Villain Hides His True Color

Chapter 60

A large two-floor lecture hall.

Hero trainees gathered here could be seen eagerly taking notes on their tablet.

And on the platform of the lecture hall was Samaria, their school counselor for the year, in the middle of giving a lecture.

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It was the supposed scheduled time for basic physical fitness, but it had been replaced with a special lecture due to Professor Ma Dongguk’s injury.

The topic of today’s lecture was ‘teamwork.’

In a way, it could even be seen as boring, but in fact, teamwork could be said to be the most important aspect when working in the hero industry.

With a clear and pure voice, Samaria continued her lecture.

“I’m sure everyone has heard this at least once in their life. That is, to catch one villain, at least five heroes are needed.”

“However, I’m sure there are some of you who are against this view. You might ask. Why on earth would you need five heroes to deal with one villain?”

At her remark, some of the trainees nodded in agreement. She watched their reactions and quietly smiled.

“In fact, this opinion is shared even among the first people to have become heroes. In particular, the more confident a person was in their abilities, the more likely they were to have this school of thought.”

“However, let me make my position clear. I’d like to say that it’s a really big misconception.”

She continued her explanation by using metaphors one after another to make it easier for the trainees to understand.

Dealing with villains didn’t simply mean fighting criminals.

In a way, that was natural, but villains, unlike heroes, do not reveal their identities in the open.

There were cases where it was simply a find-and-catch, but for most villains, their whereabouts were currently unknown. When and where new villains will show up was another matter.

And the moment a villain appears and commits a crime against the citizens, for the hero side, it was as good as defeat.

So in fact, the most important aspect when dealing with villains could be said to be tracking them down as soon as possible, rather than just a measure of strength.

Even in the Hero Association, the manpower that was being used to track villains or prevent potential crimes accounted for a much larger portion than the number of heroes who fought directly against villains.

In addition, in order to safely subdue them, it was recommended to outnumber them if possible.

“…That’s why even world-class A-Rank heroes have their own information networks or they belong to large hero organizations.”

“Ah, of course, in this systematic area, I’m sure you all know that the Hero Association is the most advanced, right?”

When her explanation was over, the trainees who were listening to the lecture nodded their heads in agreement. She watched their reactions again and quietly smiled.

“Now! On that note, I want you guys to organize the most optimal five-member group to deal with villains by next week.”

“Based on the team formed this time, we’ll also conduct a practical evaluation, so please choose your team members carefully.”

Her lecture officially came to an end after saying as such.

As the trainees moved to attend their next classes, she sat alone in the classroom where everyone had left.

I’m sure it’s going to be hard for Noah.

Even ignoring age, his strength was at a level that she couldn’t understand with common sense.

And although she didn’t know what others were thinking, she was already convinced.

Noah was a Warrior who could interfere with the fate of this world.

However, even if he was such a person, it would be difficult for him to find villains alone and achieve results in a short period of time.

Huhu, things worked out easier than I thought.

She recalled the conversation she had with Noah.

[Then…Professor Samaria will be with me for a year?]

[You can say so. The contents of this exercise is that dangerous, so you should always be with me when you act outside the institute.]

[Ah…That’s a little too much. Can’t I just be on my own? Isn’t it just hunting villains anyway?]

Noah was fine with her guiding him 1:1, but as expected, he wasn’t very happy with such a proposal.

Of course, if she had insisted that it was part of the curriculum, he would have been forced to follow it, but as an A-Rank hero, she hadn’t come to the institute to establish a relationship between a professor and a student.

What she wanted was ‘total domination.’ The goal was to turn the coveted child into her own toy.

For this reason, she had suggested a bet.

[Do you want to make a bet with me? If Mr. Noah can hunt five villains by himself within a month and submit a report, I’ll not interfere with Mr. Noah’s actions for the next year.

[Hmm…]

[And if you can hunt a villain above the B-Rank, I’ll also give you this elixir.]

[Oh?]

She had offered an elixir she had prepared beforehand, and fortunately, Noah had shown interest in the bet.

[That’s good for me, but what’s in it for you? Is there something you want from me?]

[Huhu, there’s only one thing I want. If Mr. Noah loses this bet, I want us to work together after you graduate.]

