Being a Villain is My True Calling

A short while later.
We arrived at the research facility in the industrial park to deliver the final blow.

‘Finally, this is the end…’

While I had selected the nearest facilities, visiting five research facilities in a single day was by no means an easy feat.
However, this would be the last.
If we decimated this final facility, it would truly be over.

“Then, we should prepare to breach it…now.”

Ttuk.

“Oh dear.”

“Po, Pollia…?”

I caught the petite figure stumbling towards me.

“Pollia?”

“…Ung.”

Responding groggily with half-lidded eyes, Pollia seemed fatigued.
Beside her, the Instructor anxiously examined Pollia’s condition, as if sensing something amiss.

“Don’t worry, Instructor. She merely appears tired.”

“…Ah, I, I see…Hehe…”

Visibly relieved by my words, the Instructor nodded.
Lowering my head, I gazed at the dozing Pollia in my arms.

‘She must be quite sleepy.’

Well, Pollia had been responsible for my mobility today while also engaging in combat.
Sustaining such exertion since dawn would understandably induce fatigue.

I gently stroked the back of her head.

‘Today, I’ll have to return with the members via helicopter. Can’t be helped.’

As I cradled her, patting her back in a steady rhythm, she swiftly drifted into slumber.
Turning, I called out to one of the members I was relatively familiar with.

“42, are you present?”

“Yes, I’m here.”

“If it’s not too much trouble, could you accompany Pollia to the helicopter first?”

“I was about to volunteer for that.”

As astute as ever, 42 swiftly grasped my concerns and agreed.

“I appreciate it.”

Transferring the slumbering Pollia into his arms, I nodded gratefully towards him.
Reciprocating the gesture with a deep bow, 42 departed towards the helicopter’s location.

“Shall we commence?”

“”Yes!!””

While Pollia’s collapse had caused a brief commotion, we still had a task at hand.
At my words, the members began donning their masks.

And-

Kiiiiing-!

‘Since it’s the last, let’s give it our all!’

Kuuuuung–!!!

Accompanied by a tremendous roar from the research facility’s structure, the members charged recklessly ahead.

Ududududududu–!!

“Gaaazzzaaaaaaahh!!!!”

“Aaaaaaahhhh!!!”

“Graaaaaahhhh!!!”

“Ueeeaaaaaahhhh!!!”

Drooling with unbridled enthusiasm, the members rushed forth with radiant smiles, determined to unleash their full fury until the very end.

“Huh…”

And regarding their unrestrained state with a resigned gaze, the Instructor let out a sigh.
Chuckling at her expression, I called out to her.

“Instructor. Could you apprehend a single individual for me?”

“A, A person…? Wh,What about their, limbs…?”

Asking about limbs when I requested a person?

Momentarily perplexed by her non-sequitur, I soon realized she was inquiring about appropriate restraint methods and calmly continued.

“…A potentially useful researcher, you see. It would be preferable if they remain unharmed.”

“If, If they’re a, capable researcher, how about, severing their, legs…? Then, they can’t, escape…”

“That won’t be necessary. Such an approach might foster a vengeful mindset, causing them to deliberately sabotage my requests.”

While somewhat inhumane, severing their legs would undoubtedly prevent escape and enable prolonged exploitation.

However, I had no intention of extended usage, and fostering such hostility risked betrayal – a hindrance when executing crucial plans.

‘And based on that individual’s disposition I’m familiar with, attempts at coercion would only breed defiance, not compliance.’

Contemplating the person I expected to encounter at this facility, I shook my head.

“Intact limbs, no notable injuries. A slightly fatigued state would suffice.”

“U,Um…I, I suppose, I can’t, help that…”

The Instructor eventually nodded before charging into the research facility.

“The ideal would be thoroughly breaking them to diligently fulfill my requests…”

From my pocket, I retrieved a small vial made of reinforced glass.

“Failing that, elimination is the only recourse.”

The liquid sloshing within the vial.
After swirling it briefly, I pocketed it and entered the facility.

Some time later, within the now tidy research facility.

‘Utilizing Eclipse’s resources certainly is convenient, isn’t it?’

Originally, I would have had to infiltrate alone and cause a ruckus. But thankfully, their preemptive strike provided justification, allowing me to proceed smoothly.

Thanks to that, I could not only acquire what was needed for Alpha, but also procure various useful materials for myself.

‘What a comfortable acquisition.’

Satisfied, I briefly hummed along to the researchers’ agonized screams as if they were music.

“M,Maker…I’ve, I’ve brought, one…”

“Ah, Instructor. You’re here.”

By now, the Instructor had apprehended a researcher in a white lab coat and tossed him before me, having fulfilled my request.

