Transformation or Death

How to Kill

When the news of Libra being defeated reached the other villains, they gradually retreated one by one. They had only stalled for time out of loyalty for having received money from her. If the woman herself had collapsed, there was no longer a need to stall for time.

However, there was one exception who was not motivated by money, but by curiosity.

“That’s nice.”

The only thing that could be felt around him was a chill. The city, which had not yet seen the onset of winter, was frozen white and blue. It was a shocking change, considering it was just the two of them.

“You’re getting stronger in real-time. While it’s not exactly combat experience, you’ve genuinely become more powerful.”

Paradox clenched and unclenched his fist to gauge the copied power. Even though it was a small amount, the power continued to increase. He was satisfied with the result.

“You people are truly mysterious. The fact that you can become stronger just by willing it, it’s quite entertaining.”

Sirius crossed the frozen ground in silence. Her quick and sharp movements captivated Paradox’s attention. Then, a doppelganger appeared behind him. The doppelganger, drawn in just an outline of blue, swung several swords.

A cold gale, mixed with icy winds, rushed towards Paradox like a snowstorm. The range was too wide for Paradox to avoid, so he chose to counterattack. The shield-shaped spear he held gathered the cold.

Paradox swung it horizontally, unleashing an icy attack mixed with shards of ice. The two cold forces collided at the center, creating dry ice-like smoke.

Paradox’s back was exposed again. Bue Sirius’ swords emitted light. Concentrated at the tip of the extended sword was an absolute zero magical power, deviating from the current one.

Snow Flower Path.

The snow sparkled, and a single path was created. A path that no one could pass through or escape.

Crackle!

It was as if a dam made of ice had been breached. The overwhelming pressure of the ice chunks piled on top of Paradox. A normal villain would be torn apart and disintegrated the moment they got caught in it.

But Paradox was no ordinary villain. Having copied the powers of a magical girl, he could fly. A solitary figure gracefully rose above the icy storm, though its appearance was not intact. The upper body armor was heavily damaged, and the lower body was in an even more pitiful state.

“Haha, I took a good hit there.”

Even if he had copied the power and ability, it did not mean he had a body that could perfectly defend against that same power. Just like a bullet that shatters when shot by another bullet, he could emit the same force but could also be shattered by it.

The fatal weakness of the copying ability.

However, he had a way to overcome this weakness.

“But the ultimate spear should also have the durability to match its sharpness.”

Icy particles appeared on the wounded areas and began to rotate, enveloping the scars. The wounds that had just been created were completely healed.

“There’s a limit to tricks, you know…”

“There, all fixed up. Maintenance is always important for a weapon, and my body is clearly a weapon as well. I should maintain it properly. Ah, but this hardly counts as durability. Still, it allows me to keep using it, so please don’t nitpick too much.”

Paradox chuckled, as if it was a joke. Blue Sirius found it only disgusting.

“Flying feels quite interesting. There’s a reason you all come down to the ground to fight. Adjusting the direction and maintaining balance is quite difficult, and the consumption is quite high.”

“You talk a lot.”

“Intellectual individuals should always engage in conversation, don’t you think? Plus, I haven’t had the chance to talk to many people lately, so I’m a little excited. Please bear with me.” Paradox fixed his gaze on a corner of the sky and continued. “With the appearance of S-grade villains, the magical girls have collectively become brighter… In the face of a great crisis, the need to maintain peace becomes even more urgent, so they’ve grown stronger. They say heroes emerge in times of turmoil, and that’s exactly what’s happening.”

The direction of his gaze was towards Ribbon, the pink-winged crow, who had been dispatched to quickly assess the battle situation of the magical girls and provide support.

“Now I know what I wanted to know. Indeed, you people are too valuable to kill. If I had killed you before, I would have truly regretted it. I should be grateful to him.”

Feathers of the same pink color as Ribbon’s wings began to flutter behind Paradox. The number of feathers grew from a few to hundreds, then thousands. The swirling feathers gradually took the form of a bird, identical to the one that often aided Blue Sirius.

He had copied the ability. Blue Sirius chuckled in disbelief.

“…So it’s possible even without the person being present?”

