Chapter 77

EP.77 Inauguration Ceremony

"An alliance of villains?"

"Yeah."

Underground base.

There, I gathered the members and was explaining my grand plan.

To summarize in one sentence, we will become another force to counter the Hero Association.

The plan is to gather villains with various abilities and become one of the major powers in South Korea.

"...What exactly are we going to do by gathering like this?"

"Do? We'll handle terrorism and other villains."

"...But you said we would become an alliance of villains. What do you mean by handling other villains?"

"What do you mean? We'll ally with the villains who 'cooperate' with us and take care of the villains who oppose us."

Just as I have handled numerous villains so far, I plan to continue doing so. Of course, it will mostly be in the form of me, who has knowledge of the original work, swiftly dealing with them.

We can also recruit a few more new villains based on the original work, only the strongest ones.

"Anyway, we need to decide the name of our alliance. How about Ego Squad?"

I suggested first. Ego Squad. Ego Team. Not bad, right?

But Choi Sehee, upon hearing my suggestion, replied with a subtle expression.

"So this is the Ego Squad you mentioned back then? Hmm... It's not bad, but..."

She seriously rested her chin in her hand and thought.

Then, the others also began to discuss the name with serious faces. Wait, why are you deciding so seriously? Just pick something random.

"Hey? Kids? How about just going with Ego Squad?"

As I waved my hand at them, Ha Yul turned to meet my eyes and replied.

"Da-in Oppa. This is a name we'll keep using once we decide, so we need to choose it properly."

Her serious and somewhat spirited response made me nod unconsciously.

Y-Yeah. Do as you please.

"...Oppa, if we had been there from the beginning... properly..."

She continued to murmur and discuss with the others.

After a few hours of discussion, the name of the villain alliance was decided as Ego Stream.

...But what's the difference between that and Ego Squad?

***

Back to the present.

I am currently floating in the air, holding the unconscious Choi Sehee in a princess carry, facing StarDust.

"Long time no see. I'm Ego Stick. Nice to meet you!"

[Ego Stick! Ego Stick! Ego Stick! Ego Stick! Ego Stick! Ego Stick! Ego Stick! Ego Stick! Ego Stick!]

[Oppa, I'm dying, Oppa, I'm dying, Oppa, I'm dying]

[What's the setup here? lol]

[The situation is already super entertaining right from the start! lol]

[StarDust and Ego Stick are already at odds! lol]

The chat window also welcomed me warmly.

The chat window, which always seems to be overjoyed at the sight of a villain's broadcast, has already turned into a playground for my fan club.

Anyway, the chat window isn't important right now.

Let's focus on StarDust in front of me.

"Have you been well, StarDust?"

I winked at her and greeted her.

A truly charming villain shows a carefree and cheerful demeanor to the hero, stimulating the hero.

Indeed, my strategy seemed to work, as she looked somewhat flustered.

Even her pupils were shaking. Why is she like that? Is it really that surprising?

She seemed to regain her composure and asked me with a slightly trembling voice.

"Ego Stick... were you alive?"

What kind of question is that?

"Yes, of course. I'm alive and well. Unfortunately!"

As I joked, she let out a sigh of relief.

What does that sigh mean? She can't be relieved that I'm alive, right? Is she relieved that I still look like a madman? I can't interpret it.

"...Yeah. That's a relief."

Huh? A relief?

"What? A relief? Are you really that relieved that I'm alive? Hey, I didn't know you cared so much about me, StarDust. I should have sent you a message earlier. Hahaha!"

As I laughed and said that, her face turned slightly red.

While I outwardly laughed and joked, my mind was spinning.

A relief? What's she relieved about? Ah, is it because I moved and survived last time? But why would Shin Haru care about that? She's not the type to care about such things.

Wait, this is a live broadcast.

I glanced at the chat window. As expected, it was a mess.

[A hero who cares about a villain...]

["Were you alive?" "That's a relief." Are they shooting a romance movie?]

[The tabloids are already writing the second season of the love rumor on their laptops! lol]

[I don't get it, but I clipped it anyway. lol]

[StarDust is smitten with Ego Stick... Korea is doomed...]

Alright. I'll ignore the chat window now.

Anyway, as I continued to smile slyly, StarDust, with a slightly red face, shot back at me.

"I'm relieved because I can personally put you in a concentration camp. You need to face the stern judgment of the law. I was just worried that you might have died somewhere without proper punishment, that's all!"

Ah, that's what it was.

Well, she wouldn't have been worried about me. A hero worrying about a villain? I've never heard of such a thing.

Worried that I might have died somewhere without facing the law, very much like StarDust.

