NOVEL WEB Chapter 87
What Minho and I went through inside the gate wrapped up as a cute little incident, nothing more.
It wasn’t really anyone’s fault; it was more like an unpredictable natural disaster, so I couldn’t shake off that feeling.
The isolation facility director came out to express her regrets, the rescued Hunters were interviewed by the media saying they had never seen anything like it in their lives, and a few research labs contacted us to ask about the characteristics of the monsters.
Beyond that, there was no further commotion.
Sure, the yellow press did babble something about us possibly doing some “shady stuff” while kidnapped, but the Academy squashed all that nonsense.
In other words, the internship continued. I suggested we just wrap it up since only a few days were left, but that didn’t fly.
She said there were no physical injuries, so she wouldn’t consider letting us off early and declared we would not be allowed to slack off for the remaining two days.
However, venturing deeper into the gate posed a risk of running into another incident, so we decided to patrol the surroundings or tackle some villains instead.
The results…? Well.
“Mom, why is that lady dressed like that? It’s weird!”
“It’s not weird, but… just don’t look, okay?”
That sums up the little kid’s reaction. Whatever shape it had, the design ultimately revealed the body’s contours anyway.
The citizens would either avoid looking at us or take sneaky photos.
Of course, not everyone acted like that; some just rushed by without a second glance. But amidst it all, they still managed to cast their eyes my way.
“Aha, haha… haaa…”
Each time that happened, I couldn’t even get mad, so all I could do was awkwardly shrink away and wave.
In moments like this, I truly regretted that I was cosplaying as a hero. If only there were no restraints, I would’ve gouged their eyes out right then.
“There are worse costumes out there… Just deal with it, Blanca.”
“That’s just those girls being odd! I never ordered a design like this!”
“If it really bothers you, why not request the Hero Association again? Changing the costume is also an option.”
“But the suit’s performance is just too good…”
“Then wear it. What else can you do? You can’t have it all, Chemicat. In life, there are always things you’ll have to give up.”
“I didn’t want to give up my dignity…”
Recently, whenever I clicked on posts labeled ‘hot body’ online, they were overflowing with photos of me in the suit.
Or stuff about “current schoolgirl bodies,” whatever that means.
Every time I saw them, I reported them to the academy’s legal team, but they just kept coming back like buggy critters breeding in a puddle.
“I can’t really give advice on that. I know a junior; should I contact her?”
“No thanks. I’ll just… sigh. If I whine to the Association, they’ll sort it out somehow.”
That’s what the Association is for.
“It’s not the best attitude, but… if that’s what you want to do, go ahead.”
Justitia smiled cutely, then quickly turned serious as she got a message.
“…Let’s wrap up the chit-chat for now. We have a situation. A robbery incident at Daphne Avenue 24. Multiple injuries and hostages; the perpetrators are two Enhancement Ability Users.”
She gestured for us to follow. A few dozen minutes later, we arrived at the jewelry store where the robbery took place.
No need to confirm the situation; everything was a mess. Something charred was being loaded into an ambulance, and the jewelry store was in ruins from the explosion.
It was total chaos.
“Chemicat, assist the EMTs with the injured, and Power Ward, control the scene. Maha, back me up.”
Justitia gave us instructions in the brief moment it took to jump out of the car, brandishing her scythe and taking off her sunglasses.
“Another hi—”
Then, she immediately used her ability to seal the movements of the robbers.
“Hostages, it’s safe to evacuate now. Gazer is here.”
Upon hearing ‘Gazer,’ the hesitant hostages understandably bolted for the exit, practically screaming for their lives.
“Stay calm…!”
Katyann took a deep breath, lowered her muzzle, and shouted as best she could. But this time, her words didn’t influence everyone within earshot.
There were a few exceptions. Only Justitia, Minho, and I, roughly three of us.
Still, she had now reached a point where she could somewhat control her commands.
One hostage caught in the villain’s grasp was released when Gazer personally severed the villain’s hand with her scythe.
Justitia then stood still for a moment, assessing the villain’s life and death, with the scythe poised at their neck, not blinking as she pulled it back and slashed the throat.
