Chapter 123: Born Again - Part 2

First, Okoye was blown away.
Next, the glassware in the shop shattered.
And then, the ringing in my ears...

Ulysses Klaue’s right arm, his Vibranium weapon... it’s sonic.
It vibrates the air and generates shockwaves.

That right arm of his is a Sonic Blaster.
And not just any blaster—it's a custom Vibranium model. The property of absorbing impact means it can absorb vibrations and convert them into directional sound waves. That allows the wielder to fire it at full output without any reflection onto themselves.

In that instant, I shielded Shuri—

—and was blown away.

A moment later... the sound of something breaking reached my ears.
My bones.
Because I shielded Shuri, I couldn’t break my fall and slammed into the wall.

"Urgh—ghhhk!"

Blood spurted from my mouth as I hit the ground.
Shuri was—

"Wh-wait, Michelle!?"

Safe, it seemed.

I checked myself internally.
Damage across multiple organs.
Minor injury to my spine, fractures in my ribs.

...I directed focus into my healing factor, forcing the regeneration forward.
Estimated time until full recovery... about five minutes.

Should I think of that as short? Or... in this moment, far too long?
Probably the latter.

I lifted my eyes.
The store was wrecked beyond recognition.
Accessories scattered everywhere, glass reduced to powder finer than dust.

And amidst the fragments still drifting through the air... Okoye was standing.

She had taken the blast from the Sonic Blaster at even closer range than I had—yet she still stood.
But her body was covered in wounds, her crimson armor stained with fresh blood.

Unable to bear it, Shuri leaned forward.

"Okoye!"

"I'm fine! The Dora Milaje does not lose to the likes of him!"

Bloodied, Okoye raised her spear again.
Facing her—Ulysses Klaue.

He wore a crooked smile.

"Well, well... still spry, are we? Your insides must be a mess already."

"And what of it!? Before the pride of Wakanda, such things mean nothing!"

Okoye swung her spear.
But once again... it passed right through Klaue’s body.

I saw it—the moment it touched him, his body turned into red static, like noise.

No way—

"...A sonic human?"

"Hm? Oh, you’re a clever girl, aren’t you?"

Ulysses Klaue.
His own words confirmed it—the suspicion became certainty.

Klaue turned his gaze toward Shuri.

"Back when I lost my arm fighting the Panther, I jumped into the Sonic Converter to escape. A device that transforms sound into matter. The effect reversed, and as a result—"

He raised his hand, turning into that red static again.
Like a hologram floating in midair.

"I became living sound itself."

"That’s... scientifically impossible."

Shuri stared at him in horrified disbelief.
Under her gaze, Klaue scratched his cheek.

"Impossible or not, here I am. The only thing that matters is the result. I became a living sound-being... able to vanish my body whenever I please. That’s the fact."

As he finished, Klaue’s entire form dissolved into red static—and vanished.

The static reappeared... behind Okoye.

"Okoye, behind you!"

In the next instant, Klaue materialized behind her.
No longer a man’s shape—his body was a monster, crimson-skinned, vaguely human at best.

Okoye reacted to the warning and swung her spear backward.

『You don’t learn, do you—』

The spear passed through him again, striking only the wall.

"Tch!"

Okoye retreated a step, trying to evade.
But Klaue aimed his right-arm Sonic Blaster at her.

『Wonder if death can cure stupidity?』

In that instant, the blaster fired—

—but his arm jerked upward.

『What the—?』

Okoye had used her spear to hook it, then kicked it up.

A deafening KA-WHAM! shook the shop.

The sonic blast struck the ceiling, shattering beams and sending splinters flying.
The ceiling above Okoye gave way, rubble crashing down on her.

"Okoye!"

Already battered, she couldn’t evade, and was buried under the debris.
Shuri stared at the rubble, frozen in shock.

『Hmph... impressive for a moment, but all for nothing.』

There was no time to grieve.
Klaue’s gaze shifted toward the desk where we hid.

I—

"Shuri, please. Stay hidden."

"...Eh?"

I pushed her behind the desk and rose to my feet.
I couldn’t afford polite tones anymore.

With the spear I’d taken from an enemy, I stepped out from cover.
I had to draw Klaue’s aim away from Shuri.

『Oh? So now it’s your turn, girl?』

The Sonic Blaster trained on me.
I silently leveled the spear.

...It wasn’t hopeless.
Earlier, Okoye had touched Klaue for a split second.
When he fired his Sonic Blast... in that instant, he couldn’t transform into sound. He had to remain physical to interact with the weapon.

