Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Villain, But Not a Villain
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Tattoos, a member of the Seven Evils, etched another tattoo onto his body today as well.
For every ten civilians he killed, he added one, bit by bit.
His murder log covered his entire body in that manner.
But he wasn't satisfied. More. He wanted to kill even more.
The screams they let out. The blood they spilled. Ah, such delightful sights.
The ultimate pleasure. He couldn't understand why this was forbidden.
That stupid woman. A villain only becomes a real villain by fighting heroes?
No. Overwhelming terror and even more overwhelming brutality. That is a villain.
People should tremble and piss themselves at the mere mention of the name.
Finally, he would cover himself entirely in tattoos and become absolute evil!
Bang!-
"...Ah, you pig tattoo bastard. Drawing on your body again. Can't you ease up on the tattoos?"
"They're not tattoos. They're irezumi."
"Don't spew crap about your daddy's dick. Tattoo or irezumi, same thing."
Tattoos scolded her, insisting they were distinctly different and that she knew nothing.
This only made the Murder Maniac Girl, Massacrer, look even more baffled.
That guy would claim a hway knife and a sashimi knife were different too, huh?
"Whatever. Check out this news."
Tattoos blankly stared at the phone screen Massacrer held out.
"It's off."
"Ah, fuck. This protective mode is such a pain."
She fiddled with it roughly and shoved it back toward Tattoos.
It displayed the Union's special announcement and details on subsequent hero activities.
To sum it up: They were designating the Smiling Man as the "worst enemy."
They would prioritize him above any other villain and focus solely on killing him.
"Thanks to that, the Union's pressure on us has lightened up a bit."
"Kuhuhuhu. This is what I meant. Whether the Smiling Man is real or not, the Union doesn't care. They just wait for a specific figure to redirect the people's anger and fear."
Initially, the other Seven Evils thought the Union wouldn't fall for it.
But Tattoos knew better. Yeah. The Union couldn't be fooled.
However, the Union pretended to be fooled when it suited their interests.
He had always exploited that trait. That's how he survived, how he became one of the Seven Evils.
'That very nature of theirs gave me a decisive advantage.'
Tattoos's Ability grew stronger by feeding on his craving for blood.
He needed more massacres. He had to take more lives.
But he had to be cautious. If the truth came out, he'd become the Union's top target.
The other Seven Evils might even start watching him closely.
Though bound as fellow Seven Evils, there was no camaraderie among them.
They were simply monsters who enjoyed killing people.
That single reason was why they gathered to take lives.
"Until now, heroes have taken a defensive stance against villains."
"Because monster activity has ramped up lately?"
"Now, the Union pulls every spare force to strike at the Smiling Man. At the Clan."
"Meanwhile, our Legion of Evil keeps building strength underground?"
"When the time comes, we rise all at once, seize an entire region, and claim it as our territory."
Just as heroes had the Union, villains needed a powerful unifying force.
The Clan? No. Fools who targeted only heroes.
Above all, they never emerged openly, so their limits were clear.
Thus, the need to fully dominate one region.
The Legion of Evil was the cornerstone for that.
"You think the Union will just sit by? A place ruled by villains."
"That's why we reinforce our forces to the max while they fight the Clan."
Something many villains had dreamed of but never dared to make reality.
A dream even that woman had abandoned early as too difficult.
Tattoos intended to achieve it, using the Seven Evils as the foundation.
"The issue is whether the Union stays silent until then."
They weren't idiots. The Union's eyes and ears were everywhere.
Right now, they saw the group as mere defectors from the Clan.
They figured it was better to hit the Clan first, using the Smiling Man as an excuse.
They might have paused their assaults for those reasons.
"Don't worry. From what I know, those guys too..."
Kwang!-
"Hm?"
"...?"
A sudden explosion. And an ominous vibration.
Tattoos and Massacrer's faces hardened in an instant.
An uninvited guest had come to their hideout.
And that guest was... quite strong.
"... ."
The Gloomy Swordsman, Seven Evils member Narcissus, regripped his sword.
Unlucky. Of all times, just as he was about to step out.
"Could you withdraw for now? I'm not here to fight! I just came to talk!"
He had run into a highly suspicious figure.
"...Noisy."
The Smiling Man. Why had that guy come all the way here?
He couldn't have been invited like the other villains.
