· · ────── ꒰ঌ·✦·໒꒱ ────── · ·
Translated by BiasNil
· · ────── ꒰ঌ·✦·໒꒱ ────── · ·
Beneath a blue sky, a great river flowed quietly through the heart of Seoul.
That place, where cruise ships and boats drifted peacefully, had fallen into chaos.
[Good day, citizens. My name is Villain Egostic. Pleased to meet you all!]
The sudden news of a villain's terror attack had thrown everything into disarray.
The man who called himself Egostic had hijacked all terrestrial broadcast channels, transmitting his video across the nation.
That alone was shocking enough, but the smiling villain's next words plunged people into even deeper terror.
[To briefly explain my credentials—I'm the one who eliminated the former villains Enzodiac and Rhino! But enough about such trivial matters… Shall we move on to something more entertaining?]
[Do you see those three boats on the river below?]
The camera panned away from his face to show the Han River below.
Then came his shocking declaration.
[I've installed bombs on all of them!]
And those words, spoken with a smile, were naturally being transmitted through the TVs to all the passengers aboard the three vessels.
"What the hell is he talking about!"
"S-so, there are bombs on this boat?"
"Captain! What are you doing? Turn the ship around!!!"
Pandemonium erupted inside the ships.
Remarkably, hidden cameras had been planted throughout all three vessels, broadcasting the scenes on TV.
[Haha, quite the uproar. Ah, don't worry too much. Some of you might make it back alive!]
After saying that much, he flashed a wicked smile at the camera.
[Now then, let's begin the game. In that spirit, I'd like A-Rank Hero Stardust to join us. A game needs at least one hero to set the proper mood, don't you think? If she doesn't come, I'll just blow them all up.]
He waved something resembling a detonator in his hand.
And at that very moment—
"Stardust!"
"Yes, understood."
Stardust, who had been watching the entire scene on screen at the Hero Association, nodded quietly as she thought.
…A villain had appeared.
In that case, a hero had only one duty.
After discussing with Association agents and completing all preparations, she immediately leapt toward the window beside her.
But instead of falling, she floated in midair.
Stardust launched herself through the sky, flying directly toward the villain's confirmed location—
—to face this newly emerged villain called Egostic.
***
"Phew…"
After making my terror announcement, I was taking a brief break on a rooftop overlooking the long river, having turned off the broadcast while my camera floated in the air via telekinesis.
While I rested, the three boats' situations would be broadcasting on TV. The cameras I'd installed beforehand would be showing the panic-stricken cruise ships and their passengers.
"…This isn't as easy as I thought it'd be."
I sighed and muttered to myself.
Actually carrying out terrorism was harder than expected. The villains in movies deserved more credit.
"…Haha."
I forced myself to laugh.
…My villain concept was essentially an unhinged lunatic whose next move was unpredictable. To create that atmosphere, laughing frequently was the best approach. Laughing while committing terrorism—clearly dangerous.
It was a coldly calculated decision befitting a proper villain, meant to inflate my perceived threat level beyond my actual abilities.
Anyway, now that I'd made such a spectacle, Stardust would arrive soon. The protagonist of this comic and an A-Rank Hero.
…I'm a bit nervous.
I was about to see my favorite character and this world's protagonist, Stardust, in person.
Of course, well, since we were enemies, she'd probably glare at me like she wanted to devour me on sight. Can't be helped. Still better than not seeing her at all.
I checked my outfit one more time before meeting her.
Black hair complemented by a black robe, black pants, and a black cloak.
And a white mask covering half my face. Perfect.
Now I just had to wait for the hero to arrive.
As I was thinking that, something appeared in the distant sky above the building's rooftop, flying toward me.
That figure with long blonde hair streaming behind her—that would be Stardust, this world's protagonist.
Time to turn the camera back on.
Shortly after—
thud.
With a heavy landing sound, Stardust touched down on the rooftop, her blonde hair billowing.
Wow! A hero landing!
My heart raced seeing this scene I'd only read in the comic now playing out in real life.
While I was having such idle thoughts, the hero strode purposefully toward me.
I naturally pulled out the detonator from my coat and waved it in front of her.
"Ah, wait! I have the detonator in my hand! Please stop there."
She hesitated at my words.
Then, as she gauged the distance between us with calculating eyes, I added a warning to discourage any rash ideas.
"Oh, and my subordinate watching this broadcast also has a switch for the bombs, so the moment you touch me, they all go off!"
Perhaps convinced by my words, Stardust finally gave up and stood in place, crossing her arms.
Standing before me, she glared and spoke.
"…Egostic."
"Yes. That's my name. I'm flattered you remembered."
"Disarm the bombs right now. Then I'll let you off with just a beating before I arrest you."
"Haha. You know I won't do that."
At my response, her expression twisted.
…Though she was still dazzlingly beautiful even then.
"Now, now, don't frown so much. I clearly said in my broadcast, didn't I? That I'd let everyone return home alive."
I said this while winking at the camera that was filming us and broadcasting nationwide.
