The Crazy Villain Regains His Sanity - Chapter 20

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Episode 20

“Not bad. I’m quite pleased with this.”

Yi Cheon-guk, the Bomb Terrorist, smiled with satisfaction as he examined the items he’d procured from the Black Market.
With the Gift of Strength Enhancement, he lived up to his alias by manufacturing explosives and committing mass murder through long-range throws—a Villain in every sense.
Manufacturing bombs was his hobby, and confirming the destructive power of his creations was the very meaning of his existence.
He’d hurled explosives not only across cities but into Hunter hunting grounds, leaving over a thousand casualties in his wake. Bounties for his capture had been placed by government organizations and major Guilds alike.
Sensing the increasingly relentless pursuit, Yi Cheon-guk had gone into hiding for over six months. Now that surveillance had loosened, he’d managed to acquire the materials needed for bomb-making from the Black Market.
His disguise was flawless, and he’d purchased the components in multiple visits to different vendors—no one would suspect his identity.

“This time, I’ll make it spectacular. They’ll regret ever trying to catch me.”

Yi Cheon-guk laughed, envisioning the day his name as the Bomb Terrorist would echo across the city.
Until a voice came from behind.

“Bomb Terrorist? That’s some bounty.”

Crack!

“Aaagh!”

Yi Cheon-guk’s arm twisted at an unnatural angle, and moments later his legs shattered beneath him as he crashed to the ground. Despite the high bounty on his head, his Level wasn’t particularly high, and his reliance on long-range throws left him vulnerable in close combat.

“Five hundred million won in bounty. Quite the track record.”
“W-who are you?”

Writhing in agony, Yi Cheon-guk’s eyes darted frantically. He recognized it instantly—this was no ordinary opponent. This was a major Villain, someone he had no hope of matching.

“Civil servant.”

Thud.

Yi Cheon-guk never got to plead for his life. His head caved in, and he died.
Choi Jun-ho, having dealt with the Bomb Terrorist with ease, stamped on the items he’d purchased from the Black Market. The objects wrapped in Mine Force shattered to fragments.

“That makes five.”

Checking the time: 4 a.m.
There was still time to hunt one more Villain.

* * *

Once I’d resolved to hunt Villains, my criteria for selecting targets were straightforward.
First, I avoided groups. Dealing with multiple targets quickly was difficult, and cleanup was messy. I also excluded anyone belonging to corporations or Guilds.
That left solitary Villains.
Identifying a Villain was simple enough. I stationed myself a short distance from the Black Market and hunted those moving alone.
As I was selecting my final target, I spotted a man in his forties with a lean frame and an unremarkable face—and I smiled.
This was a bigger catch than I’d expected.
I concealed myself and waited for him to pass. My plan was to launch a surprise attack from behind and eliminate him.
As I stepped forward with killing intent, my hand reaching for his throat, his body dissolved into light and reformed ten meters away. I’d missed.

“I’ve seen ambushes at the Black Market before, but that almost cost me my life.”
“Blink Na Gyeong-uk.”

A Level 6 Villain with a Danger Level rated as low. His record was unusual—a Villain with no history of causing harm to ordinary citizens.

“Do you know who I am? If you do, can’t you just let me go? I don’t want to fight.”
“Leave your head behind.”
“So he won’t listen to reason.”

Even with a low Danger Level, Blink was difficult to capture because he wielded it with such fluidity.
A spatial Gift—the kind that made you covet it.
Maybe I should take it.
In that instant, Na Gyeong-uk crossed the space and swung his short sword at me.

Crack!

He wielded two short swords with precision, then threw them without hesitation when distance allowed. It was troublesome precisely because space held no constraints for him.
But the force coating his blades shattered against my Mine Force, unable to withstand the power.
Na Gyeong-uk, reeling backward from the impact, deployed Blink. I seized that moment—I’d been waiting for it—and hurled the bullet I’d picked up earlier at the spot where he reappeared.

“Ugh!”

The greatest weakness of spatial-transfer users was the brief moment of vulnerability after activation. Na Gyeong-uk’s body convulsed as the bullet I’d thrown pierced through his arm and ribs.
In that split second, I tore through space to grab his head, but he activated Blink once more.
It was just the last throes of a dying Villain.

“Enough! I surrender!”
“Not interested.”

He’d made clear his unwillingness to resist, but it didn’t matter. I would kill him here and take Blink for myself.

“What the hell is wrong with you! Damn it! You used that lightning-like thing in your hand—are you the Head Breaker?”
“Head Breaker?”