“Of course. Didn’t you know? This power copies the abilities of those I perceive as enemies. The distance or presence of the person doesn’t matter. As long as I have the desire…”

Behind Paradox, not just the Ribbon, but various colorful stars of light rose up. With his arms spread wide, Paradox looked almost omnipotent. These were the powers of the magical girls that he had analyzed through the flying bird.

“I can do this as well.”

However, the tone of Paradox’s voice was far from joyful. He looked deeply displeased.

The various stars of light, except for the Ribbon, disappeared in an instant. He had retracted the abilities.

“But to ignore the opponent in front of me like that, it feels unfair and lacking in respect. Hmm, it makes me feel unpleasant. I shouldn’t do that again next time.”

It was beyond imagination. Blue Sirius felt a fear born of helplessness. Facing this incomprehensible, powerful being.

Observing her expression, Paradox calmly continued. “I read this in a book before… Ah, like this.”

Above Paradox, there was a flock of birds blocking out the moonlight. They were not the Ribbon he had created. The crows that had been drifting in the night sky were now plunging down in unison, resembling a hail of bullets or arrows in wartime. The crows descended densely upon Paradox.

“This goddamn bastard!”

They were the original users of that ability.

Paradox skillfully dispersed the crows widely upwards to neutralize the flock.

Boom! Boom!

The sounds of mass colliding with mass reverberated quite loudly. Amid the rumbling, an even louder stream of profanity could be heard.

“That’s my Ribbon, you motherfucker!”

“I’ll just borrow it for a bit, it’s not like it’s going to wear out.”

Pink Deneb, who had created wings of crows behind his back, kicked Paradox. Paradox tried to block with his arms, but he was simply pushed down into the ground by the overwhelming speed.

Axle Technique. It was the devastating acceleration ability unique to the pink-haired Deneb.

By copying abilities, Paradox had pitted the capable Blue Sirius against him one-on-one. But if Paradox had also copied Deneb’s ability, there would be no reason for him not to participate.

As Paradox fell, the accumulated ice chunks and snow were shattered, creating a hazy smokescreen.

“Haha… Let me continue what I was saying.” He calmly got up and resumed speaking.

The crows behind Paradox multiplied madly, and the Ribbon they formed surrounded the two magical girls. Shards of ice were created on the wings of those Ribbons. The amount was even greater and more overwhelming than Pink Deneb’s.

It was possible because the starlight was superior to the original users.

“I read this in a book before. ‘The pain that cannot kill me will only make me stronger.’ Isn’t that an interesting quote? An optimistic maxim that says challenges you can overcome will grant you greater power. I was inspired by that. You all are growing tremendously, but you’re still a little lacking. Libra was just the beginning, and the S-grade villains will now start acting in earnest. You need to become a bit stronger to match that.”

Along with the fierce movements of the Ribbon, a fierce snowstorm blew, mixed with shards of ice. He had combined the two abilities.

“So I ask that you please endure the agony that cannot kill you.”

Like the closing jaws of a villain, the storm of birds and ice that surrounded the two magical girls rapidly closed in and engulfed them.

***  

Ippotranslation

***

The testimony of the Libra kidnapping incident was answered with a mix of lies.

While walking, I was hit by something and lost consciousness. 

I woke up in the middle, but my eyes and ears were covered, so I couldn’t properly see the process of being kidnapped.

It seems I was able to be released due to the intruders Scutum and the villain of the Big Dipper, during the kidnapping process.

I’m sorry. I don’t remember very well. Is it because of the shock that my memory is hazy?

In any case, the false truth cannot be distinguished, and even without him, there are many witnesses. Golden Aldebaran did not make a big deal of it and recorded the testimony.

And so the testimony was quickly completed. Han Jae-jung asked Golden Aldebaran, who was organizing the recorder and the notebook for recording, “Um, those two, Deneb and Blue Sirius.”

“Would you like to see them?”

Han Jae-jung immediately nodded.

“Then, follow me.”

Golden Aldebaran, who had finished packing up, got up. Han Jae-jung  got up with a dazed expression.

“So easily…”

“Officially, it’s not allowed, but you are an old acquaintance of the two, aren’t you? I can exercise some flexibility to this extent.”

Han Jae-jung bitterly smiled. “Everyone who needs to know already knows.”

“And don’t worry too much about your relationship with Ms. Blue Sirius. I’m just a new magical girl who became one right after the dating rumors, and I have a little direct connection. Most other people still don’t know that Ms. Blue Sirius still has lingering feelings. It’s not really something to be announced.”

