Ch.254Chapter 10. Manufactured Hero (6)

In this world, many cultural contents changed after the Great Cataclysm.

I’ve talked about this many times so there’s no need to say more, but there’s one essential piece of information when discussing the Sephiroth Knights.

“The Tree of Sephiroth has a total of 10 positions. They can be considered ‘seats,’ and one of those 10 positions will be occupied by the ‘Dark Charisma.'”

The Chairman was truly invested in the Sephiroth Knights.

Indeed, impressive settings like Sephiroth, Qliphoth, or angels were enough to stimulate something within ability users.

“Manager Do? Come up with concepts for the remaining 9 positions. That way, people will be thrown into even greater confusion.”

The Chairman demanded that I bring him nine more concepts.

The Sephiroth Knights were completely different from The Syndicate, but through Dark Charisma, the established purpose of the knights was “world peace” and “justice.”

In other words, the path of a hero.

I don’t know why the Chairman suggested that I propose various hero personas, but I had to conceptualize and imagine several concepts.

But I’m not a writer or creator, so I need some kind of image to come to mind.

Should I just take some impressive-sounding mythical beasts and slap some attributes on them to create concepts?

As I was thinking this, I realized the strengths I possessed as a reader, a consumer of cultural content, and someone who had been possessed.

Cultures that don’t exist in this world.

If I apply them to this world and bring them out, they become my originals.

I’ve said this before, but that was then and this is now.

And honestly, there’s something I want to say.

In a state that’s neither Do Ji-hwan nor Goblin, there are things I can’t endure.

Even if I act strangely, it’s not me.

The people’s ally of justice who bursts into laughter, and the black figure in the dragon suit overwhelming villains right now—neither is Goblin nor Do Ji-hwan.

They are completely separate entities.

Therefore, I too can properly “play a concept.”

Just as I went wild as Dark Charisma, I can do the same now.

[Is this all? You’re weak.]

I’ve been a bit stressed since coming to Thailand.

This much should be fine.

Probably.

Just enough to fulfill a fantasy.

[Too weak. You’re no match.]

“Urgh…!!”

I easily subdued the villains using the giant claws attached to my hands, the “Dragon Killer.”

[I didn’t strike vital points. You won’t die.]

“Y-you’re just toying with us…!”

[I have questions.]

Instead of capturing the dragon as ordered, I stabbed the villains’ legs with my claws, creating holes and leaving them unable to move on the ground.

[Why do you live your lives this way?]

“W-what…!”

[I don’t understand. Born as ability users, yet this is all you can do with your lives. Is this the meaning of your existence?]

I scrape at their core like I’m asking a Zen riddle.

[Is tormenting and hurting others the purpose and meaning of your human existence?]

While the original sought answers on a journey to find his identity, I apologize to the original, but I’m spitting out questions to mock and despise my opponents.

[Is trampling on life so carelessly the purpose of your human existence?]

“Y-you bastard…! Just because you have power, you spout nonsense…!”

Oops.

I’ve been found out.

“You think you’re so great?! You’re just the same as us!”

[You say I’m the same as you?]

I stride toward the villain who just shouted at me.

Pretending to be excited by the villain’s words, I act as if an emotionless being is showing emotion and point my Dragon Killer at the villain.

[No. Not the same. I’m different from you. I don’t live the kind of life you do.]

“Ugh…! You stab people with those claws, grab them by the collar like this, and you have the nerve to say that?!”

[I didn’t stab a person. I was just taking out the trash.]

Thud!

I threw the villain I had lifted by the collar hard onto the ground.

[Trash must be removed. This world doesn’t need garbage like you.]

Blood was streaming from the hole in his thigh, but an A-rank ability user won’t die from shock or excessive bleeding from this level of attack.

[You are trash. Trash with twisted life purposes. Your existence in this world only makes it painful and dark.]

I raise my claw, emanating killing intent.

[I’ll dispose of the trash.]

Just as I raised my arm with the intent to kill, a shadow leaped out from behind me.

“You can’t kill them…!”

The National Joy King, Reina, blocked my path.

“I don’t know who you are, but you shouldn’t kill those people right now!”

If she knew I was actually Goblin, she would have acted completely differently, but right now she’s blocking me as a hero burning with a sense of justice, trying to stop me from killing villains.

‘Does she know what she’s doing?’

No.

Did she figure it out from the Sephiroth Knights emblem I displayed on my shield?

The Sephiroth Knights are nominally a group that advocates justice, but in reality, they’re The Syndicate’s alter-ego concept cosplay group.

[Why shouldn’t I kill them?]

