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"Magical Punch and Magical Bloodfist...?"
Upon arriving home, she continued to search for information about Shin Hye-Rim, another magical girl like herself, intrigued by her unique fighting style.
After watching several of Shin Hye-Rim's past battle videos on YouTube, she understood the reason behind Shin Hye-Rim's peculiar nickname.
"It's because she resorts to punching regardless of the opponent, always ending up with criminal blood on her hands."
None of Shin Hye-Rim's fight videos exceeded five minutes, as she swiftly incapacitated her opponents.
The number of opponents didn't seem to faze her; within five minutes, she had subdued them all.
"I don't think she relies on physical enhancement magic."
Magical girls were a rarity, and among them, not using magic was unheard of.
Their modus operandi typically involved an array of spells to defeat foes. That's their greatest strength, and perhaps even their reason for existence.
"She doesn't even wield a magical staff."
From the moment a magical girl awakens, she is bestowed with a weapon that is unique to her.
A magic staff was an exclusive weapon for magical girls, enhancing their magical abilities and spellcasting speed. However, Shin Hye-Rim never used one.
Despite thorough online searches, there was no reference to her fighting style beyond bare-handed combat.
"That means she's holding back."
Jung Ha-Yeon, a fellow magical girl, knows what that means.
'I only need my fists to take you down.'
That seemed to sum up her approach.
"......I'd like to meet her."
While other heroes might flinch at the thought, Jung Ha-Yeon was genuinely intrigued.
Despite Shin Hye-Rim's youthful appearance, she instilled fear in others. The reason for this is simple: overwhelming power.
It was this unparalleled strength that made her a formidable defender against evil, embodying justice.
"She's the epitome of what a hero should be."
Yet, Jung Ha-Yeon wondered why Shin Hye-Rim wasn't officially recognized as a hero. Had she been, Jung Ha-Yeon could have had numerous opportunities to embark on heroic endeavors with her and learn from her.
To learn more about Shin Hye-Rim, Jung Ha-Yeon scoured the internet.
One site immediately caught her attention.
"...Awakened Criminal Division's Team Leader 5 fan cafe?"
Shin Hye-Rim's fan cafe. At that moment, her fingers moved instinctively.
The work of the prosecution team closely resembles that of the police force. When a crime occurs, they quickly rush to the scene to catch the perpetrator and handle the aftermath. That's their primary duty.
However, it's equally crucial to prevent future incidents. Therefore, regular patrols are conducted with each crime unit, and I, the team leader, do the same. Frankly, I'd prefer delegating these mundane tasks to my subordinates, but with a small department, I often find myself in the same position.
"Boring," I muttered under my breath, unable to shake off the tedium.
"You don't do anything when you're in the office anyway. Think of it as a leisurely stroll."
Lee So-Young, who was out on patrol with me, said something that I couldn't let pass.
"So-Young, don't accuse me of doing nothing. I have plenty of tasks. Yesterday, I spent the whole day concentrating and doing my job without wasting time."
"And that focused work of yours was building a 20-story card tower?"
"Are you dismissing the card tower? It's like a concentration exercise. You gotta do stuff like this beforehand, so when you're up against the Awakened, you can focus and fight like a pro."
"Sure, that's one way to put it."
I started stacking them on my desk, and by the time I finished, I had a card tower as tall as me.
I felt so proud of myself that I snapped a picture of it and set it as my KakaoTalk profile picture.
"I won't forget how you took my ice cream when you were annoyed that your tower collapsed yesterday."
"Yesterday's ice cream wasn't even worth 50,000 won."
"But you still stole someone else's dessert."
Looking at So-Young glaring at me, I felt a twinge of guilt. Yes, I had been stealing ice cream from her a lot lately.
"Are you sure it wasn't you who stole the ice cream from the office freezer?"
"That's really not me; ask the other folks."
"Aww, you guys are so mean. Eating other people's snacks like it's your right."
"I always tell you, So-Young, our office freezer is like the wild. You're the one who let the ice cream out in the open, so it's your fault for not taking care of it properly."
