Chapter 3

Chapter 002

In this nationalistic light novel, there is a villain named 'Goblin'.

He is one of the officers of the evil organization 'Ketsuza', and in the original light novel, he attacks the academy the protagonist attends from the very first volume, tormenting the protagonist.

-Grrr...! You! How dare you ruin my plan! Just wait and see!

Of course, as with all lower-ranking officers of the evil organization, all attacks aimed at the protagonist fail.

-You always get in my way! If you let go of that girl and leave, I'll spare your life!

-I don't know what brainwashing you've done, but for stealing one of our organization's officers, I will definitely kill you!

-You keep interfering with me! If it weren't for you, our organization could have taken over this country! The world too! If it weren't for you!!!

He was trying to kidnap the 'heroines' at the academy when he was interrupted by the protagonist, who happened to be nearby, and after that, he kept being interrupted, eventually making it his goal to kill the protagonist.

Even his childhood friend became the protagonist's subordinate.

Even his direct superior became the protagonist's subordinate.

In the end, even the leader of the evil organization becomes the protagonist's subordinate in the final volume.

-Die, protagonist! Even if I die today, I will definitely kill you!

In the end, after being corrupted and despairing, he awakens and steals the abilities of all the villains, becoming a final boss-like existence.

That's me.

In the original, he is so despicable and unpleasant that even when he suffers 'BSS' and 'NTR', people say, "This guy deserves it," and his reputation is that bad.

I ended up being possessed by this villain.

I don't understand why I was possessed by such a guy instead of the protagonist, but I am now a villain of the secret organization 'Ketsuza', which aims to conquer the world, and I am doing my part.

To survive.

I was possessed at the point where I had already become a villain, and I am now in a position where I cannot leave this organization.

If I were to leave this organization, I would need to meet someone who can remove this ability and receive 'purification'.

That purification must be able to remove the 'restraint' that the leader has placed on me with his ability.

I even considered turning myself in to the Hero Union.

I haven't really done any villainous acts yet, and being a villain is much more restrictive than being a hero.

But.

After a few months of being a villain, I find it somewhat appealing.

Ding.

My smartphone alarm went off.

As soon as I checked, I saw a deposit record in the bank app.

(MetaBurst) Deposit. 34,123,293 KRW.

"...30 million, and anyone can be a villain."

A huge amount of money was deposited.

'MetaBurst' is one of the many shell companies of our Ketsuza, and I am registered as an employee of that shell company, receiving a salary.

Even for a secret organization, money is needed for basic activities, so there needs to be a way to use this money legally.

If this company is traced by the heroes, the account, bankbook, and smartphone will be seized, but Ketsuza is not an easy organization to handle.

Ding.

Another alarm went off from my pocket, and I took out another smartphone.

(HeroArchive) Deposit. 21,413,989 KRW.

Another smartphone, another account.

"30 million plus 20 million."

HeroArchive is also one of the shell companies.

In case one shell company is destroyed, Ketsuza manages its members systematically to ensure deposits can be made through other companies.

Even if we are caught by the International Hero Union, known as 'HERO', we can accumulate a large amount of money without much trouble until then.

There are three other places, but there isn't enough 'performance' to deposit there yet, but if we accumulate performance in the future.

"This month's salary will be 100 million."

The place where you can earn a monthly salary of 100 million is right here, Ketsuza.

Justice?

Heroes?

Protagonist?

They are all useless in front of money, and I am a vulgar capitalist who has bowed to the warm salary given by Ketsuza.

-Congratulations, Goblin. I will give you what you want.

-Not more, not less, just one sheet, please.

-One sheet? Will that be enough?

-Of course, Leader.

-Good. I've put 100 million in your account. I count on you for the next job. Ahem!

-...!

That's how I became a villain.

It's not because the leader is a beautiful beauty or because the officers, known as the 'Four Dark Kings', are all women.

I am not a girl who likes girls, but a girl who likes money.

'This is reality.'

Whether this world is a light novel or not, it has become my reality.

If there's no way to escape, isn't the right answer to live a life of luxury?

Bang---

"What?"

Outside the balcony window, a harsh honking sound rings out.

It's not clear if it's a car that didn't follow the traffic signal or the appearance of another villain.

Wail.

A villain alarm.

In this place, Seoul, this alarm is heard frequently, so I checked my smartphone just in case.

"...Not from our side?"

There is no news from Ketsuza.

But if a villain alarm goes off, it means a villain has genuinely appeared.

Click.

I turned on the TV.

I opened the channel that immediately reports news, specifically the news channel 'HTN' that specializes in content related to ability users, and checked the content.

[We report that the villain 'Red Scarf' is currently speeding along the Gyeongbu Expressway. Eight cars have been destroyed, and there are multiple casualties...]

"Another villain."

A villain appears every day.

Today's villain is 'driving' on the Gyeongbu Expressway at 200 km/h.

As if the expressway is an Autobahn, he is enjoying his speed alone.

[The suspect, villain 'Red Scarf', whose real name is Jeong Gong-in, is 19 years old and has been on a rampage immediately after being released from an ability user juvenile facility. The hero authorities...]

"Tsk tsk. A young guy already causing trouble."

A common trait among villains is that they are all under 25 years old.

It's a natural thing.

2000.

On the day the century's first digit changed, a meteorite from far away in space struck the Earth.

The meteorite contained extraterrestrial material, and after it spread across the Earth, a new type of human was born.

Ability users.

Beings who can use superpowers, children who can freely manipulate the new energy 'mana'.

Only children.

"New humans."

The oldest ability user is only 25 years old, born in 2000.

In stories where people awaken to abilities in modern times, adults sometimes awaken to abilities, but not in this light novel.

Was it a complaint about adults, or a resistance?

It could have been set so that adults would awaken to abilities, or it could have been set at the point where the first ability users became prominent figures in society.

In this light novel world, none of the adults in suits saying 'ahem' are ability users.

No one over 26, whose birth year starts with '1', can manifest abilities.

As a result, humanity began to experience a true generational conflict.

The old humans before awakening to abilities.

The new humans who have awakened to abilities.

Of course, the trap is that there are fewer than 100,000 officially recognized new humans, but the influence of these 100,000 new humans is enormous.

[This is the Dongtan Junction on the Gyeongbu Expressway! The villain Red Scarf is confirmed to be heading towards 'Seoul' to avoid the heroes' attention, while the heroes from 'Busan' are still passing through the Daegu area!]

[Are there no heroes from Seoul on the scene?]

[None!]

The world has entered an era of great chaos.

[How can there be no one in Seoul?]

[Because it's Seoul!]

There are no heroes in Seoul.

There are no heroes in Gyeonggi Province.

There are plenty of heroes in Busan.

Maybe the author is from Busan.

The capital is still Seoul, but the economic center has become Busan.

To put it extremely.

"If an apartment next to the Haeundae Hero Union building is 50 billion, and a brand apartment in Seoul's Gangnam has dropped to 300 million, that's it."

Even in this world of light novel fantasy, the people living in it are definitely 'real' beings.

I know this world is a light novel, but the people in this world are trembling in fear, not knowing when a villain, a young punk, will appear and cause chaos.

Now, this world is also my reality.

Whether I was a reader in my past life or whatever, I am now a villain and officer in this world's evil organization.

[The purpose of Red Scarf has been confirmed! He has stated on SNS that he will turn Seoul into a sea of fire, especially planning a large-scale arson in Gangnam!]

So.

[He has issued a warning that he will set fire to Banpojae...!]

"......No."

I looked outside.

"In our neighborhood?"