#142 A Small Responsibility
I'm not kidding—the five-story building was fucking heavy. So heavy that if you slipped up even a little, it'd flatten you right there.
A 10-level body enhancer like me has enough strength to demolish a building if I really put my mind to it, but lifting something weighing hundreds of tons? No way in hell.
There's a huge difference between smashing stuff and holding it up.
"Urghhh... grrr...!"
Honestly, even if it crushed me, I wouldn't die. The only way I might croak is suffocation? But nah, getting buried under a building wouldn't suffocate me. It's not like it's a tightly packed dirt pile or anything, and I've got body enhancement on my side.
I'd just get pinned, wait for the heroes to clear the rubble later, then yell "This body's revived!" and slip away from the scene nice and easy.
But the reason I was holding up this collapsing building? Just one.
"Waaahhh~!"
"Mooommm~ Huwaaa~!"
The kids. And yeah, saving the adults too while I was at it.
I might walk away unscathed, but these folks? Not a chance. They were regular people without superpowers.
"Don't just stand there gawking... move! Get out!"
Terror of death had them frozen; they couldn't snap out of it. If they hurried up and left, I could bail too, but half of them were just sitting there on the floor in a daze.
Crunch!
"Shit...!"
The shockwave from the bomb had taken out part of the ceiling. Under the falling debris was the hero who'd played a big role saving that kid taken hostage by the terrorists earlier.
"Hah... hah..."
He'd burned all his power on his ability just now and couldn't dodge the heavy rubble crashing down on him.
Left like that, he'd be crushed to death.
"Hup!"
I snapped my fingers and hit the falling debris with Repulsion. It veered off to the side, crashing next to the hero.
"Hey, you idiots! You wanna die here?! Get the fuck out!"
"Uh, u-uh..."
Only after I yelled again did people finally come to their senses.
I was blocking the building from collapsing, keeping the flames at bay, and juggling Gravity Dominator all at once. I was seriously about to drop dead from exhaustion.
"We gotta get out!"
"Let's move, quick!"
"Kids first!"
I shouted at them to send the kids out ahead. When rescuing people in danger, saving the children first is just common sense.
Was it because I was taking on all the risk?
"C'mon, kids, let's go."
"This way, sweetie."
If some asshole tried to bolt for their own skin first, I'd track 'em down later for payback—but luckily, no one did. Saved me some hassle down the line.
The parents scooped up their kids and hustled out of the bank.
"Next, the injured!"
"On three, lift together! One, two..."
After that, I didn't even need to say anything. People started helping each other out, heading for the exit. They prioritized getting the badly hurt hero out first.
"No..."
"What?"
"I'll... go last... hah... you guys first..."
He looked like he was about to keel over any second, but the hero—Cutter—refused to go ahead of the others. He even urged them to leave him.
"You have to go now! Hurry!"
"You first... hah..."
"....."
One bank employee tried to help him, but Cutter glared and shouted. The employee nodded with an indescribable expression.
"Got it! Everyone, keep order and exit slowly! I'll go last with Cutter-nim!"
"Me too, I'll stay!"
A few stayed behind to carry the hero out last, while the civilians filed out in twos and threes.
"Steel... Armor..."
"Hm? What? If it's not important, don't talk to me."
I snapped curtly when the hero named Cutter called out. I was locked in on maintaining Gravity Dominator—couldn't afford distractions.
"Why..."
"Huh?"
But Cutter kept talking.
"Why is a villain like you... saving people...?"
"Hah!"
I let out a hollow laugh at that.
"Hey. When someone's dying, who gives a shit about hero or villain? You save 'em first, ask questions later."
"....."
Cutter stared at me blankly.
"Sure, I'm a bad guy by default, but I'm not that bad—I'm not gonna stand by and watch people die right in front of me."
Back when I was Korean, I swallowed a lot of injustice. Why? 'Cause I was weak. Weak and scared shitless, so even when bullshit went down right in front of me, I'd grit my teeth and look away.
But now? No reason to hold back or ignore it.
I can face injustice head-on with my fists, help folks in a pinch. 'Cause I'm strong now.
Uncle Ben—that's Spider-Man's uncle—said it best: With great power comes great responsibility.
I've got the great power, but the great responsibility? Fuck that. I just wanna live this one life burning bright, doing whatever the hell I want.
That's why I became a villain.
Still... still... even so... I could shoulder a small responsibility, grumbling all the way.
Yeah. Sending kidnapped kids home safe, getting the dying to the hospital, covering their bills, pulling people from collapsing buildings—small responsibilities like that? Piece of cake.
"Cutter. If you're ever interested in villain life, come find me. I'll hook you up as a subordinate."
"Heh... heh..."
Cutter clutched his gut and burst out laughing at my recruitment pitch. Laughing? I was dead serious.
People filed out one by one, until it was just me, the injured hero Cutter, and the two bank employees staying to drag him out.
I gave a thumbs-up to the brave duo sticking it out in this anytime-now collapsing death trap to help the hero.
"Your turn now. Get outta here. Hey, you two are real brave. And that hero over there? Real deal. So everyone get out safe. Oh, and if you're ever curious about crime life, hit up District 83 and ask for me. Tell the bald pervs with skull tats on their heads that I sent ya—they'll bring you right to me."
"Ha, haha..."
