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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Vine
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After I was caught using the hidden ability on Lumia, the security around me intensified several times over.
Naturally, I could no longer meet anyone.
The restraints on my body increased severalfold.
And even the slightest movement would trigger the lights on the cameras installed in my cell.
Moreover, armed guards now took turns monitoring me in solitary confinement in real-time.
Thanks to that, all I could do as I lay lifelessly all day was
[Skill: Insight (LV1) has been used.]
…test the ability, presumably passed down by Justitia, on the guards beyond the bars.
Perhaps I could find some clues with this ability.
I wondered if I could use any other abilities.
However, it was useless.
No matter how many times I repeated the ability, the only thing I could use was ‘Insight,’ which allowed me to find out information about my target.
[The conditions for using that skill have not been met.]
A new message popped up just once when I thought about breaking all these damn restraints, but no matter how hard I focused, the message never appeared again after that.
Just as I had memorized the personal information of the guards, information I didn’t want to know,
“Shift change.”
A completely unexpected person came to visit me.
<Insight (LV1)>
◆ Name: Kim Ira
◆ Sex: Female (19)
◆ Special Notes
– [Disguised]
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“…”
An awkward silence hung between us.
“…Um, ahem.”
As I tilted my head and glared at her slightly,
She averted her gaze and cleared her throat.
What was she thinking, coming here?
Her true identity was none other than my sidekick.
An ability user with the ‘Disguise’ concept ingrained in her body, allowing her to change her appearance into anyone.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t copy the abilities of the person she transformed into, but as long as her acting was good, it was a powerful ability that made it impossible to detect her disguise.
To think she would use that ability to come see me.
“Mealtime, 10156.”
As I stared blankly at her, Ira said so and pushed the food into my cell.
“I will partially release the restraints until you finish your meal. Finish eating within five minutes.”
Then, she went to the wall of the cell and stood motionless.
“This is…”
I grabbed the tray that had entered the room and examined it as naturally as possible, soon realizing her intentions.
‘…Braille?’
Quite small, encrypted Braille dots were attached to the side of the tray.
A method frequently used by me, a black ops agent, and her, my assistant.
This way, I could read it naturally without getting caught.
[Truth] [Know] [Myself] [Witness]
I began to slowly decipher her code.
[Something] [Strange] [Testimony] [No one] [Believes]
As I read the words, my heartbeat quickened.
[So] [This time] [I] [Help]
I glanced at her after reading that far, and Ira winked slightly.
[Like you] [Back then]
Now I understood why she had come all the way here.
[Risking my life]
She was trying to break me out.
‘Is she insane?’
But that’s too dangerous.
Even for someone as skilled as her, it’s impossible to break me out of Karma’s tight security.
And above all else, I couldn’t put her in danger.
I was caught up in something too big.
So, if it were revealed that she, with a promising future, was even slightly involved in this, the consequences were obvious.
– *Clang…!!!*
With that thought, I used all my strength to knock the tray over.
Then, she stared at me with wide eyes.
“Leave.”
Hoping my feelings would reach her, I muttered in a cold voice.
“I don’t need this.”
As the guards started running towards me with their batons, I saw her wavering eyes.
What would happen if I asked for help now?
No, it wouldn’t do.
I didn’t want to lose anyone else.
Still, I have to do what I have to do.
Before the guards’ batons could reach me, I shouted at the top of my lungs.
“Go suck Lumia’s ass, you bastards!!”
I hoped Ira understood what I meant.
Hoping that it would lead to people stopping her someday, I yelled at the top of my lungs.
– *Crack…!*
I lost consciousness as the guards’ blows struck my head.
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How much time had passed?
“10156, you have a visitor.”
Unable to even touch my swollen head because of the restraints, I stared blankly at the wall when the guards opened the door and informed me of the visit request in cold voices.
‘…Shit.’
I was still half-asleep from the shock of being subdued, but I knew immediately.
That this wasn’t a visit, but an execution.
