Harem Streamer System: Every Crime I Broadcast Wins Me a Superheroine - Chapter 261

Chapter 261: Before the Dawn IV
Kaede Kazama hit the floor like a sack of bricks.

Her sword skidded across the concrete.

Emma stood over her with faint crackles of electricity still popping around her fists from the superspeed impact she’d delivered only three seconds earlier.

Her chest rose and fell in steady breaths.

Her special goggles glowed.

Vixen blinked owlishly.

“Holy shit…” (◯.◯)

Tied in tight rope loops, Kaede didn’t even twitch.

Emma shook her hands out and winced.

“Owwie. I always forget punching someone at Mach 3 still hurts like hell.”

“Punch? Girl, you deleted her ass.”

Vixen said with a proud little smile.

Kaede lay slumped, barely conscious.

Vixen crouched down, tilted her head, and poked her cheek experimentally.

Nothing.

Vixen whistled. “Yeah, she’s… done.”

Emma sighed while she rolled her shoulders.

“I think it’s only fair you get whatever you dish out.”

Vixen gave her that sly, fox-smart side-eye.

“I like you, Graves.”

Emma folded her arms smugly.

“I like you too, fox lady.”

Vixen paused, then tapped her own chest.

“It’s Vixen, actually.”

“Right, right. Fox lady legally changed.”

Emma gave her a cheeky two-fingered salute.

Vixen grinned and planted one boot on Kaede’s stomach and yanked the rope tighter around her.

Kaede made a weak, pathetic “nnngh—” noise.

Vixen dusted her hands.

“Okay! That’s about it. She didn’t even try to resist.”

Emma was already glancing across the room.

Gwen had sprinted past them the second she was free and dropped to her knees by a battered Dark Elf and frantically checked her pulse, her breathing… everything.

“Elf… Elf… can you hear me?”

Her eyes watered up and she hiccupped a little.

Fortunately, Dark Elf coughed… she was alive.

Gwen’s teary eyes immediately shimmered.

“Haaaa…”

A relieved smile graced her exhausted face.

Vixen watched them with a tiny frown.

“Gee, you’re welcome.”(;一_一)

Emma chuckled.

“She’s not usually like that. But the chick who got beat up is her best friend. She’s been worried sick.”

“Fair.”

Vixen shrugged. ╮( ˘ ､ ˘ )╭

“As long as we’re done with the sword psycho.”

Emma jerked a thumb behind her.

“Yep. I knocked her ass out.”

Right on cue, Kaede groaned.

Both women turned.

“Apparently not.”

Kaede’s voice was hoarse.

“Do… you know what that green light means…?”

Emma blinked and looked up.

A glowing bulb of emerald light shined overhead.

“Weird…”

Emma muttered as she tapped her chin with an index.

“I could’ve sworn that was red. I’ve been stuck here long enough to count metals by taste.”

Vixen squinted. “Great. Mood lighting.”

Kaede coughed, then smiled bleakly.

“When that light turns green, it means Grave has well and truly been defeated and that gives us liberty to take matters into our own hands.”

Vixen rolled her eyes hard.

“So basically, green means go?”

She made a weird barf face.

“God, that’s so cliché.”

She jabbed Emma in the ribs.

Emma snorted. “So red means stop?”

They both broke into laughter as they leaned into each other shoulder to shoulder.

Kaede stared at them with a face flatter than sheet rock.

She was clearly unamused.

Then again, she was almost always unamused.

But also… mildly irritated that she’d been interrupted.

Emma and Vixen high-fived.

“Aww yeah! That means Scott kicked Grave’s ass!”

“Hahah, SUCK IT!”

Vixen flipped her off.

Kaede chuckled suddenly.

The sound was alien, like a freak learning to giggle.

Both Vixen and Emma fell quiet.

Vixen’s fluffy ears tilted back a fraction.

“Okay, what’s your problem?”

Kaede lifted her head and smirked through the dried blood on her lip.

“Grave was behind the capture of everyone Scott ever cared about. He tortured him. Broke him. Made the last 24 hours of his life a hell he’ll never forget.”

Emma stiffened out of caution.

Kaede continued with the same disturbingly low voice.

“Do you think he’s going to spare Grave’s life?”

At first, there was silence.

Vixen and Emma exchanged confused looks.

Emma blinked.

“Uhm… if a guy kidnaps me, I expect my superhero boyfriend to kick his ass?”

Vixen nodded. “Yeah, that sounds normal.”

Emma shrugged.

“And considering Grave’s been taunting him for how many months now? Honestly, who’d blame him if he kills the bastard? He’s been through enough.”

Kaede tilted her head.

“Not even if that bastard was your brother?”

