Transformation or Death

Holy Power (4)

“Kimu?”

The Archer thought carefully.

“What could this mean?”

It’s almost been a day since the battle with the Scorpion. However, the Archer was still ruminating on the words muttered by Magenta Helios.

This is someone he had never seen before. According to the Archer’s memory, he had never seen her. But she seemed to know him.

There was only one thing this fact was pointing to.

“When I was human, she knew me….”

During the time when the Archer was human, he had some acquaintance with her. And she used the name Kimu to refer to him.

Of course, if she knew about his human days, there would be some compassion. Especially if she was a magical girl who was significantly more empathetic than ordinary people.

But that’s it. There were no emotions beyond that.

In other words, it can be concluded that Magenta Helios knew about the Archer’s human days but had not shared any extensive interactions.

There’s something strange here.

It’s been quite some time since the Archer became a villain. Of course, he doesn’t remember his human days, but his memories as a villain remain vivid. Although many everyday memories are buried and forgotten by the winds of oblivion, he did not forget time.

“It’s been quite a while since I became a villain.”

Magenta Helios’s appearance does not match with that time. At most, she’s just a child around ten years old, but she seems quite aged.

“Is that little one perhaps older than her appearance…?”

Well, magical girls are mysterious creatures not inferior to villains, so this assumption isn’t impossible.

The Archer thought carefully.

“Kimu, Kimura… Oh? ‘Kimura’? Is this a Japanese surname?”

Han Jae-jung seemed to know Magenta Helios a bit. So he returned immediately to resolve this doubt and headed towards him, but….

Unfortunately, as soon as Han Jae-jung canceled his transformation, he collapsed. He hasn’t received any news about him waking up yet.

It’s midday, what kind of situation is this? How pathetic. How can such a person be a hero? The world is doomed. The Archer grumbled about him internally and continued thinking. Ř𝐚Ν𝖔ꞖƐ𝘚

“Was I Japanese?”

During this time, he had explored the name ‘Kimu’ countless times. Dozens of hypotheses emerged. They all seemed plausible, and yet they all seemed incorrect.

“Hey Jason. What do you think?”

“What is it, comrade? I must continue practicing this awakened ability. So I can be more helpful in the next fight….”

“What nonsense from a guy who practices for 10 minutes and then collapses for an hour? You also think about this ‘Kimura’ nickname.”

While the Archer was immersed in thought, Jason had been dedicating himself to practice without rest since returning.

Testing his abilities on concrete fragments, exhausting all starlight and collapsing. When starlight recovers, he gets up again, tests his abilities like before, and collapses.

This was the repeated process.

From the Archer’s perspective, there was no greater foolishness. There was no visible progress in his abilities, and as time passed, only the frequency of Jason’s collapses increased

According to his own words, in the battle just before, the opponent’s attack moved to the desired space. However, the Archer thought this was merely a coincidence.

He was convinced that this lost movement occurred coincidentally around the area he had imagined.

It’s not like he had never used his ability while imagining before. How could controlling the ability just by imagination be possible now? Where would such a good story exist?

“Why don’t you help me with my training instead of worrying about this for 10 hours?”

“What the hell, this is the most important thing right now.”

In contrast, Jason’s gaze made the Archer look pathetic.

Holding onto an unsolvable problem for hours and groaning. It would be more beneficial to walk around and exchange information by talking to various people during that time.

“Why not just ask when Han Jae-jung wakes up?”

“Eh, that’s not romantic! Solving it alone is cool!”

“That’s just foolish….”

Jason let out a deep sigh and shook his head. What should he do with this foolish comrade? His head was starting to hurt.

“Obsessing over efficiency won’t get you anywhere! There’s no romance.”

“This is a problem beyond efficiency… Oh, I’ve got a call.”

Beep beep. A call sound rang from the walkie-talkie roughly lying on the floor. It was a device passed over by Joo Ah-yoon for communication.

It was a device that seemed quite expensive, capable of communication even over long distances. Its compact size made it convenient to carry, and it could connect unilaterally from one side without a call tone, enabling secret conversations.

