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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Vine
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– *KABOOM!!!*
“Ugh.”
The monster’s sharp tentacles and heavy fists struck the barrier I’d summoned one after another.
“Grrrr…”
“He’s lost his mind.”
He should have retreated after realizing his attacks weren’t working. However, the relentless attacks continued.
Judging by that, it seemed he had lost his mind after transforming.
“A-are you a defense-type ability user?!”
“W-we’ll help you!”
As I blocked the monster’s attacks, sweating profusely, I heard the voices of the student officers from behind.
Sparks and vibrations started emanating from their raised hands.
“No, step back.”
“Huh?”
Their spirit was commendable, but I didn’t need their clumsy help.
“You’re not helping right now.”
The danger level of the monster in front of me was roughly level 3.
He wasn’t someone two inexperienced students could inflict any damage on.
“B-but…!”
“It seems like you both have emission-type abilities, so your attacks will just be blocked by my barrier.”
“Ah…”
“And even if I remove the barrier, can you two actually damage that monster?”
Besides, their abilities weren’t a good match against mine.
“B-but… the situation will only get worse if we do nothing.”
“T-that’s right. You look like you’re struggling…”
Of course, they had a point.
The ‘Defense’ skill I’d activated on instinct, as its name suggested, was focused solely on defense.
Then, I just had to attack.
I first awakened the ‘Insight’ skill when I desperately wanted to know Lumia’s true identity.
I first awakened the ‘Defense’ skill when I thought I needed to protect myself from the imminent threat.
Then, awakening an ‘attack’ related skill might be easier than I thought.
‘I just have to focus on the thought of attacking.’
With that decision, I clenched my fist and glared at the monster, and a system window appeared.
[Cannot be used due to low user stats!]
However, its contents were quite disappointing.
[Skill: Smash (LV MAX) cannot be used with current stats!]
[Skill: Kick (LV MAX) cannot be used with current stats!]
[Skill: Force Emission (LV MAX) cannot be used with current stats!]
[Skill: Counter (LV MAX) cannot be used with current stats!]
For some reason, all ‘attack’ related skills were maxed out.
‘Can’t I force it?’
[Forcing it will result in a heavy price, including physical impairment.]
[Will you use it?]
‘…Damn it.’
There was only one possible cause for this phenomenon.
Justitia, who, as her title ‘Strongest’ suggested, crushed any evil with overwhelming force.
The original owner of this ability.
The difference between her stats and mine was too great.
‘Did she only focus on attack skills because of her fiery personality?’
– *Crack…!*
“…Ugh!”
As I was smiling wryly at her Justitia-like behavior, a shockwave coursed through my body.
It seemed my body’s durability had dropped significantly due to the penalty of ‘Defense.’
“Krrr… krr…”
As I glared at the monsterized student, he let out a grotesque cry, as if laughing.
Judging by his confident expression, it seemed he was certain of his victory.
He seemed to have underestimated me.
“Hey, you.”
“Y-yes?”
I quietly glared at the monster, then spoke to the trembling female student behind me in a low voice.
“You were trying to shoot vibrations earlier, what exactly is your ability?”
“I-I can vibrate objects I touch… and I can create shockwaves by vibrating the air.”
“The concept of vibration, huh. How powerful is it?”
“I-I can send someone flying if they’re close…”
Hearing her explanation, a plan formed in my mind.
It was risky, but it was the most efficient method right now.
“Listen carefully to what I say.”
“Okay.”
“Shoot your vibrations at me and send me flying towards him.”
“Huh?”
“And then…”
As I started explaining, the female student looked at me with a blank expression.
“T-that’s too reckless…”
“There’s no time! Hurry!”
“I-I don’t know…”
Having reached my limit, I yelled and deactivated the barrier, and she squeezed her eyes shut and released her vibrations.
“…Ugh.”
In an instant, a shattering sensation coursed through my body.
It felt like a few of my ribs were broken.
My durability really had decreased.
