“Hahaha… This can’t be happening.”
A cold wind whipped across the rooftop.
I was standing there, my laughter echoing into the biting air, sharp and unhinged.
“H-Humans aren’t selfless creatures! I thought they were going to press the button! How… how could they not press it?”
I raved at the empty sky, my hands gesticulating wildly. Then, just as suddenly, my hands fell to my sides. I stopped, my gaze fixing on Starlight, who stood watching me from across the rooftop.
“Oh.”
The single word hung in the air. My eyes locked onto hers.
“It was because of you.”
Of course, it wasn’t because of Starlight at all. I’d ordered my captains to toss the detonators into the ocean the moment her heroic speech concluded. But that was a little secret between me and them.
In front of the cameras broadcasting live to the entire nation, I had to play my part. I pretended to know nothing, to be just as shocked as everyone else. I had to let them believe this terrorist plot had failed thanks to Starlight and her inspiring words.
My lips moved, forming a slow, deliberate smile.
“After your speech… everyone suddenly became united.”
And then I laughed again, a full-throated, manic peel.
“Ha, haha. Hahahahahahahahaha! Hahahahahahahahaha!!”
God, this was embarrassing. I suppressed the wave of shame and kept the act going, laughing like a madman. Starlight just stared at me, her expression a perfect mix of caution and disgust, as if she were observing some strange, dangerous animal.
Ugh. My favorite hero was looking at me like I was a lunatic. Did she have any idea what that did to a fan?
I let the laughter die down. The only reason she hadn't already charged was because of the detonator I still held in my hand. She couldn't risk a move until the ships were safely back in the harbor and every passenger was off.
Once my fit subsided, I spoke again.
“Okay. Alright. I guess I underestimated you. What you did… no one else could have done it. You can’t just enlighten the masses with a few words, can you?”
Hmm. A problem was developing.
My script had run out. I was starting to lose the thread.
Who was I before all this? Just a regular guy from Astoria. I wasn’t used to delivering impromptu monologues to the entire nation, especially not while standing in front of a superhuman who could obliterate me in five seconds flat. Everything up to this point had been rehearsed, but now I was running on empty.
The wind was frigid. I was freezing. I should have worn a Heattech undershirt beneath this robe.
Wait, why was I thinking about that now?
I was losing it. My mind was slowly going blank. I needed to wrap this up. It was time to get ready.
Ready for what? My escape.
“Ahem, ahem. My mistake, Starlight. It seems I truly underestimated you.”
“…”
“I won’t go so easy on you next time. Well then, until we meet again!”
I shot one last grin at the camera.
Then, with a flourish of my cape, I vanished, taking the camera with me.
I needed to teleport far from here, somewhere near my place, to avoid the swarm of police that would be descending on this building any second. The jump would take a lot out of me. I’d probably be stuck in bed for the next three days.
Man, this villain life wasn't easy.
“You bastard!”
The moment she realized my intent, she lunged, moving in a flash of light and color.
Too little, too late. Bye-bye.
“Well then, goodbye.”
With that final word, I was gone.
[[Exclusive] Midday Terrorist Attack Ends with No Casualties.]
[Who is the-Class Villain, Egostic? Media Scrambles for Information.]
[[Breaking News] Hero Association Statement: ‘Villain’s Abilities Appear to Be Telekinesis and Teleportation.’]
[Broadcast Hijacking in the Modern Age… Is Astorian Broadcasting’s Security Compromised?]
[Profile: Who is Starlight, the Hero Targeted by the Broadcasting Villain?]
[Cruise Ship Passengers and Crew Report Anxiety, Panic Disorders; Refuse Interviews.]
That day, the articles rained down.
It was a jarring disruption to an otherwise ordinary day. Unlike typical terrorist attacks that targeted a specific area or group of people, this one had been broadcast live to the entire country, setting its perpetrator apart from the rest.
In short, he had captured the public’s attention. The whole nation learned of the incident within a day, and its two central figures—the villain Egostic and the hero who faced him, Starlight—were thrust into the spotlight. The large-scale incident even drew the attention of foreign media.
The Hero Association of Astoria released a triumphant statement: “Thanks to the performance of A-Class hero Starlight, we were able to end the attack with zero casualties.” Every article ran with a similar headline.
