Chapter 15 - This Isn't Right.
[Author] Anonymous
[Title] Let's just organize the facts about A-Rank Villain Egostic... real
Honestly, Egostic doesn't even seem like a villain LOL
=[Comments]=
[Anonymous1] Where's the villain? All I see is a true "hero"?
└[Anonymous2] For real LOL
[Anonymous4] Honestly, Egostic seems better than Stardus, for real LOL
└[Anonymous5] For real. What has Stardus even done so far? Hasn't she only caught like one or two A-Rank Villains? Our King God Egostic has already caught an S-Rank LOL
└[Anonymous6] This is a bit;; Even if people are hyping up Egostic these days, comparing him to a hero is going too far. Crossing the line...
└[Anonymous7] Stardus fan club detected
└[Anonymous15] Hichup detected
└[Anonymous16] What's hichup?
└[Anonymous17] Hero Association spy
└[Anonymous6] ;;;;
[Anonymous8] He eliminates villains~ Provides entertainment~ Honestly, he's likable LOL
└[Anonymous9] Being favorable toward a terrorist, what bullshit
└[Anonymous8] So were there any casualties or not LOL
[Anonymous10] So why is Stardus getting hate? Genuinely don't know.
└[Anonymous11] Isn't she just getting criticized because she's being compared to Egostic?
└[Anonymous12] It's also because she has the least accomplishments among the three A-Rank Heroes LOL Honestly, Shadow Walker and Icicle both save dozens or hundreds of people by themselves, but Stardus hasn't done much so far.
└[Anonymous13] Honestly, Stardus is just a face and nothing else LOL Just demote her to B-Rank and make Egostic an A-Rank Hero
└[Anonymous14] Hero Association, immediately designate our Mangostick as a new hero!
*
"Ugh..."
That night after taking down Teleporter.
I stared at the computer screen and let out a groan.
Things were going worse than I'd expected.
Was the problem that I'd gone into the city chasing after that bastard when Teleporter ran away?
To people's eyes, I must have looked like a hero eliminating a villain.
Unbelievable...
"Haa..."
With a troubled expression, I entered an internet cafe.
The place labeled [Egostic Official Fan Cafe].
The membership count was already... this high?
"South Korea's future looks dark..."
I gazed into empty space and let out a sigh.
Citizens supporting a villain—how could a nation made up of such people even exist?
Of course, that was a problem too, but the bigger problem was Stardus.
My suspiciously large fan club...? had started pouring out criticism toward Stardus.
It seemed like they really... hated Stardus, who had essentially become my dedicated hero.
"This isn't right... This isn't what I wanted..."
I never wished for things to turn out this way.
No, how did they even think to stan me in the first place?
Had they already forgotten about my cruise ship bombing event?
...Then again, I'd had my head spinning when I saw one of the cruise ship passengers say in a YouTube interview, "Actually, looking back, it was kind of fun."
It seemed like South Korea in this world had gone a bit crazy.
I'd gone through all that trouble to raise the public's favorability toward Stardus, only to end up lowering it instead.
What a sinful fan I was.
"This won't do. I'm moving straight to the second terror attack!"
I made up my mind.
I would show those ignorant masses just how terrifying villains could be.
And I would once again engrave in people's minds just how pretty, justice-filled, diligent, cute, and amazing Stardus was!
"Seo-eun, the operation begins!"
I strode purposefully into the living room.
There, Seo-eun and Subin were sitting on the sofa watching TV.
"Geez. How long have you been lying around groaning, and you're already overflowing with energy..."
Seo-eun chided me. My body had recovered long ago after just a few days of rest. The fatigue recovery machine's performance was excellent, after all.
I plopped down in the seat next to Seo-eun.
Subin, who had been sitting next to Seo-eun like me, was peeling an apple while watching TV.
"Da-in, Da-in is on TV again!"
Subin's eyes sparkled as she pointed at the TV.
After living together for about two weeks, Subin had become quite close with me.
Right. She'd come to realize it too—just how harmless a person I was.
Though her and my first encounter hadn't been pleasant, through my continuous gaslighting... no, wait! Through my continuous kindness. Through kindness, she'd opened her heart to me.
Her calling me by my name comfortably was for the same reason. Da-in. We lived in the same house, so it would be weird to call me Mr. Egostic.
