Chapter 231 - A Single Chance

"Sigh... They say our country is a science powerhouse, and that's really true."

Walking through the modified penthouse, I muttered those words to myself. The place had been transformed into a massive laboratory, with ground and underground floors merged into one.

This place was filled with bottles containing all sorts of chemicals. I descended slowly, wearing a gas mask. Scream Maker was probably somewhere inside. Good. The plan was perfect.

I checked the chat window as I walked, wondering what people might be thinking. Would they be scared realizing that villains were meticulously preparing for terrorism while they remained completely unaware?

*

[LOLOLOLOL Egostic already wears black clothes but with that gas mask it's an all-black fashion LOLOL]

[For real LOL looks different, Black Mango wow]

[Thinking about this lab getting destroyed soon makes me feel so satisfied, like if someone would blow up my grad school lab too... ah..]

*

...Well, as expected, no one seems particularly concerned.

Right. Being happy is good. Positive energy is always best. Life gets tiring if you worry unnecessarily. Yeah...

Of course, there were also comments like "Where is this place?" Everyone seemed unable to guess the location. Good. I deliberately manipulated the camera before entering to hide the location. If I'm not careful, Stardus might rush in...

If Stardus comes here, it would only put her in danger unnecessarily.

"From what I've learned, this villain has the ability to create something like poison gas. Everyone, I recommend keeping a gas mask at home to prepare for those with gas manipulation abilities."

I smiled and pointed to my gas mask while giving this basic explanation.

Actually, my gas mask was specially made by Seo-eun for anti-Scream Maker purposes, but even a regular one would be better than nothing.

Anyway, I continued walking.

I could have teleported, but I deliberately walked.

So he could notice I was coming.

That was our plan.

And at the far end of the penthouse,

I finally discovered someone.

"..."

It was truly a bizarre sight.

A bald man floating with closed eyes in a liquid-filled container that looked like a giant incubator.

And around him, numerous experimental materials and intertwined hoses.

The moment I stepped inside,

A voice echoed throughout the room.

[.....A rat has entered.]

The bald man in the viscous liquid incubator opened his eyes and moved his lips. His voice resonated through the room via speakers, sounding mechanical.

Unlike the other villains so far, his first appearance was visually impactful.

Of course, I wasn't particularly interested in an extra who would be exiting this world today, so I smiled brightly and said:

"Hello! I'm Egostic. Are you Scream Maker? I received your challenge letter."

Again, Scream Maker never wrote me any challenge letter.

I was curious how he would react to this false accusation.

And I had that curiosity.

[...That gas mask.]

[Seems you know what I've been researching.]

...He was more interested in something else.

*

[Whooooaaaa]

[Why does he look so powerful?]

[I thought today would be another fun villain hunt but what is this??]

[Can Mangostick really handle this alone..?]

*

As he continued to drip that strange liquid, the atmosphere grew increasingly heavy and ominous.

I kept smiling and spoke in a cheerful voice:

"Yes. Isn't that obvious?"

[.....I see.]

After muttering that much,

He raised his head and lifted one hand inside the incubator.

And during that time,

While I was smiling,

I was quickly scanning my surroundings from inside my gas mask.

Gray smoke gradually forming from below after the test tube opened.

That must be the famous scream gas. They say just breathing it causes death with screaming.

Yes.

This is exactly why I was extremely cautious about assassinating him.

Even a tiny amount of this gas can lead to death.

In other words, if I targeted him carelessly and this got released into the atmosphere, there could be countless unintended victims.

So, eliminating him in his sealed laboratory would be best.

'.....'

Four hose-like robotic arms in the upper right.

Something like an electric shock device on the left.

And below, is that an automatic machine gun?

These must be defense mechanisms he created to protect himself while sleeping in that test tube. To guard against external intrusions.

He's certainly thorough.

They're not powered on now, but they'll probably attack me instantly once he gives some signal.

Is this because he's one of the late-game named villains, and the boss of the Maker trio?

He's definitely meticulous.

I wonder why someone already strong with poison gas is also good at making machines—I'd like to ask the original author about this. I heard he was a former researcher at Han-eun Group, maybe that's why.

Of course,

I already knew this much.

And so did Seo-eun.

So I smiled at him as he tried to set the mood.

"Well then, it's time for you to prepare to die."

[......]

Ignoring my words completely,

He smirked and clenched his fist.

And,

Simultaneously,

BOOM-

Suddenly, the sound of something exploding around me.

Smoke billowing with it.

