Chapter 61: My Heart-Pounding First Act as a Mastermind.
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 61: My Heart-Pounding First Act as a Mastermind.
Gi-san was in a remarkably good mood.
It was because he had finally found what he had been searching for most recently.
A successor to take over his farm.
Though the boy’s physical strength seemed lacking, he would surely grow stronger in time.
‘Is it because he’s weak that he doesn’t pick at his food?’
In his experience, those who weren’t picky eaters always became strong.
Though the boy currently possessed a frail and unreliable body, he would eventually grow powerful as he worked to protect the farm and rid the world of picky eating.
Gi-san grinned broadly, already treating it as a foregone conclusion that the boy would be his successor.
His expression hardened, however, when he sensed an ominous presence emanating from his farm.
‘A vegetable thief…?!’
He sprinted toward the source of the feeling.
If it were someone who simply wanted to eat vegetables, or someone so destitute they were forced to steal, he was more than willing to give them away for free.
But vegetables were more delicate than one might think.
An amateur’s clumsy hands could bruise them, or worse, the intruder could be injured by the pest-control traps he had installed.
However, the moment he arrived, he realized such worries were unnecessary.
The intruder’s goal didn’t seem to be the vegetables, and based on the aura he exuded, he wasn’t the type to be harmed by mere pest-control traps.
“Impressive.”
Gi-san didn’t mean to brag, but he usually had dull instincts.
Yet, the person before him was shrouded in such a dangerous, ghostly energy that his senses were screaming in alarm.
“Well, you don’t look like a vegetable thief. What brings you here?”
He realized he might have to draw his real weapon.
[Are you afraid?]
The figure, whose face was hidden behind a stark white ghost mask, muttered as if peering right through him.
[There is no need for fear. I have simply come to make a proposal.]
“…A proposal?”
Because the voice was distorted, Gi-san couldn’t even tell if the person was a man or a woman.
But one thing was certain.
[Yes, a proposal. One that is a bit too sweet to refuse, and one where you have nothing to lose.]
The person standing before him was incredibly dangerous.
* * *
It was an incident a bit too ambiguous to be called a terror attack, but the ranking tournament was pushed back by a day to allow the contestants to adjust their condition.
Taking this as an opportunity, I decided to begin my first activity as the Academy’s (temporary) mastermind.
I pulled out the mask I had “humanely” inherited from the elf bastard who had been the Academy’s mastermind before me.
Originally, it was modeled after a dragon to signify his status as an executive of the Twelve Zodiacs, but since it was an artifact, its shape could be altered.
After much deliberation, I settled on a simple, pure white ghost mask with two horns.
“Phew… damn it.”
This is so embarrassing.
To be honest, the fact that I had to go scouting while wearing a mask like this was bordering on despair.
Since I chose to be a mastermind myself, I had to grit my teeth and bear it, but the reality of actually doing it was agonizing.
Still, not doing it wasn’t an option.
And if I was going to do it, I had to be thorough.
The inhabitants of this world are fundamentally “extra.”
Thanks to my friend, the author, their gestures are exaggerated, their speech is dramatic, and every little action is over the top.
In a world like this, it would actually be abnormal for a mastermind like me to act composed and sensible.
I had to play a character perfectly suited for a mastermind—a character that would leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that I was a villain.
“Right. Doing this halfway is what makes it truly embarrassing. If I’m doing it, I’m going all the way. Remember… the me of that day.”
I recalled the notebooks I had burned after graduating from my cringey middle school phase.
Everyone has a few burned notebooks in their heart, after all.
From the countless dreams and delusions written there, I dragged out the most excessive one.
Polite speech, but an arrogant attitude.
For my outfit, a jet-black suit would be best.
My primary armament would be the Black Shadow, so that was covered.
I would drape myself in the worst ideals my younger self had ever dreamed of, letting reality and nightmare synchronize.
Today, I become a villain.
* * *
“…A proposal?”
[Yes, a proposal. One that is a bit too sweet to refuse, and one where you have nothing to lose.]
Damn it. I’m not embarrassed. Everyone else here acts like this too.
I had to be confident. If I let my embarrassment show, the whole thing would fall apart. Right, let’s just tell myself this is cool.
I was wearing a pitch-black tuxedo and a mask.
No one would recognize me anyway, so I just had to be thick-skinned.
[Won’t you become our comrade?]
In this moment, I was the mastermind pulling the strings of the Academy, an executive of a secret society operating in the shadows of the world, and a being far beyond the reach of the farmer before me.
“…Comrade?”
[Yes. Take the hand of the Great One. He will grant you whatever you desire.]
Of course, “we” didn’t exist yet, and there was no “Great One.”
But isn’t it better to make it seem like there’s someone incredible behind me rather than me being the final boss?
I had a plan anyway, so looking toward the future, it wasn’t entirely a lie.
“…May I ask a few questions?”
[As many as you like. One chosen by the Great One has every right to question me.]
Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately—the words flowed out of my mouth with terrifying ease.
It was as if some impulse I never knew I had, writhing deep within my heart, had suddenly awakened.
…Surely not, right?
“I appreciate that. Then, for my first question… since you said ‘our,’ can I assume there are others of your caliber in this organization…?”
Ban Gi-san sounded incredibly tense as he spoke.
He was even sweating, looking as though he was extremely wary of me.
…Why is he acting like that?
— It is because of the mask you are wearing.
‘The mask?’
A voice echoed from the jet-black tuxedo—or more accurately, from Ruyi, which had taken the form of a tuxedo.
— Yes. Due to the mask’s perception interference, the energy of the artifacts you possess is being distorted, making it feel as though it is your own power.
