“Haaah….”
Returning to the base, The Man let out a profound sigh, as if the very ground beneath him would collapse.
He cast his gaze downward, inspecting his own body.
Where once there had been no discernible muscle, now subtle sinews were visible.
It was undeniable; he was far stronger than before.
Power surged through every fiber of his being, an overflowing might that made him feel as though a single punch could shatter a wall.
Was this the strength of a hero?
It seemed The Boss and The Doctor hadn’t lied when they claimed that neutralizing a woman—or rather, incapacitating her—would allow him to absorb her power.
Yet, despite this boundless physical vigor, his mind felt incredibly weary.
His thoughts were muddled, and his legs felt weak beneath him.
“…Tch.”
Dragging his sluggish body, he stopped before the laboratory door and knocked.
A distinctive electronic *beep* sounded, and the door slid open.
And inside, there was…
“Beep-boop-beep-boop.”
“…What is that now?”
The Doctor stood there, a bizarre, blue device affixed over one of her eyes.
Her lips curved into a mischievous grin, like a playful imp, as she watched him, emitting those enigmatic sounds.
“Oh, your combat power has increased! You’ve definitely grown stronger. You did well!”
The Doctor’s voice was theatrically exaggerated, as if she were an actress on a stage.
She then dramatically threw both hands into the air, declaring…
“Congratulations on your first experience! Pa-bam-pa-bam…!”
…She clapped her hands wildly, making sound effects with her mouth.
Finally, she flapped her arms up and down, exclaiming,
“Mob-kun (TL Note: A nickname often used for generic, weak characters in games or anime, here used sarcastically by The Doctor) has leveled up!”
Watching The Doctor’s antics, The Man felt as though his very life force was being drained.
His eyelids were already heavy, and his head throbbed, but The Doctor’s playful tone and expression seemed to mock him, stirring a faint irritation.
Perhaps because of this, his words came out sharper than intended.
“What are you talking about?”
“Eh? Why are you so on edge, Mob-kun? Don’t you feel stronger…?”
The Doctor tilted her head, questioning him.
“A little,” he admitted.
“Right…?”
“Yes.”
The Doctor scanned his dazed form from head to toe.
“You look pretty haggard… Ah, but I suppose that’s to be expected after you’ve… finished.”
She murmured the last words under her breath, glancing furtively at a clock.
Then, a smirk, incredibly infuriating, played on The Doctor’s lips.
“Anyway, you’re back rather quickly. …You’re more of a premature ejaculator (TL Note: A crude term implying someone finishes quickly, used here to tease The Man) than I thought, Mob-kun…”
“…”
A muscle twitched in his brow.
A deep furrow appeared between The Man’s eyebrows.
Yet, The Doctor, with her characteristic impertinence, continued the conversation.
“…How was it…?”
“What are you talking about?”
His reply was short and irritable.
“Oh, don’t pretend you don’t know. Heheheh…”
The Doctor’s laughter grated on his ears.
Finally, The Man, unable to tolerate it any longer, scowled deeply and strode into his own room.
“I’m going in. Don’t talk to me.”
*CRASH!*
Even though the door slammed shut, The Doctor’s voice, thinly seeping through what must have been poor soundproofing, did not cease.
“Is he having Sage Time (TL Note: A Korean slang term, ‘hyeonja taim,’ referring to a moment of post-clarity or disillusionment after an intense experience)? He’s so ill-tempered. What a fussy one… Pfft.”
At those words, which seemed to echo relentlessly in his ears, The Man’s expression slowly soured.
“Haaah…”
He sighed, attempting to quell his anger, but a fresh surge of indignation sent him sprawling onto the bed.
He stared blankly at the ceiling, his thoughts continuing to churn.
Why?
Today, everything had been a success.
He had finally concluded one act of vengeance.
He had brought down the damned hypocrite hiding behind that mask, dragging their proud sense of justice and baseless confidence into the dirt.
He had avenged himself by perfectly recreating that day, the day his parents had been helplessly toyed with by those super-powered individuals.
It had been perfect.
Yet, for some reason, the sense of relief was fleeting.
Soon, a suffocating tightness filled a corner of his chest, as if it were completely blocked.
It was truly strange.
Today, he had even absorbed the power of that damned bastard.
He had become incomparably stronger than before.
Considering only the outcome, there should have been no better day, yet, what was this…?
What was the true nature of this inexplicable tightness that kept constricting his chest?
Was it because there were still others left to be punished?
No.
While it was true that many remained, it was also true that he had successfully taken the first step.
Unable to find an answer, he angrily slammed his fist onto the bed.
*Whoosh…*
As the mattress yielded softly, a subtle, milky scent wafted up from within—The Doctor’s distinctive natural aroma.
“…”
*Slap!*
He sharply slapped his own cheek.
It was as if he were trying to cut off the useless thoughts before they could fully surface and take root.
Just then, the door creaked open.
A short, stubby figure came into view.
A white lab coat filled his vision.
It was The Doctor.
“What was that sound just now? Is everything all right…?”