"…Stardust. I'm quite interested in you. Yes, very much so."
Whether I spoke or not, she simply kept her mouth shut and glared at me. I suppose she'd decided to at least hear what I had to say.
And so I continued speaking to her.
"Stardust. One of South Korea's few A-Rank Heroes, a person who firmly believes in her own justice and convictions, never compromising with any evil. Isn't that the ideal image of a Hero? In fact, Miss Stardust, I quite admire you. Haha."
"…If you're just going to spout nonsense, shut up. What exactly are you trying to say?"
Yeah. I just wanted to praise you while your image is being broadcast nationwide. A person whose righteousness even amazes a Villain! To make you look like that…
Anyway, that was enough time as a fan. Now it was time to return to the main event—the show.
"Yes! Passengers, if you look toward the center of your boat, you'll see a detonator with a large red button. The detonators I've installed on all three boats… each one detonates a different boat. That's right! They detonate the other boats, not your own."
At my words, Stardust's expression hardened again.
Right. If she's as smart as I think, she knows what I'm about to say.
I smiled and opened my mouth leisurely.
"The way for everyone to survive is simple. Just don't press the detonator."
"Time limit: 30 minutes. As long as no one presses the detonator during that time, you'll be fine."
"However! If even one boat presses the button during that time… after the time runs out, the other two boats will go boom!"
Having said that much, I added with a smile, as if being generous.
"But still worried? Then, I'll give you one more thing."
"The boat that presses the button will be saved with 100% certainty. Yes! Even if another boat presses the button, if your boat also pressed it, yours won't explode! Wow, just press the button and you're guaranteed to live. How's that for generosity?"
"So even if all three boats press the button, I'll let everyone live. Haha. At this point, wouldn't it be harder to die?"
At my words, her expression became ambiguous.
Right. She must think no one will press this button.
I smiled sweetly at her and said,
"Our justice-loving Miss Stardust."
"I hope you realize through this opportunity just how evil and selfish humans can be."
I clapped my hands and said,
"Now, let's begin! Time limit is 30 minutes. Good luck to everyone!"
With those words, the camera filming us turned off.
Soon, my broadcast showing nationwide began displaying the interior of the three boats.
And on the rooftop where we stood, the broadcast was also being shown on one wall through the beam projector and speakers I'd prepared in advance.
"Now, Miss Stardust. Shall we watch together from here?"
"…Ha. You think people will move exactly as you intend?"
Still with her arms crossed, she glanced at me while watching the broadcast on the wall.
To her, I simply smiled and said,
"Well, you'll see, won't you?"
The moment I said that, the broadcast began in earnest.
As the situation inside the boats appeared through the video, even Stardust's indifferent expression gradually began to harden.
[Right, we shouldn't press it, should we everyone?]
[Yes. That's right. Surely the other boats won't press it?]
Boat 1 seemed wholesome, with everyone appearing to have no intention of pressing the button. That was good, but…
[…If no one presses it, everyone lives. There's no need to press it, right?]
[What are you saying! What if someone else presses the button? Besides, if everyone presses it, we all live anyway, right? Especially what if some crazy bastard on that shabby boat up front presses it on a whim! Don't gamble with our lives and just press it!]
…Boat 2 had conflict between those who wanted to press it and those who didn't.
And then.
[Everyone, let's just press it?]
[Right. The others probably all pressed it anyway.]
[Thinking rationally, that makes sense.]
[…What if someone didn't press it?]
[Come on. Surely there's no boat like that?]
Boat 3 also had divided opinions, but seemed to be gradually leaning toward pressing it.
Right. Everyone not pressing it and returning home happily? Is that as easy as it sounds?
Humans are fundamentally safety-oriented. If pressing the button means 100% survival, it's not easy to gamble by not pressing it and leaving it to others. Especially when there's even an option that reduces guilt by saying everyone lives if everyone presses it.
Right. But like Boat 1, there are always outliers who have deep faith in humans who won't press the button.
And these people are about to become the victims.
"…Miss Stardust. Doesn't this seem a bit different from what you expected?"
I chuckled and spoke to her as she watched the broadcast on the wall with a hardened expression.
Now. This show is about to get interesting.
***
"The helicopter! Is the helicopter ready?"
"Yes! We've set it up to move the moment a boat explodes!"
"Phew, there's nothing else, right?"
"We've also deployed other B-Rank and lower Heroes near the Han River!"
"Those guys won't be much help… Ha, with Stardust captured there, we're screwed."
Korean Hero Association Control Center.
In that place where countless agents moved busily, the Association President was wiping the sweat from his bald head with a towel.
He'd thought they were finally having peaceful days after a while, so why was this happening now?
Still wiping his sweat, he muttered while watching the situations in the cabins displayed on screen.
"That place is still chaos. Haah…"
[Let's press the button!!!]
[What if there's a boat that doesn't press it!]
[These people, seriously, move! I'll press it!]
[Has this person gone crazy? Everyone stop him!]
Egostic's broadcast of the cabins… was still a complete mess.