—
[Villain Hunter Arrested…]
Around 11 a.m. today.
A detective who had infiltrated a human trafficking organization was tailing a senior member (A) who was attempting to dispose of a body.
The original plan was to record the scene of the body being dumped, then have the waiting police raid the place to secure evidence and use it as justification to launch a full-blown operation to dismantle the trafficking ring.
But right at that moment, the Villain Hunter showed up.
(Photo)
(Photo)
He wasn’t wearing his mask, so people didn’t recognize him at first. But that face is the real identity of the Villain Hunter.
Anyway, as always, when the Villain Hunter saw a villain trying to dispose of a body, he acted to deliver justice…
(Photo)
But then he suddenly collapsed and began to die.
All that mosaic in the photo is blood.
When the Villain Hunter suddenly began to die, the police grew startled and rushed him to the hospital with an emergency team, and he’s currently being treated.
No one knows the exact cause…
I’m really worried…
Once treatment is complete, they’ll begin a proper investigation.
[Comments]
-: ??? What’s going on with the Villain Hunter?
ㄴ (OP): They’re checking whether another villain was nearby.
ㄴ : Damn… I’m really worried…
-: It’s shocking that he got arrested, but even more shocking that he’s on the verge of death…
ㄴ : There’s a theory that’s been going around. That the Villain Hunter was already terminally ill and chose to fight for justice even while dying.
ㄴ (OP): That’s it…
-: Terminally ill? That’s insane.
ㄴ : They say stress is the root of all illnesses… Honestly, if I were the Villain Hunter, I’d be unbelievably stressed too. His whole family was killed because of one person. The fact that he’s held it together this long is kind of unbelievable.
ㄴ : I’m crying… ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
-: If I could, I’d want to organize a fundraiser for the Villain Hunter. Too bad he’s technically a villain, so we can’t.
-: Look at how naturally everyone’s worried even though he’s a villain…
ㄴ : Dude, the Villain Hunter is about to freaking die. Who cares about technicalities right now???
ㄴ : For real, bro.
ㄴ : Real talk, are you wearing T-pants right now?
ㄴ : Bro, come on.
: If even the Villain Hunter’s self-healing ability couldn’t stop this… that must mean it’s seriously bad, right?
ㄴ (OP): That’s why even a Hero Association chemist who normally works on drugs has joined the Villain Hunter’s treatment team.
ㄴ : Thank goodness ㅠㅠ
—
When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was a stark white ceiling.
And the next scene I saw was…
“Are you awake?”
A woman who looked somehow familiar, with a katana at her side, was standing over me, looking down.
“…Where am I?”
“A hospital.”
“A hospital, huh…”
“Since you’re in the VIP ward, there are only two people who might be eavesdropping on our conversation.”
“…There are two people eavesdropping?”
“Yes.”
As I began speaking with the woman,
she pointed to the empty air and informed me that two beings were listening in.
Must be Seo-yoon and Pyro Bomber.
If they were in the empty air with no visible presence…
They had to be the two women using telekinesis to hide themselves, right?
Maybe even Sae-eun’s gem ability couldn’t heal me this time.
It felt a bit unfortunate that I ended up in a hospital like this after all.
“Just in case, let me ask something.”
“Feel free to ask.”
“If I walk out the door right now, would I be surrounded by police?”
“That’s correct. The entire hospital is surrounded by heroes as well.”
“Huh…”
I could tell I was completely surrounded here.
However—
“Well then, it was nice talking with you. I’m going to try escaping now.”
There was no reason for me to just lie around and quietly let myself be arrested.
Feeling like my body had recovered, I got up and was about to ask Seo-yoon to help me escape this place right away when—
Swish…
Seo-yoon began slowly revealing herself.
“…Oppa, I think you should stay here for now…”
She brought up the idea that maybe I shouldn’t try to escape just yet.
“…What are you talking about?”
I didn’t understand.
Saying she wanted me to stay here… didn’t that mean she wanted me to get caught?
“Well, um… that is…”
“.…..”
I desperately wanted to understand what Seo-yoon meant.
So I kept waiting to hear what would come out of her mouth.
“Haah… At this rate, you’re going to die soon.”
Instead of the hesitant Seo-yoon,
Pyro Bomber continued with a shocking statement in her place.
However—
“…I see.”
“…Oppa?”
“So if I stay here, I’ll live longer, and if I escape, I’ll die sooner. Is that it?”
“Well… in a way, that’s… kind of true…”
If I had feared death, I never would’ve become a villain in the first place.
I had already mentally prepared myself for the fact that death would come to me eventually.
Even if things didn’t go as planned, I was prepared to die.
