11 – 5. I’m becoming a rival-1

Noah seemed a little strange since that day.

“Welcome.”

“Ah… Hello…”

Noah, who had been only gloomy before, now felt like she was constantly avoiding.

Noah, who walked past with her hood deeply pulled down, didn’t even look in this direction.

I wonder why she’s like this.

I’m relieved that it doesn’t seem like she’s not feeling well…

But isn’t it a bit too much to behave like this for a whole week?

From noble mtl dot com

“Noah.”

“Hic…!?”

“What’s been going on with you recently?”

“Nothing… Nothing at all…”

Now Noah completely covers her face with her hood.

She stops talking and quickly retreats deep into the hood.

Only when she calculated could I get a good look at Noah.

In Noah’s hand was a drink.

It was an unusual occasion. Noah buying a drink? And energy drinks nonetheless?

“Tired recently?”

“Not… Not at all…”

“Then why have you been acting this way recently? It’s disappointing.”

“Disappointing…?”

“Yeah. You’ve hardly shown your face around and seem to be avoiding all the time. We haven’t really talked much for a week.”

I’m constantly worried about it.

Besides, Noah has done things like that in the end.

I take off my hood and lock eyes with Noah.

Her trembling eyes, like an earthquake.

Her trembling gaze repeatedly escapes my focus and runs away.

With this, it’s confirmed.

I, who was holding Noah’s hand, felt a soft sensation. But now is not the time for such thoughts.

“Noah.”

“Yes… yes!”

“You…”

I hit my head on the counter.

“So, you have been worried about that incident even now.”

“What…?”

“I’m sorry for hugging you back then. I must have lost my mind for a moment.”

A sincere apology. I hope this can relieve Noah’s heart a little.

But Noah just stares at me blankly without saying anything.

Noah, like a broken toy, just stammering…ah…ah…

After a while, she took a deep breath and let out a loud voice.

“No… not at all! I wasn’t mad or anything… I’m definitely not feeling bad! Just… just… um… Anyway, it’s okay!”

“Really?”

“Yes! Really! In fact… it was good!”

“It was good?”

“Ah!?”

Noah covered her mouth as if she’d misspoke.

I see. You didn’t hate it.

“Thank god…”

“Why… why?”

“I thought Noah hated me.”

“No way!”

Noah let out a scream.

It wasn’t scary at all.

“If you hated it, you wouldn’t have given me this!”

“This?”

“Yes! Charge me please!”

I quickly calculated the price of the energy drink she gave me.

“Here. It’s your turn.”

“Is this for me…?”

“It’s a one-plus-one deal, I’m giving it to you.”

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

That was grateful yet impressive. She was even taking care of this while it was hard to survive.

I stretched out my hand to Noah’s head.

A fact that I learned while hanging out, Noah liked having her head petted.

It was strange for me to treat someone like a dog, but if she liked it, I was willing to do it at any time.

I gently patted Noah’s head.

Noah flinched as if electricity had run through her body. When our eyes met, she lowered her gaze.

“Ehuh….”

“Is it unpleasant?”

As I gently pulled away my hand.

My hand which was being kidnapped somewhere, returned with a thud.

Noah took my hand. Then, she led my hands to the top of her head, encouraging me to stroke again.

Look, she does like it.

“Do you like it?”

“… huh!?”

“Do you like being petted, our Noah?”

“Don’t say „Our Noah“. You are creepy…”

“Creepy?”

“Pervert, violator of the Child Protection Act.”

Even as she said that, Noah didn’t let go of my hand, and I had to stroke Noah’s head for quite some time.

“Huh…”

“Do you feel better?”

“…A little. I’ve been tired because I’ve been active even at dawn lately.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. There’s a new strange villain around. Be careful. If you get arrested, it’s going to happen pretty bad.””You’re severely punished.”

“I…see.”

“We’re now patrolling even at dawn. So, sir, do not do anything suspicious.”

“Of course, sure, hahahaha.”

Noah seemed unaware, concentrating on soothing her feelings even though they stung a bit.

Like that, the satisfied Noah left.

I coolly downed the fatigue recovery potion she gave me.

“Ah…”

Although I felt slightly rested, I wasn’t quite refreshed. But, what can I do?

Time is limited and there’s a lot of work to be done.

Looking at the clock nearing the end of my shift, I resolved,

Today, I will wipe out the villain circuits around here.

*****

Early dawn.

A gloomy alley where the street lights are still on.

“Damn it…damn it…!”

A freakish man was cussing and running through the street.

Portions of his upper body turned black and eyes with whites and pupils in reverse were striking a broken and twisted arm on one side.

He named himself ‘Black Disaster’, a C-level villain designated by the association.

Now, he was running for his life.

Sluggishly.

“Here…here…!”

Sluggishly.

“Damn…!”

Tentacles. Unpleasantly writhing tentacles.

They were following him wherever he went.

Through the alleyway, into abandoned buildings.

Then.

Thud!

His ankle was caught.

This was more monstrous than any other grip he’d ever felt in his life.

But, he wasn’t going to take it lying down.

He used his transformed arm to free himself from the black tentacles. Freed, he tried to run again.

However.

“Huh…?”

His body wouldn’t move.

Looking down at his ankle he realized,

His ankle was completely crushed.

“Ahhh!”

The following agony was so intense, and the man screamed a terrible scream.

He shouldn’t scream.

But he couldn’t suppress his screams in the face of such horrifying pain.

Creep, creep.

“Maintain silence, malevolent one.”

“Hmph…ah…!”

