Chapter 84.
———-
The child loved toys.
However,
They only loved toys.
The child had no money to buy them.
The child loved toys.
But,
There was not a single thing in the child’s hands that could be called a toy.
The child loved toys so much.
The child truly wanted toys. So, the child thought.
“It’s time to wake up from this dream.”
Hiding their small bodies in the darkness.
Avoiding the shadows of adults.
Closing their eyes, curling up their small body, and falling into sleep.
To wake from the dream called reality.
To return to the reality called a dream.
To go to a world where they could touch the toys they wanted without limit.
They closed their eyes that reflected the illusory world, and even the heart that raced to live in that false world stopped.
So that they would never open their eyes to the nightmare called reality again.
The child closed their eyes.
With a bright smile lingering on their lips.
Dreaming a dream they would never wake from.
That was what they wished for.
———-
*****
The moment I saw the black ink puddle spreading widely across the floor beneath me.
“It finally worked!”
A way to break through this situation had appeared.
As expected, there’s no rule saying I have to die.
Bubble, bubble.
As I stared at the ink puddle that suddenly began to boil, my gaze fixed on it as if it were about to spit something out.
Splat!
!
The ink puddle really did spit something out.
Snatch.
The instant I caught whatever leaped out of the puddle with both hands.
The first sensation transmitted to my palms was.
Soft.
……?
Soft?
It was a soft texture.
Something with a softness I had never felt before in my life.
At least the texture was really nice.
My gaze immediately turned toward the thing clutched in my hands.
What I found there was.
A pillow made of silky, snow-white fabric.
An incredibly soft pillow.
……A pillow?
A pillow so soft that sleeping on it would guarantee deep slumber was now in my grasp.
And right now.
With this unbelievably soft pillow…
Flash!
I had to block the blinding light soaring toward me, with enough force to erase my very existence without a trace.
No shield.
No weapon.
No armor.
Not even an item that could be called a solution to this situation.
With just this single pillow in my hands.
I had to stop that overwhelmingly destructive attack.
Flash!
The light, threatening to wipe me from this world, was now only.
One second away.
!!
“Are you kidding me?!”
It was too late to dodge.
The only thought racing through my mind right now was.
Swish!
That I had to block this attack with whatever I was holding.
Of course, it wasn’t the wrong decision.
It’s just that what I raised to block it was.
An ordinary pillow you’d find in any household.
Thud.
I felt the light pierce into the pillow, and in that instant, I sensed my impending death.
Obviously.
There’s no way a mere pillow could stop such an overwhelmingly destructive attack.
…It’s over.
…….
…….
?
Huh?
I’m still… alive?
I felt no pain.
But I definitely sensed the slight touch of the light against the pillow.
Even though I should already be coughing up blood, I was still standing here on my own two feet.
My gaze turned to the pillow in my hands.
Contrary to my expectations.
The pillow was completely unharmed.
Stunned by its pristine condition, my eyes quickly darted to my own body.
Was there a gaping hole in my chest? I frantically checked myself.
And my body was…
“…Perfectly fine?”
Perfectly fine.
I lowered the pillow and checked my surroundings.
But there was no trace of the hole that should have been blasted through by the light that had been hurtling toward me just moments ago.
…….
“What the hell?”
I lacked information.
But the panicked voice of Seo Eun-bom, who had launched the attack at me, filled in the missing pieces.
“Huh… huh? Did you dodge it again? Wh-what do I do?”
Seo Eun-bom was flustered.
Which meant.
I had just.
Blocked Seo Eun-bom’s attack.
Who?
Me?
As my mind flooded with questions, my gaze inevitably turned.
To the pillow in my hands.
“No way… Did this pillow block it?”
This ordinary-looking pillow?
It blocked Seo Eun-bom’s attack?
…For real?
It wasn’t just a simple pillow after all.
I stared intently at the pillow clutched in my hand.
Crack.
I can do this.
I was certain I could survive and escape this place.
With this pillow, I could buy time.
And before long, this space, now without its source of horror, would collapse.
I just had to hold out until then.
I didn’t know how many more of Seo Eun-bom’s attacks this pillow could block.
But if it could block them at all.
That alone halved my worries.
As for my other concerns…
The remaining duration of the mass-produced hero’s power, perhaps?
Fortunately, I didn’t feel any hunger yet. But that didn’t mean I could relax.
Right now, I had to move as fast as possible.
I must create an environment where this mask can be taken off.
To create that environment…
‘A one-on-one face-to-face meeting should do the trick.’
In one swift motion, I pushed off the ground with my legs.
I leaped high into the air.
My target was the sniper point of that woman, Seo Eun-bom.
Flash!
!
Seo Eun-bom’s attack came again.
‘That item is seriously broken!’
Just the fact that she could spam a mass-destruction item like that was enough to call it a cheat-tier item.
Once again, as the attack shot toward me at terrifying speed, I thrust out our max-level pillow, imbued with ‘Unshakable Serenity,’ in its direction.
