It's Only Proper to Introduce Yourself
ZZZIIING-!
BOOOOM-!
"Block it! I said block it!"
"How the hell are we supposed to block that? That's the White Knight!"
White Knight had stormed into the secret base, soaring through the air and blasting everything in sight with laser beams, smashing it to pieces. The guards defending the base fired rocket launchers and detonated bombs. Guns were useless against White Knight—they couldn't even scratch him—so they went straight for the heavy artillery.
But even those attacks couldn't touch White Knight, who flew freely wherever he pleased. The base was falling apart at a rapid pace. At this point, one had to wonder if the guards were doing more damage than White Knight himself, firing off all that firepower just to "defend" the place.
In any case, the guards—armed only with heavy weapons—stood no chance against White Knight's rampage.
"...Nothing here either."
With no one left to oppose him, White Knight paused and scanned the surroundings. Valencia, the Hero Association president, was nowhere in sight. Just a bunch of small fry. Annoying.
"Hm?"
As he prepared to move elsewhere, he sensed someone approaching from his direction.
"..."
A single person, but their presence was powerful enough to feel from afar.
This level of presence... Shadow Killer?
"...Heh heh heh. This could be fun."
Shadow Killer always fled whenever they were supposed to clash, so him approaching first was unexpected. The strongest hero—himself—and the worst villain, Shadow Killer. As the pinnacles of their respective sides, people were always debating who was stronger.
White Knight wasn't the type to care about rumors, but he was curious. Just how strong was the so-called worst villain? He'd wanted to test it once, but Shadow Killer always ran. They hadn't even exchanged words. The moment White Knight showed up, Shadow Killer vanished like a ghost.
ZZZIIING-!
Light gathered in White Knight's eyes. He planned to blow off the guy's legs before he could escape.
TATATA-!
The presence closed in at high speed. The moment they rounded the corner, White Knight fired his laser beam.
"Hup?!"
The figure, clutching something, spun around desperately and took the hit on their back. The laser beam that could slice through anything failed to cut the newcomer.
"Kyaaaah!"
"Hm?"
White Knight, mid-beam, realized something was off from the girl's scream.
"Who the hell are you?"
Stopping his attack, he saw that the one enduring his laser wasn't a man—it was a woman. And she was holding a young girl.
That wasn't all. The laser had burned through the back of her suit, exposing her jade-smooth lower back. The fabric was scorched, but her skin didn't have a single mark.
"Not even singed?"
No ordinary person—no superpowered individual—could take a laser beam unscathed. Plenty of villains had lost limbs to it.
"Who are you?"
"Ugh... Hng..."
"It's okay. I'll protect you. Don't cry, Isabela."
"I asked who you—wait. You're..."
As the woman turned, White Knight finally recognized the one who'd withstood his laser unscathed.
"Gumiho?"
"Long time no see, White Knight. Not thrilled about the unprovoked attack, though."
"As I thought..."
White Knight gave Gumiho a meaningful look.
"Figured you weren't some ordinary bitch. S-rank?"
"..."
White Knight had long suspected the Gumiho always glued to Valencia's side wasn't just an A-rank hero. S-rank heroes developed a kind of intuition, sensing others' power levels. Even among the same rank, abilities varied wildly—some B-ranks were weak, others strong enough to pass for A-ranks.
And Gumiho? Way too weak for A-rank. Her presence was practically undetectable.
That meant one of two things: she was a fake hero with no powers, or she had S-rank strength that perfectly hid her presence. White Knight leaned toward the latter.
"Hng... Hng... Hwaaaang~"
"...Noisy bitch."
"She's the Association president's granddaughter."
"...Noisy granddaughter, then. Why's the president's granddaughter here?"
"You didn't know?"
"Nope."
"Then how'd you get here?"
"Heard the president was in danger. I owe him."
"..."
Gumiho eyed White Knight with surprise. The top descriptor for him was "strongest hero." But next came "arrogant prick," "cocky superpower abuser," "rude asshole," and so on. For him to come repay a debt? Shocking.
"So where's the president now?"
"..."
Gumiho couldn't answer. Even she doubted Valencia was still alive. But humans clung to hope against impossibility.
"I have a favor to ask, White Knight."
"No."
"..."
Personality wrecker White Knight shot it down without hearing her out!
"We need your help to save the president. Didn't you say you owe him?"
"Speak."
"Take Isabela outside."
"No."
"..."
His personality shone again!
"Hand her to the heroes outside. You're faster than me anyway. I'll head to the president first. Follow the marks I'll leave on the walls."
"No."
Three strikes for the man! Three strikes for White Knight's personality!
"...Listen to me, White Knight."
"What?"