Didn’t sound like me. What kind of an Alias was that?

“A civil-servant Hunter with cruelty that surpasses even Villains! That’s you, isn’t it?”
“I’ll answer you in the afterlife.”

He activated Blink again, but I caught up easily. As he dodged the hand aimed at his head, his shoulder gave way instead, and with a sunken gasp, Na Gyeong-uk twisted his entire body and screamed.

“Stop! Please, stop! I’m a civil-servant Hunter too!”
“What nonsense.”
“I’m with the Inter-agency Cooperation Management Bureau! P-please, search my pockets. I have an ID Badge.”

A Villain who was a civil-servant Hunter? It was wholly unexpected. I tore open his coat and found the badge. The name read: Han Sang-min.

“If you’re lying, you won’t die easy. I’ll crush every bone in your body.”

At my threat, Na Gyeong-uk trembled. I retrieved the ID Badge and examined it closely.
…I couldn’t tell if it was genuine or forged. But my instinct—the one thing I trusted—was telling me something. There was a high probability he was telling the truth.
I pulled out my smartphone and contacted Jeong Ju-ho.

“My apologies for the early hour, Director.”
-I don’t recall 3:30 a.m. being morning, but tell me what you’ve done.

He was already assuming I’d caused some incident. Ah—was this something unforeseen?

“I wanted to know if someone named Han Sang-min exists in the Inter-agency Cooperation Management Bureau.”
-Hold on.

After that, Jeong Ju-ho placed another call. He exchanged pleasantries with what sounded like the director of the Inter-agency Cooperation Management Bureau—though by “pleasantries” I mean they traded curses—before he spoke to me again.

-He’s apparently a black operative for the Inter-agency Cooperation Management Bureau. How did you know that name?
“I have him in custody right now.”
-What?
“I apologize, but could you confirm whether Han Sang-min has been impersonating the Villain Blink, Na Gyeong-uk?”
-…….

Jeong Ju-ho called the director of the Inter-agency Cooperation Management Bureau again, and the final answer came through.

-That’s right.
“Understood.”
-You didn’t kill him, I hope?
“No, sir.”
-Did you cripple him half to death?

I looked at Na Gyeong-uk for a moment. Blood leaked copiously from the holes in his arm and side; his face had gone pale as chalk, and his shoulder was shattered.

“Not quite half crippled—maybe half of that.”
-That’s your assessment.
“I’ll do my best to restore him.”
-Please, I’m begging you.
“Yes.”

The call ended, and I poured the Shinsong Group Premium Recovery Potion I’d been carrying for emergencies onto Han Sang-min’s shoulder. The collapsed shoulder blade seemed to restore itself, gradually returning to its proper shape.

“Stay still. Unless you want to spend your whole life as a cripple.”

Either way, Shinsong Group and their Premium Recovery Potion—highly recommended.

* * *

The Republic of Korea had succeeded in maintaining balance through strong regulation of large guilds in its early days and support for state-sanctioned Hunters. Recently, power has been shifting toward the large guilds, but the government’s three pillars—the National Guard Bureau, the Inter-agency Cooperation Management Bureau, and the Demon Defense Front Bureau—possess greater force and authority than most large guilds.

“Director Yeom, it was a mistake, wasn’t it? When a Hunter’s out and about and spots a Villain, he might break a shoulder or two by accident—that happens.”
“Are you serious? That ‘mistake’ is going to require half a year of treatment just to hold a spoon again. If you push any further, you’ll make him a breathing corpse for life, won’t you?”
“These things happen when people clash. At least he’s still breathing, right? And you did make sure his bones healed properly, didn’t you?”
“Are you seriously asking me to be grateful for that? What if I smashed all your bones to pieces and then set them back for you?”

When Jeong Ju-ho brought up his thinning hair, Yeom Gi-cheol—struck by a fellow sufferer’s understanding—could no longer press the matter.

“What exactly is this Head Breaker made of?”
“A walking disaster. A big one.”

He would have loved to let Yeom Gi-cheol taste that particular flavor, but he couldn’t exactly hand over his treasure.
He decided to think of it as the burden of one who possesses treasure.
And as expected, Yeom Gi-cheol began steering the conversation in that direction.

“That sword of his—I’m afraid it’ll cut through everything. Why don’t we share that asset?”
“You’re not curious about my own blade?”
“You greedy bastard. You made calls in the middle of the night and now you’re not even sorry? Do you know how much nagging I caught from my wife over this?”
“I caught nagging too. Who asked me to get married in the first place?”