"......I'm working for the crime department, not joining a robbery gang, right?"
Seeing Lee So-Young's frown, I chuckled. "Alright, alright. You usually get us ice cream, so I'll treat you today."
I gave her a pat on the head and suggested we go to Baskin Robbins. She walked away with a big smile on her face.
Instead of being a teammate, I feel like I'm just babysitting her.
We continued our patrol while eating ice cream. Our patrol route travels across the bustling commercial district of Gangnam.
We do a few laps around the city and then head back to headquarters.
It's a casual patrol, so we just wear a T-shirt and jeans. We can keep an eye out for pickpockets and troublemakers along the way. You don't even have to be an Awakener to catch someone suspicious. It's just like being a police officer.
"Ever encountered a criminal during patrol?"
"I have, but Awakened individuals rarely cause trouble. It's mostly a bunch of thugs and drunkards."
"Ah, I see."
So-Young has only been with the department for a year, so her experience is still limited.
"That's reassuring. That means it's peaceful."
"Still, I'd love to catch a criminal on the spot while on patrol, just once. You know, like stumbling upon a wanted criminal in a convenience store and slapping the cuffs on them then and there! Sounds straight out of a movie, doesn't it?"
"You're quite earnest."
That sounds bothersome just thinking about it.
But that doesn't mean I don't get where she's coming from. Most people who join the department do it because they want to catch the worst criminals and protect the citizens.
I'm the odd one out here. Even though I know what lies ahead, I'm just trying to live an easy life.
"Chief, did you notice?"
"Notice what?"
"That we... or rather, you are gaining recognition in public. People are taking pictures of you."
"Yeah, I know."
I've noticed. I've grown accustomed to it. I'm somewhat recognizable to the public.
To be honest, I don't want to be famous. As a public servant, I must uphold a certain image, especially while on patrol. If I were to appear disengaged, even momentarily, it could lead to complaints or scrutiny.
I might end up receiving a complaint for sitting on a park bench and dozing off. Comments like, 'Isn't this a department employee? It's still work time, and you're on patrol; I didn't realize patrol meant sleeping.'
Am I speaking from experience? You bet I am. I had to endure a 30-minute lecture from the chief that day.
Actually, right now, it's a little dangerous to walk around eating ice cream like this. Being spotted by someone could lead to questions about my commitment to duty.
"Should we finish the ice cream quickly? The stares are making me uncomfortable."
"Don't bother. Ignore them. It's not worth the hassle."
So-Young seemed to be really bothered, so she tried to shove the rest of the half-remaining ice cream in her mouth at once.
Despite our casual snack break, we remain vigilant. We're not as rigid as soldiers, and even the chief overlooks minor complaints like these.
"We should consider disguises next time—wigs and sunglasses," I mused, lamenting my lack of anonymity.
This is why it's bad that I'm well known. I'm supposed to go on civil patrols without anyone knowing my identity, but people already know me too well.
"I'm still jealous of you, though. You're not famous in a negative way, and people seem to adore you."
"I wish people would just stay out of my business."
Please suck up to the protagonist party, not me. They're way cooler. I guess it's too early for that, considering the story hasn't progressed much yet.
Give it a few more years, and people will be too busy sucking up to our protagonist's harem party to bother with me.
"E-excuse me, you're Team Leader 5 from the Awakener Crime Division, right? I'm a fan; can I get a picture with you?" A high school girl who had been secretly taking pictures of me from a distance mustered up the courage to come up to me; her excitement was palpable.
So until then, I'll just have to live with it.
It's not common, but occasionally, people request such fan interactions. I'm uncertain if I have any true fans, but if they like me, what else can I do? Sigh!
"Of course, that's fine."
"Kyaaa! Thank you! I've been a fan of yours forever! I loved how you caught the bank robber the other day!"
"Ha... haha, I'm glad you liked it."
I chuckled awkwardly and shifted my gaze to her cell phone camera, which she had switched to selfie mode. I thought all I needed was to get a picture of me smiling with this high school girl.
