Mr. Magical Girl

Chapter 7: Animals Only Listen After Being Beaten (1)

The moment I had been waiting for finally arrived as I switched the channel on the TV.

“Ah! I was watching that!” Unho exclaimed.

“Shut it.” I shoved the furry annoyance with my foot and focused on the screen.

~ Recently, a new criminal has emerged targeting heroes.

~ Indeed. According to the information released by the Association, the Wind Magician Green Green was the initial victim, with many heroes making sacrifices afterward.

‘Green Green? What a childish name for a magical girl.’

~ Yes, I’ve also heard that their methods are particularly brutal.

~ Absolutely. So far, four identified victims have been discovered with both arms and one leg broken. We suspect a blunt weapon was used.

~ What kind of blunt weapon are we talking about?

~ It’s said to be a common crowbar, like the ones often seen on construction sites. According to witness testimonies, the victims were beaten repeatedly until their limbs broke.

“Did that really happen?!” Unho trembled all over, his eyes wide as if staring at a fearsome figure.

“Not that I personally did it!” I replied. “Usually, I’d get it done in one hit, but if they didn’t break properly, I might hit them a couple more times.”

“…”

“I made sure there wouldn’t be any lasting effects. After a few weeks, they’ll be just fine!”

If things were urgent, they could always request a hero with healing abilities.

“But… injuries don’t only leave physical scars. You know that better than anyone, Haram.”

Of course, I knew. In the past, no one could escape the harshness of this world. The fear would cling to you even after finishing your tale. Some delved into crime, while many chose to end their own lives.

“They aren’t dead, right? It’s not like they suddenly turned into food for monsters.”

I could still vividly recall a comrade turned to mush under a monster’s brutal stomp.

“…”

“It’s not that bad. Just breaking a few limbs and getting ambushed. If they want to call themselves heroes, that’s the least they should handle.”

Just then, the TV browsed over my point of view.

~ So what is the criminal’s motive?

~ Please, take a look at the screen.

Suddenly, my message appeared.

[Those who haven’t faced true hardships have no right to call themselves heroes. A hero must uphold their own justice.]

~ What does that even mean?

~ It likely indicates dissatisfaction with the current hero society.

~ So, what do they have a problem with?

~ At a basic level, it probably signifies a grievance regarding the heroes’ attitudes, but I doubt that’s the case.

The man on TV raised his voice, excitement crackling through his words.

~ Let’s consider what heroes do. They endure risk, striving to protect civilians from dangerous situations. It can stretch for two or three years; in some cases, even over a decade.

Why such a fuss when being chosen for this was a given responsibility?

~ Heroes fight valiantly against the enemies of humanity. It’s tough to argue against calling them ‘heroes’ using any sense of normalcy or common sense.

~ I completely agree with that. I’ve been saved by heroes myself.

~ The Association seems to share similar thoughts. Their official announcement suggests the analysis considers the culprit to be from a grievance-holding organization, a mentally unstable individual, or even a monster hiding within society…

Beep—

I swiftly changed the channel.

The news vanished, replaced by what Unho had been watching before.

I pressed the remote repeatedly, mulling over what I had just heard.

‘It’s impossible to use any logic or common sense to argue against calling them ‘heroes’? Mentally unstable? Me? After all the real heroes I’ve encountered?!’

‘…Let’s calm down. It might just be this guy’s opinion.’

I pulled out my phone, intending to search for others who shared my thoughts on a news portal.

After scrolling past the detailed articles, I reached the comment section, where opinions were being shared.

~ What the hell are they doing to heroes? Did they forget how we can manage to live like this?

~ I bet it was some boomers. Locally, the old folks always prattling about how they didn’t need heroes back in the day.

~ Do you honestly reckon one of them could do that to a hero?

~ Who knows? Maybe one of them got exposed to the Otherworld and gained powers.

~ I’m pretty sure it’s just some no-name hero, miffed that others are earning more than they are, who’s behind this.

~ ^ This.

~ Green Green was adorable… I feel so sorry for her, getting tangled with some psycho…

I scrolled through the comments but found zero support for my views.

