The Middle Finger of the Betrayed
The Blue Saber Ji Se-hwa, the foul-mouthed thug who cut off my arm because she was greedy for money. The power-crazed ninja Silver Mirrored Shin Yu-kyung, who betrayed me to target my switch. The weakling Green Nature Choi Min-seo, who lacked confidence and craved honor, thus siding with the other two. And the Yellow Clocker Kang Ye-rin, the ill-tempered, antisocial bystander. Seeing them all gathered here is quite a spectacle.
This is the first time the five of us have been together since the Dark Arthur incident. Of course, the situation is vastly different now. They are the ones covered in wounds, and I am the one watching, holding the power of life and death over them. Those idiots seem too dense to even grasp that dynamic, though. Seeing their blank, stunned faces is quite amusing. It’s proof that my plan is proceeding perfectly.
Still, I don't want to waste my energy on useless emotions.
The media helicopters are flying away. The Association President must have scrambled to do some damage control, but it’s just closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. The actual Horse-Monster has already departed this world, anyway. The surroundings have gone quiet.
“...Ui-seok.”
Kang Ye-rin calls my name. The four of them have deactivated their transformations. I, too, deactivate mine and take off my helmet. I’m not particularly curious about what kind of drivel these bitches are about to spew. However, there is one who has business with me.
“I, I don’t know where to start...”
Kang Ye-rin’s voice is trembling. I maintain a blank expression.
“...I’m just glad you’re alive.”
Of course you’d be glad. With your current skills, you couldn’t even take down a single executive.
“H-hey. Are you really Jeong Ui-seok?”
Ji Se-hwa steps forward. Her intelligence is as lacking as ever. After seeing my skills until now, what did she think? Is it really necessary to ask that again?
“U-um. Ui-seok oppa.”
Choi Min-seo steps forward. Her eyes are dead, but the corners of her mouth are curling up. “I, I missed you so much, oppa. There’s so much I want to ask you, so much I want to hear. A-actually, you never really left, did you? Right?”
Choi Min-seo is showing signs of memory confusion. A good sign.
“To think you were alive, heaven must be helping us. Jeong Ui-seok. I have something to ask.” Shin Yu-kyung meets my eyes. “The switches held by the Dark Kingdom executives, including Excalibur. Is it true that using them has side effects?”
Ridiculous.
“Wait. That’s not what’s important right now.” Kang Ye-rin glares at Shin Yu-kyung.
“It’s important to me. I may have been mistaken about that point.”
“And if you were mistaken?”
“I’d have to apologize. I’m also willing to re-examine other matters. Depending on that, I’m even prepared to resume Dragon King Squad activities with Jeong Ui-seok.”
“Pfft.”
I couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing.
“What? That laugh... I’ve heard it somewhere... No, that’s not important. So, what happened?”
“Do you think that makes any sense? Yu-kyung! As leader, I’m ordering you. Be quiet!”
So Kang Ye-rin is the leader of the Dragon King Squad now?
“It’s a fact that we betrayed you and tried to kill you—no, we actually killed you! It’s a miracle you came back alive! Didn’t you see just now? Ui-seok fought Pegasus and won, even in that state! The decent thing to do is to apologize first!”
Shin Yu-kyung replies with a blank face. “I was taught that I should kill feelings like regret, sympathy, and sadness, and never show them. My school taught me to express only the emotions necessary for combat.”
“Then shut up. The switch doesn’t matter right now.” Kang Ye-rin growls.
“Wait. Why are we talking about putting Jeong Ui-seok back in the Dragon King Squad? He... he hates me...” Ji Se-hwa objects, glancing at me sideways. I look at her, too. Feeling my gaze, she grinds her teeth.
“Yeah. I lost an arm, too. To those villains. You’re probably a prosthetic under that suit, too. We’re in the same boat now. Does that make you feel better? Is it funny to you?!”
Ji Se-hwa lifts her left arm to show it off. Nice hardware you got there.
“Don’t provoke Ui-seok. Ui-seok, as you heard, I’m currently the leader of the Dragon King Squad.” Kang Ye-rin continues. “As their representative, I will sincerely apologize for what I did to you. I’m truly... truly sorry. I know you can’t forgive me. No, you wouldn’t be able to. I have no intention of making excuses.”
Kang Ye-rin’s breathing grows ragged, and her voice trembles. “If you want, I’ll issue a statement and officially admit my crimes. I have evidence. It seems you have some, too... I will try to restore your honor and put everything back in its place. So, so please...”
Kang Ye-rin can’t finish her sentence. All four of them are focused on my face. I relax my facial muscles and lightly curl the corners of my mouth. I can feel the four of them wavering, half-doubting what they see. I raise my right fist forward. It’s the gesture the Dragon King Squad used to use for team spirit during training. The pose where we would bump fists to encourage each other.
“Ah...!”
Seeing my attitude, their faces brighten. The four of them slowly approach to bump fists with me. I slowly twist my fist the other way. Top to bottom. Bottom to top. And then.
“Fuck off.”
I raise my middle finger.
......
For a moment, it feels like time has stopped; the four of them freeze in place. I wanted to keep my words short, but hearing them talk, I can’t help but feel the heat rising. Ironically, listening to their nonsense makes me realize once again that I used to be a person full of humanity. My veins feel like they’re about to burst through my skin. My heart is burning.
It is Shin Yu-kyung who breaks the silence.
“I understand you’re angry. You were always full of rage...”
“You understand? Did your school kill your intelligence along with your emotions?”
“What?”
“Have you ever died?”
Shin Yu-kyung closes her mouth at my question.
