The Masked Villain's Escape
Hooook! Falling from dozens of meters high, I checked the ground below and curled my fingers to tap something. With a sharp chaeng, the claws hidden inside my suit extended. Ar stared at them, blinking in confusion as she looked back and forth between the claws and me.
I leaned my body and pressed against the building. “It’s going to be loud, so brace yourself.”
I wanted to tell her to cover her ears, but she was already clinging tightly to my neck. The sun was still up, so my physical abilities were dramatically enhanced, and these claws were special enough to make this stunt possible. Countless windows flashed past as we plummeted. Then—
Kagagagagang—!
I grabbed a steel beam with the claws. It bent into a V-shape in an instant, shattering the surrounding windows and walls. Enduring the impact with one arm sent a wave of pain crashing through me.
“Ugh…!”
Grimacing, I landed on the ground and felt the guards blocking the exit staring at me in stunned silence. I let out a villainous laugh.
“Puhahahahat! You didn’t see this coming, did you?”
“Grab them! Once the heroes arrive, it’ll be over!”
“If you thought I’d just let myself be caught…!”
I sprinted away with Ar in my arms. The guards and the heroes who had been inside rushed after us, but the distance had already grown too great.
“You should study more about villains!”
One hero was charging at incredible speed. Probably an enhancer type. I didn’t recognize the face, so they had to be a rookie.
That’s one hell of a rookie.
Still, running that fast would make stopping difficult. A traffic light stood ahead. I extended my claws toward it. The hero gritted their teeth and reached out just as I hooked the claws onto the signal and used the momentum to spin around in a flashy turn.
“Huh?”
“Bye-bye.”
I even waved casually. The hero’s eyes widened in panic. They tried to brake by thrusting their legs forward, but ended up tumbling across the pavement with a loud crash.
Ouch… That had to hurt. I spared them a brief pitying glance before a chilling voice rang out from behind me.
“A villain infiltrating the Association. How strange. And you even know the password… and that child.”
I had heard that voice before, but hearing it now sent a freezing sensation down my spine. Ar flinched and trembled, her eyes darting toward the source. Her red pupils shook violently with terror. I clicked my tongue and turned my head.
“Tch.”
Flan was approaching with cold eyes. The countless mechanical parts on the floor interlocked with a loud kagagagang. She accelerated toward us. Her ability, Machinery. She narrowed her eyes, examined Ar and me, then furrowed her brow. She raised her arm.
Chalak! Chwarururuk!
In an instant, the machines that had been supporting the floor attached themselves to her arm, forming the shape of a massive sword. One hit from that and I was done for. S-class really wasn’t a joke. And if it was Flan, she wouldn’t just knock me out—she’d corner me completely. I never expected her to show up!
I kicked off the ground even faster.
“Shit!”
“Don’t resist. I’ll at least preserve your limbs.”
Flan swung the sword down from above. Countless gears and mechanical parts gleamed along its edge. The shadow fell over my head in an instant. Ar clung tightly to my body, trembling violently in fear.
“Hey, hey! If you do that—!”
“I’m… sorry.”
Ar squeezed her eyes shut and bit down hard on my neck. In that moment, it felt like my heart stopped. My vision turned red. The massive sword seemed to fall in slow motion.
Shit?
I’d have to ask about this ridiculous situation later. For now, I had to use my heightened body to escape. Ar’s voice echoed in my head.
Run, my thrall.
Ah, right. I’m a thrall now? Good grief.
Kwaang!
With an abnormal burst of strength, I leaped forward. My entire body felt like it was breaking apart, but blood surged back and regenerated the damage. The goal was to shake them off. I jumped into the car I had prepared earlier and slammed the accelerator. With a roar, we sped south. Other cars honked in protest, and I could already hear pursuit vehicles behind us.
“…You were prepared for this much?”
And then Flan’s voice. That was the most terrifying part. She was keeping pace at over eighty kilometers per hour using nothing but her ability. The machines attached to the ground tore up the asphalt with a thunderous kwagwagwang as she accelerated. I pressed the pedal harder, heading toward the crowded downtown area where her ability would be harder to use.
