#90 Steel Armor's Justice
"Tell me, Steel Armor. What is justice?"
"Justice is..."
Eh, who the hell knows. I slowly opened my mouth toward the Ice Queen, who was pleading for an answer.
"I'll ask you one question first."
"What?"
I recalled a story I'd heard in the past and posed it to her.
"There's a railway track split into two branches. On one branch, five people are tied up. On the other, just one. You're standing outside the tracks, holding a track switch in your hand. And right now, a train is barreling down the line at full speed. If things stay as they are, those five are gonna get crushed. Would you flip the switch in that situation?"
"What? Why bring that up out of nowhere..."
"Think carefully and answer me. Are you gonna sacrifice one person to let five die?"
"..."
The Ice Queen clamped her mouth shut and stared at me. I crossed my arms, signaling I wouldn't speak until she answered. Understanding my intent, she bit her lip and sank into thought.
"Five people... one person..."
Whispering to herself in a small voice, she finally made her choice.
"I'd save the five."
"But then the one dies."
"That's... but I can't just let five die either."
"I see. Now, what if the five are adults, and the one is a child?"
"What?"
She furrowed her brow at the follow-up. It was totally out of left field, but damn, I wanted to see her real face under that mask. How pretty was it? Statistically, high-level superpowered folks—men or women—were all lookers. Huh? What about Elis? She's got that SSS-grade body, duh.
Anyway, while I was lost in my own thoughts, the Ice Queen spoke up. She'd been mulling it over in the meantime, it seemed.
"I'd... save the child."
"That's your choice? Even if it means five die because of it?"
"Yes! But is that even the point? More importantly, what is justice..."
"Shh. It is the point. That's why I'm asking you these questions while you're searching for the answer."
"..."
She fell silent at my words.
"Next question. What if your family is among those five about to die? Would you still switch the track to save that kid you just met?"
"...What?"
"Answer me. Can you sacrifice your family to save a stranger kid?"
"Ah... your family calling out desperately, 'Ice Queen! Ice Queen! Save us, Ice Queen!' Can you let them die to save that stranger kid?"
"..."
Her fingertips trembled. One minute, two, five... time dragged on mercilessly, but she couldn't answer. I didn't need to hear it to know her choice. She was a hero who had to protect the weak, so she couldn't say it aloud.
She'd chosen to save her family over sacrificing the child.
"...Now tell me. What answer were you hoping to hear from me? What were you trying to say with those ridiculous questions?"
"Would you ask me the exact same questions I asked you?"
"Ha... fine. Whatever. Your choice means five could die, or one. Would you save the five? Or the one?"
I shouted confidently at her words.
"'All of them!'"
"...What? No, that's not an answer to the question."
"Why not?"
"What?"
"The question didn't say I couldn't use other methods. I'm an S-rank villain and a body enhancer. I can save all six before the train crushes anyone."
I'm a goddamn beast of a body enhancer! No need for track switches or killing anyone—I can use my powers to save them all.
But the Ice Queen couldn't accept my response.
"I could do that too!"
"But you didn't say that. Every time a new condition popped up, you flipped your choice."
"..."
"Why did you keep changing? Simple: justice hasn't taken root in you yet."
I took a breath and continued.
"Justice isn't something others tell you. You forge it yourself amid raging storms. If I said justice means killing every sinner, would you blindly follow?"
"That's..."
"But everyone sins, regardless of age or gender."
"An old man starving to death steals bread. Theft established. By my definition of justice, would you, Ice Queen, kill the old man?"
"A kid beats and bullies his friend repeatedly. Assault established. By my justice, would you kill the kid?"
"...No."
"My justice is mine alone to define. Following someone else's can never be yours."
"My... justice..."
Her head drooped, as if something had clicked. That should do it, right?
'But seriously, why ask me about justice?'
Sure, I'd tossed her some bait, but a hero asking a villain about justice? Kinda weird. Nearly busted a brain vessel racking my mind for that.
'Guess I can head out now?'
I'd given her food for thought—she'd agonize over justice and forge her own path. Our affinity probably went up a notch from the chat.
"Ice Queen."
"..."
As I turned to leave, I spun back and called her again. Might as well max out that affinity while I'm at it.
"A villain's justice is simple. But a hero's is hard."
