Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: No Reason
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'That was fun.'
I'd taken down the five heroes blocking my path and bolted straight for the emergency stairs. Worried about the CCTV, I'd hidden the clothes I'd worn there in the bathroom on the floor below the lab.
To avoid getting caught on camera, I'd smashed every visible CCTV on my way to the lab earlier. To throw off my trail even more, I'd gone down five floors and wrecked the ones in the stairwells too.
Without CCTV, there were no eyes on me. The staff had all evacuated when word of the villain spread.
I slipped into the bathroom away from prying eyes, changed clothes, and headed back out. I made my way toward the crowd, where people wore baffled expressions.
There, I spotted Mom soothing the masses.
"Mom!"
"Son! Are you okay? You're not hurt anywhere?"
"Yeah. But what happened? I was in the bathroom when I heard this huge rumble from upstairs."
I played dumb, acting like I knew nothing.
"Well... there was, uh, a bit of a problem. But don't worry. It's all handled now."
"Really?"
Luckily, Mom didn't suspect a thing. Her eyes brimmed with concern as she looked at me, and I felt a twinge of guilt.
She had no clue I was the culprit behind it all. Hmm... sorry, but honestly, it was a relief.
"Anyway, are you okay, Mom? You're not hurt?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. More importantly, should we go see Dad?"
"Dad? He's here?"
"He's in the president's office right now. He's been hounding me to come up quick."
"Alright, let's go."
I headed up to the president's office with Mom.
"....."
Dr. Cruemora stared blankly at the floor. Guards' corpses and fainted assistants lay around him, but he had no time to care about them now.
Shadow Killer's words echoed in his ears on repeat.
'How long will it take experimenting on animals before your research becomes practical, Doctor? Skip the middle steps—let's jump straight to human trials. I'll procure the subjects you need.'
'Human... trials?'
'Exactly. Those stuffy folks will block you with talk of ethics and human dignity. You've dealt with that plenty, right?'
'Why... why would you help my research?'
'Your dream is a world where everyone has superpowers, isn't it, Doctor? I'm the same. I want to see a world where superpowers are equally accessible to all. So join me. I'll handle everything you need. I've already decided to help you because I get your dream. Helping you is the fastest way to make it—our dream—reality.'
'.....'
'No need to decide right now. I'll visit you tomorrow, so think it over seriously. Who would best help you achieve your dream?'
'.....'
With that, Shadow Killer vanished. Ghostly skillful.
"Human trials..."
Shadow Killer was right.
Why else would Dr. Cruemora test animal gene splicing on animals? Sanctuary Corp's chairman, his wife, and the shareholders opposed human trials.
So he'd started with animals, shown results to secure more funding and approval for human tests.
"My dream."
He'd begun this research to see a world free of discrimination by superpowers.
He'd explained his dream to many, but no one had empathized—until yesterday.
Today, one person had. Said they shared the dream.
The problem? That person was a villain. An S-rank one with a massive bounty, no less.
"Science is for humanity's progress. There's no good or evil on the path of science."
As if entranced, Dr. Cruemora murmured. Life flickered back into his vacant eyes.
"No good or evil on the path of science."
At his words, his shadow rippled as if delighted.
Kihihihihihi—
Like laughter.
"Why are you staring like that? I'm not hurt, so don't worry."
"....."
I tilted my head at Dad's blank stare. What was with him? Bad lunch?
Anyway, I'd now met both parents as planned.
Like Mom, who looked late 20s to early 30s despite turning 50, Dad was strikingly youthful too. Thick brows, short blond hair, tall and handsome.
'Level 9s are everywhere?'
I inwardly tilted my head at Dad's superpower. Level 9s weren't supposed to be common, yet everyone I met was one.
Mom was Level 9, Ice Queen Han Ji-min—the A-rank hero I'd fought—was too. This was the third Level 9 I'd encountered.
'Must be from setting their talents high.'
When choosing parents, I'd set both their superpower talents to top-tier from high/medium/low.
It felt implausible for an unprecedented powerhouse to be born to powerless or low-level parents.
I'd pondered seriously when crafting the story.
'Whatever, works for me.'
Mom and Dad were my absolute allies. Stronger was always better.
'But why's he staring so intently? It's awkward.'
"Weren't you out on business, Dad?"
"....."
"Dad?"
"Honey?"
"Yeah? Oh, sorry. What'd you say?"
