94
Ch.94 Register For
"Ah, it's me, me."
At the man's shout, the hero who had arrested me raised a hand while receiving first aid from the police.
The right to remain silent—this peculiarly named right, akin to a martial arts technique, was originally part of the Miranda rights or something, supplemented by an autonomous rights guarantee for superpower humans to protect their human rights...
In short, it was a law in A-City stating that I didn’t have to answer questions I didn’t want to.
"Team Leader...!"
"How about stopping there, Deputy Team Leader?"
The hero, whose body was wrapped in bandages soaked in ointment—the Team Leader of District 9—broke free from the police and walked toward me.
The trash thief who stole my hot dog was called the Deputy Team Leader.
The Deputy Team Leader’s eyes were filled with irritation, while the Team Leader’s were exhausted as they exchanged glances.
"The investigation results don’t suggest he’s a villain. Isn’t that enough?"
"Are you seriously saying that right now? He’s clearly a villain, no matter how you look at it!"
"Concluding he’s a villain and interrogating him based on that is also a flawed investigative method. It violates the presumption of innocence."
The Team Leader shooed away the civilian police officer sitting in front of me and sat next to the Deputy Team Leader, operating the computer.
"He’s absolutely a villain. No doubt a reinforcement from the Villain Association. He says he came from outside, but the fact that there’s no entry record is suspicious enough!"
"Now, now, cool your head. You might not know this since you became a hero after Meister left A-City, but this kind of thing happened even before Meister was around."
Tap-tap-tap. The Team Leader typed on the keyboard, and shortly after, a police officer brought a new camera and scanned my face in detail.
"No matter how many A-City administrators there are, they can’t compare to a single Meister. If server stabilization is lacking, updates can slow down, and facial recognition data might have issues. Ah, could you lift your hair a bit?"
"Ex—Excuse me—Waaah!"
"I’ll do it."
Annoyed by the police officer grabbing my hair, I swept it back myself to reveal my face.
A moment later, the computer beeped, and the two flinched.
"Huh? It actually recognize you?"
"Citizen of A-City...? C-rank superpower human?"
I sharpened my vision and peeked at the computer screen reflected in the Team Leader and Deputy Team Leader’s eyes.
Citizen ID of A-City, last updated four years ago, moved to B-City, returned the day before yesterday, name: Park Deun-deun.
Did Gu Seo-ryong make my citizen ID?
"Are you kidding me? Is this really your ID? What kind of name is that?"
"It’s Park Deun-deun."
"And you—you’re definitely a superpower human! What else could you be?!"
"I am a superpower human."
"Guh—aaaah!"
When I obediently affirmed the details on the fabricated citizen ID, the Deputy Team Leader let out a scream-like sound and tore at his hair.
Beside him, the Team Leader calmly checked my citizen details.
"Given that you’re a superpower human with abilities, this must be from before the Superpower Human Registration Act was revised... It seems you were registered as C-rank and never updated. If you just arrived the day before yesterday, you must have come by train from B-City carrying cargo. Is your name really Park Deun-deun?"
"It’s Park Deun-deun. I came by train from B-City the day before yesterday."
"...How can someone’s name be Park Deun-deun?"
The Team Leader, with a bewildered expression, continued typing away at the computer.
"Well, since you have citizen records... This makes things easier. You can rest assured. Since you’re a superpower human, this isn’t a case of failing to comply with superpower human directives or violating the Hero Priority Law. As for property damage, the Superpower Human Protection Law states that damages incurred during battles between superpower humans aren’t held against them..."
"Wait a minute! Villains are excluded from protection! Why are you applying that law to him?!"
"He’s not a villain, I told you. This person saved a child who was about to get caught in your attack."
"That’s not my fault—it’s the kid’s fault for not running away in time...!"
"Deputy Team Leader?"
When the Team Leader glared sharply, the Deputy Team Leader tensed up.
"Superpower humans protect citizens inferior to themselves. It’s fine if you lack the ability to protect them. But if you don’t even have the intention to protect, you’re disqualified as a superpower human… Problematic, isn’t it? I pushed for you to become Deputy Team Leader based on your abilities alone, but if you’re this arrogant..."
"...I’m sorry."
"I told you not to use honorifics. All superpower humans are equal, right?"
"R—right."
"Then, Mr. Park Deun-deun, you’re cleared of suspicion. Deputy Team Leader, go finish your treatment."
