Mr. Magical Girl

Chapter 90: In My Day, There Wasn’t Even Time to Be Sad

“Isn’t it better to call you a Clone Monster? Hero, perhaps?”

In truth, even calling you a Hero feels generous; your oddly familiar face made me feel soft.

Could it be that the guilt of having killed her still lingers a bit? Here I am, showing such attitude toward a nemesis of humanity, some elderly wrinkled thing.

“I personally wish you’d just be called the Thunder God.”

A despicable smile crept across my face. While it seemed the same as the original Thunder God, this one had a twisted aura.

My insides boiled as I pulled a metal rod from my pocket and bit down on it.

Click.

As I calmed down amidst the sensation, the fake Thunder God nodded and pointed at the metal rod.

“That thing, should I jump? I don’t remember that.”

That can’t be true; if she’s the Thunder God, she shouldn’t forget:

Indeed. It must be a mid-tier clone.

I have never calmly conversed with a Clone Monster like this before, realizing the bizarre reality.

Given her behavior, it seems likely that clone types somewhat follow the traits of their original.

Anyway, instead of answering her, I kicked the man lying on the ground.

“The real Thunder God doesn’t eat people like this. If you want to be called the Thunder God, at least act according to your memories.”

“But they say that guy is dealing drugs to those kids? Must be a dead one.”

Hearing that, I turned my gaze to the man at my feet.

The smell of well-cooked meat wafted up from the victim.

When I nudged him with my foot, it seemed he wasn’t dead yet.

Since the drug dealer wasn’t going to be a problem, I just kicked him enough so he wouldn’t die.

Grrrrr!

Ignoring the scream filled with despair, I looked at the fake Thunder God, who opened her mouth with a twisted smile even further.

“So you’re still listening to me, huh?”

“Well, he’s a guy living in slums, so it’s not unreasonable. Even if I’m wrong, it’d just be about treating him before he dies.”

“How typical of you.”

Click.

This is annoying. The aura she emanated was strangely similar to the Thunder God, making it worse.

“Are you going to jump?”

“Do you think I’ll answer willingly?”

“Then die here.”

Thud!

As the hammer extended from my right hand and shattered the ground, the smile drained from the Thunder God’s face. It seemed she realized my words were true.

“If you try to talk your way out of this situation with lies, if you’re really the Thunder God, you should be able to distinguish that, so be honest.”

She hesitated for about ten seconds.

That’s an unusually long time.

“After quietly blending into society, the order came to cripple the computer network and raid the power plant.”

‘Who gave you that order?’

“I don’t know. I was just born to fulfill it. Just thinking about it gives me a headache.”

Saying it so flatly, as if it’s naturally the way things should be.

Is this the way those at the end of a story truly express dominance?

Thanks to hearing information from Al’s people, I found it easy to understand.

Surely, it’s different from Ren Sua: Ren Sua’s orders are more abstract.

For example:

“Be my friend, cause havoc freely, and look smart and calm.”

Even among those who grew differently from the orders, it appears that Ren Sua has command authority but lacks coercive power.

The fake Thunder God must be finding it hard to resist that command.

But then a question arises.

“Then why cause a ruckus here? Doesn’t that contradict the order to quietly hide in society?”

“Because it’s annoying, and isn’t it natural to act as a Hero? Killing just one guy is nothing.”

A Hero, huh.

Thwack!

I kicked the human form junk lying there a few more times, still receiving some flinching responses.

Looks like he’s still alive.

“A Hero shouldn’t have the right to attack civilians.”

“How fitting that a member of the Assassination Unit, Lee Ha Rim, would say that.”

She remembers that, huh? But doesn’t remember anything about this rod, eh? Not like she has a hole in her head.

Well, it doesn’t matter.

I’ve gathered the necessary data and should deal with this now.

With my right arm hanging loosely, I grasped the hammer’s handle and poured a little strength into it, propelling it forward.