And then,

ZZZZZZZZING-

As all the mechanical devices around lit up and moved toward me in the center,

I also immediately signaled to Seo-eun.

"My goodness, you prepared such gifts for me. I appreciate it, but..."

Now's the time—

"Regretfully, I must decline."

Snap.

I said that while snapping my fingers.

And at the same time,

WHIRRRRRRR...

All the mechanical devices that were about to attack me shut down.

Every single piece of equipment stopped working.

Of course, the poison gas was still abundant, but since I was wearing a gas mask, it wasn't a major problem.

Anyway, that wasn't the important part.

What mattered was that the giant incubator-like container holding the bald man also stopped functioning and began to open.

[What is this...]

Safely among the toxic substances, his body that had been securely protected in a bulletproof incubator where no one could touch him was now exposed.

I immediately and naturally levitated the gun I had prepared using psychokinesis.

"Well then, Mr. Scream Maker."

"Now it's your turn to scream."

[...Damn it! AAAAH-]

BANG.

And just like that,

He fell pathetically.

For the record, I didn't even move. I just slightly pulled the trigger of the floating gun with my psychokinesis.

"Yes! Today's revenge ends here. If there are any other villains who would like to meet me, please contact me."

So I said with a smile toward the camera, wearing a gas mask in this smoke-filled place.

*

[????????]

[100 points... 100 points....]

[???: How to catch villains without moving a finger (literally didn't move)]

[Is this K-hero? What have I been watching until now...]

[自我棒 クールwwwww]

[Man, he built up all that tension just to end it so anticlimactically LOL]

[Goodbye bald gay...]

[Now the Association will analyze his corpse LOL]

[Wait, if he's down... does that mean today's broadcast is over?]

"Yes! That's all for today's broadcast. Let's meet again for the next terrorism."

After saying that, I was about to turn off the broadcast when I paused momentarily, then looked back at the camera with an awkward smile and continued.

"Oh, and... this place seems dangerous. It would be best if only Ms. Stardus came. I'll provide the location separately. Now, I'll really be going. Goodbye!"

With that,

I turned off the broadcast from somewhere underground.

***

[Shutting down equipment.]

"Phew...."

Inside the villain's basement.

Following Seo-eun's instructions, I operated his control panel and made all his scream gas get sucked back into its original containers. Stardus shouldn't breathe it when she comes to the crime scene later.

After cleaning up all the toxic substances that had spilled from the test tube using psychokinesis, quite some time had passed.

"...I really did catch him."

I muttered, looking at where he had fallen.

Though it may have looked extremely easy on the surface, this was the result of dozens or hundreds of simulations and research. He was such a thorough guy. I mean, who sleeps in poison when they're immune to it? He really was crazy.

These days, villains all seem to be science majors with thorough defense systems. Seo-eun had trouble hacking it, but we managed to block it by exploiting the vulnerability at the moment the system activated. Safely, without a single civilian casualty.

This is good enough.

He was definitely tough, probably because we're in the final arc of the original story, but he's special—the rest can be handled by our Ego-stream members. I was tense and ready to teleport if necessary, not bringing anyone else in case he had hidden defense systems, but fortunately there weren't any.

The Association will come and clean up all the poison gas he stored. The Director may be a bit clueless, but he's thorough with these things, so he'll handle it well. Of course, Stardus will come first to assess the situation. I've left sticky notes just in case, so there shouldn't be any problems.

...It's a bit funny, but better than Stardus getting hurt if something goes wrong.

"Hmm..."

...Anyway.

Now I need to leave a message for Stardus. It's my tradition after all.

"..."

I was about to write 'For You Stardus' as usual, but then realized I couldn't write it in blood because his body was covered in poison.

Should I just leave without writing anything?

"......That won't do."

Hmm, but somehow that doesn't feel right.

It feels off.

Right, I'll just write it on a sticky note.

After writing on a sticky note on a nearby wall with a pen I brought, I realized it looked too plain with just that one note.

And.

"....."

Something, something felt in my intuition.

...Stardus who had even teared up looking at me, the time I left without meeting her eyes, and the recurring dreams of being trapped somewhere.

Thinking about all that, I intuitively felt something.

That I needed to do well here, right now.

That I needed to leave something for Stardus immediately.

"Hmm..."

Right. Only Stardus will come here anyway...? And knowing her personality, she won't share this content with the Association...

With those thoughts, I began writing more to Stardus following my intuition.

...Feeling strangely like I was writing a reconciliation love letter.