About two days had passed since the visit with Lumia, and the guards’ atmosphere was different than usual.
Having always dealt with and handled people’s emotions, I could tell immediately.
‘Is this how it ends?’
As I realized that I was heading towards the end, cold sweat began to pour down my body.
‘With such an absurd false accusation?’
I’m scared.
I wanted to shake off the guards’ grip and escape this place right now.
“Stay still.”
But my body, bound by restraints, wouldn’t budge, and the guards’ grip was too tight.
So I couldn’t help but be dragged along like a cow to a slaughterhouse.
“Get in.”
“Ugh.”
After walking for a while, the guards started shoving me somewhere.
“Prisoner aboard, departing.”
With a black bag over my head, I was transported somewhere.
“Excuse me… where are we going…?”
“Quiet.”
Naturally, questions were not tolerated.
All I could feel in that situation was pitch-black darkness and the occasional vibrations inside the vehicle.
How much time had passed like that?
Roughly grabbed by the arm and dragged out, I was once again dragged somewhere.
“Sit.”
Finally, we arrived at our destination.
– *Clank…!*
Before I could grasp the situation, my body was strapped to a chair, and I finally realized.
“Fuck… really…”
That my method of execution was
…the electric chair.
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– *Rustle…*
I shuddered at the chilling sensation behind me as the bag over my head was slowly removed.
“…Sister?”
Then, a familiar face came into view.
“Why is Sister here…?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
When I asked, seeing my sister standing before the guards, she answered with an expressionless face.
“A hero must be present at the execution of an ability user.”
“…”
“Especially since we don’t know the nature of your inherent concept, it’s a necessity.”
Her eyes, as if looking at a stranger, a hardened criminal.
The kind and warm sister from my childhood wasn’t there before me.
She was simply a top-ranking hero, dealing with me, an A-rank villain.
“Let’s proceed with the final procedures before the execution.”
“…”
“Any last words?”
That fact completely broke my last will to resist.
No matter how much I struggled, cried, or pleaded, my fate wouldn’t change.
“…There’s an orphanage I’ve been regularly donating to every month.”
Now was the time to put my affairs in order in the little time I had left.
“Donate all of my assets to that orphanage. Don’t tell the kids anything.”
With a trembling voice, I began the ‘final procedures’.
“And, there’s a report on the students of Class 1, Year 2 of the academy that I was in charge of in the third drawer of my office. Please refer to it during the handover.”
“Give all the equipment I purchased to Ira. There are many things that will be helpful to her.”
“The west coast has been acting strange lately, so be careful. According to my analysis, there’s definitely…”
Once I started talking,
It really wouldn’t stop.
To think there were so many things that made me attached to life.
The children at the orphanage who always talked about becoming heroes.
The problem children of Class 1, Year 2, who were just starting to gain momentum.
Ira, who always bickered with me at Justitia’s office.
And…
“…Eat well, Sister.”
As I spoke in a subdued voice, my sister’s eyebrows raised.
“You always buy convenience store lunches because you’re busy with work.”
I wanted to leave something for the other two as well.
“I posted instructions on how to cook side dishes in the refrigerator… please eat them.”
However, I couldn’t hold on any longer.
“And please, don’t trust Lumia too much…”
So, as I closed my eyes tightly, about to finish my words,
“Stop stalling.”
My sister said in a cold voice.
“What?”
At that unexpected remark, as I tilted my head weakly,
“Excuse me.”
“Ugh!”
Two people entered as the door burst open.
“Did you think you could deceive the Child of Prophecy?”
“…”
I could tell who the two were without even using ‘Insight’.
“Mission accomplished.”
“Good work, Lumia. You’ve done a great job once again.”
The one… no, she, who was saluting my sister,
Was Lumia, who took everything from me. And
The one rolling on the floor covered in blood was undoubtedly Kim Ira, my sidekick.
