Hero's Qualifications (5)

"How do you adjust the suit? I hear the B-type gloves are notoriously tricky to fine-tune."

"First, we leave the initial inspection to the maintenance team, and then periodic overhauls..."

Han Sua and Peerless, walking ahead, were deep in a conversation only heroes could have.

I trailed behind at a slight distance, wrapped in an oddly surreal feeling.

Anyone would feel the same seeing two people fated to die within three days chatting side by side like this.

I mulled over my pre-regression memories and the intel I'd pieced together.

The worst year that sparked the world's downfall. And the incident that kicked it all off: the field training office raid about to happen.

Dozens of hero offices hit simultaneously by villains, culminating in the tragedy where A-rank hero Peerless and promising prospective hero Psyche met their ends.

That's why I'd gone out of my way to blackmail Han Sua into bringing me along to Peerless Hero Office.

The raid caused many serious injuries and casualties, but fatalities happened only here.

It had to be that way. The attacks on other offices were all smokescreens; the real target was solely Peerless.

The perpetrator: S-rank villain, Stingray.

As Sleeping Bubble had explained earlier, he'd planned this to settle the grudge from losing an arm to Peerless in the past.

Peerless's promotion to S-rank hadn't happened in my previous timeline. She'd been brutally killed by Stingray after he mobilized his entire organization against her office.

Not that she lost in pure skill. Back when she was still B-rank, she'd easily beaten a fully intact Stingray.

In terms of raw power, a one-armed Stingray had no chance against Peerless at her peak.

But he wasn't after an honorable duel. He's a vile, despicable villain.

Instead of fair revenge, Stingray took the office staff hostage and blackmailed Peerless.

That's why a mighty A-rank hero met such a pathetic end.

Other hero offices and the Hero Management Bureau sent reinforcements once they realized it was a diversion, but they barely rescued the hostages and failed to save Peerless.

Stingray escaped unscathed and later became a lackey for the great evils that doomed the world, committing atrocities to the end.

Psyche turned out to be a villain too and stirred up trouble for a while, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but that's another story.

Anyway, one mystery nagged at me.

An A-rank hero's office has top-tier security. Even for an S-rank villain's direct assault, how did he capture everyone inside as hostages?

I finally realized why here.

"Woojin, why are you staring like that? Something on my face?"

Sleeping Bubble tilted her head, sensing my gaze.

I flashed a casual smile and tossed out a throwaway line.

"Just, 'cause you're pretty."

It usually dodged annoying explanations. Especially effective on women, from what I remembered. No idea why.

"Ugh... You can't tease heroes like that. You might get arrested."

"Cut me some slack. Can't I even joke around?"

"...Dunno. Just be careful, okay?"

She mumbled and abruptly turned away.

Seemed it worked decently even on villains. Might use it more often.

"Villains ever raid offices like this?"

I played dumb and kept the questions flowing.

Sleeping Bubble, face oddly flushed, fanned herself as she answered. The air did feel a bit stuffy inside.

"Mm... Almost never. Why?"

"Kinda scary. What if they break in?"

"Hehe, tougher-looking than you thought, huh? Don't worry. No one bold enough to raid an A-rank hero's office exists."

She shrugged proudly.

"There are bulkheads and civilian shelters inside too. Worst case, hide there till Peerless wipes 'em out."

"...Reassuring. Where are the shelters?"

"Eh, secret! You'll know if we ever need 'em. Not that we will."

She patted my shoulder.

I swallowed a curse inwardly.

Damn traitor.

Of course security would be breached with a spy embedded from the start.

Impressive she'd gone undetected as an A-rank hero's sidekick.

'Of course, she'd have outside help ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to pull it off.'

Stingray was just the muscle, grudge or not. The real mastermind was elsewhere.

A name I knew well: villain group, Hwaryeon.

Patrons to every villain in Korea.

'Peerless Hero Office has been investigating abnormal fund flows from a villain organization for months, making arrests.'

I recalled a news snippet from my post-regression binge-reading.

It all connected.

'Hwaryeon, fearing exposure, sicced Stingray on them.'

Perfect patsy. He and Peerless already had bad blood.

Bonus motives too. Peerless was a top hero now, S-rank promotion nearly locked for next year. Her status outshone even Han Sua and Yuha.

Her death by villain raid would hide their funds and tarnish hero prestige.

Spreading gloom and defeatism across society was icing.

Win-win for apocalypse-plotting villains.

So, what was my move?

Stop the incident? 'Nah.'

No plans there. I'd spotted the spy, sure, but killing her wouldn't guarantee prevention.

Stopping it outright had issues too. If it fizzled before starting, heroes and civilians would dismiss it as a minor scuffle.

Not what I wanted. Minimize casualties, maximize fear and vigilance.

Simple: my tasks.

One: Save Han Sua. Hwaryeon insider and their downfall catalyst.

Two: Save star A-rank Peerless. Prevent hero losses and S City security gaps.

Three, crucial: 'Make me, Marionette, the perpetrator.'

Vital for me. The raid was inevitable; someone had to claim the infamy floating free.

I was small fry now, but success would skyrocket my threat level and spotlight.

Yuha, my archenemy, would rise too.

How? Easy: play along.

Until the raid hits as fated.

Unexpected variables chaos battlefields. The spy was Peerless's; I'd be the raiders'.

Until then, stay helpless civilian. My escort would drag me to the eye of the storm.

I glanced at Sleeping Bubble, now walking beside me, peeking repeatedly.

Our eyes met.

"...W-Why do you keep staring?"

"'Cause you're pretty."

"Eek..."

Keep up the dimwit act till then.

And Han Sua...

"..."

I looked ahead again.

Han Sua was still grilling Peerless passionately.

"So in that scenario, the priority protocol is..."

Who knows. Just watch for now.

"...Woojin, seriously, be careful?"

Sleeping Bubble's soft voice chilled me, laced with AC draft.

Baek Yuha was buried in worry.

She was at A-rank 3rd hero Alchemist's office—her top field training pick. Nailing tasks beyond expectations.

Top eval score was guaranteed.

But it meant nothing to her.

Her plan to stick with Kim Woojin all training? Long trashed.

And now he was with her—the one she clashed with most.

Out of reach, out of sight.

"Hero Flame Mist! Great to see you today!"

Forced smiles and greetings only burned her insides more.

"Flame Mist! Take a break."

The appearing female hero patted her shoulder.

"You look exhausted. Overdoing it since yesterday?"

"I'm fine. Just..."

"Rest is a hero virtue. Can't perform at crunch time otherwise."

Yuha started to shake her head with a smile.

The hero's face hardened sternly.

"Yoram's basics. Thought you were top-tier, guess I misjudged."

"Ah..."

Yuha's expression drooped.

Then, warm kindness enveloped her.

"So rest up. One hour exactly. Back on time, or zero points. Got it?"

"...Yes. Thank you."

Yuha finally smiled and nodded.

Alchemist had clocked her distraction. A-rank for a reason.

'...I'll be a hero like that someday.'

She clenched her fist.

But her hand flew to her smartphone.

Shortcut 1: video call to him.

His name appeared with the ring.

Worried he might ignore—