Chapter 56
Chapter 56
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Everything Has a Reason!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Everything has a reason!
The usual scenery. A beautifully manicured garden and a pavilion nestled within it.
However, the aura emanating from that place was nothing like the norm.
"You're here."
Unsettling energies began to rise around the Black Woman.
It wasn't intentional. She was actually holding them back.
Even so, it was this intense. His chest felt slightly constricted.
Even calling herself a relic of the past, she's as formidable as ever.
He whistled inwardly and approached the pavilion.
"I heard you were looking for me, Boss."
"Sit."
The Black Woman was seated before a Go board, glaring at it intently.
Why is she like that? Yushin glanced at the board briefly and let out an awed "Oh."
If he wasn't mistaken, the positions of those stones...
They were exactly as they had been in the game he played against the Black Woman last time.
Even after all this time, she'd memorized the entire board.
And now she was dissecting it to find what went wrong!
'Boss really takes her Go seriously.'
At this point, it was starting to worry him.
He'd inflicted defeat on someone this passionate.
And she was holding back from saying, "One more game"?
"Stop staring like that."
"Boss?"
"Didn't you say you didn't want to play? Don't worry. I'm not in the mood right now either."
He got it. She was honing her skills until she could win.
Facing him now would just mean another loss, so she was figuring out the reasons first.
One might say it was just a game of Go, why risk so much pride?
But no. It wasn't limited to Go.
That was exactly why the Black Woman had once risen to the top of the villains.
Win or lose, she always uncovered what she'd missed in the process.
She dissected it, understood it, absorbed it, and made it perfectly her own.
There were reasons Yushin—the Smiling Man—called her Boss.
"I see. What a shame!"
"Hm?"
"I was thinking of offering a special rematch today!"
"...Huh?"
The Black Woman made a face like something was off.
She tried to speak up quickly, but Yushin was faster.
"But since you say you're not up for it, I'll pass!"
"Ah, wait..."
"You wouldn't go back on your word, would you, Boss?"
"Well... I guess that's true, but..."
She looked so aggrieved, almost on the verge of tears if exaggerated a bit.
They said a woman's pitiful expression stirred protective and sadistic instincts.
Yushin swiftly became the Smiling Man and pushed those feelings aside.
"Anyway. The secretary said you urgently summoned me, Boss?"
"Ugh... C-Can't we just play one more game...?"
"Boss?"
"Ugh! Fine, I get it!"
Thud!
The Black Woman set down a Go stone and straightened her clothes.
"Have you seen this?"
The Black Woman held out her phone.
"What's this?"
"A video the Union started spreading earlier."
"What..."
"The Sword Saint is a retired hero. A villain impersonating you got one-shot by him. The video implies that we can guess your level from a guy like that stealing your name."
"...Ooh."
What was this? Was the Union trying to provoke his pride?
Yushin instantly grasped what the Union wanted.
It was a ploy to direct the Smiling Man's rage toward the Sword Saint.
"Shall we watch?"
A pale white finger touched the play button.
Truth be told, he was prepared for whatever came...
< "If Black comes here, it looks like it could be cut off, but ending it like this..." >
"Boss. This is a Go tutorial video."
"Oh. Right."
The Black Woman fumbled with her phone and eventually called for her secretary.
Moments later, the Bob-cut Secretary arrived and gave the Smiling Man a slight nod.
"The video you played earlier. Show it to him."
"Yes, Boss."
A moment later.
< "Hero Sword Saint was a legend who protected Korea from monsters and villains decades ago. Now, as an elder, he's passing the torch to the next generation and aiding hero training. But a hero is still a hero! Even the Highest Danger Class villain was no match!" >
Of course. Heroes back then didn't have the systematic support they do now.
They fought haphazardly, with scarce support—movement alone was a struggle.
Technology was far inferior too, and many died from injuries.
Yet he'd achieved S-Rank and survived to this day.
For such a Sword Saint, age wasn't a big factor.
< "Everyone! Villains aren't all that great. They get brutally smashed even by elders. The Smiling Man could kill the great S-Rank Hero Holy Knight only because of a thorough ambush. But its impossible in a fair fight!" >
Hm. Killed thanks to an ambush? Well... Fine, I'll admit it.
It did make things easier. That's a fact.
< "A villain killed in one strike by an elder. The Smiling Man, whose name was stolen by such a villain, doesn't even react. That hero rescue was just a whim! Maybe he got burdened by his own hype and is thinking of surrendering? Hahaha!" >
Gasp. How did they know?! To be exposed like this—infuriating! Haha!