The two employees chuckled awkwardly. I was serious, though.
Crunch!
"Whoa, fuck! Almost fucked up big time!"
Thumbs-upping the employees nearly made me drop the building. I hurriedly shored up the ceiling before it could tilt over.
"You're the one who..."
"Huh?"
"...is a real hero."
"Cut the bullshit!"
"...Pardon?"
I barked at Cutter for calling me a hero.
"I became a villain 'cause I didn't wanna be a hero! Get the hell out! Go get treated! Don't you dare die!"
"Heh... kuhak... yeah... wouldn't dream of it after surviving this..."
"Let's go."
"One, two, three!"
"Ngh!"
The two employees carefully lifted Cutter by his limbs. He winced and groaned in pain.
"Um... but Steel Armor-nim... how are you gonna get out?"
One employee asked me right before leaving. Was he seriously worried about me?
"Hah... look, the most pointless worries in the world are fretting over politicians, then rich folks, and last but not least, villains. I check two of those boxes, so save your pointless concern."
"Haha... got it. And thank you, Steel Armor-nim."
"Thanks, Steel Armor-nim."
"Tch... yeah, yeah, now scram before I drop this shit!"
The employees hauled Cutter out.
"Tch. Why do people gotta embarrass me like that?"
My chest itched like hell.
"Anyway, time for me to bounce?"
Everyone was out—my turn to escape...
"...Huh?"
Then it hit me. One person left.
"Deputy Manager Hwang?"
That guy I knocked out in the special vault...
"....."
Shit.
*****
The Hero Bank building teetered but refused to fall. Citizens without powers had fled far, watching anxiously.
Near the crumbling structure were only the heroes left behind to handle rescues and prevent secondary damage.
"Everyone, fall back! We're starting!"
The on-site leader was Ice Queen, an A-rank hero on the cusp of S-rank. Her plan: freeze the whole building solid to stop the collapse.
She'd gathered her power and was about to unleash when—
"Senior, wait! More people are coming out!"
"What? Help them quick!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
At Ice Queen's command, waiting heroes rushed over to assist the three men: two Hero Bank employees and the resident hero, Cutter.
"Looks safe to use your power now, senior."
"Good. Wait... that voice—you're Aqua Girl, right?"
"Yes, senior. It's me, Aqua Girl."
"What's with the outfit? New costume?"
Ice Queen eyed her junior up and down. It wasn't Aqua Girl's usual getup. A sheer blouse showing off a black bra, black skinny jeans, and a frog mask covering half her face with huge eyes.
Aqua Girl scratched her head sheepishly.
"Nah, it's my day off today, so..."
"Ah, gotcha. You were nearby?"
"Yeah. It all went down right in front of me."
"...Good job, junior. You must be beat."
Ice Queen noticed how exhausted Aqua Girl was. She'd heard the full rundown of the incident. Off-duty but running around saving civilians? Impressive.
Then a hero approached with two men.
"Ice Queen-nim! These guys say they have urgent business with you!"
"Business? What is it?"
Ice Queen recognized them immediately—the last ones out of the bank.
"Steel Armor's still inside!"
"Please save Steel Armor-nim quick!"
"...Pardon?"
"....."
Ice Queen stared blankly at the two men begging a hero to rescue a villain. Aqua Girl's masked face stiffened.
*****
"Fuck."
Plan was to drop Gravity Dominator and bail fast. But I hadn't accounted for one variable: Deputy Manager Hwang.
Honestly, first time meeting the guy today. His life or death? Not my problem.
But I knocked him out. So if he got crushed? On me.
"N-No-Kill Rule...!"
No-Kill Rule ON!
'Batman brooo!'
The cool-headed Batman bro flipped on No-Kill Rule. If Hwang died now, it'd be murder on my hands.
Oh my god!
'Don't turn it on now! I'll be a murderer!'
[You can do it. Save Deputy Manager Hwang!]
'How the hell am I supposed to do that right now?!'
[If you can't, make it happen!]
'Fuck! Army PTSD! You never even served!'
I couldn't hide my shock at Batman bro quoting drill sergeants and officers nonstop from my army days. Dude's American—never served a day.
'Other bros?! Bros! Stop Batman bro!'
[Kekeke! Kahahaha!]
[Hmm... cut here for a perfect halve? Or here?]
Aaah... wrong crowd. Joker bro was kicking a dead terrorist's corpse laughing his ass off, Thanos bro pondering bisect lines over another corpse with his finger.
Mental support my ass—they're all psychos!
"Holy shit! It's really Steel Armor?"
"Huh?"
Someone brazenly stepped inside. The three bros roaming around vanished like mirages as a woman appeared.
"Ice Queen?"
The fearless one was Ice Queen herself.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
"What? Why you picking a fight again?"
"....."
Ice Queen stared like she couldn't comprehend.
Huh? Oh! Right!
"Hey! Perfect timing. Special vault over there—guy named Deputy Manager Hwang's knocked out. Go save his ass!"
"What?"
"If I drop this, he'll get crushed! You're a hero! Heroes save people, right? Not gonna leave him, are ya?! Hurry, save Hwang! Save! The! Ma—uh, Deputy Manager Hwang!"
"....."
Ice Queen kept staring, baffled. Quit gawking and go grab Hwang already!