Chapter 2

Chapter 2
Bus Robbery (2)

***

“What’s with this guy! He’s still alive after being shot…”

-Crack!!

I delivered a sharp elbow strike to the neck of the startled robber.

Then, I landed a powerful backspin blow on the one who had belatedly aimed his gun at me.

The remaining robbers, terrified, fired their guns, but I ignored the barrage of bullets and leaped at them.

-Thud! Thud!

The robbers were knocked to the ground, unable to withstand the beating as I ignored their gunfire.

Once all were subdued, only the leader standing next to the bus driver remained.

“…What the hell are you?”

Was he amazed that someone who had come back from the brink of death had beaten up his men?

But even though I’m weak, I have plenty of experience from the battlefield.

With the martial arts I’ve diligently learned to fight despite my lacking abilities, I can easily subdue villains who rely solely on guns.

“A regular office worker.”

Of course, I wasn’t obligated to reveal my true identity.

“…An interview candidate hoping to be one.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

The leader screamed and pointed his gun at me, but then he grabbed a woman sitting with her head down in the seat next to him.

A pregnant woman in the expectant mother’s seat…

Come on, that’s really crossing the line.

“You must be a healing-type hero to still be standing. If you were going to interfere, you should have done it sooner.”

“Ahhh!”

The screaming woman was helplessly dragged out.

The leader, pressing the gun to her head, taunted me with a nasty smile.

“Jump off this bus quietly. Otherwise…”

-Step.

Alright then.

I guess I should play along with the taunt.

“What, what the…!?”

“Shoot.”

“What!?”

“Why, getting scared now?”

Does he really think I’d be intimidated by such a stunt?

By coincidence, I’m a former villain.

I’ve seen countless comrades die.

Would I be scared now by a threat to someone I don’t even know?

“You, you bastard…!”

He looked at the pregnant woman and then at me as I closed the distance.

Sure, he might hesitate despite everything he’s done.

If I keep provoking him, he might shoot out of defiance, but the key is that a moment of hesitation itself is an opportunity.

-Spit!!!

Taking advantage of that opening, I spat out what I had held in my mouth.

When the projectile hit his eye, he released the hostage and clutched at his face.

“Cough! What the…!”

What else but the bullet lodged in my head?

I punched the distracted leader in the face, and he slammed into the bus’s front glass, losing consciousness.

“Ugh, ugh…”

The freed pregnant woman clutched her stomach and started crying.

Of course, having a gun pointed at you would be terrifying.

But the bus driver was still hypnotized, gripping the wheel. If I tried to wake the hypnotist, it might cause him to twist the steering wheel and cause an accident.

I had no choice but to let him drive until we reached our destination… This is troubling. If the bus doesn’t stop, I’ll be late for my interview.

“Um, excuse me…”

As I pondered what to do, a voice called out from behind me.

One of the other passengers.

He too looked pale, just like the others around him.

“You were shot, are you alright?”

“I’m fine. I deflected them all.”

-Drip.

“…But you’re bleeding.”

“Don’t worry. It’ll heal with some spit.”

Actually, it doesn’t even need spit.

My innate gift, ‘Regeneration,’ constantly restores my body to its original state without me even being conscious of it.

While it doesn’t stop physical growth, aging, or nutritional status, it does naturally restore even separated parts of my body to their original state.

The blood scattered around will soon disappear and return to my body.

Tracking me using my genetic information left at the scene would be pointless.

Of course, the police might investigate thoroughly, but… Well, given the frequency of incidents these days, if I slip away, they’ll probably close the case without digging too deep.

“I’ll leave the cleanup to you. I’ll be taking my leave now.”

“W-wait, where are you going…?”

Ignoring the attempts to stop me, I dove out of the bus window.

My body hit the middle of an alley, bouncing hard enough to shatter bones and landing in a nearby trash can… What a mess on my way to the interview.

Snap, crack.

As I removed the bread bag and stood up, I felt my bones knitting back together.

It should take about 5 minutes to fully recover.

Luckily, the path to the interview location shares the same route with the city hall, so as long as I can stand, I’ll be able to get there without any issues.

The accompanying pain is my burden, but that can’t be helped.

“All of this is for the rebuilding of the organization.”

The heroes are still looking for remnants of Ouroboros, and to avoid their eyes, I need a stable living foundation.

In such a situation, a regular job with guaranteed income and identity is the perfect disguise.

As I reminded myself of that, I endured the throbbing pain and took a step towards my destination.

And…

***

“Bread, why are you bowing your head?”

“Because I’m ashamed.”

After returning home, I immediately bowed my head before the Boss.

Unfortunately, my ability only applies to my body.

