Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Future Ally Mid-Boss
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Seven Evils members. Tattoos. Murder Maniac Girl. And Gloomy Swordsman.
Infamous for all sorts of crimes, especially the murder of heroes and civilians.
In terms of the setting, they're like stage bosses.
From the protagonists' perspective, they're existences they must clash with at least once.
We're villains on the same side for now, but someday we'll inevitably oppose them.
I need to provoke them enough to give them a reason to break away from the Clan.
Second rule of turning enemies into allies.
Never get chummy with villain coworkers.
"Are you alright?"
I flash a worried smile. Ninety percent genuine.
The remaining ten percent mixed with my signature pretense and mockery.
A privilege only a squinting character can enjoy, and an inescapable fate.
"You little..."
The Seven Evils live up to their name. Even knowing the gap in strength, they haven't been fully broken yet.
Yushin clicked his tongue inwardly and prepared another strand of Mana Threads.
He could easily handle a guy like Tattoos.
But if the other Seven Evils got involved... what to do?
He could manage three of them, but he had to avoid standing out too much.
"I told you not to cause a commotion in the rear garden."
Fortunately. And unfortunately. No need to worry anymore.
At the familiar voice, the other two Seven Evils snickered as they looked at Tattoos.
A very kind way of saying you've gone and started trouble, so now you're screwed.
In the meantime, a black-and-red woman approached from beyond the pond toward the pavilion.
One glance and it was clear she wasn't ordinary. She had a different aura from the Seven Evils.
The Mana Thread coiled around his hand suddenly pulled taut.
It wasn't his doing. It had reacted on its own to the surrounding mana.
If the Seven Evils gave off an uncomfortable vibe, this woman was beyond that.
A pitch-black lake of unknown depth. Or an endless abyss.
Imoogi. Right. That woman was an Imoogi who had not become a dragon.
"Pig."
As the woman approached, Tattoos bowed his head and stepped back.
"Boss."
"I clearly told you not to cause a commotion in the rear garden. Do you remember?"
"Yes. I remember."
"You remember? If you did this despite remembering, you're an idiot of the world. If you don't remember but claim you do, you're a useless liar. So, what should I do with you?"
Nothing was behind the woman. Yet it felt like black-and-red flames were roaring.
It wasn't an illusion. The unmanifested energy of that old monster enveloped the area.
If she wanted, she could turn the whole place to ash at any moment.
Tattoos. The other two Seven Evils. All of them sweated, watching her closely.
Only one. The Smiling Man wore a troubled smile.
But that smile showed no hint of tension.
"Do you know why I ordered all three of you to attend without fail?"
"No, we don't."
"I've heard you've been spending the activity funds lavishly lately. Getting extravagant? Or too busy filling other pockets you've been dipping into?"
"...!"
Tattoos. And Murder Maniac Girl and Gloomy Swordsman's faces stiffened momentarily, then relaxed.
Caught? No way. It was proceeding perfectly, unknown to anyone.
Even against the boss before them.
That old monster had no way of knowing from a thousand miles away.
"We'll be careful from now on."
"Don't just say it—show it with actions."
With that, the woman waved her hand dismissively, as if annoyed.
Meaning she'd said her piece, so get lost.
"... ."
"... ."
"... ."
The Seven Evils' faces hardened again. This time, they didn't relax.
They'd rushed here urgently. Putting aside their business and pride to come.
Yet she dismissed them after just a few minutes, without even chatting.
They were Seven Evils, even if part of the Clan.
The worst, strongest villains around. Monsters who devoured heroes.
A faded relic from the past glory days.
It grated on them how she still treated them like rookies.
"She says scram. Let's go."
Tattoos stormed out of the rear garden without a goodbye.
Murder Maniac Girl shrugged, and Gloomy Swordsman shook his head as they followed.
"What to do with those overgrown idiots."
The black woman clicked her tongue and turned her head.
"You've come."
"You summoned me, didn't you?"
"You came because I threatened your funding."
"I came, didn't I?"