When asked why such a device exists, Joo Ah-yoon instead became angry.

Well, that’s not important. What matters is having a means of communication like this. Jason picked up the walkie-talkie and answered the call.

“Received.”

-Uh… Did you find the Scorpion’s location?

“How disappointing. Not even asking about my well-being and going straight to the main point.”

-What, should I play some friendly joke with you guys?

Jason fell into doubt. Hadn’t they always been like this?

“I’ll definitely find it later!”

-Sounds like you haven’t found it. Understood.

His voice was indifferent, as if he hadn’t expected much.

-The conditions are the same as before. Find Scorpion with either Paradox or Botis together.

“Yes! Bo! Focus on finding where Bo is! There’s still so much I haven’t asked!”

-Well… Do as you wish.

Han Jae-jung didn’t particularly object.

-Then the business is done. Contact me when you find it. The best method would be for that limb amputation candidate to snipe and take off the head… But you can also judge that for yourself. Then…

“Wait a moment! Before you cut off the call, I want to ask something.”

As he was about to unilaterally end the call, Jason quickly stopped him.

“Do you know the meaning of ‘Kimu’ that the little girl mentioned yesterday?”

-Little girl? Ah… You mean Helios.

-She’s even smaller than me!

Joo Ah-yoon’s voice was faintly heard. Jason involuntarily suppressed a laugh at that fierce voice.

The reality of comparing height with such a little child.

-Ah-yoon, don’t judge by appearance. She’ll grow much taller than you where she’s from.

-Stop lying! How do you know that?

-You’ll know too. Anyway… She said Kimura?

Han Jae-jung answered casually.

-It’s just calling Kim in Japanese. That’s the mainstream culture of addressing surnames there. And that girl isn’t little. She’s older than me.

-…Really? Then she’s all grown up!

-No, there’s more to the situation… Oh, a customer’s here. I’m hanging up.

“What? Wait a moment! Hello! Hey!”

The call eventually ended.

“How unusual to have a customer at that fly-infested shop. Anyway, comrade? Did you hear? You’re not Japanese, but a Kim.”

“…Damn, how boring.”

Jason sighed deeply at how much this young man seemed to know.

Magenta Helios’s age is more than her appearance suggests. The name Kimura is nothing more than a Japanese pronunciation of Kim.

The countless doubts he had been pondering were instantly resolved. Simultaneously, his tension dissipated. The Archer lay flat on the ground, staring at the ceiling.

“Kim… So that was my name.”

He learned this for the first time. Of course, as a human, he would have had a name. The surname is not unique but a symbol of ethnicity.

A tag that is inherited through blood, passed down, and evidence of lineage.

“I too had parents.”

The Archer muttered, lost in emotion.

“Isn’t that natural? All things have parents. For me, the world was my parent.”

“Give me a break. That’s not what I’m talking about.”

Responding irritably to Jason’s clever remark, the Archer resumed his contemplation

“…How did that woman know me? No, even that makes sense. If we’re around the same age. Yes… Then…”

***

Han Jae-jung emphasized finding clues more than starlight when it came to recovering memories. He said multiple clues that could connect past relationships are important. Only by finding and matching these pieces could one recall the past.

Sentiment is longing, longing is memory of the past, and memory becomes recollection

‘Ah, I remembered.’

Helios.

He had heard of her before. Moreover, he had actually seen her.

In the past, when he was hunting villains with Sky Polaris, he remembered she had followed Sky Polaris, requesting to be taught.

At that time, he hadn’t properly understood her name and had heard the pronunciation.

“Kimu.”

“My name is Han Jae-jung. It’s prejudiced to think that every Korean is named Kim.”

“Gomen (Sorry). Kankokugo shiranai (I don’t know Korean).”

“Shouldn’t you at least make an effort to use a translator? Why….”

Joo Ah-yoon was sweating and looking at Han Jae-jung with a contemptuous expression.

“Brother, you seem to understand Japanese, so why can’t you just reply in Japanese?”

