Chapter 335 - Towards The End

Egostic's terror, where he transformed an entire department store into a haunted house, had ended quite successfully.

Not only were there no casualties, but perhaps because it was one of the larger-scale terrors caused by the now world-famous Egostic, this incident received tremendous attention.

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[Real-time Trends]

#1. Egostic

#2. Department Store Terror

#3. Egostic Broadcast

#4. Terror Broadcast

#5. Ghost Department Store

*

Egostic had dominated all the real-time keywords throughout the day.

*

[I filmed inside the haunted department store created by Egostic...(feat. Stardust)]

*

In particular, a video filmed by one of the hostages...or rather, participants in the department store became famous, reaching the #1 spot on trending videos.

Its distinctive feature was being scarier than most horror movies. Especially the scene where, after wandering through a dark maze in terror, just as a monster appears about to attack, Stardust emerges radiating light to save them—many praised it as being like a movie scene. Almost as if someone had deliberately manipulated the monster to create such a situation.

Egostic's terror videos were translated and spread worldwide, to the point where comments asking how much it cost to participate in these terrors were flooding in.

...Of course, I wonder if popularity is the right measure for a terror's success.

Anyway, despite the terror ending rather successfully.

I was lying alone in my room at home, deeply shocked.

In that state, there was only one thing on my mind.

"...Haah."

...Naturally, it was Stardust.

At the end of today's terror.

Even then, she showed me nothing but coldness.

'Dealing with something caused by trash like you wasn't even difficult.'

Her icy voice seemed to still echo in my ears.

'...I worked pretty hard preparing that.'

Feeling a bit dejected, I shook my head and thought.

Right, what does it matter? It's more natural for Stardust to be this way. She never compromised with any villain in the original story, so why would she be nice to me? It was nonsensical from the start. I knew it was all an act...

'...No.'

...To be honest.

Now that I think about it.

I had hoped... a little.

That maybe she had feelings for me too, something like that.

But I deliberately denied it because I couldn't bear the shock if I was wrong. Getting rejected by my favorite character? I'd be lucky to survive.

...And well, it turned out as expected.

I was wrong after all.

Of course, despite everything, with all the terrors I've committed... it doesn't make sense for Stardust to have such feelings for me. Haha.

That cold voice couldn't have been an act...

...As I kept wallowing in these thoughts, night had fallen.

"This isn't the time..."

After lying in bed lost in thought for a while, I shook my head and got up.

...Right.

I don't have time to be heartbroken over this. Although I discovered that being scolded by Stardust hurts more than I expected... well, wasn't this inevitable?

My goal was never to have a relationship with Stardust, but to ensure she walks an easy path and protects the world.

So I should stop these useless thoughts and focus on what remains to be done.

There's still much to do.

"...Anyway!"

Perhaps it's better that I can part ways with Stardust with a clearer mind? Yes. The more I think about it, the more it seems that way.

"...After finishing the last terror, maybe I'll go on a long trip somewhere."

I leaned against the window and muttered.

There's much to do. After protecting this world until the end, then I can rest... my role will be complete.

Whether Stardust acknowledges it or not.

I decided to continue on the path I chose.

For her sake.

They say the villain's path is a lonely one, don't they?

...Though come to think of it, I have many comrades, so I'm not that lonely. That's good.

Having shaken everything off.

With a slight smile returning to my face, I opened the door.

'...I'm hungry.'

Maybe I'll get something to eat.

With that thought, I went outside.

Now it's time to prepare for the final terror in earnest.

Thinking that, I walked toward where my Ego-stream members were waiting to greet me on my first day out of my room.

Determined to do my best until retirement.

And so.

Much time passed after that.

I caused quite a few terrors.

...Actually, I had planned to do just one or two more as a finale, but knowing I wouldn't see Stardust afterward made me feel regretful, so I ended up doing more.

...In short, I produced terrors almost every week or two. Of course, since I could focus solely on preparing them without other distractions, the quality was quite excellent.

More specifically, after finishing the terror to measure Stardust's abilities, I returned to puzzle-type terrors after a long time.

For example, I captured two politicians, exposed their wrongdoings, then held a public trial where the one with more votes would be executed—something like that. Of course, Stardust saved both in the end... though it didn't matter much since they both ended up in prison anyway.

During all this, Stardust's reactions remained cold.

"Ha. This trash is really enjoying himself."

She would shoot those cold words at me.

When I occasionally approached her with jokes, her face would turn red—probably from anger intense enough to make her blush.

...How did she hide those feelings until now? She really is a professional.

Of course, having let go of my feelings, I had developed immunity and would just smile in response.

...Though my heart would ache occasionally, but still.

Anyway, that's how I'd been living recently.

"...No, oppa. Are you really not going to retire?"

Then one day.

As I was sitting at the computer reviewing past terrors, a small cold finger poked my cheek.

I turned to see Seo-eun with puffed cheeks pointing her finger at me.

As I blinked, Seo-eun wiggled her finger and said:

"Oppa... I don't want to rush you... but isn't it strange to say you're retiring and then cause seven more terrors?"

"Ah."

At her words, I smiled and said:

"Don't worry. The next one will be the last terror."

"...! Really?"

At my words, Seo-eun's face brightened. I liked how straightforward she was.

After calming down her excited jumping, I said:

"So, could you call everyone to the living room? I have something to say about the final terror."

"Huh? What is it?"

"For the last one... let's all get together and do something big."

"...Aha! Got it, I'll go get them right away!"

Watching Seo-eun hurry out at my words.

I quietly smiled and turned to look out the window.

...My long villain career as Stardust's archenemy is coming to an end.

There will be no more entanglements with her, no more people buzzing about me like before.

"..."

That fact felt both relieving and somehow regretful.

Right. Stardust has had a hard time because of me. It's time to give her some peace. She seemed to find dealing with me difficult.

"Let's do it. The final terror."

I muttered, picking up my mask.

To prepare for the grand show where I would face Stardust for the last time.

***

[I think we should keep going this way.]

"Mmm..."

'...Something feels wrong.'

Lee Seol-ah, chairwoman of Yu-seong Group and an A-class hero of the Republic of Korea.

While talking with her friend Stardust, she muttered inwardly.

It had been over a month since Stardust adopted the cold woman concept against Egostic.

And the problem was that she was starting to feel this approach might be wrong.

'...No, I told her to play hard to get. Who said to only push him away...!'

Lee Seol-ah. The biggest problem she saw was this.

...Ha-ru was too good at acting.

More precisely, she performed so convincingly that anyone would think "Oh, Stardust must really hate Egostic."

Feeling uneasy, Seol-ah had contacted Da-in.

[Ah. Stardust? Well, she probably hates me. Isn't that natural? Hahaha...]

...Only after hearing his hollow laughter did she realize something was seriously wrong.

That's why she was trying to tell Ha-ru to stop immediately.

'...I was wrong.'

Ha-ru was no longer willing to listen to her.

The problem was that since she started acting cold toward Egostic, he stopped avoiding Stardust and instead increased his terrors.

That fact was enough to make Stardust believe her approach was effective.

As a result, Ha-ru, who had gone too far, decided to keep pushing forward...

"Ha-ru. Seriously, I don't think we should continue like this..."

But when she insisted so strongly,

Ha-ru seemed to be calming down a bit.

[...Really?]

"Yes. This could backfire..."

[Ah, Seol-ah, wait a moment. Egostic just caused a terror, so I need to go. Sorry.]

"Huh? Oh, okay."

Click.

Holding the disconnected phone, Seol-ah sighed.

"...Haah, I hope this works out."

And Seol-ah didn't know.

That day's terror would be the last one Egostic would ever cause.