Chapter 80: The Fall of Mankind
If you think about it, this is a rotten world.
I thought that as I looked down at the cities out of the window.
On the surface, it looks normal. Countless people busily moving through tall buildings. It seems as if there is no difference from the world I lived in my previous life.
However, the reality is very different. Mainly in the ghastly way.
For now, basically, sometimes people who awaken their superpowers are born. But they wouldn’t know it if this superpower is just so-so. But since only the strong bastards come out, that’s the real problem.
Stardus could destroy dozens of buildings if she wanted to. The same goes for the others. In other countries, it's even worse. It can be said that almost every country suffers a crisis of destruction every month.
Of course, thanks to the balance of the world, it’s somehow still evolving thanks to the fact that most heroes are stronger than most villains. In other words, countries couldn’t manage themselves properly without heroes. Because of that, the influence of the government is greatly reduced compared to the association. The president is also a little paranoid.
Are villains the only problem? They’re not the only thing. As you can see from HanEun Group, large companies are just crazy. The secret experiment is a basic thing, even their rival, Yoosung Enterprise, also controls the Republic of Korea from behind by pressuring the government and associations. They must be earnestly trying to eat Korea after the collapse of HanEun Group. Well, it's more profitable for me. If that's the case, I just have to control one thing, Lee Seola.
Anyway, here's what I’m trying to say. That this world is not normal. People with superpowers are causing terrorism, the government is not acting and companies are controlling them, even there is a god and the underworld, and it’s just a mess. I miss the peaceful old world.
"…."
I keep looking out the window.
You know what's even funnier? This is considered very peaceful.
Stronger villains are going to appear, and the world's going to get more and more chaotic
And Stardus alone, she'll have to deal with it all.
“Da-in, what the hell are you looking at?"
"…Nothing, let's go now."
As Seo-eun’s words pulled me out of my thoughts, I turned my head around.
All right.
Eventually, I’ll be one who will stop all of this.
***
The comic world that I fell into, "Stardust!", is divided into four phases at random by fans.
The first phase develops the story about Stardus' growth and her daily life. It's the current time, and the most peaceful time.
And, the second phase unfolds in earnest after the HanEun Group incident. From this point on, villains with more and more powerful abilities will start to pop out.
And it's an event that fans have named ‘The beginning of phase two’, and which nailed down that this universe was actually rotten.
The HanEun Group's invasion of Seoul.
More people dying compared to the previous Behemoth crisis, Stardus suffering from helplessness and remorse for not being able to stop it, associations and governments seizing up, and a Seoul on fire.
A terrible incident in which the whole Korea was destroyed to the point where people start to mock ‘What the heroes could have done until now?’.
Downtown turning to hell! Collapsed buildings and humans! Burning forest!
But…
Those things I already know that it's going to happen
HanEun Group, you're fucked.
A thrilling revenge play toward heroes in the original, a heroic oxidation?
There's no such thing, Sunwoo!!
"Muahahaha."
"Da-in, you can't do this in a crowded place…"
"Da-in…"
"Does he do this often?"
"Da-in…?
On the way down the observation deck.
I let out an evil laugh without realizing it, and the team is judging me.
It's all for your good.
"…You only laugh like that when you come up with something evil"
Seo-eun, who has been watching me for a long time, muttered next to me with an unhappy expression.
What do you mean by evil?
I'm trying to save humanity, and it’s so unfair that I’m feeling frustrated.
Of course, it would be nerve-wracking for the members of HanEun Group, which is led by Kim Sun-woo.
***
HanEun Group.
The nation's top conglomerate was plotting to dominate the country behind that friendly image that they always show..
They, who were secretly conducting illegal and inhumane human experiments and monster creation, were caught in the Behemoth incident.
As a result, the company collapsed. The chairman and other senior executives fled the country, but the researchers who conducted the experiment led by Dr. Kim Sun-woo failed to escape.
In the original comic, Kim Sunwoo stole Behemoth and fought with Stardus, but he eventually lost and ran away.
Eventually, the employees, led by him, realize that they are doomed, and since they are all going to die, they plan to make a big explosion and die together.
That’s the HanEun Group's invasion of Seoul.
And the way they chose to turn Seoul into a sea of fire.
Was using the giant weapon.
***
"So, what you mean is in the near future, HanEun Group will invade Seoul with a giant robot at night with their frantic last-ditch effort?""
"It's not a robot, it's a weapon, but anyway. Yes."
"….."
Ego-Base Conference Room.
Seo-eun, Soobin, Choi Sehee, the one who just joined, and Ha-yul. With everyone gathering together, I brought up the topic.
"… What exactly is the giant weapon you’re talking about?”
"A giant weapon as big as a mountain, it feels like an octopus, and its body is made of hemispheres, with long steel limbs attached to it."
"Wait, wait, wait."
Choi Sehee, who was listening to me, stopped talking and asked me with an expression of absurdity.