“Uh-oh…” Vixen mumbled.

Emma stepped forward so slowly and furiously.

Her eyes narrowed.

“What did you just say?”

Kaede smiled.

“His name is Sergeant Matt Graves, yes?”

Emma’s vision went red with anger.

Her boot slammed across Kaede’s face. CRACK!

“DON’T TRY IT—DON’T YOU DARE BRING UP THOSE STUPID MEMORIES!”

Emma screamed with everything in her throat.

“My brother is DEAD!”

Kaede spit blood, unfazed.

“Then how did I know his name?”

“You could’ve gotten that from anyone!”

Emma’s eyes were glistening. She was shaking.

Clearly, Kaede had her rattled.

And the smile was just another layer of annoyance.

“Believe what you want. But if you’re going to hate Scott for killing your brother… you better get down there and stop him before it’s too late.”

Emma trembled with rage.

Vixen touched her arm gently.

“Go. Don’t worry about this. I’ll handle it.”

Emma nodded sharply.

And then—

WHOOMMMMPH—!!

A cyclone burst as she vanished into a streak of light.

–

–

–

『He’s dead…』

『Matt is dead…』

『Don’t fall for it. He died. He died in Afghanistan. He died in a burning transport vehicle. They told me. They showed me the flag. They showed me the dog tags.』

Her feet hammered the metal grates as they warped from the heat of friction.

『Stop. Stop. This is stupid. He’s DEAD.』

She blasted down stairwells and across walkways.

Next, she’d zoom past shattered doors.

『That bitch is lying. Of course she’s lying. She’s sick in the head. Yeah… she’s angry she lost. She wants to hurt me because she got her ass kicked.』

Her breath hitched.

She nearly staggered mid-run.

『But… how did she know his name?』

She clenched her teeth so hard her jaw ached.

『It doesn’t matter. Matt’s dead. Why do I keep forcing a hopeless situation on myself? I still remember it all. The call. Mom screaming till she fainted. The funeral. The coffin. Even the folded flag—』

Her chest contracted painfully.

『Scott wouldn’t kill someone in front of me. Right?』

Her heart pounded harder.

『Would it be selfish if I told him not to? Would I be a bad girlfriend if I asked him to—』

She stumbled.

『STOP. For crying out loud he’s dead.』

She kept trying to hammer it through her thick skull.

『He’s dead, he’s dead, HE’S DEAD—』

She tore through another hallway.

“If he isn’t…”

Her throat tightened.

“Then what the hell have I been grieving for?”

Lightning arced off her heels.

–

–

–

Emma burst into the underground with a violent whoosh that rattled nearby pipes.

Hydraulic lights flickered.

The smell of gunpowder and blood saturated the air.

Nightwatch stood over Grave.

His armor was cracked, his gloves scorched, every breath he took was steady in that eerie, disciplined way that almost made him feel like a trained killer.

Emma felt a sudden coldness.

Like she could smell the death in the air.

Grave lay sprawled across the ground.

Both kneecaps shot through.

Pelvis shattered.

Shoulders ruined.

Arms limp and bleeding from fresh bullet wounds.

Nightwatch aimed at his head.

Emma’s heart stopped.

“SCOTT—STOP!!”

He didn’t even turn fully.

Just a slow, controlled side-eye.

“Are you going to give me a moral speech about how I’m a hero and I don’t get to decide who lives or dies? If that’s it then you can save it, Em.”

His voice was low and calm.

Emma had never been more terrified of him.

She shook her head frantically.

“N-, No! No, babe, listen— I’m not saying that. You have every right to feel whatever you’re feeling after all he did to you but— but you can’t—”

Her voice cracked.

She looked at Grave.

He looked back. Barely conscious… or alive even.

“Em…?” Grave croaked.

Her breath left her lungs entirely.

Her eyes filled instantly.

She could recognize that face anywhere.

No matter how brutally scarred from battle it was.

Her hand clutched her chest as though she could feel her heart being torn out.

“M-, Matt…?”

Her knees nearly buckled.

Tears spilled down her cheeks before she could even think to stop them.

Her brother blinked weakly at her through the blood.

“Em… you’re here…”

Emma’s entire world buckled.

She felt cornered.

I was almost like she had no choice but to do anything to save her brother.

At this point, it wasn’t even about being selfish or refusing to let go. His death had been years ago, and she had already accepted it… not easily, but enough to move forward.

Her friends helped her get there.

And Scott was the result of that progress.

His presence and ideals helped her grow into a better hero and an even better person.

In her heart, she felt like she owed him her life for that.

But now, more than anything…

She needed to know the truth.

She needed to understand what turned her brother into this masked persona. How could someone who used to be so dedicated to saving people, someone who cared so much about keeping innocents safe, end up like this?

