Being a Villain is My True Calling

“[You mustn’t do this!]”

“[Stand aside.]”

“[Why have you come here in your still unwell condition?! Please go to the hospital at once…Victor!]”

Kwaaaaaang!!

At the Russian branch of the Heroes Association.
After regaining consciousness at the hospital, Victor had rushed straight to the Association, forcefully flinging open the door to the Director’s office.

“[Victor!]”

“[I know my own body well enough. Now stand aside.]”

“[Regardless of who you are, this is outright insolence! Victor!]”

Disregarding the protesting staff, Victor fixed his glare upon the middle-aged man seated.
The Director wore a gentle smile, yet his narrowed eyes conveyed no semblance of mirth.

“[Director. Don’t we have matters to discuss?]”

“[……]”

“[Or shall I simply voice my grievances aloud?]”

“[Haah…you may enter and speak.]”

With a resigned sigh at Victor’s demeanor, the Russian Director dismissed the objecting staff.

Click.

“[…You truly haven’t changed a bit since your youth.]”

The Director regarded him with that lingering smile.

“[Especially when you lose control of your emotions like this – you become an utter ignoramus, oblivious to propriety.]”

Yet in contrast to that amiable smile, his eyes conveyed no warmth.
Rather, they subtly betrayed a sense of disdain, a deeply ingrained contempt simmering beneath.

“[And yet, when that promising Korean hero visited, I had thought you’d matured somewhat.]”

“[Shut it.]”

Kwooooong–!!
Victor strode over and slammed his fist upon the Director’s desk with tremendous force.
The impact left a sizeable crack, yet Victor paid it no heed as he glowered at the Director.

“[Why was I not informed that he was imprisoned at the facility under my wardenship?]”

“[I’ll rephrase – why are you asking me about the place under your charge?]”

Ughh.

“[Because you were the former Warden of Tartarus.]”

Gritting his teeth, Victor pressed on defiantly.

“[Alpha. I wasn’t even aware he was alive. Let alone that he was being held at Tartarus!]”

Kung! Kung!
A tumult of regret, guilt, and fury surged through Victor as he pounded the Director’s desk repeatedly.

“[Sublevel 7. You had told me it was a storage space akin to a vault, confining the Vestiges of Mystery that could inflict harm upon humanity – separate from the other prison levels.]”

Kung!

“[He was imprisoned there!!]”

Kung! Kung! Kung!!!

“[Unable to receive proper nourishment! Surrounded by malevolent presences that could drive one insane at any moment, he endured a solitary four decades of confinement!!]”

Kwajijik–!!
The desk lay utterly shattered from Victor’s relentless barrage, the feat even more astounding considering he had not employed his abilities.

“[To subdue you while malnourished and mentally unsound, he must be a veritable monster.]”

“[You bastard!!]”

His rage reaching its boiling point, Victor seized the Director by his collar.

“[…Hah, how absurd. An outsider might assume we share a special bond.]”

As Victor’s massive hand made contact, the Director’s genteel facade crumbled, his features twisting into an unsightly sneer.
Curling one side of his lips derisively, he mocked Victor.

“[Have you forgotten who it was that subdued Alpha four decades ago? How shameless.]”

Ughh.
Those words caused Victor’s right hand to momentarily tremble.

“[…Tch.]”

Subsequently releasing the Director’s collar with a dismissive scoff,
Victor clenched his fist tightly, as if attempting to suppress the tremors – his nails digging so deeply into his flesh that blood seeped forth.

“[…How did he survive?]”

Caressing the damp warmth coating his hand, Victor pondered aloud.

From his assault four decades prior.
And the ensuing four decades of imprisonment.

Just how had he managed to persevere, retaining his sanity?

“[…Your prattling has only increased, I see.]”

Yet the Director offered no insight into Victor’s musings.

“[You need only obey the Association’s directives, as you’ve always done.]”

Dusting off his attire as if ridding himself of filth after Victor’s contact, the Director regarded him once more.

“[Is that not the most befitting conduct for a coward masquerading under the guise of a ‘friend’?]”

“……”

Smiling now, the Director rose from his seat and gave Victor’s shoulder a pat, as if in understanding.

Derisive words from the Director’s mocking lips.
Yet Victor found himself unable to utter a single retort.

Immediately after departing the hotel, Alpha and I scoured the area in search of a suitable landing spot for Ga-yeon’s arrival.

‘A secluded yet spacious location…’

Did such a place exist?
Perhaps if we explored further, but it certainly didn’t seem readily available in our immediate vicinity.

It couldn’t merely be spacious – it had to be devoid of people as well.
Especially considering Alpha’s status as a fugitive.

‘Where might be ideal…?’

As Alpha and I pondered while browsing the internet, he spoke up.

“Akaoni.”

“Hmm?”

Alpha regarded me with a perplexed expression.

“Can’t we simply create that space ourselves?”

“Huh?”