Okoye had shown me that truth, at the cost of her battered body.
...I’d have to save her later.
The captain of the Dora Milaje wouldn’t die from something like that.

For now, she was likely unconscious under the rubble... I just had to defeat this monster and dig her out.

『Courage confused with recklessness. People like you always die young.』

"...That’s you, not me."

『Heh, bold words. You’re one cocky brat... but you’ll regret it when you’re dead.』

The Sonic Blaster rose—

I kicked off the ground, closing the distance.
Keeping low, sliding along the floor.

The blast fired—but I dodged at close range, slipping under it.

『Huh!?』

Klaue knew Okoye.
He knew she was the Dora Milaje’s captain.
That’s why he fought her cautiously.

But with me... his guard was down.
He didn’t know who I was, and to him, I didn’t look like a warrior at all.

I seized the opening.

The fight would be decided in an instant—this one strike.
And I won that gamble.

His lazy aim, his shock at the unexpected.
Klaue was a moment too slow.

I closed in... and slashed with the spear.

『Gu—gahhh!?』

There was impact.

But shallow.

Klaue staggered back, turned to static again... and retreated to a distance.

『Damn it... what the hell are you...? You’re no ordinary brat!』

I messed up.
I messed up, I messed up, I messed up!

His guard was up now.
There would be no careless attacks.
No chance to counter.

...Without realizing it, I’d pulled my strike.
A lapse born of peace.
I’d feared hurting him.

On the battlefield, that kindness... no, that softness is fatal.

I can understand when the strong hold back against the weak.
But someone like me—the weak—holding back against someone stronger?

If I truly want to protect what matters, I need the resolve to hurt my enemy.
And I, Michelle... didn’t have it.

I tightened my grip on the spear and raised it again.

『Whoops! I won’t be getting close to you anymore.』

Klaue aimed his right-arm Sonic Blaster.

『Just thought of something better... a perfect way to kill you for sure.』

And at the end of that line of fire... was the desk where Shuri hid.

"...Shuri!"

『Go ahead, try and protect her.』

I leapt to block the shot—
—and the impact tore through me.

◇◆◇

『Why are you fighting?』

Because... I have to protect her.

『She’s not even a close friend. Why risk your life?』

Even so, I have to help her.

『Why?』

Because if I don’t... I won’t be able to forgive myself.
To believe, deep down, that it’s okay for me to be alive... I have to become someone worthy of everyone’s kindness.

『...You still can’t throw away your past, can you?』

I can’t.
I already know that.
My own failings, everything I’ve done.
The crimes I committed, the punishment I’ll never receive.

...But.

The past isn’t only evil.

『Why? You always wanted to throw it away... your past as Red Cap.』

Until now, yes.

But I’ve finally realized.

That was me.
The past doesn’t vanish.
I can’t throw it away.

If so, then I’ll embrace it.

If there is a Michelle who needs the killer I was—Red Cap—the skill, the mindset, the strength...

...then I’ll use it.
Because that past I can’t discard is still part of me.

I won’t abandon my true self.
If it’s what I need to live... I won’t look away anymore.

My present, my past, my future—
they’re all me.

I won’t run.

I’ll accept it... and fight.

I’ll bind past and present, and fight for the future.

That’s... what I, myself, for myself... can do.

---

From a swirling darkness, I woke.

"Khahh—gghk!"

I spat blood.
Pain surged through my organs and bones.

"Ughhh..."

Through blurred vision, I saw Shuri being loaded into an armored vehicle.

Get up. Get up. Get up!

The car drove off.
My legs... still wouldn’t move.

I forced my healing factor to its limit.

"Haaahh—haaahh..."

My hand brushed something on the ground.
...A silicone mask.

Spider-Man’s mask.

I picked it up and pulled it over my face.
Still lying on my back on the ground.

"Hhhahh... haaahh...!"

My vision narrowed.
Breathing grew harder.

But... this felt right.
The startup routine of “me.”
The gear for battle.

"Ughhh...!"

I awakened it.

Sharpened it.

Flipped the switch inside my heart.

I closed my eyes.

Red Cap died back then... when the bomb in my chest went off.

But I lived again.
I was reborn.

A long time had passed, but my skills hadn’t rusted.
Neither had my resolve.

Before, I was nothing more than a soldier following the orders of the organization.
But now, the one giving the orders… is me.

I, Michelle, think.
I, Redcap, fight.
That’s enough.

I opened my eyes wide and sprang to my feet.

My organs were still badly damaged.
My bones hadn’t fully mended.

Agonizing pain gnawed at my body.

So what?

It had always been this way.
No matter how broken my body became, I kept fighting.