"...What do you mean?"
"Regular folks, non-powered civilians, citizens—they can't kill villains. Why? To villains, they're the weak, the prey. Villain justice boils down to hit, steal, kill. Pick one."
"Villains cloak crime as justice, and people hate them for it—but they don't die. 'Cause they're villains. They don't give a shit about the weak."
"Heroes aren't like that."
"To heroes, citizens are the weak, the protected."
"Not all citizens are good. Some are worse than villains. Good and evil aren't about power or money—it's actions."
"That's why citizens' words can pierce a hero's heart like daggers."
"It's not villains who kill heroes. It's the citizens."
"...!"
Her eyes widened. What's her deal? Her reaction was stronger than expected—I was the one thrown off.
"Anyway, I'm out. Don't try to stop me—you'll regret it."
"..."
With that, I turned and left. Time to crash at home, stretch out, and sleep like a king. But when's she melting this ice? Should I smash it on my way?
"Wait, Steel Armor!"
"What?"
"I still wanna hear it. Your justice! What the hell is it?"
"My justice..."
Don't got one. Oh, wait—one does come to mind.
"Don't touch kids."
"What?"
"That's my justice."
"..."
You don't touch kids. Hero, villain—it's a universal rule everyone follows. Anyone who does? They're done.
Glancing back, the ice blocking my path was gone. I left the Ice Queen in the alley and bounced.
*****
Steel Armor was walking away, but Ice Queen couldn't bring herself to grab him. Her attacks wouldn't work anyway. But not even trying? That wasn't hero behavior.
She knew it well, yet until he vanished from sight, she didn't budge an inch.
Justice is something you forge yourself.
She repeated it inwardly. Yeah. Justice is mine to define. No matter what others claim is right or just, I decide if I act on it.
She'd known it subconsciously. Just hadn't realized it. That's why, even enforcing justice as a hero, she'd often felt uneasy or regretful.
But this conversation made it crystal clear.
Her head wasn't fully cleared yet. Ice Queen's justice couldn't be settled in a moment.
"Steel Armor."
She stared at where he'd stood. Before leaving, he'd dropped one last line.
Heroes aren't killed by villains. Citizens are.
That hit her—days ago, when White Knight lost to Steel Armor, Valencia had said:
No matter what, we need citizens to keep supporting us. The moment they don't, we become just another muscle squad. Gotta prevent that, right? Use your heads.
Back then, it hadn't clicked. She'd thought it was just black-and-white spin: White Knight good hero, Steel Armor bad villain.
But Steel Armor's words explained it. Valencia knew too.
That heroes aren't killed by villains—but by the very citizens they deem weak and protect.
That's why he'd manipulated public opinion.
"...Impressive."
Her image of Steel Armor shifted once more.
*****
Maybe 'cause I'd burned so much power, I woke up past noon. Normally, an hour's nap wipes the fatigue, but even after eight-plus hours, I still felt beat.
"Whoa."
Mixing cereal Elis prepped with milk, I browsed the net and couldn't hold back a gasp.
Internet, news—everything plastered with last night's Hero Association clash against Shadow Killer's villain crew.
More shocking: supporters split roughly 8:2 favoring heroes... wait, no—heroes 8, villains 2? Still, 20% rooting for villains?
"Fuckin' defending villains? These kids got no principles."
How brain-dead do you gotta be to back criminals? Same shit everywhere—tumors in every crowd.
"Nothin' worth digging into."
After 30 more minutes of scrolling, I shut down. Being at the scene myself, no fresh intel popped.
One tidbit: big names like Demon Baron or Viper? Zero arrests. Hero Association sucks at everything. Tsk tsk.
"Anyway..."
Downing the milk, I stood, stripped, and faced the mirror. My ridiculously ripped body was covered in tattoos. Barely any skin left.
"Overkill, huh? Pushed the exp too hard yesterday. Lucky face and hands are clear... but this is excessive."
Body ain't a damn canvas—what's with all these tats?
Hey, Purple Guy—no, Thanos bro, butt out. Half? Hell no.
"This won't do. Gotta grind some exp first."
I boosted Body Enhancer and Clone Art exp via the system. Shame—no Superpower Analyzer or Gravity Dominator users around. Real bummer.