CH 8

{ Episode 8 – Choice }

– Banggggg!!!

“Ugh.”

The monster’s sharp tentacles pierce the defense I created, with its heavy attacks.

“Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…”

“He lost his temper.”

Typically, it was common for a monster to recognize that its attack was not working and to retreat. However, the unstoppable attacks of a monster in front of me continued unabated, even with my defense on.

Judging from that, it seemed that the boy had lost his mind when he became like this.

“Hey, are you a defense-type person!”

“We will help.”

As I was breaking out in a cold sweat and blocking the attacks, I heard the voices of the student from behind.

From the hands they raised, sparks and vibrations began to rise.

“No, back off.”

“What?”

Their spirit was good, but I didn't need clumsy help.

“You guys are no help now.”

The threat level of the monster in front of me right now was roughly around level 3.

Two students with no practical experience in fighting were not the people who could strike effectively. And, the ability they were using right now didn't match well with me.

“Yeah, but…!”

“It looks like you've both released your ability, but if you try to attack him now, it will be blocked by the shield I’ve deployed.”

“ah…”

“But if I remove the shield, can you guys effectively hit that monster?”

“Well, that's... but… If we keep going like this, it's only going to make things worse.”

“Oh, that’s right. Hmm, we can try…”

Of course, what they said was correct.

‘Defense’, a skill I accidentally activated, was an ability that, as the name suggests, focuses only on defense.

'If so, all I have to do is attack.'

The first time I awakened the ‘Detection’ skill was when I frantically wanted to find out Lumia’s true identity.

The first time I awakened my ‘Defense’ skill was when I thought I had to protect myself from an imminent threat.

So, I thought that it might be easier to awaken a skill related to 'attack'.

‘I’ll just have to focus on the idea of attacking.’

After making that judgment, I clenched my fists and glared at the monster, and a system window popped up in front of my eyes.

[The user’s ability is low and cannot be used!]

However, the content was quite disappointing.

[Skill: Strike (LV MAX) cannot be used at current stat!]

[Skill: Kick (LV MAX) cannot be used at current stat!]

[Skill: Valkyrie (LV MAX) cannot be used at current stat!]

[Skill: Counterattack (LV MAX) cannot be used at current stat!]

All of the ‘attack’ related skills, for some reason, were raised to the maximum level.

‘Can't I force myself to use it?’

[If used forcibly, a huge price will be paid, including physical harm.]

[Do you want to use it?]

‘…...Damn it!.’

There was only one possible cause for this phenomenon: Justia.

The origin of this ability was Justia.

Just like the title of  'strongest', she used to destroy any form of evil with overwhelming power.

So maybe the stat of ‘attack’ related skills was high because of her.

It was just that her personality and mine were so different.

‘Did she only use offensive skills with her fiery personality?’

– Banggg…!

“…Ugh!”

I was laughing bitterly at her actions, which were truly Justia-like, but the shock spread throughout my body.

Probably because of the penalty for using 'defense', my body's durability had decreased.

“Kreukreuk… Kreukreuk…”

As I frowned and glared at the monster, the monster let out a horrifying scream as if it was bursting with laughter.

Looking at the confident expression on its face, it seemed that it was sure of his victory.

'I think you underestimate me too much.'

“Hey, you.”

“Yes, yes?”

“You were trying to shoot something like vibration earlier, but what’s the exact ability?”

I silently looked at her, then the girl who was trembling behind the girl I was talking to, spoke in a low voice.

“Cau can vibrate anything she touches… she can vibrate the air and create shock waves.”

“Concept of vibration, okay. What about your power?”

“I can fly people who are close to me...”

As I listened to the explanation, I had a picture of the operation in my mind.

Although the risk was high, this method was probably the most effective for now.

“Listen to me from now on.”

“Yes.”

“Shoot a vibration at me and send me to him”

“What?”

“And then...”

As I began to explain, the female student looked at me in astonishment.

“You are too reckless…”

“There is no time. Come on!”

“I-I don't know.”

I was at the limit of my patience, so I shouted at her tantrums and released defenses. Only then did she close her eyes tightly and release her vibrations.

“……Ugh.”

In an instant, the feeling of being crushed ran through my whole body.

It seemed like I was missing some ribs and my durability had been lowered.

On the other hand, when I, who had been only defending myself, suddenly jumped forward at high speed, the monster with a puzzled expression reaped the tentacles that had stretched out in all directions.

'Yes, I  knew it.'

When a monster was in danger, it tends to focus on defense rather than attack.

Then the others, who were no different from it, must be the same.

