Chapter 5

〈 Chapter 5, Part 1, Episode 4 〉

The branch chief furrowed his brow as he watched Yunjang’s battle unfold.

The opponent was a “villain disguised as a monster reaction,” likely a fire mage type. Probably some idiot trying to smuggle in a monster core.

That idiot was now clashing with Yunjang. The branch chief gritted his teeth as he watched the footage from the crimson armor’s camera.

“…Is he really outmatched alone?”

Years of commanding heroes in monster battles were screaming at him. Right now, Yunjang and Crimson Armor were being toyed with by some unknown villain.

“Amazing Guan Yunzhang!”

But the staff, oblivious to this reality, thought Yunjang was completely dominating the villain.

KABOOM! KABOOM!

Each time Yunjang struck the villain’s barrier, his subordinates cheered, certain of their hero’s victory.

‘If I say it’s going badly now…’

Yunjang was a “hero” of Chinese heroes. More accurately, a propaganda tool for the Tang dynasty.

Suggesting retreat or reinforcements would bring the police knocking on your door. For damaging Yunjang’s prestige, of course.

‘What if Yunjang dies?’

Though unlikely, even a 1% possibility is enough to cause anxiety.

Just as the branch chief was worrying, Yunjang sliced through the villain’s wing.

[KWAAANG!]

An explosion like thunder shook the area. The live broadcast drone was destroyed by the force.

“What happened?!”

“The explosion just now seems to have damaged the relay drone! Switching to Crimson Armor’s video feed!”

The monitor operator quickly switched the feed to Crimson Armor’s helmet camera.

There, a maiden was preparing to launch a fiery sphere.

“This…”

“Damn it!”

The branch chief slammed his fist on the table in anger. Just then, his terminal rang insistently.

DING DING DING!

“Hmph.”

In the midst of this urgent situation, someone had breached security to call. The branch chief reluctantly straightened up and answered.

“Yes! This is Liu Yaohu, Hangzhou Hero Association branch chief!”

[We’ve dispensed with formalities. Issue orders immediately.]

Cutting off the branch chief mid-sentence, the imperious tone left no room for argument.

The caller was known to be the most powerful figure under the Chairman in all of China.

[Direct the ‘monster’ battling Yunjang to be hit with missiles. Erase the battle footage yourself.]

“Excuse me? A monster? But the enemy is human-”

[A monster. I said monster clearly.]

What did I just hear? The branch chief involuntarily questioned.

[What’s so surprising? Wasn’t it your suggestion to drive away any inconvenient monsters to neighboring countries?]

Click. As the call disconnected, the branch chief stared blankly at his terminal.

The strategy of pushing problematic monsters across borders had indeed been proposed when he was at headquarters.

‘But missiles? Already fired?’

The branch chief clenched his trembling fists.

‘The Party has finally recognized my worth!’

Sent far away like exile, though his body remained with the association, his heart had long departed.

Swallowing his rose-tinted dreams of returning to central command, the branch chief quickly issued orders to his subordinates.

“Stop the broadcast! Lord Yunjang is about to use his ‘Ultimate Technique’!”

“Yes sir!”

The subordinates hurriedly cut the transmission.

Yunjang’s ultimate technique was classified as a strategic state secret managed directly by the Party. Thus, without question, the transmission was halted.

“Huh?”

One monitor operator paused mid-cut as they noticed something odd. The villain filled the sky with spheres of flame, mocking Yunjang.

Click.

Rushing over, the branch chief stopped the footage.

“You.”

“Y-yes sir?!”

The staff member turned pale.

“There was an incident where a reporter tried to film Yunjang using his ultimate technique for public broadcast. You remember what happened to them, right?”

“Hiiik.”

Even in the age of monsters and the Hero Association, the power of Chinese law enforcement was formidable.

The branch chief smiled benevolently and patted the staff member’s shoulder.

“That’s settled then. Fortunately we stopped it in time. Watching any further could get even the Association in trouble.”

With the frightened staff member turning blue, the branch chief addressed the entire silent situation room.

“Lord Yunjang will defeat the enemy with his ultimate technique! Meanwhile, find out where and why that enemy appeared near this sea!”

“Yes sir!”

As the staff returned to their senses and duties, the branch chief coldly observed one diligently erasing the footage.

‘Just need to delete that later.’

Imagining himself receiving a Party commendation, the branch chief licked his lips in anticipation.

* * *

“Get a grip! Crimson Armor!”

Xiaolin pulled on the agitated Crimson Armor’s reins.

NEIGH?!

Even after reinforcing the reins with remaining mana, Crimson Armor couldn’t calm down.

Realizing Crimson Armor’s behavior stemmed from herbivore instincts in the presence of a predator, Xiaolin hesitated to take control.

‘Do I look scared? Of all things?’

The one who always burned with fighting spirit before strong opponents had dropped her weapon in fear. Her heart still raced wildly.

‘But I can’t run away.’

If such an overwhelming enemy landed in a coastal city and rampaged, or retaliated against another city for missing its target…

‘I have to stop it.’

Even if it might mean death, she had to stop it. That was the mission of a hero facing evil.

Xiaolin tightly gripped her crescent blade with trembling hands.

Just as she pulled on the reins again and turned to face the phoenix, something streaked past overhead, freezing Xiaolin in terror.

“What?!”

Seeing the missile flying toward the enemy, Xiaolin realized:

The Party had judged her incapable of handling the villain alone and made the extreme decision to fire missiles to drive the enemy away.

“Ah.”

Crimson Armor continued fleeing from the enemy. Xiaolin couldn’t tear her eyes away from the missile’s warhead nearing its target.