The Team Leader, having crushed the Deputy Team Leader’s momentum, concluded the investigation with a bright smile.
The Deputy Team Leader kept glaring at me as he headed toward the police, who swarmed around him with bandages and medical equipment.
"Mr. Park Deun-deun? You’ve had a tough time."
"Is it over?"
"Yes. Since you’re a superpower human. There are still some suspicious points, but under the Superpower Human Protection Law, we can’t arrest you without definitive evidence."
"Hmm."
Their attitude remained friendly—no, it seemed to have become even friendlier the moment it was confirmed I was a superpower human.
The Team Leader, who had removed the handcuffs from my wrists, picked up a tablet next to the computer and gestured for me to follow.
"Then follow me. You’ll need to register as a superpower human."
"What’s superpower human registration?"
"It seems you weren’t properly briefed when you entered the city. Superpower human registration is a law enacted by Mr. Kage to eliminate the boundary between superpower humans and villains..."
"Too long."
"Well, it’s illegal if you don’t. Since Mr. Park Deun-deun is under suspicion of being a villain, you’d be tracked by Magic Bullet if you refuse."
If you’re not a hero, you’re a villain—simple enough.
But I have no intention of becoming a hero.
"Do superpower humans in A-City have to become heroes by force?"
"Mm? There seems to be a misunderstanding. This is superpower human registration, not hero registration. It’s just a simple check to confirm what rank of superpower human you are, so don’t feel burdened."
"What about physical examinations?"
"Ah that? Those inhumane examinations are gone now. Recording full-body scan data for hero registration? That’s sexual harassment."
In that case, there’s no risk of the monster core inside me being discovered.
I had been considering smashing the building and escaping, but I simply nodded.
"Got it."
"Good. Then... Once you register as a superpower human, you may be mobilized under hero command in emergencies, and you’ll need to participate in annual training and education. The issued superpower human registration card is..."
"Too long."
"Well, registration won’t take long. This way."
I got up and followed the Team Leader inside.
The hallway, the soundproof glass walls, the wounded villains, the police, and heroes being interrogated in other rooms.
As I looked around, the Team Leader chuckled.
"If you left A-City four years ago, you would find this surprising. A lot has changed, right?"
"Hmm."
"Since Mr. Kage took power, A-City has developed tremendously."
His voice was full of pride about the city’s changes, but I wasn’t interested. Instead, I listened to the conversations between villains and heroes.
"You’re still playing villain? Why?"
"I told you, my little sister is sick, so I had no choice... Wait, you—you! I’ve seen you before! You’re a villain, and a famous one at that! You said your little brother was sick, right? If it’s you, you’d understand my situation!"
"Yes, I was a villain. Under the protection of the Superpower Human Protection Law, I became a hero. That’s why I don’t understand you even more... Family illness, basic needs, all the situations where superpower humans are driven to become villains—Mr. Kage has blocked all of them. So what’s your reason for choosing to be a villain?"
"Guh—aaah...!"
In one corner of the interrogation room, a hero with long hair tightened it around a villain’s neck, exuding killing intent.
Even though the hero was about to kill the villain, the other heroes and police in the room didn’t bat an eye.
The villains’ fear, anxiety, and terror grew thicker.
"The answer is greed. You were blinded by that pitiful income. Your sister’s illness? How stupid. If that were truly the only reason, you should’ve stopped being a villain long ago."
"Ugh, w—wait... guh... d—die... h—hero... is this... allowed...?"
"Superpower Human Protection Law, Article 3: Physical harm or damage to suspects during interrogation, excluding death, does not incur guilt for superpower humans. You’re a superpower human too, so you won’t die from this, right?"
"Guh...! Gurgle...!"
"How many innocent people have I killed because of scum like you...?!"
The villain’s ability seemed stronger, but the hero could do whatever he wanted without consequence.
Fascinated by the sight, I kept watching until the Team Leader stopped in front of me and smiled.
"We can arrest villains this quietly all thanks to Mr. Kage and the S-rank heroes. They’ve instilled the fear that the moment they act out, something even more terrifying will come after them."
"Hmm."
Looking around the interrogation room, the heroes were brutally tormenting the villains but didn’t seem to be killing them.
No matter how painful it was, it was better than escaping and being killed by an S-rank hero, I guess.
