episode_0002

I observe the stream of saliva dripping from my red tongue and ponder.

Why am I trapped in this place? I had only truly strived for the sake of the citizens and my fellow colleagues.

“Chew it thoroughly. It’s good for your health.”

The blatant repetition of malice.

Merely a mockery performed to enjoy my reaction.

“Are you hungry? Shall I feed you?”

Am I to be trapped here, manipulated by their actions all day?

If I endure and hold back here once more, can I last for a few more days?

“Open your mouth, okay?”

A spoonful of food is brought close to my face, swaying this way and that. Their behavior towards me, akin to that of a baby, clearly intends to poke at my pride.

“Put it away.”

“Hmm, why are you like this? Are you not hungry on your first day? Or perhaps you miss your mom and dad so much? It must be tough adapting to a new place.”

Is it truly wise to constantly be on guard?

Will being cautious make things slightly more bearable and help me protect myself?

“But it’s strange. You don’t have either of them. No mom, no dad. So who do you think of in this situation, instead of them?”

I doubt it.

Regardless of the stance I take, their malice will not cease.

Another villain will come and bother me, and I’ll once again rack my brain for an escape route.

“I’m genuinely curious and asking this sincerely. When orphans feel distressed, who do they think of? The orphanage director? Or those stupid friends who used to hang out with you? But they’ve already abandoned you, right…”

Must I live my days on edge, constantly aware of the villains around me?

If I try to endure, what will it accomplish?

I feel a sudden sense of skepticism about even caring to observe their behavior.

“Don’t you get it yet? Those girls will abandon you. Why? Because they think they’re righteous, but in truth, they’re addicted to the praise of others. Will they really come to your rescue when you’ve become useless to them?”

As I consider this,

I surprisingly calm down.

After all, I’m going to suffer regardless,

and there’s no way to avoid it.

So I can choose to accept it and find peace.

“So, open your mouth and accept what’s given to you…”

Teeing-

I tip over the entire tray of food, springing up from my seat. A sense of relief and emptiness simultaneously washes over me. Perhaps I should have done this a long time ago.

“What the hell, man. What are you doing?”

“You can eat by yourself. I don’t want to share a table with a villain.”

Just because we’re trapped together doesn’t mean I have to lower myself to their level. I simply intend to act as I normally would.

“Yeah, Crow. Are you aware of what you’re doing right now?”

“Yes, I know.”

All the villains’ gazes turn towards me.

Once more, I feel the surge of fear and anxiety within me, but now, I can overcome these two negative emotions.

Courage,

or perhaps resignation.

Or courage born from resignation.

“Listen carefully, all of you.”

I don’t care if I get beaten up all day,

or if I’m made to endure humiliating acts.

I am a hero,

and I still live.

Whether it’s here or anywhere else,

I don’t need to cower.

I’ll accept any consequence.

But I don’t want to live each day merely surviving by watching their every move.

There’s no compromise with villains.

“I’m not trapped here with you. You’re trapped here with me. If you want to make a move, be prepared.”

———————————————-

It was me who started it all.

But I don’t regret it.

Within a few hours, a group of villains tried to drag me into the shower room. Of course, they were Acid’s crew.

I didn’t back down or run away. Instead, I walked into the shower room myself.

Crude and sexual taunts, and a beating by a group, were all part of the expected course of events.

However, I didn’t just take it.

I must have broken at least two noses for sure.

I wanted to take a few more with me, but I couldn’t ignore the significant difference in numbers. Especially when the opponents were villains who truly intended to subdue me.

“Ugh, this guy really pisses me off.”

So now,

I can’t fight anymore.

My mouth is filled with the taste of blood.

My throat feels constricted, making it hard to breathe properly.

“Are you hurt?”

“No, I just have a few bruises.”

“What about the guys who are unconscious?”

“Let’s call the guards in a bit. First, let’s deal with this guy…”

My wrists are bound with torn pieces of my prisoner uniform, and my legs are pinned down by two villains, one on each side.

