Why Condemn a Hero?
"Why? He's a hero who saved those people!"
"And he's also an unregistered Enhanced Human within city limits."
At my question, Han Yujin continued with a complicated expression.
"A string of rampages by unregistered Enhanced Humans has broken out. There's no inconsistency in Cheongang's decision to detain any Enhanced Human who wasn't properly reported to the city."
"Damn it. If something's going on, stop suffering alone and just tell me! That bastard!"
"No. Not saying anything was the correct choice. If Senior really is one of the 1st Generation Enhanced Humans whose story circulated on the internet like some urban legend, he'd end up taking the blame for every incident that's happened so far."
She was right. Rumors were already swirling that unregistered Enhanced Humans were going around slaughtering civilians. In the middle of that firestorm, how could he possibly confess that he was a 1st Generation Enhanced Human without nano-machines planted in his brain? It would be the same as declaring himself the culprit behind every single case.
"Actually, it's better that it's come out like this now. I don't know who uploaded it, but thanks to that video floating around the internet, people have a favorable impression of Senior."
Yeah, that's right. You get it, Han Yujin.
That's why I laid the perfect stage for me to reveal myself at the right moment.
These Cheongang fucking bastards... So they're really going to play it this dirty and underhanded? Fine. I've got plenty of ideas of my own.
I turned on the internet and logged into Minos's YouTubex and Ark. My goal was to drag the platform's famous leakers—the ones who salivate over any hot issue—into a filthy mud fight.
You have committed evil acts!
Illegal hacking of electronic devices installed in public places, commissioning terrorism, deception... (View more)
Evil Points have increased by 100.
Current Evil Points: 105/100000
Congratulations! You have accumulated 100 Evil Points!
With this momentum, become an even greater villain and plunge the city into chaos!
Updating danger level...
Your danger level is E-rank.
The Evil Points Shop has been opened!
Accessing future knowledge in 3 seconds.
3...
2...
'Hey, wait. I'm busy right now.'
The more I ignored it, the faster the red flashes came. Then—
Suddenly, a heavy drowsiness slammed into me like anesthesia. Ah, damn it. Why do I keep randomly passing out lately...
*
"Defendant, please state your date of birth and full name."
When I opened my eyes, I was standing in a courtroom. Directly ahead, a judge sat on the elevated bench, reading off personal details with mechanical indifference.
Eniac. A super AI developed in Unhwa that managed all public security across Minos.
The gallery was packed with civilians crammed into far too few seats. They couldn't sit still, shifting and fidgeting as if something had them terrified. Their eyes kept darting toward the person beside me.
I quietly turned my gaze sideways.
"Jinhyun. 30431227."
Last sat at the defendant's table with his hands and feet tightly bound, answering calmly.
A dream? It felt far too vivid for that.
"That's what my resident registration says, at least. Though it isn't actually mine."
"You mean to say you have no name."
"I don't know would be the more accurate way to put it."
At Last's ambiguous reply, Eniac corrected itself.
"Then, for convenience, I will continue referring to you as Jinhyun."
"As you wish."
Bang. Bang.
The moment Eniac struck the gavel, the entire courtroom atmosphere grew deathly solemn.
"Defendant Jinhyun, you administered private sanctions without first obtaining a Hero Rank from Hero Corporation. Do you admit this?"
"I admit it."
"Defendant Jinhyun has no safety nano-machines implanted in his brain. Do you admit this?"
"I admit it."
"The reason is that you are a survivor of the original Enhanced Human experiment. Do you admit this?"
"I admit it."
"Are there any other survivors from that experiment?"
"I don't know."
Last swallowed once.
"But I hope they are alive. They were all precious family to me."
Silence blanketed the courtroom.
Eniac appeared to deliberate briefly before delivering its verdict.
"I will now render judgment. First. The defendant, Jinhyun, manufactured and possessed a forged resident registration."
"Taking into account the environmental factors that prevented him from knowing his own name and date of birth, judgment is as follows."
Not guilty.
