Being a Villain is My True Calling

“H,how did you get in here? We meticulously blocked all entrances except the front!”

Congressman Lee Doo-geub’s bewildered expression.

‘I just bought a ticket and came in through the front.’

His toad-like face with bulging eyes was rather comical.

“A villain wouldn’t reveal such details, would he?”

“Dammit! What the hell is your objective…!!”

Lee Doo-geub’s gaze suddenly shifted toward the glass case.
Having grasped the situation, his eyes narrowed menacingly.

“The relic! You’ve come to steal the mystical relic!!”

Lee Doo-geub pointed a finger at the stage where I stood.

“That relic is my precious treasure! And the auction proceeds were meant to be donated to the needy! I cannot allow a scoundrel like you to take it!”

The blustering Lee Doo-geub.
And in an instant, heroes had surrounded us.

“You’re already surrounded, Maker!!”

‘This is precisely why I tried to incapacitate the higher-ranked heroes first.’

Still, the sporadic gaps in their formation hinted that my efforts hadn’t been in vain.
I surveyed the heroes’ faces one by one.

‘While most were unfamiliar faces as expected…’

“Maker? So that person from before was really you…!!”
“We meet again.”

There were some I recognized as well.

“Thanks for the kind guidance earlier.”
“Eeek!”

At my words, Phantom Luna clenched her jaw with a vexed expression.
Likely recognizing me easily due to our identical attire apart from the masks.

“In any case, I won’t let you slip away this time! I did say I would capture you, didn’t I?!”

“So you’re the Maker that Luna mentioned? A shameless scoundrel.”
“That, that person is Ma, Maker…”
“? What’s wrong with you, Shiny?”
“…I don’t know! Forget it!!”

Phantom Luna and her Japanese hero friends from the original story.

‘So, what should I do…’

I needed to buy more time somehow.

‘Five minutes remaining. Fighting doesn’t seem like the best option…’

Around 30 heroes remained.
Even if they were a mix of C and B-ranks, fighting in this confined stage would be quite troublesome.

Moreover, since I needed to protect the item safely, avoiding combat was preferable.

‘Ultimately, I’ll have to buy time through aggro instead of fighting…’

“We must apprehend that vile villain at all costs!”
“……”
“The wretched scum! He surely doesn’t comprehend the concept of donation!”
“……”
“Auctioning off my precious belongings for the less fortunate, a notion he cannot fathom!! Merely coveting the items and resorting to theft, such evil creatures!”
“……”
“You wouldn’t even blink an eye if people starved to death because of you!!”

Frankly, it was rather absurd hearing who was lecturing whom.

‘Alright, I’ve decided.’

Since I needed to draw aggro anyway, I might as well mess with that guy.
I chuckled as I created a microphone.

Keeeeee-

Deliberately generating noise, I drew everyone’s attention toward me.

“Donation…indeed. Quite an admirable act.”

As I began speaking, the guests focused their attention on me.

“How could the act of giving one’s own flesh to others be anything but beautiful?”

“……”

“It deserves only the highest praise, does it not?”

Adopting an overly dramatic tone while infusing a hint of appeal.

“That is, if the donation is genuine.”

“What…”

I smiled wryly as I looked at the toad-like man.

“…What nonsense are you spouting!!!!”

His eyes reddened as he scowled fiercely at me.

“You seem rather emotional.”

“Of course I’m upset! Such ridiculous and infuriating nonsense!!”

‘Well…’

His trembling pupils and tightened neck seemed more indicative of anxiety than outrage.

I chuckled and calmly approached the stage.

“Congressman Lee Doo-geub.”

“……”

“Sixty-one years of age. Family consists of a wife and one daughter.”

Like a storyteller captivating children, or an actor delivering a poignant monologue on stage, I recounted his life story in a gentle tone.

“Originally holding a relatively weak position among congressmen, he steadily rose through the ranks by marrying the wealthy heiress of a prominent family.”

“……”

Outwardly, he portrayed himself as a philanthropist actively engaged in volunteer work and donations for the underprivileged.

“Thus, he enjoys a rare level of public favor for a congressman.”

I regarded Lee Doo-geub with a cold gaze.
Gritting his teeth, his body trembled as he glared back at me.

“In reality, he is a corrupt, bribing scumbag involved in sex trafficking who verbally and physically abuses his subordinates.”

“Nonsense!!!”

Lee Doo-geub shot up from his seat, shouting at me in outrage.

“The citizens were likely unaware. That this person claiming to be incorruptible and helping the underprivileged was committing such acts behind the scenes.”

“Ridiculous claims!! Do you have any proof? Of course not! How far do you intend to slander me?!!!”

Lee Doo-geub ranted hysterically.
However, his overly excessive reaction gradually caused the citizens’ gazes to shift toward suspicion.

‘Decisive evidence would seem to help.’

Of course, I had no actual evidence.
While the acts I mentioned were indeed his true misdeeds, I hadn’t properly investigated them, so I had no proof on hand.

But if I lacked evidence, couldn’t I simply fabricate some?
Smiling, I contacted her over the communicator.

‘Glitch.’

-…Oppa. Even for my capabilities, isn’t asking this much a bit excessive?

‘But it’s not impossible for you to use your ability for this, is it?’

-Well, that may be true…

Her ability specialized in concealment, disruption, and camouflage, after all.

-Anyway, fine, but the more footage I create, the longer it’ll take to open that glass case, you know?

‘Understood.’

“Look at him not saying a word!! The lack of evidence proves it, doesn’t it?! This is what you’ve resorted to, isn’t it?! Hurry up and arr…!!”

