Transformation or Death

Chapter 41

“Kuk, kuk-wheek… It seems impossible after all…”

Jason staggered as he stood up. Those words contained the anticipation that he had expected this.

“Bo said… Only humans with special potential can use this belt… So I, a villain, cannot use it…”

He recited as if talking to himself without being asked. It was a good thing for Han Jae-jung.

“Hoh, a belt that only humans with special potential can use.”

He had learned, albeit slightly, about the true nature of the belt he had wanted to know.

The belt cannot be used by just anyone, and villains cannot use it.

It was not core information, but for Han Jae-jung, each piece of information like this was invaluable.

“If a villain uses it, it will be rejected… It’s too dangerous… But I did not give up.”

Jason stood up straight and rotated his arms dramatically. He looked like a captain maneuvering a ship. A transformation pose? Han Jae-jung frowned. It felt more like unnecessary flailing than looking cool.

“Challenging the impossible… That is the true mindset a hero should have…!”

He shouted as he turned the dial on the belt attached to his waist.

“Trans… form!”

Once again, an electric shock was inflicted on his body.

“Uearggh.”

His contracted muscles stiffened his body, and Jason fell helplessly to the ground.

“Was I foolish…”

Although he had been one of the villains who had chased him in the past, he did not feel frightened at all but rather felt he was pathetic.

At least Virgo was the strongest among magical girls, but could this guy even beat anyone?

With his durability clearly showing he would explode and die from a single technique hitting him, it was understandable to feel that way about him.

“Anyway, the other belt looks useful, so I’ll take it.”

Han Jae-jung approached the twitching Jason, bent him over slightly, and reached out his hand toward the belt on his waist.

“Ah ah ah no!”

Jason’s eyes flew open, and he placed his hand on his original belt and moved it like rowing a boat. Han Jae-jung’s hand, which had been reaching for the belt, was then redirected elsewhere.

The compass point’s ability to make one lose direction. Han Jae-jung turned his head and glared at Jason, who was now behind him.

“This is a belt I borrowed from Bo! I have to return it! Even if we’re comrades, I can’t let you take this…!”

Jason, who had quickly gotten up again, detached the belt from his waist. With his other hand, he turned his original belt as he had just done. The directional markings inscribed in the circle spun madly.

“I’ll take my leave for today. Farewell!”

Jason took a step forward.

“Adios!”

His figure walking straight ahead disappeared. It was like a ship being swept away by a raging current.

The ability to make one lose their way.

Even with his weak body, it seemed he could at least guarantee his survival.

As Han Jae-jung sighed and reconsidered the noisy encounter, a voice came from the belt.

[Quest Appears.]

“Yes, a quest is good. But if you introduce me to someone unreliable, I’ll instantly pulverize you into the Seven Star Step Bogak right now.”

It’s a threat he’s been making continuously since that day. It may work on a machine, but even saying something like this while affirming his resolve is probably good for his mind and body.

Just as he was about to check the contents of the next quest, the belt’s voice crackled.

[Move to the specified location and defeat the villain….]

It was an unusual occurrence that could not be experienced under normal circumstances, so even in Han Jae-jung’s state of being wary, he was quite flustered.

In the dark and damp alleyway, a desolate space devoid of any greenery, lush grass began to grow.

“…What is this?”

A pastoral scene reminiscent of the Alps mountains, the rippling waves of green grass. The hard concrete ground transformed into a soft meadow in an instant.

[The quest content has been changed.]

The pungent and musty smell was replaced by the fresh scent of nature, and the faint sunlight became more intense.

Nature sprouted from the back of civilization.

The space had changed into one where sheep could frolic.

The space had been reconfigured. It was not a case of being transported somewhere else; the very space he was standing in had changed.

“This is…”

A phenomenon he had seen in the original work.

The Goldilocks Zone.

A kind of barrier.

Overlaying their power onto an ordinary city, reconfiguring the space anew.

Ordinary citizens cannot enter, and any physical destruction caused by combat within does not affect the real city.

A space isolated from reality.

An urban fantasy setting often seen in magical girl stories.

The other side of the city, unknown to anyone, a battlefield.

It is a convenient setting that allows the true identity of magical girls to be hidden and ensures no damage remains after a battle.

However, this space was not created for the convenience of heroes. It is a space created for the convenience of villains.

A space created by villains.

A special power granted only to some villains.

[Escape from this space.]

Han Jae-jung looked around. The peaceful, pastoral world of dairy farming was familiar to him.

“Botis…”

“Personally, I don’t like that name very much.”

He turned his head toward the direction he sensed movement. Parting the grass with a long stick, the one who approached wore a large hood that covered their entire face.

The hood concealed not only their face but also the contours of their body, making it impossible to discern their gender.

Their voice, too, sounded husky, coming across as either a boy’s or a girl’s.

“You look too stiff. Call me Bo.”

“I don’t recall getting close enough with you to use nicknames.” 

“Then we can get close from now on.”

