Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Expanding Influence
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The underworld had been maintaining a fragile peace in its own way.
No matter how superpowered a villain might be, they still needed underlings to handle the grunt work. Even in a world with superpowers, numbers were power.
Dark City was divided into a total of 144 districts, each managed by different villain organizations.
Starting a turf war with another group and losing strength could leave you vulnerable to the hyenas lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce on weakened prey. Those scavengers were everywhere.
And the enemies of villain organizations weren't just other villains.
The police and the Hero Association were foes as well.
In fact, they were far more formidable opponents than any rival villain group. Sure, villains might be evenly matched in power and numbers among themselves, but the Hero Association was on another level entirely.
Most of the heroes in Dark City belonged to the Association. With that kind of weight behind them, even villains couldn't rampage recklessly.
On the flip side, the Hero Association couldn't just sweep through the underworld at will either.
If they started wiping out villain groups one by one, the scattered villains would band together into a unified force. At that point, the Association and the villains would be on equal footing.
So the current balance suited the Hero Association just fine. Why throw stones and spill blood when the equilibrium held without it?
But the lake was no longer calm.
A massive boulder named Bal Jeong-nam had plunged into it with a mighty splash. Ripples spread across the surface.
A club in District 74.
"Hm?"
"What's up?"
"L-look over there."
"What's the... Whoa?!"
The two guards at the club entrance recoiled in shock. They were burly brawlers, built like tanks with fists like hams—true guard material.
Yet even they were frozen in terror at the mere sight of something.
What could have scared these hardened men so badly just by looking?
The dark alley lit up in an instant. The streetlights gleamed off a shiny, hairless scalp.
Clack-clack-clack-clack!
Dozens of people marched toward them, armed to the teeth—from clubs and axes to hammers and guns that could end a life with one shot.
But it wasn't the brutal weapons that terrified the battle-hardened guards.
All of them, save the one leading the pack, were bald. Completely bald, not a single hair in sight. Dress them in gray robes, and you'd swear they were monks.
But they weren't monks. They could never be. No devout monk would tattoo a skull on their head!
The guards gaped at the skull tattoos.
"Skull Head!"
"Q-quick, get inside and tell the boss!"
One guard bolted into the club. Skull Head showing up en masse, weapons in hand, was no ordinary occurrence in the underworld.
"Gaaahhh!"
The remaining guard, having sent his partner inside, turned tail and ran. This place was about to become a battlefield; no way he was dying here.
That's right—he'd sacrificed his buddy to save his own skin.
But it was a smart move. Loyalty mattered, but not more than life. And Skull Head? Even the toughest crooks feared those sadistic bastards.
"Kill him?"
One Skull Head glanced at the fleeing guard and asked the man at the front. Unlike the others, who were shaved bald with skull tattoos, he wore a mask painted with a skull and a sharp suit.
"Nah."
The masked man shook his head, ignoring the runaway. He eyed the club ahead.
"That prick Sijja's in there?"
"Yes, sir."
"Let's go."
"Yeah! Move out!"
"Woooaaah!"
At the command, the Skull Heads charged the club.
Sijja was an A-rank villain designated by the Hero Association for his uniquely sadistic nature, and the ruler of District 74.
In the past three days, Skull Head had grown explosively. To make money, they took on hit jobs without hesitation. It wasn't them doing the killing anyway—just their grunts.
Aggressively hitting other districts' villain groups naturally drew the underworld's eyes our way.
Over ten aspiring crooks showed up daily, begging to join.
So eager were they that some shaved their heads and inked skull tattoos before approval even came. I respected the enthusiasm and took them on immediately.
This rapid expansion predictably drew pushback from other villain groups.
Even Scorpion, once ruled by that scorpion bastard, had faced similar pressure. But he'd resolved it peacefully, earning recognition for Districts 77 through 79.
I had no intention of settling things peacefully like him. Unlike that guy, I had power—overwhelming power.
They'd bend, or I'd break them. No compromises.
As a show of force, I wiped out the group ruling the adjacent District 76. My underlings handled the kills; I just crushed their limbs.
They had three villains, all B-rank or lower—small fry. To teach them the value of others' lives and parents forever, I ripped off their arms and legs.
Not to mention the deep-cut dad jokes they hurled mid-fight. How could I let that slide? It hit so hard I half-thought I was back in Korea.
Anyway, claiming one district a day, we expanded aggressively. Now we'd come to District 74 to demand surrender from its ruler, Sijja.
"Kyaaah!"
"Run!"
Soon after my men entered, young clubgoers screamed and fled. Customers here to burn the night away.
No need to touch civilians, so we waited at the entrance until they cleared out.
"Ugh... ughhh..."
