Ch.188Chapter 7. What’s Wrong Is Wrong, No Matter Who Sees It (2)

I defeated Susanoo.

When I gathered the magical power of three S-class heroes and delivered a straight punch, Susanoo couldn’t maintain his massive body and fell into the sea.

“Hmph.”

I let out my signature laugh once more, folded my arms while making my cape flutter.

‘That feels good.’

When I was Goblin, I always had to think about various considerations, so I never fought like this.

I always had to think about efficiency, efficiency, efficiency, and assume situations where I could hide myself as much as possible.

But now it’s different.

I could remain composed even when surrounded by multiple S-class heroes, even when 30 warships had their guns aimed at me.

Even if I were to deplete almost all my mana, there was someone who would save me.

“Hey.”

From a distance, Thunder Empress Kim Yoon-ji, with electricity surrounding her body, approached.

“I understand you possess tremendous power. I also understand that attempting to talk with you might be meaningless. But do you realize your position?”

Thunder Empress pointed her lightning-glowing spear at me.

“You’ve directly challenged this country. You’ve arbitrarily seized a criminal being escorted by the state and kidnapped agents of the Hero Association. Do you understand?”

“Hmph.”

“Stop with the ‘hmph’! There’s a limit to looking down on people! What are you, some apostle of justice?! You’re a criminal causing national disorder!”

“Before great evil, sometimes justice fails to receive its light.”

Casually spouting whatever came to mind, I pointed at the ship.

“I have no interest in the weaklings inside. I’ve already secured a meaningful number.”

“Stop! What are you planning to do with them?!”

Battle God Lee Jun-young flew through the air to block my rear.

I was secretly impressed that all these S-class heroes could naturally fly, but I didn’t show it and moved my hand leisurely.

“What am I planning? Obviously, I will correct their weak minds.”

“Are you planning some kind of ideological conversion…?!”

“Wrong! Ideology is not something forcibly injected by someone else, but something created through one’s own thinking!”

For this “Dark Charisma” persona, I decided to present myself like the original—not quite a villain, but a fanatic with conviction.

“For those who have once succumbed to evil to rise again and reclaim their power—that is the true path of an ability user! We will revive their determination more surely than anyone else. As ‘heroes’ with strong will who follow their own beliefs!”

That’s how I can prevent the kid hero from intervening.

“Well then, farewell! Hahahahaha!!”

“This bastard…! You mock the nation, kidnap people, and just plan to disappear?!”

“Hmph, very well.”

“You said ‘hmph’ again!!”

I casually ignored Thunder Empress’s anger and pointed to the southwest.

“May 3rd, noon. I will throw those weaklings who cannot strengthen their resolve and collapse to the top of Mount Halla on Jeju Island. If they cannot recover their abilities despite our Sephirot Knights helping them strengthen their will, then they are beyond salvation.”

I set the date.

Now, no matter what people say or if they try to search and negotiate, they’ll be twiddling their thumbs waiting until May 3rd.

The Sephirot Knights is a fictional organization that doesn’t exist.

“Well then, farewell! Hahahahaha!!”

Flap.

As I fluttered my cape, waiting for the moment, rainbow-colored light surrounded me, and I threw myself into the tricolored circle that appeared before me.

“…Phew.”

As soon as I jumped, I found myself in The Syndicate’s underground secret base.

It was the control room separated from other Syndicate agents, where VIPs were looking down through glass windows.

“First, close the dimensional gate.”

“Yes!”

The three S-class heroes looking at me—Qiongqi, Taowu, and Ymir—immediately closed the dimensional gate for spatial movement behind me, then looked at me with gazes containing various meanings.

“What?”

“…That was acting, right?”

“Did it not seem like acting?”

“A little?”

I was somewhat shocked by Ymir’s words.

“That’s problematic. I was acting as if I wasn’t Goblin; if you think that’s my true nature, it’s a bit, no, very troublesome.”

I’m not an eccentric, not a dragon hunter, and definitely not someone who enters the netherworld with a living body for a final battle with an archenemy.

I’m even less someone who releases a god to summon my soul’s loyal servant for role-playing in a clearly advantageous situation.

Well, I might threaten suicide if my family’s lives were at stake.

“How’s the internet reaction? Does anyone think I’m Goblin?”

“No one. Who in the world would think that was Goblin?”

“The Syndicate?”

“…While they might not think you’re Goblin, there are occasionally people joking that The Syndicate has deployed another crazy S-class hero. Just jokes, though.”

“Can’t do anything about that. Tsk.”

