Encounter (2): Frozen Flames

Yuha's voice was cold, unlike the brilliantly blazing flames around her. She was clearly seeing me as something less than human right now.

...Why the hell? I was flustered. Normally, there should have been plenty of time before Yuha arrived. So why was she here so soon?

Did I say something earlier...? I let out an involuntary sigh. No matter how much she pretended otherwise, she had been looking out for me. Her calm facade must have been to keep me from worrying unnecessarily.

"You're awfully quiet, villain."

It was a foreign sensation I'd never felt from her in my entire life. The Yuha who had smiled and said it was a relief upon seeing me turned into Marionette's puppet. But now, she wasn't hiding her chilling killing intent toward me at all.

I quickly understood the root of it. Yuha had lost her parents to a villain attack when she was young. That was the trigger that brought us even closer. Her path to becoming a hero was surely part of that chain of tragedy too.

"...Infighting among villains?"

Yuha glanced at Red Mask's corpse and muttered through gritted teeth.

"Trash like you are all the same."

Huh, I didn't know Yuha could trash-talk like that.

"Don't bother scheming. Reinforcements are already on the way. If you want to keep your life, surrender quietly."

Anyway, that wasn't the point right now. From her icy tone, I could infer the situation we were in. This encounter wasn't part of my plan. Originally, I intended to take ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠out the villain and slip away from the scene naturally, maybe leaving an anonymous tip.

Staying here meant I'd be caught for sure. I had to escape somehow.

...Fortunately, it wasn't impossible. I glanced at Yuha and slowly moved my fingers.

Hypnotizing her didn't sit right with me... but it wouldn't harm her or anything.

What the...? I blinked in confusion. Then I realized why.

The Doctor was an S-rank villain, but he had no talent for combat. The Red Mask I'd just taken out was a small-time villain, barely an obstacle for Yuha. In other words, they were opponents I could handle with my limited proficiency.

Put another way, it meant I wasn't quite there yet against a promising rookie with S-rank hero potential like Flame Mist.

Looking at me through the heat, Yuha's expression was laced with even more contempt and disgust.

"Planning to look away? I told you not to try any tricks."

Did she notice me trying to use my Authority? Apparently not—she hadn't encountered a manipulation-type villain yet. Lucky for me. If she'd realized I was trying to hypnotize her, I'd be roasted whole by now.

...Should I reveal my identity now? It was my last option. With the right explanation, she might buy it. Yuha had always believed whatever I said.

"Last warning. Try that crap one more time, and I'll blow your head off."

But... What if, just what if, she doesn't believe me...?

If she looked at me with disappointment. If she truly saw me as... a villain.

If I became unforgivable forever...?

I don't want that.

I reached a quick decision. I wouldn't risk even a little danger. I wanted to remain fully myself in Yuha's eyes.

Even if this led to irreversible consequences.

That left only one thing to do. I raised both hands in surrender, then swiftly grabbed the fallen woman's neck and hoisted her up.

"You...!"

I could hear Yuha grinding her teeth even through the roaring flames. The fire around us intensified with her mood, to the point where I worried she might incinerate us both in one go.

Instead of answering, I drew the blade from my suit and stabbed the woman's thigh without hesitation.

A fountain of crimson blood sprayed into the air, painting the night.

"Hurry and treat her, or she'll bleed out."

My modulated voice echoed from behind the mask—dry and parched, unrecognizable as my own.

Before Yuha could respond, I hurled the woman toward her like an object. Like a villain tormenting an innocent citizen.

"Chase me if you want. But she'll die if you do."

Of course, she wouldn't die. I'd cut precisely shallow enough for reinforcements to arrive in time. Worst case, they could cauterize it with fire.

I didn't want to know that level of detail. If pre-regression Marionette hadn't crammed every tendon and muscle location into my head, along with disassembly methods.

I backed away slowly. Yuha, cradling the woman, glared at me with helpless fury, grinding her teeth.

Good thing she was still a rookie hero without much experience. A veteran wouldn't fall for this.

"...You think you'll get away with this?"

Yuha muttered, her hatred deepening.

I tilted my head lightly.

"Probably."

Then I melted completely into the darkness.

Even as I fled, I glanced back. The alley where she stood blazed like midday. Hero and villain, darkness and light. Perfect harmony.

"Huff... huff...!"

I collapsed onto my bed when I finally reached home. The unexpected fatigue was heavier than I'd thought.

No chance of being tracked. I'd erased my trail perfectly, and halfway through, I'd switched the suit to bracelet mode, changing my entire appearance.

I checked my smartphone notifications.

Seeing my one complete harvest for the day, I chuckled lightly. Not bad for wrapping things up decently. Yuha might regret letting the villain escape, but saving a life was better. Especially since ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it was the start of a serial killing spree.

Now for what lay ahead. Yuha's unfamiliar, intense reaction stirred old memories. Unlike her early promise as a rising star, she'd stalled for a while. The Red Mask case was a trigger, but more importantly, it revealed her tendencies.

Excessive hatred for villains beyond legal limits, and a sadistic streak. It tanked her hero suitability scores for a time.

She only truly shone after the worst year, as the world's end loomed. Far too late.

I couldn't let that repeat. I'd already vowed to spare her that ordeal.

That's where my idea sparked.

If I could focus her indiscriminate rage at vague 'villains' solely on Marionette...?

I was already an undeniable villain. And I'd be hanging around her from now on—to block incidents and funnel her merits, though she'd never know.

What if I became her archenemy outright?

No top hero lacked an archenemy these days. Even Judgment, S-rank #1, rocketed to fame battling infamous villain Red Star.

...Though that one's complicated, anyway.

Rookie hero Flame Mist. And her nefarious archenemy, villain Marionette.

The stronger a villain I became, the higher her evaluation would rise. Her rage would target me alone, avoiding blanket fury critiques.

And she'd become the ultimate hero, foiling Marionette's plots every time. The hero of all, without setback or sorrow.

I grinned. I loved the new plan. Of course, getting caught was a death sentence.

"I can do this."

One issue, though. I'd escaped by luck this time, but I couldn't keep fleeing every encounter with Yuha. Hypnotizing her would be ideal, but surpassing a future youngest S-rank wasn't easy...

"...Close relationship with target."

So, hypnotizing her as human Kim Woojin, not villain Marionette, would boost success odds? Worth a shot. It couldn't fail... right? Unless I was the only one seeing her as a close friend...

"Nah."

I'll test it subtly on Yuha later. Felt a bit criminal, though.

"I am a criminal already."

I laughed hollowly. My phone buzzed again. Another alert? I checked—and froze.

No... money.

"Damn it."

Only then did reality hit. Even my grand plans paled against this.

"Flame Mist! What about ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the guy?"

Sirens blared and lights flashed, filling the alley. At her fellow hero's urgent question, Flame Mist bit her lip in frustration.

"...He got away. Used the civilian as a hostage."

"Damn...!"

The fellow hero sighed, spoke with the medics, then comforted her.

"The thigh wound's shallow—no life-threatening issues. Lucky. Guess he slipped up in the heat of the moment."

"What now? Pursuit?"

"We'll handle tracking. Head back—you've got school tomorrow. It's late enough already."

She gave a wry smile at the consolation. Even after support left, she lingered alone in the dark alley, murmuring into the shadows with hollow eyes.

"...Next time we meet, I'll kill him for sure."