The Crazy Villain Regains His Sanity - Chapter 52

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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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Episode 52

“Come out.”

The quiet command from Choi Jun-ho shook Yang Ju-hyeok’s mind without mercy.
Surely not—surely not him? The son of the Howell Guild Master? The Academy’s golden prospect, the one chosen as captain for the Exchange Match?
Yang Ju-hyeok’s heart hammered in his chest. He was Class A’s problem child, the one who walked through the Academy untouchable.
He wanted to believe it wasn’t true, but felt his heart constricting with each passing second.
What is this? Is it real? Is he really telling me to play the Villain?
This man was serious. He would actually treat him as a Villain.
The world tilted in Yang Ju-hyeok’s vision.
What should he do? Should he move? Or hold his ground as long as possible?
But the man didn’t give him time to think.

“If you don’t come out, I’ll drag you out.”

The moment those words reached him, Yang Ju-hyeok found himself rising. If he didn’t stand, it felt like he would die. This man was insane—absolutely insane.
In the Academy, Yang Ju-hyeok had seen countless adults. All of them pathetic. Easy to crush with his background, with his strength. He’d actually crushed a few of them.
He’d thought that even if Choi Jun-ho was a government-certified Superhuman, the man wouldn’t dare touch him. People in high places always compromised gracefully, after all. He’d expected the same this time.
But this lunatic was different. The instant Yang Ju-hyeok resisted, he’d be trampled.
As he moved hesitantly toward Choi Jun-ho, his heartbeat only grew louder.
In the meantime, Choi Jun-ho was explaining to the students.

“Villains don’t pick their moment—they rush in whenever. They hunt for your weakest point. After you finish Hunting and your guard drops. After you’ve finished dismantling Monsters and your pack grows heavy. While you’re scouting a good location before the next Hunt. They read the moment they sense weakness and strike. They poison you. They cast Debuffs with their Gifts. Some even use other Villains as bait. Every year, over a hundred Hunters in Korea alone die to Villains. When you count the unclear cases, the number climbs higher.”

Choi Jun-ho, speaking in that matter-of-fact tone, looked at Yang Ju-hyeok as he drew near.
This wasn’t the gaze one reserved for a person. Yang Ju-hyeok was being treated like a pebble lying in the street. His legs began to tremble.
Yet for some reason, a corner of his chest burned with an inexplicable heat.

“From now on, I’ll show you how to respond when a Villain attacks. Come at me.”
“How exactly… am I supposed to attack you?”
“Any way you like. You might want to go all out. I’m treating you as a Villain.”
“What does it mean to treat someone as a Villain?”
“It means I’ll kill you.”

Insane, insane, insane—the man was utterly insane!
As the chilling bloodlust sank into him, Yang Ju-hyeok cried out.

“Why am I a Villain?! …sir?”

Yang Ju-hyeok barely choked back the defiance rising in his throat. Confronted with such overt killing intent for the first time, his mouth went dry and every hair on his body stood on end.

“A good-for-nothing who throws his weight around on nothing but bloodline—what else would you call that but a Villain?”
“What?”
“You’re a Villain.”
“A genius of the Academy being called a Villain?”

Rage that transcended fear flooded through him.
He clenched his teeth and glared, but the man remained unmoved.

“You were the one who wanted to see how to deal with a Villain. I’ll carve it into your body. Come at me.”

This was a bare declaration that he’d be beaten down. Staring into Choi Jun-ho’s cold, expressionless eyes, Yang Ju-hyeok’s legs shook.
Unlike the others who’d always held back out of respect for his background, this man might actually kill him without hesitation.
And yet—strangely—he felt a thrill run through him. The sensation of being seen not as an Academy student or a promising Awakened, but as a single person. It was something he’d craved for so long.
This was what he’d wanted. To be seen as a person. Even if the treatment came under the guise of being a Villain, he’d endure it.
But contrary to his thoughts, his body had begun to tremble.

“W-what gives you the right!”
“Me? I’m an Academy professor. Professors discipline disrespectful students.”

