Chapter 22

Chapter 21

The moment Yumir pounced on me, I began to feel a surge of rampant mana from afar.

What is a rampage?

It's easier to think of it as a sudden explosion of middle school syndrome.

The problem isn't that a black dragon is raging inside me, but that the inner demon is causing the rampage.

And the problem is that this ability is getting stronger based on the real power of the demon.

Just like how Red Scarf, who was once A-class, suddenly gained power on par with S-class, the girl in the hoodie is also currently longing for power and in the midst of a rampage.

"Kya-ha-ha-ha!"

The girl who burst through the wall began to wildly extend her hands.

The black mana spheres that spewed from the girl's hands bombarded the restaurant, and the people inside hurriedly dodged—

"Rampaging! Stop her!"

—but instead of dodging, they started to protect themselves using their abilities.

This is Sejong Island.

A place where guests at the restaurant, part-time workers, and chefs can all be ability users.

"Who is that?! Who is she?!"

"It's a high school uniform! Damn, a high schooler with middle school syndrome?!"

"Then isn't it high school syndrome?!"

"This isn't the time to joke! She's really strong!!"

"Kya-ha-ha!!"

A boy in a high school uniform, with green flames swirling around his fist, charged at the girl.

"Fire Punch!"

"Get lost!"

Kwa-ang!

The girl waved her hand like swatting a fly, sending the boy flying.

For a moment, a shape resembling a giant snake's tail flashed behind the girl.

"Did, did I just see something? I didn't imagine it, did I?"

"...It seems to be the rumored rampage."

"Rumor?"

"Yes. A strange rumor that has been spreading in Korea recently... Oh, as a teacher, you might not know. Information control is strict in Korea. Sorry, forget what I just said."

"That, that's not the point."

I pointed to the boy who had been slammed into the wall far away.

"That friend is 'Mint Fire.' His ability is B-class, and he has a bright future. But he was so easily... B-class..."

"Rampagers are hard to gauge in terms of power. But most of them... suddenly strengthen from A-class to S-class. At the cost of their lifespan."

"Lifespan?"

How does she know that?

"What do you mean?"

"Sorry, if I say more, you might be in danger. I... have a favor to ask."

Yumir gave me a small wink.

"Can you keep what happens next a secret?"

"Secret?"

"Yes. I don't want people to know yet."

I nodded involuntarily, not because Yumir is an ability user, but because her words sounded familiar.

"I'll protect you, teacher. And... watch. My..."

Yumir pulled something out from her coat.

That's...

A belt?

"Transformation."

Yumir fastened the belt around her waist.

Soon, her body shimmered with a golden light and disappeared along with it.

"What..."

While I was involuntarily covering my face in shock,

"Kya-ha-ha! You insignificant things are causing trouble!!"

The rampaging girl, filled with madness, roared.

"Kya-ha-ha, die, die!!"

Her eyes turned into demon eyes—black and white irises inverted—and the girl began bombarding the restaurant with black spheres created around her body.

"Keh-uhk!!"

A person who looked like a civilian was hit directly in the stomach by one of the spheres.

Despite being only as big as a fist, the person flew as if hit by a truck and rolled on the ground.

"Dad!!"

The girl who had come with the man screamed and rushed to his aid, but the man was already slumped, bleeding from the back of his head.

"I, I...!"

Perhaps.

With a high probability.

He might be dead.

In this world.

Death is everywhere in the realm of ability users.

Even though the girl is well past the age of juvenile delinquency, the number of people killed by juvenile delinquency ability users is much higher than those who die from liver cancer.

"Dad, open your eyes, Dad!!"

"Kya-ha-ha. You always ignored me...! This is what you get!"

"What did my dad do to you?!"

The bad girl! You're not even human!

"Right! I'm not human! I have a power that can't be compared to you puny ability users! I am... a demon! Ha-ha!"

She has become a madwoman, proclaiming herself a demon.

"I am the harbinger of destruction, [Darkness Nebulitas Lilith]!!"

This is insane.

To declare such a name as if it were her own.

"Behold my power!"

The problem is that her voice now sounds like a mix of a beast's, an old man's, and a fierce warrior's.

'A demon is coming.'

A demon, born from human evil, killing intent, hatred, and anger, is gradually manifesting in reality based on the girl's 'imagination.'