Yes.
Now, more than ever, I needed that resolve and endurance.

I reached for the spear at my feet.
Its shaft had snapped, leaving only a fragment attached to the head.

All the better.

I gripped the shortened spear—it was practically a knife now.
This was something I was more accustomed to.

Kicking aside rubble, I dug Okoye out.
All while forcing my healing factor to run at full power inside me.

"Khahh…! Guhh, cough…!"

Okoye’s face appeared as she hacked and wheezed.
I grabbed her arm and dragged her out by force.

"Mi… Michelle…? Shu, Shuri… where is…"

"She was taken by Ulysses Klaue."

My curt reply made Okoye’s face twist up in anger.

"We have… to help…"

But her body had already reached its limit.
Her bones were broken, her organs gravely wounded.

I tapped her shoulder and stepped back.

"It’s fine. I’ll go and get her."

"…You, what are you—"

She eyed me warily through the mask I wore.

"The injured should stay down. You’d only slow me down."

I made my tone harsher than usual and turned my back to her.
If I didn’t say it like this, she would force herself to move… and without a healing factor, it could cost her life.
Shuri would never want that.

Even as I felt her confusion behind me, I moved my recovering limbs and bolted out of the half-ruined shop.

This was a wide, sloping street in New York City.
The armored car was racing downhill.

…Immediately, I sliced the door off a wrecked car parked in front of the store.
Planting one foot on the severed door, I kicked off the ground.

Sparks scattered as I slid across the asphalt.
Like a surfer, riding the sea of concrete.

Downhill, I’d catch up faster than the vehicle.

I lowered my body, cut down the drag, and kicked the ground with the shortened spear—no, with my knife.

I accelerated further… closing in on the armored car.

The hatch on top opened, and Klaue’s mercenaries popped their heads out.
One had an assault rifle… what, they planned to fire that in the middle of New York City?

Not on my watch.

I kicked off the car door beneath me and vaulted onto the armored car.
My fingers hooked into the seams of the plating as I twisted and hauled myself up.

…My body felt light.
Yes, that’s right.

This was how I used to move.
It felt like it had been ages.

"Wha—"

I clamped my hand around the soldier’s neck before he could shout.
Cutting off his air, I wrenched him out with brute strength.

I hurled him away, and he tumbled from the moving vehicle onto the road.
…He wouldn’t be dead.

He wore vibranium armor—the shock would be absorbed.
I shoved my body toward the roof hatch—

A spear lunged out at me from inside.

Perfect.

I caught it and yanked hard.

My strength was many times that of a normal human.

Twisting, I ripped it free, tearing the weapon from its wielder.

Then I planted myself at the front of the armored car… and hurled the spear with all my might into the ground ahead.

The weapon pierced deep into the concrete, standing upright like a stake.
The armored car slammed right into it.

A thunderous crash echoed across New York.

The vehicle shuddered violently… but stopped.
The vibranium spear absorbed the impact, but the car could go no further.

Glancing down, I saw the spear embedded in the front—wedged too deep to be pushed or pulled free.

I cracked my neck and moved to the back of the vehicle.
With the shortened spear, I tore into the rear cargo doors.

A few quick, sharp slashes—and the doors crumpled into pieces.

But that was just as the mercenaries inside had expected.
Their guns were already trained on me.

The triggers were pulled.

I twisted, grabbed the floor, and dodged.

I couldn’t move faster than a bullet.
But I was good at reading their line of fire.

I slid into the armored car, facing the mercenaries in the cramped space.

…Three of them.

The first rushed me—
I wrenched his arm and slammed him into the wall.
The plating caved inward.

"One."

The second thrust at me with a shortened spear.
I sidestepped, swept his legs, and kicked his stomach full-force.
His ribs cracked with a sickening sound.
His scream filled the car.

"Two."

The third aimed his assault rifle at me.
Before he could fire, I seized the barrel—
Pulled it forward—
And smashed my fist into his face, shattering his jaw.

"And that’s the last one."

Stepping over the downed mercenaries, I started for the back—

Then I turned.

『You’ve done quite a number here… were you holding back earlier?』

At the top of the sloping road, Ulysses Klaue stood, clutching Shuri.
…Her arms were bound, leaving her unable to resist.

He must’ve escaped from the front of the vehicle using his sonic converter.
A curse nearly slipped out.

If I let him escape now, I might never catch up again.
I had to reclaim Shuri—here and now.

I stepped down from the armored car and advanced toward Klaue.

"The princess is coming back with me, Ulysses Klaue."

