Chapter 390 - Chancellor

International Hero Association Headquarters.

Director's Office.

"Haah..."

There, a woman with her hair tied back and a tired expression sat in her chair, letting out a deep sigh.

Her identity was none other than the Director of the International Hero Association.

She sat at her desk, flipping through the mountain of documents piled up before her with exhausted eyes.

The Director of the International Hero Association.

As the representative who managed the entire Hero Association with branches worldwide, she was essentially the Director of all Directors.

Currently, she could only sigh in a situation that seemed to have no solution.

"...Is this as far as the Association goes?"

The situation of Hero Associations worldwide was so dire that she muttered these words dejectedly as she set down her documents.

The system that had been creaking along had completely collapsed with the inflation of ability users and the launch of the villain alliance Kathedal.

Even now, she received requests for support from countless Association branches worldwide, but there wasn't much she could do.

The International Association had already run out of resources and power.

'...There are too many villains.'

Yes.

That was precisely the problem—there were simply too many villains.

For every one hero that appeared in a year, a hundred villains would emerge.

The current situation was such that each hero had to handle dozens of times more villains each year.

'...Are abilities mostly given only to the wicked?'

The number of villains was increasing dozens of times faster than heroes, enough to make her wonder this. In such a situation, when these villains formed their own alliance called Kathedal, the situation became untenable.

"Sigh..."

The Director pulled out a cigarette from beside the documents and lit it.

With a bitter expression, cigarette in hand, she reflected on past events.

She hadn't always been the Director General.

When incidents kept occurring worldwide, she had stepped down midway, taking all responsibility.

...She thought her successor would handle things well, but in the end, he couldn't. After that, well, when the Association faced complete collapse following Kathedal's launch, the board hurriedly called her back.

By now, even that board had practically disbanded.

On top of that, the International Hero Association headquarters, originally in America—the home base of Celeste, Kathedal's representative—had humiliatingly fled to Europe under numerous threats.

Naturally, with headquarters in such a state, the command structure was completely shattered, and each country's associations were essentially fending for themselves.

In a situation where some associations had already completely surrendered to Kathedal, she was just trying to do what little she could each day...

"Haah..."

Crackle.

After tapping her cigarette on the ashtray, she sighed again.

This was no time to just lament. Her next appointment was right around the corner.

"...Let's see."

Next appointment. A meeting with the Director of the Korean Hero Association.

...A person she'd heard of. Someone she had appointed directly. First generation... anyway.

Why did he want to see me? As far as I know, Korea is holding up well on its own.

As she was thinking this.

Knock knock.

Just then, there was a knock, and she absent-mindedly told them to come in.

As she looked up from the documents in her hand, what the Director saw was.

"Haha. Hello there."

...someone she hadn't expected at all.

A man in a black hat, black cape, and white half-mask.

A figure distinctive enough for even the Director to recognize.

Egostic, South Korea's S-class villain.

He had appeared before her.

***

"....."

The Association Director.

"Hmm. This place is quite worn down too."

She looked at the villain sitting calmly before her with a hardened expression and spoke.

"...Egostic. S-class villain from South Korea and essentially the vice-representative of Kathedal. Why have you come to see me?"

"Oh. You knew that much. It seems the reputation of the Hero Association Director holds true."

Watching him raise his eyebrows at her, the Director quietly thought to herself.

Egostic.

She already knew about him.

Once an A-class villain in South Korea, he was the only one who participated in Kathedal—which was just a simple meeting at the time—while still A-class.

According to information that had been difficult to obtain, he was now essentially a power player next to Celeste, wielding tremendous authority in Kathedal.

As such, the investigation on him was already complete.

'An individual whose thoughts are impossible to read.'

In fact, looking at Egostic's activities in South Korea alone, it was almost embarrassing to call him a villain.

He always committed acts of terrorism, but there were virtually zero casualties. If you counted, the number of times he had saved South Korea almost matched his terrorist acts. As such, despite being a villain, he was quite popular among South Koreans.

However.

'...If that's the case, it doesn't make sense.'

For someone who wasn't truly a villain, his connections with other villains were too tight. From Atlas, counted among the top three villains, to even Celeste who firmly trusted him.

Especially since he was said to be active as a tactical advisor in Kathedal's world domination plans, he was definitely a villain.

