The Crazy Villain Regains His Sanity - Chapter 27

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 27

Berserker pushed open the door of the Abandoned House, a structure that looked ready to collapse at any moment. The interior was a mingling of blood-stench and musty reek that assaulted his senses, yet it was the natural ambiance of this place.
His footsteps halted before a corpse—head and limbs torn to shreds, chest burst open. Anyone would recognize the artistry in the laceration.

“A foolish death befitting a fool.”

The thought escaped unbidden.
All that posturing, only to end in such an absurd demise.

“Or perhaps it means Head Breaker is that formidable.”

The Puppet Master’s reputation for immortality had proven genuine, so it was fair to say that Head Breaker deserved the praise for finding and slaying him.

…….

Standing in the room, Berserker closed his eyes and opened himself to the lingering Force Flow within the space. He glimpsed the scene from hours past—the signal radiating from the Puppet Master controlling his puppets, those piercing blue eyes that seemed to pierce the very air, and the Lightning riding the signal the Puppet Master had created as it carved through the room.
Woven through it all was a murderous intent so vast it defied imagination.
A madness so overwhelming that mere observation threatened to shatter his own mind.
The world called him Berserker, but there existed in this world a madman who made that name seem like a jest.

Guk-guk-guk!

Berserker laughed, shaking off the madness that threatened to consume even him.

“I don’t know where reality ends in what I’ve seen.”

Everything was confusion itself.
The Puppet Master hadn’t died stupidly from having his hideout discovered. Then what were those blue eyes exposed in the room, and what was that Lightning riding the Force Flow?
He’d tried to read the traces multiple times, but the full picture never emerged.
Eventually abandoning the attempt, he left the Abandoned House and arrived at a location roughly five kilometers away.
Amid the violent traces of battle, Berserker attempted to sense the flow of combat between the puppet and Head Breaker.
But again, it didn’t align. Head Breaker waged battle with Lightning that destroyed everything his hands touched. Yet no trace of it could be detected here.
Instead.

“…Why do I sense Mal So-ja’s scent?”

No matter how he thought about it, nothing made sense. But there was no trace of Head Breaker’s combat style here—only the unmistakable presence of Mal So-ja filled the void.

“Is Mal So-ja… Head Breaker? What possible reason could there be?”

Why would a civil servant Hunter disguise himself as a villain? He gathered every clue, tried to piece the puzzle together, but the picture wouldn’t fit. He abandoned the attempt.
Instead, he accepted the Force Flow on the assumption that his opponent was Mal So-ja.

!!!……

Berserker’s eyes snapped open as a heavy pain struck his chest. A murderous intent and madness incomparably vast to before swept through his interior.
Could a human being truly possess such magnitude? Under a killing intent that sought to devour by mere acknowledgment of existence, all Berserker could do was breathe deeply.

“…I have even more reason to see Head Breaker now.”

He wanted to see who this creature truly was.
Having set aside his thoughts, Berserker called out toward the overgrown grass.

“Come out.”
…….
“How much longer are you planning to stand there watching?”
“…I’m just a messenger.”

The man who stepped into view had an ordinary face and wore a salaryman’s suit, but the power radiating from him marked him as Level 5—strong enough to operate on the front lines of a major guild.
Normally, their paths would never cross like this.
Berserker laughed as something interesting seemed about to unfold.

“Where are you from?”
“I’m Lee Young-tan, deputy chief of the Holy Guild’s operations management division.”
“Did he send you to watch me?”
“I was instructed to deliver a message and an item.”
“Then speak.”
“Head Breaker says he knew you’d come here. When you meet, he wants you to contact him.”

With that, Lee Young-tan pulled out a smartphone and handed it over.

…….

Berserker stared at the smartphone for a moment, then reached out. A ringing sound erupted shortly after. Since he didn’t know how to answer the call, Lee Young-tan had to tell him to swipe it to the side before the connection went through. A voice came through the speaker.

—Berserker.
“Head Breaker? You have something to tell me?”
—I’ll kill you soon, so don’t cause trouble. Just wait quietly.
“What?”
—Pick whatever date and time you want. I’ll match your pace. Before that, let’s have a final meal together, and then contact me again. You can use text if you like. You know how to do that, right?

The call ended there. Berserker stared blankly at the smartphone, then burst into wild laughter.

“Hah, hahahaha! The bastard’s insane!”

Crack!

The smartphone shattered in his grip.

…….

Berserker stared blankly at the pulverized device. Lee Young-tan showed no sign of alarm and simply pulled out another smartphone, holding it out. Berserker gazed at it silently for a moment before accepting it. He tucked it into his pocket carefully this time—if he smashed it again, he’d have no way to stay in contact.
Only then did his composure return, and he laughed again.

‘Maniacs, both of them.’

The other was laughing while promising to end him.
They were cut from the same cloth.
Lee Young-tan, caught between two lunatics, was the only one in real danger.

