My On*Hole Academy [EN]: Chapter 179

EP.177 Isabella’s Anguish

*

Same time.

“Sinsa Station vicinity, Class S monster appearance. Requesting support!”

A grotesque monster, white and bloated like a drowned corpse, 3 meters tall, tears through the gravity waves and rampages through the streets of Seoul.

Yet, instead of fleeing, people are busy filming it.

Even if that monster possesses the power to kill dozens of people with ease, people don’t feel a sense of crisis.

“Wow, it’s a monster.”

“It’s really ugly.”

“What class is it? Class B?”

There’s one reason. This is the heart of Seoul.

If a monster appears, hunters – who would leap out of bed even in their sleep, shouting ‘Monster!’ – come flying in droves.

Even though it’s a significantly overgrown monster that tore through gravity waves, more people fear a Class B villain.

There’s a view that it’s due to the mindless feeling given by the name ‘monster,’ so there are opinions from experts to change the name.

‘Villain’ gives the feeling of hiding within society and directly causing harm, so citizens are more afraid.

This is similar to why people in modern society are more afraid of crazy people or murderers than tigers or lions.

And the common point between monsters and tigers is that ordinary people rarely see them with their own eyes.

“Response from Essol Academy’s「White Devil」! Arriving in 30 seconds!”

“Bind it with restraint equipment!”

Instead of taser guns, the police restrain the monster with special guns that fire nets.

It’s the monster response manual.

Most monsters can’t move with just this much.

But Class S monsters are different. The monster simply swung its drooping arm, and it tore through the net that becomes as strong as steel as it stretches.

“Wow~. The monster is strong.”

“Did you film it?”

“It came out really well, didn’t it?”

While citizens are having leisurely chats outside the police line,

A white grim reaper with flowing silver hair plunged down on top of the Class S monster’s head.

Koo-oong!

All that remained was a deeply gouged pit and traces of the monster’s corpse.

“…….”

Female police officer Shin Gyeong-ah blankly stared at the scene before radioing in.

“…Class S monster, neutralized.”

The time taken was 4 seconds.

Even if the White Devil hadn’t come, the hunters would have made mincemeat out of it.

Unlike villains, monsters are profitable. It’s like a gold bar appearing in the middle of Seoul, and whoever picks it up gets to keep it, so they rush in like crazy.

However, hunters generally don’t coordinate with the police, so they ‘roughly’ dispose of the corpses and leave, leading to constant complaints from residents.

So, it’s a general procedure for a hero to step in and clean up with the police.

“It’s the White Devil.”

“Wow. Is she really a female student?”

“She’s pretty but dignified…….”

“It’s my first time seeing her in person.”

Even if the hero slightly damages the road scenery, people like it, saying 「The place where the White Devil landed」.

Such a good image is exemplified by many exemplary heroes, and today, it’s represented by Essol Academy’s student council president, Isabella.

The mask area of the full-body integrated masterpiece, the Devil Suit, is removed, revealing Isabella’s bare face.

Female police officer Shin Gyeong-ah admired the sight.

‘A female student younger than me… neutralized such a big monster… in one hit….’

Annihilation.

It was a performance that could be summed up in that one word.

“What is the extent of the damage?”

“…Two middle-aged men who were witnesses are seriously injured. According to the doctor’s opinion, they are unlikely to survive…….”

“…….”

Even in the moment when everyone is praising the White Devil, saying ‘Ooh,’

The appearance of a monster also means that someone has died.

At least ten people die in a day, and up to a hundred people die. So many people die like everyday life, but the people gathered here don’t care.

They just think it’s something that always happens.

And they just think it’s unrelated to them, who came out to the streets today.

“I understand. I’ll go to the next area.”

“Ah… about the monster core…? Should we take measures to recover the entire amount as usual?”

The monster core dropped by the monster that ripened from the gravity wave is of very good quality.

An individual can’t swallow it whole as it is, but even if they receive only a portion, they can significantly strengthen their masterpiece [a hero’s unique ability or weapon].

A rare opportunity.

“Yes, then.”

But Isabella has always turned down that opportunity.

Shin Gyeong-ah asks that question knowing it. Not only Shin Gyeong-ah but everyone was curious about Isabella’s actions.

At that time.

“……No.”

Isabella turned her back.

“This time… please take care of it.”

“Ah. Yes?! Yes!!”

Shin Gyeong-ah’s expression brightened. She had something to talk about with her seniors when she returned.

‘I thought she was a hero like a divine being… but she’s the same as me.’

Isabella looked at the fallen monster core and fell into thought.

‘…My sister, whom I reunited with after 5 years, was strong….’

To that extent.

She never imagined that the gap would have widened to that extent.

Crack…….

Was it because people were praising her as the strongest hero that she didn’t have a sense of crisis? Maybe that’s it.

The number of villains hiding in Korea is countless.

She thought she couldn’t catch them all, but she thought she could win even if she fought them all. Her father told Isabella that she had innate talent,

And his daughter Isabella firmly believed in that.

Of course, she tried.

But she wasn’t desperate.

Was her sister desperate? What was she thinking as she turned 50,000 people into burnt ashes?

The more that curiosity grew, the more Isabella wanted to meet her sister and talk.

‘I have to get stronger…….’

Isabella believed that she already had enough.

When she first became a hero, she took the monster cores. Because she swept them all away, some criticized, 「That hero takes all of other people’s work and monopolizes the monster cores」

Such criticism was constant. Of course, it was a trumped-up charge.

But before Isabella became as well-known as she is now,

There was tremendous envy and jealousy towards the pretty and talented female student, and that led to terrorism against Isabella.

So she didn’t eat them [monster cores].

At the time, the rough Isabella seemed to be shouting to the world. 「Is it okay now? Shut up」

Isabella only used the monster cores obtained within the academy to strengthen her masterpiece. She fought villains.