“Grr?”
As I suddenly shot forward at high speed, having only been defending until now, the monster looked surprised and retracted the tentacles he had spread out.
Yes, I knew it.
When cornered, monsters tended to focus on defense rather than attack.
And you, who are no different from a monster, would be the same.
[Skill: Defense (LV1) has been used.]
Thanks to that, it became much easier.
“Grk!?”
…to trap you inside the barrier.
“Now!”
I flew right up to him, created a spherical barrier, trapped him inside, and signaled the students behind me.
“O-okay!”
“U-uwaaa!”
Then, squeezing their eyes shut, they started releasing sparks and vibrations.
“Gwaaaaaa!!!”
Their attacks, entering through the small, palm-sized gap I had created, started mixing with the trapped monster inside the barrier.
“Success.”
Just like that, he started thrashing around, unable to retaliate.
“B-but… how long do we have to keep this up…?”
“Until the heroes arrive.”
“…Huh?!”
Judging that the situation was roughly resolved, I quickly started heading downstairs to avoid wasting any more time.
“…Huh?”
I happened to glance outside through the window in the hallway and stopped in my tracks.
“What’s… that?”
In the distant playground, the members of Dominating Hands were carrying out a massacre.
‘The operation isn’t supposed to start now? No, wait…’
Even if the operation started much earlier than the planned infiltration time, there was something strange.
‘…Aren’t they killing indiscriminately?’
At first glance, it looked like a blood-soaked festival, but it looked quite different to me.
Heart, her usual clumsiness gone, swinging a scythe with a cold smile.
Gramps, laughing heartily, grabbing people and turning them into bloody messes.
Pandora, with her usual sleepy eyes, manipulating a joystick and carrying out a massacre with drones.
And even Spade, living up to her nickname ‘Killing Machine,’ having already killed three staff members.
They were all targeting only the students and staff with tentacles wriggling inside them.
‘What is going on?’
Just as I was dumbfounded by the incomprehensible situation,
“This is… troublesome.”
“…!?”
A familiar voice came from behind.
“Can you see us too?”
I turned around and froze.
“Ji-seok.”
Hero Resurrection was standing behind me, smiling.
“…This isn’t the restroom, Resurrection.”
I could see the female students, who had been diligently shooting attacks into the barrier just now, collapsed behind him.
“Are you a villain too?”
I hadn’t even sensed them being attacked, so I broke out in a cold sweat and took a defensive stance, and Resurrection tilted his head and asked.
“How long are you planning to interfere?”
The tentacles wriggling inside him were becoming more active.
“…Are you one of Lumia’s subordinates?”
“The Child of Prophecy?”
I asked if it was Lumia’s doing, just in case, and Resurrection frowned.
“Why would that child be involved?”
I didn’t sense any deception.
It seemed unrelated to Lumia.
Then what was all this about?
“How long have you been mixed in with the people?”
Just as I asked, trying to glean more information,
– *KABOOM!!!*
“*Gasp*.”
A terrifying vibration filled the hallway, and I coughed up blood, lowering my head.
“You look weak.”
“…”
“I think it’s better to just kill you here.”
Resurrection had become a grotesque, twisted monster, just like the student earlier.
Cunning bastard. Pretending to be persuaded and then launching a surprise attack. That’s a villain’s tactic.
“Say, you know…”
I quietly gritted my teeth, then smiled and pointed behind him.
“Are you still going to focus on me?”
“If you think I’ll fall for such a trick…”
But he didn’t even flinch, raising his fist and preparing for another attack.
“Too bad.”
Looking at him, I spoke with mixed emotions.
“I’m not very good at lying.”
“Freeze.”
At the same time, a cold voice echoed through the hallway.
“…Ugh.”
“A monster capable of communication? Rare.”
My sister, Great Order, was standing in the middle of the hallway, muttering.
‘What perfect timing.’
I never thought I would be so glad to see my sister.
“The heroes are coming. Many have already arrived at the academy.”