In this urgent crisis, getting stonewalled three times by an ally like White Knight pushed Gumiho to her limit. A shadow began to grow behind her—a massive figure with a protruding snout and nine tails.
"I'm done playing with you. Choose within three seconds: help me save the president, or die here by my hand."
"Heh, heh heh, hahaha..."
White Knight burst into laughter at Gumiho's threat, then fixed her with a cold glare.
"You think you can kill me? A worm like you?"
"Think I can't?"
"..."
"..."
The man and woman locked eyes in a heated stare-down. Surprisingly, White Knight looked away first.
"Fine. I'll back off this once to repay my debt to the president. But after we save him, you're mine, Gumiho."
"Uheeng! Uheeeeng~!"
"Shut up. Stop crying, girl."
White Knight scooped up Isabela and blasted a hole in the ceiling with a laser, shooting upward—the easiest way up.
"President... please, please be safe!"
Having handed Isabela to White Knight, Gumiho pursued Valencia's scent to rescue him.
*****
Valencia, the Hero Association president who'd lost consciousness, slowly opened his eyes.
"Ugh..."
"Awake?"
A familiar yet unfamiliar voice from beside him—no hostility in it.
"Who...?"
"If you're asking who I am, it's only proper to answer!"
"...Huh?"
The voice suddenly turned chipper.
"To stop this world's destruction! To protect this world's peace! Spreading love, truth, and darkness! Dark City's seasoning! The cute villain! Name's..."
"...?"
Valencia wondered if Demon Baron had drugged him while he slept.
"Steel Armor!!!!"
BAM-!
KABOOOOM-!
Steel Armor made explosion sounds with his mouth. It was over-the-top and unhinged, but Valencia now knew who the hulking man before him was. His foggy vision sharpened.
As he'd introduced himself, the giant matched Steel Armor's appearance perfectly.
"Steel Armor?"
"Yup. Steel Armor."
"...Why are you here? Teaming up with Shadow Killer?"
"Nah. I don't team with guys I've beaten. Think I'd join hands with a limp-dick loser like Shadow Killer? I'd get nothing done."
"Uh, uhh?"
Valencia was stunned by how Steel Armor turned the infamous Shadow Killer into a rhyming wimp on the spot. No massive ego spits that out instantly.
"Anyway, no injuries?"
"What? Huh? Uhh? No pain?"
"Good. Wouldn't waste my investment saving you otherwise."
"...You saved me, Steel Armor? Why?"
Valencia couldn't hide his confusion. No reason for a villain to save him.
Steel Armor gave a wry smile (hidden by the mask).
"Got orders to save you."
Orders?
Valencia's eyes widened. Steel Armor—S-rank, maybe the strongest villain—taking orders? His mind raced with wild imaginings. Dark City had a black curtain beyond Shadow Killer, plotting unimaginable schemes! As the heroes' leader, it was a shock.
Another organization I don't know about? One that controls even Steel Armor?
Steel Armor had gotten orders—to save Valencia. From today's limited-time hero, Cutie Armor. But he didn't explain, letting the misunderstanding deepen.
"Anyway, you owe me your life today?"
"So? What do you want?"
"Obviously."
"What?"
Steel Armor nodded like it was a given.
"Why else would I waste that precious li—er, potion on you? Gotta get paid. You'd be dead without me. Be grateful, old man."
"I am grateful, but..."
"Then pay up."
"What do you want?"
"Dunno yet."
"What?"
"I'll collect later. Postpaid—you know, deferred payment? When I need it, grant my request. Not something like 'risk your life' or 'betray your allies,' so relax."
"..."
Valencia racked his brain for Steel Armor's—or the mastermind behind him—motive.
"Anyway, you're good now. Let's head up."
"Hm? Yeah... Guess so. How'd you save me? You mentioned a potion. What kind?"
"Hey! Trade secret! Don't pry. You'll get hurt."
Steel Armor's secret: human potion. Supported by Steel Armor, Valencia started walking slowly. His body was healed, but his stamina hadn't recovered enough for full mobility.
"Ugh!"
"Whoa! Careful!"
Valencia's legs buckled; Steel Armor caught him hastily. The pose was odd—left arm around the waist, right hand on the neck. To an outsider, it looked like Steel Armor was strangling him.
No way that's happening...
"Steel Armooor!!!!!!"
"...It is."
BAM-!
"Guh?!"
Steel Armor was kicked flying by charging Gumiho, crashing through the wall.
"Don't touch the president! Die!"
"W-wait... Miho, hold on. Miho? Miho!"
Legs giving out, Valencia slumped and called to Gumiho, but she'd seen Steel Armor "attacking" him—her words fell on deaf ears.
"I'll kill you, Steel Armor!"
Gumiho's eyes rolled back.