『Hah? Not a chance… But what’s with that ridiculous getup? You joking around?』

…Right now, I was wearing a shoddy Spider-Man knockoff mask.
Yeah, I could hardly deny it was a "ridiculous getup."

I gripped the shortened spear in a reverse hold.

…Shuri was effectively a hostage.
Klaue was keeping her alive, likely to inflict psychological damage on the current king, T’Challa.
But if pushed into a corner, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill her.

Clearly, the situation was against me.

…How far could his sonic conversion reach?
He couldn’t possibly convert Shuri into sound.
If he could, he would’ve escaped already.

And when in sound form, he couldn’t interact with anything physically.
That much was certain.

Which meant, as long as he held Shuri, he had no way to avoid an attack.

I took one step closer.

Immediately, his right arm rose—aiming the sonic blaster.

There was no cover here.
That meant the one holding the longer-ranged weapon had the advantage.

Me, with a broken spear shaft.
Him, with the sonic blaster.

At a glance, it looked like I had no chance of winning.

But—

『Die, you—』

I twisted my body and released like a spring.
The shortened spear, reversed in my hand, flew straight toward Klaue.

Knife throwing was my specialty.
I, Redcap, had the skill to hit a man’s heart at a distance of over a hundred meters.

Avoiding Shuri, striking only Klaue—
That was within my ability.
Not a shred of hesitation clouded me.

Enhanced vision, muscle strength, honed technique—
All combined to make this possible.

The spear hurtled toward Klaue—
And passed right through.

『Hahh…! Ha, hahaha! Close one! But—!』

It was true, the spear hadn’t struck home.
But to dodge, he had been forced to convert into sound.

That was a clear opening.

Shuri tumbled onto the asphalt.
Klaue’s right arm, the sonic blaster, canceled its attack.

I launched forward, kicking the ground hard enough to crack the concrete—
Closing in, no, diving in.

『Tch!』

Again, Klaue tried to slip away by converting.

But he wasn’t my target.
Shuri was.

I grabbed her, wrapped her in my arms, and rolled away, putting distance between us.
Klaue noticed too late that Shuri had been snatched from him.

I tore the shackles from her wrists with brute force.
Then smashed the collar that had restricted her breathing and voice.

Shuri broke into coughing fits.

"Khahh… guh…! Th-thank you…"

"No time for thanks."

I had no weapon left.
I snapped open a hairpin I’d fastened to my clothes and raised it.
Better than nothing.

『…You’ve got some nerve. What the hell are you planning to do with that toy!?』

Klaue snarled, sonic blaster at the ready—

And suddenly, he was slammed to the ground.
Hands tightened around his neck, his face contorting in shock.

『Y-you—!』

"Okoye!"

It was Okoye.
Her bones shattered, her organs wrecked—and still, she had followed me here.
To protect Shuri.

『I told you it’s useless! Why can’t you people understand!?』

I jumped down from the armored car and walked toward Klaw.

"Hand over the princess, Ulysses Klaw."

"Ah? Not a chance… But what the hell is that ridiculous getup? You mocking me?"

…Right now, I’m wearing a cheap knockoff Spider-Man mask.
He’s right—it is a ridiculous look.
So I won’t deny it.

I reversed my grip on the shortened spear.

…Shuri is effectively a hostage.
To deal a psychological blow to King T’Challa, Klaw is keeping her alive—at least for now.
But if things turn dire, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill her.

It’s clearly a disadvantageous situation.

…Just how far does his soundwave conversion extend?
It’s unlikely he can convert Shuri into sound.
If he could, he would’ve already escaped.

While in a soundwave state, he can’t physically interact with anything.
That much is certain.

Which means—as long as he’s holding Shuri, he has no way of evading attacks.

I stepped forward toward Klaw.

In that instant, he raised his sonic blaster.

There was no cover here.
Which meant, the one with longer reach had the advantage.

I had only a broken spear shaft.
Klaw had his sonic blaster.

At first glance, there seemed no path to victory for me.

But—

"Die, you—"

I twisted my body to the limit, springing like a coiled spring.
Then, with a snap, I hurled the shortened spear at Klaw.

My skill with thrown blades is unmatched.
I, Redcap, can strike a human heart at over a hundred meters with perfect accuracy.

I could strike Klaw while sparing the hostage Shuri.
There wasn’t a shred of hesitation.

With enhanced vision, strength, and relentless training… this was a technique I had perfected.

The spear closed in on Klaw—
and passed right through him.

"Ha—hahh! Ha ha! Close one! But still—!"

The spear hadn’t struck.
But for even an instant, he had been forced to convert his body into sound to evade.

