Hero’s Child C6

Chapter 6

 

Uichan brushed the musk powder off his hands and moved quickly. He made his way toward the west gate of the hall, keeping a sharp eye on his surroundings. The ballroom, now past the opening ceremony, buzzed with people exchanging glamorous greetings under the dazzling lights.

 

He focused all his attention on scanning the faces of the security guards. Then, amid the crowd, he spotted a man with a slick undercut and an in-ear device, his eyes darting anxiously as he surveyed the hall. The instant Uichan saw him, he realized — this wasn’t a hero. It was a villain in disguise.

 

Someone handed the man a small white packet. After a quick glance around, the man poured its contents straight into his mouth.

 

Found you.

 

The escaped convict Seok Myeongcheol — known in the underworld as Gangster Lang. His primary ability was “Diffusion.” Anything he exhaled could multiply and spread rapidly. If what he just ingested was a drug, within seconds, it would blanket the ballroom, intoxicating everyone inside.

 

What they wanted was chaos — scandal and ruin. The reputations of high-ranking officials and the elite would crumble in an instant.

 

That couldn’t be allowed.

 

Uichan pulled the in-ear device from his ear and unhooked his radio from his belt, tossing it into a corner. Twisting the bracelet on his wrist, his appearance shifted — a stranger’s face replacing his own. He stretched lightly, then strode toward the man.

 

Gangster Lang grinned, his confidence radiating as he opened his mouth. The fine white powder swirling within was about to burst forth — but at that exact moment, Uichan’s eyes glowed a vivid blue.

 

A heavy silence followed. Then the world turned black and white.

 

Seok Myeongcheol’s eyes widened. By now, the people who had inhaled his musk powder should’ve been writhing on the ground, their bodies convulsing with addiction, clawing at each other like animals.

 

But instead—

 

“……”

 

The entire scene before him was frozen in monochrome. The room full of smiling, chatting guests felt detached from where he stood — as if separated by some invisible wall. The powder he had exhaled never reached them.

 

Instead, it began to drift backward, reversing its path, returning to its origin as though time itself were rewinding.

 

Veins bulged along Seok’s neck. He screamed in fury, but no sound came out.

 

“—Hhkk!”

 

In the next instant, the black-and-white world shattered. Before him, a massive hand shot forward and slammed his head violently into the ground.

 

CRACK!

 

He gasped, blood splattering as he coughed out the powder in his mouth. Through the fingers gripping his face, he caught a glimpse of something—

 

The ballroom was gone. The west gate was closed. He was lying on the cold marble floor of a hallway outside. Above him, someone was loosening a neatly tied necktie.

 

“You— you! Who the hell are you—?!”

 

“Ah, sorry. I misjudged my strength. Not really my fault, though.”

 

Seok tried to get up, but the hand holding his head slammed him back down again. Pain exploded through his skull; blood foamed in his mouth.

 

“Stay still. I just need to ask you something. Then I’ll hand you over to the heroes — nice and easy.”

 

“You bastard— nghhh!”

 

“You said you wanted to see Under Doom, didn’t you?”

 

Seok’s body froze. His bloodshot eyes trembled in confusion. This bastard… what is he? How the hell is he so strong? How did he destroy my entire operation — with just one damn body?

 

“Fucking—!! It’s you, isn’t it?! You’re Under Doom?!”

 

“No. Just… an acquaintance. But if you’ve got something to say, I can pass it on. So—”

 

THUD! THUD!

 

The man slammed Seok’s head into the floor twice more. The marble cracked beneath them, and blood splattered across the white stone. Seok’s eyes bulged, his mouth opening in a silent scream before a pale hand covered it tightly.

 

“Stop thrashing and answer my question. Hm? Let’s talk like adults.”

 

“Mmph— nghh!”

 

“You’ve met Angak, haven’t you?”

 

The voice was soft, almost gentle, but unnervingly impossible to place. Even up close, Seok couldn’t tell what the man’s voice really sounded like — whether it was high or low, calm or cold.

 

He could tell it was a man, but even his face was strangely indistinct, as though it would fade from memory the second one looked away. That was thanks to the support bracelet Uichan wore.

 

“Angak…?”

 

Seok spat out more blood and grinned grotesquely, his eyes gleaming with madness.

 

“If you wanna know… hah, tell Under Doom to come himself. That bastard— ngh— he begged me to back off last time, the coward! Or what, you are Angak, huh?”