When I entered, there she was in a hospital gown, looking perfectly healthy and rosy-cheeked, wandering around restlessly.
So that’s why she’d asked me not to tell her parents—the injury really wasn’t that severe. Her organs hadn’t ruptured, her abdomen hadn’t split open. Nothing like that.
According to the nurse, she’d eaten three bowls of rice. The appetite was impressive. Back home, food and side dishes I’d prepared would disappear, and when I’d ask if she’d eaten them all, she’d make quite a scene. Apparently, the culprit’s shameless appetite hasn’t changed. I set down the fruit basket.

“Huh? Why are you here? I’m being discharged tomorrow anyway.”
“My sister’s in the hospital—I should at least come check if you’re still breathing.”
“That’s rich coming from your injured sibling—joke aside, thanks for coming. I would’ve died without you.”

I shook my head at her awkward expression.

“No, you did well. You held out impressively.”
“Still, I felt how pathetic my skills are. Should I have trained harder? Wait, forget what I just said!”

Yoon Hui tried to take back her words, but I’d heard every bit of it.

“Once you’re discharged, I’ll push you harder.”
“No, I misspoke. This is already enough.”
“Doesn’t sound like it.”
“It’s enough, I’m telling you? I was talking about the Gift.”
“The Gift?”
“Just venting. I was thinking maybe things would be different if I had a Gift. Not everyone gets one, you know.”

The percentage of Hunters who possess a Gift is remarkably small. Yet most Hunters at the upper echelons carry one.
A Gift grants Hunters exceptional strength.
In the early days of the Awakened Ones, a few nations even conducted biomedical experiments to unlock Gifts, but they all failed. I’m probably the only one who can identify Gift types through Blood Reading.
I watched Yoon Hui and dangled the bait.

“What if there was a way to get a Gift?”
“There’s a way? Really?”

I pretended to think for a moment, then nodded.

“There is.”
“Then tell me! I want a Gift too. I want to get stronger.”
“It’s a somewhat dangerous method.”
“That’s fine.”

Perhaps it was her hunger for strength—she reminded me of how I used to crave power before becoming a Bloodkin in my past life. It nagged at me a little.
No. That hunger fades too, once you keep grinding long enough. Foolish thoughts vanish when you strip away desire for strength. I should use the Gift opening as leverage to keep her grinding.

“Focus on getting treated well first and rebuilding your condition. We’ll talk more after that.”
“Got it. I’m remembering everything you’re saying, so don’t pretend you forgot later.”
“Fine.”

If Yoon Hui got a Gift, she’d hunt better.
But I’d have to draw blood from near her heart—would she panic?
I decided to worry about that later.

“Oh! And one more thing. Were you really watching?”
“Huh?”
“You were watching me fight the puppet, weren’t you?”

I thought it was just a half-dream, but she remembered the situation precisely.

“No.”
“I think you were.”
……

Her narrowed eyes pursued me relentlessly. I could probably keep dodging this a few more times, but there was no reason to come clean just yet.

“Dammit, no proof.”
“Did you dream it?”
“No, it was real! And take that with you.”

Yoon Hui pointed at a large pot sitting on the table.

“What is it?”
“Open it.”

I lifted the lid to check what was inside.
The aroma that greeted me belonged to an owl’s head. Its eyes tracked my gaze, following wherever I looked.
It was a miso hot pot with an Owl Boar head as the base. How in the world did this end up here?

“Da-hyeon brought it, said you needed to build up your strength. You recommended it, didn’t you? Are you crazy? You absolutely are, aren’t you? Tell me you are.”
“It’s definitely a restorative dish.”
“I did eat some rice mixed with the broth, but I can’t stomach those eyeballs staring back at me the whole time. Da-hyeon says the eyes are the most delicious part—how am I supposed to eat that? You eat it.”
“Fine.”

At Yoon Hui’s insistence, I took the Owl Boar miso hot pot home with me.
It was an unexpected windfall.

* * *

By the time I returned to the National Defense Bureau, news of Kim Young-hwan’s death was breaking across all channels, and the mood of the entire nation had grown somber.
The death of a Level 8—no one else—was momentous. Though he’d been described as declining, Kim Young-hwan’s influence had been substantial, and the repercussions were proportionally vast.
Criticism of Jung Ju-ho’s leadership flared, but it subsided once word spread that I’d captured the Puppet Master. Still, within the demoralized bureaucracy, people lamented that real authority had shifted entirely from the government to the major guilds.
Without cooperation from the major guilds, capturing the Berserker had become practically impossible, they said. The government had pledged budget allocations to train a Level 8 superhuman, but blind money just ends up in somebody else’s pocket.
I’d keep my eyes open. Once they gain immunity from prosecution, I’d make sure to settle accounts.
Everything was unfolding exactly as Lee Se-hui had predicted. If time continued its course, there would be plenty to demand once the negotiation table was set.

“Welcome.”

In the brief interim, Jung Ju-ho’s face had grown gaunt—half the man he’d been. At least his expression wasn’t entirely dark, thanks to the face-saving removal of the Puppet Master. The only drawback was not being able to confirm the corpse.
Should I go retrieve it now? By now, after several days, the condition would be poor. Next time, I’d remember to separate the head beforehand.
Not that it mattered—nobody knew what the Puppet Master’s face looked like anyway.

