Harem Streamer System: Every Crime I Broadcast Wins Me a Superheroine-Chapter 263: Love and Defiance

Emma already had Vixen's name highlighted on her phone screen.

Her thumb hovered for a second… then she hit call.

Ring—

Before the first ring even fully finished, Gwen practically dove across the couch like a linebacker.

"NOPE—NOPE—NOPE—gimme that!"

Gwen barked, scrambling for the phone.

Emma twisted away like her bones were elastic.

"Get off, Gwen!"

"Emma, STOP! This is stupid!"

Emma shoved Gwen's raging face away with one hand as she pushed her forehead back like she was trying to bench-press her skull.

Gwen flailed as her arms windmilled.

"WHY are you like this—?! THINK for once—!"

"I AM thinking!"

Emma hissed, leaning half off the couch to keep the phone glued to her ear.

Gwen lunged again.

Emma yanked the phone out of reach.

Gwen's fingers grazed the air an inch away from it.

"STOP MOVING LIKE A CAT ON CRACK!"

"STOP BREATHING SO DAMN LOUD!"

"You're making a mistake—!"

"You're making me ANNOYED!"

They started bickering

No, arguing… no, feral scrapping…

Actually, whatever you felt like calling it.

Sure enough, this disaster revived old grudges.

"You STILL owe me twenty bucks from last week!"

"That was ONE smoothie!" (ᗒᗣᗕ)՞

"You said you'd pay!"

"And you said you'd stop leaving your damn socks in the living room!"

"That was ONE TIME!"

"It was THREE!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO COUNT—!"

"BITCH, PLEASE!" (ꐦ ಠ皿ಠ )

They rolled across the couch, hair tangled, limbs flailing as the phone bounced between Emma's hand and the crook of her shoulder as she tried to keep Gwen away with her knee, her elbow, whatever limb was free.

Ring— Ring—

Then—

Footsteps.

Marcus stormed down the stairs with a backpack slung over his shoulder.

He froze up.

Stareeeee~ ᗜ˰ᗜ

Two grown women were wrestling like raccoons fighting over rotten roadside meat.

Marcus pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Sometimes I swear…"

He forced out a sigh to calm himself.

"Me and Big Bro are the only adults in this house."

And he wasn't even an adult.

Emma kicked Gwen's thigh.

Gwen yanked Emma's hoodie.

Marcus shook his head.

He walked to the front door, and called out—

"I'm off to school. Try not to burn the house down."

The door shut behind him.

The instant the latch clicked—

BEEP

The call connected.

[Hello…?]

Vixen's soft voice came through the speaker.

Emma and Gwen froze.

Silence.

Stillness.

A magical pause pressed on the room like GOD HIMSELF hit the mute button.

Emma panicked.

She shoved the phone into Gwen's hands.

Gwen panicked harder and shoved it straight back.

Emma yelped and tossed it back into Gwen's lap.

Gwen screamed silently and threw it back into Emma's stomach like a hot potato.

All while Vixen repeated—

[Hello? …Uh… hello?]

[Is anyone there? Is this a prank call?]

Finally, Gwen threw the phone at Emma like it was cursed and then dove behind the couch.

You'd think she was avoiding sniper fire.

"Coward…"

Emma mouthed loudly.

She took a deep breath, slapped on the calmest voice she could fake, and held the phone close.

"Oh heeey, Vixen!"

Emma said sweetly, as if she hadn't been wrestling four seconds ago.

[Um… hi?]

Vixen said cautiously.

[Everything okay? What's up?]

Emma inhaled then steeled herself.

"I was wondering if you're free to meet today."

She hesitated.

"Like… you can come over to my house."

Her voice trembled.

"LIKE NOW!"

Peeking over the couch, Gwen slapped her forehead.

She whispered sharply—

"Why did you SAY it like that?!"

Emma whispered back—loud as hell—

"I DON'T KNOW, I PANICKED!"

On the phone…

[Am I… in trouble?]

Vixen asked slowly.

She was scared Scott told them about yesterday.

Emma laughed.

LOUDLY.

A little too loudly.

"No, no—no-no-no—haha—NO. Everything's fine! It's super fine! Totally fine! I just want to talk about Sc—uh… about some things, haha yeah! It's important!"

She squeezed her eyes shut.

She nearly choked on her own words.

Vixen hesitated.

[Well… I don't know if I'm free to—]

"It's REALLY, REALLY urgent!"

Emma cut in, voice pitching up.

[That doesn't change that I'm bus—]

"Sounds like a date!"

Emma blurted.

"I'll make guacamole and chips! BYE!"

