Although a Villain, My Wish is World Peace

I roughly heard about the situation inside from Han Seo-hyeon.

“So those bastards have no intention of keeping the hostages alive at all?”

“Yes, they’re planning to kill them all.”

“Urgh.”

We can’t rashly enter because we’re worried about the hostages, but at this rate they’ll all die even if we leave them be.

Originally I was planning to just snatch away the escape ability user, but they’re not brainless either so they kept him right by their side. It means there’s no way to divert the escape ability user without entering there.

If we can’t divert the escape ability user, the villains of the Top will escape anytime. And they’ll probably cause incidents like this several times in the future.

I can’t stand to see that again.

In this situation, the surest method is probably that after all. I sighed after checking Han Seo-hyeon’s expression.

“Haa.”

At my sigh, Han Seo-hyeon’s eyes turned chilly.

“Haaaa.”

No matter how I think about it, that’s the only way. But if I say this method, I don’t think Han Seo-hyeon will leave me be.

“What is it! Stop just sighing and tell me!”

“It seems I have no choice but to go inside there myself.”

“Wasn’t that your plan from the start?”

“Uh, well. I’m thinking of changing the plan a bit.”

Our original plan was for the three of us to raid that place together. But you see. Since I enticed Yoo Seon-je, there’s no need to do that anymore. Because I thought of a much better plan. The problem is…

“I’ll go in alone.”

“Whaaaat?”

“Your eyes are about to pop out.”

“It feels like curses are about to pop out though.”

Han Seo-hyeon’s expression saying that was fierce. I hurriedly explained the plan to Han Seo-hyeon. After hearing all that plan, Han Seo-hyeon…

“So you’re going to go in alone?”

He was still glaring at me with a nasty expression.

“Isn’t it much better than fighting?”

“That wasn’t the original plan though.”

“Well, if we fight openly, the damage to the hostages will be too big.”

It’s different from Park Sang-pyeon’s time. Back then, the strategy of me alone marking Park Sang-pyeon while the other two diverted the hostages was possible, but in this case it’s impossible because there are three enemies too.

It’s the same even if Yoo Seon-je intervenes. If an all-out battle occurs, the hostages’ lives can’t be guaranteed.

‘The damage will probably be big.’

While we could intensively mark Assembler, in Gemini’s case we wouldn’t be able to avoid large-scale casualties.

“But with this plan, we can protect the hostages. Moreover, there’s no need to fight…”

“And Boss will be in danger.”

“Only if I fail.”

And I have no intention of failing.

I quickly added:

“In case of emergency, you guys can join quickly, right?”

Unlike me, Han Seo-hyeon who can handle sand and Kim Jae-ho who can move through shadows can enter instantly in an emergency.

—You’d be less hateful if you just couldn’t speak.

Han Seo-hyeon, who had been quietly looking at me at my explanation, sighed and said:

“If it seems even a bit dangerous, I’ll enter right away.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“I don’t care about the hostages at all.”

It was a chilling statement. I glanced at Kim Jae-ho. If necessary, he’ll stop Han Seo-hyeon… no, he won’t be able to. It’ll be fortunate if he doesn’t get involved together.

Though not very reliable, these are the team members I chose.

For now, I have no choice but to trust them.

* * *

Cha Song-jin bit his lip looking at the hostages sitting here and there.

The humans packed in the stores and hallways made him feel suffocated just looking at them. What was even more chilling was that everyone here was out of their minds. Even someone’s muttering mixed in between sobbing sounds.

“D-don’t cry. Please…”

Cha Song-jin carefully spoke to the person next to him. But those trapped in illusions showed no reaction to Cha Song-jin’s words.

He was scared.

He was so scared and trembling as if he would faint at any moment.

He was scared of the villains who killed people while laughing nonchalantly, but he was also scared of the people crying while staring into space.

“I’m scared!”

Why on earth did he have to suffer something like this?

‘If it was going to be like this, it would have been better not to awaken at all!’

Wouldn’t it have been better not to have a mere ‘escape’ ability?

Such a pathetic ability that couldn’t protect his own body or fight for someone else. To think he’d be dragged here and have to transport people he didn’t want to.

If he could really escape, if he could just go somewhere with no one, he would have escaped as much as he could.

Cha Song-jin’s eyes were dying black.

At that moment, a small mouse appeared at his feet. Though he flinched, Cha Song-jin managed not to scream.

The mouse spat out the note it had been carrying in its mouth at Cha Song-jin’s feet.

On the carefully unfolded note…

「If you want to live, do as I say.」

Words that Cha Song-jin couldn’t possibly refuse were written.

* * *

I entered the department store and scrunched my face at the pungent smell.

“The smell of blood…”

And the acrid smell of soot remained terribly inside the building.

—My goodness.

Everywhere visible was red. I drew in a breath as I confirmed the corpses strewn here and there.

—…How terrible.

The state of the corpses was not good for Ray to say that. From corpses with their insides and outsides reversed, to corpses that melted while alive.

There were quite a few ordinary people, but the number of awakeners was also considerable. Among the awakeners, there were even 5-Circle hunters, but they were insufficient to stop the villains of the Top who suddenly rushed in.

Even roughly counting, it’s close to hundreds of people.

There were so many corpses that the soles of my shoes were dyed red even after just a few steps.

“Really…”

I truly hated the villains of the Top.

Unlike other guys, why do they commit such acts when they have abilities? I couldn’t understand them.

Dissatisfaction with society? Inferiority complex? Why do they try to satisfy such things by taking away others’ lives?