“…This is Gazer. Situation resolved.”
The felon was dealt with on the spot. And Justitia was the one rightfully qualified to do that.
Ironically, that was the reason she became associated with the Liberators.
The people the Association decreed to kill weren’t deemed worthy of death in her standards.
The moment she began questioning society’s justice was when her standards saw people who deserved to live getting killed.
For example, a father participating in a bank robbery to pay his child’s hospital bills, or similarly tragic stories.
That fractured sense of justice only deepened over time, leading to this state of affairs.
Katyann and the others around her seemed entirely unfazed by Justitia’s actions, focused solely on their tasks.
But Minho alone couldn’t help but wear a complicated expression.
“…Minho, please help Chemicat.”
Seeing him, Justitia offered a slight, sad smile, asking him to assist the others calmly.
“Minho, could you move this?”
“Sure.”
Minho hesitated, then took the injured person and moved them to the ambulance. His steps felt heavier than usual.
— – – –
“Great job today, everyone. Our field activities are effectively over for today. We’ll be heading home early tomorrow. So, let’s take this last opportunity to check your progress.”
Justitia seemed determined to evaluate if we had made any advancements and pulled us out just as we finally settled down for dinner.
“Let’s start with you, Blanca. Have you made any improvements, even slightly? If not, what are potential paths for improvement?”
“I’ve managed to detach a few parts from the massive rail. But… honestly, I’m not sure if I can call this growth.”
Inside my mental image, I succeeded in taking away a few parts and creating a tiny machine. However, the output and speed were lacking compared to the production line.
In terms of speed ratio, it was about 100 to 1. The rail was 100, and the new one was only 1.
It’s only about the size of a small coffee machine, so it’s not surprising.
“That’s definitely… a bit vague. But it’s better than nothing. Sometimes even a small blade in your pocket can turn the tide in battle.”
“Even so…”
I wondered if it was even necessary. I could just throw in some hydrochloric or sulfuric acid instead. Or toxic substances, for that matter.
“In time, it will surely be useful, Blanca.”
After hearing her say that, I didn’t want to argue against it too much, so I just mumbled, “I guess so…”
“Next up is you, Minho. Have you experienced any growth, had a hunch of growth, or caught a glimpse of potential for growth?”
“Growth? I’m not sure. While I’ve gained some tricks in handling my abilities, I don’t think the abilities themselves will grow. Rather, my perception needs to develop, doesn’t it?”
“That can only be achieved through consistent training. Keep striving for improvement. If you do, your efforts will surely be rewarded.”
“I hope so too.”
“Finally, Katyann. Would you like to tell us?”
“…Yeah. It’s quite tough, but if I really concentrate… I think I can manage to make a few exceptions.”
Katyann, unlike before, spoke up herself.
Usually, she would have to wait until after the final exam to speak like that.
It was unexpected growth, but considering she wasn’t the protagonist and it was only about a month ahead of schedule, it wasn’t a big deal.
“Excellent work, Katyann. It feels rewarding to teach you.”
Oh, by the way, the reason Katyann usually doesn’t speak in a typical manner is simple. Even when she tries to avoid commands, her abilities somehow find a way to interpret them as commands.
For instance, if I were to give a command like ‘focus,’ she couldn’t say things like ‘salmon’ or ‘rice ball’ without it being interpreted that way.
Apparently, even those would get interpreted as, ‘bring the salmon, bring the rice ball.’
Justitia gently patted Katyann’s head, looking pleased with her growth.
Katyann, who instinctively said not to do that, panicked and added a command allowing her to move when Justitia’s action became forceful.
“…Hmph. Regardless, it’s good to see growth. Everyone, you’ve all worked hard throughout the internship. I’m especially relieved that Blanca and Minho have made it through safely.”
Justitia hugged each of us once. Then, it seemed like she was about to call out to Minho.
“Minho, let’s head inside!”
So, to prevent her from calling Minho, I exaggeratedly pulled him into the room, saying something utterly ridiculous like, “Tonight, we’ll sleep together!”
No way, Justitia. I know what you’re hoping for, but that’s against the plan.