Thud.
With another sensation of the pillow absorbing the impact…
It really worked.
The flash of light flying toward me vanished in an instant.
‘……This pillow is just as much of a cheat item as hers.’
This pillow, too, seemed to be an excessively overpowered item.
If I had my way, I’d keep it by my side for the rest of my life.
But right now…
A sincere conversation with Department Head Seo Eun-bom takes priority.
Lightly.
As I landed, my gaze fell upon a woman in a gray long jacket, her disheveled long hair draped over the floor.
She was aiming a massive anti-materiel sniper rifle, one that looked easily twice her size, directly at me.
This woman was none other than ‘Team Z Department Head Seo Eun-bom’ herself.
“…….”
As I arrived, I also noticed the employees who had first met me here.
Thud.
!!
Scattered across the floor were the bodies of our three bear-like comrades.
Crack.
This was Seo Eun-bom’s doing.
A horrific sight, as if something sharp had torn through them in an instant.
…Twitch.
There were still faint signs of movement.
It seemed my choice to come here wasn’t wrong.
I steadied my breathing.
Calming my voice, I spoke.
“Is this how y.”
Click.
!!
Flash!
Through the long barrel of the gun, a blinding light erupted from the muzzle the moment it entered my vision.
‘This crazy woman!’
Seo Eun-bom.
She pulled the trigger on me at point-blank range.
She’s insane.
She fired without hesitation, knowing full well her own employees would be caught in the crossfire.
Instinctively, I raised the pillow toward the incoming flash.
Thump.
With the sensation against my palm…
Snap!
Seo Eun-bom kicked off the ground.
In an instant, she closed the distance, now right in front of me, and drew an axe from her waist. The blade swung straight for my neck.
Clack.
!!
I caught her wrist in midair.
I knew.
This reaction speed was absurd.
It was only possible because of the physical abilities granted by the ‘Mass-Produced Hero’ I was currently using.
Otherwise, I would’ve.
Died.
My head would’ve been cleaved off by Seo Eun-bom’s axe, rolling across the floor.
And now…
Seo Eun-bom, who had tried to kill me multiple times, stood right before me.
Grind.
My teeth clenched.
But,
The voice that left my lips carried a calm, amused tone.
Now wasn’t the time to let personal emotions take over.
As always…
I forced a smile.
“Is this… the welcoming gesture of the agency? Quite a one-sided way to greet someone.”
“……We.”
“Hm?”
“Th… thank you for not killing our incompetent employees.”
?
Seo Eun-bom.
She suddenly thanked me.
And then, an apology followed.
“So… I’ll apologize in advance. I’ve decided… to kill you here. You’re… far too dangerous.”
“…I’ll take that as a compliment.”
She really was a one-woman show.
Crunch.
The grip on her axe tightened.
As expected…
The warning I gave Joo-i wasn’t enough.
This is annoying.
If Department Heads keep attacking me like this, I’ll be in trouble too.
So.
This time, I needed to make my warning clear.
Suppressing my emotions as much as possible, I forced a playful tone and leaned closer, staring straight into her eyes.
“But this works out. I also had something to say to you. Especially to someone of your rank… Department Head Seo Eun-bom.”
“!!……How. Do you know my name?”
Shock surfaced on Seo Eun-bom’s face.
Yes, that expression…
Exactly what I wanted.
‘Keep doubting, Seo Eun-bom.’
I continued leading the conversation.
“I’ll consider this a ‘mistake.’ Misunderstandings happen all the time between strangers.”
Squeeze.
I tightened my grip on her arm.
“But if it happens a second time… I’ll take it as intentional. Repeated mistakes can only mean there’s a hidden motive.”
“…….”
Seo Eun-bom’s expression turned icy.
Matching her, my tone grew colder.
“And I always return what I receive.”
Whoosh.
!
I yanked her arm upward and threw her with all my strength.
“Now we’re even.”
A bit of retaliation and slight payback for what she did to our bear trio.
Seo Eun-bom, flung at high speed, crashed into a pile of scattered toys.
Bang!
With a deafening noise, she disappeared into the heap.
……Sh-she’s not dead, right?
A belated worry crossed my mind.
Rustle.
A faint movement from within the pile caught my eye.
Luckily, she seemed alive.
With nothing left to do here, I quickly gathered our fallen bear comrades and leaped away.
This should suffice.
This time, I delivered a clear warning to an Department Head like Seo Eun-bom.
With a warning of this level, I was sure she wouldn’t dare touch me for a while.
Once I confirmed enough distance between us, I slowly raised my palm to my face.
Slip.
The white mask, ‘Mass-Produced Hero,’ finally came off.
Still, it’s a relief.
Even though I’d worn it for well over a minute, I felt no adverse effects.
‘Really lucky.’
Shake.
Soon after, the ground beneath me trembled.
Click!
With a familiar sound of lighting…
I had successfully returned.
Safe and sound.
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