“You’ve done well, Instructor.”

“Y,Yes…I’ll, I’ll go assist, the others, with the, cleanup now…!”

With those words and a wave, the Instructor departed for a moment.
I regarded the director, who had raised his head defiantly towards me.

“Good evening, Director.”

“Kkwik!! Just who are you people?! Why have you come to my research facility?!”

Responding to my cordial greeting with furious outrage, the bound director spat out his words.

“Us? We’re merely ordinary raiders.”

“Damn you! You dare mock me by calling this humble place my facility?! If only I could have participated in the main project, I would never have endured such humiliation!”

His frenzied eyes and scrunched expression betraying a deep inferiority complex as he ranted about the ‘main project’ – it was precisely the demeanor I had come to recognize.

“Hmm? You must be quite the eminent individual to belittle serving as director of such a massive research facility.”

“Hmph! It’s merely a small Korean plot of land! While I may not know who you lot are, you’re all finished!”

Feigning surprise at his outburst, I played along slightly, prompting the director to swell with self-assurance as he ran his mouth.

“You’ve made a grave mistake provoking me. Do you even know who’s backing me, or what this place truly is?”

“A subsidiary research facility of Z-Biotech, is it not?”

“Ha! And you dare raid this place despite knowing that?! Have you lost your minds? No sane person would ever conceive of such an act!”

“Lost our minds…you say.”

Chuckling at his remark, I approached the director.

Bang!!

Seizing his head, I slammed him face-first onto the floor.

“Kkueuk!!”

Pinning his head down, rendering him immobile, I lowered my voice to set the tone.

“So you dispatched that rat because you were unaware of who we are?”

“Wh,What…?!”

Removing my mask to reveal the half-mask beneath, I smiled.

“I am Maker, an Eclipse executive and A-rank villain. I’ve come to demolish this facility as retaliation against Z-Biotech.”

“…M,Maker…?”

Upon hearing my name, the director’s eyes rolled back as he erupted into a frenzy.

“…Y,Y,You bastard…!!! Aaaaahhhh!!!”

“…?”

“It’s all because of you!! If only it wasn’t for you!!!”

What’s his deal?
Glaring at me with murderous eyes, the director’s unwarranted hostility was rather bewildering.

‘…Did I do something wrong?’

I was quite certain we had never met before, yet the mere sight of me seemed to enrage him inexplicably.

“Pardon me, but have we crossed paths previously? I fail to comprehend the reason for such fury…”

“You stole the drug I created!!”

“A drug you created?”
After a momentary contemplation, I realized what he referred to and retrieved the small vial from my pocket.

“Could you be referring to this?”

The unidentified liquid sloshing within – the biochemical weapon I had procured during my previous villa raid on Parliamentarian Idugup.

‘And this is likely the reason I intended to meet him, as well as the source of his resentment towards me.’

He was the one who created it, after all.
Unsurprisingly, the director immediately recognized the vial, widening his eyes as he shouted at me.

“Yes! I created that! Now hand it over!!”

“So you created this…Then was your infiltration of Eclipse also an attempt to retrieve it?”

“My brilliant research caught the attention of Z-Biotech’s Senior Researcher! This whole debacle is because of that useless mercenary they hired and that imbecile researcher!”

It seemed Z-Biotech had infiltrated Eclipse to acquire this very substance from me.
A pang of guilt struck me, realizing this was the reason Astra had been deprived of sleep…

Even as I pondered this, the director continued thrashing about, veins bulging in his neck as he raged at me.

“Hand it over! That belongs to me!!”

“Unfortunately, this is my rightful possession, acquired from Parliamentarian Idugup. Labeling me a thief is rather unfair.”

“Damn you! That vile Idugup stole my research materials!! He took the drug I perfected and fled with it!!”

“Then why are you venting at me? I merely stole Idugup’s possessions, while he is the one who stole from you, is he not?”

“Because my drug is part of what you stole, you moron!!!”

The director screeched as if he might lose his mind.

‘…I suppose I’ve toyed with him enough.’

Having established the current power dynamics, any further provocation seemed redundant.

“Very well. If the original creator desires its return so fervently, I have no objections to relinquishing it.”

With a sly smile, I swirled the vial before his eyes.
As the bound director licked his lips, likely intending to snatch it with his mouth…

Ttak! Ttak Ttak.

“…?”

“Surely you didn’t expect me to simply hand it over?”

Retracting the vial, I taunted him with a smirk.

“Let’s strike a deal in exchange for returning this to you.”

“…A deal?”

Undoubtedly, the terms would not be unfavorable for him.
For me, however, they would be quite advantageous.

Our gazes briefly clashed as the wary director scrutinized me.