The last one out was a bloodied man, staggering.
"Gotta tell the boss right... Huh?"
"..."
I'd have let him go as a civilian. But he said the wrong thing.
Boss.
A-rank villain Sijja, ruler of District 74, was inside. This guy's "boss" meant another district lord. Which made him just another underworld criminal scum.
No mercy for non-civilians.
"St-Steel Armor!"
His eyes widened, recognizing me—the rising star.
Crack!
"Guh!"
I lightly tapped his head with spread fingers. Blood sprayed from his nose as he crumpled, out cold.
"Trying to make a call, huh."
Eat too fast, and you'll choke. We were growing plenty quick already—no need to rush more. One at a time, clean and neat.
Of course, I didn't fear a villain alliance. My grunts might die, but they were expendable. Replacements were endless.
What worried me was wasting my [Superpower Selection Ticket] and [Superpower Level-Up Ticket] needlessly.
Even weaker villains add up in dozens; Body Enhancer alone couldn't handle that swarm.
I'd have to burn those tickets then, spoiling the fun. Save them for the perfect moments—that's how the thrill builds.
"Guess I'll head in too."
Everyone who was leaving had gone, so I stepped inside. Not forgetting to smash the fainted guy's phone first.
Time to see what this Sijja looked like.
"Kill 'em!"
"These fuckers think they can invade our turf?!"
Bang-bang-bang!
Thud! Rat-tat-tat!
It was utter chaos, like a mashup of every gangster flick from East and West. One side hacked away with knives and axes in brutal melee; the other sprayed bullets. Bodies littered the floor.
"Raaagh!"
"..."
Stepping inside, one guy charged me swinging an axe. His full head of hair marked him as the enemy—not one of mine.
Smack!
"Arrrgh!"
I swung my palm at the perfect moment. His head snapped sideways, launching him into the wall. Even a car crash wouldn't send him flying that far.
"Daring to target me! You're all dead!"
"Gaaah!"
"Gack!"
Screams drew my eyes to a brown-haired man mercilessly carving up my bald—not, my underlings. Oddly, he wielded no blade or axe.
He was slicing them barehanded.
"..."
That's him.
Each slash gave me chills—not from the gore of limbs and heads flying, but because he was using a superpower.
This was Sijja, A-rank ruler of District 74.
Before my men took more losses, I launched at him.
"Hello Bullet Fist!"
"Guh?!"
I slammed my fist into his solar plexus, a bullet wedged between clenched fingers. Villains greet with guns.
Boom!
His short yelp echoed as he crashed into the wall.
"..."
"..."
The gunfire and blades fell silent for a moment, peace descending. Then cheers erupted.
"Boss stepped in!"
"You're fucked now, you shitheads!"
My skull-shaved crew jeered and cursed at Sijja's men.
"N-no way..."
"Boss... in one hit..."
Unlike my hyped baldies, Sijja's crew drowned in despair. Morale hit rock bottom.
"You fucking... hack! *Cough*!"
Sijja staggered up, vomiting blood—internal damage. Tsk. What good's a villain with such a fragile body?
Still, Sijja wasn't just some weakling. The Association didn't rank him A for cruelty alone; his superpower backed it up.
Catching his breath, he bared his teeth at me.
"Some gutter rat shows up and dares touch me?! You think you'll walk out alive?!"
"..."
Typical—guy goes down in one hit and suddenly he's Shakespeare.
Damn... wanna roast him!
Why'd I pick this silent villain gimmick? My mouth itched like crazy. Ditch it now?
"I'll make you beg for mercy!"
Sijja thrust his arm straight at me. I twisted aside, dodging.
"Haaah!"
Roaring, he crossed his arms in an X, scissors tight to my throat.
"Off with your head!"
Head off?
Snip!
His superpower surged, arms unlocking as the scissors strike hit my neck.
Of course, no general empties their base and drags every soldier to battle. They always leave defenders behind.
Bal Jeong-nam was no exception, stationing ten bald—not, ten underlings at the hideout.
"Hm? Whew~ Lost your way, missy?"
A guard whistled at the approaching woman. Baggy clothes couldn't hide her explosive curves.
"Aqua Ball."
"Wha—guh! *Gurgle*!"
Without warning, she unleashed her superpower at the Skull Head. A massive water orb engulfed him in a blink.
"Superpowered!"
"Fire!"
Realizing she wasn't normal, the other Skull Heads opened fire. Bullets flew, but she didn't dodge—instead glaring coldly at her attackers.
Plop—plop—plop—plop!
The shots halted before her. A watery barrier had formed around her, stopping them cold.
The woman—Aqua Girl—extended a hand toward the Skull Head with icy eyes.