“While the mother, who was looking after her newborn, just fell asleep, why would you try to disturb her?”

A voice like a deep, dark sea arrived.

A man in black robe appeared from around the corner.

His face was covered with a mask, his eyes gleamed with red lenses, and huge tentacles followed him around.

“Truly evil, truly wicked.”

The man remembered the story he had heard from other peers,

‘Hey, be careful. A guy who’s been looking for us since last week showed up. What was it…a guy with tentacles and a black robe? Why? How should I know that?’

The tentacles man.

People referred to him as ‘Kraken’.

Because he wielded the tentacles of a mythical beast, that’s the name he got.

He didn’t need to know all that.

The crucial point is, this guy is about to execute him.

“Don’t do this, you bastard!!”

The man threatened.

“Do you think the other boys will just let you!? My brother-“

“Your…brother…? Wielding a big axe, by any chance…”

“Yeah, that’s right! Our brother is incredibly strong! You’ll be in trouble if you mess with me-“

“Ah, this one?”

With a swish.

A person was thrown in front of the man.

That person had twisted and broken bones all over.

The man’s acclaimed brother.

“What…what…?”

“Your ‘brother’ is also a C-tier. Just like you. Cozying together, nursing each other’s wounds.”

“No…way…!”

“For your information, your comrades have long since become my nutrients.”

“No…!”

“Your tastes…like garbage, you know? Even if I licked up vomit, it would taste better.”

His mind hits a halt.

His brother was defeated. Although not the strongest in the world, at least in this area, he thought his brother was the strongest.

Even the pink-haired woman who’s been prowling around recently wouldn’t beat his brother.

In the alleyway with no one else. He himself, held hostage, and his brother who’s half-dead.

There was nobody coming to help him.

“Par…don…”

Fear swept over him.The man weep tears over the sight of his own soiled self, mangled and oppressed.

He lay on the ground flat as a bug, arms frantically like fly’s wings.

“I’m sorry… please… spare me…!”

Kraken replied with a scoff in his voice to the man’s plea.

“How did you feel, I wonder.”

“Eh…?”

“What did you feel when you attacked those who were innocent?”

The tentacles started to crawl.

They slowly gathered around the man, slithering over his body.

“Enough with your excuses. I already know the extent of your evil deeds.”

“Stop… please…!”

“Just so.”

The tentacles started to stick to the man’s body.

They slowly sucked out his Magicka, transferring it to their master.

The man realised he was being drained of his power, struggling in vain.

His sight was growing dim, the last thing he saw was a monstrous figure standing under the moonlight.

“Don’t ask for mercy.”

+++

It has been a routine for Noah these days to patrol in the form of Iris during the dawn.

She felt uneasy every dawn when the villain’s executioner would strike.

She could see this as revenge by someone, since the victims were villains.

‘But there’s too many to assume that.’

The victims, who were villains, have little in common. All they suffered was defeat during dawn.

‘I will find the villain.’ Even if they were villains, they were eligible for a fair trial.

Someone shouldn’t be attacked due to others’ hatred.

While patrolling with these thoughts, Iris heard a piercing scream.

‘… It’s him.’

She instinctively knew it.

If she followed the noise, she would find him.

She arrived at a dark alley.

Noah, finally confronted him there.

“Halt! That’s far enough!”

She saw the executing villain, executing another villain.

+++

‘Don’t kill him.’

‘I know.’

‘Just drain him to his last breath.’

‘Yes.’

Slowly, his magic seeps in. The nourishment that would make me stronger.

‘What’s the progress?’

‘Honestly, not enough for satisfaction.’

‘Well, I expected that.’

With enthusiasm, the tentacles absorbed the magic.

This is what I have been doing these days.

‘Killing villains while gaining power. How fortunate.’

From noble mtl dot com

‘Shouldn’t Noah get stronger?’

‘Ah, but he can only receive power from beasts, not humans.’

‘Is that so?’

‘Yes, you are quite special.’

Beasts are left for Noah to catch, we couldn’t halt his progress.

Only villains were my target. The tentacles have the ability to filter out and absorb human Magicka.

This was a unique ability the tentacles possessed, most mascots are unable to perform this action.

We must wrap it up and head home.

“That’s far enough!”

A robust voice echoed, a familiar voice.

Could it be?

“I am the magical girl, Iris! I won’t let you continue this injustice!”

“No matter if he’s a villain, you crossed the line!”

“…Iris.”

“That’s right! I am Magical Girl Iris. Remember the name of your judge!”

Why now of all times?

Suddenly, I recalled a statement she made yesterday.

‘I’ll be patrolling even at dawn. So you better not be up to anything suspicious.’

Just had to run into her. Perhaps the last guy was too loud.

I expected such a day to come, but…

“Damn.”

No choice now. It’s earlier than planned.

Perhaps a little combat before running away will be more appropriate.

Neither she nor I are strong enough yet. It won’t yet reach a level where we risk our lives in a fight.

“You won’t get off easily with me.””Do you think you will be given mercy?”

“Do you intend to fight?”

“Of course. I’m not a fool who would willingly offer my neck.”

Slowly raising the tentacles.

“Then there’s no choice! It’s a showdown! If you’re caught, go straight to jail!”

“…I must avoid being caught more than ever!”

Iris’s magic circle is deployed.

With that, I unfolded my tentacles to oppose her.

Just before the moment of impact.

I wanted to scream at Noah.

‘You won’t grow tall if you stay up late, you little one!’

I wonder why she’s up until dawn.

The tentacles began to reach out towards Noah.

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