On my back, there’s another villain who seems to have some confidence in hand-to-hand combat. She’s hugging me from behind and has her arm around my neck.

What was her name again?

It was something with Knight, right?

I can’t quite remember. I must have taken a strong blow to the head. Or maybe she wasn’t that impressive of a villain.

“This guy still hasn’t lost his strength…!”

“Then let’s just knock him out.”

Anyway, I try my best to resist.

If I get even a slight chance, I’ll break free of my restraints and fight again. I’m not tired yet.

“No, don’t knock him out. Let’s see if he can take more.”

“Hey…”

Acid and,

One of the villains next to me grabs my chin and laughs incredulously.

It seems like my feelings are revealed through my expression.

“Hold on to it. Let’s teach him some manners.”

As I was lying down with my stomach exposed,

Without a second thought, she lowers her elbow to my stomach.

By putting a lot of weight on it,

Putting her heart into each and every room.

Push it in firmly and insert it.

Phew-

“How is it? Are you starting to feel it? Huh!?”

“Wait a minute. I feel this too. It’s a little tingly.”

““Oh, really? Then should I just hit him? It’ll hurt since you’re right underneath him.”

“No, he’s acting as a cushion, so it’s not that bad.”

They chat among themselves and try to find a better position.

They passionately target my abdomen.

After all, the abdomen is covered by the prisoner uniform, so it doesn’t show on the outside. Only I myself and my internal organs feel the pain.

Thud-

“Die! Just die!”

Thud-

“No, don’t die. Let’s see how long you can last. Keep looking at me until the end.”

Acid seems to have a lot of built-up frustration, passionately landing blows on me.

And Black… no, Knight… whispers in my ear while pressed closely against me.

Is he Black Owl or Knight Owl?

“Crow, I told you. The next time we meet, I’ll make sure to beat you properly.”

Right, Black Owl.

Now I remember clearly.

I can feel the blood flowing to my head.

She’s a villain I’ve encountered five times before.

I subdued her without any trouble each time.

“You’re just an ordinary man. You’re just faster and more agile, that’s all.”

That’s right. She used to dislike men.

She called herself a vigilante, yet she randomly attacked men without any reason.

Men were potential perpetrators, she said.

While there was indeed a time when such treatment existed, I think women are more dangerous now.

“Ugh… damn son of a bitch…”

Anyway, she claimed that her ability was a blessing for women and went around causing trouble.

It’s difficult to classify her as a typical type of villain, as there are many others like her.

She seemed to take out her anger on other men, committing crimes such as assault, threats, extortion, and even planning to blow up a private high school.

Luckily, we were able to subdue her before she could carry out that terrible plan.

“Finally caught you. Finally…”

At first, her attention was directed at an unspecified majority. Then, for some reason, it shifted to me, which was the problem.

“Acid! Wait a minute. I have something to say to you.”

“Huh? Okay.”

After I was defeated once, she kept interfering and challenging me to fights, and she kept attacking me to a pitiful degree.

My colleagues, who couldn’t stand to see that, eventually subdued her and put her in jail, and I hadn’t seen her since.

Who could have known that I would end up in jail myself?

“How do you feel…? Have you finally come to your senses…? Haah…”

It must be so good to have won, I can feel her excitement and thrill from behind, along with a voice that’s dripping with satisfaction.

To be honest, she seems to be craving attention from me.

From the way she’s relentlessly throwing herself at me despite my lack of response, it’s easy to guess.

However, I will never give her what she wants. Especially not a villain.

“Hmm… I’ll give you a chance to surrender. If you do, I might tell Acid to stop hitting you.”

She seems desperate to hear me declare my defeat.

She loosens my neck slightly and laughs joyfully.

But the only thing I can say is:

The words she hates the most.

The words I’ve prepared especially for her, considering how she sees me as a rival.

“Who were you again? I can’t quite remember.”