[Hmm…well, okay. Instead, while I’m at the institute, please guarantee that I can use the hero license without professor present.]

[That won’t be difficult. It’s the professor’s job to be responsible for the students’ affairs.]

Thus, she had made a bet with Noah as she had planned.

As long as he had signed the magic contract, it could be said that the plan of dominating Noah was already a done deal.

Now he’s as good as mine.

Noah was naturally doomed to fail the task. And after a month, he’ll lose the bet.

And the moment he entered the Pyongyang branch, she was going to tame him thoroughly one way or another.

A twisted monster that only she could understand in this world. The very same Warrior the World Government was looking for.

She felt as if her body was already heating up when she imagined how she would be able to control him at will.

“Haa…”

Forgetting that this was a lecture room, she almost revealed her inner deep voice.

She suppressed her burning desire as she let out a hot breath.

Soon, her alter ego, which she had attached to Noah, sent a signal.

I’m already getting a call?

They had spoken just before the lecture…Had Noah given up in that short time?

Huhu, he’s quick to understand.

Noah was a clever boy, and he must have realized that it was impossible for him to win.

With a bright smile, she shared her consciousness with her alter ego. She excitedly spoke.

“That’s a good idea. No matter how great of a hero you are, if you’re alone…Huh?”

She had no choice but to stop what she was saying.

“Ah, you’re here. Professor?”

Noah was looking at her with a bright look on his face.

His body was covered in blood, and behind him, a park full of blood and corpses spread out in her view.

“Th-this..”.

It was different from what she had imagined.

He had found and killed a villain in such a short time? And this large number…

Her alter ego looked around with a dumbfounded look.

No way…did he kill innocent bystanders?

There could be no other explanation.

While she was in a state of panic, Noah spoke.

“It looks like I’ve won the bet. Ah, and please come here and solve this problem for me. Professor, you’re my sponsor, aren’t you?”

“…”

Looking at another twisted situation, Samaria had no choice but to be speechless for a while.

* * * * * * * * * *

Kim Taehi looked at the baby angel who had suddenly appeared next to Noah. The angel was talking to her team’s leader and the A-Rank hero Spiral Man, Jenon.

“No! Saintess. How in the world are you going to solve this problem?! And why is a trainee working outside? Can you explain everything?”

“I’m sorry…This is all my fault for teaching him wrong…”

The baby angel bowed her head in front of Jenon.

Although they were the same rank, Samaria could be said to be a far more senior hero in the industry.

But somehow, her figure looked a little pitiful at the moment.

It must be hard to make ends meet as a professor.

Kim Taehi watched it for a while before turning her head and asking Go Changsu who had come under her command the other day.

“I just saw that you knew Choi Noah…Can you tell me what kind of relationship it is?”

“Why are you asking?”

Hairy looked at her with an unfriendly attitude.

“What’s with that look? Is that the way you look at your boss?”

“Even if you’re my superior, I’ll never tell you anything that might harm him.”

Unlike his usual friendly and loyal behavior to the force, Go Changsu’s appearance now was full of vigilance like a bear trying to protect his young.

Seeing that kind of expression, she didn’t know the exact details, but she could guess their relationship.

That was, he also understood Noah’s pain.

She became spirited and the corner of her mouth unconsciously rose.

“If it’s hard to say, you don’t have to. I’m just worried about that little boy. I didn’t mean anything.”

“Really?”

“Yes. So don’t worry too much. But…aren’t you a bit arrogant today? What’s with the way you’re looking at your boss?!”

“Ah! I-I’m sorry about that…Keuk!”

Pak–!

After lightly hitting Go Changsu on the chest, she shook her fist. Go Changsu coughed and fell to the ground.

“Keu-keuh…”

“So shabby.”

He had grit and was good natured, but he seemed very weak.

I’ll have to train him properly at some point.

She looked at him pitifully, and soon looked up.

The terrible landscape that she had been trying to ignore came into view again.

Decapitated heads rolling around like a ball in the playground, and pools of blood that had turned the sand red.

The phrase ‘sea of blood, mountain of corpses’ was a perfect fit for the sight before her.

Seeing that there was no movement among the bodies scattered around the park, there were probably no survivors.