“You bastard! You were the one who introduced us in the first place!”
“I never thought you’d actually go through with getting married. The guy’s solid.”
“Well, I suppose he is.”

Yeom Gi-cheol held his tongue, sensing that saying more would only drag things out. That friend of his—rival though he might be—was the type who’d relay every word straight back to his wife without hesitation.

“Anyway, since Sang-min’s having trouble moving around, the operation we were planning’s going to fall through. Hand the case over to Head Breaker.”
“What operation?”
“Drugs are pouring in from abroad in massive quantities. It’s connected to the Puppeteer, but I think it ties back to the League.”
“…….!”
“I was planning to handle it myself, but I’ll need you to pitch in.”
“Fifty-fifty split.”
“What? We’ve already laid out the whole spread here—are you messing with me?”

Jeong Ju-ho grinned, flicking Yeom Gi-cheol’s ear.

“If you don’t have the strength to feed yourself, you should be grateful someone’s feeding you.”
“You’re the one who broke that arm in the first place!”
“So you’re saying no?”
“Damn it! I had a chance to move forward on my own. Fine—I’m in.”

Jeong Ju-ho broke into a wide smile and sat down next to Yeom Gi-cheol, tapping his shoulder.

“That’s the caliber of man my sister-in-law picked!”
“That I fell for your scheming about married happiness is a lifelong regret.”
“But you’re happy, aren’t you?”
“Thanks to you, I’m incredibly happy. You bastard.”

Yeom Gi-cheol clenched his teeth.

* * *

“Get yourself worked over a little, why don’t you.”

The moment Jeong Ju-ho left, Yeom Gi-cheol—who had been feigning incapacity—broke into a chuckle. He’d tossed the case to him as if doing him a favor, but this matter was no simple affair. The number of Villains belonging to the League was proportional to the value of the drugs in circulation.
To eliminate them entirely would require deploying considerable force, and by handing it off to the National Guard Bureau, he’d managed to secure half the credit.

Four days later.
A subordinate entered the director’s office, face drained of all color.

“What? Did the National Guard Bureau ask for our help?”
“No, sir! Head Breaker stormed in alone and confiscated all the drugs!”

“All of them were crippled resisting.”
“And the damage? Is Head Breaker so badly wounded he’ll be disabled, or is retirement in the cards?”
“That’s… he’s apparently unscathed.”

The Berserker Yi Gwang-jin sat cross-legged in an abandoned factory on the outskirts of Ansan. His expression was serene, like a meditating monk, which made the fearsome reputation he carried seem wholly undeserved.
With his eyes closed, he spoke toward the empty space before him.

“If you’ve come, state your business. Puppeteer.”

A figure cloaked in black robes materialized before the Berserker—the Puppeteer himself.

“I had no intention of disturbing your meditation.”
“Yet here you stand, reeking of corpse stench and speaking freely.”
“I’ve applied special compounds countless times. To call it a stench seems unjust—surely I’m fragrant by now? Don’t distort the truth, friend. And you still haven’t tired of this factory, have you?”
“It’s the only space where traces of the Mal-soja remain. Don’t you see it? A slaughter so beautiful it transcends into the realm of fantasy?”

This was where Big Ten and his crew had been annihilated not long ago. The Berserker took in the factory’s interior, reconstructing the massacre in his mind’s eye.

“So what brings you here?”
“I heard you failed to find the Mal-soja.”
“Are you looking for a fight?”
“Now, now—we’re both applicants for the same League. Allies, you might say.”
“I’ve never considered you an ally.”
“Still playing noble, I see. Regardless, why not abandon this fruitless pursuit of the Mal-soja and instead consider a proposition where you and I both win?”
……

The Puppeteer spoke to the Berserker’s continued silence.

“In the end, we’re both candidates for the League, each with our own agenda. There’s an interesting Hunter among those who attacked the League recently. While perhaps not quite on the Mal-soja’s level, he’d serve as adequate entertainment.”
“Who?”
“Head Breaker. A Hunter who, if his opponent is a Villain, leads with crushing their skull. Still in his twenties, they say, and already at Level 7.”
“Twenties. Head Breaker.”

The Berserker’s eyes gleamed with interest. Pleased at having kindled that spark, the Puppeteer smiled.

“Before I join the League and leave this country, I intend to acquire as many talented puppets as possible. If word spreads that you and I have joined hands, they’ll come flocking. I’ll serve as a warm-up for your hunt for the Mal-soja. Will you do it?”
……
“Help me, and I’ll lend my strength to your search for the Mal-soja.”
“First, hand over what you know about Head Breaker.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————