A Hero Becomes an Obsessed Villain - Episode 206
American Association Headquarters.
An underground bunker hidden deep below the ground..
Only a very few people know of the existence of this place, and even the President of the United States cannot enter this place without permission..
The place was blocked and isolated from the outside world, and all kinds of security had been installed to prevent invasion by anyone with any abilities..
Are there any people moving here?.
There is no mirror and no TV. It is said that there are people with the ability to move freely as long as there is darkness, so this place is always bright and there are basically all devices in place to prevent teleporters..
This is right here, in America. No, this is where the world's most protected hero stays..
It was the residence of ‘Ex Machina’, the only person in the world with the ability to turn back time..
and he.
Currently, he was leaning his hand against the wall there and vomiting blood..
"Cluck, cluck."
haha.
He sighs deeply and is out of breath..
His brown hair had turned yellow, and his skin had turned white, possibly due to fear..
He was staggering, walking down a hallway deep underground..
'....Blocked it.'
He mumbled in a hoarse voice without even realizing it..
Cough. Blood comes out again.
He barely managed to walk to his room, holding his trembling hands and dragging his legs..
The path he walked on was stained with blood..
"haha."
Cough.
As soon as he finally arrived at the room, he collapsed into his seat..
Ex Machina. Real name: James Machina.
He coughed up blood, placed his hand on his chest, and muttered:.
"....With this, it all ends."
Too much time has passed. What your ability can handle. It is outside the range of time that can be turned..
If you turn now, you will have to risk your life. His life, which he had protected for so long to prevent danger to humanity,.
but.
'...Pfft. That's funny. All of humanity has already been destroyed, so what's the use?.'
okay.
As it is assumed that he is the only last survivor. It had no meaning anymore. You've been protecting your life so far to prevent the apocalypse? okay. Now is the end. To prevent this, he lived until now..
but.
"Next time..."
James said with trembling eyes. With a face filled with fear, he muttered palely..
...He figured it all out. From the origin of this situation to the solution to it. Now, he will fulfill his duty by turning back time and preventing destruction by using the ‘device’ he finally discovered..
Even if you lose your life in the process,.
It didn't matter.
Because he's a hero.
Because I'm a hero who has to protect people and save the world..
One's own life.
I was willing and able to give it away..
however.
Now, I somehow managed to stop it. I sent it back.
...Next time it comes back.
Then, who will stop it?.
Is it really possible to stop it?.
"God... save this world..."
He muttered the last words without realizing it..
Towards your god, not to that god.
And soon he clutched his heart even stronger..
At that moment, the white basement was filled with a blinding yellow light..
like that
Not just the basement, but the entire world glows yellow.
The destroyed world, everything. Everything was filled with yellow light.
Within.
Time went back again.
***
Egostream headquarters, big house.
"Hmm..."
"Brother, what are you doing??"
"huh? Oh, I'm watching TV."
"...What on earth is that that makes me look at it with such concentration??"
Seo-eun asked me that while eating a piece of apple with a fork with a puzzled expression on her face..
morning living room.
At that place where everyone is gathered.
I was watching TV with concentration.
To feel the moment of destruction.
[At this time, the United States is still celebrating the anniversary of the founding of the American Branch Association in front of the Statue of Liberty..]
The Statue of Liberty captured on screen along with the anchor's words..
I was watching it intently.
Yeah, it's coming soon..
The moment that decides whether I fall into the time zone of destruction or not.
[[The head of the Statue of Liberty suddenly exploded and tragedy began..]]
Those words that were clearly mentioned in the original work.
When the head explodes, destruction begins..
but.
"......"
If it doesn't explode?
That means the destruction has already occurred and time has returned thanks to Ex Machina's sacrifice..
I've already experienced all the destruction, but time has gone by and I'm sitting here without any memory..
Okay, so.
Will it explode? Doesn't it explode?.
that's the problem.
I watched TV so intently.
Finally, the moment the minute hand pointed to the hour.
"...."
...nothing happened, nothing happened.
[yes Even though quite a bit of time has already passed, people still seem to be enjoying the festival in front of the Statue of Liberty. This was reporter Yumi Kim who reported on America at Night..]
"Phew..."
I collapsed on the sofa.
...Fortunately, I guess it's a time when I don't have to deal with it..
No, whatever. If you think about it, you could say that my past self has already made up for it. It wouldn't have happened anyway, so it's not my part-time job. I must have done well in the past..
"...Dain oppa, are you sick??"
"huh?"
"No, I was just sighing earlier...."
At that time, Eunwol looked up at me with a worried expression across from me..
I told her not to worry and patted her head. It was a sigh of relief, Eunwol..
I leaned back on the sofa again and put my hands in my pockets..
...Something shaped like a round ball that can be felt.
If the head of the Statue of Liberty exploded and the destruction began, I would have exploded the sleeping gas thing first..
However, since it is not that time zone now, there is no need to do that anymore. I guess I should put it back somewhere in my room..
"Jayoung, that’s what I ate...?"
"no way. Seo Eun-ah. Where are yours and mine? It's all ours."
"hmm. The apple taste is sweet. I don't think it was this sweet the last time I had it.."
"Mr. Shinryeong. Shall I give you one more cut??"
like that. In the middle of a noisy living room.
