episode_0003

The big picture

(tick, tock, tick, tock)

Inside the warehouse, only the sound of a ticking clock and the thief’s breathing echoed.

“Hello?”

“…”

The thief continued to bow his head and breathe.

“…Can you help me a bit?”

“Alright.”

(thud!)

Anderson went behind the thief, grabbed his head, and made them face each other.

“……”

“……”

(tick, tock, tick, tock)

We didn’t say anything, and our eyes met for a few seconds.

“…”

(clink)

“What did you do?”

I asked as I closed the clock.

“…I tried to open Anderson’s safe.”

“Why did you try to open it?”

“I was commissioned.”

“By whom?”

“I don’t know.”

“…Explain exactly.”

“I received payment and the target but didn’t see the face.”

“Do you recognize the voice?”

“No, I received an email.”

“What were you trying to steal?”

“A vial.”

…”

When he heard “vial,” Anderson’s expression hardened.

“The request was to steal a vial containing colorless drugs.”

“……”

Anderson’s expression became serious.

“Is this enough?”

“Yes, it’s sufficient… But is hypnosis supposed to work this quickly?”

“You were lucky. His mind and body were greatly weakened.”

First of all, my hypnotic ability is tremendous, to the point where it might befit a third-rate villain. No, not just the ability, even my background doesn’t fit someone who would be a third-rate villain.

With an ordinary person, I can induce hypnosis in a few seconds or even without saying a word, like just now. Furthermore, my magic abilities were at a professional level. Thanks to that, I could make a living as a street magician.

But what really piqued my curiosity was why someone with this kind of ability became a third-rate villain. Before the possession, I was clearly classified as third-rate in the previous roulette.

“Can you issue any other commands?”

“The hypnosis may wear off over time.”

That’s a lie. Hypnosis doesn’t wear off over time or by external shock.

But there’s no need to reveal all my abilities.

“It’s a shame. A suicide order won’t work.”

First of all, this is a world in a comic, overflowing with superhumans, so it’s natural that there are also psychic ability users. And one fact revealed by them is that even with abilities like brainwashing or hypnosis, they cannot command someone to commit suicide. It seems to stimulate the strongest instinct of human nature, the survival instinct.

“Do you have anything else for me to do?”

“Please erase everything you know. Even though I may look like this, I’ve been around here for a long time, so I’ve picked up a lot.”

“You heard?”

“…Recently, Katana has started taking commissions.”

“Katana? We need to be careful about this.”

Katana, a character from ‘Hero, Villain,’ is said to have a beautiful figure and an even more beautiful appearance, and in a world overflowing with superhumans, she became a top-tier villain with just swordsmanship, without any superpowers. Not quite a villain, more like a mercenary.

“And it seems Jack committed a murder.”

“…Jack the Ripper?”

Jack the Ripper, a serial killer and an S-class villain, killed over dozens of people, leaving no clues behind. Of course, in a world like this, you might wonder if killing dozens of people would make you an S-class, but most of those dozens are from the upper echelons of society, including members of parliament and ministers.

“And… the 4th Division Head of Devil Colosseum has disappeared.”

“That guy must be off somewhere touching women.”

“He’s been missing for a week now.”

“That’s unusual.”

…”

I could only stiffen naturally at this point.

A week ago, Alice stabbed a member of the Devil Colosseum, and I killed him.

“…Damn it.”

I muttered under my breath.

“Well, I think that’s enough.”

*Shing!*

Anderson drew a pocket knife and slashed the thief’s throat.

*Splurt!*

Blood spurted from the thief’s neck onto Asa’s face.

“…”

“Oh, sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

That guy did it on purpose.

He wants to know how I’d react if someone died in front of me and blood splattered on me.

*Swish*

I casually took out a handkerchief and wiped my face.

I didn’t try not to be surprised, I really wasn’t. It’s not the first time I’ve seen someone die, exactly because they were killed.

The important thing is not that, but whether Anderson was trying to see me react calmly to seeing a person being killed in front of me, or whether he was trying to see me surprised.

“Mr. Arthur, don’t you want to work with us?”

“No.”

“Surprising. You would earn much more than a magician.”

“I’m not concerned about money; I do it because I enjoy it.”

Honestly, I’m quite good at magic, and I like the way I live now. Magic used to be my dream, and I even attended an after-school magic school in elementary school.

And… I don’t think I lack the ability to make money.

“Well, it seems I don’t lack the ability to make money…”

Anderson muttered as if he knew that.