“You really did eliminate the Puppet Master?”
“Yes.”
“I mean—they call him immortal. How did you possibly eliminate him?”
“Puppet Manipulation uses Force wavelengths to control the puppets. I located the source of those wavelengths. He was there. The Puppet Master’s personal combat ability was unremarkable.”
“You should’ve brought the body back.”
“I destroyed his head. If needed, I said Lee Se-hui could testify.”
“No need to go that far. It’s unfortunate, but I can accept it.”

Jung Ju-ho scratched his head as he spoke.

“Still, thanks to you I’m alive. When Minister Kim Young-hwan died, the chaos was unimaginable. That old man—once you get on in years and your skills fade, you should know when to step back. Instead he got greedy. Tsk, tsk!”
“I’m glad it’s been resolved smoothly.”

Officially, Jung Ju-ho was my backer. I hoped he’d maintain his enthusiasm and continue supporting me for years to come.

“Anyway, you saved us all. Honestly, I don’t know what would’ve happened without you.”
“The atmosphere seems dire.”
“The government side is dying a slow death. That man’s character was bankrupt, sure, but he was dependable—that much was undeniable. If he was going to fall apart like this, he should’ve groomed a proper successor. Tsk! From where I’m standing, it’ll be hard to find someone like that elsewhere.”
……
“On the flip side, if you reach Level 8 now, your value only increases. It’s not a bad turn of events for you. It’s strange how one person’s death becomes another’s benefit.”

The man who’d been a thorn in my side was gone, and while that was satisfying, I smiled bitterly at the fact that we’d be at a disadvantage in future power struggles with the major guilds.

“Director.”
“Yes? What is it?”
“If I reach Level 8, would you be able to help me in negotiations?”

The probability of refusal was high. Jung Ju-ho had lived his entire life as a civil servant devoted to the nation; he might well see my actions as undermining the state’s interests.
But the moment I’d finished speaking, Jung Ju-ho’s mouth curved upward.

“Jun-ho. Honestly, I’ve been waiting for you to say that.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Honestly, who knows the government like I do? Spent my whole life as a civil servant hunter, and I know everyone worth knowing up the chain. I know where those guys came from, what they’ve done, all of it.”
“I’d appreciate it if you’d share that information with me later.”

He’d already found his target to exploit.

“…Wait, scratch what I said about knowing what he’s done. Did my hair fall out and take my memory with it? I can’t remember. Anyway, since you’re asking for my help, I’ll give you my full support. You came from the National Defense Bureau, didn’t you? I should step up for you.”

I could have extracted the information. It was frustrating.
Still, a few more nudges and the details I needed would come pouring out.

“I thought you’d say I was compromising national interests.”
“Compromise? Please. If you don’t squeeze those secrets out, someone else will pick the bones clean anyway. You see that budget they allocated for raising a Level 8? It’s all blind money. Better to spend it courting you than let it disappear into some hardass’s back pocket. I’ll bleed the government dry for you. Just trust me.”
“I do.”

This old man had built up quite a lot of frustration over the years.

“So, about that.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m going to catch Berserker.”
“You still haven’t given up?”

Jung Ju-ho, who’d been grinning, suddenly went rigid with shock, tugging at his hair.
Was that even allowed?

* * *

My connection with Berserker traces back to my previous life.
That bastard, who’d brought with him the Way of Madness—a thing bereft of sanity—was a madman intent on completing his own world within a framework that differed from everyone else’s.
The fact that he was Level 8, that he possessed a Gift, didn’t come to light until just before his death.
This time his Gift hadn’t surfaced, but his Level 8 status had been revealed.
What lingered in my memory was that he was unusual enough to leave an impression, the things he’d said when he looked at me—they stayed with me.

“He called it the Moment of Star.”

Berserker chased after talents that could inspire him.
That’s why he’d pursued Mal So-ja’s traces. He’d said there was something more fearful than death, and he wanted to glimpse the Moment of Star even at the cost of his own life.
Whether he saw it in his final moments, I can’t say. But his obsession with power was genuine. At sixty years old when he died by my hand, his strength hadn’t deteriorated—instead, he’d hidden away every secret technique imaginable to grow stronger.

Berserker—When are you coming?
Berserker—I’m already here.
Berserker—Waiting is tedious. This too is a spice for pleasure, I suppose. Kekeke!
Berserker—[Photo attached]
Berserker—If you have time, come early.

He was probably hung up on the fact that I’d asked if he knew how to use text.
He’d been sending me messages for three hours straight.
Why send selfies of himself sitting around? And the file size was ridiculously large.
I departed at precisely the agreed time.
When I arrived at the designated place, I found Berserker perched on a tree stump, exactly as in the attached photo.

“Right on time. I was about to go mad from waiting.”
“Who told you to come early?”
“I was too excited to contain myself.”
“Madman.”
“Kekekeke!”

He takes the insult as a compliment and laughs. Maybe Jung Ju-ho was right. This bastard really is insane. If I’m around him too long, I’ll catch it too.

“Did you patch up the hole in your stomach?”
“Sufficiently. I have a question for you too.”
“What is it?”
“Is that Mal So-ja?”

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