She never lost.

Was it thanks to the bold yet overwhelming star quality of the rookie hero? Isabella quickly became the most famous hero in Seoul.

‘But….’

She lost.

Zenobia was strong.

The Class S villains hiding in the shadows might be even stronger. Thinking about it makes her shudder.

After realizing how futilely what she had been protecting could be destroyed.

She became greedy.

More, more.

Go faster than anyone,

And quickly eliminate whatever it is, even if it’s just to hurt them a little more.

As a 「Ruthless Punisher」.

“What should we do with the monster core? Hero.”

“To me.”

……Never again.

‘I won’t let them hurt anyone again.’

Isabella was burning with motivation.

Monsters were a bit rampant today.

The academy had approved the support of gravity wave amplification devices for the 1st and 2nd graders for several weeks, which increased the frequency of gravity wave generation in the streets.

It’s thanks to the efforts of Isabella and Kim Sang-hyuk.

In response, a lot of police manpower and heroes were also投入 [invested/deployed].

‘During this period. If a problem arises, there will be a lot of talk. Are you endangering the residents because of the academy students…….’

However, when the academy students create such meaningful achievements, those restrictions are somewhat lifted.

Thanks to that, the academy students might encounter a dungeon of tremendous opportunity right now.

Someone might meet a devil merchant and have their life changed.

‘Good.’

Isabella moves again. It was then.

“Hero!”

“!?”

The monster she thought she had defeated revived and resurfaced!

Isabella immediately punched it, blowing the monster away without a trace. But the gruesome shape didn’t collapse like flowing water.

It reached out to grab Isabella.

“We will… take revenge…….”

“…….”

It was a bizarre voice.

A direct warning from the Villain Alliance?

Isabella unpleasantly punched the monster with her arm once more, scattering it.

“Hero! Are you okay?”

The police belatedly rushed over to check, but the monster, which had already become a puddle of water on the floor, didn’t budge.

“I’m fine.”

“What was that? A warning from the Villain Alliance…?”

“……Maybe they’re panicking after losing their leader. There’s nothing to worry about.”

“Of course! I saw it from the side, but you were very murderous. No villain will survive.”

“…….”

Yes. She has no choice but to be murderous.

Isabella lost once. She engraves that fact several times.

Next time, it has to be the villains who are crawling on the floor and begging.

‘Huh…?’

Isabella noticed something strange while going around the areas.

‘…There’s a hero who’s dealing with monsters and villains at a similar speed to me?’

Moreover, traces are strangely found near the Forbidden Zone.

Are they tightrope walking without knowing how dangerous the Forbidden Zone is?

Feeling slightly displeased and curious about who is keeping up with her processing speed, Isabella began to track the unidentified hero.

‘Who is it?’

After discovering the second trace, Isabella was already putting considerable effort into the pursuit.

She feels like she’ll find them soon.

The opponent isn’t particularly good at erasing their traces and moving.

‘If it’s a hero challenging the Forbidden Zone, I have to stop them.’

This speed is unusual.

Like shaving the outer shell of the Forbidden Zone, they are proceeding cautiously but surely, destroying as they go.

It seems like this has been going on for several days, not just today.

‘I found them.’

It was as Isabella analyzed.

The unidentified hero is exploring the Forbidden Zone alone. It’s not a villain, but this is also an illegal act.

A small and petite girl is wearing a deep gray hood and walking somewhere.

Isabella blocked her path.

“…….”

“Why are you exploring the Forbidden Zone?”

“…Student Council President.”

She was surprised, but she didn’t show it.

She had already considered the possibility that the opponent might be a student.

“…Quintia.”

Quintia, the daughter of the Sword Saint.

With features exactly like her mother, red hair and eyes, medium-length hair, a slender figure, and a doll-like beautiful appearance….

She should be winning the inter-academy exchange and receiving more praise than anyone else at the academy, but she’s wandering around the Forbidden Zone like a ghost.

It was a difficult move to understand.

“I clearly heard that you were going on an overseas expedition.”

“It’s none of the President’s business. Please move.”

“I can’t do that.”

Now that she’s seen a student here, she has to stop them from exploring the Forbidden Zone.

Whether it’s out of curiosity or whatever.

“Don’t you know what happens to people who are curious about the Forbidden Zone?”

“You know that ordinary villains or gravity waves aren’t a problem for me.”

“…….”

‘What is she looking for so desperately……?’

Revenge…?

Nothing much came to mind. Isabella was curious about Quintia, who was said to be the most brilliant talent in the first grade,

But they didn’t know each other.

“The problem is that you’re catching villains and solving gravity waves here.”

“I’m not doing this for fun or curiosity. It’s a really important matter to me.”

“……Important matter?”

“I can’t tell you. This is my problem. So…… please move.”

Quintia drew her sword.

Isabella was quite nervous. Quintia’s skills are already beyond the level of a student.

What is she doing here with such a determination? Even for Quintia, exploring the Forbidden Zone would be a huge risk….

At that time, Isabella’s hero app received a call. It was an emergency call.

“…….”

“Please pretend you didn’t see me. I beg you.”

“Once a day. Report your survival to the student council room. If you don’t, I’ll immediately start looking for you.”

“……Yes!”

It was an unstoppable look.

‘In Korea, where everyone lives relatively peacefully, she’s risking her life to explore the Forbidden Zone…….’

It’s not a commendable method. The fact that she survived without becoming a corpse shows how great Quintia’s talent is.

It was a back that looked like someone should stop her….

‘Right now…….’

She looked like she was on a rail that no one could stop.

「Don’t be resentful. You heroes started it first」

After letting Quintia go, Zenobia’s words came to mind.

‘……We started it first?’