“You…”
“*Cough, cough*… Brother…”
As I looked at her with disbelief, Ira, who was coughing up blood, raised her head.
“Y-you motherfuckers!!”
Then, she suddenly started yelling at my sister and the guards.
“I was at the scene from beginning to end!”
“Oh my.”
“Brother Haneul isn’t the culprit!!”
Then, everyone’s attention began to focus on Ira.
“I saw it clearly right before I lost consciousness! Justitia falling after exchanging the final blow!! But… but why!”
Ira was now giving an impassioned speech, even with tears streaming down her face.
“When I woke up, Brother Haneul was being framed for Justitia’s murder!!”
“This bastard…”
“You don’t even know! What kind of relationship they had!! And yet… and yet…!!!”
As she struggled with all her might against the guards who rushed at her, she continued to pour out her words.
“Why do you all believe that bastard and not me…”
– *Crackle…*
“…Ugh.”
As my sister gestured lightly, Ira lost consciousness, her whole body paralyzed.
“Honestly.”
I blankly watched the situation.
“Justitia’s disciples are too scary.”
Hearing the familiar voice from behind, I lost my mind.
“Don’t you think?”
The one who subdued Ira and brought her here.
Lumia was looking at me, secretly smiling with satisfaction.
‘I want to kill him.’
In that worst-case scenario,
‘I want to rip that smiling face to shreds.’
For the first time in my life, I felt murderous intent towards someone.
‘I want to chase him to the ends of hell and take revenge.’
Just then, as if waiting for this very moment,
‘No matter the cost…’
– *Bzzt…!*
‘…?’
The miracle I so desperately wished for unfolded before my eyes.
◆ Choice: The Villain’s Path
◆ Description:
This is your unavoidable destiny. Accepting will grant you access to the [Villain’s Path] system, but will simultaneously trigger Villainization.
Unlike the translucent window that appeared earlier,
A bright red window, covered entirely in red.
[Will you accept?]
“Ha.”
Seeing that, I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.
[Y/N]
Aha.
In the end, this was my destiny.
It was a power given by Justitia herself.
Then, there’s no reason not to accept it, is there?
“Then, we will now carry out the execution.”
‘Villainization’ will trigger.
That unknown phrase bothered me a little, but
I didn’t care anymore.
“Everyone, step back…”
I was already the worst villain to everyone.
Even if I became a real villain, nothing would change.
[Accepted]
With that thought, I used every ounce of strength to lower my head and press ‘Accept.’
“…Finally, finally, finally.”
“Don’t worry.”
To Lumia, who was trembling, unable to hide his ecstatic expression, I smiled for the first time and whispered softly.
“Since we’re doing this, I’ll make sure you regret it bitterly…”
– *Kaboom…!!!*
“…Huh?”
With a sudden roar,
Everything was engulfed in darkness.
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“Cough, cough…”
When I opened my eyes, coughing heavily, all around me was chaos.
“Ugh…”
“O-ow…”
For some reason, half of the people were crushed under the debris of the completely collapsed building.
“Ugh!”
“Kuh, who are these bastards?!”
“Lumia! Get behind me…!”
And half, including my sister and Lumia, were being attacked by unidentified people.
“What’s going on…?”
As I blankly watched the dreamlike situation, unable to grasp the situation,
“Say, are you in a bit of a predicament right now?”
I turned my head at the voice from beside me and froze.
“We happen to have an executive position open, so…”
Dominating Hands.
The worst villain organization in history, currently at the helm of the Villain League.
“How about we make this a win-win situation?”
The leader of the group I’d been chasing all my life was offering me a hand from beyond the collapsed wall.
“Even if you say that out of the blue…”
Taken aback by the sudden situation, I slowly stepped back.
“…It couldn’t hurt.”
Then, I changed my mind and started moving forward.
“…Huh?”
Seeing Lumia’s bewildered expression, one I’d never seen before, as he was being escorted by my sister in the distance,
“Why are you here?”
It seemed like the right thing to do.
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