It made no sense to her.

“Scott… please don’t do this.”

Nightwatch didn’t lower the gun.

If anything, his arm became steadier.

His voice snapped like a wire whip.

“WHY!?”

Emma flinched as her shoulders jolted.

She wasn’t ready for him to shout.

Scott never shouted at her.

Her throat closed up.

“I… I…”

Words weren’t coming. Just tears.

Hot, stinging, endlessly rolling down her face.

Nightwatch’s jaw tightened.

He wanted to hide his struggles behind a mask.

『Fuck it…』

He inhaled sharply through his nose.

“I never learned a damn thing from my father…”

The first time he’d talked about family near her.

“But one thing he repeated over and over to me and my sister was this—”

He angled the gun harder at Grave’s skull.

“To spare the guilty… is to insult the innocent.”

Emma swallowed.

Nightwatch continued.

“No one is so perfect or holy that they should try to save a soul that refuses to change. Being a hero means protecting people. And by killing him, I make sure you and everyone else never have to be protected from this same monster twice.”

His finger tightened.

A click of pressure.

“Good riddance.”

“HE’S MY BROTHER!!”

Emma’s scream ripped out of her without a thought.

Nightwatch flinched.

The bullet fired.

CRACK!

But hit the floor beside Grave’s temple.

Nightwatch’s head snapped toward her.

“Wh… What?”

Emma couldn’t stop crying.

Not the pretty kind…

The shaking, gasping, broken sobbing kind she hadn’t felt since she was fifteen.

“I—I’m trying so hard…”

She choked out.

“So hard not to be selfish, Scott—believe me— I know he’s done horrible things. I know he’s hurt people. I know he doesn’t deserve saving.”

Her fingers dug into her own arms.

“But he’s my brother. And I don’t even know how he became this. He used to be the one who carried me on his back when I scraped my knee. He used to stay awake on school nights just to make sure I ate. He was the type of idiot who jumped in front of fights so other kids wouldn’t get hurt.”

She wiped her tears with her wrist.

But they kept coming.

“I’m not asking you to forgive him. I’m not asking you to let him go. I’m not even asking for anything heroic or noble or right. I’m really not.”

Her voice cracked into splinters.

“I just… I just want to know why.”

She stepped closer as her legs shook.

“Just this once. Once. Let me be selfish. Please.”

Her breath broke into little hiccups.

“I want to know what happened to him. I want to know why the brother I buried became THIS. I want to know what was stolen from him.”

She covered her face with both hands.

“Please… just let me find the truth…”

By the time she finished, she was on her knees, sobbing into her palms.

Nightwatch stared at her for a long, crushing moment.

Then the handgun fell from his hand and clattered on the steel floor.

He moved to her fast.

Emma collapsed into his arms instantly and buried her face into his chest plate as she shook. He wrapped both hands around her back and held her tight as his thumb rubbed gentle circles against her spine.

“I’m sorry…”

He murmured into her hair.

“I’m so sorry…”

Emma cried harder.

Across the room, Grave watched silently.

『I’m ashamed…』

He was the biggest loser that night.

══════

The Iron Mills Factory was swarmed.

Firefighters doused smoldering machinery.

Paramedics shouted orders.

Dozens of Hero Agency vans lined the courtyard.

News drones hovered overhead like hungry locusts.

Inside one of the high-tech medical vans…

Gwen glared at the IV tube in her arm.

“For the tenth time—I’m fine.”

A paramedic shook his head without looking up.

“And for the tenth time, ma’am, we’re really not gonna take any chances here.”

He frowned a little.

“Severe dehydration is no joke.”

Gwen puffed her cheeks with a pout.

“Then can I at least see my boyfriend before you start poking me again?”

“We’ll do the treatment here so you don’t collapse walking over.”

His voice was flat with frustration.

“After that, sure.”

More than anyone he’d be glad if he didn’t have to treat this woman in particular. With how impatient and annoying she was you’d think her boyfriend was the most important person in the world.

Gwen sagged back on the medical bed with a groan.

A very exaggerated groan.

“Ugh. Fine.”

Outside, energy cuffs snapped shut around every captured minion, assassin, and Kaede.

They were all locked and escorted toward vans.

High-ranking agent, Cassius Cage looked over the line of prisoners like he was inspecting moldy fruit.

“Tch. All of you are heading to Ashgate, the deepest level of maximum security. And you—”

He jabbed a finger at Grave.

Cassius’ voice dropped an octave.

“I haven’t forgotten the stupid stunt you pulled at the Blue Garden Hotel. And now? You got your ass beat by an ordinary vigilante. I’ll make sure you never get to see the light of day again you smug bastard!”