"...That's the situation right now, Smiling Man."
The Bob-cut Secretary pressed pause and glanced around nervously.
She was worried. Afraid the video might provoke him.
And truthfully, she was extremely tense right now.
'The Union gave orders. Keep provoking the Smiling Man to clash with the Sword Saint.'
She wondered why such a ridiculous directive had come down out of nowhere.
The Union had told her to stay within the line where her identity wouldn't be exposed.
But they hoped the Smiling Man would clash with the Sword Saint.
Do it to the fullest extent possible. They'd be watching.
The Union was already poking at their pride.
The video subtly directed malice toward the Sword Saint.
Even a hero would get scratched by this.
Let alone an irrational villain?
"This is..."
The Union wanted one thing from her.
Fan the flames. They'd light the fire; she'd blow on it.
Surely she could handle that much. They were colleagues.
Just casually say, "Doesn't that hurt your pride?"
Poke at him like that until he charges at the Sword Saint!
The Bob-cut Secretary bit her lip briefly, steeled herself, and spoke.
"...This is cheap provocation. No good getting swept up in it, Smiling Man."
She owed him the orphanage kids' lives. Her own too.
Villain or not, debts must be paid.
She could report to the Union that it hadn't worked.
"Provocation, you say, Secretary?"
"Yes. You've been acting strangely lately, and villain public opinion has gotten weird, so they're pushing to reestablish your infamy."
"Oh! I see!"
Whether he grasped the gravity or not, the Smiling Man just had a lightbulb moment above his head.
He seemed to get it at a glance, but the Bob-cut Secretary didn't let her guard down.
He was utterly inscrutable. The man who'd saved an orphanage from villains.
And just recently, he'd even rescued a hero he'd been trying to kill!
"Right. Come to think of it, we need to address that too."
At that moment, the Black Woman fixed the Smiling Man with a sharp gaze.
The razor-sharp aura scattered around her swirled through the air.
"Smiling Man."
"Yes, Boss."
"Why did you save them? Don't you hate heroes?"
"Ah, you're talking about that time?"
"You not harming civilians is your business; I didn't care. But letting a hero go right in front of you is different. And it looks like you went there yourself."
It wasn't like he'd stumbled upon a dying hero by chance.
The Smiling Man had appeared at the scene with intent and purpose.
The Black Woman was convinced of that and continued radiating suspicion.
"Explain. What was your intention in going there?"
"Ah, well... It's a bit hard to say."
"Explain."
"Come on, Boss. Can't we let this one slide?"
Bam!
The Black Woman slammed the floor, sending waves of power rippling outward.
For a brief moment, the Bob-cut Secretary felt her mind shaken.
"Urgh...!"
Incredible force. Not even an attack—just baring her emotions.
If this was restrained, how strong would she be at full power?
Here I am, risking my life acting next to a monster like that.
Cold sweat beaded on her skin as she watched the Smiling Man.
"Boss, please. He's just embarrassed..."
Ah. Right. Thinking about it, there was more than one monster here.
The Black Woman was a monster, and so was that grinning man.
He hadn't lost a shred of composure before that power.
"Last warning. Explain. Why did you save that hero."
This was truly it. She would use real force now.
The crushing pressure on her heart intensified...
"It was for you, Boss."
"...What?"
...then it melted away like snow.
"What did you just say?"
"You said you bought stock in that Omega Coffee, right?"
"I did. But why?"
"I thought I'd pump up the price a bit. As a gift for you, Boss!"
"...Huh?"
The Black Woman stared blankly at the Smiling Man.
Then she cleared her throat awkwardly and turned away sharply.
"You're going too far with the jokes."
"Not a joke, Boss."
"..."
The Black Woman, silent for a moment, suddenly stood up.
The secretary, Bob-cut Secretary, reflexively rose as well.
"Boss?"
"Don't follow. I want to be alone for a bit."
Brushing off the Bob-cut Secretary, the Black Woman vanished in an instant.
"Wha...?"
"Hahaha! See, that's why I didn't want to say it!"
That left the two of them awkwardly alone.
"It was for you, Boss."
Oh god. Her mind was a jumble. Total chaos.
It felt like she'd forgotten whether she was Black or White.
"Th-This guy... teasing me..."
Her emotions surged, destabilizing her power.
And she'd just ramped it up to intimidate him moments ago.
She had to release it. Or her body would suffer.
Squeeze!
As if crushing something, the Black Woman clenched her fist hard.
Boom!!
Moments later, a distant abandoned apartment building crumpled entirely.