Da-in. That was my name. A name completely unrelated to Egostic. A name that now only Seo-eun and Subin knew in this world. Of course, I'd become more famous as Egostic than as Da-in now.
After Subin and I started using each other's names, she'd become very energetic. Cooking, laundry, dishes—she did it all! So Seo-eun and I got to live comfortably without lifting a finger. It wasn't that we were bad people. She'd begged with teary eyes, saying, "I should at least do this much..." so we had no choice but to let her do it. Really.
The point was, Subin no longer feared me. A good thing. It would be awkward if she was still scared of me when we lived in the same house.
Anyway, I looked at the TV she was pointing at.
There, something like a current affairs debate that appeared at the end of news broadcasts was unfolding. The topic displayed below read:
[Egostic, Becoming a New Icon for the MZ Generation.]
"....."
Good grief.
To think I'd see the term "MZ Generation" in this world too.
I smacked my forehead and let out a groan.
"MZ Generation"—roughly a term for the younger generation. Different from its actual definition.
In other words, what they're saying is that I've now become an icon for young people.
"Wow, Oppa. You've gotten pretty popular, huh?"
Seo-eun said with a teasing laugh.
Yeah. I've gotten popular, all right. And in a good way, no less.
I munched on the apple slices Subin had peeled while keeping my eyes on the TV. Let's hear what they have to say.
Subin was watching the TV as intently as I was. No, she seemed even more focused than me. Why are you like this? It's embarrassing... I'd rather she be on her smartphone like Seo-eun sitting next to her.
[The MZ Generation's almost fanatical following of a Villain is somewhat problematic. Right now, this is the main news on Portal, and if you look at the comments, the overall atmosphere is one of support for Egostic. This is unprecedented. It's a well-known fact that the MZ Generation doesn't particularly like the existing Heroes. The image is that they got lucky with their abilities and used them to climb the ladder, right? So there's been a lot of talk about Heroes not doing their jobs, being slow to respond when incidents occur, that sort of thing.]
A middle-aged man who appeared to be a panelist said that much, then swallowed. After briefly asking for understanding, he began drinking water. Subin was listening while even taking notes. Subin... what are you doing...
On the TV, the panelist was speaking again.
[But now this Villain called Egostic has scratched exactly where the citizens were itching. Weren't there many people dissatisfied with Heroes only subduing Villains instead of killing them? Simply locking up bastards who deserve the death penalty in prison... there was a lot of talk about sentences being too light. But when this Villain Egostic executes them on the spot? There's an aspect where citizens find it cathartic.]
[But didn't this Villain also commit terrorism on that cruise ship?]
At the host's words, the panelist answered.
[That's been significantly diluted by his stopping the terrorism of his followers last time. In fact, there were no casualties from that terrorism either.]
"That's right!"
When I jumped to my feet and shouted loudly, Seo-eun and Subin next to me were startled.
"You scared me! What's wrong?"
"This can't go on. I need to execute a new act of terrorism right away!"
"Huh? Weren't we going to do the new terrorism after eliminating one Villain or so?"
When Seo-eun tilted her head and asked, I shook my head.
"No. My image is getting better by the day right now. This won't do! I wanted to become a Villain opposing Stardus, not suddenly be treated like a Hero out of nowhere... I guess I'll have to show the citizens of South Korea what a 'real Villain' is. Right now!"
When I shouted with burning passion, Seo-eun's face turned reluctant.
"Okay... fine. So what are we doing this time? Are we going with that Good Samaritan thing from last time?"
"No, we're going with something different. Something more evil."
"Sigh... got it. I'll need to prepare something new. Just tell me."
"Right... the plan is..."
Wait for me, Stardus.
I'll make sure to boost your stock price again.
***
*
[Breaking) Egostic started a broadcast LOL]
Turn on your TV right now haha
[Recommendations]43 [Not Recommended]0
[??? Why is this real?]
[??? Why is it actually real?]
[Something big's coming haha]
[Let's go~ Let's go~ Let's go~ Let's go~ Let's go~ Let's go~ Let's go~ Let's go~ Let's go~ Let's go~ Let's go~ Let's go~]
*
***
On a bridge where the wind whipped around.
Standing there alone, I grinned toward the camera.
Countless people must be watching.
Toward them, I shouted loudly.
"It's been a while, citizens! Your Likable Villain, Egostic, is here!"
Now, let's put on another show.
Let's see if you can still like me even after this.