She ended the call immediately.

Even though Vixen was definitely mid-sentence.

Silence.

Emma collapsed onto the couch and exhaled like her soul escaped her body.

Gwen side-eyed her from over the backrest.

"Real smooth…" Gwen said flatly.

"Shut up!"

Emma snapped as she stared at the list of registered heroes on her phone.

"I still have to get Fortress's number and call her…"

She inhaled deeply, trying to center her sanity.

The shame she felt was making her wish reincarnation was really a thing.

Gwen blinked slowly at Emma.

"Seriously—what is WITH you? You really have to tell me because if I remember correctly this was the same issue that made you and Nadia fight."

She scratched her head in deep confusion.

She slid down from the back of the couch.

"Why the sudden 180?"

And shuffled with her butt on the couch until she was close enough to hold Emma's shoulder.

She was ready to listen and advise.

Emma lowered her gaze.

Twisted her fingers around her phone.

"There's something I saw on TV last night."

She grabbed the remote and turned on the television.

The ultra-large screen lit up the living room.

The moment the footage appeared—

Gwen's jaw dropped.

Her pupils trembled.

Her breath hitched.

"…No way…"

She leaned forward, eyes widening, tears gathering as she watched Scott get his face brutally crushed into the pavement by King Cobra.

The blood.

The ugly cracks of bone.

Scott's limp, unresisting body.

People recording instead of helping.

Judy's tiny stone stopping the monster.

Emma covered her eyes, unable to look again.

Gwen broke.

She clapped a hand over her mouth.

Her shoulders trembled as her heart pounded painfully.

"He… he didn't tell us…"

She whispered shakily.

"How did he even survive that? How did he—"

Emma rubbed Gwen's back gently.

"He probably wasn't planning on telling us at all."

She gave Gwen some gentle slaps on the back.

Just to get her to breathe well.

"He knows we'd feel guilty."

Gwen squeezed her eyes shut as tears slipped out.

Emma stared down at the remote in her hands.

"I keep thinking about how hopeless he must've felt."

It wouldn't be the first time.

He felt that way when Gwen got severe burns from barely escaping an explosion.

She knew how much he blamed and hated himself.

"If Judy hadn't stepped in… he might've just let King Cobra keep going."

Gwen sucked in a sharp breath—almost like a sob.

She stared at Emma, horrified.

"Wait… does that mean he… he was—"

She gasped again, louder as she slapped both hands over her quivering mouth.

"Emma… did Scott try to kill himsel—"

"I don't know…"

Emma said quietly.

"But… maybe."

She'd watched the clip over a hundred times and each time it felt like Scott could've escaped those hits but chose to punish himself instead.

Maybe… he did try to kill himself?

Emma wished she knew.

She hugged her knees.

"And if it wasn't for Judy, Vixen, and Fortress… we might not have been saved either. They saved him. He saved us. I'm grateful for that."

Gwen wiped her eyes.

"But Em… we already thanked them—"

Emma looked at her.

"No. They saved something more important. They gave Scott reasons to keep going. Reasons we didn't even know he needed."

She breathed out.

"Gwen… Scott's not a guy who chases women just to build some dumb image. He's not stupid. He's never chosen someone bad in his life."

She stared softly at Gwen.

"And that includes you."

Gwen forced out a small, tear-stained smile.

They leaned back against the couch to stare lifelessly at the chandelier above.

Gwen finally whispered…

"So you're really gonna do this? You really want to go the harem route?"

Emma shrugged lightly.

"Only if that's what you want."

Gwen blinked.

"Huh?"

Emma took Gwen's hand gently.

"I'm sorry…"

Her voice came out soft.

"For being such an insensitive bitch. It doesn't matter to me who started dating him first. Scott loves us equally and he's never given us a reason to say otherwise. I shouldn't act like I get to decide everything…"

She took a deep breath like it would crush her ego.

"I'm not some bitchy goddess of decisions."

Gwen shook her head, but Emma nudged her to stop.

"No more seniority."

Emma said, smiling slightly.

"From today onward… everyone in this questionably weird harem relationship gets an equal say. No one's more special because of timing. Yeah?"

She held out a fist.

Gwen laughed quietly, eyes still wet.

She bumped it.

"Yeah."

And the two of them smiled at each other.

They didn't have to be peers to see eye to eye.

Age and timing were never a factor.

It was always love and selflessness.

══════

Magnolia Bakery. West District.

An armored roadster parked beside an old plaza.

Rope Girl stepped out elegantly.

Instantly, the crowd detonated.

Every eye locked on her.

Every jaw dropped.