[Skill: Defense (LV1) has been used.]

Thanks to that, it became much easier.

“Grrreuk!?”

'I have to put you inside the barrier. ,

“Now.”

When I flew to the front of the monster's nose, I made a round barrier and wrapped it around it, sending a signal to the students behind me.

“Yes, yes!”

“Ugh, ooh!”

Then, they closed their eyes and began releasing sparks and vibrations.

“Goooooooo!!!”

The attacks of the two entered the small gap I had created and began to mix with the monster trapped inside the barrier.

“It's a success..”

Like that, the monster started struggling without even fighting back. 

“Yeah, but... how long do we have to stay like this...”

“You are doing this until the heroes come.”

“…Yes!?”

Judging that the situation was roughly resolved, I started to head downstairs at high speed so as not to waste any more time.

“…uh?”

I involuntarily looked at the scenery outside the window in the hallway, then stopped walking.

“What is that?”

In the playground far away, the members of the Dominating Hands were engaged in a carnage.

‘Want the operation starts now? So, why...’

Aside from the fact that the operation started much earlier than the originally planned intrusion, there was one strange thing.

‘…Aren't they killing only "them"?’

At first glance, it was the scene of a bloody festival, but to me now, it looked quite different.

Heart disappeared without a trace, and wielded a scythe with a chilly smile. 

The grandpa, who laughs heartily and catches people and turns them into bloody wood. 

Pandora, with her usual sleepy eyes, was moving the joystick around and carrying out a massacre with her drone. 

And, to Spade, which has already killed 3 faculty members, befitting its nickname of 'killing machine'.

All of them were attacking only students and staff with tentacles wriggling inside.

‘What happened?’

At the time I was making a dumb expression in a situation that I didn't understand at all...

“This is troublesome.”

“…!?”

A low-pitched voice came from behind.

“Can you see us too?”

Looking back, I froze for a moment.

“Ji-seok ssi.”

Hero Resurrection appeared behind me and smiled at me.

“…This is not a bathroom, Resurrection ssi.”

Behind him, I could see the female students, who had been diligently launching attacks into the shield just a moment ago, lying limp.

“Are you a villain too?”

Because he didn't even feel the signs of being attacked, Resurrection tilted his head and asked that question as I was sweating and alert.

“How long are you planning to disturb us?”

The movements of the tentacles wriggling inside him were getting stronger.

"..."

“…Are you Lumia’s subordinate?”

“The child of prophecy?”

I asked that question, wondering if it was also Lumia’s work.

At my question, Resurrection raised his eyebrows and said.

“Why are you suddenly bringing the child of prophecy?”

There was no sign of lies in his word.

It seemed like he had nothing to do with Lumia.

'Then what the hell is it all about?'

“Since when have you been doing this and why?”

The moment I thought I needed to get a little more information, I looked at him and asked a question like that.

– Kugwagwagwagwagwang!!!

“It's meaningless.”

A terrifying vibration echoed throughout the hallway.

“Am I asking a meaningless question?”

Resurrection whispered with a relaxed smile even though the attack was blocked by my shield.

“You will disappear soon anyway.”

“Wait, wait a minute.”

Apparently, he was full of thoughts about fighting me.

From what I could see, the risk level seemed to be between level 2 and level 1. In addition, that guy has this ability.

Seeing as he was wary of my every move, taking a smartphone out of my pocket and hypnotizing him was unreasonable, and it was of course impossible to deal with defense alone.

'If so, I guess I’ll just have to do what I can.'

“Should we fight?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You know I’m a villain. I have a purpose. I don’t even want to fight you.”

As I desperately started persuading, Resurrection, who had been listening to me quietly, fell into deep thought.

“Honestly, I don’t know what you guys are doing… You tell me what you want to do. I won’t interfere.”

“Well...”

“In turn, you don’t disturb me either. Okay?”

As soon as I stopped talking, a long silence began.

“You don’t care about the kids behind me?”

“…Why would a villain care about that?”

“Ugh...”

Resurrection, looked at me with questionable eyes for a moment, then smiled and lifted his fist.

“Nowadays, there are villains who can communicate with each other.”

“Well, I guess so.”

I never imagined that the persuasion would really succeed, but it worked.

What I need to focus on right now was Lumia. 

“Then, I'm done...”

Like that, I, who was about to remove my defenses while singing joy in my heart-

“However!”

– Bannnnnnnnnnnng!!!

“Ugh!!”

Once again, I had no choice but to bow my head, coughing up blood at the acrid vibration that filled the hallway.

“Because you look weak.”