"Second. The defendant, Jinhyun, administered private sanctions against city residents without possessing a Hero Rank."
"Taking into account that he could not reveal himself as an Enhanced Human, that he saved the lives of countless citizens, and that the citizens subjected to his sanctions remain unharmed, judgment is as follows."
Not guilty.
"Third. Although the defendant, Jinhyun, is an Enhanced Human, he possesses no safety nano-machines in his brain."
"Taking into account the environmental factors of being a survivor of the original Enhanced Human experiment, judgment is as follows."
The defendant, Jinhyun, shall receive implantation of safety nano-machines immediately upon conclusion of this trial.
As Eniac continued its rulings, the gallery began to murmur.
"No nano-machines in his brain? Doesn't that mean he's the culprit behind all those unidentified Enhanced Human rampage cases?"
"We can't be sure. There could be other 1st Gens still alive."
"Well, as long as they attach the nano-machines."
"I hope they catch the rest of the 1st Gens soon. If any are still alive, that is."
Looking closer, some of them had been victims in the Noir Blanche kidnapping incident.
Thud.
At that instant, every light in the courtroom went out.
Simultaneously, Last, Eniac, and every single person in the gallery froze in place.
"Why?"
"You all received help from Last."
"You'll keep receiving his help from now on too."
"So why are you so desperate to corner him?"
"Still, Last is kind to a fault. He'll keep helping you anyway."
"Falling debris, speeding bullets, searing flames—he'll take every last one for you."
"Even while he's hurting, he'll pretend nothing's wrong..."
"Because Last is..."
"...that kind of person."
The voice was painfully familiar. It was definitely the voice of Chae Yuha—me—in this world. So the one speaking... was me?
But I'm right here. If I'm standing over there, then who am I right now?
With those final words, the voice vanished.
The frozen world began moving again.
"Wait just a minute!"
One of the gallery spectators shot to his feet and shouted.
"You're really going to close the case with such a pathetic slap on the wrist?"
"The trial has concluded. Objections will not be accepted."
Eniac ignored the outburst completely, calmly organizing its documents before stepping down from the bench.
"What the hell? This bastard's an AI and it—do you even know who I am?"
The furious spectator started causing a scene. Court officials swarmed him, trying to soothe and restrain him. A few of them called for the security team on their phones. But even after the security unit arrived, the situation refused to calm down. The rioter was a resident of Royal Road; they couldn't touch him.
"......."
For some reason—I couldn't say why—the thought suddenly struck me.
Do these people even deserve Last's help?
They don't know. They have no idea what is happening on the ruined surface above.
They don't know what caused humanity to lose its place as ruler of the Earth.
Because they've never seen it with their own eyes, they can't truly feel it. So they waste their time on meaningless role-play like this.
Someone once said there is no paradise in a place you fled to.
They were right. There was never going to be any safe haven for the humans who abandoned the surface and ran away.
If everything is doomed to be destroyed anyway...
Then with my own hands—
*
"......!!"
My consciousness snapped back to reality. Han Cheolho and Han Yujin were still beside me.
"Oh my god, Sis! Why are you covered in cold sweat?"
Han Yujin, noticing something was wrong, spoke to me.
I didn't have the strength to answer properly, so I simply waved her off.
What the hell was that?
It had definitely said it would show me future knowledge.
This is what counts as future knowledge?
The horrifying sensation still clung to me. The feeling of something wriggling deep inside my heart. The more I listened to that inner voice, the more it felt like I was turning into something that wasn't me. Inside this body, inside this heart, some colossal malice was breathing, alive and waiting.
I shook my head violently, trying to fling the distracting thoughts away.
Whatever the reason, one fact remained unchanged: if I did nothing, a noose would tighten around Last's neck.
That left only one thing for me to do.
"Yujin."
"Yes?"
"Take me to the courtroom where Jinhyun is standing trial."
I would save Last myself.
"W-wait, what are you suddenly talking about?"
And the groundwork for it was already perfectly laid.