Third Year as a Villain

Several months have passed since the incident with Alpha.

“Clean up all the injured! Treat the missing Alpha as dead!!”

During this time, the Association began to quickly sort out the chaotic incident under the Director’s leadership.

“What? Is, is that okay?”

“He wouldn’t have lived long in that state anyway! Just treat him as dead!!”

In the process, Alpha was declared exterminated.

In other words, not arrested, but sentenced to complete death.

“……”

A conclusion reached without proper fact-checking in the midst of uncertain disappearance.

The heroes and a very small number of executives had their own dissatisfaction with this decision, but aside from Team Hound, which was created specifically to catch Alpha, and a few other minority opinions, there was almost no opposition.

“Heh heh!”

“Aww! Our oppa is doing so well~”

After all, it was an order from the esteemed Association Director.

As much as that dog-like bastard fawning over Haru in front of them wasn’t in the Association anymore, they now couldn’t tell what the right choice would be going forward.

As if to contradict this, after officially announcing Alpha’s death to the world, the Association Director also proposed to Viktor and Heart Queen, who were the main actors in resolving the incident, to join the Korean Heroes Association.

It seems he was thinking of recruiting them to establish prestige, perhaps because the Korean Heroes Association had no credit in this incident, and they had directly battled with Alpha…

‘Even so, trying to recruit another country’s #1 hero and a villain, isn’t that really a problem in the head?’

Of course, he would have done so because he didn’t know Heart Queen’s identity as a villain.

But even setting that aside, trying to poach another country’s flagship hero was a thoughtless act.

‘Still, in the end, both of them rejected the offer and disappeared, so I guess it doesn’t matter.’

Beep beep-

“I’ll be going now, Ms. Haru.”

“Eh? You’re leaving already? I haven’t even shown you our oppa’s helicopter going ‘vroom vroom’ yet..”

“That sounds a bit disgusting to watch.”

“Puu-“

“..It’s time for me to go to the cafe where I work.”

As mentioned earlier, Viktor and Heart Queen disappeared from public view after the incident with Alpha.

Beep. Beep.

Of course, just because they started living in seclusion doesn’t mean I don’t know about it.

[Heart Queen]: Mr. Maker. Thank you for listening to my childish request.

Me: It’s nothing. ^^

After the commotion ended, Alpha, who officially became my subordinate, soon made one request to me.

It was to arrange a meeting with Viktor and Heart Queen.

I knew Heart Queen’s contact information, so it wasn’t that difficult, and above all, since she had also asked me if I could find Alpha for her, the meeting could be easily arranged.

And after they had various conversations among themselves.

[Heart Queen]: Hehe, should I call you Boss now?

To put it simply, I was able to make Viktor and Heart Queen my subordinates as well.

It was surprising that Heart Queen didn’t get angry about being deceived and instead wanted to become a subordinate, but Viktor was even more surprising.

‘But, you’re a hero, aren’t you?’

‘[If I quit, it’s over, isn’t it?]’

After an exchange that suggested he should try it if he could, I was so surprised to see Viktor return after dropping a massive bomb about the Russian Association…

Of course, it’s natural that it’s not because they sincerely want to become my subordinates, but purely because of Alpha.

It seems they completely lost faith in the higher-ups of the Association after seeing Alpha’s past memories.

Anyway, those two are probably with Alpha in Vigilante right now.

They’re probably talking with Black Wood by now…

‘I wonder if this might lead to Black Wood joining as well.’

If that happens, it seems like quite an interesting dream team would be formed.

Alpha, Viktor, Heart Queen, Black Wood.

Heroes of the previous generation, classified as S-class both officially and unofficially.

Moreover, since joining the team wouldn’t dissolve the organizations they originally led, it was as if the entire organizations were coming under me.

‘..Alpha. Is he a god?’

Since this all happened because of Alpha alone, I couldn’t help but praise him.

Anyway, things related to Alpha gradually stabilized without any major problems.

And as time passed…

Creak.

Ding- Ding-

“Oppa, are you back?”

“Yo~ brother.”

“I’m back. Were you watching the cafe well?”

I have now become a third-year villain.

A seasoned villain with some years of experience under my belt.

All citizens trembling in fear!

The top priority extermination target for heroes!!

“……”

..Well, not to that extent, but now I’ve become a key figure in Korea where there’s no one who doesn’t know my name.

