Negotiations (1)
Merpin bit her lip, unable to step forward easily.
Her eyes blazed with fury, and her hand trembled violently as she gripped her golden sword. Yet, despite her rage...
Flan's expression remained entirely unchanged. Instead, she silently stared at me.
Flan.
I had underestimated the Association.
Her silver eyes locked onto me, gazing intently. It was a look that suggested she knew everything.
I knew I would be found out eventually. However, my judgment that she wouldn't act so aggressively to protect the image of heroes...
That judgment itself was correct, but...
"Hahaha! If it isn't the hero of the Association!"
I laughed theatrically, spreading my arms wide.
...Tsk.
I clicked my tongue inwardly.
Let's think about this in reverse. Why did Flan, an elite S-class hero, go out of her way to use rookies as bait just to catch us off guard?
Flan is an excessively rational person. Honestly, if she had brought that purple-haired brat to the front gate from the start, Merpin and I would have been utterly crushed.
But why did she specifically show me to the rookies?
To make an example out of me?
No.
I maintained a relaxed smile and met Flan's gaze.
She let out a soft sigh at my reaction and pulled on a pair of black gloves. It was a clear signal that she was prepared to use force, but a smile only spread wider across my face.
"...Persona. I am taking you into custody, along with the girl you stole—the Association's property."
"Custody? Just try it!"
I shouted confidently. It was a bluff, but I had roughly figured out Flan's scheme.
You're in more of a hurry than usual, Flan.
Flan was anxious. She looked perfectly calm on the outside, but her behavior and the way this situation was playing out didn't suit her at all.
If Flan had known everything from the beginning, she would have dismantled the Catacomb much more meticulously and cornered all the villains at once.
But right now, she brought rookies to stab us in the back, yet she still dragged things out to leave room for negotiation.
...As I thought.
Is she conscious of me? Is she trying to trigger my guilt using the rookies, hoping to force me back into being a hero?
"This is my final warning. Persona, and Merpin, boss of the Catacomb. Hand over the girl you took and Persona immediately."
Flan signaled the purple-haired girl with a hand gesture, then raised her arm.
A massive, arm-like mechanical device rose menacingly as if to crush us. With a harsh screeching sound, it scraped against the tunnel ceiling, crumbling the concrete.
"Don't make me use force. We are far stronger than you. And Merpin, you won't be able to move as long as we hold your villains hostage."
"Hehehe... I think you've overlooked one thing."
I let out a sly, villainous chuckle, my shoulders shaking.
I glanced to my side.
Merpin was taking a stance, gripping her golden sword as she prepared for battle.
Feeling my gaze, she furrowed her brow.
"What is it?"
"Release your ability. I just had a great idea."
"...What?"
Merpin looked bewildered for a moment, but after studying my face, she let out a deep sigh.
The sharp click of her tongue was a free bonus.
"Haaah... What the hell is this bastard thinking now?"
Hegemony
As the monochrome world regained its color, Flan flinched.
A flicker of bewilderment crossed her eyes.
"You..."
"Now, now! Rise, heroes!"
The fallen rookies began to stand up one by one, looking utterly dazed.
Their blank stares turned toward me.
Honestly... this is a gamble.
But since I've already crossed the line into being a villain, gamble or not, shouldn't I just push through to the end?
Flan bit her lip. She quickly gestured to the purple-haired girl.
"Okaaay!"
She grinned, pulling out a syringe. With a sharp kick off the ground, she lunged at me in an instant.
In that brief window, I shouted to Merpin.
"Block those small fries! I'll deal with Flan!"
"...Persona,"
Flan said, her voice dropping low.
Merpin, seemingly catching on to my plan, smirked and dashed toward the rookies.
Cackling as she swung her sword, she looked just like she did in her prime.
"Come at me, dogs of the Association!"
"Aaaagh!"
The rookies were utterly helpless against Merpin's sword dance.
Now, to resolve this situation, it was simple if I worked backward.
What is the best move Flan could make? What is the most rational method?
Naturally, it would be to convert me—a B-class hero who had already spent a long time in the Association—back into a hero.
And to take Ar back... of course.
Because the information I possess from over ten years of hero work is dangerous to the Association.
There were two main reasons she used the rookies as bait here.