Behind the girl, dark red wings spread, and she began to transform into a typical demoness—a succubus.

"Kya-ha-ha! I am—"

[What a pity.]

A woman's voice, as if distorted.

[Your evil deeds end here.]

Speaking in clear and distinct Korean, a golden light burst from outside the restaurant.

"What is that..."

"What are you?!"

[Me?]

Beyond the girl.

The golden entity was dressed like something from a tokusatsu show.

[You don't need to know.]

It looked as if it was based on a 'golden dragon.'

[The moment you hear my name, you'll be on the ground.]

What is this?

A new hero suit?

Or a medieval knight concept covered in gold?

Has this world finally gone crazy with heroes, manifesting a legendary golden hero?

For a moment.

"......!"

That is mana.

It looks like a powered suit, a product of advanced scientific research, designed to allow ordinary humans to use mana to combat ability users.

But in reality, it is entirely made of 'mana,' from the helmet to the toes.

So.

'Defense gimmick is well done!'

I don't know who it is, but the protective shield of mana around the body is composed like real parts of a powered suit.

And.

Her belt, even though the voice is distorted, is the one I just saw.

"Ah."

I see.

It's Yumir.

'This design is really weird.'

An ability user showing such incredible mana control to create a powered suit skin with a protective shield—why would she choose such a concept?

'So damn ugly!'

Not just in design.

'What's with the girl's appearance?! It's just a full golden plate armor!'

It's not bad.

It just doesn't fit the sensibilities of 2025.

Well, even in 2025, it doesn't feel outdated—

"Shh."

But isn't it more like a villain than a hero?

'Transformation-type heroes aren't like that...!'

I surveyed the situation and moved away from the crowd, heading towards the restroom.

"......Ha. Shh."

The situation is still chaotic.

Fortunately, thanks to the girl who turned into a demon named Lilith, the CCTV is broken.

"......"

I slowly wiped my face and moved towards the restroom, avoiding the crowd.

"......After transforming, the clothes, haa. Ah. Since it's come to this, I'll use the ultimate move."

No one noticed me.

"At least, the girl isn't a 'monster' concept."

Also.

No one will 'realize' that I was here or that I would appear here.

So.

The possibility of my identity being exposed is 0%.

Unless there's a boss, no one will notice me.

Click.

I put on the mask.

* * *

"An ambush before I even unpacked my luggage."

Baek Seul-hee clutched her aching head and ran towards the scene.

Correction.

Using her ability, she slid down the hill on an ice path like a snowboarder in high heels.

"Is it normal for incidents to happen so frequently?"

[Ha-ha, no. It's just a stress-induced ability rampage among students...]

"But it seems like there's a casualty?"

Baek Seul-hee arrived at the scene quickly.

Though she was a bit away, on a high hill, she could see the scene.

"Kya-ha-ha. What? That ridiculous appearance?"

[A true hero doesn't show their face recklessly.]

In front of the collapsed restaurant.

Two figures faced off in the parking lot.

One was clearly a girl who had rampaged, her 'middle school syndrome' exploding.

And the other was...

"......!"

Baek Seul-hee saw it.

The reality of the powered suit that looked like a golden dragon had been flipped over.

"It's unbelievable."

The mana control seemed more sophisticated than her own.

To release mana from within the body and create such armor, and not just any armor, but in this form?

"I, first, we need to—"

Just as Baek Seul-hee was about to jump down from the hill, a black shadow landed in the parking lot far away.

"......!!"

It's unbelievable.

The golden armor could be explained, but this man shouldn't be here.

"How can a goblin...!!"

Goblin.

Dressed in a black suit, with golden light shining from his eyes, he landed between the golden dragon suit and the demon.

[You are...?]

[I am a goblin. I appear wherever a villain shows up.]

[You're a goblin...?]

While the golden dragon suit was taken aback,

"Kya-ha-ha!! So you're the goblin I've only heard about! Then I'll show you! How strong I, Lilith, am!!"

[You want to prove your strength. Then I'll show you the gap in power. Just.]

The goblin casually brushed his mask, and a suspicious belt-like object appeared in his hand.

[Since it's been a while, I'll show you the real thing.]

"That's...?!"

[READY!]

[Transformation.]