Chapter 46

Chapter 045

Honestly, I had thought that I would have to step in halfway, but I had hoped that the matter would be resolved well without me having to do so.

Even when I hid in the alley, I considered not taking off my clothes and just enduring it, but the moment I saw Yoon Eui-seon, my body moved on its own.

[Are you okay?]

"Ah, yes...!"

Slightly, Yoon Eui-seon's gaze makes me feel uncomfortable.

I did save her, but it's really burdensome to be looked at as if I'm a hero who saved her from danger.

I'm not a hero, but a villain.

[Ha, hahaha, you've appeared, fake!!]

[Who are you calling a fake?]

[You appeared like this because you think you're a fake!]

Yukibori pointed at me and mocked.

[Look, this very appearance is proof that I am the real 'Rider'! You know it too, that's why you appeared like this!]

There's no point in talking.

For a conversation to work, there needs to be give and take, but Yukibori is just talking as if he's in his own world.

[Is this because you recognize me as the real one?]

[Of course! I don't know what you did, but now the owner of this appearance is me, Yukibori! The helmeted Rider's appearance is the original, and it's mine!]

[Is that so.]

I extended my hands lightly forward.

Clap, clap, clap.

[Congratulations.]

[What...?]

[Whether it's Kibong Rider or whatever, the power of a superhuman is to bring their delusions into reality. I don't care what abilities you had before, but the power emanating from you now clearly shows an overwhelming 'ego'.]

[Get to the point!]

[...In short.]

I lightly tapped my temples with my index finger.

[Your delusions are so excessive that the power coming out is this strong. It's scary.]

[Wh-what...!!]

Everyone in the square burst into laughter.

Whether they understood my words or not, anyone can admit that Yukibori's delusions have gone too far.

[Ha, ha! So you're scared! You must be scared! I'm the real one! I'm the true Rider!]

But Yukibori is already completely insane.

It seems the patent failure was the trigger, and now something like a demon's wings is fluttering behind him.

"Kyaahh!!"

People started screaming and running away as he turned into a real demon.

Even with several heroes gathered and a goblin in front, the mere presence of a real demon can lead to being caught in the aftermath and killed.

[Look at this! They're running away because they're scared of me! This is proof that my power is stronger than the goblin!!]

[Your delusions are severe enough to be considered a serious condition.]

Well, it's serious, so he became a demon.

[Yukibori, you're a villain with a headache now, so I'll treat your head with this bat.]

[No!!]

Yukibori pointed at me.

[Transform! I, Yukibori! We need to determine who the true Rider is right here and now!]

[What?]

[Didn't you come here to settle that? Transform, hurry up!!]

[.......]

Are you telling me to transform again in a place with so many people?

Like Doki Rider?

[If you don't transform, I'll start killing the people here one by one!]

Now he's even threatening to kill.

[These powerless worms, hahaha!]

Just a day ago, this student was talking about walking the path of a hero, but now he's so unhesitant to kill people, it's clearly the influence of the demon.

A demon can possess anyone, anywhere, anytime.

In martial arts, it's called a heart demon (心魔), in the East, it's called Mara, and in the distant West, it's called Satan.

[You're incredibly arrogant.]

Among the seven deadly sins, the demon enveloping Yukibori now is the demon of pride.

He's deluded into thinking he's the 'strongest' and is obsessed with the delusion that he's the 'real one.' He calls those without abilities 'powerless' and considers himself superior.

[No matter what the world calls you, I'm now certain. You are.]

I aimed the end of the bat at Yukibori.

[A villain not even worth executing.]

[Wh-what...?]

I lightly shook the bat, making it disappear in a mist.

It's more like a reverse summoning.

[When a villain pretending to be me appeared, I came to see, but dealing with someone like you is a waste of time. It would be better to spend that time catching a villain who kills people and runs away.]

[Ha, ha...! Are you scared?!]

I don't fall for the provocation.

[I'm not scared, but arguing over who's real and who's fake in a transformed state is beneath me.]

Executing someone like him would be a disgrace to the villains I've already executed.

Such a fool who can't even become a villain.

[Dealing with you in this form is appropriate.]

[What...?]

It's a good thing.

There's no better way to remove the excessive 'Doki Rider fever' from people than this.

[Transform.]