“The damage has gotten bigger than before.”

—Is that so?

“Yes. Before, it was at most dozens of people…”

Seol Rok-jin targeting this department store is something that didn’t happen before. Sirius, who failed to conquer ‘Serena’s Ice Palace’, didn’t have the strength to open a department store.

So they postponed opening this department store, and later sold it off due to funds.

Unlike the past, Sirius remained strong despite the ‘failure’ and so they targeted this department store.

Villains who invaded even a department store operated by the great Sirius Guild, and hunters and the Awakener Crimes Department failing to arrest those villains.

Bringing down Sirius too, and engraving the perception that awakeners are dangerous.

Killing two birds with one stone.

The crowds gathered outside were spectators who would watch the picture Seol Rok-jin drew from the front row seats.

The hundreds of people who died here probably don’t matter at all. Because he’s not the kind of person who cares about such things.

I was now walking along a path of blood.

The despair and fear these people must have felt clung unpleasantly to my skin.

The terrorism is already a success.

Because when this fact leaks outside, everyone will be terrified.

But there are still people alive.

“And there are villains who need to be punished.”

That alone is enough reason for me to enter there.

* * *

The place where the villains of the Top settled was the hunter armory on the 3rd floor. Walking between hostages groaning trapped in Trickster’s illusion, I found the three villains stationed there.

“Hello.”

At my greeting, magic power rose fiercely right away. I raised both hands.

“Uh, I surrender, I surrender.”

“You!”

The woman with twin tails pointed at me.

“Weltschmerz!”

Thanks to Gemini recognizing my mask, the killing intent of the two people softened a bit.

“What business do you have coming here?”

“You’re throwing such an interesting party. I couldn’t help but come to watch.”

Though they were on edge, they didn’t attack me for now, probably because I’m the ‘same’ villain.

It was as I expected.

I smiled brightly.

The three people I was seeing for the first time in two months since Serena’s Ice Palace were just as I remembered.

Despite committing terrible acts, there wasn’t a hint of guilt on their faces. Well, these humans worse than beasts could commit such acts.

“This is surprising. To think you’d break through my illusion.”

At Trickster’s words, I tapped my mask.

“It’s quite a useful artifact.”

“What business do you have coming here?”

This time it’s Assembler’s question.

“Didn’t I tell you just now? I couldn’t help but come watch such an interesting party being thrown.”

“You really just came to watch?”

“Yes.”

I nodded exaggeratedly and said while waving my hand:

“To think you’d occupy an entire department store opened by Sirius, of all places. Isn’t it an achievement like a dream for villains? Plus all these hostages here.”

While saying that, I glanced over the hostages.

Among them is the escape ability user who will safely divert the villains.

Kim Chun-tae. Real name Cha Song-jin. It was almost impossible to find him hiding among the hostages with their heads bowed low. But I picked him out without difficulty.

The guy whose eyes met mine in my mask trembled.

‘Good, preparations are all done.’

After confirming Cha Song-jin’s state, I turned my gaze back to the three villains. Assembler bared his teeth looking at me.

“But this isn’t courteous at all. Coming to just add a spoon to the table we set.”

“That’s right, if you want to keep that pretty head attached to your neck, you’d better scram.”

“Yeah yeah, everything here is ours. So scram without thinking of touching anything.”

The three people’s words poured out at me almost simultaneously.

“Oh my, it hurts my heart a bit when you say that.”

I said that and added while shrugging my shoulders:

“I have a conscience too. How could I have come to covet the share that the Top villains I respect should naturally obtain?”

At my words, Gemini grinned and said:

“Really? You didn’t say that when chasing out the old man. Moreover, you said you liked us! Why didn’t you join us?”

“Due to circumstances, I have to move alone now. Though I’d like to join the Top anytime in my heart, those circumstances… Ah, the world is so cruel.”

I pretended to wipe tears above my mask.

“As I said, I have no intention at all of coveting your spoils! I really came here because I couldn’t miss the chance to see the three of you whom I respect endlessly. Personally, I respect Blood Demon very much too, but I think the three of your activities are truly the realm of art.”

At my words, Gemini immediately showed a reaction.

“Reeeally? You respect us?”

Though she pretends not to be, she’s weak to words praising herself.

In the first place, the villains of the Top are all attention seekers. But the attention given to them is all just things like contempt and disgust. Yet they’re all too prickly to flatter each other. So it’s not strange that they’re weak to obvious flattery.

Gemini’s actual mental age was quite young too.

I’m very familiar with this type.

“Of course, the villains of the Top. Anyone would have no choice but to admire those who named themselves villains. I admired several times even while coming here. As expected, the Top villains are different from the scale. To think you’d make Sirius eat shit!”

Though Trickster, who wore a mask hiding his face just like me, still seemed wary of me, Gemini beamed at my words.

“That’s right, that’s right! We made those shameless bastards eat shit.”

But she wasn’t the only one showing a favorable reaction to me.

“If you’re done watching, leave.”

At Trickster’s words, I tilted my head and said:

“Well, I had some business to take care of along with watching.”

“I knew you didn’t just come! What on earth are you aiming for?”

At Assembler’s irritation, I immediately said:

“You all know our group’s maknae is a necromancer, right? As it happens, we needed some fresh materials.”

“Fresh materials?”

“Yes, as I said earlier, since I respect you deeply in my heart. I wanted to see you in person too…”

I trailed off and shifted my gaze to the hostages while saying:

“If it’s alright with you, I was wondering if I could receive a few of those hostages you captured as a souvenir. Two or three?”