And that activity funding? It's more important to villains than you'd think.
Needed for disguises. For maintaining dignity. Life's all about money. Money.
The Smiling Man grinned, and the black woman shook her head as if whatever.
Unlike the others, that man was impossible to read.
Yeah. Just like this morning's incident.
"What were you thinking, pulling that stunt?"
"What do you mean?"
"I'm asking why you, who hates heroes so much, saved a hero aspirant."
Damn. He'd hoped she wouldn't know yet, but she already did.
Yushin tensed inwardly but kept his composure.
Mind-reading clarity. The real weapon of the mid-boss 'Smiling Man'.
Even the Clan boss couldn't pierce it.
"A whim? Or something else?"
"Who knows. A whim...? Or maybe something else."
No need to answer. And he shouldn't.
Vagueness is the Smiling Man's trademark.
He dodges any word that could pin down his outline.
"Let's say... I got interested."
"Interested?"
"Isn't it fun? Pretending to be heroes when they're not. Watching them, I felt pity and tears welled up."
"... ."
Tears. Do you even have tears?
"Is that all?"
"I want to see her struggling to achieve her dreams. And when she's at the top, push her off the cliff."
"Hmm."
Suddenly, a possibility crossed the black woman's mind.
Absurd, but they're all villains here.
People far from reason. Addicted to acting on whims.
So she couldn't rule it out.
"Fallen for her?"
"What do you mean?"
"For that hero aspirant. Have you fallen for her?"
Fallen? Me? For her? The Smiling Man asked back several times.
He waved it off as nonsense. Laughed that the joke was too much.
Then muttered, "Come to think of it, she was pretty cute."
And finally, said something even the black woman didn't expect.
"If we get married, will you stand as witness? How much for the gift money?"
"...I get it, stop snarking. My mistake."
"Why? It's good news. Shall we have three kids?"
Untouched by any provocation, never serious about any suspicion.
Always mocking expectations with words and actions. That's the Smiling Man.
"Let's talk business."
"Five grandkids sound about right?"
"I said stop."
Thud!
A few sheets of paper dropped in front of the Smiling Man.
"Next target list."
"Giving it to me instead of the Seven Evils?"
"What can I trust those with side pockets for?"
"And you trust me?"
The enigmatic smile on his lips. Alertness surged.
Even after years as boss and subordinate, she couldn't read his intentions.
This black woman, who had lived so long, admitted it was impossible.
Maybe the real Imoogi isn't me—it's you.
"Holy Knight. Famous S-Rank hero, huh? Or should I say entertainer?"
Handsome looks, good manners. Superior physique and outstanding Ability skills.
If asked to name famous S-Rank heroes, he'd definitely be included.
That hero now made it onto the villain Clan boss's hit list.
"Our Clan has been too quiet lately. After reorganizing the Seven Evils, the heroes got all high and mighty."
"Understandably unpleasant."
"Let the heroes know they're not invincible. Proclaim to the world that the night still belongs to the Clan."
This night's gonna be exciting. The Smiling Man's lips curved up slyly.
Suddenly, the black woman muttered that his smile looked pretty cool for what he was.
It was exciting, in several ways. Yushin scratched his head.
S-Rank hero. Holy Knight. Hero among heroes, a model for all.
Or so he's known, but in truth, he's a criminal that makes villains look tame.
Blackmail. Verbal abuse. Extortion. Prostitution. Rape. Sins too many to list.
A monumental piece of trash unworthy even of the hero name.
'The amazing part is no one knows about those crimes.'
Not even villains know Holy Knight's truth.
The Clan boss herself marked him for assassination to warn the world and Union, calling him hero of heroes.
"Villains are villains, huh. You."
A secret unknown to the world, known only to Yushin.
That's why the Smiling Man could step up without hesitation.
Above all, he had every reason to judge Holy Knight.
"Touching the main character crosses the line, doesn't it? He drugged her and groped her leg, but that's death sentence enough."
The Smiling Man's lips twisted grotesquely.
For the record, Yushin extremely despised NTR.