‘I don’t really get what that means, but it’s a good thing, right?’
— Well, it certainly helps set the mood. I imagine it feels like a sinister, overwhelming pressure to him.
…Is that so?
[Hmm, others of my caliber…]
I took my time, pretending to weigh his words.
[There are many.]
There are zero. You’re literally the first person I’m trying to scout.
[They are those who have received the grace of the Great One. It would be troublesome if they couldn’t at least keep up with me.]
“Hoh, I see. Then, this might be a rude question, but does this master of yours know what my goal is? And he can truly achieve it?”
Sharp bastard.
[…I don’t particularly care for your doubt toward Him, but since I permitted your questions, I shall tolerate it just this once.]
“…Gulp.”
No, seriously, why are you so nervous?
…You’re starting to make this fun, you jerk. What am I supposed to do now?
[Ban Gi-san. What you desire is enough food to fill vast farmlands. To be precise, your goal is to solve all the world’s hunger and poverty with that food, is it not?]
“…How on earth do you know that?”
It’s written in the Setting Book!
[Before the authority of the Great One, peering into the desires of a mere human is child’s play.]
“Haha, that is quite impressive.”
[It is a simple goal, perhaps, but a noble one. However, it is also a fact that it is a goal unachievable by an individual.]
“If I keep working hard, then someday…”
[It cannot be achieved. No matter how much food there is, humans will monopolize it, throw it away, and waste it. You know this, which is why you secretly run that back-alley website, taking reports and carrying out those ridiculous acts of terror, don’t you?]
“…You even know about that?”
[Do not make me repeat myself.]
“Haha, quite right. The grace of the Great One, you said?”
[But with us—if you receive His grace—it is possible. The day will come when the world kneels before us and He reigns as the true ruler. Then, He shall grant your wish.]
“…How can I believe that?”
[I only tolerate insults twice. There will not be a third. Do you truly think He would utter a falsehood to a mere human?]
“Fine, that was a slip of the tongue. I apologize. Then, one last question. What is your objective, and what are the means to achieve it?”
Um? Uh, what should I say? Objective? I didn’t think this far ahead!
I thought I was caught off guard for a second, but my crazy tongue started moving before my brain could.
[Don’t you think there are too many?]
“…What? Too many of what?”
[Conflicts. There are far too many conflicts in this world that cannot be resolved through simple goodwill. The standards of good and evil are blurred; there are too many hypocrites screaming about justice, and too many third-rate villains who don’t even possess a shred of honest malice.]
I paused for a moment before speaking.
[An absolute.]
I slowly reached out my hand and made a gripping motion.
[A monarch with overwhelming power who will permit no conflict.]
Ah, I’m in trouble.
I don’t know why, but this is starting to get fun.
The sensation of the person before me being afraid of me was more to my taste than I expected.
[We shall judge the hypocrites hiding behind justice as ‘evil.’ We shall execute true ‘evil’ upon the third-rate villains who lack even a standard for their malice.]
I had no idea what kind of nonsense I was spouting, but isn’t the atmosphere the most important part of these things?
[You asked what our objective is? It is simple. A standard. We shall become the standard. An absolute, dictatorial standard that no one can defy—that no one would even dare dream of defying.]
“…And that is your justice?”
[Justice? Don’t make me laugh. It is the standard of Evil.]
Right on cue, the clouds drifted away, and the moonlight that had been hidden illuminated us.
“I may look like this, but I consider myself a hero. My license hasn’t even been revoked yet. Do you really think I’d just follow you after hearing something like that?”
[Hmm.]
I tilted my head as if truly puzzled.
Normally, it was an action I would have found excessive, but right now, it felt incredibly natural.
[You seem to be mistaken. I believe I said I came here to make a proposal?]
“What?”
[The Great One took a liking to your abilities and your ideals. Abundant food is a necessity for conflict to vanish. That is why He sought to bring you into the fold.]
Reinforcement.
As I boosted the power of the mask, his face contorted in fear, just as I expected.
I suppose my aura must look even more violent now.
[Do not act as if you are essential to our plans.]
I turned my back on the cowering man.
[Well, I don’t expect an answer immediately. You’ll need time to think. I will give you two months.]
In the meantime, I’ll have to find “our Great One” and scout some other comrades.
“Wait! Just a moment!”
Nope, not waiting.
It’s a universal rule that villains like this leave right after saying their piece.
“What is the name of your organization?!”
…Huh? A name? Oh, crap. I really didn’t think of one.
[You haven’t even decided to join yet, and you seek to know too much. I hope that by our next meeting, you will be prepared to hear our name.]
…What is this? My brain is empty, but my tongue just keeps moving on its own.
The moment the teleportation artifact was ready, a wave of dizziness hit me as my body dissolved into space.
* * *
A forest near the Academy.
I reverted Ruyi back into its favorite knife form and hid the mask. The masked man in the tuxedo vanished without a trace, and I became just another Academy cadet enjoying a night stroll.
“…Ah.”
And then.
“God damn it.”
It’s coming.
“Holy shit.”
The cringe.
“Aaaaagh! God damn it all!!!!!”
An indescribable wave of embarrassment crashed over me like a broken dam.
No, no.
Right. Kang So-hyun and the masked villain are different people.
I have no reason to be embarrassed.
If anyone ever finds out, I’ll have to dive headfirst into a block of tofu and die, but for now, I’m fine.
Did I start enjoying it halfway through? No, that never happened.
I don’t have middle school syndrome…!
— The child denies himself; this, too, is an Inner Demon.
“Be quiet…!”