Being a Villain is My True Calling

Over the past few months, Phantom Luna and Maker had clashed repeatedly during each act of terrorism.

“Haah! Stop right there, Maker!”
“We meet again, Phantom Luna.”
“Since I’m the one assigned to you, consider it an honor!”

Baang!!
With fiery determination to apprehend her designated villain Maker, Phantom Luna charged forward.

“I will definitely capture you today!!”
“If you can.”

Pung! Puupupung!!
Maker evaded Phantom Luna’s pursuit in all directions.

“This time for sure…!!”
“You are quite tenacious.”

…

“Cowardly using hostages as shields to escape again?!”
“So, you won’t be leaving then?”

“Rrgh…!”

…

“Fight me head-on fair and square!”
“When have you ever witnessed a villain acting fairly?”

From the sweltering summer when sweat freely flowed, to the season where one’s breath would emerge as mist – their game of cat-and-mouse terrorism continued unabated.

“Kusoh!!”

Invariably, the outcome saw Phantom Luna failing to apprehend Maker, yet…

“I’ll definitely catch you next time, Maker!”

Phantom Luna didn’t particularly dislike Maker.

Unlike other villains, he exhibited a semblance of normalcy.
More importantly, as long as she complied with his terms, he minimized civilian harm.

A villain engaging in terrorism while avoiding any loss of life…
It seemed questionable whether such contradictory descriptions could even coexist in the same sentence.

‘Could he perhaps be a good person?’

Maybe he had circumstances that led him to villainy, despite disliking harming innocent civilians?
She had even entertained such thoughts, convinced of his inherent goodness.

As a result, Phantom Luna had somewhat lowered her guard towards Maker.

‘Trusting a villain would be pushing it, but…’

At the very least, she firmly believed he was a good person.

‘It doesn’t seem like he’s the type to commit wrongdoings without reason!’

Certainly, he didn’t seem like someone who would intentionally engage in such malicious acts.
She had regarded him as a good person, only to witness…

Jeolggureuk.

“It suits you well, our pet.”
“……”

Maker smiled wryly, grasping the leash now adorning Phantom Luna’s neck.
Unable to utter a word, she could only let out an internal scream of anguish.

‘Just what is this situation?!!’

“W,wait a moment, Maker!”

Perhaps startled by Pollia’s words, Phantom Luna struggled to rise despite her injuries.

“Is there an issue?”

She had lost the game, after all.

“But even so! Threatening the civilians like this…”
“Is simply how I’ve always operated.”

Now was hardly the time for such belated reactions, which should have come naturally by this point.
Phantom Luna seemed to acknowledge the validity of my words, furrowing her brow with pursed lips.

“Did you perhaps expect me to aid you?”

With Pollia’s assistance, I approached Phantom Luna steadily.

“…Maker…”

As I neared, she gazed up at me with wide, imploring eyes.

“You’re…not that kind of person…”

“Are you implying I’m not ‘that kind of person’?”

‘Her perception seems to have been misguided.’

Her apparent misunderstanding prompted an involuntary smile.

“I, Maker sir? What will happen to us…?”
“Ah, I nearly forgot about all of you. Well done, everyone.”

“Then…!”
“You may leave. I won’t bother alerting any heroes you may encounter on your way out.”

“Y,yes!! Th,thank you for sparing us!!!”
“M,Maker…?”

Bewildered by my amicable exchange with the villains, Phantom Luna seemed perplexed.

“Is there an issue?”
“You’re villains!! Why would you just let them go?!”
“I merely kept my promise.”

Just as I had promised you.
My remark elicited an exasperated expression from her.

“…I can’t comprehend this. The Maker I know, you would surely…”

“I don’t recall claiming you knew anything about me.”

While maintaining a smiling facade, my voice took on a subtly displeased undertone as I lightly gripped Phantom Luna’s neck.

“What do you truly know about me?”

She had developed a flawed understanding of me.
I had intended to present a thoroughly neutral persona.

Regardless of who the other party was, I would honor my word while appropriately rewarding those who complied with my terms.

‘Of course, only in front of the cameras.’

By solidifying this image, no hero could easily refuse my demands.
It was more advantageous to accept a secure method of rescuing hostages rather than engaging in uncertain, perilous combat.

‘But judging from Phantom Luna’s current behavior…’

Not only did she seem to have disregarded my intended portrayal, but she had bizarrely developed some misguided faith in me.

“…Don’t tell me you perceive me as a good person?”
“……”

…Which was precisely why the tension had dissipated.

‘Truthfully though, I don’t seem like someone who should be regarded as inherently good…’

I had taken lives, and the cost of reconstructing the buildings I had demolished likely accounted for 1/100th of the national budget.
Not to mention the ruthless destruction inflicted whenever a hero lost against me.

‘Particularly severe incidents occurred when Phantom Luna was late or absent, and other heroes substituted.’

Simply listing these examples painted me as a typical, nefarious villain, didn’t it?
I truly couldn’t fathom the basis for her erroneous beliefs about me.