His subsequent words caused my eyes to widen in realization.

Afterward, Alpha and I arrived at a slum area on the outskirts of the city.
Surveying the decrepit structures and crumbling derelict buildings, a natural smile formed on my face.

‘Right, if it doesn’t exist, we can make it.’

This slum had suffered extensive devastation from past villainous acts, rendering it beyond recovery.
For various reasons, no restoration efforts had been undertaken in this area. So demolishing a building or two would hardly cause a stir.

‘Perfect conditions for fabricating our desired space.’

With no CCTV cameras in the vicinity, there was little risk of being detected.
And the slum’s residents harbored resentment towards the heroes who had neglected to aid them, making them unlikely to report any disturbances.

“Let’s commence, Alpha.”

“Understood.”

At my prompting, Alpha stepped forth before a dilapidated structure.

Wooooong–!

He briefly channeled his abilities.

“Hhuk-”

With the power lightly gathered in his right arm, he swung his clenched fist.

Kwaaaaaaaaahng–!!!

The resulting shockwave emanating from his fist’s impact point created a massive linear cavity through the building, punching a gaping hole straight through.

‘Truly a former supreme hero.’

Despite his presently frail appearance, and exerting only moderate force, he could effortlessly generate such devastation…

“I shall continue.”

Kwooooong!! Bang!! Kwaaaaaaaaahng!!!

With each successive punch, further perforations riddled the structure’s walls.
At this rate, he would complete the task far swifter than anticipated.

“Don’t half-ass it, shred it into fragments! We don’t want any accidents when the helicopter arrives!!”

“Understood.”

Of course, avoiding potential hazards took precedence over expediency.
Regardless, it didn’t take long before…

“This should suffice.”

“Got it.”

…the dilapidated building lay reduced to rubble before our eyes.
After briefly surveying the vacated space, I contacted Narin to relay our coordinates.

Come to the slum area, you said? Got it~

Her bright voice mingled with the sounds of keyboard clacking and machinery.

“…Will she be able to arrive properly?”

Huh? Ah~ It’s all good, it’s all good!

Occasional odd noises like ‘bzzt’ or ‘thunk’ reached my ears, causing slight apprehension… But it should be fine, right?

“She said she’s nearly here.”

Brushing aside any lingering unease, Alpha and I awaited Narin’s arrival.

“Big brooooo!!”

Shortly after, Narin’s voice rang out from above.
Tilting my head upwards, I immediately noticed…

Daldaldaldal…

…the helicopter wobbling erratically.

After Narin’s descent, I composed myself from the initial shock and allowed her and Alpha a moment to converse.

“Wowwowwowwowwow!!!!”

“…Gree-”

“Are you Alpha, the Alpha from modern history?! It’s an honor! Seeing you in person is so surreal. I monitored you through the camera attached to big bro to assist him. Ah, but doesn’t that make you way over sixty? That can’t be right! How do you look so young, mister? Or are you just incredibly well-preserved? But is it okay for me to speak informally to a sixty-year-old grandpa? Is it? It should be fine, right? Feel free to be casual with me too!”

“……”

“Were you always this laconic, mister? To be honest, I’m not really a talkative person either. But that shaggy hair and beard, how did-”

“Alright, that’s enough.”

Hmm. It might be better if I introduce them properly.
Observing Alpha being overwhelmed in real-time, I had no choice but to interject and facilitate their introductions.

“This is Alpha. A former S-rank hero acclaimed as the world’s strongest, now reduced to a scrawny escaped convict.”

“…A scrawny escapee.”

If you’re dissatisfied, you could have provided a better explanation yourself.
Regarding Alpha’s vacant expression, I proceeded to describe Narin.

“And this is Narin. A prodigious hacker capable of toying with virtually any electronic device. It’s thanks to her that I could infiltrate Tartarus.”

“Big bro! You should add ‘beautiful’ before genius hacker!!”

“As you can see, she’s an incessant chatterbox with an inflated ego, but not a bad kid overall.”

“Hey, what did you say?!”

Narin stuck out her tongue petulantly before scampering about in perpetual motion.

“Anyway, with those introductions out of the way, let’s all try to get along without any squabbles.”

“Tch…Alright, I’m counting on you, mister.”

“…I see.”

Alpha responded with a nod, effectively ending their exchange.

“……”

“……”

“…Nothing more to say?”

“?”

Narin shot Alpha a quizzical look, as if expecting further conversation.
Yet Alpha merely returned her gaze with apparent confusion.

“Well, like ‘I’m counting on you too’, or something…”

“Ah.”

Finally, prompted by Narin’s exasperated remark, Alpha seemed to realize his oversight and nodded in acknowledgment.

“I’m counting on you as well.”

“Yeah.”

It’s going to be a long road ahead…
Though I doubt their rapport will devolve into outright hostilities, at least.

I couldn’t help but let out an amused chuckle as I observed Alpha and Narin’s stilted small talk.