So he was determined to discipline him after all. If that was the case, Yang Ju-hyeok couldn’t afford to be on the receiving end. He opened his eyes savagely and watched for an opening.
Choi Jun-ho, speaking in a flat tone, turned to address the students.

“As you can see, circumstances change at any moment. Sometimes foolish villains slip up and leave traces of themselves—in cases like that, hunters may strike the villain first…….”
‘My chance!’

Yang Ju-hyeok lunged at Choi Jun-ho the instant a gap appeared. His plan was to land one solid blow and then bolt from the lecture hall.
The distance closed in a heartbeat, and his fist rocketed toward Choi Jun-ho’s face.

‘Hehe, no matter how superhuman he is, there’s no defense against a sneak attack…….’

Crack.

In his mind, he saw Choi Jun-ho reeling from the punch, battered and broken.
Instead, his fist—cutting through empty air—was caught with casual ease.

“Then there are the stupid villains who charge in without knowing if it’s a gap or a trap.”

Crunch.

“Ahhhhhhh!”

Yang Ju-hyeok screamed as his entire arm crumpled under the pain.
It hurt—God, it hurt. He thrashed desperately, but Choi Jun-ho’s grip held him like he’d been glued there.

“The legs are best. Once mobility is gone, villains can’t keep pace with your movements. Start by breaking or severing the legs.”

Snap.

“Uhhhhh!”

Both legs shattered like brittle sugar cane, and searing agony consumed him. Yang Ju-hyeok knelt on the floor, letting out a horrific shriek of anguish. Yet no one responded to his cries. A thick pall of dread had settled over the lecture hall.
The pain was maddening. So this was the tyranny of the powerful. Was this how the people he’d hurt felt?
Even as Yang Ju-hyeok screamed, he trembled at the overwhelming force Choi Jun-ho wielded. Yes, the strong got to do as they pleased. Choi Jun-ho could carry himself with such confidence and grace precisely because he was a Level 8 Superhuman. The beating he was taking—that was what weakness earned.
He wanted to be like that. He wanted to bring the world to its knees before him and reign supreme. That was the right of the strong.

“If targeting the legs is difficult, the arms work too. Once they can’t grip a weapon, a villain’s combat ability plummets.”

As Choi Jun-ho finished speaking and swung his arm, Yang Ju-hyeok felt his body lift, then slam against the ground, the wind driven from his lungs.

“Gasp!”
“Fundamentally, villains are weaker than you. The crucial thing is not to panic in an ambush and to use your full strength.”

He had utterly broken a man and his expression hadn’t changed once. He was insane. A goddamned psychopath. Now Yang Ju-hyeok understood why people said to avoid Choi Jun-ho entirely.
Yet perversely, he wanted to be like him. To become so strong, to stride through the world without hesitation—that was true strength, the kind he’d always dreamed of.

“P-professor! Ju-hyeok’s wounds look really bad…….”
“Injuries like that are common during hunts. A little salve and they heal right up. Though his looks pretty gruesome.”

Choi Jun-ho pulled a bottle from his pocket and hurled it at him.

Thud.

“Ugh!”

The tremendous pain radiating through Yang Ju-hyeok’s groin caused his eyes to roll back.
This is too much! You bastard…….
Drowning in agony that transcended imagination, Yang Ju-hyeok lost consciousness.

* * *

I glanced at the unconscious Yang Ju-hyeok before turning my attention to the students.
Unlike when they’d first entered, they were visibly rigid with tension. Good. This was the right atmosphere.
Fear—the realization that it could be their turn next.
That was the mindset a weak person needed to cultivate. The world’s dangers never bypassed anyone. To wisely evade dangers that might strike at any moment without warning, one had to remain perpetually vigilant.
Those who didn’t understand that ended up suffering like Yang Ju-hyeok, playing above their weight.
Though the bastard was unconscious with the corners of his mouth curled upward.
Was he some kind of masochist who enjoyed pain?
The guy’s insane. I shouldn’t associate with him.
Anyway, I had various scenario examples prepared for dealing with villains, but Yang Ju-hyeok passed out. He should’ve held out longer—the man’s weak. Still, it’s fine. Yang Ju-hyeok’s down, but there are other problem children left to work with.