As expected, he was the madman of Bootes constellation. 

In the other hand without the wooden stick, he was dragging an object about the size of a person.

“…Jason.”

It was the one who had fled earlier.  

“Did you kill him?”

Botis snickered.

“No, he just fainted. I thought he made a cool exit, but I forcefully dragged him back.”

“No!”

He tossed the dragged Jason in front of Han Jae-jung.

“I didn’t faint!”

“Hahaha, this guy is quite a handful. You’ve met him once or twice before, so you know?”

Han Jae-jung nodded. The fallen Jason looked fine, contrary to expectations.

“This guy secretly stole a belt and even caused you trouble, so I brought him to apologize.”

“What I did was justified!”

“Jason, do you live alone in this world? You need to get along with others. Your actions may be hard for others to accept. You’re not even acquainted, so it’s normal for them to be flustered when you suddenly act friendly claiming to be comrades.”

He calmly admonished him like an older brother scolding a younger sibling.

“What’s more, immediately running away out of embarrassment, how could you do that? You’ve committed a great discourtesy. If you truly wish to make comrades, you must show consideration and manners.”

“…I see.”

Jason stood up and bowed his head.

“My apologies. I was blinded by elation and failed to consider my comrade’s feelings.”

“Well done, Jason.”

He patted Jason’s back encouragingly, then pushed him away by the shoulder.  

“You can go now.”

Jason’s body faded away and disappeared into the grassy world he was pushed into.

“He’s out of his mind. If you were going to send him away right after, why bring him here?”

“To make him realize his mistake. Even friends should properly express gratitude and apologies.”

“I’ve never been friends with that guy.”

“Then I’ll rephrase it as someone you’d like to be friends with.”

The voice from under the hood was cheerful like a child’s, but possessed an unchildlike calmness.

“Fine. So your goal was to make that guy apologize. If it’s resolved, I’d appreciate if you left my sight immediately.” 

“No, I have a separate goal. Specifically, to meet you today.”

“Something you can’t discuss anywhere else?”

“Yeah.”

Botis smiled.

“That’s my first goal. To trap you.”

Han Jae-jung froze.

“…What?”

“I was asked by a pitiful little lamb.”

Lamb – the term Botis uses to refer to villains.

“Lambs are bound to wander, so I must guide them.”

Botis swung his wooden stick.

“And I have my own separate goal as well.”

A fence appeared, encircling the green field.

“I wonder if you’re a lamb I must guide, or a wolf I must drive away.”

The villain who protects villains, he felt he was truly facing Botis.

It would be nice to live with other villains inside this fence for life.

Han Jae-jung clicked his tongue.

“So you want to find that out.”

“I too had something I wanted to confirm about you, so this works out well.”

He said that, but was inwardly anxious. If Botis was going out of his way to stop him, surely some villain had initiated activities.  

“You’ll have to tell me everything you know about the belt.”

“Ah, so that’s what you were curious about?”

Botis replied nonchalantly. He waved the wooden stick again, and a mat appeared in front of him.

“Fortunate. I was worried we’d end up fighting for no reason. Violence should only be used when necessary.”

On the mat was a wooden cup filled with fresh-looking milk. Botis naturally took off his shoes and sat down.

“Now, it’s time for a pleasant conversation.”

It would be easier to just fight and complete the task.

No time.

Han Jae-jung sat on the mat, suppressing his anxious feelings. 

The eyes hidden under the hood were calm.

‘Damn it…’

The way to escape the Goldilocks Zone is simple. Complete the task presented by the villain.

Defeating the villain who owns the Goldilocks Zone is another method, but… not recommended.

‘It’s foolish to fight the enemy on their home turf.’

It’s hard enough to gain the upper hand against a villain in a normal environment, let alone in an even more disadvantageous position.

The villain of the Bootes constellation is quite formidable.

A destroyer capable of deurbanizing most cities in the US and Russia, reverting civilization to a primitive state. 

He hasn’t even obtained the Big Dipper yet.

He must avoid engaging directly for now.  

His heart wants to charge in and wring the villain’s neck right away, but. 

He must endure.

Know fear.

Fear is hope.

Recklessly charging ahead without considering future consequences and current position is not courage, but recklessness.

“Who are you currently assisting?”

“Turtle. It’s it first activity today, so I’m watching it back.”

Fortunately, not an overly powerful villlain.  

Different from the Libra case.

Most villains don’t meticulously prepare to such an extent.

Outside, there’s the magical girl Blue Sirius. 

She should be able to stop most ordinary villains

Moreover, Red Vega is temporarily inactive.

Even for a magical girl, someone as crazy as her is rare, so they’ll likely lay low for a while.

He clenched his fist and looked at Botis. Was it right to risk his life here, or obtain information and postpone for another day? The latter was obviously correct.  

More importantly, there was information he wanted to obtain.

The task Botis presented now was ‘conversation’.  

Since he presented it, he should comply.