While wounds and blood can heal, expecting my clothes to recover is unreasonable…

‘Why are you dressed like that?’

‘There was a bit of an accident on the way! Haha!’

Damn, I thought it would be better to speak confidently during the interview, but the interviewers thought I was overdoing it…

“Well, it can’t be helped. You should be thankful you handled it without drawing too much attention.”

“…Yes, but still.”

Yeah, it was bad luck that everything went wrong.

But because of my disguised identity, I didn’t have much in the way of qualifications.

The hard-won job opportunity was blown away just because I encountered robbers.

Furthermore, blaming bad luck wouldn’t be an excuse to my potential boss.

It’s wrong to expect leniency for this.

Maybe so…

“And if you must rest your head, wouldn’t it be better here than the floor?”

“Huh? What…”

Curious, I slowly lifted my head from the floor.

What came into view was the lap of a young girl sitting primly on a cushion.

“Lay your head here.”

“…Excuse me?”

-Tap-tap.

The Boss tapped her lap with her hand, inviting me to lay my head there.

I couldn’t help but feel extremely bewildered.

***

Angol Moa.

The Goddess of Destruction from the cosmos, she was an awe-inspiring figure I wasn’t even allowed to look up to.

Though she had become a young girl weakened by the war, she was still a transcendent being who had led numerous villains.

“Bread, you’ve worked hard today.”

How should I accept this situation where such a great being is giving a lap pillow to a mere minion?

“There, there…”

She even gently patted my head, and I couldn’t help but feel my expression twist in an indescribable way.

“Oh dear, is it too burdensome?”

“No, it’s not that.”

Whether I liked or disliked this situation, neither mattered.

As a mere minion, how could I interfere with the Boss’s actions? If she wanted something, I’d do it, and if she didn’t, I’d refrain immediately.

It was just ironic that I was the one receiving care, not her.

“Haha, you seem conflicted.”

Sensing my feelings, she gave a bittersweet smile and stroked my chin.

“But Bread, we’re currently hiding from human society, away from the organization.”

“Yes, that’s true, but…”

“So even when we’re not in public view, we must at least act like a father and daughter to naturally appear that way to others. I hope my current attitude conveys the feelings of a daughter towards her father.”

Saying so, she continued what she was doing.

Strictly speaking, her actions were more like those of a mother to her son… But if it’s what she wants, I’ll follow.

As I clenched my mouth shut and stared at the ceiling, I felt a wave of unease wash over me.

“I’m sorry, Boss.”

“It’s fine. I’m doing this because I enjoy it…”

“No, that’s not it.”

Correcting her, I glanced to the side.

A modest one-room apartment with a wardrobe, a kitchen with a sink, a bathroom, and a veranda attached.

It was sufficient for one person, but too cramped for living with a child.

Moreover, she was the leader of an organization that the entire hero community had to bring down.

“If I were a better person, I could have provided a better place for you…”

A worry I usually kept to myself.

In my frustration over the failed interview, it slipped out, but she just smiled and stroked my head.

“Bread, as I’ve said many times before…”

What followed was her usual story.

“Since descending to this land, everything I encounter is an experience. Whether I’m part of an organization or not, I enjoy life as it comes.”

Indeed, she had never once complained about the lack of anything for the past three years.

Unlike when she was in the organization, she accepted the modest living conditions as experiences of human society.

“No, I think it’s better now compared to before. Since descending, I’ve only ruled over the organization, but now I feel my world expanding.”

“…Even though you’re cooped up in this room every day when I’m gone?”

“Staying in one place was the same when I was in the organization.”

Right, those in power should not move carelessly.

Being revered meant everyone watched her.

Her activities were always within the organization’s view, only in places cultivated by the organization.

“No, compared to then, now is more suitable for understanding humans. The lack of extravagance means experiencing the essence of things without pretense.”

“…”

“So don’t feel guilty, Bread. If anything, I should be grateful to you for taking care of me after the organization collapsed.”

The Boss spoke soothingly, her voice full of genuine warmth.

It was clear that her words came from the heart.

After all, lies are meant to conceal one’s shame, an unnecessary emotion for a proud transcendent.

But does the Boss know?

How her sincere demeanor affects me.

‘Boss, do you really intend to rebuild the organization?’

Even seeing her now, I couldn’t voice that doubt out loud.

Because she was the greatest villain I knew.

If not her, who could change this wretched world?

“I’ll definitely succeed in my next interview.”

Even if this moment was just another experience or amusement for her, it didn’t mean abandoning my ideals.

Hiding these thoughts within, I replied, and she silently smiled, patting my head.

End of Chapter