Grave stared at his cuffs with empty eyes.

“There is… nothing ordinary about that young man.”

He would’ve smirked.

But his face was too broken for it.

Just talking alone hurt like hell.

Cassius shoved him forward.

“Save the poetry. Move it.”

As Grave limped past the vans, he saw Emma and Marcus standing there.

Emma holding Marcus protectively.

Marcus adjusting his glasses nervously.

Neither spoke.

Emma finally asked in a strangled voice—

“Why did you do it?”

Grave didn’t look at her. Not once.

He stepped into the van and sat in silence.

His head hung in shame.

The door slammed shut.

Cassius turned to Emma then instantly straightened.

“Ma’am—I didn’t know an S-rank hero was present!”

Marcus’s jaw dropped.

“Whoa! Aunt Em, you’re already S-rank?!”

Emma gave a very weak, nervous smile.

“A-ah… keep up the good work, Agent Cage!”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Cassius saluted proudly.

“Just waiting for Lady Fortress to drop off her some present she was telling me about. Today has been awesome. I don’t know what beats capturing two of the top ten most wanted assassins in the world…”

“Catching three.”

A powerful voice echoed from above.

Cassius and Emma looked up.

Lady Fortress descended as she one-handedly hauled a bruised King Cobra by the collar.

Marcus stared up at her with his mouth wide open.

“Whoa…”

Emma recognized the fanboy glimmer instantly.

Fortress slammed Cobra onto the ground like dropping a sack of potatoes.

“Got one more to process. Handle him.”

Cassius’s eyes sparkled.

“Nightwatch is here too, Lady Fortress… if we catch him as well, the Chairman will—”

“No.”

Fortress didn’t raise her voice.

Yet she was still intimidating.

“Leave Nightwatch to me.”

She glanced past Cassius—right at Emma.

『That’s Mael’s girlfriend…』

Her eyes saddened a little.

『I wish it was me…』

She smiled at the thought of being with him.

Emma smiled softly.

Lady Fortress’s cheeks reddened instantly.

She looked away with a tiny huff.

“I-, I didn’t do it for you.”

“Huh…?” Emma blinked.

Fortress turned even redder.

She waved her smallish hands in agitation.

“A—Anyways! I… I used my authority to have your assassin friend transferred to Woodhull Private Hospital for proper treatment. So don’t worry.”

She snuck one last glance at Nightwatch.

He was on the other side of the courtyard.

Next to Judy Cho and a camera crew.

Her voice lowered.

“I hope you tell her.”

She shot upward like a beam of light.

A cameraman positioned his rig.

Judy adjusted her messy hair and tugged her shirt down as she pushed her glasses up.

Next, she started fiddling with her bra.

Her breasts were moderate, but with this bra that failed to keep them in place.

They looked… quite bigger than usual.

Nightwatch raised an eyebrow.

“Are we live?”

Judy scoffed.

“If we were live, do you think I’d be fixing my bra in front of the damn camera!?”

“Fair point.”

Judy turned to him and lifted her chest a little.

“Could you help me fix these straps? They’re digging into my shoulders.”

The cameraman perked up.

“I can help—”

He had that thirsty, desperate energy around him.

Judy stared at him.

It was a long, silent, judgey none.

Then she slowly turned back to Nightwatch.

“So, uh… it’s really tight.”

Nightwatch looked around quickly to make sure Gwen and Emma weren’t nearby.

Coast clear.

He adjusted the straps.

Though that made them push up too much.

Now her breasts looked too perky for the camera.

“Wait—uh—maybe down a bit—”

“There!” Judy snapped her fingers. “Perfect.”

She fixed her hair one last time, lifted her mic, and stared into the lens.

“Nightwatch. You’ve taken down Grave. Will that finally be enough to prove to the Hero Agency that you’re on the side of justice?”

Nightwatch adjusted his mask.

“I don’t care what the Hero Agency thinks. They lost their credibility a long time ago.”

Judy raised an eyebrow.

Nightwatch stared directly into the camera.

“What I care about is this: preserving the dreams of children who still believe they’re safe in a world full of heroes. I don’t care if they label me a terrorist. I came here. I did my job. Just like I’ve done every other time.”

He took one step closer.

“So tell the Chairman and anyone who stands with him to bring it on. Heroes aren’t celebrities and I’ll keep standing on that. They’re symbols of peace. And I’ll make damn sure the world remembers that.”

Judy grinned.

“Now that… was well said.”

She held his hand and stared at him a little more.

A little too affectionate for the cameraman.

“Am I… intruding?”

“Ah—NO! NO… it’s fine…”

Judy snatched her hand away and smiled nervously.