‘She was smiling?’

Even as the blue-haired maiden was struck by the missile, she was smiling.

Soon,

BOOOOM!!

With the sight of the maiden blasted away by the missile embedded in her abdomen, Xiaolin lost consciousness in the massive magical explosion.

* * *

No matter how I thought about it, it was absurd.

‘Are these guys crazy or what?’

It’s common knowledge in this world that conventional weapons are completely ineffective against monsters.

The thin magical barrier on a monster’s skin.

Monsters are born from terra’s magical influence leaking through randomly opened dimensional gates as Seongju searches for a new world to destroy. This magical influence grants monsters an invincible barrier impervious to purely earthly forces.

‘Only ability users can defeat monsters.’

Earth itself created heroes with abilities to counter such monsters. Modern armies primarily handle crowd control, evacuations, and buying time until heroes arrive.

‘And they fired a missile at me?’

Breathing underwater was no problem after surviving magma unscathed.

‘Guess I got to test my defense skill too.’

Surrounding my body with blue flames – Blazing Phoenix’s Veil. This terrifying skill that absorbs and stores fire attacks is currently wrapping my body like silk.

‘Now I’ve got a missile stuck to me.’

Even just existing as Phoenix is dangerous enough – releasing the veil in downtown could cause catastrophic damage.

‘I’m not a suicide bomber, no need for that.’

Tightly holding onto the veil to prevent it from flaring, I checked my internal mana flow.

‘Don’t rush into things.’

I got hit by a missile due to insufficient understanding of Phoenix’s abilities.

And after playing around with one of the Twelve Heroes, the whole world will soon know about Phoenix.

‘No good. Phoenix relies on mystery.’

A character so mysterious that they didn’t appear until all officers were gathered – wasn’t their debut scene unfolding wings on a US Navy aircraft carrier before the final boss fight?

‘Need to lay low from here.’

If I don’t show up after getting blasted into the sea, maybe they’ll assume I drowned.

‘First, conceal my mana thoroughly.’

Sealing off any external mana leakage and carefully storing my internal mana deep within my body.

‘Won’t anyone notice?’

Though immediate mana usage will be difficult, I don’t want another incident like with Xiaolin.

‘Let’s move then.’

Fortunately, the seabed slopes upward. If I keep climbing, land should appear eventually.

Putting my foot down gently and walking forward splitting the water currents felt oddly refreshing.

‘Feels different diving into magma and flying like a jet earlier.’

Thanks to the transfer, I’ve experienced quite the adventures.

‘Heh, who gets to experience catching a missile bare-handed in life?’

The person responsible for firing that missile was likely Mo Taegyeong, China’s number two and main villain of the Xiaolin event.

‘Who else would do something this insane?’

The man who aims to unify the world using monsters.

If the missile affected the Korean peninsula, he’d likely use it as an excuse to start a real war. The war fanatic who launched missiles without declaration or warning, dismissing formalities as dog food.

It’s hard to believe such a gentleman could have produced such a fine young lady –

“Huh?”

Something feels strange underfoot. Like it passed beneath me. Even the sand feels unusually moist.

‘Hmm? Wait a moment.’

Recalling the original work’s experience.

Was it chapter 7? During the seaside monster elimination mission, my female partner who I worked hard to level up tragically fell into a trap and died. I was so angry I thoroughly annihilated that monster in the next chapter.

That monster’s name was Western Sea Weapon. It usually hides beneath the sandy floor, quickly grabbing prey and spraying acidic liquid when they pass above.

‘Not much of a threat though, just A-rank.’

Blazing Phoenix is officially S-rank or higher.

Since it’s fundamentally beast-based, Western Sea Weapon should instinctively sense Phoenix’s danger and-

‘Ah. Am I really this dumb?’

I concealed my mana so thoroughly out of fear of drawing Xiaolin’s attention.

While strong fighters like Xiaolin might sense the hidden power, weaker ones would perceive me as easy prey.

‘Well, let’s release just a bit-‘

Right before pulling up some stored mana inside my body,

WHOOSH!

The ground collapses and giant walls rise around me. The dome-like ceiling closing in made me hang my head in frustration.

‘Really starting off with nothing going right, huh?’

Officially, Blazing Phoenix’s luck stat is E rank, I think. Rising irritation caused me to create a fireball and hurl it into Western Sea Weapon’s mouth.

BANG! KWAAANG! BOOM!

KEEEEEEE!

“Shut up already and die-”

Oh.

Water went down the wrong pipe.

* * *

Hero Association New Seoul Branch, Giant Monster Observation Network.

As usual, the staff member, drenched in cigarettes and coffee, was staring at the radar screens 24/7 when an anomaly appeared.

BEEP, BEEP BEEP.

“Western Sea?”

Far west of Incheon, a faint but intense monster reaction briefly flickered.

“……?”

The staff member blinked, doubting their own eyes. The concentric circles expanding according to reaction intensity clearly indicated S-rank or higher.

“Huh? It’s gone again?”

Was I imagining things? Just as the staff member hesitated with their paper cup, a new reaction appeared.

“Aaaaah?!”

A-rank. A monster capable of reducing an entire city to rubble was flying toward the mainland from the sea.

“Emergency, emergency-”

This time, both the S-rank and A-rank reactions vanished completely, as if they had “evaporated.”

“……What the heck is this?”

Should I report it? The staff member pondered for a moment, then shook their head and closed their eyes.

“It’s lack of sleep…sleepy…”

The staff member’s head drooped again as they started sleep-talking.