In that instant, the milky scent intensified, spreading thickly.
The aroma instantly ignited his irritation.
“I told you not to talk to me! What gives you the right to just barge in? Get out!”
“Eh?”
The Doctor shrugged, then slowly closed the door.
“Haaah…”
Just as The Man tried to calm his rage and steady his breathing…
*Creak.* The door opened once more.
“Are you really sure nothing’s wrong…?”
“I said get out!”
The door closed again.
A soft, yet comforting, milky afterimage lingered in the air where she had stood.
To ward off the scent, The Man placed a hand over his forehead and slowly closed his eyes.
Could it be because of The Doctor?
Even when he tried not to think about it, was it that subtle milky aroma that kept brushing against his nose?
He felt strangely intoxicated by that scent.
Even after perfectly executing his revenge, the lingering unsettled feeling might, perhaps, all be The Doctor’s fault.
His heart kept wavering.
He didn’t know what or why it wavered, but he had a distinct feeling that The Doctor was its source.
She teased others with every word, and seized every opportunity to drop a lewd joke.
Her unguarded demeanor, as if she had forgotten the simple fact that she was a woman.
Those aspects of her…
Were they unpleasant? Stressful?
No. It was something else entirely.
He couldn’t quite grasp what that reason was.
“Haaah,” he exhaled.
The Man let out a heavy sigh, then shifted his gaze to his hand.
As he unclenched his fist, the cold, heavy touch of metal met his palm.
Within it lay The Doctor’s invention, which he had retrieved after using it.
It was the restraint device that had, in an instant, bound even the hero who boasted overwhelming power.
‘If I just used this…’
‘One more time.’
‘That infuriating face… I could teach her a real lesson (TL Note: A Korean slang term, ‘chamgyoyuk,’ meaning to ‘teach someone a harsh lesson’ or ‘put them in their place’) in one go…’
Just as the thought began to push further.
‘No, no.’
Pressing a hand to his forehead, he shook his head vigorously.
‘What am I thinking?’
The Doctor had saved him.
She had provided him with a safe place to eat and sleep.
He couldn’t allow himself to be swept away by a momentary emotion and commit such an ungrateful, disloyal act.
Just then, light footsteps echoed from outside the room.
Followed by a voice brimming with playfulness.
“Mooob-kuuun…”
The door abruptly swung open.
Startled, The Man hastily shoved the invention beneath his blanket.
“Wh-what?! I told you not to come in!”
The Doctor feigned innocence, waving a hand dismissively.
“I’m sorry about that, but it’s almost time to eat, you see~”
Then, her eyes curved slightly, and she put on that uniquely infuriating expression of hers.
“Oh, were you perhaps doing something… by yourself?”
The Doctor’s voice, as she spoke, was laced with abundant mischief.
She tilted her head slightly, a teasing smile playing on her lips.
“In that case, I apologize for interrupting you…”
She trailed off, slowly backing away.
The Man, utterly dumbfounded, widened his eyes.
“I wasn’t!”
He shouted, exasperated.
But The Doctor still snickered.
Wearing that infuriating expression, she tapped her fingertip against her lips.
“There’s no need to be shy. This Doctor knows everything, you see…”
She replied with the same playful tone.
Her demeanor seemed calculated to deliberately fray his patience, and The Man’s voice, without him realizing, had become sharp and strained.
“What exactly do you know?!”
Inwardly, he wanted to shout, ‘Did you know I would do something like this?!’ and throw the invention hidden under his bed right at The Doctor’s face. But he forcefully restrained himself.
“It’s fine. Finish what you were doing and then come out…”
“No. I’m leaving now.”
The Man sprang up, his face a mask of deep displeasure.
“Heeh, already finished? As expected, you’re a pre…”
“I said be quiet!”
At his furious yell, The Doctor merely giggled, her face still beaming, and turned her back.
“Pffft.”
Watching her retreating figure, The Man’s eyes narrowed slowly.
If he just reached out his hand now, he could retrieve the invention and hurl it.
Then that arrogant, relaxed smile would vanish, replaced by the sight of The Doctor struggling helplessly before him.
Her face would surely contort in distress.
As she realized her own body was weak and full of vulnerabilities.
“…”
‘No. What am I thinking again?’
The Man shook his head fiercely.
‘That would be completely crossing the line.’
‘Why do these strange thoughts keep occurring to me?’
It was precisely then, as The Man pondered this mystery.
The Doctor, who had been walking ahead, suddenly stopped, turned, and tilted her head significantly.
“…What’s wrong?”
Her expression seemed innocent as she asked, but a playful glint once again danced around her lips.
Then, taking another step closer,
“Ah, were you perhaps thinking something… lewd?”
She lowered her head slightly and raised her voice in a teasing tone.
At her words, The Man’s hand involuntarily twitched.
The Doctor immediately curved her lips upward, letting out a series of giggles.
As if relishing his reaction, she narrowed her eyes and laughed once more.
“…Haaah.”
The Man let out a long breath, unconsciously clenching his hand tightly.
‘That… that insolent woman…’