“Damn it!” I roared, throwing my phone in a fit of rage. It crashed against the wall, shattering into countless pieces, even with a year left on its contract.

“Poyo!” Unho, lost in the TV show, squealed and jumped at the unexpected crash. Once he gathered his wits, he hurried over, seeing my frustration.

“Please, stop! You’re going to break the house!”

“How the hell can I not be angry right n—”

“Happy thoughts! Think of happy thoughts! I’ll listen to why you’re upset afterward!”

‘Happy thoughts…’ Almost instinctively, I recalled my old comrades.

The days when we celebrated our collective survival over drinks. Back then, I hadn’t been stuck in this magical girl form and could enjoy a good drink.

As those memories surfaced, my anger slowly subsided, diminishing the agitation swirling within me.

I lifted my hand, stroking Unho’s white fur, savoring its softness before speaking again.

“I was just upset because everyone was blaming me.”

“Is that so? Why not just calm down then…?” Unho still hoped for me to return to my previous self.

“More than anyone, you know that’s hopeless.”

“That much is true.”

Setting Unho down, who had curled around me, I headed toward the front door.

“I think the Association will likely come by. If they do, just tell them I’m not home.”

“Make a decent excuse and send them off, right?”

“Yeah.”

There were certain comments that had piqued my interest. One person had even claimed my likeness, saying I looked like the magical girl from the video.

Don’t they look like Crimson Hammer?

They do seem similar, but… really?

The Association should have wiped every video of me, yet it seems someone captured a screenshot before they did.

If the public were to believe I was the perpetrator, it would be quicker for them to label me a common enemy. I needed to prioritize addressing this matter, but I still didn’t have to worry about the Association just now.

They probably had suspicions too, but since they were preoccupied with maintaining the hero image, I doubted they could detain me.

The Association poured effort into portraying heroes as flawless and virtuous; an exception like me would shatter that image.

Worst case, they might put someone on surveillance or secretly arrest me under wraps.

Once outside, I could feel the watchful eyes I expected. The Agency undoubtedly had their eyes on me—so quick to react to the most trivial matters.

As I sensed their gaze intensify, another thought crossed my mind.

‘Maybe… they’re planning an assassination?’

I looked where I felt their stares coming from and flashed them a charming smile.

*

Slipping away from them was surprisingly effortless.

I leaped over to a few rooftops and caught sight of the person they had sent to tail me, looking entirely frustrated while perched up high.

They should have sent someone with better physical capabilities if they wanted to keep up. With their selection criteria only focusing on stealth and scouting, how could they expect to pursue effectively?

It seemed the Agency hadn’t changed a bit since my era there.

I continued my thoughts as I landed in a dark alleyway between two buildings.

Splash!

Of course, the spot I chose to land was a filthy puddle.

“Damn it!” I couldn’t hold back my curse as dirt splattered on my boots. The alley, shrouded in damp shadows, housed a disgusting puddle leftover from rain a few days ago.

Trying to brush it off, I muttered to myself while walking through the alley.

“It must be around here somewhere…”

Having been away for a few years, I couldn’t quite remember exactly where it was. After searching every corner, I still came up empty.

“I don’t think they’d move their hideout…” If they had, things would get tricky. I had only gone this far trusting their abilities.

I kicked the ground in frustration when I heard a male voice behind me.

“Why is there a little kid here?”

I turned, spotting a man who seemed to be dressed like a thug, barely managing to wear decent clothes.

“This isn’t a place for a kid like you.”

From a glance, he exuded a delinquent vibe.

“If you’re lost, you better get outta here. If you can’t, I’ll teach you a lesson!”

Ignoring his threat, I scrutinized him. Fur-like hair poked out of his clothes, his oddly bent legs making him appear slanted, and fierce beastly teeth peeked from his lips.

‘There it is.’

“Did you not hear what I said, huh?” he barked.

‘Kid, that’s not how you threaten me.’

“Shut up and take me to your boss,” I demanded.

“You must have lost your mind, little girl. Do you know who we are?”

As expected, using words won’t work on these idiots. I smiled and swiftly kicked his shin.