The sound slicing through the air landed on my shoulder as the hammer settled there. I made it sway, emitting thok sounds while opening my mouth.

“Thanks for sharing the info. Now here’s your choice. Will I launch you into the Otherworld? Or would you prefer to have your head smashed in? Personally, I’d be happy if you chose to be launched into the Otherworld.”

I drew the inner energy out toward the enemy.

At that moment, the enemy immediately reacted, transforming their body into black lightning and disappearing from my view.

Crackle. Crackle. Crackle.

I felt several premonitions in the vicinity of my body.

The Thunder God’s descent.

Slightly awkward as it may be, it’s still a clone of the Thunder God.

While the black mass resembled a fearsome version of the Thunder God, the power was merely a fraction of its peak.

However, the memory is a total mess, and the personality resembles the aged Thunder God.

“Who’s this?”

Something roughly at the level of a bad cut.

Crackle.

I forcefully turned my head in the direction of the signals I felt.

From my back.

Thanks to that, my upper body bent backward, and a massive burden was placed on my neck.

Watching the fake Thunder God’s surprised expression made my mood slightly improve.

Perhaps realizing its position, the creature maintained a surprised look, not giving up yet and shifting its gaze toward the next place to escape.

“So clumsy.”

Do you think there will be a next move? The real Thunder God doesn’t move like this.

After rotating the hammer I had over my shoulder, I swung it behind me.

Thud. Crack!

With the feeling of meat being crushed, the battle concluded.

The monster couldn’t avoid the hammer and tried to lean back while extending its defensive hand, but it was useless.

Without feeling any resistance, the hammer crushed the monster’s skull.

To think that a creature carrying the name of a Hero would meet such a futile end.

Thud.

The headless body that was soaring in the air fell to the ground, and I caught sight of blood gushing from the severed neck, following the heartbeat.

Seeing that scene, I got the notion that a decent photo might come out, so I took out my phone to focus.

I’d say it’s somewhat beautiful.

With the flow of blood heading toward the sewer, I took a picture of the corpse for the Management Association as proof of extermination.

Bing. A splendid view. A splendid view.

The afterburners behind the hammer spewed out flames to clean up the corpse.

As soon as the monster’s body touched the fire, it turned to ash, scattering into the sky along with the gust created by the afterburner.

“Thinking about it, I really have a terrible taste.”

I killed the Thunder God and then disposed of the monster in exactly the same way; of course, this treatment was merely because it was nearly impossible for the Management Association to collect the corpse.

It was just fitting for a funeral, and I couldn’t help but smile at the sight.

After a few minutes, as the last remaining pieces of the corpse turned to ash and vanished, I stepped on the black bone powder stuck to the floor and wrapped things up.

Now, I need to do the next thing. The thing I had put off unwillingly.

“Hey. Are you alive?”

Hmm. Looks like he is.

I took out the emergency medicine from my waist and roughly jabbed it into a vein.

Let’s see: painkillers, burn ointment, emergency cell regeneration injection, and low-stimulation bandages.

Normally, I’d cut the clothes slowly with scissors, observing the progress, but—

“Isn’t that a bit much for a drug dealer? Let’s consider yourself lucky to be alive.”

Speed took priority.

Whether he screamed or not, I forcibly tore the clothing stuck to his skin, and placed the painkillers on top before patching the bandages over haphazardly.

“Live hard.”

Finally, I injected the cell regeneration shot into the area where the heart was located.

Normally, you’d inject a little into the damaged areas, but this is also possible.

Ignoring any side effects, of course.

Regeneration might cause massive regrowth pain and the intense itching under the skin lasting for a few weeks, along with the arrhythmia that would occur after regeneration, but—

He had already fainted long before, and he had no words, but,

If he wakes up, he’ll writhe in madness once again.

After putting the group into a hidden alleyway, I simply made my exit.

It’s likely he’ll die after being stripped naked and left to rot in a place like this on the side of the road, but—

That’s a natural occurrence, and it’s not within my realm of concern.