Knowing that Merpin's priority was 'protecting' the villains, she wouldn't be able to move the rookies carelessly.
That easily leads to the method of pinning her down with the rookies and threatening her with the other villains.
She must have thought that Merpin, the leader of the Catacomb, would eventually hand over Ar and me to protect her people.
"What can you even do if I free the rookies, Flan?! Bahahaha!"
The moment the rookies are freed, her plan falls apart.
We can take the rookies hostage as well, and the moment I take off this mask, Flan's plan is finished.
The purple-haired girl threw a syringe. I dodged it easily and shouted.
"Aren't you being a bit too anxious?! For the great Flan to make a mistake!"
"This bastard has completely lost his mind!"
The purple-haired girl smirked and tried to close the distance rapidly, aiming to jab me with another syringe.
...Her speed, power, and technique are all decent, but...
She makes her intentions far too obvious.
If her ability triggers simply by stabbing me, her mind is bound to focus on only one thing.
The moment she lunged into my chest, I placed my hand on her head and spoke.
"Now... shake."
Mental Derangement
The girl's eyes went blank. The tip of the needle stopped just inches from my body.
"What..."
"Next time, don't brandish the needle from the start. Pull it out and strike when you see an opening. Otherwise, your intentions are far too transparent, aren't they? Hahaha!"
Thud!
I kicked her while she was momentarily paralyzed.
"Gah?!" The girl gasped, her face twisted in disbelief and shock.
And then—
Crash!
She slammed hard into the wall.
...I've definitely gotten stronger.
Honestly, that girl was strong. She was at least B-class.
Yet, my physical abilities had developed to the point where I could track her movements with my eyes and even counterattack.
Was it because of the suit? Or was it Ar's power?
Flan observed the situation with cold eyes. Just as she was about to make her move toward me—
"Stop right there, Flan! Or I will take off this mask!"
I shouted, reaching a hand up to my mask.
"...!"
For the first time, Flan's eyes wavered.
In this situation, the one who would be troubled if the mask came off was Flan.
The moment the rookies realized that the B-class hero Lee Kangwoo was the identity of this villain, her plan to recruit me back would be completely ruined.
...I don't know why you care about me so much.
But looking at your actions, this must be something incredibly important to you.
The purple-haired girl slid syringes between her fingers with a sharp click. But just as she was about to attack me again—
"Enough! Everyone, stop!"
Flan commanded.
The girl froze. The rookies stopped as well.
Merpin stopped swinging her golden sword. The rookies were all panting heavily, unable to even scratch her.
No casualties.
Fortunately, Merpin seemed to have understood my intent immediately.
I shoved my hands into my pockets and smirked.
"My, my, it seems our Association President has finally had a change of heart?"
"Go. Withdraw."
Flan ordered the rookies. As they hesitated, looking back and forth between Merpin and Flan, they began to move.
Merpin grinned and pressed her blade against a rookie's neck.
"Hey, who said you could just leave? Do you think the Catacomb is some kind of fucking joke? You bastards!"
"...State your demands."
Flan glared at Merpin with freezing eyes.
Merpin pressed the blade even closer to the rookie's throat.
A thin line of red blood trickled down.
The rookie gasped for breath, looking at Flan with pleading eyes.
"...Get the hell out. And don't ever step foot in our territory again."
"First, I have something to discuss with Persona."
"Then I'll keep these bastards hostage while you two go settle things. How's that sound, huh?"
"..."
Flan closed her eyes and nodded.
Thanks to Merpin's insane threats, Flan and the purple-haired girl...
...whose hero name was Mad Hunt, if I recalled correctly...
...ended up in my office to talk. Merpin was currently holding the rookies hostage with her subordinates.
...This is driving me crazy.
On our side, it was just Ar and me.
The moment Ar saw Flan, she bared her teeth in pure rage.
"Calm down for now. We hold the upper hand anyway."
"Mm."
Flan stared at Ar with cold eyes. She seemed lost in thought.
Feeling her gaze, Ar clung tightly to my arm and growled.
Only Mad Hunt seemed completely lost, blinking blankly at the situation.
Flan looked at me with emotionless eyes and asked:
"...Lee Kangwoo."
"..."
Wearing my mask, I met her gaze.