And in the middle of such a landscape, Noah, covered in blood, could be seen watching the investigators recovering the bodies.

As expected…he’s…

Like what she had felt that day, it was clear that he had a terrible hatred for villains.

Upon obtaining a hero license he had committed such a genocide.

This…is it really the right thing to do?

She understood in her head that she should lead him on a more peaceful path, but as someone who also understood his pain, she had become cautious to even speak out.

After the investigation is over…I’m going to have a proper conversation with him.

***

[ Translator – Yasi ]

[ Proofreader – Karane ]

***

As she thought as such, suddenly, she saw a woman walking nonchalantly among the busy investigators.

Long glossy, black hair, and lustrous red eyes.

It was an elf beautiful enough to attract anyone’s attention.

She seemed to be looking for something on the ground.

Since when did she get here?

No, more than that, why hadn’t anyone else caught the attention of the elf who had such an appearance?

The people around her didn’t seem to notice. Like a shadow, it would be hard to feel her presence if she didn’t look closely.

It was suspicious.

That’s…leftover of the villains?

“You there! What are you doing?!”

Kim Taehi shouted loudly and strode toward the woman. The woman smiled and replied.

“I’ve found it even if you hadn’t noticed.”

A pitch black shadow began to spread around her. Then, she seized one of the corpses on the ground and it went inside her shadow.

Kim Taehi, who saw it, urgently shouted.

“There’s still a villain here! Arrest her now!”

At the same time as her words fell, the heroes around her launched a direct attack on the woman.

Dozens of magic and ability flew.

But…

Sheup–!

All of the deadly attacks were drawn into the shadows around her.

“H-how…?”

Those who looked at it opened their mouths without realizing it. A sudden appearance of a strong person.

They couldn’t even understand her ability.

“Well, I’ll be on my way. Thank you for cleaning up the mess.”

“W-wait! Stop!”

Kim Taehi rushed toward the woman using her mana.

She must have something to do with the case!

But at that moment, Noah had coincidentally blocked her path, causing her to delay her steps.

And in that brief moment, the woman had gone inside a shadow and disappeared somewhere.

Like a dream, there was no trace left where she had stood.

The hell…who was she?

Kim Taehi had no choice but to stand absent-minded for a while as if she was glued to the spot.

* * * * * * * * * *

“Keuh…”

Kim Gyuhwan, one of the survivors from Eighth Layer Hell, came to his senses with a groan.

Bright light poured through his half-open eyelids.

“…Euuk!”

After blinking a few times, his dim vision began to take shape to some extent.

A white room with white tiles. Bright lights that looked like those in an operating room shone on him.

“Th-this…”

It was hard to think in his faint state of consciousness.

“I…”

He gradually retraced the last thing he had seen.

Soon, a child’s face flashed across his mind.

And then a terrible pain came as soon as he realized the fact that his legs had been twisted in the opposite direction.

“Kuaaak!”

He screamed and struggled, but his body wouldn’t move.

Looking down, he found himself naked and firmly secured.

“Keuk! Wh-what’s this…?”

Hurriedly looking around, he noticed various surgical tools. Was he taken to a hospital?

Thinking as such, he noticed someone approaching with an iron cart.

Elf with black hair and red eyes. Soon, she looked down at him with indifference.

“R-release me right now! I have no intention of receiving treatment here!”

In a low, subdued voice, the woman asked.

“Treatment?”

The face, which was as beautiful as a master’s work of art, was now distorted like that of a devil from hell.

Glaring at him with madness in her eyes, she continued.

“Did you say treatment? How dare you try to kill Noah…”

Black shadows rose and swayed from her body. The pressure made it hard for him to breathe.

“Keuuk! Keok! Keuhok! S-stop…”

There was a mysterious energy clutching his heart and he felt as if it was going to explode.

The woman in front of him now, like the boy he had met a while ago, was a monster he had no way of resisting.

As such, he thought he was going to die. But fortunately, the pressure disappeared.

“Keuhok! Heuk…heuk…”

He breathed heavily.

“Be careful what you say from now on. I might just kill you.”

The woman said as she began to silently apply something to his bound body.

A dark, thick liquid that looked like tar. His body would heat up and he felt as if his senses were being dialed up whenever such a liquid touched his body.

