Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Shh. Infiltrating
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Hero Academy. Instructors' dormitory.
Valkyrie, assigned an entire floor as befitting an S-Rank Hero.
She was checking a video inside her room.
"...Fuck."
Finally reaching the end, she couldn't hold back any longer and dry-heaved.
The memory card handed over by the Smiling Man. The events of the day Holy Knight died.
It was far more disgusting and horrific than Valkyrie had imagined.
"Y-You crazy bastard...!"
How the Smiling Man obtained this video didn't matter.
Right now, there was only one thing. Holy Knight's ugly true face filled her vision.
Deliberately building a bond as uncle and niece... and this was what he did?
You crazy bastard. Those were your senior heroes, the parents who looked after you so well.
I remember you bragging to me every day about how wonderful they were.
In the moment they lost their lives to villains, they believed you'd protect their daughter.
And instead, you drugged her with sleeping pills to do something vile?
'I loathe myself for ever calling this scum a senior, even once...!'
Fortunately, the video's conclusion wasn't what Valkyrie had feared.
While Holy Knight briefly stepped away, the Smiling Man lay down in Seo Ha-eun's place.
...Though she had no idea why he struck a Sleeping Beauty pose.
In any case, Seo Ha-eun hadn't suffered anything unforgivable, and Holy Knight had paid the price.
Not at the hands of fellow heroes or Union. Not by the judgment of the law.
A villain had executed him.
"Damn it."
Finally, the full truth of that day came into focus. Every lingering question answered.
Why Holy Knight had fallen so easily. Why Seo Ha-eun had been there.
And why the Smiling Man had remarked, 'I just cleaned up some trash.'
"Haa..."
A sigh slipped out on its own. She was disappointed in everything.
In Holy Knight. In Union Korea Branch. And in herself.
First off, Holy Knight. He'd strutted around everywhere, boasting of being a splendid S-Rank Hero.
But in truth, he was too repulsive to even call human, let alone a hero.
She knew he'd done this not just to Seo Ha-eun, but to others as well.
At least Seo Ha-eun had received help midway; the others likely hadn't even had that mercy.
Union Korea Branch had known of Holy Knight's crimes yet deliberately covered them up.
Claiming it would tarnish the heroes' reputation. That it would give villains more ammunition.
They'd said S-Rank Heroes were precious resources that had to be handled this way.
'And... I have no excuses either.'
She'd known too. She'd been aware of Holy Knight's misdeeds.
Yet she'd let the branch persuade her. Worried, as they said, that it would give villains pretext.
She'd thought covering one evil to prevent ten others was the better path.
But no. In hindsight, it was all utterly foolish.
How could they stop ten evils without even confronting the one?
Because he was an S-Rank Hero? A valuable human asset, so hands off? No!
Because they were 'heroes'. Guardians of the world—they had to stand upright.
She herself had forgotten that simple truth at some point.
"...Alright."
She'd use this as a weapon to shake Union Korea Branch.
Here's the truth about Holy Knight that you tried to bury.
If the branch didn't first reveal that they'd hidden his crimes.
If they didn't step forward to demand reflection from other wayward heroes.
She'd even threaten to upload it all to YouTube.
If they did, even Union would have to reconsider—
< Hero Valkyrie. >
"...?!"
Right then. The Smiling Man appeared at the video's close.
The background shifted from the hotel room to somewhere else.
Likely a clip filmed separately and tacked on at the end.
What did he just say?
Me? This me? An S-Rank Hero. Valkyrie of the Special Task Force?
Impossible. As vital a resource as Holy Knight—no, more so.
Union wouldn't discard her on a whim...
A villain with zero ties to Union rambling on.
Just baseless claims from an outsider blind to their inner workings.
Yet why did 'It could happen.' suddenly cross her mind?
Valkyrie even found herself growing afraid of the Smiling Man.
Hearing that far, Valkyrie unwittingly murmured.
Smiling Man. What do you... what are you really after?
Even knowing no answer would come, since it was recorded.
The Smiling Man on screen wore a bizarre smile.
Mocking? Or something else?
With that image, the video ended.
First-year cadets, each dreaming of becoming great heroes upon entering the academy.
Ten days had already passed since their first class.
Today's lesson covered villains.
"Monsters emerged into the world, and abilities appeared to counter them. In the early days, everyone focused their powers on slaying those beasts. But as time went on, some began using that strength for personal gain. Further still, groups arose who turned it to crime."
"The world dubbed them villains and, even amid the ongoing monster crisis, formed a global organization—Union—to combat their criminality. Since then, heroes worldwide have efficiently battled monsters and villains under Union and its branches."
"Cadets, what you must remember: killing non-human entities like monsters is worlds apart from executing villains. Even if they're unforgivable criminals, growing accustomed to human-on-human violence can push you across the line—turning you into the very villains you fight."
The lesson's message was unequivocal.
Stand against villains as enemies, but don't let hatred corrupt you.
You are heroes. Not villains. You must be different.
Many cadets nodded vigorously in agreement.
But Seo Ha-eun couldn't agree with those words at all.
'Villains are bad guys. They hurt people, make them suffer. No different from monsters. So yeah, kill 'em all. What's wrong with enjoying it?'
Heroes putting down villains wasn't just about simple justice.
For those wounded by them. Those who'd lost loved ones. Those left grieving.
It was revenge on their behalf. And revenge was always a delight.
That's why Seo Ha-eun couldn't comprehend it. Nor did she want to.
Killing more villains would just make more people happy, right?
Slaughter them until none remain—no one left to get hurt.
"Villains have banded together into the 'Clan' to oppose Union. However, lacking Union's rule-based structure, their influence pales in comparison. Especially given villains' nature, control is outright impossible."
Uncontrollable power. All the more reason to wipe them out.
Villains were the axis of evil. The worst existences, sowing nothing but blood and tears.
The only thing to expect from them was their erasure from the world.
"Recently, S-Rank Hero Holy Knight was ultimately slain by the villain 'Smiling Man' after a brutal fight. With no Seven Evils present, it appears to have been a rogue act. Villains like this often strike impulsively, without any plan..."
Smiling Man. The name jolted her; Seo Ha-eun bit her lip without thinking.
She still didn't know why he'd spared her.
Not just leaving her unharmed—maybe even more.
She'd drunk, collapsed... and woke in a hotel room.
Holy Knight, who'd been supporting her, was stripped.
Right. The Smiling Man might've done it purely to mock.
Villains were unpredictable. Capricious to a fault.
Her hatred for villains whispered to believe that version.
But if not. If that other possibility echoing in her heart was true...
Why would a mere villain not overlook someone else's misfortune?
Awoooo!-
Clutching her head in frustration, an alarm blared overhead.
As the cadets panicked and looked around, an urgent announcement followed.
Monster Alert Issued!
This is a real situation. Not a drill. Cadets, evacuate to shelters immediately. Instructors, prioritize cadet protection! Heroes en route!
A monster had appeared near Hero Academy.
The initial announcement called it Fierce grade.
But the measurement soon updated.
The highest rank. This monster was Apocalypse Class.
"Finally starting, huh."
Yushin smiled at the monstrous aura wafting from afar.
After a light stretch, he pulled out the glasses he'd prepared in advance.
Wasting his eyes on a mere monster felt like such a shame.