Launch Ceremony
Launch Ceremony
"A villain alliance?"
"Yeah."
Underground Base.
I had gathered the members there to explain my grand plan.
In one sentence, we would become another power capable of counterbalancing the Hero Association.
The idea was to gather villains with diverse abilities and become a new axis of real influence in South Korea.
"...What would we actually do?"
"What would we do? Stage attacks and deal with other villains."
"Wait, you said we're becoming a villain alliance. What do you mean by dealing with other villains?"
"What do you mean, what do I mean? We'll ally with villains who are 'with' us, and deal with the ones who oppose us."
I planned to keep dealing with other villains, just as I had until now. Of course, since I was the one with knowledge of the Original Work, most of that work would fall to me.
For new villains, I'd only need to recruit a few more based on my knowledge of the Original Work—the strongest ones.
"Anyway, we need to decide on a name for our federation. How about Ego Squad?"
I offered my suggestion first. Ego Squad. It wasn't bad, was it?
But Choi Se-hee, hearing me, gave me a subtle look.
"So this is what you meant by Ego Squad back then? Hm... It's not bad..."
She rested her chin on her hand and seriously considered it.
The others then started seriously debating the name as well, their faces grave. Hey, hold on. Why were they all taking it so seriously? They could simply pick something casual.
"Hello? Guys? How about we just go with Ego Squad?"
I waved a hand at them as I spoke. Ha-yul turned her head, met my eyes, and answered.
"Big bro. Once we pick it, it's a name we'll keep using forever. We have to pick it properly the first time."
She spoke with such solemn resolve that I found myself nodding.
R-right. They could do whatever they wanted.
"...If we had been around from the beginning, even big bro's villain name could have been... properly..."
They kept muttering and discussing among themselves.
After a few hours of debate, the villain alliance's name was decided: Ego Stream.
...But what real difference was there between that and Ego Squad?
***
Back to the present.
I was floating in the air, holding the collapsed Choi Se-hee in a princess carry.
Locking eyes with Stardus.
"It's been a while. Egostic here. A pleasure to see you!"
[Egostic! Egostic! Egostic! Egostic! Egostic! Egostic! Egostic! Egostic! Egostic!]
[Egostic, I'm dying! Egostic, I'm dying! Egostic, I'm dying!]
[What kind of situation is this lol]
[The situation is hilarious right from the start of the stream lol]
[Instantly clashing with Stardus ON lol]
The chat was welcoming me warmly.
Judging from how the chat went wild merely at the sight of me, no one would have guessed this was a villain's broadcast. It had already become a playground for my fan cafe.
Anyway, the chat wasn't what mattered then.
For the moment, I had to focus on Stardus in front of me.
"Have you been well, Stardus?"
I winked as I greeted her.
The rule for being a charming villain was to show a pleasant, casual familiarity with the hero, as though we were close. It got under their skin.
That strategy must actually have worked, because she looked slightly stunned.
Even her pupils were trembling. Wait, why was she reacting like that? Was it really so shocking?
Soon, she seemed to collect herself a bit and asked, her voice slightly trembling.
"Egostic... you were alive?"
What kind of question was that?
"Yes. Of course. I'm perfectly fine, healthy and alive. Unfortunately!"
When I joked like that, she let out a small sigh, as if relieved.
What did that sigh mean? It couldn't have been relief that I was alive. Was she relieved that I still looked like the same lunatic? I couldn't make sense of it.
"...I see. That's a relief."
Huh? A relief?
"What? A relief? Were you really that happy to know I was alive? Stardus, I had no idea you cared about me so much. I should have sent word sooner. Hahaha!"
As I laughed and said that, a faint blush spread across her face.
While I outwardly laughed and joked like this, inside, my mind was spinning.
A relief? What was she relieved about? Was it because I had escaped after getting hurt last time? But why would Shin Ha-ru care? She was not usually the type to worry about that.
Wait, this is live.
I glanced sideways at the chat. It was a total mess, naturally.
[A hero worrying about a villain... holy moly]
["You were alive?" "That's a relief." Are the two of them filming a romance movie?]
[The trash journalists are furiously opening their laptops to draft Dating Rumor Season 2 right now lol]
[Not sure what's happening but I clipped it lmao]
[Stardus has been ensnared by Mangostic... South Korea is finished...]
Okay. I should just ignore the chat from now on.
As I kept up that cheeky grin, Stardus snapped at me, her face still slightly flushed.
"I meant I'm relieved that I can personally put you in a detention center. Someone like you must face the stern judgment of the law. I was only worried you might have died somewhere without receiving the punishment you deserve. I meant nothing else!"
Ah, was that it?
That made sense. There was no way she'd been worried about me. A hero worrying about a villain? I'd never heard of such a thing.
Worrying that I might have died somewhere before facing the law was very like Stardus.
...Despite that, her face was still red. Why?
In any case, she seemed to have refocused, and she looked at Choi Se-hee in my arms and asked me.