"Um... could you extend your fist for the camera?"
"Fist?"
"Yes! I want to take a picture of the two of us in a punching pose!"
Sure, why not? It's a simple enough request.
After posing for the camera together in a punching stance, the high school girl bowed her head in delight.
"Thank you so much! I love it!"
"It's always a pleasure to make someone happy."
I smiled and waved, and the high school girl exclaimed, "Yessss!" and ran off.
"You're the best, Team Leader. That's the life of a popular person, I suppose."
"Don't tease me."
"I'm just really envious."
"Being famous doesn't help people like us. It's more exhausting than anything."
"Look on the bright side; maybe someone will be inspired to join our department because of you."
"Hmm, I guess that's not a bad thing?"
Given our department's small size, any additional support would be greatly appreciated, regardless of the motivation behind it.
"I was one of those people."
"What?"
"One of the reasons I applied for this job was because of you. You always seemed so cool."
"I had no idea."
"That's because I never told you."
It was astonishing to learn that I had played a role in So-Young's decision to join our department. The realization left me speechless for a moment.
"Do you remember the department store bombing in Gangneung three years ago?"
"Of course I do."
It was my first real mission after joining the department: about 20 Awakened individuals attacked a department store and took hostages.
"I was one of those terrorists' hostages."
"You were?"
"Yes. So I saw the team leader beat the crap out of those terrorists up close."
It took only four minutes to safely withdraw the hostages and subdue the terrorists. The chief regarded me as an angel from heaven, saying that no rookie could have achieved such a feat.
Even though we now view each other as enemies.
"You saved my life, and you were so cool that I decided to join the department. Who knows if there's another one like me?"
"That makes me feel better again. But if you admire me so much, why don't you give me your favorite ice cream for free every day?"
"Uh, rather than respect, now I'm just scared of you, so I'll refuse! Ouch!" So-Young exclaimed as I playfully slapped her on the head.
"If you're complimenting someone, do it until the end. That's my advice for social life."
"Waaah... You're so mean."
After disposing of our ice cream cups, we resumed our patrol. As we walked through the city, I asked So-Young about our remaining patrol time.
"How much time do we have left on our patrol?"
"About an hour left. Hang in there."
"Okay. Let's take a brisk walk and head ten minutes early."
Awakeners rarely cause trouble in broad daylight, so there's no harm in shortening the patrol tim-
"Kyaaaaaaaa!!!"
...is what I thought, but then I heard a woman scream.
"Let's go."
"Yes!"
I don't know what's going on, but it's possible that something has happened. I ran toward the direction of the scream and found a man and a woman.
"What's going on...... Hmm?"
I was about to ask the woman who screamed what was going on, but I was left speechless. They may not know me, but I know them.
The man is tall and fairly handsome, while the woman has blue hair and is quite an eye-catcher. The man was Shin Chul-Min, the protagonist of this manga, and the woman was Baek Shin-Hwa, one of the heroines.
I remembered what happened in this situation as well.
"This is Lee So-Young from the Awakener Crime Division on patrol. Can I help you?"
"Y-you guys are from the Crime Division? This man suddenly touched my chest!" Baek Shin-Hwa exclaimed.
"It's a misunderstanding; it was just an accident as I tried to get up!" Shin Chul-Min defended himself.
This encounter between Shin Chul-Min and Baek Shin-Hwa was a pivotal moment in their story. As a fan of the manga, I remembered it vividly.
This is Shin Chul-Min's first encounter with Baek Shin-Hwa. He was on his way to the Hero Association to register as a hero when he tripped over a rock and fell forward, accidentally grabbing Baek Shin-Hwa's chest as she passed by.
"That was a pretty tight squeeze for something like that!"
"I panicked, so I couldn't help it!" Shin Chul-Min explained.
Very tightly, indeed.
This kind of scenario was typical in harem manga, serving as fan service for readers. When I was merely a fan, I enjoyed it without a second thought. But encountering them in real life as a government employee was a different story.
"Sigh, damn it."
It's really annoying.