Wh-what the hell kind of liquid is this?

And not only that, who was this woman? What was she trying to do?

He had a lot of questions he wanted to ask.

But he couldn’t open his mouth because he thought he would suffer again like earlier.

As his tension rose, the woman in front of him kindly told him the answer.

“It’s a drug that amplifies the sensation of the body tenfold.”

“Wh-why did you apply that kind of drug on me…?”

He asked in a trembling voice. His wild imaginations naturally continued.

In the meantime, the woman grabbed a pair of medical pliers from the cart. Applying it to one of his fingernails, she spoke.

“Let’s start from here.”

“N-no! Stop!”

“Don’t worry. People don’t die that easily. I’ve experienced it all…Perhaps there will be no mistake.”

“W-wait…Kuaaaaak!”

Crack–!

The first terrible pain of such kind he had experienced in his life. It was as if he had lost a year off his life.

He frantically struggled, but he couldn’t move because his body was tightly bound.

Then, the woman’s voice came into his ears.

“Huhu…the first order Noah gave me. I will succeed at all costs…”

Crack–!

“Kuaaaaaaaak!”

.

.

.

And a few hours later, Kim Gyuhwan had no choice but to spit out all the information he knew.

* * * * * * * * * *

“That’s all for today. I will summon you again, so please be sure to come then, and oh, Saintess, please stay behind a little longer.”

“…”

Thanks to Samaria as my shield, I was released only after a few hours of inquiry.

There will be complicated legal procedures and other problems, but with my background and Samaria, I thought it wouldn’t be too hard to move on.

“Noah! How are you doing?”

“Long time no see. Choi Noah.”

Hairy and the meat shield happily greeted me.

“Ah, sorry. I’m a little busy. We’ll chat another time.”

“H-huh? W-wait a minute!”

Ignoring them, I went straight to Elizabeth with < Road of a Warrior >.

She had informed me earlier that the interrogation was done, so I thought I would be able to find out who was behind the attack after I got there.

But…

“Is that all?”

“I’m sorry…he didn’t know very much.”

Elizabeth’s long ears drooped. It seemed she didn’t slack off, seeing that there were blood stains everywhere on her apron…

“Hmm…”

I looked at the guy tied to the operating table.

He was constantly convulsing with his skin turned inside out. It seemed it would be difficult to extract any more information from him.

So this really was all the information…

I summoned Buldol and Alsun and had them get rid of the body.

Then, I looked at the report Elizabeth had written.

Since I wasn’t very interested in the man’s name or ability, I only focused on his background and purpose for the attack.

Eighth Layer Hell…

The sudden attack this time was all caused by villains belonging to this group.

Perhaps they had offered a reward for revenge after I had personally killed one the other day and it was shown on the news. In any case, it was clear that they would continue to trouble and attack me.

“Hmm…”

However, there was no further information.

These guys’ means of operation were thoroughly over the internet, so there was no way to track them.

Ah, I really wanted to play with them…

If there were any small clues, I could deduce it from there, but now I didn’t even have that, so it was frustrating.

As I thought as such,

Ding–!

A new message came to mind.

I looked at the message and smiled.

[Challenge – Eighth Layer Hell (1)]

Condition: Visit the Wailing Wall located in Kowloon.

Time: Unlimited.

Reward: 1x Random Box (High).

Hmm…it seemed I would have to go to Hong Kong first.

The small clue I was looking for had come. I didn’t know what was there yet, but when I heard the word Hong Kong, there was one person that crossed my mind.

Come to think of it…wasn’t that person from Kowloon?

“Hong Kong…It’s been a while since I’ve seen that person.”

I was immersed in my thoughts as I searched through my memories of the first round.

And Elizabeth, who had heard me mumbling to myself, asked.

“Who do you want to see?”

“My love is there.”

“L-love?! L-lie! Th-that’s…”

“Really beautiful…”

“…”

Elizabeth went to a corner and began muttering something to herself. Did she say she was going to kill someone? There was a shadow swaying around her.

Ignoring her, I recalled the person I had met in the past.

No, to be exact, what I had gotten after killing the fellow.

That sword was so beautiful.

Having recalled my past love, I prepared to head to Hong Kong.

____