To me, death simply meant returning to the arms of the family I had lost.
“Then it’s decided. Let’s go.”
Just as I tried to stand up to escape from this place—
“…I’m sorry, Oppa.”
Press…
…“…”
I could feel telekinetic pressure holding me down, keeping me from getting out of bed.
And then—
“…What do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m really… really sorry, Oppa…”
“…Ms. Pyro Bomber. Please quickly block Mobia’s view. I’ll put her to sleep and we can escape togeth—”
“Sorry, babe. I don’t have a choice either.”
Even Pyro Bomber had joined hands with Mobia.
“…Are you saying that if I escape the hospital, I’ll die in ten seconds?”
“No. It’s not that, but…”
“Then I’ll only live a few more years at most?”
“…Even shorter than that… much shorter…”
“And for that reason alone, you want me to stay here?”
“It’s not… not just that…”
I could understand not wanting to experience the death of someone you love.
Seo-yoon, and Pyro Bomber too.
I understood that they wanted to stop my death, but…
Even if I stay here quietly, how much longer do you think I can live?
“……”
My body’s already started to break down. I was going to die anyway.
All I ever wanted was to live freely for whatever time I had left…
But when I saw the desperate look on Seo-yoon’s face, it felt like there might actually be a way, even if she couldn’t explain it properly.
“…Alright.”
Shhh…
Leaving the two women once again hidden under telekinesis behind me—
I lay down comfortably on the bed, deciding not to resist anymore.
Knock knock knock
“You may come in.”
Right then, as if they had a sixth sense about me waking up, the heroes appeared to arrest me.
“Hello, Mr. Go Min-hyuk.”
“Uh… yes. Well… nice to meet you.”
“We’re here to place you under arrest, Mr. Go Min-hyuk.”
“…Okay.”
“We hope you won’t resist. Will that be possible?”
“…Understood.”
“Thank you. From this moment forward, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say may be used against you in court. You also have the right to an attorney…”
As they recited the Miranda rights and helped me to my feet, I couldn’t quite understand their actions.
Couldn’t I just walk on my own?
So, as I moved to follow them on my own will—
I realized something.
How many did they put on me?
Even I hadn’t noticed.
I had a total of four ability-suppressing devices attached. On both my wrists and ankles.
At that moment…
…Wait, how did I not notice this?
A creeping sense of dread began to rise.
Because—
The fact that I hadn’t even noticed the discomfort of having four suppressors on me…
Meant that something inside me was already deeply broken.
“…Summon.”
Just in case, I tried to activate my summoning ability—
“……”
As expected,
I couldn’t even summon anymore.
I didn’t even have the strength left to break the ability-suppressing devices.
“You may sit.”
“…Thank you.”
Since I could barely muster any strength in my body,
I had no choice but to accept the wheelchair they provided and be taken somewhere.
What is this? What’s going on?
As I kept trying to figure out what had happened to me—
“Please don’t respond. Just listen.”
A woman wearing a katana at her waist—
speaking just loud enough for only me to hear—
began giving me information while pushing the wheelchair.
“Your body is currently in a state of overload, Villain Hunter.”
“…….”
“The human body can hold a maximum of ten abilities, but you attempted to take on an eleventh. As a result, your body has completely collapsed.”
…How did she know that?
“It’s already too late to reduce your powers using ability-suppressing treatments. Since your body acquired the eleventh ability, you won’t last more than two to three months at most.”
…Is there any way to survive?
“However, there’s no need to worry too much. The Association President had already foreseen this situation and will act soon.”
“?”
The Association President?
Could it be… the president of the Hero Association, who has never once shown their face?
Caught off guard by the completely unexpected turn in the conversation, I was at a loss for words.
Before I knew it, the wheelchair I was in had exited the hospital.
Click, click—
Click—
“Villain Hunter!!”
“Please, just one interview!!”
Countless cameras were pointed at me.
Just as a reporter tried to score an interview and brought a microphone right up to my face—
“……!”
The reporter, who had extended the mic toward me…
Suddenly split cleanly down the middle and collapsed with a thud.
– Kyyaaaaa!!
– It’s a villain!!!
– It’s a villain!!!
– It’s a terrorist attack!! Run!!
As screams erupted from the crowd, the huge crowd of people that had surrounded me scattered in an instant.
“There was a bomb inside the microphone.”
When the woman pushing my wheelchair said this, I lowered my head and looked at the mic the man had been holding…
It’s real…
I could see a detonator connected to the mic he’d been holding. At that moment—
I’d better listen to her.
Even if I were in peak condition, I didn’t think I could beat the woman pushing my wheelchair.
All I could think was that I should just quietly do as she says.
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