And every man in the vicinity suddenly turned into a breathing, sweating, simping disaster.

"ROPE GIRL! OH GOD, HER THIGHS!"

"STEP ON ME— I MEAN SIGN MY ARM! SIGN IT!!"

"I'LL SELL MY SOUL FOR JUST ONE SQUEEZE!"

A couple of guys were practically vibrating as they lifted their shirts over their wobbling stomachs.

"ROPE GIRL!! AUTOGRAPH!!"

"RIGHT HERE!!—ON MY BELLY!!"

"NO, ON MINE!"

"YOU CAN SIT ON ME IF YOU WANT!"

She didn't even blink.

She just stood there, statuesque, expressionless as her long legs caught the sun in a way that made half the crowd whimper like dehydrated puppies.

It wasn't even her bare legs.

They were covered entirely in sleek armor.

Then the reporters pushed forward.

"Rope Girl!

"Comment on Nightwatch catching three of the world's most dangerous assassins!"

"He's helped the authorities more than you!"

"Do you agree that this is the most impressive vigilante performance in the last decade?"

"Did he collaborate with your team? Or have you done nothing to help matters?"

"Is he secretly working with heroes? Is he—"

She calmly lifted a hand.

"Well… Lady Fortress was involved…"

She spoke in an even and unmoved voice.

"So it wasn't all Nightwatch. A vigilante can never be that good no matter the PR."

"But are you giving an official statement—"

She could see it in his eyes — that tiny, disgusting look.

He wasn't leaning forward to hear her better.

He was leaning forward to get closer to her chest.

Her hand shot up.

SHOVE.

She palmed the reporter's entire face and pushed him back like he weighed as much as a bag of feathers.

He hit the pavement with a yelp.

"No official statements at the moment."

She said as if nothing happened.

The crowd roared even louder.

Rope Girl exhaled through her nose.

She looked back at her armored roadster and muttered under her breath—

"I'm not sure I want to do this."

Witch sat casually in the passenger seat with her smallish arms crossed over her flat chest.

"My, my~ is the mighty Rope Girl giving up?"

She looked elegant as always.

She gave a light, amused chuckle.

"You'll be fine, boss."

In the backseat, Sniperess and Deathmark shot their fists up in the air like overexcited children.

"YAAAAAAY!!" both shouted.

A ripple shot through the simping male crowd.

"WOAH— THE REST OF THE TEAM!"

"SNIPERESS!! DEATHMARK!!"

"WITCH IS HERE TOO!"

One guy screamed, too loud, too excited—

"I WISH I COULD GET IN A FIVEWAY WITH YOU GUYS AND WATCH Y'ALL SCISSORS!"

"For real though… I just know Witch likes it bad."

"Yeah, she looks like a petite dommy mommy."

"Faaaack, if she could step on my nuts."

Rope Girl's usually emotionless face squeezed ever so slightly in visible disturbance. She slowly turned her head to Witch with a 'please-kill-me-now' look.

Witch didn't even flinch.

Her expression stayed calm and pointed.

"Boss… manage it."

She could hear all they said.

But she wasn't even bothered.

She'd gotten worse emails from her fans.

"Do celebrity work once in a while. The Chairman won't be happy if you don't."

She closed her eyes and smiled gracefully.

Rope Girl sighed like she was being tortured.

She turned back to the crowd.

One man sprinted forward, practically sobbing with his hands outstretched for her chest.

"ROPE GIRL PLEASE—LET ME GROPE YOU!?!"

POW.

Her fist cracked across his face so hard several of his teeth shot out like confetti.

He collapsed instantly, a crying, bleeding heap.

Rope Girl cracked her knuckles.

Then she spat on the pavement next to him and walked away without even looking at him.

The fans froze.

Then they roared.

"NOOOOO!!"

"IT SHOULD'VE BEEN ME!!"

"ME!! NOT HIM!!! MEEEEE!!!"

They dropped to their knees and cried like toddlers denied a toy.

"HOLD SLEAZY BACK!" someone shouted.

It was too late.

The man in question pounced with his tongue out.

"THE SALIVA'S STILL WARM!"

One of the men ran for the

Sniperess raised an eyebrow.

"Now that's just sad."

Witch and Deathmark nodded at the same time.

"Mhm."

---

Rope Girl headed for the bakery, but the entrance was blocked by… girls?

Actual girls. Fangirls.

This confused her.

Her female fanbase was microscopic.

Mostly aggressive feminists begging her to promote their boring manifestos.

But these girls didn't look like they even knew her.

She walked inside calmly.

Her blank expression was in place as usual.