I can’t control conspiracy theorists who happen to get lucky.

“But Manager Do, you looked like you were really enjoying it.”

“I did enjoy it. In terms of showing a different image from Goblin.”

More precisely, while the bait no longer works in this world, there was significance in showing what was once a hot topic in the internet world of my original world.

“Maybe I’ll show a different image next time.”

“What are you planning now?”

“Who knows.”

The content possibilities are endless.

“Maybe I’ll dance to demand reflection from Wijungcheoksa.”

“…Excuse me?”

“I’m joking.”

Even I wouldn’t do something that crazy.

Of course, if I did, no one would think it was something Goblin would do.

“Let’s focus on our work. From the government’s perspective, they’ve lost prisoners to a suddenly appearing S+ class villain, so they must be exploding with anger.”

I might have a bounty placed on my head for disgracing their honor.

“Meanwhile, we need to find out everything about them.”

In one corner of the basement, Syndicate agents had already prepared to extract information from the hostages, who were divided into three groups.

“Ah, mic test.”

I picked up the internal microphone.

“This is Goblin. As you can see from the situation, we plan to release the kidnapped individuals at the summit of Mount Halla at noon on May 3rd. Until then…”

[Excuse me!!]

A masked agent quickly raised his hand.

[Not as Goblin, please give instructions as Dark Charisma!]

“…What?”

[We want to hear it! Directly!]

“Ha.”

This is ridiculous.

I put down the microphone for a moment.

“First people asked Do-Ji Rider to transform, and now even Syndicate agents are doing this to me.”

“Well, doing it once wouldn’t hurt, would it?”

“It does feel a bit like being an evil organization leader, which is nice.”

“Teacher, fan service. Fan service.”

“The Syndicate isn’t an evil organization, and I’m not going to provide fan service for this…sigh.”

If it’s for morale boosting…

“Agents of The Syndicate!”

Flap.

“The deadline is May 2nd! Use any means necessary to discover the whereabouts of those Pandemonium bastards! We shall expel all who dare threaten world peace and disturb our tranquility!”

I tried to sound similar, but thinking about it, while I’ve given speeches often, they weren’t really the type to encourage subordinates.

“Using Pandemonium as sacrifice, we shall bring peace to humanity!”

In that case…

“Show our resolve to these weak commoners! Hahahahaha!!”

I turn my body sideways, throw my head back, and burst into maniacal laughter.

Qiongqi turned off the camera beside me, and Taowu put down the microphone and patted my shoulder.

“As expected, Manager Do is a practical performer.”

“I tried my best. Good job acting until the end.”

“…You’re not still in character, right?”

I took off my mask and collapsed onto the nearby sofa.

“Good work, sir.”

“Don’t laugh. You asked me to do it—”

“””Woooooooo!!”””

Cheers erupted from beyond the glass window.

As the Syndicate agents’ applause continued, I found it awkward to say anything in response.

“…Do they all like this kind of thing?”

Well.

“It’s what they’ve all grown up watching.”

In an era where imagination becomes physical power.

Even those without abilities all want the same thing.

The act of someone with great power carrying out their beliefs.

Even if it openly opposes government organizations, if it’s truly the right thing, they don’t hesitate.

Because that’s what personal justice means.

“Qiongqi. What’s the government’s reaction now?”

“…They’re trying to capture and kill you for tarnishing national dignity, of course.”

“Good.”

“They’re even asking Goblin to find and kill you.”

“…That’s a bit problematic.”

Because Goblin is only an entity that executes villains or demons who have killed people.

“What an unfortunate situation.”

It’s something Goblin knows nothing about.

* * *

At that same time.

“…Hah.”

A brown-haired woman aboard the passenger ship sighed deeply as she scanned through the incoming information.

Missing.

Missing.

Missing.

All were people they had tried to secretly divert before entering Sejong Island, and the agents who disappeared with them were operatives under her command.

“This has become really troublesome. Sephirot Knights… What are they, angels or something?”

The woman scrolled up and down through the data displayed on her tablet.

Looking at the ten circles floating like a magic circle on a giant tree, the woman gritted her teeth.

“Surely there aren’t at least nine more beings like that Dark Charisma…? Damn, if that’s the case.”

Crunch.

“We’re already looking for one who’s gone missing… Damn, I didn’t expect others besides The Syndicate to show up.”

The woman bit her fingernail.

“We’ll need more demons. Demons to confront… the Sephirot angels who interfere with our plans.”

In the darkness.

“If we lack demons… we can create them.”

The woman stroked her lower abdomen, which glowed pink, and walked outside.