“……..”

“I think it’s better to just kill you here.”

Resurrection, like the student earlier, had become a grotesquely distorted monster.

A wicked fellow Pretending to be persuaded and then launching a surprise attack?

That was indeed a characteristic of a villain.

“They are here.”

I quietly gnashed my teeth, then smiled and pointed behind him.

“Are you going to keep focusing on me?”

“If you thought I would be fooled by such tricks...”

However, without changing his expression, he raises his fist and prepared for the follow-up.

“I’m sorry.”

Looking at him like that, I said with full of complex emotions.

“I’m the kind of person who doesn’t lie very well.”

“Stop right where you are.”

At the same time, a cold voice echoed in the hallway.

“…Ugh.”

“A beast that can communicate. It’s rare.”

Noona, The Absolute commander, was muttering in the middle of the hallway.

‘Her timing is amazing.’

I didn’t know I would be this happy to meet her again.

“More Heroes are coming. Many have already arrived at the academy.”

Noona, standing in the hallway, started talking in a cold voice.

“Are you a beast tamed by a villain? If you can understand what I’m saying, surrender. This is an order…”

Then, she paused for a moment and then bit her lips.

The side effects of the work did by me seemed to be working well.

‘I’d rather wear a mask here.’

Anyway, the opportunity was now.

While noona was dealing with this guy, I had to go downstairs and cooperate with the executives.

Since securing 'Lumia' was the current goal, that was the best.

– Sugh…

After making that decision, I took advantage of the Resurrection's cover and took out the mask Pandora and Ira had made for me.

Roughly speaking, there were various options such as cognitive dissonance function, voice modulation function, and vision aid function.

I didn't know when the transformation will be released, and above all, there was a possibility that noona will find out about me because of this face, so I thought it was better to wear it from now on.

“Then, I’m done.”

“…tsk.”

Wearing a mask like that, I quickly ran down the hallway, and Resurrection just silently stared at me while quietly clicking his tongue

“Hey, hold on!”

As I was about to go downstairs thinking that noona's ability was great, I stopped walking as I heard noona's urgent cry from afar.

“Me, me…”

Then, after hesitating, she closed her eyes tightly and spoke.

“I ask for your cooperation.”

“………..”

“Aren’t you a teacher or a staff member?”

As I stare at her without saying anything, she asked while pointing to the professor’s certificate protruding from my pocket.

“Geez, for some reason... I can't use my abilities to their full potential”

“So what?”

Then, an emotionless mechanical sound came out of my mask.

“Students are in danger. I, please, I will bind it…”

“Grrrrrrr…”

“……..!”

At that moment, the howling of a beast began to be heard from behind her.

“Gooooooo!”

The first monster I had imprisoned had regained consciousness and stood up and was breathing heavily.

“Well, you know what to do.”

“Hey, wait!”

Of course, it wasn’t my job.

'Isn't she our famous top-ranking hero? She will take care of it.'

Even if she couldn’t handle it, it was my own profit.

“Wait!!”

“Where is Lumia now…”

Ignoring the pathetic voice coming from behind, I looked out the window to figure out Lumia’s location.

“………..”

As soon as I saw the situation outside for the first time, I fell into silence again.

“What.”

As noona said, the top heroes arrived with numerous other heroes.

“What?”

But what surprised me was.

“What the hell is this?”

Among those top heroes, there were only two people who did not have tentacles in their bodies.

“Heroes are here!!”

“Everyone, please follow the command and evacuate safely…”

It wasn’t just the top-ranking heroes.

Among the numerous other heroes who were still arriving at the scene in real-time, there were more heroes with tentacles than those without.

“I can't believe it...”

Seeing the tentacles wriggling inside their bodies, I couldn’t do anything about it.

“You, you guys…!”

Noona alarming voice came from afar.

“Why are you here!!!”

“Uh, that’s…”

The 1st year class, including Justia’s younger sister, came up to the floor we were on through the emergency stairs.

“The vice-principal told me to evacuate to the roof. So I went up to the floor with the stairs leading to the roof...”

“What kind of bullshit is that! Just go back… Ahhhh!!”

After hearing those words, she screams and flies off the wall after being hit by the tentacle of the first monster.

“The prey came to me.”

“Grrrrr…”

Resurrection and the guy, who had turned into a monster, began to look at the children with their mouths open.

“………..”

It was also not my job.

Either noona or the students die or not.

I didn’t have to care.

If I really wanted to show mercy, I could only cover Justin's younger sister.

“Now… go down… this is an order…”

“Ugh...”

