Chapter 94 – The Lord of Despair and Hatred (4)
Fear of death. It quickly filled the scene. Stupidly, it was only when someone actually bled out and died that they finally came to their senses.
Just like the modern people who don’t realize they are nothing more than pitiful lives, unsure when or how they will die.
“You.”
“Me, you mean…”
I pointed to one of the trembling police officers in the crowd. I didn’t know police ranks well, but at least I could tell he was a young male officer. There were two round insignias on his shoulder, resembling pine cones.
“You know there’s no need to be scared, right?”
“…You didn’t point at me just now.”
“True. In reality, you are an ‘innocent’ whom I cannot touch. That means you are a true police officer.”
“That’s not true. I’m someone who couldn’t even protest against orders from above.”
He shook his head quietly while maintaining his tension. His face was filled with self-reproach. But does he even realize? At least because he feels that guilt, the Magical Girl deemed him an innocent.
By Yggdrasil’s standards, Magical Girls are definitely beings that protect the world’s order; they aren’t indiscriminate destroyers.
“Well, whatever you think, that’s really up to you. For now, just answer my question.”
“What about?”
“That guy who just died spilled everything, remember? He said he was just a loyal dog, faithfully following orders from above. Where do you think that ‘above’ is?”
I jumped down from the patrol car, grinning as I approached him. He flinched but couldn’t step back or run away.
Finally, when we were right in front of each other, he looked down at me and stammered.
“I can’t say.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’ll just kill them.”
This young officer took a deep breath and proudly rejected my demand. I kind of expected that. Besides, I had no way to forcibly open his mouth.
But it wasn’t that I had no options. I really wanted to hear an answer from him.
“Well then, I guess there’s no other way.”
I scoffed and waved the shadows crawling around us.
“Huh, ahhh!”
“Someone save me!!”
The tentacles spewed forth from the shadows, grabbing everyone around. If I wanted, I could crush them to death right here.
His eyes shook violently at the screams and chaos erupting all around.
“If you don’t speak, I’ll kill them one by one. Cruelly, slowly, until I can create a beautiful harmony filled with their screams and pleas by breaking each bone one by one.”
How could someone inherently kind endure such threats?
“Stop!”
“Who’s stupid enough to stop just because you told me to with your mouth? It all depends on your actions.”
“Aaaahhh!”
He desperately reached out to me, but with a crunching sound, the nearest officer screamed as if his world was ending.
“Damn it, speak! Just speak!!”
“The police chief, the deputy chief, and, no, even the commissioner!!”
Those who seemed to be in a panic all began to shout at once. But I had no intention to listen to their ramblings.
“Shut up. How can I trust the words of scum like you? I’ll only believe the words of a ‘true police officer.’”
“Mmmph!”
It was a shame I couldn’t hear their screams, but I silenced their mouths. Then I smiled at him again and offered one last chance.
“If you refuse again, I’ll bend that guy’s waist in half. In the opposite direction.”
“Alright, I’ll tell you.”
Under my light threat, he finally capitulated.
“…Putting everything else aside, I understand that the order to expedite the investigation of the monsters assisting the Awakened Special Task Force is a direct order from the commissioner.”
“Isn’t the current police chief that balding guy? His name was Moon Seok-something.”
I had no intention of going on a killing spree and slaying them all. So to create the greatest impact with minimal deaths, the best strategy was to take down the highest officials.
That’s the nature of peaks, after all.
With the authority they wield, they have to bear the responsibility. Who do they think they are?
“Thanks for your hard work.”
I smiled at him, who looked drained of all energy, before releasing the others, then soared back into the sky.
I planned to finish what I had to do before the night was over.
“Won’t acting too violently tarnish the reputation of the Magical Girls?”
“It’s not like I’ve never done politics, Ren.”
As I dashed through the sky of Seoul, Ren’s usual worry crept in, but I didn’t heed it.
“Even if they control the media and manipulate the police like puppets to their advantage, they can’t erase clear facts in this day and age. So they just thoroughly lock down what’s unfavorable to them while trying to shift the focus elsewhere.”