Only when Mom and I called him did Dad snap out of it. Huh? Wasn't staring at me—just lost in thought?
"Heard you were out on business."
"Oh? Yeah, I just got back."
"You okay? You look kinda spaced out..."
"I'm fine. Just worried hearing your mom was in danger."
"Now that you've checked Mom's okay, worry about your son too?"
"You look perfectly fine. If you want family fretting, get a girlfriend."
"Ugh... solar plexus stab..."
"Hohoho."
Mom burst laughing at our banter. Dad chuckled with her, then shook his head.
"You'll both stay at the company, right?"
"Huh? Why? Leaving already?"
"Gotta. We came to see Dr. Cruemora's experiment, and now this... Oh, is the doctor okay?"
He had to be safe. My pick for future villain.
"Of course. Sanctuary Corp's security is top-notch."
"Got breached today."
"Eek... honey, our son is bullying me."
"Out! Don't harass my one and only wife—get out, you brat!"
Dad yelled, hugging Mom's whining form.
Brat? Sure, biologically your son, but I made you! Brat?!
"Sigh. Single life sucks. I'll head out—see you at home for dinner."
"Yeah, scram. Shoo~ shoo~"
"See ya later, son~"
"....."
Where's the 50s vibe? Just immature newlyweds?
I sighed inwardly and left the company.
"Hmm."
Sitting in a cafe, I gazed blankly out the window.
The sun that once lit the sky had vanished, thick darkness settling in. But even night couldn't dim the city's glow.
People bustled on the streets. The district thrummed with life.
'And night is prime time for villains.'
As a villain now, I'd live busier than others—carving into sleep time too.
By day, ordinary chaebol heir. By night, the villain everyone fears.
That was my villain identity.
Daytime: play chaebol heir. Nighttime: cut sleep for crimes like assault or murder.
Why villain over hero? Villains are free from everything around them. Freedom incarnate.
Heroes must uphold justice.
Always mindful of eyes on them, risking life for strangers against villains.
Even 100 good deeds get buried by one slip—cursed like a traitor. Public scrutiny of heroes is brutal.
Crucially, heroes' justice is constantly tested.
Strong beliefs crumble at doubt. Conviction props heroes up yet snaps easily.
'Blah blah packaging...'
I dressed it up—villains symbolize freedom, heroes have negatives—but simply, I want to live my way.
Villains aren't freedom symbols. Just crazy psycho bastards.
And I want to be a crazy psycho with my own creed.
Reason for villain? None really.
Sucked into the game mysteriously. Guesses exist, but irrelevant.
Game world's better than reality.
Powerful superpower, chaebol parents. What could be better?
In a no-answer situation, why not live freely?
'Time to go?'
Sluuurp—!
I downed the last of my coffee and stood. Villain mingling time.
'Hah... hah...'
C-rank Hero Association hero Aqua Girl—Yuna Reyes—huddled behind a crate, breathing raggedly. Tense, she held her breath to stay silent.
'How'd it come to this?'
Tonight, Hero Association targeted [Scorpion], a villain gang distributing drugs in the underworld.
Scorpion wasn't huge enough for a dedicated op—by raw power.
But in just 10 days since emerging, they'd claimed 3 of Dark City's 144 districts.
Hero Association watched warily. Judging their potential huge, they opted to wipe them out.
Best to crush sprouts before growth. Existing villains strained resources—no time for new threats.
Operation Scorpion Hunt launched: 1 B-rank hero, 2 C-ranks, and K.T.V (Kill The Villain) special anti-villain squad.
Hero Association isn't heroes alone. Non-powered support like K.T.V enables full hero effort.
'No B-rank or higher villains, they said!'
Intel said Scorpion had only their C-rank boss, Scorpion King, worth noting.
Against mere C-ranks, with a B-rank hero, it should've been easy.
Command came from HQ. The three heroes and K.T.V agents raided Scorpion's hideout.
But waiting: Scorpion King and minions armed to the teeth.
Somehow intel leaked—Scorpion knew and set an ambush.
Worse, Scorpion King wasn't C-rank. No C-rank bisects a B-rank hero in one blow.
His counterattack scattered the team. Now Aqua Girl fled alone.
"Where's our cute kitty hiding?"
"....!"
The voice beyond the crate widened her eyes. Androgynous high tone—Scorpion King's.
Flash: B-rank Jelly Master bisected by Scorpion King.
She saw herself in that image.
'N-no...'
Aqua Girl prayed he wouldn't find her.