"...So, now. Why have you shown up?"
"Can't you tell? I came to rescue my comrade."
"...Comrade?"
Stardus looked at me with a puzzled expression and repeated the word.
Right. This is where it gets important.
The time had come to announce it to Stardus, and simultaneously to the entire nation watching this video.
My ambition, my goal.
First, let's begin like this.
I held my smile and continued.
"Yes! Comrade, I said. To be precise, a comrade belonging to my 'alliance.'"
"Alliance???"
She responded right on cue. Good.
And now, yes.
The show would begin here.
"That's right. An alliance!"
As I said that, I shot upwards into the sky.
Stardus flinched slightly, as if she thought I was suddenly attacking, but I just rose further into the sky regardless.
And when I had reached a certain height, a position where I was definitely looking down on her...
I faced her, and faced the camera recording me head-on, lowered my voice, and spoke.
"Think about it. What do heroes have? They have the Association. Because there is an Association, they have support, cooperation, and power."
I nodded as I spoke.
On the video feed, a pre-prepared CG of the Hero Association building appeared behind me.
"But."
I paused briefly there.
The Association image vanished behind me, the background turned black, and the camera zoomed in.
As the camera slowly closed in on my face, I spoke in a low whisper.
"What, pray tell, do villains have?"
The moment I said that, CGs appeared around me again.
Tiny images of numerous villains being defeated by heroes swirled around me.
Amidst those images, I spoke again.
"Villains have always acted individually. That is why they were defeated one by one. Unable to build any lasting power, they became passing fads—arrested and made to disappear into detention centers."
Now I was rising higher into the sky, my cape billowing. And Choi Se-hee was still unconscious in my arms, breathing with difficulty.
Looking down at her, I held her a little tighter and spoke in a low voice.
"How much longer must villains live like this?"
"How much longer must villains suffer defeat every time?"
"How much longer must villains operate alone?"
Having said all that, I lifted my head again and looked directly at Stardus, and at the camera.
"I have a dream."
"A nation where villains unite and stand together against heroes—and against their own enemies."
"I have decided to personally create that kind of world."
"Allow me to introduce!"
Having spoken, I fixed Choi Se-hee in place with telekinesis, then spread my arms wide.
Along with that, text appeared before me.
[THE EGO STREAM]
Now, with majestic music playing in the background.
I slowly descended back towards the ground, intoning in a low voice.
"From now on, I'll live for the villains."
"The villain alliance Ego Stream officially launches today."
"You would be wise to stay on your guard, Association."
Having said that, I turned around with a flourish of my cape. The image of my cape billowing proudly in the wind behind me.
And then, the sound of wind from behind. As expected.
Without looking back, I shouted loudly.
"Electchu! One million volts, right now!"
"...Haah."
With a low sigh from Choi Se-hee, who was in my arms, powerful tendrils of electricity shot backwards from her chest.
At the same time, I heard a sizzling sound and the noise of someone brushing past.
"...Stardus. You're still five years too early to catch me. Try a little harder."
When I glanced back and spoke, I saw Stardus dodging the electric waves. She had probably been waiting while I rambled on, planning a surprise attack the moment I let my guard down.
Not a bad strategy.
If her opponent weren't me, someone who sees right through her way of thinking.
"Well then, farewell! Adios."
"Hey!"
I finished speaking and quickly got out of there.
I turned off the broadcast, which was causing a riot in the chat, and looked at Stardus closing in despite Electra's electric barrage.
I gave her one more line before I left.
"And Stardus. We'll have business again before long. See you then."
After saying that with a slight smile, I teleported for real.
I could hear Stardus's voice calling something from behind me, but that wasn't my job to deal with.
See you next time.
***
=[Society Section]=
[Villain Electra - Egostic. What is the relationship between the two?]
[Breaking: Villain Electra, Association A-rank assessment.]
[Egostic announces plan for Korean-style 'Villain Alliance'... Is a 'Terror Republic' upon us? - Column by Kwon Seong-hyeon]
[[Exclusive] Hero Association reviewing a rank promotion for Egostic. “His organized effort to gather other villains and build a power base is highly concerning.”]
*
=[Entertainment Section]=
[Entertainment Relay) Who is Egostic's girl? An in-depth look at Electra!]
[Egostic-Electra. Captured moments that make hearts flutter just looking!]
[What has the public's attention? Egostic founding a Villain Alliance (23%) ranks second; Egostic dating rumors (48%) rank first]
["How much longer must we live like this?" Egostic holding Electra with a loving gaze (on-site photo)]
[Where has Egostic, the 'Stardus devotee,' gone?]
[Stardus, go away! Egostic-Electra. The pair's chemistry captivates everyone even in a brief moment.avi]
*
Shin Ha-ru, reading the articles, crumpled her smartphone in her hand without realizing it.
"..."
Something... something was bothering her.
She did not know why.
It irritated her.