“Number One’s unconscious, so I’ll need the next one. Ma Hwang-gi, you’re Number Two. Come.”
“P-Professor. I…….”
“You won’t come?”
“Y-Yes, sir! I’m coming!”

The moment I took a step forward, he scrambled to his feet and rushed out. Ma Hwang-gi wasn’t someone I had any memory of, but at the Academy he was one of those leeches latching onto Yang Ju-hyeok.

“Next is you, Yun Mi-seon.”
“P-Professor! I’m sorry!”

Then came Yun Mi-seon, the villain I actually did remember.
I worked through how to handle villains methodically, demonstrating against all five problem children.
No permanent damage done. A few bones broke here and there, but I’d fixed them well enough with Recovery Potions. I’d held back considerably, much more than usual, because Go Myeong-hak had pleaded with me so earnestly.

“…These methods will be useful for dealing with opponents you’ll face in Exchange Matches, so remember them well.”

I wanted to be rougher with those problem children. I swallowed my disappointment and ended the three-hour lecture.

“Hey, you kids! Are you okay?”

Lee Hye-ri, who’d been unable to hide her anxiety the whole time, approached the battered problem children.
I didn’t even look back, heading straight for the dean’s office.
Go Myeong-hak, apparently already having heard the news, greeted me with a soft smile.

“Thank you for your efforts.”
“It was nothing—merely a warm-up exercise.”
“I’m relieved you kept things at an appropriate level. I had confidence in you, Superhuman Choi Jun-ho.”
“I thought you’d call it excessive, Dean.”
“Their limbs did break, but what can you do? It’s their own karma. Besides, they sustain worse injuries hunting. Personally, it was quite satisfying. Very good indeed.”

So this was the line Go Myeong-hak had drawn.

“That’s surprising.”
“Heh, I’m human too. Those problem children who skillfully walk the line to avoid legal punishment have been irritating me. But what’s most encouraging is what concerns you.”
“What concerns me?”

What was Go Myeong-hak seeing in me that made him speak like this?

“When I first met you, it felt like you were walking a somewhat precarious line. Now I sense you’re acting within bounds.”
“What’s the difference? Could you explain it in more detail?”
“When I first saw you, Superhuman Choi Jun-ho, I thought that if you’d participated in today’s special lecture from the start, you might have actually killed those problem children.”

What was he reading me as? From the beginning, my only thought was how to dispose of them quietly.

“But now I sense something different. It’s as though a person who was never socialized is gradually stepping into society’s framework—and within those bounds, he’s wielding his influence without overstepping.”

Praise or insult? I couldn’t tell.
Had I really made that choice because I didn’t want to kill those troublemakers?
Honestly, I had no idea. According to Go Myeong-hak, change was happening in me—but I hadn’t noticed it myself.

“I’m not sure about that.”
“You can chalk it up to an old man’s fancy if you like. What matters is that this change seems good to me.”
“I see.”
“Truth be told, I’d love to invite you more often. Those troublemakers would definitely straighten up.”
“If you call on me again, I’ll make time.”
“You’re too kind. I’ll have to mention this to them.”

I didn’t follow the full context, but one thing was clear.
Beating those troublemakers like I had today was perfectly fine.
It seemed like a good way to blow off steam occasionally.

* * *

When his son came home completely beaten to a pulp, the Howell Guild erupted.
Howell Guild Master Yang Gil-su raged and shouted.

“Choi Jun-ho! Find me a way to kill that bastard!”
……

But the guild members could only exchange uncomfortable glances, unable to act.
Their hesitation only fueled Yang Gil-su’s fury.