“Lingering feelings…” The inside of his mouth was bitter. Even though it was an event that happened years ago, he and her still had the emotion of regret.

Even more regrettable was the fact that he, who didn’t even have any memory, was left with only the emotions.

“I’m sorry, I’ve made you worry unnecessarily. Then can I get a guide?”

Golden Aldebaran nodded. She was still expressionless.

When Han Jea-jung followed her to the ward, he was quite surprised. It was because he was hospitalized much closer than he had imagined.

“This is the place.”

Han Jae-jung finally realized that he was in a quite good inpatient room. From the private room, he felt that something was not ordinary, and it was a luxury ward where the care of a magical girl was possible. The security was strong and the environment was better than other wards.

Han Jae-jung felt uneasy again at the fact that he could get such a privilege just because he was an acquaintance of a magical girl.

But this feeling disappeared when he saw the appearance of his acquaintances lying on the bed.

Jo Ah-yoon, who has always been energetic, was silently panting without saying a word, and the sad-eyed Yoon Seol-hwa had her eyes closed without any emotion.

I wonder if they felt this emotion when I collapsed. Han Jae-jung frowned deeply.

To ignore this danger just because of being ill, he even felt a sense of disgust towards himself.

The thought that he couldn’t protect them when he could, never left his mind.

“There is no life-threatening condition. However, it seems that it will take time to wake up due to overwork.”

While half-listening to Golden Aldebaran’s explanation, Han Jae-jung held Seol-hwa’s hand as if possessed.

When she was not yet familiar with being a magical girl, when she suddenly had a heart problem and collapsed while working, he often did this and prayed for her peace.

The present him did not know, but there was time engraved in this familiar action.

Holding her hand tightly, Han Jae-jung made a vow again.

I will protect them.

***  

Ippotranslation

***

After finishing the business at the hospital and having no more reason to stay, Han Jae-jung left the hospital.

Golden Aldebaran said that since the injury was an injury, it would be better to stay, but Han Jae-jung didn’t say anything, hoping that she would understand how burdensome it is to indulge in luxury with his ex-girlfriend’s money.

As the people around him were all busy with work and studies, he moved his feet as if pushed into the deserted streets.

“Belt.”

[What’s your business?]

“Identify the locations of the villain around and transmit them to me.”

[Considering your current physical condition, this is not a very good judgment….]

“Hurry.”

[Understood.]

Dismissing Belt’s concern, Han Jae-jung arrived at a deserted crosswalk. Maybe because it was near the hospital, an eerie atmosphere lingered.

Next to him, a man in a suit quietly approached.

“Are those two alright? I might have misjudged the power, so I hope there are no major side effects….”

“Except for oversleeping due to overwork, there is no major threat to life.”

“That’s really fortunate. With this face, going to the hospital would only mean fighting, right?”

Han Jae-jung laughed awkwardly and turned to the side.

“Isn’t the reason you came to me is to fight?”

There was no human head there. Where the eyes, nose, and mouth should have been, there was a cactus planter. A perfectly symmetrical cactus.

The bizarre yet comical bonsai man answered.

“No?”

It was a calm reply.

“Isn’t it fine since you came to fight?”

At those words, Han Jae-jung laughed. “Yeah… That’s right.”

Grabbing Belt, Han Jae-jung asked again. “But I still don’t have a way to kill you, and that’s troublesome.”

“Huh? What… You do have a way to kill me.”

He seemed puzzled by Paradox.

“Ambush. Approach stealthily before I recognize you as an enemy and strike a fatal blow. A strike strong enough not to regenerate.”

Paradox grabbed his shoulder, expressing intimacy.

“How’s that? Isn’t it a perfect murder method?”

“Are you telling me to assassinate?”

“Of course. I’m not invincible either, am I?”

Han Jae-jung laughed again.

“But it’s impossible now, isn’t it?”

“Of course. I don’t want to die, you know.”

The two continued to confront each other, making eye contact. Han Jae-jung was the first to move.

He pushed away Paradox’s hand on his shoulder and equipped the belt at his waist.

A shield appeared in Paradox’s other hand.

They both muttered simultaneously.

“Transform.”

“Realize.”

[ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATION.]

[Reveal the truth.]

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