There's no belt.

Instead, the object in my hand is a fan full of traditional charm.

[I told you. I'm a passing scholar goblin.]

I opened and closed the fan, and then transformed—

"Wait, just a moment!!"

Someone called me.

Turning my head slightly to the side, it was the vice president who had stopped Yoon Eui-seon and me from running earlier.

"Surely, you're not going to transform into another appearance! Goblin!"

[.......]

"Our traditional fan! Surely, you're not going to transform into a scholar in a hanbok here!!"

Why is he suddenly saying such strange things?

No, how did he know?

"Transform into Doki Rider! If you don't transform into Doki Rider in this situation, it's a betrayal!"

[Betrayal?]

"Yes! Everyone is watching! Transform into Doki Rider!!"

[...What nonsense.]

I said, but honestly, it's hard to transform as planned with such a mixed feeling.

"Transform...."

"Come on, surely you're not going to transform into a scholar?"

"Wow, really disappointing.... You were the first to become Doki Rider...."

The stag beetle-shaped Rider, the cyclist, the Oobang Special Team, and those who came running in Mekatirano suits all looked at me with eyes full of anticipation.

'No, I'm a villain, people.'

What do you want from a villain?

Even if you pursue romance, there's a limit to it, isn't there?

'Well, it's understandable to be enthusiastic.'

The real one appeared in front of the fake who claimed to be the real one.

The real one completely denied the fake, and the real one provoked the fake, asserting that he is the real one.

[There's a folk tale like this. A mouse ate a scholar's fingernails and transformed into a scholar, driving the real one out of the house. Do you know how that story ends?]

Whirr.

I extended my hand to the side.

[The fake mouse was killed by the real one.]

A belt appeared in my hand, and I took a deep breath, assuming a stance.

Just as I was about to say—

[Transform—]

[Ha, hahaha!]

Yukibori.

[Die, fake!!]

He raised a gun.

No.

Attacking during a transformation...?

Bang!

The gun was aimed directly at my forehead.

* * *

Yoon Eui-seon is a hero aspirant.

Therefore, she has no intention of endorsing the goblin's act of killing.

However, even if she can't endorse his actions, she found herself quietly cheering him on in her heart.

Seeing him take revenge on behalf of those who couldn't even avenge their murdered families, Yoon Eui-seon felt an indescribable catharsis from the goblin's actions.

As a hero aspirant, Yoon Eui-seon was a fan of the goblin.

She had no intention of injecting her personal feelings into hero work, but she couldn't forgive those who tried to take away the goblin's rights by claiming to be the goblin.

She couldn't forgive the 'old men in the back room' who had incited a student to cause this situation.

Still, the first thing a hero should do is persuade.

But when persuasion failed and she was in danger, the goblin appeared and saved her.

He didn't need to, but he kicked a utility pole and appeared in front of her.

Not just because of her fandom, but she was moved by the goblin's actions.

She fell in love again with the way he punished the guilty under the name of execution and saved the innocent as if they were not.

It was a bit disappointing that he appeared in a suit instead of as Doki Rider, but the goblin seemed to be trying to transform for her.

But.

How could he do such a thing?

No matter how much the opponent is a villain, even a villain goblin.

'Attacking during a transformation?'

She knows.

Heroes also learned at the academy.

Villains have no rights, and there's no reason to show mercy to a villain.

"Danger—"

Just as Yoon Eui-seon was gathering mana in her hand to launch a bead.

[Tsk.]

With a mocking laugh, a golden mana spread forward from the goblin's belt.

Kagagang!!

[Wh-what?!]

The golden wind that spread from the goblin quickly concealed his appearance, and the bullet fired by Yukibori was not deflected by the wind but 'sliced' and disappeared.

[Transform.]

Rustle.

As the wind subsided, the goblin revealed himself, extending his right hand to the side.

[Now, foolish one, who can't even become a villain.]

The goblin lightly flicked his right hand to the side, and a black bat materialized in his grasp, accompanied by a trail of light.

[It's time for a lesson.]

The goblin aimed the bat at Yukibori, tilted his head slightly to the side, and started approaching him.

"Ah."

Yoon Eui-seon was genuinely disappointed.

'Not being able to see that from the front!'

Because she was standing right behind the goblin.