“Kahahahat! That ability of yours! Isn’t it too big? Can you even use it in a place full of people?!”
“…You.”
I jerked the wheel sharply toward the city center. Pedestrians screamed at my reckless driving. Flan bit her lip and finally deactivated her ability. Machinery affected a wide area and was too powerful—if she used it in a crowded downtown, it would cause civilian casualties. She tried to chase me on foot after shutting it down, but the congested streets made it impossible to catch me. It wasn’t a rational decision. I could feel her silently watching me.
“We shook her for now. Let’s head to the Catacombs, the villains’ territory.”
“U-uh… okay.”
Ar stared blankly at where Flan had been, then nodded dazedly. Numerous cars tried to pursue us, but the crowded downtown blocked their way. At least there were no traffic accidents, so no civilian casualties. Of course, the fact that this entire mess was my responsibility was a huge problem.
“Whatever! I’m already past the point of no return!”
“Uweeek!”
Ar couldn’t hold back her motion sickness and threw up. We passed through the downtown area and drove the car all the way to the ruined district. A city that had been annihilated during the past Villain War. I stopped the car, lifted the still-disoriented Ar with one arm, and rushed into the Catacombs.
“Haa… haa…”
After reaching an underground tunnel that resembled a drainage ditch, I leaned against the wall with one arm and exhaled roughly. I had driven in a daze from sheer excitement, and the adrenaline was still surging through me.
My heart feels like it’s about to burst…
Ar, now on the ground, watched me with a worried expression.
“Ahjussi.”
“…Hearing ‘ahjussi’ from a kid like you really snaps me back to reality. Not that you’re wrong.”
I forced a smile. Ar’s face darkened further. She lowered her head, lips pressed tightly together as if feeling guilty, and clutched my clothes while trembling. Her lips opened and closed hesitantly before a shaky voice slipped out.
“Why… did you save me?”
“…”
The villains’ remnants would soon come because of the noise. We had a little time to talk until then. I looked down at Ar and scratched my head.
“Because I wanted to.”
“…”
“That’s all. Whether you’re a True Ancestor or have some incredible ability or bring disaster or whatever… I just had to do it.”
Ar looked like she wanted to say something, her expression conflicted, but she bit her lip hard instead.
This really is the end.
Because I had to. To break through Flan’s wall of rationality. That was it. There was nothing grand about it. And with that, I had bet my life and become the enemy of the world. Infiltrating the Association, causing chaos… If they ranked it, I’d probably be labeled “highest threat” or something. Damn it.
Step. Step.
Footsteps echoed from somewhere. A large group was approaching from the dark end of the tunnel. In the center stood a woman with a red coat draped over her shoulders and a cigar in her mouth. The sheer pressure she exuded made it clear she was their boss. She exhaled a long stream of smoke and glared at us with irritated eyes.
“…Not many strays make it all the way to the Catacombs.”
Her crimson eyes fixed on me. I was still wearing the mask, so she probably didn’t recognize me.
“It’s strange that we couldn’t stop even small fry like you from wandering in. Almost like you’ve been here before.”
Anger seeped through her voice. She ground her teeth, and the half-smoked cigar fell to the floor. Crack! She crushed it under her shoe and twisted her lips.
“Who the hell are you?”
“…”
A-class. A villain who had made a name for herself during the old Villain War. The boss of the Catacombs, who had taken over after the previous leader died.
“Merpin. Been a while.”
“You know my name? Ha, who the fuck is this guy? Anyone recognize him?”
Merpin scowled and shot sharp glances at her subordinates, but they all shook their heads.
“With a flashy mask like that, there’s no way we wouldn’t remember.”
“…I’m a villain starting today.”
I sighed and slowly removed the mask. The man’s face revealed beneath it was one she would recognize. Merpin’s eyes widened.
“You…!”
“Like I said, it’s been a while, Merpin.”