If the opponents reacted normally, that media battle would work. Hide their flaws while tearing into the weaknesses of others. That’s their method.
“But I’m going to go crazy.”
They won’t be able to hide their wounds. I was going to rip them wide open.
They won’t be able to stop me. It’s impossible for those guys to prevent me. It’s their fault. From now on, they only need to take hits.
And nowadays, people often use the disparity of power to measure good and evil with Casilena as the idol.
Personally, I think it’s a foolish and pathetic perspective, but right now, that underdogma would work to my advantage.
What I was doing now was a kind of judgment, and the powerful figures had become the villains while the victims of that power were clearly the weak.
“Stop! Takilas!”
“Oh? Going in guns blazing?”
I finally arrived at the Republic of Korea Police Headquarters.
The moment I noticed the broadcasting helicopter far away watching me, I instinctively understood, but there were already numerous people waiting at the headquarters.
It seemed their claims of a special task force filled with monster countermeasures were not just hot air.
“What a bunch of characters have crawled out.”
“Immediately cease your actions! What you’re doing is a crime!”
“Do you think you have some backing? How bold of you.”
I landed under the spotlight. Heavily armed police had their guns trained on me. Of course, I didn’t care at all.
After all, they didn’t come out this boldly believing in armed officers.
There were also several broadcasting cameras focused on me.
“I made it clear earlier; you would have all heard it.”
I wiped my smile away and channeled my power. I instantly filled the area with my magic, pressing down hard.
“If you have complaints, then I challenge you to fight back. The fact you all gathered here means you intend to challenge me, right? Are you feeling confident?”
“C-Calm down! We’re aware of the situation.”
“Aware? Is that really so?”
I chuckled at the speaker holding the megaphone. Next to him was the visibly anxious Police Chief Moon Seok-yong.
“No. You know nothing. This isn’t just negligence; you’ve completely abandoned your duties.”
“What are you talking about…”
“Among the monsters currently active, there are beings that corrupt well-meaning people into monsters. They trigger hatred and resentment in people to transform them into creatures.”
I revealed the truth to them. Of course, I wondered if they would even pretend to listen.
“So catching those monsters is pointless. They’re but branches of the real issue. In fact, your arrogant greed has fueled this.”
“Quit your nonsense! Where are you spewing lies from?”
At that moment, Police Chief Moon Seok-yong fidgeted, then snatched the megaphone away. It was clear the surroundings were just as caught off guard.
“Sure. You might be happy thinking you’re just racking up results.”
“W-What you’re doing right now…”
“I won’t bother with excuses anymore. I’m just like you. Perhaps I should start taking down some villains to boost my own results.”
I began to increase my flow of magic. The formless shadows, impossible to stop, began to creep up from the parking lot and surrounding buildings.
“Once again, I ask. Are you going to challenge me? You must have heard, but I don’t tolerate just being treated as a mere pawn.”
As I hovered in mid-air, I quietly spoke to them. Naturally, the majority were trembling uncontrollably.
“What the hell are you doing! Maintain your positions!”
The police special forces leading the charge began to collapse first.
No matter how much their superiors tried to shout, the lower ranks had no intentions of throwing eggs against a rock.
“Ugh, ahhh!”
Their defense lines started to crumble one by one.
The police executives guarding Moon Seok-yong fled one by one. I approached him while floating calmly.
“Stop, Magical Girl.”
The last to show loyalty was a member of the Awakened Special Task Force in a suit.
“I am Team Leader Kim Sung-soo of the special task force. Stop this at once; this man is the Police Chief appointed by the President of our country. Touching him would mean…”
“Gyaaaaah! Team Leader!”
That guy, who stiffly fumbled his words, was cut in half by the shadowy tentacles I swung.
Seeing someone so helpless against such an attack while holding that title told me all I needed to know about the Special Task Force.
“I clearly stated something.”
“Uh, uh…”
“What of you all? What does it matter? Can you all, the entire nation, dare to defeat me?”
I whispered right in front of the trembling, panicked Moon Seok-yong.
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