That's when she saw Hima, the baker smiling.

She was resting on the counter, giggling and swinging her feet like a schoolgirl.

Talking to a man.

Rope Girl stepped closer… closer…

Then froze.

Scott McQueen.

She instantly skipped backward like she had just seen a bomb with her name on it.

Hima noticed and waved cheerfully.

"Ah, Rope Girl! Hello!"

"H… h-, hi… Hima…"

Rope Girl stammered, shivering slightly.

Hima blinked.

Rope Girl never acted like this.

Not once. Not in twelve years.

Rope Girl hugged her arms over her torso protectively as her eyes darting to Scott.

She was protecting her breasts.

Apparently her armored super suit wasn't enough.

"Are you okay?" Hima asked.

Scott gathered his paper bags of cakes and gave Hima a grateful nod.

"Thanks for the talk. I'll come again soon."

"I'll be waiting!" Hima said brightly.

He didn't even notice Rope Girl.

He just walked right past her.

She scoffed immediately, like a kid ignored by her crush.

When he reached the door, she tried to approach.

She looked like a shy schoolgirl trying to whisper a boy's name for the first time.

"Mister… Mc-, McQueen—?"

But he was already outside.

Instantly swallowed by a wall of fan girls.

"SCOTT! AUTOGRAPH PLEASE!"

"YOU'RE SO HANDSOME!"

"WHEN ARE YOU STARING IN A MOVIE?!"

Rope Girl grit her teeth so hard her jaw trembled.

Hima stared at her blankly.

"What is wrong with you?"

"N-, Nothing!"

Rope Girl blurted, face turning embarrassingly red.

"This is literally the first time I've seen you red."

Hima deadpanned.

"Both in person and on television."

Rope Girl shivered like a defenseless lady as she rubbed her arm awkwardly.

"Th-, That's the celebrity I told you about."

Her voice was so weak it came out as a whisper.

She certainly meant to be louder.

"The one who touched my breasts. I… felt weird."

Hima froze up.

"That weird feeling is assault! SEXUAL assault!"

She slammed her fist on the counter.

"Scott McQueen is BANNED from my bakery!"

Rope Girl shook her head rapidly as she turned an even deeper shade of red.

"Well… it felt kinda good…"

Hima's brain short-circuited.

"Eh…?"

══════

Scott was already speeding back to the manor as his black GT-R hummed softly.

He looked out the window as he thought.

『This is the first time I don't have anything to write in my journal. A lot happened I guess… so many lessons. So many moments I thought I was going to die.

And I survived.

These aren't the types of lessons to record. My views on them will surely change… but the scars won't. So I'll keep this one inside me, not on paper…

If I had to sum up everything since becoming a celebrity and growing as both Scott and Nightwatch…

The word is defiance.』

He pulled into the mansion's driveway, parked, grabbed all his cakes, and walked into the foyer—

BOOM!!

Confetti exploded everywhere.

"Huh?"

Emma and Gwen jumped out from behind pillars and blew party blowers in his face.

Gwen slapped a party hat onto his head.

Emma looped her arms around his and announced with the excitement of a gameshow host—

"Scott McQueen! I present to you…"

A drumroll sound came from literally nowhere.

"Two new members of the McQueen household!"

She pointed at Vixen and Lady Fortress.

The two women both waved awkwardly.

"H-, Hello…"

"We brought fruit…"

Scott blinked. "Excuse me?"

Lady Fortress anxiously repeated herself.

"We brought fru—"

"That's not what he meant…"

Vixen pat the small, blonde woman on the head.

Gwen smacked Scott hard on the back.

"No saying no!"

Scott glanced at Emma.

Emma nodded firmly.

He sighed, smiled… and surrendered.

"Who wants cake?"

"MEEEE!!"

All four beautiful ladies shouted.

"I'll get the plates!" Emma zoomed off.

"I'll start the TV!" Gwen said before running.

Lady Fortress hurried toward the kitchen… but then zipped back, flustered, and pecked Scott on the cheek before flying off again, hands covering her burning red face.

Vixen wrapped her arms around Scott's arm.

"And I'll keep Mister Vigilante busy."

She bit her lower lip and smiled at him.

He looked at his four girlfriends.

Four.

Life was strange.

Wonderful.

And somehow getting better.

He wouldn't question it since they didn't want him to.

『I've defied a lot of things. My mother, death, the fierce pressures of the Hero Agency and many other factors that made me want to kill myself, that made me hate myself more than I should…』

He wrapped his arms around Vixen's slim waist.

『These women aren't one of those things though.』

---

Volume 3 ends ^-^!