My sister, standing firm in the hallway, started speaking in a cold voice.
“A monster tamed by a villain? If you can understand me, surrender. This is an order…”
Then, she hesitated and bit her lip.
It seemed the side effects were working properly.
‘I should wear the mask here.’
By the way, now was the chance.
While my sister dealt with this monster, I had to go downstairs and cooperate with the executives.
Since securing ‘Lumia’ was my current objective, that was the best course of action.
– *Whoosh…*
With that decision, I took out the mask Pandora and Ira made for me from my pocket while Resurrection’s attention was diverted.
They said it had various options like cognitive dissonance, voice modulation, and vision assistance.
I didn’t know when the transformation would wear off, and above all, there was a chance my sister would recognize me with this face, so it would be better to wear it.
“Then, I’ll be going.”
“…Tsk.”
I quickly ran down the hallway after putting on the mask, and Resurrection, clicking his tongue, simply glared at me.
“W-wait!”
Thinking my sister’s ability was truly amazing, I was about to head downstairs when I stopped at my sister’s urgent cry.
“C-c…”
Then, she hesitated, closed her eyes tightly, and spoke.
“I request… your cooperation.”
“…”
“A-aren’t you a… staff member?”
I just stared at her without saying anything, and she pointed at my ID sticking out of my pocket and asked.
“F-for some reason… I can’t use my ability to its full potential.”
“And?”
Then, an emotionless, mechanical voice came from my mask.
“The students are in danger. I-I’ll hold him off, so please…”
“Grrrr…”
“…!”
At that moment, a beastly roar echoed from behind her.
“Gwaaaa!”
The first monster I’d trapped had regained consciousness and was breathing heavily.
“Well, do what you want.”
“W-wait!”
Of course, it wasn’t my problem.
She was our great top-ranking hero, after all.
She’d handle it.
Even if she couldn’t, it was her own fault.
“Wait!!”
“I wonder where Lumia is…”
Ignoring her desperate cries, I looked out the window to locate Lumia, and
“…”
…fell silent again, just like when I first saw the situation outside.
“What the…”
As my sister said, top heroes had arrived, leading numerous other heroes.
“What the hell.”
But what shocked me was
“What is this world?”
…that only two of those top heroes didn’t have tentacles within their bodies.
“The heroes are here!!”
“Everyone, please evacuate safely according to instructions…”
It wasn’t just the top-ranking heroes.
Among the numerous heroes arriving at the scene, those with tentacles outnumbered those without.
“This is insane…”
As I stared at the tentacles wriggling within their bodies, unable to do anything,
“You… you guys…!”
…I heard my sister’s horrified voice from afar.
“Why are you here!!!”
“W-well…”
Class 1, Year 1, including Justitia’s younger sister, had come up to our floor via the emergency stairs.
“The vice principal told us to evacuate to the rooftop. So we came up to the floor with the stairs leading to the rooftop…”
“What nonsense! Get downstairs… *gasp*!!”
Hearing that, my sister yelled, then was hit by the first monster’s tentacle and sent flying into the wall.
“The prey came to us on their own feet.”
“Grrrr…”
Resurrection, who had transformed into a monster, and the other monster started looking at the students, smacking their lips.
“…”
That wasn’t my problem either.
Whether my sister or the students died or not,
It had nothing to do with me.
If I were to show any mercy, I would just have to put a barrier around Justitia’s sister.
“Get… downstairs… this is an order…”
“I-it’s an emergency! The lower floors have collapsed!”
“Ugh.”
Think rationally.
My current target was Lumia.
“…Get behind me.”
It was more beneficial to leave that situation as it was.
“…”
That was definitely the right decision.
[Forcing it will result in a heavy price, including physical impairment.]
“Tsk.”
Why did I feel so uncomfortable?
[Will you use it?]
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A few minutes later.
“Ugh…”
“You’ve weakened, Great.”
Great Order, covered in blood, was lifted by the hair by Resurrection.