"You all knew what you were getting into when you were caught, right? Stop being a nuisance and just confess, you trash."
"I’m just a grunt! I don’t know anything!"
"And as a grunt, you must’ve acted directly, right? You filthy pigs feeding on the government’s dirty money."
"You’re the ones taking government money!"
"Hah? We use citizens’ taxes legitimately, while you’re parasites clinging to the pigs leeching off the city! You disgusting vermin."
"Ugh, ah!"
Thud, thud. Leaving behind the hero punching the villain, we reached the elevator at the end of the hallway. The Team Leader and I went down to the first floor.
Alone in the quiet elevator, the Team Leader said something meaningful.
"Honestly, as the Deputy Team Leader said, Mr. Park Deun-deun, you’re suspicious in many ways. It’d be right to consider you a villain."
"I’m not a villain."
"Hmm... Even if you were originally a villain, I wouldn’t care. You acted to protect a child. Suspicious or not, that action was genuine. Superpower humans are beings superior to humans of previous eras, and thus must protect the weak and inferior... You showed the very image of an exemplary superpower human."
"Is that so?"
"So your past doesn’t matter."
Ding. We arrived on the first floor, and the Team Leader stepped out ahead of me.
"I was a villain too. Until Mr. Kage enlightened me."
"Hmm."
"What turns superpower humans into villains is the rotten society created by inferior pigs. Even if Mr. Park Deun-deun were a villain, your essence is that of a superpower human. You just need to learn the responsibilities of a superpower human from now on."
It felt like he was dragging out some annoying talk.
I silently yawned behind the Team Leader’s back.
Heading toward the opposite side of the building’s entrance, an open space prepared outside came into view.
"Since you were registered as a superpower human four years ago, you must’ve taken the test underground back then, right?"
"Hmm."
"It was insane. Unlike back then, when idiots who didn’t understand superpower human powers only increased the risk of building collapses, now we conduct tests in open spaces like this, designed for superpower humans."
On one side of the open space, young humans in identical uniforms were emitting waves of abilities.
These young humans were all superpower humans, demonstrating their powers next to strange machines.
B and C-rank superpower humans controlled the tests, machines resembling monster alert systems, and large screens displaying detected ranks.
"Looks like applicants from the academy are taking the test right now."
"Hah!"
"Hup—chaap...!"
Most were D or C-rank superpower humans. Tiny fireballs, wind blades, or telekinesis—each time they used their abilities, output levels similar to my senses appeared on the screen.
As we approached, the focused gazes of those destroying target scrap cars and drums shifted to the Team Leader and me.
"Gasp...! The District Leader!"
"It’s Air Walker!"
"The one who’s about to become an A-rank hero...!"
"Ah, excuse me, students. Do you mind if we borrow the ability test for a moment?"
After greeting the hero operating the machine, the Team Leader took a sensor bracelet from a student and fired an air bullet at the target.
The drum the students had been hitting was torn apart in an instant, losing its shape.
The result showed Computation Speed: A-rank, Output: B-rank—just a little more, and he’d reach A-rank. The students gasped in awe.
"Here, just wear this bracelet and use your ability like this."
I took the bracelet the Team Leader handed me, put it on my wrist, and clenched my fist.
A device to measure ability output—another one of Meister’s creations, I suppose.
Targeting a wrecked car beside the destroyed drum, I threw a light punch in the air.
A shockwave flew out and smashed one side of the car with a crash.
"A shockwave! An ability like Quake’s!"
"No, this is... Just a punch?"
The startled students and heroes, along with the frowning Team Leader.
The Team Leader immediately realized my punch wasn’t an ability that manipulated shockwaves.
"There was no ability in that shockwave. Just a punch—to cause that level of damage from this distance..."
"Pure physical enhancement? That?"
The students, who didn’t understand, and the horrified heroes all turned to the screen.
The measured ability output—the result was... Exactly as I expected.
"Is this thing broken?"
Measurement result: None.
My punch just now wasn’t an ability.
It was just a punch using a monster’s physical strength.
"Wait... Did you just fire a shockwave with pure physical strength?"
"H—how... Is that possible?"
"You don’t know?"
I raised one hand and extended my thumb.
"This is the power of Gombang."
"G—Gombang!"
"...What’s that?"
Everyone looked puzzled at my answer.
As expected, people in A-City don’t know about Gombang.
Pathetic humans.