And there are no longer any villains in Black Night who doubt my words.

‘This is quite regrettable..’

Since I tend to hide my identity and act as a behind-the-scenes mastermind when causing major trouble, there’s not much that can be seen as my achievements now.

I guess it can’t be helped since it’s the organization’s intention to draw moderate aggro while avoiding major problems until the Supreme Leader recovers.

It could be said to be a disadvantage of belonging to an organization.

But that’s just my personal regret, it doesn’t mean there’s been any setback in my plans.

‘The growth of ability users including heroes is going well, and the Supreme Leader’s recovery is progressing smoothly too.’

Over the past few months, since obtaining Thousand Changes, the experiment to replicate traces of Mystery has made remarkably great progress.

Swish.

The growth-type, self-binding artifact Thousand Changes obtained from Alpha.

After receiving its assistance, the overall quality of creating traces of Mystery has greatly improved.

‘The mana consumption has changed to a fairly manageable level, and the creation and maintenance time has increased dramatically..’

Reduction in energy consumption and assistance in thinking and knowledge required for creative ability.

The insane performance that increases efficiency while simultaneously improving the quality of the results was enough to naturally elicit admiration while using it.

I could understand painfully well why Alpha used this artifact.

Of course, it’s mine now.

“There aren’t many customers today~”

Anyway, with this alone, I was confident that I could create a semi-permanent substance that perfectly mimics traces of Mystery.

Ding-

As I was thinking that while quietly wiping a coffee cup.

“Sajangnim~~ I’m here!!”

Chise, who came to the cafe without fail today as well.

I welcomed her with a bright smile as she entered the cafe.

“Welcome, Chise.”

“Hehehe..”

By her first name, not her last name.

Chise’s shy? smile at that could roughly indicate the progress in our relationship.

“What would you like to have today?”

“Today, I’d like a hot milk chocolate with lots of soft milk, please!”

Chise confidently takes out a card from her pocket and hands it to me.

I chuckled at the sight and completed the transaction.

“Here’s your hot milk chocolate.”

“Ah, thank you!”

Over the past time, Chise and I were able to form an even closer relationship than before.

The reason wasn’t anything special.

“By the way, it seems quite peaceful lately.”

“Does it?”

“Yes, there haven’t been many terrorist incidents lately, right?”

“Ah, that’s something I’ve been feeling very well recently… No, no! I’ve heard the news well!”

“You know, that friend called Maker or something hasn’t been active lately either..”

Grr.

‘It was because I made the relationship with Maker the worst, while Kang Yian relieved her stress and became closer to her.’

In other words, it could be seen as creating gossip, or a common enemy.

“..Chise?”

“..Sajangnim. Can I talk about my story today too?”

“Yes, yes, please tell me as much as you want.”

“Well, um.. you know I told you about a friend I didn’t get along with before.. Actually, that friend this time too..”

Originally, to feel a sense of belonging with someone, you need to gossip, and to become close with someone, you need to share secrets.

Although unintended, the additional benefit gained while comforting the stress received from Maker was quite welcome to me.

“Hmm, I see~”

Because her relationship with me (Maker) has soured, she will fight more fiercely with me,

And thanks to my (Kang Yian) existence, I can prevent any possible vilification.

As a result, it completes an excellent experience factory where I can continuously accumulate experience without turning Phantom Luna into a villain.

“That, that.. bad guy! He’s such a bad guy!!”

Of course, since it’s in the form of me gossiping about myself, I do get hurt from time to time.

‘But it’s almost time now.’

Including the previous battle with Alpha, her growth could be described as explosive.

“By the way, there’s a lot of smiles on your face, Sajangnim? Did something good happen?”

“Ah, it’s nothing. Just something I’ve been growing recently is doing quite well.”

Chise, who has grown steadily, has now reached the stage of maturity.

In other words, it means that soon, like Ice Queen before, a period of great emotional turmoil will come.

“Oh! Is it that organic… organic something I’ve only heard about?”

“Yes. It’s grown quite a lot, so I’m thinking of preparing to harvest soon.”

It’s almost time to pick the fruit of the tree.

I’ve roughly planned everything out, so I just need to lay down some fertilizer and do some simple behind-the-scenes work.

“Sajangnim! I’ll be going now!! I had fun today too!”

“Alright~ Take care, Chise.”

‘Should I start preparing?’

An awakening event for the hero Phantom Luna, that is.