Chapter 45

Chapter 044

At that moment, in the top floor of a building in Busan, in the chairman's office of Haegul.

"What do you mean the Goblin's patent application failed? What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

A bald, short old man bellowed.

The men in suits, the directors, all bowed their heads and looked at someone.

"Kim Executive Director! You explain it! You're the one in charge of this project!"

"...We have verified all domestic patents. We reviewed the records from the year 00 to 25, 24 hours a day, and also confirmed all the previous materials."

"But why did the patent office reject it for plagiarism?!"

"...There were Goblin-related materials in the United States."

Kim Executive Director, sweating cold sweat, manipulated the Taeguk Watch, and soon a report in English appeared on the screen hanging on the wall of the chairman's office.

"As you can see, a U.S. company submitted the following for a hero costume design. This was at the end of 2024, about four months ago, around Christmas."

"So, the U.S. company posted that design first?"

"Yes. Our Haegul branch in the U.S. is verifying, but we are checking if the company that filed this patent had a close connection with the Goblin. However, the possibility is low... They registered a total of about 30 designs similar to the Goblin's second form, 'Dorider.'"

"One of them was exactly the same as the Goblin's?"

"Not exactly the same, but very similar. Personally, it looks like they took the Goblin's design and made some adjustments..."

"Damn it!"

The chairman of Haegul cursed and slumped into his chair.

"Cancel all the Goblin-related product developments! Figures, stickers, and even the moving toys!"

"But, in the case of the model kits, the prototypes have already been made..."

"Get rid of them! What's the point of selling them if we can't get the patent? No matter who we are, we can't sell something without official approval!!"

We can't sell anything based on the villain's materials.

If we do, we'll be accused of having some connection with the villain's organization.

Or, if the villain commits a major crime—like murder—any products based on that villain will become worthless.

That's why we tried to secure the patent rights through a workaround, like with Haegul Rider, but it all went wrong from the start.

"Damn it, what are Hwanseong and Daeyu doing?!"

"They are slower than us, but they were also gathering related materials and preparing for the patent application. Hwanseong, for example, filed for a patent review the day before yesterday."

"They should be rejected too. If we didn't pass, they shouldn't either. Damn it, it's not like there are Goblin fans in high places in this country. How did they even check the foreign patent materials? Damn it."

The chairman clenched his teeth and tore at his hair.

"Find out the names of the people who reviewed the patent. We need to know why they rejected it. Why are they so sensitive about the Goblin when they usually give a free pass to other foreign heroes or villains? Kim Executive Director, you take responsibility for this!!"

"Yes, yes! I will definitely get the names of the responsible parties and find out the background of why they rejected the patent! Whether it's simply because the content is similar to the foreign patent or if there's some connection with the Goblin!"

"Right! You must find out!"

"Mr. Chairman, what about that kid?"

"Kid? Ah, that idiot who thinks he's something just because of his powers?"

The chairman manipulated the Taeguk Watch and played a video.

In the center of the video, which was filming a real-time scene, was a hesitant young boy, Yook Gibeom.

"We need to teach him the harsh reality. Get rid of him."

There was no trace of mercy in the chairman's eyes.

"He's calling himself 'Gibeom Rider.' Tsk."

"Mr. Chairman, what if he goes berserk...?"

"That's Sejong Island, not Busan. If he really goes berserk and becomes a 'real' villain, it's good for us. The heroes will take care of it."

A moment later.

"Or, maybe the real Goblin will come and take care of it."

In the video, Yook Gibeom began to 'go berserk.'

* * *

I had already anticipated that a Goblin knockoff would appear.

Why? Because from the moment I first revealed myself and gained popularity, my default appearance was plagiarized.

Black suit.

Goblin mask.

A hat that looks like a British gentleman.

Glowing golden eyes inside.

It was a strange figure that just wore a regular suit, but they plagiarized it and designed it as a 'Hero Goblin' or 'Scattered Hair Goblin.'

Even a famous men's suit brand in the U.S. parodied me in their advertising concept.

Of course, I didn't receive a single penny in advertising fees, licensing, or modeling fees.

After transforming into Dorider.

I consulted with the Boss about this matter, and after reviewing my various forms, the Boss filed the design for international patents.

-It should only take a day. No, a day is too long. I'll handle it in an hour.

-Is that possible?

-It's me.

The Boss's organization is a villain group, so isn't it legally impossible?

So, like Haegul, we brought in a symbol that others can't easily criticize and filed for the patent.

-Thank you, Chairman. The Fahrenheit family will never forget your support.

Just as Haegul embedded the Goblin's design among various other designs, we also partnered with a powerful American family and filed the villain's design.

Domestically, they probably wouldn't know.

That the design called 'Dorider' was already patented in the U.S.

Haegul must feel betrayed.

When they find out that the reason for the patent rejection is that the Goblin's design was already registered in the U.S., all the villains in Korea will think the same.

-Is the Goblin an American?

In reality, I'm a native Korean who can't even speak English, but those who tried to steal my design fell into the Boss's trap and failed to achieve their goals.

In other words.

'Sadly, there can be no Gibeom Rider in this world.'

The patent failed.

Yook Gibeom's dream of making money off the Goblin's design, and Haegul's ambition to use an immature high school student to gain fame and money, are both over.

The problem is.

"This can't be...! I've been abandoned? Ugh, these damn bastards...!! No, I'm a Rider! I have to be the 'first' Rider...!!"

Clearly, they were at fault, but instead of admitting it, they are going berserk on their own.

"Kraaaah!!"

A massive amount of mana began to burst from Yook Gibeom's body.

The mana soon created a wind that pushed away the people around him.

Crash!

"Kyaaah!!"

The glass shattered from the wind pressure created by the mana, and people fell over.

"Human casualties! I hereby designate Yook Gibeom as the villain 'Doppelganger'!"

As the police shouted into the radio, the villain alarm began to sound on everyone's Taeguk Watches.

It's ridiculous that they only designated Yook Gibeom as a villain after human casualties occurred, but the police's words are not wrong.

Click.

I covered my Taeguk Watch with my hand and turned off the villain alarm.

Meanwhile, Yook Gibeom, or rather Doppelganger, began to change.

[I'm, I'm the number one Rider...! I have to be the first Rider...!]

He began to go berserk.

He started to be corrupted by madness.

Not by the mana from the alien source underground in Sejong Island, but by his own anger at not getting what he wanted, which turned into a desire to destroy.

"Everyone, take cover!!"

I gave the instructions to the people according to the manual.

Yoon Eui-sun turned her head toward me for a moment, and I nodded to her and ran back with the people.

The clear berserk of the superhuman.

Until a moment ago, the staff and non-superhumans had to come to the scene to support, but in a situation where a superhuman is clearly berserk, the staff are just as powerless as non-superhumans.

"Pull yourself together, Yook Gibeom junior!!"

"Chairman! It's too late! That guy is already a villain! He had the potential to become a villain from the beginning!"

"We have to try to persuade him! It's not too late! If we can persuade him before he becomes a villain, a demon...!"

[Kha-ha-ha-ha!!]

It's too late.

Before the hero could persuade him, Yook Gibeom had already become not 'Gibeom Rider' but 'Gibeom Monster.'

[The world is lying to me! I'm the real Rider! I'm the first! Now, I will attack the patent office!!]

Or, the demon Yook Gibeom.

'He's gone mad to the point where he can't be reasoned with. Or, has he already fallen into his own world where the world's common sense doesn't apply?'

Sadly, he was completely consumed by madness.

'Sufficient conditions met.'

I am.

A stranger.

Not a person of this world.

No one knows me.

At the moment I thought that, the world seemed to stop.

In the