I was quiet, lost in thought..
"....."
...Looking at the internet and seeing that there isn't much talk about it, I think it's true that the destruction was avoided in the end. Ex Machina probably sacrificed herself to change time extensively..
There is no way to know because the original work does not properly explain what the cause of this situation was or how Machina prevented it... but it can be said to be fortunate..
Anyway, it happened in the end. Now I have to think about what to do next..
...Perhaps sooner or later, the news of Ex Machina's death will suddenly be revealed to the world. I remember that his identity, which had been kept completely secret, was somehow made public due to his sudden death..
Anyway, whatever. That's a story from a few days later, so it's okay..
There were more important things to think about than that..
"....."
That's right, what did I do in that destroyed timeline?.
First of all, according to my plan, I was going to meet Stadus, who was suffering because she didn't know that time was turning, and try to calm her down so she wouldn't have to suffer for no reason. I don't know if she would have done well. Stardust might not have listened to me. We'll probably never know.
...But, if it worked out well.
If she believed me and stayed by my side.
Probably, I would have told everything without hiding my secret. It's a time that will disappear anyway.
Because it's a memory that will be forgotten.
"Haha... I'm curious about Stardust's reaction.."
"huh? Starders.?"
"ah. Nothing."
When Seo-eun turned her head, wondering what was going on when I heard my quiet muttering, I smiled and made a preface, then excused myself for a moment and walked to my room..
...How did Stardust react?.
Are you angry? Did she disdain? Or maybe I was embarrassed. Maybe I laughed even though it was absurd..
what. Now it's something we'll never know.
Of course, I don't remember anything either..
but.
"......"
As I held the doorknob of the room, without realizing it, I felt my heart aching slightly..
Time passes... moments come together...
"....Write it. Why is this like this? Is it arrhythmia?."
I am.
I, you.....
"....."
I do not know.
Why does my heart keep hurting?.
Do you feel like you forgot something you shouldn't have forgotten?.
Why does my heart keep beating?.
"Really, I don't know.."
I sat in a chair and muttered.
Is this a side effect of time regression? ...It's not like I've regressed. That's strange. Is it just because I have a weak heart?.
but. A sudden thought comes to mind.
For some reason, this thought suddenly occurred to me..
Without realizing it, I muttered out of my mouth.
"...Stardust, I miss you.."
***
-Click, click, click.
Korea Hero Association Headquarters.
Starders' Office.
Shin Haru, who was sitting there and clicking with a ballpoint pen, looked at the calendar and unconsciously stuck out his mouth..
"...liar."
...Well, I'll see you soon next time..
It's already been a month since Ego Stick, who rode the dragon in the last terrorist attack, said those words..
They said they would see each other again soon, but it's already been a month. How can it be so soon? Are you going to come back after three months like usual and say it's right away??
"Ugh..."
Shinharu sighed slightly, leaned back on his chair and raised his head..
Then the TV screen hanging on the opposite wall of the office caught her eye..
[At this time, the United States is still celebrating the anniversary of the founding of the American Branch Association in front of the Statue of Liberty..]
On the screen, Americans were enjoying the festival..
and.
"......"
Somehow she can't take her eyes off that screen.
Without realizing it, I continued to watch that scene..
So, time goes by.
[yes Even though quite a bit of time has already passed, people still seem to be enjoying the festival in front of the Statue of Liberty. This was reporter Yumi Kim who reported on America at Night..]
"....."
Well, nothing special happened..
The news broadcast ended after just showing a normal festival..
...Why did I try to see that?.
Then she looked away again, turned her head, and went back to work..
and.
She, at that time.
-Tuk.
"....uh?"
She tilted her head as water droplets suddenly fell on the document. ...Where did this come from??
As she had that question, she put her hand to her eyes and felt something strange..
"....what."
And only then did she.
Seeing your own face reflected on a turned off computer screen.
He realized that out of the corner of his eye, a tear was running down his cheek..
"....what. Why, hey! Come on."
...am i crazy.
Shin Haru thought about that and wiped his eyes..
and.
Suddenly, suddenly. Thoughts that come to mind.
...I think I forgot something.
It won't be the end.
Even if time goes back. Because in the end it's just the two of us.
Somewhere in the corner of my heart, a concentrated feeling settles..
"....Really, why are you like this?..."
...I wanted to remember. I didn't want to forget.
If you forget it like this. I'm afraid we won't know each other forever.
Something I really wanted to remember.
I feel like I've forgotten.
and.
With that feeling.
She suddenly felt a strong impulse.
...I can't miss it like this.
Just this feeling. please remember.
please.
There will come a day when we can have a conversation like this again..
like that.
She was confused by a sudden, unconscious thought..
I stopped crying before I knew it. Tidying up her messy hair. Sort out your confused emotions.
Within. I quietly sat back in my chair..
...I don't know why it's like this. I wonder why I suddenly started crying. I can only guess that it's because I've been under a lot of stress lately..
but.
From earlier, a thought occurred to me.
Her mind emerged after those confused, meaningless thoughts..
Shinharu muttered quietly..
"Ego Stick... I miss you."
Why on earth suddenly? I don't know why.
She wanted to see the ego stick..
Right Now.
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