“Then what should I start with?”  

The needlessly friendly voice of the villain provoked annoyance.

*** 

Ippotranslation

***

Red Vega was reluctantly but obediently following the imposed rest order. 

Inside the break room of the Magical Girl Association, she was leisurely watching a movie on TV.

It was a typical classic superhero movie about a boy whose superpowers awaken one day and becomes a hero protecting the city. 

In the present day when numerous heroes already exist in reality, it has become an outdated relic with declining demand.

While novels occasionally feature such stories… It’s difficult to capture realism in video media.

While a niche audience for male superhero films persists, it’s hard to shed the minor image.

The reason she was watching something so obsolete was a matter of motivation.

“Look… Even here they doesn’t give up.”

A hero who doesn’t yield no matter the powerful enemy he faces and always gets back up. Even if fictional, that’s an admirable quality.

In fact, precisely because it’s fiction, she felt it was admirable for so clearly embodying human desires. 

It shows the ideal hero that people want.

“Still, we big sisters are better.”

Red Vega changed the video.  

Footage she’d seen countless times since childhood.

The battle between Sky Polaris and Hercules.

The supposedly only recorded second of their three total battles.

In that footage was a magical girl emitting a beautiful light between sky blue and silver – a truly celestial radiance.

Rushing the villain Hercules with a fist brimming with an enviable light.

Her straight punch struck that villain’s chest squarely.  

Soon after, a shockwave of light like a tsunami swept the area.

Unimaginable massive power from such a small physique.

“Damn… that’s it!”

An incomparably cool strike compared to the cheesy CG earlier. Red Vega aspired to such a strike.

The ultimate move she currently uses. 

Chinese pronunciation. With work.

This technique was an homage to Sky Polaris.

Her first and foundational technique, made with the desire to become a hero like her.

[Guardian… How many times have you watched that footage?]

“Well this footage needs to be viewed periodically. I still can’t believe it only has 3 billion views.”  

It deserves at least 8 billion views.

Having watched the footage until her eyes strained, repeating it over and over, she satisfied her motivation for today.  

“Ugh… Doing nothing makes me unqualified as a magical girl…”

[Guardian… why don’t you listen to your senior and go to school? Come to think of it, you haven’t studied…]

“No way. I don’t have a single close friend. Plus, if I went to school, just imagine how uneasy everyone would be? A magical girl casually attending class.”  

Of course, by now they’d all be busy with college entrance exam prep, which was unrelated to Red Vega. 

Her job involved far bigger life-or-death battles daily than the entrance exam, so why would not taking it matter? 

She’d already submitted her withdrawal too. Though it was a pity to waste her prior studytime, it couldn’t be helped.

She needed to catch villains during class hours.

“Arghhh, I want to be deployed already!!”  

-S-grade villain appeared in A12 District! Any available magical girls to deploy?!

At that moment, Unicorn’s urgent voice came over the speaker. Red Vega grinned and responded through her mascot.

“This is Red Vega! I’ll deploy immediately!!”

[Guardian?!]  

-R-Red Vega? You’re the only one? Seriously? Um… ughh…

Unicorn’s flustered voice was followed by a pensive tone.

“It’s okay! My injuries have all healed and I’ve sparred with Davi a few times so my combat sense is still sharp! I’m ready to deploy anytime!” Red Vega confidently replied.

-Ughh… Blue Sirius is gonna chew me out for this… But we’re shorthanded… Fine. Red Vega, retreat immediately if it gets too dangerous! Understood?!  

“Of course!” Answering vigorously, Red Vega immediately grabbed her mascot.  

“The crimson comet Red Vega will reappear in everyone’s hearts!”

Being quite close to the Magical Girl Association’s HQ, Red Vega’s deployment to District A was swift.  

“Red Vega, arriving! Rest easy now, sisters!”  

The Blue Sirius and Golden Aldebaran already responding looked quite flustered.

“Vega?! Why are you here?!”  

“That crazy Unicorn…”

They had heard reinforcements were coming but not that it was her.  

“Turn back at once! Trying to fight an S-grade your first time back is madness…”

Blue Sirius vehemently objected to her presence, but was cut off by an incoming attack.

What attacked Red Vega was a rolling turtle shell.  

The Turtle villain.  

Blue Sirius deftly created an ice slick underfoot to slide and evade the attack.

Regaining her composure, she shouted, “You still need time to recuperate your body and mind! Ah-hee you’ve got this under control, honest…”

However, the just-arrived Red Vega’s state seemed off.  

“…Ahhi?”

Unable to focus, appearing dazed. Her mascot too showed concern.

[Guardian?]  

‘Huh…?’

Her legs were shaking. Her fists loosened.

Something was wrong.  

This shouldn’t be happening, but something was wrong. 

‘The villain…’

This couldn’t happen, but something was amiss.  

‘Did it look that frightening?’  

It was undoubtedly fear.

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Anyways… Happy Reading!!!

/ippostranslations

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