After wrapping things up, I felt a bit distanced from the scene of the incident.

I turned and posed a question to the tailing figure that had followed me for several days.

“So, how do you feel about the fake Thunder God you’ve seen?”

“I don’t even feel good calling it fake. I wouldn’t act like that. Even if they’re a criminal, I’d sternly discipline them.”

That’s likely so. Perhaps she’d electroshock the nerves directly and give them lifelong trauma.

“So how about the group of idiots?”

“They’re the weakest. I’m shocked that monsters like that are running rampant in society.”

I suppose that knowledge would indeed be shocking. But—

“Now that you’re a monster too, why not be a bit more lenient?”

I glanced at her, with yellow hair hinting a slight black braid woven in.

Could it be a style misaligned? Once, she wore bright-patterned clothing, but nowadays, she mostly wore oddly drab black outfits—especially noticeable were the black leather gloves wrapped around her hands.

“How’s the management going?”

“It turns out the guy I liked was a married man. What a deceitful man!”

“A deceitful man? That’s a bit harsh, isn’t it? Maybe it was a mistake to ask about it in the first place.”

Crackle.

The wide field of vision lifted into the air.

A sudden blow to the vital point that occurred in an instant.

“Who messed up?”

“Ah, it’s my fault for not saying.”

Many times I was in the wrong. Moreover, with an incident like this, I’d have to bear this burden forever.

“Well, setting that aside, the kid seems cheery. They keep asking me to tell more daddy stories.”

“I’m glad to hear he’s doing fine.”

Just chatting for a moment, it seemed like Ren Sua took a one-sided dislike to her.

“What kind of gladness? I can’t even say how frustrated I am lately. Just seeing a dog makes my heart feel strangely ticklish.”

That’s likely because of the restrictions Ren Sua placed on her.

Seeing her pained, I took her hand and pulled her along.

“Let’s go.”

“Where to?”

“This place seems a bit off.”

Being with a woman in a slum? It’s not something one would consider unless hit on the head in a wild fit.

“Let’s just treat it as an overseas trip.”

“With just the two of us?”

“Isn’t there supposed to be an observation log? Or is it just the two of us?”

Are there stealth-type monsters lurking around unnoticed?

Why is that?

With my words, she turned her head and muttered with a pouted lip:

“The last hope?”

With a small whisper carried by the wind, I grasped her hand.

Passing through the filth-covered area.

Stepping over the corpse that smells like blood.

Treading over the puddles of sewage.

I ran with her.

Passing through dark slums.

Emerging into the bright sunlight.

“Such a rare sight. It’s quite deteriorated, but it’s still a big city.”

With a forced cheerful expression,

I made a bright voice.

It was only possible because I had made it that way.

Then at least she—

Should feel some joy.

In the narrow alleyways where the slope felt upward.

A place barely big enough for a single person to pass through;

I led her while moving ahead.

“Wait! It’s narrow! Slowly!”

A strange mixture of joy and whining resonated.

Only after falling into the abyss; she would have been able to hear her laughter:

I twisted my face.

It’s my fault. It’s my sin.

Pushing through the darkness, I saw the light: a bright street bathed in beautiful sunlight.

As I watched that backlight, we faced each other beneath the sun.

I forced my muscles to strain and smiled as I squeezed out a bright voice:

“Well then. Shall we go?”

I couldn’t tell if something was nearby.

But surely, it was a pleasant atmosphere just for her.

“Okay.”

She also answered.

This time, she no longer held back, standing beside me: she shyly intertwined her fingers with mine.

“Let’s just hold hands, Thunder God.”

“Don’t call me that.”

Thus, we ran into the sunlight.

In the pitch-darkness of the night:

On a distorted timeline of some past.

Amidst the distorted moon and flickering stars:

“Daddy,

if it’s now, you could revive the Thunder God.”

She whispered.

I answered.

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