Now my target was Lumia.

“…Come behind me.”

In a situation like that, it was better to leave them alone.

“………..”

Obviously, that was right.

[If Strike (LV MAX) is used forcibly, a huge price including bodily loss will be paid.]

“Tsk.”

'Why am I feeling so bad?'

[Do you want to use it?]

.

.

.

.

.

A few minutes after that.

“Eww…..”

“You’re weak, great.”

The absolute commander was lifted up by the Resurrection by her hair, bloodied.

“let me... Let go...”

– Wow!

“…Ugh.”

While trying to give an order in that state, she was hit in the jaw and shuddered.

“I’ve always wanted to eat you.”

“Who are you…..”

“It always feels good to see an arrogant person like you dying in fear.”

Resurrection, who licked his lips while watching Absolute commander, whispered in a low voice.

“Then, I’ll eat well…”

“No….. Uhg....”

Then, the Absolute commander began to struggle with all her might.

“Don’t… Don’t…!”

However, it was not enough to shake off the monster’s power.

“No, no, no!”

That’s when I wondered if the 11th place in the hero ranking would become vacant.

“……?”

“Let me go, let me!!”

There was someone who managed to step forward even though she was terrified and trembling.

“Let go!!!”

Justia’s younger sister.

She was pulling as hard as she could to grab the Absolute commander's leg.

‘What… is this?’

At that moment, the Absolute commander could clearly feel it.

The feeling of helplessness in the worst-case scenario.

The shame of being helped by a child younger than herself.

A sense of helplessness that her own weakness would cause the child to die too

‘Scared.’

It was the first feeling she had ever felt.

‘Someone help me.’

Absolutely weak, oppressed by overwhelming power.

‘please…’

The first thing she thought of was, of course, Lumia.

The strongest person who didn’t even get a scratch in even the karma escaping incident, in which all the people involved were seriously injured.

The innocent face that warmly held her hand and promised to protect her no matter what danger came.

‘Ah…’

But at that moment, that naive face suddenly turned into that of Lumia that day, who looked at her with disgust and swatted her hand.

– Sugh…

The monster’s tentacles soared high into the sky.

“…!”

Ironically, what she recalled with tightly closed eyes at the last moment, feeling that the end was near:

“Noona! Where are you going in such a hurry!!”

On the day she left the house, it was Kang Ha-neul who ran out of the house with her lunch box.

“You left your lunch box, you idiot!!”

.

.

. 

.

.

After a while on the same day:

– Kugwagwagwagwang!!!!!

A shock wave that was incomparable to the vibrations caused by Resurrection suddenly shook the entire academy building.

“Cough, Cough…”

“What, what!?”

Students floundered, unable to even open their eyes properly from the huge dust cloud and wind pressure that arose as a result. 

“What was that? That power…?”

“That, more than that... It was very dangerous...”

After a while, when the clouds lifted, the students walked to the source of power to figure out what had happened.

When witnessed this scene unfold before their eyes, they could not do anything but be shocked.

“Cool…”

Someone in a black mask with cracks around his eyes was standing with the Absolute commander in his arms.

“Hey, look at that…”

“This is crazy…”

“Does that make any sense?”

After that, the academy was completely destroyed from the first floor to the roof and collapsed.

“That’s something Justia could have done…”

The moment when the lost power of Justia was briefly revived.

– Geeting…

The AI drone that Pandora had sent was relaying somewhere in real-time.

.

.

.

.

'I almost forgot the most important thing.'

[Skill: Strike (LV MAX) was used.]

[The price for forced use of the skill has been paid.]

Of course, revenge must be done thoroughly.

That Lumia, noona wanted so much, shouldn’t be the person to save her.

[Cost: Permanent Blindness in Left Eye]

Anyway, it was really cheap for 13 lives.

‘Justia used to use it a lot.’

“Thanks.”

While I was quietly caressing my forever-closed left eye, I heard a trembling voice.

“Thank you.”

The absolute commander, who buried her head in my chest, said that while shaking her body.

“You are my lifesaver.”

In an instant, laughter erupted.

If I wanted to hear a word of praise, so what kind of life have I been living?

Only after this happened...

....She was going to tell me when I was like this?

“If you tell me your affiliation, I will-”

“Villain.”

With anger in me, I said.

“I'm a bad villain.”

I resisted noona who was holding my hand and thanking me and answered that in a cold voice.

– Greting…

[Villain ＜Trauma＞ Debut (LIVE)]

[527,062 viewers]

If I had known that the scene was being broadcast live all over the world, I would have said a better line.