“What are you doing? Find a way to kill that scum Choi Jun-ho, now!”
“Master, Choi Jun-ho is a state-recognized Superhuman. While the method remains undisclosed, Nuri alone possesses the capability to hunt him solo, and…….”
“So what? My son came back broken, and you want me to do nothing?”
“Moreover, Choi Jun-ho is a benefactor of the Avant-Garde Guild and the President’s most trusted confidant.”
……

Yang Gil-su’s senses returned at those words, and he fell silent. Yet his fury, finding no outlet, roiled beneath the surface, ready to detonate at any moment.
Just then, Yang Ju-hyeok, his limbs broken, entered the office.

“Father.”
“Yes, my son. Are you all right? Don’t worry. I’ll kill that bastard Choi Jun-ho by any means necessary.”
“I’m fine.”
“What? Your arms and legs are broken! And you’re fine?”
“I was weak. I’ll take it as a chance to grow stronger.”
“……Ju-hyeok, I never thought I’d hear you say such a thing.”

Yang Gil-su was moved by his son’s unfamiliar composure, yet simultaneously burned with rage—wondering what kind of shock could have prompted such words.

“Don’t seek revenge.”
“No—if someone wrongs you, you pay them back.”
“Even if it means we all die?”
……
“That Choi Jun-ho is a madman. If he decides to do something, he’ll really do it.”

Yang Ju-hyeok recalled that moment when he’d faced Choi Jun-ho.
Just thinking of it sent chills through him. That man would actually kill if he wanted to. That terror, that dread—all of it was new to him.

“So let it go. I’ll get stronger and take revenge myself.”
“Ju-hyeok.”
“What?”
“Why are you smiling when you talk about Choi Jun-ho?”

Yang Ju-hyeok caught himself touching his face, only to realize his lips had curved into a smile.

“…So that’s it?”

* * *

After finishing the special lecture and returning to Cheongwadae, the first thing I saw was Cheon Myeong-guk’s heavy sigh—a relief, he’d said, that I hadn’t killed anyone.
Did he really think I’d slaughter problem children? Then Go Myeong-hak’s words came back to me. Perhaps maintaining a line meant acting so as not to drive others toward their worst-case scenario. I still wasn’t entirely sure, but I suspected some truth lay in that interpretation.
I made my way deep into Cheongwadae to meet with the President, who had asked to see me.

“I heard well of how you handled the charitable organizations. You should always establish good relations with those sorts of places from the start.”
“I regret the situation. Fortunately, I have people around me who speak well, so I’m planning to start small.”
“Most people begin that way. It’s a good choice.”

The President paused there, taking a sip of tea while letting the weight settle.
This wasn’t like him.
I’d grown accustomed to Cheon Myeong-guk’s stern expression, but now even the usually genial President was adopting a grave tone—a sign this matter was far from trivial.

“Is there something else you wish to discuss?”
“Yes, there is.”
“You’re welcome to speak freely.”
“That’s precisely why I can’t.”

The President hesitated a moment, then seemed to steel himself before speaking.

“First, can you keep what I’m about to tell you secret? Don’t mention it to family or anyone close to you.”
“I will.”
“Then I’ll speak freely. We’re planning to visit several nations in succession, beginning with the United States. Nuri’s hunting process has proven far more remarkable to foreign nations than we realized, and there’s considerable interest in you—as a Superhuman.”
……

I nodded quietly. Interest held no particular weight with me.

“Doubtless some nations will attempt to test your abilities.”
“I have no intention of obliging them.”
“But if you had to?”
“They’d need to stake their lives.”

Saving is difficult. Killing is simple.
I’ve never spared anyone desperate enough to claw their way toward death.
If they want to live, they’ll hold back on their own.

“I’d appreciate it if you emphasized the danger inherent to your Gift. There will still be those who step forward—and one of our forecasts points to a Chinese Superhuman.”

A Chinese Superhuman? Something stirred in my memory, struggling to surface.
As my mind prickled with half-formed recollection, the President spoke in that grave voice.

“That’s why I’m asking—I’d like you to kill that Chinese Superhuman.”

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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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