 

“……”

 

The pale hand clamped down on his skull again. Uichan decided he’d heard enough. He grabbed Seok by the collar, intending to drag him to the main entrance and toss him to the heroes like a discarded carcass. The sound of his heavy body scraping across the marble echoed in the hallway.

 

“And another thing—”

 

He hadn’t taken more than a few steps before Seok suddenly laughed, clutching the hand that held him. Does this idiot think I came here alone?

 

“You think I’d come here… without backup?”

 

At that exact moment, glass windows along the corridor shattered, and a swarm of villains burst in. Uichan’s head snapped up, eyes widening as the hallway filled with bodies in an instant.

 

And from experience, he knew how this would end — poorly, for everyone else.

 

“Hey… this is just gonna end badly for you guys. I’m kinda… unlucky.”

 

“Kill that bastard!!”

 

Feeling the hairs on his neck stand, Uichan instantly released Seok and jumped back. A deafening explosion followed — the marble floor shattered where he’d been standing, caving in like tofu.

 

A chilling presence loomed above him. Looking up, he saw masked figures clinging to the ceiling like bats, weapons glinting in their hands.

 

The moment they spotted him, they launched their attack. A barrage of blows rained down on him like thunder. Uichan dodged desperately, unable to do anything but evade.

 

But then — the west gate burst open. Armed security and heroes flooded in, drawn by the explosion.

 

The villains had invaded, and the heroes were ready. Chaos erupted. The hallway became a warzone.

 

Dodging both sides, Uichan focused only on neutralizing the villains who came after him. Helping the heroes directly would only get him exposed — and probably killed in the crossfire. Fortune never favored him when he tried to do good deeds.

 

The west gate shook violently, half-destroyed already. Heroes struggled to keep the villains from advancing any further. Then, a powerful gust swept through the hall, forming a tornado that trapped several villains inside.

 

“It’s Noatis! La Épée and Blacktan will be here soon! Clear the path!”

 

The heroes’ morale soared at the sight of Noatis.

 

Uichan, meanwhile, searched frantically for Seok Myeongcheol. He finally spotted him — cowering behind another villain, using him as a human shield while stuffing more musk powder into his mouth.

 

Grabbing a fallen axe from the floor, Uichan adjusted his grip.

 

Sorry, but you’re going to swallow that powder yourself this time.

 

When Seok saw Uichan charging with the axe, his expression twisted with panic. Shoving his shield away, he bolted. Uichan chased him down the corridor-turned-battlefield, drawing the attention of everyone around.

 

Seok suddenly stopped mid-run, turning as he reached the center of the hallway. Just then, Uichan had accidentally knocked down a villain — and a hero — sending them both sprawling.

 

Flustered, Uichan quickly helped the hero up.

 

“I—I’m sorry! I was aiming for the villain, I swear! No hostility meant at all!”

 

“Damn it, fine! Just watch where you’re going, alright?!”

 

“Of course, I will! I’m so sorry!”

 

As he apologized repeatedly, a strange chill crept through the air. He lifted his head — and froze.

 

From the far end of the corridor, red petals began to swirl and scatter. The world turned crimson, as if drenched in blood.

 

Realization hit him a second too late when the footsteps echoed closer.

 

“It’s Phantom Thief Kill! He’s here!” someone screamed.

 

Panic spread instantly. The appearance of Phantom Thief Kill — the notorious madman of the underworld — turned the night into chaos incarnate.

 

As the petals drifted nearer, both heroes and villains ran together in terror. Anyone who touched those petals would be ripped apart in seconds.

 

Seok Myeongcheol, dazed and pale, turned to flee — only to come face-to-face with Uichan.

 

“Stay right where you are! You’ll be fine if you don’t move!” Uichan shouted.

 

“What the hell are you talking about?!”

 

“No, really! You’ll survive if you stay there! Just don’t come near me!”

 

Uichan spoke calmly, not wanting to provoke him further. But Seok, desperate and panicked, couldn’t think rationally anymore. His eyes were wild.

 

Uichan waved his hands frantically. Don’t come near me. Please, don’t.

 

He was only trying to keep Seok — and anyone nearby — from being caught in his own streak of misfortune. But to everyone else, it looked very different.

 

To the heroes watching, the man with the indistinct face looked like a terrified bystander, flailing helplessly in fear of Phantom Thief Kill.

 

So when one of them stepped forward, it was only natural.

 

A soft breeze brushed against Uichan’s cheek. When he turned, a tall figure stood before him — brown hair swaying, a solid back framed against the crimson light.

 

It was Noatis.

 

“Stay back,” he said.

 

 

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