Even as Lee Doo-geub continued his incessant screeching during my exchange with Glitch, I briefly observed him before snapping my fingers.

“Oh! Over there!!”
“Wh,what is it…”

A video then appeared, projected for all to see.

“The congressman…?”

The video showed Lee Doo-geub with a contorted, scowling face.

“…Huh?”

He was seen relentlessly beating someone in the footage.
The man he assaulted could only repeatedly apologize, far too accustomed to simply enduring the abuse without resistance.

“No way! This, this video has been doctored! Don’t believe it, everyone!!”

Lee Doo-geub desperately pleaded with the guests, but they already regarded him with suspicious looks.

‘Maybe I should fan the flames a bit more.’

Reaching into my jacket, I created a bundle of papers, which I then scattered toward the guests.

Wheeeeee-!

“Kyaah!”

Polia’s gust of wind scattered the papers far and wide.

“Those contain records of the various crimes Congressman Lee Doo-geub has committed over the years.”

“What did you say?!!”

At my words, the guests began picking up and examining the papers one by one.
And those who read the contents could only gape speechlessly.

“…What is this?”
“Did this congressman really do all these things?”
“Eve…everyone! Whatever is written there, it’s all fa…ack!!”

As Lee Doo-geub attempted to deny the allegations, a wad of papers struck him squarely in the face.

“Are you even human?!”
“Wh,what in the…”
“Killing people?! And you can live so nonchalantly?!”
“…Pardon?!”

Lee Doo-geub’s bewildered expression.
But that wasn’t all.

“Child sex trafficking? Such a depraved monster!!”
“No…!”
“Money laundering under the guise of donations? This despicable scum!!”
“What is the meaning of…”
“I’m quite curious how you’ll explain the rampant infidelity documented here.”

Lee Doo-geub’s expression progressively darkened.

‘He’s bound to snap soon.’

Because all those documents were my fabrications.
While some of the acts mentioned were indeed his true misdeeds, I had interspersed plenty of falsehoods as well.

“…It’s all lies!! I’m not the kind of person who would do such things!!”
“As the videos demonstrate.”
“If you claim it’s all lies, then is this ledger of bribes and corruption also false?”
“That, that is…”

Unable to refute the mention of a ledger, Lee Doo-geub fell silent.

WHACK!!

“Gughh!!”
“Search him! That bastard!!”
“You were behind that stock manipulation too, you son of a bitch!!”

Recognizing some of the fabricated documents as causes of their own grievances against Lee Doo-geub, a few individuals began assaulting him.

“Do you understand now?”

Amid the chaotic pandemonium, I slowly returned to my original position.
Then, shifting my gaze slightly, I looked toward the heroes.

More precisely, toward Phantom Luna’s group.

“This is the kind of people you heroes follow.”

-Oppa! The separation is complete! Grab the item and let’s go!!

Just as Glitch’s voice came through, I effortlessly detached the glass case from the floor.

“Over there, Maker!!!”

At that moment, a swarm of small stuffed bears came flying at me.

CRUNCH.

Thanks to the Instructor instantly shielding me, I didn’t need to act as the attack was nullified.

“Da,dammit! I have to stop him…no, the guests first…? What do I do?!!”
“Calm down, Elexstorm!!!”

As the flustered heroes scrambled, I surveyed my surroundings.

“While I find this place rather magnificent, it doesn’t seem to suit you heroes.”

“What do you mean?”
Phantom Luna regarded me with puzzlement at my sudden remark.

“Since when did heroes become the lapdogs of the elite?”

“What kind of nonsense is that?!!”

One of Phantom Luna’s friends charged at me while shouting, firing erratic bolts of electricity.
I easily deflected them with a shield made of insulating material.

ZZZAP!

“Ugghhh…aaahh!!”

Then, ensnaring his leg with the whip, I tripped him to the ground.
Planting my foot firmly on his chest as he fell before me, he let out a choked grunt.
When he struggled to break free, I applied more pressure.

“Do you know how many heroes were deployed just to guard this party venue?”

“Kughh…”

I scoffed as I surveyed the heroes.

“A mere 50 or so. Not simply security personnel, but actual registered heroes.”

“Ughh!!”

“Since when did heroes start congregating in such numbers? At ordinary civilian events, you’re lucky to even spot one or two.”

“Kuheck!!”

“When did heroes start moonlighting as glorified bodyguards for the elite?”

The association likely prepared such a formidable force to ensure this mystical relic didn’t fall into the wrong hands.

Naturally, such precious items rarely appear at ordinary civilian events, and villains seldom target such mundane occasions, so a minimal hero presence is understandable.

‘But that’s not the important point.’

“Kuhuck!!”
“Please stop!!!”

As I continued grinding my foot against the prone hero, a large crystal formation came hurtling toward me.

CLANG-!

The Instructor swung his dual blades, deflecting the crystals.

Swooosh-

“Tch…”

But as the crystals began adhering to his blades, the Instructor clicked his tongue and discarded them.

For a moment, I observed the skirmish between the Instructor and another of Phantom Luna’s friends.

“While citizens suffering at the hands of villains desperately need your aid, you’re here carefreely indulging yourselves.”

Turning my gaze back toward the stunned heroes, I met their eyes one by one with what seemed like a hint of disdain in my tone.

In the end, it was incitement.

Inciting them that they were in the wrong.
Sowing doubts about the association they followed not being as virtuous as they believed.

And…

Glance.

I glanced toward the audience section where people were rioting.
More specifically, at one man distinctly filming me while holding a camera.
A ‘Streamer’ ID badge hung prominently around his neck.

‘And inciting the citizens as well.’

Smiling brightly, I approached Polia and the Instructor.