“No. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. If you’re in Korea, you should speak Korean.”

If anyone saw this grown man having a serious argument with an elementary school child, they would think it was ridiculous.

The visitor wasn’t one of those tiresome magical girls, but a small child. She seemed like a lost tourist with a strangely calm face, but her insides were probably burning with anxiety.

How anxious must she be, lost in a strange land without knowing the language? Though she can’t respond because she doesn’t know Japanese, Han Jae-jung is consistently answering her questions.

He seems to understand Japanese, so why is he deliberately responding in Korean? Joo Ah-yoon couldn’t understand her own brother.

“Ah-yoon, no matter who the other person is, you must do your best. Rudeness cannot be overlooked.”

“But she’s just a child, you idiot….”

“…Even so.”

It was familiar for Han Jae-jung to do something foolish. But there was something curious about it.

He used to be very kind to children. Had his personality changed after experiencing many hardships? Yet, he had also rescued a child first at a villain battle site….

‘Is he just acting this way because the child is ill-mannered?’

It was a stupid reason. But also a rational one.

Joo Ah-yoon was also the type to return rudeness, even to a child. Who knows what impolite remarks might have been mixed into the conversation she couldn’t understand.

“Ja (Then)….”

“Uwaaaaaaaah!!!”

Just then, someone ran up and roughly opened the door, the jingling doorbell ringing like an alarm.

“Kono kuso gaki (You damn brat)!”

Otonashi Haru. The only Japanese person Joo Ah-yoon knew.

She quickly snatched the child and began scolding her. Since it was all in Japanese, Joo Ah-yoon couldn’t understand.

“How could you suddenly run off like that!”

“Just… Something was bothering me….”

“If you disappear, I’ll get seriously scolded by the seniors!”

‘What are they saying….’

Joo Ah-yoon frowned, trying to understand the conversation but unable to. From Haru’s extreme anger, it seemed she was scolding the child for suddenly disappearing and worrying her.

‘So she’s Haru’s acquaintance… Looking at how she’s shouting, she seems to have been quite worried. Well, she is a magical girl, so she’d be sensitive to a child’s danger.’

At least some human emotions remained. Joo Ah-yoon watched Haru with a warm gaze.

“You damn brat! Do whatever you want when I’m not around, but don’t do it when I’m here! I’m responsible for you! I don’t want my salary to be cut further!”

“I’m really curious why you’re a magical girl.”

In contrast, Han Jae-jung’s expression grew increasingly cold.

‘As expected of my favorite character. I wish I’d only seen this in fiction.’

Meeting her in reality was giving him a headache.

“Thank goodness you came here….”@@novelbin@@

“Do you know this place?”

“Of course~ My close friend and senior run this place.”

“…Senior?”

“It’s really fortunate. Unlike you, the employees here are kind people who let most nonsense slide! Haha! They’re good marks!”

“Are you actually close?”

“We’re close enough that I can joke about something like this.”

Han Jae-jung laughed mockingly.

“Could you ask them something? Whether there are villains here. And I’m a bit thirsty. I’d like to try their special tea. Those desserts look good too. Ask if they can serve them as a service.”

“Uh… Well… That’s….”

“Uncomfortable? Weren’t we close?”

“Of course we’re close! I’ll right away….”

“Customers?”

Han Jae-jung, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, spoke up.

“Our shop has been attacked by villains in the past, but currently, there are none. We can guarantee your safety, so please feel free to stay.”

“…Eck.”

“We’ll prepare the specialty, but we can’t serve cake for free. Please order it.”

Fluent Japanese. Haru looked at Han Jae-jung, her face pale.

“…You can speak Japanese?”

“Yeah, I’m a pervert.”

“Ah~”

That settles it. Haru nodded in acceptance.

Nodding continuously, Haru suddenly knelt down with a solemn expression. She raised both hands in a ‘banzai’ pose and then bent her upper body, pressing her forehead to the ground.

“I’m sorry, senior!!!”

“That’s a bit harsh, Haru.”

How should he even educate this child? Han Jae-jung let out a deep sigh.

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