I'm Not the Mastermind, Though (1) - What the Hell Is This Situation Right After Possession?
Curled up in the corner, wallowing in my misery, I only glanced outside the bars when I heard something scraping against the floor.
"Meal time. The experiment's coming up soon, so eat up good."
Yeah, thanks a bunch.
I swallowed the sarcasm that nearly slipped out and grabbed the bowl shoved through the bars.
It's like gruel, but looks fucking disgusting.
And the smell's off too.
I picked up the spoon stuck in the bowl and scooped up a bite, shoving it into my mouth. Diamond Mountains are tasted after dinner, as they say—gotta fill the stomach first and figure things out later.
But the second the spoon hit my tongue, I spat out the garbage that invaded my mouth. Fuck, what the hell is this taste? Who the fuck made gruel with energy drink?
I shoved the energy-drink-flavored slop— an insult to the very concept of cooking—roughly into the corner. No way I was eating more of that shit. I plopped down on the bed and sank into thought.
Nothing to do anyway, and plenty of time. Might as well sort this out.
I've possessed into what seems to be Hero Project,
this body I've possessed into appears to be the final boss and mastermind,
and the place I'm locked in looks like some kind of prison.
Not a single piece of good news.
Still, if there's hope, it's that if I'm really in the mastermind's body, the odds of busting out of here are sky-high.
For the story to progress, the mastermind and final boss—that's this body—has to escape this place. It's inevitable.
So, an escape chance should pop up soon enough.
"Guess I should start with what I can do..."
Mastery of superpowers that humans in the Hero Project world possess.
But how the hell do you use them?
I recalled the ability of Quaker, the mastermind and final boss.
Gravity manipulation strong enough to cause localized earthquakes.
So overpowered that until the late game, the protagonist couldn't land any meaningful hits on the final boss.
Most ranged attacks got reversed by flipping gravity's direction; in close quarters, it ramped up the load to restrict movement.
And for dealing with rebels? Just clench a fist from afar and crush 'em.
In short, one of the world's top-tier ability users.
If I've possessed the final boss, I should be able to use that power to escape, right?
So I tried levitating my body, reached toward the bowl and clenched/unclenched my hand, even pushed with the back of my hand—but nothing happened.
Why can't I use it?
I swear in this novel, abilities are innate and usable from birth.
Is it because I'm a possessor?
After pondering forever and trying every dumbass thing, I gave up figuring out ability activation for now and rolled around on the bed.
I knew there was no time to slack, but this situation was mentally exhausting.
"Status window."
Ah, nothing.
No damn common courtesy these days. Don't even give a status window in this era?
Chewing on complaints I couldn't voice aloud, I decided to rest and wait for something to happen.
To gather more info in this situation, I needed either a researcher or a guard to show up anyway.
About 30 minutes later,
I sat up at the sound of approaching footsteps.
"No. 21. No. 23. No. 26. Get up. Experiment time."
Experiment, huh.
Wonder what kind.
I pretended to huddle in the corner like the others, peeking at the outside.
A man in a white coat and two guards.
Seeing the rifles in their hands, I figured causing trouble like this would just get me ventilated.
After calculating, I quietly crouched by the bars and listened.
"No... I don't wanna..."
"Tch, you should feel honored to participate in this great experiment for humanity's evolution. Guards."
At the researcher's cold voice, the cell door clanged open amid footsteps, followed by someone screaming as they were dragged out.
What the hell kind of experiment makes them react like that?
Of course, nobody'd like being dragged out regardless.
As the footsteps neared, I huddled back in the corner, playing the shut-in.
The footsteps and sobs faded away.
And the dragged one never came back.
-----------------------
Day two of possession.
Probably morning.
I choked down the tasteless gruel despite the nausea from starvation, forcing it past my gag reflex.
Every touch on my tongue made me shudder with suicidal urges, but to survive, you endure this much pain. I successfully emptied the bowl.
Once I get out, I'll shove this down the throat of whoever made it.
Anyway, meal done—time to train the ability.
I set the bowl roughly on the table and, like yesterday, reached out to figure out the activation condition.
The actions described whenever he used his power.
Maybe doing something like that triggers it.
Of course, since a lot about him stayed hidden, this could be a feint too.
Still better than doing nothing.
I don't plan to play mastermind, but in this lawless world, you need to wield power to survive...
I started trying various things.
Swiped at the bowl, held out both hands and focused, glared at it like my eyes might pop out while extending my arm.
But the bowl stubbornly refused to budge even 1mm.
Come on.
At this point, move a little, would ya?
I'm in a world overflowing with superpowered folks—make it easy, at least.
Swallowing quiet gripes while glaring at the bowl, footsteps echoed from afar.
Here to pick up more lab rats?
I did my shut-in cosplay again, ear tuned to the outside.
"No. 27. No. 31. No. 48."
Just like yesterday, the researcher called numbers in a flat tone.
Maybe some extra info slips out?
Holding that hope, I crouched by the bars, watching outside.
"They're quiet this time."
"They know resisting's pointless."
"Makes our job easier. One step closer to the great research."
The researcher and guards chatted casually as they walked.
Listening, a thought struck me.
How can I take them down?
If I could just snag one gun...
But rebellion wasn't a solo gig.
At least if the guy across from me cooperated...
Hard to see in the dark, but that huddled lump under the blanket—would they help?
I eyed the CCTV in the corridor corner, running simulations in my head.
Somehow get the opposite cell to distract the guards.
While distracted, steal a gun, shoot the researcher and guards, grab the keys, free everyone.
Once freed, stir them up amid the chaos and slip out.
...Problems: need max info on this place, and killing people.
Setting aside intel, as a 21st-century Korean, could I kill?
In a world where you possess to survive by killing—am I resolved?
If asked, I couldn't confidently say yes.
But wasting away pointlessly? Hell no.
Unfair enough getting dragged here mid-good-life; no way I'm dying like a dog.
Right after the researcher left with today's sacrifices, I called out to the person in the opposite cell.
"Hey, can you hear me?"
"..."
"Hey?"
"Don't raise your voice. Everyone can hear."
A snappy, thin voice.
Young-sounding—girl?
Relief hit at the response.
In this despair-swallowing space, showing emotion meant they hadn't given up completely.
"...Kid. Don't you wanna get out of here?"
"...Not a kid. Dumb old man."
"Dumb?"
"If you're not dumb, what is someone flailing at thin air 'cause they can't use their own power?"
Huh, that snarky tone feels familiar.
I peered intensely into the opposite cell.
No light inside, just corridor glow to make out shapes, but eyes adjusted, and I spotted the face emerging from the blanket.
And I blurted out the girl's identity without thinking.
"...Seeker?"
A bit younger than I remembered, but the villain from Hero Project who'd appeared in a few illustrations.
Seeker.
The young Seeker was right across from me.