"A giant weapon will invade Seoul soon? How do you know that?"
"I literally know everything.”
“I mean. What the…"
Choi Sehee looked at me with her eyes widened as she was bewildered, but I just smiled.
A man with a lot of secrets is attractive. Probably.
"Anyway, our plan is to take the giant weapon."
"That? How?"
"What do you mean, ‘How’? We'll just teleport to the control room, beat up all those brats, and we'll manipulate them, that's it."
"That easy?"
"What's so hard about it?"
Just as humans die when their brains die, if we remove the cockpit, the giant weapon will be over.
"…But wouldn't they know and prepare for that in advance?""
"Of course, they must’ve done it."
To be exact, they’ve prepared Shadow Walker who can teleport anywhere during night time only.
From Behemoth, it was just coated with a substance against the darkness to prevent him from coming.
Let's explain this, Choi Sehee, who seems to doubt it.
“…What about you? Are you going to teleport?"
"Me? Of course, I wouldn't even consider it."
“That. Because I’m not a hero and I’m only a villain…?”
"Oh."
She made a silly popping sound as if she had only just realized it. Gosh, who the hell do you think I am?
"Da-in, but is the machine that powerful? Can't we just fire a few bombs?"
"We can’t."
I shook my head.
It's not just a weapon. In the original comic, it’s overwhelming in size to the point where the readers say, ‘That can't be stopped’, and it’s a phenomenal object that can't be blocked no matter what you shoot at it, with whatever it’s made of.
They don’t call it ‘The Final Boss’ in the first phase of the original for nothing. I guess it’s pretty overwhelming? All of those things that Stardus have faced so far are no match to it. The ultimate one.
Even Stardus gave up in the end.
After explaining to everyone how strong, overwhelming, and phenomenal this thing is, I ended up with one sentence.
"And that, oh I was just going to gulp."
I made an evil smile without realizing it.
Right. What was my goal in this world?
To give Stardus a bearable hardship.
And this, by no means, is not something she can handle.
If that’s the case.
Shouldn't I be able to convert it into a manageable hardship myself?
"Maybe it will happen within this week, so let's all prepare in advance. Especially Choi Sehee, you go with me."
I told them so and then made a plan.
A golden opportunity for Stardus to grow, and to put an end to HanEun Group.
In particular, Kim Sun-woo and other members of HanEun group.
I wonder what kind of expression they’ll have on their faces when the last shot that they prepared goes completely ruined.
Muahahahahaha.
****
Somewhere deep in the countryside.
HanEun Group’s Secret Base, Sector C.
In the middle of the underground where the end was unknown, countless people were busy moving.
Everyone looked so ill because they were all skin and bones, and they were so dirty that you might’ve wondered if they couldn't even wash up.
Only their eyes are burning with deadly venom.
While they were moving so busily in white gowns, a man was heading somewhere across them.
He looks the oldest of them.
The most exhausted of them all.
A man whose eyes are burning with deadly venom the most.
He was the general manager of the Behemoth project of HanEun Group.
The one who was left by the board members, and has to remain in Korea.
Dr. Kim Sun-woo.
He spat out words at the researcher who was busy following him.
"So. Did you finish the final inspection?"
"Yes, sir. All we have to do now is attack."
"Let me check it."
He arrived at the place.
An enormous empty hall that looks like a giant city turned vertically and was put underground.
And, the place is fully occupied with something.
The length is quite several times the height of a skyscraper, and the width is like a huge mountain.
The last masterpiece created by HanEun Group that they grind their last flame to destroy, make things collapse, and cause chaos.
The project is called ‘Octopass’, a weapon designed for destruction.
"Yeah… Finally, we made it."
After seeing it, Kim Sun-woo gritted his teeth and murmured.
Then, he couldn't control his excitement and shouted at all the employees on the spot.
"All employees, listen!!!"
The destructive volume fills the large auditorium.
The researcher next to him hurriedly set up the microphone next to him, and his voice went out throughout the facility.
His voice echoed underground.
"How much have we sacrificed so far for the sake of HanEun Group and for the development of the nation!"
"The people only blame us for our commitment to a better world! What the hell have they done for this country!"
"How oppressive they are, and now even trying to purge us, who have tried to create a new history of mankind through evolution!"
"We don't need this rotten country any more!"
"Now! The last thing that we have to do is to drown this city in the sea of fire! With our own hands!"
"Tomorrow!"
He spat out the last word, chewing with burning eyes.
"We will destroy Seoul."
At the end of his speech, cheers, sympathy, and a sea of fire. Extinction. Anger.
Standing in all that noise, he closed his eyes quietly.
That’s right. Tomorrow.
Seoul will finally realize what the end of the world is in his grasp.
***
"So, what's your plan to rob that weapon?"
"Go to their lair and hit that brat who manipulates it using Monkey Spanner. That’s it. Then it's ours."
"…It's that easy?"
"Yes."
It's easy, right?