“L-let go…”
– *Smack!*
“…Ugh.”
She tried to give an order, but was punched in the jaw and shuddered.
“I’ve always wanted to devour you.”
“W-who… are you…”
“It’s always a pleasure to see someone as arrogant as you dying in fear.”
Resurrection, smacking his lips while looking at Great Order, whispered in a low voice.
“Then, bon appétit…”
“No…”
Great Order started struggling with all her might.
“Don’t…!!!”
But it wasn’t enough to shake off the monster’s grip.
“Noooo!!!”
Just as it seemed like the 11th ranked hero would fall,
“…?”
“Let… let go!!”
…someone bravely stepped forward, trembling with fear.
“Let go!!!”
Justitia’s younger sister.
She was pulling on Great Order’s leg with all her might.
‘What… is this?’
At that moment, Great Order keenly felt it.
The helplessness of being unable to do anything in the worst-case scenario.
The shame of being helped by a child much younger than herself.
The despair of knowing her weakness would kill even that child.
‘I’m scared.’
It was a feeling she’d never experienced before.
‘S-someone help me.’
The absolute weakness of being crushed by overwhelming power.
‘Please…’
Naturally, the first person she thought of was Lumia.
The strongest individual, who emerged unscathed even from the Karma breakout incident where everyone involved was seriously injured.
His innocent face, warmly holding her hand and promising to protect her from any danger.
‘Ah…’
But the moment that innocent face changed to the face of Lumia from that day, looking at her with disgust and slapping her hand away,
– *Whoosh…*
…the monster’s tentacles shot up high in the air.
“…!”
Sensing the end, she closed her eyes tightly, and ironically, the last person she thought of was
“Sister! Where are you going in such a hurry!!”
…Kang Haneul, rushing out of the house, waving a lunchbox, on the day she left.
“You left your lunch, dummy!!”
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It was at that moment that something unexpected happened.
– *KABOOM!!!!!*
A shockwave, incomparable to the vibrations Resurrection had created earlier, suddenly shook the entire academy building.
“Cough, cough…”
“What, what?!”
The students stumbled around, unable to even open their eyes properly due to the massive dust cloud and wind pressure.
“What was that just now? That power…?”
“M-more importantly… that was a very dangerous situation…”
A while later, as the dust settled, the students, who were walking towards the source of the power to figure out what had happened, were shocked by the sight before them.
“Cough…”
Someone wearing a cracked black mask was standing there, holding Great Order in their arms, their fist outstretched.
“L-look at that…”
“Insane…”
“Is that even possible?”
Behind them, the academy, completely destroyed from the first floor to the rooftop, had collapsed.
“Only Justitia could do something like that…”
The moment Justitia’s lost power was briefly resurrected.
– *Bzzt…*
The AI drone Pandora had sent was broadcasting the scene live somewhere.
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I almost forgot the most important thing.
[Skill: Punch (LV MAX) used.]
[Price for forced skill use has been paid.]
Of course, revenge must be thorough, but
…I mustn’t become the being Lumia so desperately desires.
[Price: Permanent blindness in left eye]
By the way, it was quite a cheap price for 13 lives.
‘No wonder Justitia used it so much.’
“T-thank…”
As I gently touched my now permanently closed left eye, a trembling voice came from my arms.
“Thank you.”
Great Order, her head buried in my chest, was shaking as she spoke.
“You are my lifesaver.”
I burst out laughing.
I lived my whole life wanting to hear that one word, one compliment from my sister.
And now, in this situation, looking like this, she finally says it?
“If you tell me your affiliation, I will surely…”
“Villain.”
It was out of spite.
“A villain guilty of heinous crimes.”
Pushing away my sister, who was holding my hand and thanking me, I answered in a cold voice.
– *Bzzt…*
[Villain <Trauma> Debut (LIVE)]
[Viewers: 527,062]
If I had known that the scene was being broadcast live worldwide, I would have chosen a cooler line.
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