“Argraaaahhh!” he howled before collapsing to the ground.

I couldn’t decipher his nonsensical noise, so I hit him in the face to silence him.

Crunch!

I felt the satisfying snap of a bone as I punched him. Trying to hold back, it seemed I ended up breaking his nose. But that was his fault for messing with me.

He writhed on the ground, flailing and screaming.

I seized his hair, pulling his head up. “Didn’t your branch manager teach you not to mess with a girl with white hair?”

Forcing him to meet my gaze, I could see terror shimmering in his eyes. I was confident he’d listen to me.

“Before I break your shin too, take me to your organization.”

“Y-Yes. Understood.”

… It seemed I might have broken a few of his teeth instead of just his nose too.

I felt a tinge of guilt.

*

“So, how many of my men did you knock senseless?”

“Who cares? It’s your fault for not training them better.” I settled into a soft leather couch.

The man in front of me continued, “I’ve heard you knocked out a few teeth from the executive I sent to guide you.”

“I’m supposed to just take being called ‘little girl’?”

What kind of idiot uses a term like that?

“…I apologize for our errors.” He wiped the mucus running down his face with a tentacle. “More importantly, what brings you here today? You said you weren’t interested in money.”

“I’m not uninterested in money; I just don’t like taking it from criminal organizations. If you want to give it to me, do it the legitimate way.”

“You do know that it’s tough for us to do that, yes?”

“That’s why I’ve come for something else.”

“He hasn’t collected in years, so why now?” he murmured, clearly thinking I couldn’t hear him.

“What did you say?” I asked.

“Nothing.”

“Yeah, watch your mouth; I’ll start pulling out those tentacles of yours instead of just teeth.” I slumped back.

Despite being leather, the way it wrapped around me felt disturbingly cozy; I could use a sofa like this at home.

“…So, what exactly brings you here today? You’re not here to take that sofa, are you?”

“Not a terrible idea, but I need something else.” I leaned forward. “A monster with the ability to transform… I don’t care if it’s a conscious or controlled one, since I plan to kill it, a controlled type would be better.”

“You know how difficult it is to create a monster without gaining the Agency’s attention, right?”

“Not up for it? That’s fine; I’ll send you right to the Otherworld.” I summoned my hammer, swinging it menacingly.

“…We’ll prepare one as quickly as we can.” He fished out a phone and made a call. After a quick chat, he turned back to me. “How should we contact you once it’s ready?”

“Hand over that phone, too.”

“My… phone?”

“I’m sure you customized it to avoid tracking from the Agency. My phone just so happens to be totaled too.”

With a sigh, he summoned a phone from thin air and tossed it to me. I caught it with my hammer, thanks to his lousy aim, then dropped it into my hands. After a moment’s tinkering, I confirmed it functioned perfectly. “Who’s covering the bill?”

“I will, so feel free to use it as needed.”

‘No need to pay any installments? I should take advantage of these guys more often. Specifically, whenever a new phone model gets released.’

“Hmph, I just don’t particularly want to use money from people like you, but I guess I have no choice,” I remarked.

“Wait, are you seriously saying that while extorting us?” he muttered to himself.

“Sorry, did you say something?” I directed at him.

“No, nothing.”

‘Yeah, surely nothing important.’ I stood up from the couch, preparing to take my leave. “I’ll be getting in touch a lot from now on; I look forward to your cooperation.”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you not follow the news?”

“I check it every day. Just haven’t seen anything related to you, Mr. Lee…”

I put away my hammer and summoned my crowbar. My outfit’s colors faded to black almost instantly. A few seconds later, everything around me began to turn black as well.

The room darkened from the particles spreading until my transformation completed.

“Do you get it now?” I said.

“The hero ambush incidents…”

“Correct.” Nodding, I spun around and walked out the door.

“We sincerely thank you for establishing a foundation for people like us to live in this world.” His voice lowered, “However, if we feel our lives are in danger, we won’t have any choice but to betray you, Mr. Lee. I hope you take that into account.”

I slowly closed the door behind me, just barely able to let him hear my response.

“That’s more than enough.”

*

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