Tuk.

“Well, this is quite troubling if you genuinely view me as a good person.”

Hence, my current course of action was essentially a form of shock therapy.
In simpler terms, introducing a sense of unfamiliarity towards me.

“M,Maker…?”

Ordinarily, people perceive and judge others through a comprehensive impression – their smiles, actions, speech patterns, voice tones, and so forth. An overall atmosphere, if you will.

As such, even subtle alterations to this atmosphere could prompt drastic shifts in perception.
For instance, slightly lowering one’s typically affable tone, or employing different smiles and gazes.

“So then, Phantom Luna, as someone who seems to know me well – what do you think I’ll do now?”

“Th,that is…”

Through such methods, I would instill a sense of unfamiliarity within her, rapidly rekindling a sense of urgency.

‘Is this truly the same person I knew?’
‘Had I been mistaken about him from the very start?’
Prompting such doubts.

Sarareuk…

I gently stroked her disheveled hair.
Scarcely able to remain upright, the partially prone Phantom Luna resembled a helpless pet as I caressed her.

“Perhaps I should simply crush you outright…”

“Ah, no!!”

Startled by my words, Phantom Luna frantically grasped my arm.
A pitiful sight, starkly contrasting her earlier self-assuredness, evoking an odd sensation within me.

‘Ah, a good idea comes to mind.’

Treating her like a child, I affectionately stroked her head as I continued speaking.

“Why such a reaction? You lost the game, so naturally there are no rewards, are there?”

“Th,that’s…!”

Lowering my voice further, Phantom Luna froze rigidly.
Carefully seating her upright, I knelt before her and grasped her chin.

“Let us strike a deal, Phantom Luna.”
“A deal…?”
“Propose a suitable substitute for the hostages, and I shall release them.”

Phantom Luna’s eyes darted frantically as she regarded me.
Yes, this was the appropriate dynamic between a villain and a hero.

It seemed the tension had been adequately rekindled, her earlier foolish assumptions about me long forgotten.

“M,money then…”
“I have no need for that.”
“Sh,shall I pretend not to notice you escaping…?”
“You’ve managed well enough without such assistance until now.”

Phantom Luna proposed various conditions in pursuit of the deal I mentioned.
However, none were satisfactory to me.

“Th,then…then…”

Gradually descending into panic, her eyes swiveled wildly.
I let out an amused chuckle at her plight.

“What if I proposed an alternative?”
“An…alternative…?”

I abruptly pulled her towards me.

“You sacrifice yourself in place of the civilians.”
“M,me…?”
“Then I shall spare all the civilians.”

“……”

Phantom Luna turned her gaze towards the civilians and the spikes positioned above them before refocusing on me.

“Will you save the civilians, or sacrifice yourself?”

Phantom Luna eventually nodded in affirmation.

Deureuruk…
Deureuruk…

Accompanied by a dragging sound, Phantom Luna stared vacantly into space.

‘…So this is where I die.’

She would undoubtedly be skewered by those massive spikes.
Having chosen to sacrifice herself in place of the civilians.

Yet she harbored no regrets.

‘Because I’m a hero.’

Ever since childhood, she had witnessed heroes make such choices, prepared to accept even tragic finales if necessary.

‘I wonder if I’ll receive insurance payouts? It would help support me for a while.’

Her only concern was for those she would leave behind.

“…Bad person.”

She couldn’t claim to have been deceived.
It was her own assumptions, thoughts, and actions that led to this.

Seeking aid from a villain, feeling betrayed by him – in hindsight, those were questionable notions to entertain.

‘I grew complacent.’

The current situation was entirely of her own making.
Had she utilized her abilities from the start, maintained vigilance – perhaps things could have unfolded differently.

Jjeobakeukjjeobakeuk.

But it was too late for regrets now.
Phantom Luna closed her eyes as the approaching footsteps drew near, resigning herself to her fate.

‘Still, if my life can save this many civilians, isn’t that a good thing?’

Even if Maker was a villain, he did keep his promises.
He would release the civilians, even if it cost her life.

“Whew…”
“Are you prepared?”
“…Yes.”

At Maker’s unexpectedly gentle inquiry, Phantom Luna pondered how painful it would be.

‘Hopefully it will be swift and painless…!’

With her eyes tightly shut, bracing for her demise while trembling uncontrollably, she instead heard:

Jeolggureuk…
Jeolggureuk.

Ttalggak.

‘?’

Strangely, she felt no pain.
Only a sensation of something encircling her neck, accompanied by the soft clink of metal.

“You may open your eyes now, my pet.”
“Eh? P,pet…?”

Carefully opening her eyes at the sound of the voice gently stroking her head, Phantom Luna saw:

Jeolggureuk.

“It suits you well, our pet.”
“……”

Right before her eyes, Maker beamed radiantly while grasping a leash – one that extended from his hand down to her very line of sight.
.
.
.
?

“…What is the meaning of this?!!”

Her belated outcry of bewilderment reverberated throughout the chamber.