“Deciding whether these people live or die is the role of this country’s law! And killing such trash will only dirty your hands!”

[…I don’t understand. Weren’t you almost killed by these people just now?]

“That’s a different matter!”

[Is that so? Then I won’t kill them.]

I withdrew my Dragon Killer and scanned the surroundings again.

‘I’ve repelled the villains who attacked the Hero Association. And it’s about time for Nguyen Ong Bac and other heroes to arrive at the association.’

It’s time to strike at the leadership.

[I have no more interest here.]

“W-wait!!”

It wasn’t the National Joy King.

It was the cry of Phuphatphong, who had his face stepped on and was lying on the ground, bleeding profusely.

“Y-you! If you say we’re trash, then what are you?!”

[That’s what I’m moving to find out.]

Flap.

[Until I find the reason I came to this world.]

I discharge magical power using the shield on my back as wings.

I don’t have the ability to fly, but the magical suit created using the Goblin’s club and Qiongqi’s magical power combine to lift me into the sky.

Whoosh.

I fly forward, scanning the streets.

Deliberately stretching both arms forward, I glide through the entire street like Superman.

“Oh, over there!!”

Some people below spot me, while some villains curse and flee at the sight of me.

I haven’t particularly shown this form anywhere, but it probably gives off a don’t-mess-with-me vibe.

Moreover, those who saw the A-rank villains who attacked the association building get subdued by me in an instant would naturally be terrified.

The same goes for humans who aren’t ability users.

Thud!

I landed at what looked like a barracks.

As soon as my feet touched the ground, guns aimed at me fired, and countless bullets were shot at my body.

Ratatata.

I surround myself with stronger magical power as a protective barrier.

The bullets couldn’t even scratch the suit, and I approached the man who was gritting his teeth at me, extending my Dragon Killer to his neck.

[Found you. The source of the distortion.]

“Kuh…! You monster…!”

[Killing you would surely end this chaos. But before that, I have questions.]

I deliberately stall for time.

I need to buy time with these riddles until the heroes arrive and I can hand over the coup’s mastermind to them.

[Why do you live?]

“What…?”

[Do you live to kill people and throw the world into chaos? Is that the purpose of your life?]

“…Hmph! Sephiroth whatever, sending someone who’s not in their right mind! You’re just a monster with brute strength!”

The leader of the coup forces and the one who lied about planting bombs in villains and prisoners, Rai Chai, pulled out a gun and aimed it at me.

“It’s because of ignorant youngsters like you that the world falls into chaos! I’m really curious about what kind of parents raised you!”

[What about you? Do you have parents who gave birth to you?]

“What…?!”

Rai Chai’s face instantly turned bright red.

[I see. You don’t have any.]

I apologize to the original, but there’s no better parental insult than this.

“Die!!”

Bang!

A bullet flew toward my face.

Just before the vibration of the gunshot reached my face, I infused magical power into the helmet protecting my face and deflected the bullet.

[So you too are a being who cannot answer.]

Click.

I infuse magical power into the Dragon Killer.

Even though the heroes haven’t arrived yet, this man before me is a target for execution without needing to play a concept.

Without The Syndicate, the number of people who would have died in Phuket would have reached thousands or tens of thousands.

[I’ll kill you, trash, and quell the chaos in this city.]

“…Kuh, hehehe.”

Rai Chai let out a hollow laugh.

“Why do I live, you ask? It’s obvious. For my father’s revenge.”

[Didn’t you say you don’t have parents who gave birth to you?]

“That’s right. Not anymore. Both have passed away, and one was betrayed and killed by this country!!”

[Betrayed…?]

It was such a novel nonsense that I was momentarily speechless.

“So everyone must die!! I’ll destroy this country that betrayed my father!!”

Following Rai Chai’s continued outcry, the computer screen turned red.

“Hehe. Even a monster like you…”

He smirked.

“…won’t be able to stop a missile strike…!”

[……!!]

Far away.

Beyond the night sky, several red lights flickered.

I stabbed Rai Chai’s thigh with the Dragon Killer, ruining his leg, and then flew back up toward the sky.

This.

I can’t let this happen.

* * *

“Red Brassard! Missiles are heading toward Phuket!”

“This is insane…!!”

I can see them.

Several missiles drawing parabolic arcs toward Phuket, launched from who knows where.

A-rank ability users can survive a missile strike.

But those missiles are falling right in the middle of the city, on residential areas.

“Damn it all!!”

Just as he clenched his fists, lamenting his powerlessness.

“W-what’s that?!”

A black figure of something was flying toward the missiles.