Yet, judging by his actions in his home country, he was closer to being a hero.

That's why her conclusion was that he was an individual whose thoughts were impossible to read.

But he was undoubtedly a key figure with tremendous ability. ...The Association was essentially in name only, so they couldn't touch him.

Anyway, now he had come to see her.

...It was tense having a villain right in front of her, but as the Association Director, the important thing was not to lose composure.

In a situation where the Association was already clearly losing, the fact that he had come might be a positive variable.

'Perhaps, he's betraying Celeste and joining our side...'

"Anyway, this makes things faster. It's not about betrayal or anything like that, so don't get any strange ideas."

Just as she was thinking this, he smiled as if he had read her mind and said those words.

"...Ahem. Anyway, why have you come to see me? And impersonating the Korean Association Director at that."

To her question, Egostic smiled slyly.

Then, meeting her eyes, he spoke in a low voice.

"Because, Director. I've come to give you a warning."

"Ha. A warning? Let me make this clear. No matter what threats you make, we will never surrender and will fight to the end..."

"Hahaha. No, no, that's not what I mean. ...It's about something more, fundamental."

Waving his hands to calm her as she became agitated, Egostic spoke.

Then, with a hardened expression, he continued.

"...I'm talking about the end of the world right now."

"What?"

...What on earth was this villain talking about?

As the Director frowned, Egostic smiled slyly and spoke.

"First, how much do you know about gods?"

***

"...So."

After he finished speaking.

The Association Director held her throbbing head, which was worse than before, and then spoke.

"...The God of Light, that is, the Sun God, is trying to destroy this world. And soon he will warn everyone with his own voice. Is that what you're saying?"

"Yes. You understand perfectly."

"...This is absurd. So, why are you telling me this? To tell me we're all going to die so I should tremble in fear and wait?"

As the Director spoke with an irritated voice, cigarette in mouth.

I smiled slightly and answered like this.

"Wait for what? We need to fight back."

"What...?"

In the Director's office of the Hero Association Headquarters 2, located on the outskirts of Europe.

I was sitting across from the Director, saying those words.

"...Your leader, Celeste. Isn't she a fanatical devotee of the God of Light? And yet, you're saying you'll fight back?"

"Well. If a god goes crazy and tries to kill us all, should we just say 'oh well' and die? Faith or not, we need to fight first."

"...You. Does Celeste know you're here?"

"She doesn't."

"I thought so."

Whew.

Looking at her as she took another drag of her cigarette with a frustrated expression, I smiled slightly and said.

"Don't worry. Celeste will follow me anyway. And, I've already thought of ways to stop the god. So you don't need to worry about that part."

"...Then why did you come to me?"

"Why?"

After the god's declaration of destruction, the world will fall into chaos.

And if we don't stop it, the world will self-destruct.

"So, let's declare an alliance then. Between the Association and Kathedal. Tell people that the two unions are joining forces to oppose the god."

That was my idea.

On the day of destiny.

Before people even understand the situation, quickly announce it. A self-proclaimed psychopathic alien god is attacking Earth. The Association and Kathedal will form an alliance just this once to counter it.

A plan to maintain society by reassuring people.

To say, [Everyone! Earth is safe. Please continue with your daily lives with peace of mind.]

To my proposal that heroes and villains unite to stop the god's destruction.

The Director looked at me with suspicious eyes.

"Should I believe this?"

"...No. This isn't a trap. Surely you don't think we created this god entity as a staged play to stab you in the back as soon as we form an alliance?"

"Hmm. Do you have mind-reading abilities? As far as I know, such abilities don't exist yet."

"Ha..."

Looking at the Association Director who spoke like that, I sighed and stood up, opening my mouth.

It was time to leave before things got too complicated.

"Well. You'll soon find out whose words are true when that day comes. So at that time, please immediately accept our alliance request. Oh, and it would be good to hold a press conference right away."

After hearing the god's voice echoing throughout the world, no one would think it's an act.

That's the kind of being a god is.

"Well... I'll think about it. But."

Just as I was about to leave.

The Director thought for a moment, then looked up at me and said.

"...If what you say is true. After the god's declaration, how many days do you think are left before he brings about destruction?"

To her question.

With my back turned, not meeting her eyes, I said.

"Six months."

Exactly half a year after the god's warning.

The world will end.