And that was a fatal opening.

Shuri tumbled onto the pavement.
His sonic blaster attack was canceled.

I kicked off the ground hard enough to crack the concrete, surging forward—no, diving.

"Tch!"

Once again, Klaw tried to shift into sound.

But my aim wasn’t him.
It was Shuri.

I seized her, rolled with her, and dragged her clear.
Klaw realized too late that his hostage was gone.

I tore the restraints from her wrists with sheer brute force.
I crushed the collar that had stifled her voice and breath.

Shuri coughed violently.

"Khahh—cough! Ugh… th-thank you."

"There’s no time for gratitude."

I had no weapon.
So I unfolded a hairpin from my clothing hem, brandishing it like a tiny knife.
Better than nothing.

"You’ve got some nerve! What the hell d’you think that toy can do!?"

Klaw roared, aiming the sonic blaster—

And was suddenly slammed to the ground.
His throat seized in a chokehold, his face twisted in shock.

"You—!"

"Okoye!"

It was Okoye.
Her bones shattered, her organs ruined, and still—she had dragged herself here.
To protect Shuri.

"It’s useless! I told you, didn’t I?! You never listen!"

Klaw converted again, and Okoye crashed limply to the ground.
She was so battered she couldn’t even break her fall.

The sonic blaster leveled once more—

I kicked off the ground, charging at Klaw.

"Stay outta this! This is between me and Wakanda!"

I slashed with the hairpin like a knife, forcing Klaw back from Okoye.

"Tch… fine. Fine!"

Klaw swung the sonic blaster toward Shuri.

"I don’t care anymore! I’ll kill the princess right here and now!"

I moved to shield her again—

But then, the roar of jet engines filled the air.

"Huh?"

Klaw and I both looked up.
A jet, sleek and black, hovered above us.

Defying every law of physics, it simply hung in the sky.

"…Ahaha. Looks like they made it in time after all," Shuri whispered at my feet.

She had summoned it.

"The hell… what the hell is that…?"

"When you attacked us, I’d already called for it… with this."

Klaw glanced from the jet to Shuri.
Her right wrist glowed purple, a bracelet of traditional design shining with light.

…The Kimoyo Beads.
Wakanda’s all-purpose device—medical tool, communicator, and more.

She must have used them to send a distress call.

"Who… who did you call?"

"Isn’t it obvious? You defied Wakanda, so—"

The underside of the jet opened.

"You’ll face the judgment of Bast, the panther god."

From the hatch, someone dropped.

A black silhouette, arms folded across their chest, plummeting straight toward us.

From hundreds of meters above.
No parachute.

"Damn it! Then I’ll at least kill you—!"

Klaw snapped his aim back to Shuri, sonic blaster ready.

I leapt, throwing myself between them, lunging at the weapon—

"Outta my way!"

His vibranium arm slammed into me.

"Guhh—!"

The bones in my face shattered, blood gushed from my nose.
I hit the ground, spitting blood and teeth.

But I had bought time.

The black figure landed squarely between Shuri and Klaw.

From that impossible fall, there was hardly a sound.
The vibranium suit had absorbed the impact, like a great cat alighting softly.

"Tch… so you finally show yourself."

The silhouette unfolded its crossed arms, baring its claws.

The symbol of Wakanda… the black panther.

"Brother!"

"Shuri, stay back. I’ll deal with him."

The current king of Wakanda, and its mightiest warrior.

T’Challa—no, the Black Panther—now stood before us.

A mask shaped like a panther’s head, a supple bodysuit woven entirely of vibranium.
And from his hands, claws of vibranium—sharp enough to rend through anything.

A warrior who seemed the very embodiment of the wild, of the African night itself, stood tall.

The Black Panther raised a finger—
and pointed it toward Klaw.

"I will give you warning, Ulysses Klaw."

"Hah? What’s that supposed to mean?"

Klaw frowned, wary.
Neither advanced, neither retreated.

Yet I could feel it—
if they willed it, either could kill the other in an instant.
Distance no longer mattered.

"You will taste blood."

The claws extended from his fingers—
not a man’s hands now, but the talons of a beast.

"Heh… talkin’ about your enemy’s blood? Or your own, huh?"

Klaw sneered, raising his sonic blaster.

"You have broken Wakanda’s law.
Therefore, you will be judged by Wakanda’s law."

"This is New York, your Majesty."

"I care not."

The Black Panther sprang forward, kicking off the ground, bounding against the wall—
and with the speed of a panther, no—
with the speed of the panther itself—he descended on Klaw.