...But her face was still red. Why?

Anyway, she seemed to have regained her composure and, seeing Choi Sehee in my arms, asked me.

"...So, why are you here now?"

"Can't you tell? I came to save my comrade."

"...Comrade?"

StarDust asked, looking at me with a puzzled expression.

Right, this is the important part.

It's time to announce my ambition and goals to StarDust and the entire nation watching this video.

Let's start like this.

I continued to smile and spoke.

"Yes! A comrade. More precisely, a comrade in my 'alliance.'"

"Alliance...?"

She asked, looking at me. Good, she's reacting immediately.

And, let's start the show from here.

"That's right. An alliance!"

As I said this, I shot up into the air.

StarDust flinched, thinking I was about to attack, but I just went a bit higher.

When I was in a position to look down on her clearly,

I spoke to her and the camera in front of me, lowering my voice.

"Think about it. What do the heroes have? They have an association. Because of the association, they have support, cooperation, and power."

I nodded as I said this.

In the camera feed, a CG image of the Hero Association's building appeared behind me.

"But."

I paused there.

The association's image disappeared, and the background turned black. At the same time, the camera zoomed in.

Facing the screen that gradually focused on my face, I whispered quietly.

"What do the villains have?"

As I said this, CG images appeared around me again.

Numerous villains being defeated by heroes, small images circling around me.

Among these images, I spoke again.

"The history of villains has always been individual activities. Therefore, they were easily defeated one by one, and without forming any significant force, they were arrested and disappeared into the concentration camps."

I was now floating higher, my cloak billowing. And still, Choi Sehee, who was unconscious and breathing heavily in my arms.

I looked down at her, slightly hugging her tighter, and spoke in a low voice.

"How long must the villains live like this?"

"How long must the villains always lose?"

"How long must the villains act alone and lonely?"

After saying this, I lifted my head to look directly at StarDust and the camera.

"I have a dream."

"The villains of South Korea uniting to face the heroes and their enemies together."

"I have decided to create such a world myself."

"Let me introduce it!"

After saying this, I fixed Choi Sehee with telekinesis and spread my arms wide.

A subtitle appeared in front of me.

[THE EGOSTREAM]

Now, with grand music playing,

I slowly descended to the ground, speaking in a low voice.

"I will now live for the villains."

"The villain alliance Ego Stream is officially launched today."

"You should be on your guard, Association."

After saying this, I turned around, my cloak fluttering in the wind.

And, the sound of the wind from behind. As expected.

I still didn't turn around and shouted loudly.

"Electra! 1,000,000 volts, now!"

"...Ha."

With a low sigh from Choi Sehee in my arms, a strong stream of electric bolts shot from my chest to the back.

At the same time, a hissing sound and the sound of someone dodging were heard.

"...StarDust. It's too early to catch me, even by five years. Try harder."

As I slightly turned around and said this, I saw StarDust dodging the electric bolts. She must have been waiting for a chance to ambush me while I was talking.

Not a bad strategy.

If I hadn't seen through her thinking.

"Then, goodbye! Adios."

As I said this, I quickly darted away.

I turned off the broadcast, which was causing a commotion in the chat window, and saw StarDust approaching to avoid the electricity from Electra.

Before leaving, I added one more thing.

"And, StarDust. We'll meet again soon. See you then."

With a slight smile, I really teleported away.

I heard StarDust's voice from behind, but that wasn't my concern.

See you next time.

***

=[News Department]=

[The relationship between villain Electra and Ego Stick?]

[Breaking News) Villain Electra, rated A by the Association.]

[Column by Kwon Sung-hyun: Ego Stick announces the launch of a Korean 'villain alliance'... Is a 'terror republic' coming?]

[[Exclusive] Korean Superhuman Ability Association considering upgrading Ego Stick's villain rank. 'His efforts to systematically gather other villains and build a force are quite concerning.']

*

=[Entertainment Department]=

[Entertainment News) Who is Ego Stick's girl? Focused analysis on Electra!]

[Heart-stopping moments of Ego Stick and Electra!]

[Public interest? Ego Stick's villain alliance creation (23%) is second, Ego Stick's love rumor (48%) is first]

["How long must we live like this?" Ego Stick's affectionate gaze as he holds Electra (On-site photo)]

[Where is 'StarDust fan' Ego Stick?]

[StarDust, step aside! Ego Stick and Electra. Their chemistry that captivated attention even in a short moment.avi]

*

Shin Haru, reading the articles, unconsciously crumpled his smartphone.

"......"

Something, something...

I don't know why.

It's annoying.