The full, unedited video of the confrontation topped ViewTube’s real-time trending charts. All over the internet, posts summarizing and analyzing the villain Egostic began to appear.
And among those analysts, of course, was The Hero Association of Astoria itself.
“Alright, let’s begin the briefing.”
The Hero Association of Astoria.
In a meeting room on the top floor, a formal debrief was underway.
“The new villain has been identified. Calls himself Egostic.”
“Gender is male, presumed to be Astorian, likely in his early to mid-twenties.”
“His location is unknown, but given that all related incidents have been concentrated in Sterling City, it’s highly probable he resides here.”
“Please refer to the materials on the suspect’s appearance.”
A file was distributed to everyone at the long table, containing front and side profile shots. He was dressed entirely in black: a long-coat-like robe and a matching cape. A mask covered the upper half of his face. A footnote below the photo read: “Though the mask covers only half his face, it’s presumed to possess a cognitive impairment function, making visual identification difficult.”
“To date, he is responsible for two deaths: an A-Class and an S-Class villain. Both victims appear to have been killed by a compression or explosion of the head, likely via telekinesis. As there were no other injuries, we assume these were surprise attacks.”
“What’s the estimated output of his telekinesis?”
“We’re… not sure yet. Crushing the skull of a stationary, defenseless opponent is within the capabilities of even a C-Class. If the target were resisting, however, that would be a difficult feat for even an A-Class. The current theory is that both villains were caught completely off-guard.”
“Hmm. So you’re saying he might only be C-Class?”
“We can’t be certain of that, either. There’s a possibility the villain was deliberately holding back.”
“Fine. Continue.”
“Yes, sir. Although Egostic has only personally killed two villains, yesterday’s event suggests he was willing to cause mass civilian casualties.”
A heavy silence fell over the room. That was, after all, why they were all here.
“Now, I’ll provide a deep dive into yesterday’s incident, officially designated ‘The Attempted Argent River Cruise Ship Bombing.’ The explosives appear to have been planted in advance. After disarming them, our teams confirmed they were powerful enough to tear the ships in half. The source of these devices is still under investigation.”
The presenter paused for a moment, taking a sip of water before continuing.
“Regarding the broadcast hijacking: it is still unclear how he bypassed the latest security protocols. No logs were left behind, and because the camera itself was under the villain’s control, we have no footage to analyze.”
“Some have theorized a radio-wave-manipulation ability, but there is no precedent for a superpower related to information technology. Furthermore, there are no recorded cases of an individual possessing three distinct abilities, so for now, it remains speculation.”
“Given that he seamlessly seized the signals of three major broadcasting stations, I believe an ability is the most likely explanation. We were unable to block the transmission; Egostic terminated the broadcast himself after the incident concluded, which further supports this theory.”
“Alright, I understand. I think I have the picture.”
The president of the association cut him off. The presenter gave a slight bow and returned to his seat.
In the quiet that followed, only the president’s voice echoed across the long table.
“So, this villain is a mastermind, a planner with access to significant intelligence. He can uncover the hideouts of A and S-Class villains and can hack broadcast signals at will. What else?”
The presenter who had just sat down spoke up again.
“He also… seems to keep his word. He promised that if no one on the ships pressed the button, he would let them live, and he did. And most importantly, he appears to have an obsession with Starlight.”
As he finished the sentence, every head in the room turned towards one end of the table.
Their gazes all fell on Starlight—on Stella Clark—who was attending the meeting in person.
Feeling the weight of their attention, Starlight finally spoke.
“Yes, that’s correct. He left a message for me at the scene of the first villain’s murder, and he specifically targeted me in this most recent incident.”
“Do you have any idea why, Starlight?” the president asked.
Clark’s reply was calm and measured.
“I don’t know.”
“Well… that is strange indeed.”
Hearing her answer, the president shook his head slightly and changed the subject. “Should we assign him an S-Class threat ranking? He’s on the most-wanted list, isn’t that right?” No, it was only an attempted mass murder, he didn't actually succeed, and his telekinetic power is still unmeasured, it’s too early to grant him S-Class status…
The heated discussion continued long into the night.
At that same moment, just a few kilometers from the scene of the attack, in a small studio apartment…
“Oh, my god… Shit, I feel like I’m dying.”
I was sprawled across my bed, groaning into my pillow.
The life of a villain wasn't easy.