“Full of rage? Haha. There is only one saint in all of human history who forgave their opponent after being killed by them. That’s why they’re a saint. Do you see me as that saint?”
“Ui-seok, we aren’t asking for forgiveness...”
“What do you mean?” I cut off Kang Ye-rin. “If you aren’t asking for anything, isn’t it pointless to even talk? There’s no meaning in stringing together pathetic words.”
“Are you going to play petty word games?” Ji Se-hwa butts in.
I shake my head. “What a shame.”
“What is?”
“Where did you lose your arm? It should have been me who cut it off.”
Ji Se-hwa tenses up and gulps.
“Now, let me correct one thing you guys are greatly mistaken about.” I declare. “I survived by luck. Even so, I came out to fight. Do you think I came out to throw away the precious life I barely managed to hold onto? No. I came out to live. If I don’t take down the Galaxy Empire, I’m going to die anyway, right?”
“That’s...”
“I have no interest in justice or peace anymore. Your little hero-playhouse makes me want to puke, so I won’t even look at it for the rest of my life. Get lost. My stomach turns just hearing the word ‘hero’ from the Dragon King Squad.”
Thud. Choi Min-seo collapses, her legs seemingly giving out.
“Kang Ye-rin. I don’t need honor as a hero. Do whatever you want with my corpse—cook it, fry it, eat it, I don’t care.”
Of course, I don’t need that kind of thing anymore. Because I’m going to become the leader of evil. This world will be ruled not by heroes, but by villains. I will make it so.
“Since we’re at it, I’ll answer your question, Shin Yu-kyung. The switches. The answer is yes. I watched the broadcast of you getting beaten up by some pathetic villain organization. Didn’t I tell you? You guys can’t handle them. I still can’t sleep at night because of those side effects.”
“Then why didn’t you tell us sooner?”
“I was afraid you’d feel guilty. I thought you’d think I was forcing sacrifices on you. Actually, ‘she’ did that. Seeing you now, I realize how much of an idiot I was to misunderstand you all. Haha. To think I called these things my comrades.”
“......”
“I’ll answer the bullshit you said on the ship, too. Ji Se-hwa. Now that you’ve fought without me, do you realize how dangerous the monster executives are? You must have seen an executive-level monster die for the first time, but did you see Pegasus use his ultimate move even after his head was blown off? Go ahead, try to land the finishing blow. You want to donate your head, too? Did you think it was easy for me to finish off the Dark Kingdom executives?”
“That’s...”
“And my rage and monster consumption. How many times do I have to tell you that this is a condition to maintain my abilities?”
“...Still with those lies. There isn’t a single hero with that kind of ability.” Shin Yu-kyung retorts.
I just sigh. “Then was there ever a hero as strong as me?”
“...No.”
“When Somi was here, she understood me and covered for me. I thought of you all as comrades. Even if not as much as her, I believed you would support me. But look at this. You see me and think I’m a villain? You just blindly believed the Association President and tried to kill me?”
“...Ui-seok, it’s our fault that we didn’t understand you as much as Somi did. Somi was the center of the Dragon King Squad.” Kang Ye-rin drivels.
“Come to think of it, the reason we fell apart was, Somi...”
“You bitches who know that so well.”
Hearing that name come out of Kang Ye-rin’s mouth makes me feel like my Adam’s apple is about to pop out. “I could let it slide that you mocked me after seeing me like that.” I clench my fist. I glare at the four people in front of me. “But you dare to insult Somi?”
They must have felt the intense killing intent. All four of them are trembling. Choi Min-seo, unable to hold it in, starts to cry. I can even see Shin Yu-kyung, vulnerable to fear, starting to wet herself.
“Well, thanks to you, I had time to reflect. It’s certain that the four of you are the most talented individuals I hand-picked as heroes.” I look down at them. “But my eye for character was trash. That’s why I chose my current comrades more carefully. People who are more capable than you, and have better character, too.”
“C-comrades...? New comrades...?”
“Yeah. They might lack knowledge or refinement, but they’re much more honest and cheerful. They’re loyal, and they’re so kind that it’s actually embarrassing. Above all, they have good manners.”
“Manners...?”
“Yes, manners.” I cross my arms. “You four. If you met me, you should have dropped all the bullshit and flowery language, and your first greeting should have naturally been ‘I’m sorry,’ shouldn’t it?”
No one answers.
“I asked if it shouldn’t have been.”
“...I, I was going to say it.” Kang Ye-rin mumbles.
“They said ‘thank you’.”
“That’s...”
“Think about our position, too! I don’t even know if what you’re saying is the truth! A person who was dead suddenly appeared, and just because you defeated an executive, your humanity hasn’t changed, so how can you expect us to apologize right away!” Ji Se-hwa shouts.
Well, that was a pretty good effort for her. First of all, there wasn’t a single curse word. She even included quite a bit of content trying to persuade me. Knowing Ji Se-hwa as I do, I can see how much she conceded. Well. I don’t give a fuck.
“I have no need to think about your position, I have no time, and I have no desire to be understood. Whether it’s apologies, honor, or whatever bullshit, there is nothing left to give or receive from you bitches.” I declare. “So get lost. Don’t ever appear in front of my eyes again.”
Choi Min-seo starts to sob out loud. “...I want to apologize.”
“I told you I don’t need it.” I brush off Kang Ye-rin.
“Won’t you even give us a chance to talk?”
“Let’s see. Was I too cold?”
At those words, the four of them focus on me. I turn back to Ji Se-hwa and say, “Since Ji Se-hwa’s left arm is already gone, I’ll accept an apology from whoever cuts off their right arm. First come, first served.”