No one would invite that monster here in the first place.
They were openly using him, so why call that man?
Thus, there was only one reason for the Smiling Man's visit.
"The others aren't coming out?"
"They did. Schizophrenic."
Tattoos and Massacrer rushed up from behind at tremendous speed.
The rest of the Seven Evils weren't there yet. Absent or busy elsewhere.
But it was fine. Three of them were enough to handle this man.
"Smiling Man."
"Long time no see."
As always, the Smiling Man offered an elegant greeting.
But something was off today. He had companions trailing behind him.
They were cloaked, so their identities were unclear.
At any rate, it was visibly different from usual.
"I hope you've all been well?"
"You think we're the type to exchange pleasantries?"
"How rude. We were colleagues once!"
At the Smiling Man's words, the three thought the same.
Colleagues my ass. They were just rivals they couldn't kill.
"I'd love to chat more, but you all seem busy, so no helping it. Let's get to the point. Do you know why I'm here today?"
"If you want to join our Legion of Evil, we'll consider it."
"Oh my! Such gra. Cious. Hospitality. Tears are blurring my vision!"
Wah wah wah! The Smiling Man pretended to sob.
Blatant mockery. Anger rose on the three villains' faces.
"Cut the crap, Smiling Man."
Massacrer couldn't hold back and stepped forward, to which the Smiling Man replied.
As if truly offended. As if truly sad! You mad bastard!
"Noisy."
This time, Narcissus spoke up. Meaning: get to the point already.
At that, the Smiling Man's lips twisted grotesquely.
In an instant, the three assumed combat stances reflexively.
"You've been up to some fun stuff in my name lately."
"Shouldn't you be grateful? We're building your villain infamy for you."
"I'm not weighed down like you, so I don't need others doing my work."
"...This fucker."
Massacrer burst out laughing with a pfft, making Tattoos's face twist.
The craving for blood. Its side effect: his body growing bloated.
The more he indulged in blood, the more he resembled a glutton.
That was why even the slender woman in the Seven Evils despised Tattoos.
His body covered in tattoos. Growing thicker by the day.
"How about trying a diet? Or these days, there are weight-loss drugs. Pricey, but insurance covers... Ah. You villains can't get insurance, can you!"
"Crazy fuck. Just kill them all and take it."
Anyway, the Clan's Black Woman, and that Smiling Man beside her.
Villains, yet they didn't act like villains at all.
Why fight heroes? There were easier targets: civilians.
Hunt them. Massacre them. Build infamy and fear.
Use that as bait to lure heroes and kill them.
Such an easy path, yet they said no attacking civilians!
"Now. Nothing else. Just one promise. Never use my name again."
"Fuck off."
"Please don't. This is a very polite warning."
"And if we refuse? What then?"
Tattoos sneered, as if daring him: what can you do?
The Smiling Man replied with a beaming smile.
"You said no? Then you should get married! Ahahahaha!"
"... ."
"...?"
What did I, what did we just hear?
Not just Tattoos—even the other two villains were thrown off.
That line just now... it wasn't meant to be funny, was it?
Impossible. Who in the world would find that amusing?
No one sane. No one right-minded could laugh at...
"Hahaha! Ahahaha!"
The Smiling Man was clutching his stomach, laughing.
Tears welled in his eyes—it was genuine.
He was really laughing. And that made it truly terrifying.
He knew the guy was crazy, but just how crazy was he?
"You bastard, even jokes have limits..."
Tattoos couldn't endure it anymore and began drawing his greatsword.
Thud thud thud!-
Only then did they realize. Mana Threads blanketed the area.
This place had already become the Smiling Man's domain.
And one more thing.
"Why the long faces, everyone? Laugh. It was a funny joke."
"...Attack!"
This man hadn't come just to crack jokes!
Slash!-
Swoosh!-
Almost simultaneously with Tattoos's shout, Massacrer and Narcissus kicked off the ground.
Red energy rose like haze from Massacrer's fingertips.
Narcissus's sword was drawn, emitting an ominous howl.
Vrrr!-
Tattoos's greatsword was already swinging, tearing through the air.
Power enough to pulverize buildings made of concrete and rebar.
Force to cleave most Ability users along with their powers.
Kakakakang!-
"The stray dogs are barking away."
The Smiling Man blocked every attack.
Standing in place. Without so much as twitching.