“Oh well. See you at the next performance.”

Leaving the factory, passing Anderson’s subordinates guarding outside, I got into the car and headed home. Suddenly, thoughts about Devil Colosseum, Anderson, villains, and various complex problems began to flood into my life.

(Squeak! Thud!)

“Ouch!”

With so many thoughts swirling around, as I walked down the street, the car in front suddenly braked, and I ended up hitting its bumper.

“…Are you okay?”

The woman driving the car got out and asked me.

“Are you okay?”

“…I’m fine.”

My body is fine. But my chest doesn’t feel fine. My heart…

“I’m sorry about this. What should we do? I guess insurance won’t cover this…”

The F district where we live has the highest crime rate. In such areas, most insurance products, including health insurance, are very scarce, and even if available, they are very expensive.

“It’s okay. This is nothing.”

Well, they say bumpers are there to get damaged, so this is nothing. Honestly, it’s not an expensive car anyway.

“I’m really sorry. Here’s my business card.”

(Swish)

She took out her wallet and handed me a business card.

[Moonlight Pavilion, Choi Myung-wol]

“…This damn… She’s the head of Anderson’s rival organization.”

“Oh? You’re the magician, Mr. Arthur, right?”

After receiving my name tag, Choi Myeong-wol smiled at me and asked, “You’re a fan, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. But how did you see my magic show? You can’t even get into Anderson’s club.”

“Why don’t you perform at our club once?”

“Haha… You’re definitely persistent.”

“Sorry, but I have an exclusive contract.”

“Oh really?”

As if I would give Anderson exclusive rights over me just because he thinks I’m lacking.

“Don’t worry. I have the power to protect you as a magician.”

(Clunk! Clunk!)

Strangely, as soon as my car stopped, men from the cars around also got out and walked towards my car at the same time.

“How is it?”

How is it that your subordinates are surrounding us?

“Hahaha”

I awkwardly laughed first. It seemed like Choi Myeong-wol thought I was thinking positively, so she laughed along with me.

“We should talk to Mr. Anderson about this.”

“Don’t worry. And aren’t you uncomfortable with foreigners taking over?”

“Mr. Anderson?”

“Yes, he’s from the ‘Ivan’ lineage.”

I didn’t know that. Why did they come here?

“Where on this earth can you find someone who isn’t a foreigner?”

“Is that so?”

“More importantly, I am a man who definitely keeps his promises.”

(Tap tap)

As I showed a firm refusal, the subordinates approached my car closely.

“But! Come to think of it, it wasn’t an exclusive contract, it was just a contract, right?”

“Is that so?”

“Hahaha”

“Hoho, it seems like money is tight these days. Do you know about the Devil Colosseum? They are gathering kids for war preparations.”

“Hahaha”

That’s because of me. So, shouldn’t I perform?

“When will you perform?”

Yes, I should.

“What about next week?”

“Yes, that’s fine. Let’s go.”

“Yes!”

At Choi Myeong-wol’s words, the sturdy men around answered and got back into the car.

(Vroom!!)

And without any hesitation, we drove away.

“If this was going to happen, you should have paid for the bumper, you bastards.”

…

…

…

…

…

(Clink!)

“Welcome. Did you have a good trip?”

As I opened the door and entered, the owner of the store, who was guarding the desk, recognized me and greeted me.

“Yes, sir.”

“Just go to the room you always use.”

“Okay.”

In response to the owner’s words, I entered the room I always used.

*Click! Click! Click!*

In the shooting range with numerous personal firearms, occasional Chinese firearms, and targets for using such weapons, Arthur loaded his gun.

*Click*

Holding a pistol, Arthur aimed at the target.

*Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!*

With the starting sound, Arthur fired at the target.

*Bang! Bang! Bang! Click!*

After using up all the bullets, Arthur changed the magazine.

*Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!*

“…Phew.”

Using the gun like this seems to relieve some of my anger.

“The 4th division manager of Devil Colosseum is missing and we are looking for him.”

“Won’t you work with me?”

“Will you perform at our club too?”

“…”

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

While firing the gun, Arthur pondered on what had happened today.

“…I feel like I can see the bigger picture.”

As Arthur replaced the magazine after using all the bullets, he muttered to himself.

“Devil Colosseum, Anderson, Choi Myeong-wol. If done well, it could be resolved in one go.”

Seemingly having a good idea, Arthur put down the pistol and began using other firearms.