Her name was Odette.

She was a villain friendly to humans who Orange Altair suspected to be Joo Ah-yoon.

“Shit, what should we do…”

“I suppose we have no choice but to shoot it toward the sun like before?”

Orange Altair had secretly formed an alliance with her. Due to the nature of sniping requiring secrecy, even the helicopter broadcast never showed her.

Therefore, it didn’t matter if they had conversations like this.

“That’s easier said than done….”

Odette repeated what Orange Altair had just said.

To be honest, it’s difficult.

Tying Odette’s butterfly to the arrow and shooting it toward the sun. Simultaneously shooting another butterfly at the enemy.

A strategy to banish the enemy to space by switching the positions of the arrow and the enemy.

“That was only possible because Watcher helped us. Because she offset all those chaotic attacks and gave us an opening to get close to the enemy.”

But now that’s difficult. The enemy is endlessly spraying water streams. If even a single droplet touches the butterfly during transfer, what gets transported will be the water droplet instead of the villain.

It would be fine if they could request Red Vega’s cooperation to clear away all those water streams, but that seemed like too much burden for her.

She already appeared to be struggling just to get through the tsunami.

“But right now that’s our only option!”

“Is that really our only choice? Damn… Alright, let’s try that… Watch out!”

Swish! A fierce water stream split the building like tofu. Orange Altair’s footing wavered on that very building.

“Oh no!”

Odette sent out a butterfly to transport the falling Orange Altair.

There weren’t many buildings left now. She landed her on the rooftop of a building lower than before.

“I can’t aim properly like this?!”

Orange Altair complained. Odette agreed.

“We need someone who can block all of the enemy’s attacks….”

Odette groaned deeply.

That’s when it happened. Perhaps noticing their position again, the villain launched the same water stream as before.

“Damn it.”

Odette took out a butterfly, but there was no need to throw it.

The water stream shooting toward the building was frozen instantly. That water stream became a bridge of ice, not a cannon that could destroy the building.

A woman walked out from beneath that ice bridge.

“What a… Relief.”

Blue Sirius, her starlight now stronger than before, was there.

“Jae-jung. Thank you. For letting me come here.”

She was continuously mumbling something that couldn’t be heard from here. It was like a priest offering prayers.

“I’ll be back soon.”

Every path she walked turned to ice.

“…Found it.”

Someone who could block all these attacks.

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