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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: The Villain Meeting
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The Demon King.
In the original story, he was quite famous, but after getting hit by that 'baptism of light,' he met such a futile end to his life.
After personally sending that guy back to the underworld, I was living a rather leisurely life at home.
"...Mr. Dain, didn't you say you wouldn't overdo it...?"
"...Haha."
Of course, even though I'd said there was no danger, I still worried Subin by going one-on-one with the Demon King, spears clashing... But in the end, I came back victorious and unharmed, so isn't that good enough?
"Dain Hyung, you were really cool!"
Cha-yoon, though, said that with sparkling eyes. Even though he's just started middle school and studies as hard as if preparing for entrance exams, it seems he directly witnessed my 'terrorism.' Hearing that kids at school talked about me all day made me wonder, 'What is this?' Kids who like villains... Is South Korea really okay like this?
Anyway, to avoid the channels that kept chattering about me and Stardust, now even spreading their fourth 'dating rumor' of the season, I mostly kept the TV tuned to overseas news. At this point, I even considered contacting Lee Seol-ah to ask the broadcasting stations to ban beautifying reports about Ego-Stream... But well, ultimately, as long as Stardust hates me, that's all that matters, so I figured it wasn't necessary and left it alone.
By the way, these days my job is selecting capable individuals to recruit into our PMC. Quite a few applicants have come in, so it's taking some time to pick out the useful ones.
So, my main work these days involves occasionally playing with the kids in the garden tended by the Death Knight, or in the living room, while I work. You could say an era has arrived where even villains have to work to make a living.
Of course, checking overseas news in my spare time is also a given.
[This just in: The Sankyopha, currently the largest villain organization in Japan, is reportedly suffering continuous defeats in military operations against the government forces and the Association.]
While I was working with the news playing like white noise, a story that caught my attention came on.
It was about the neighboring country. And what was being reported on the news was about a member of the Cathedral Villain Meeting.
I immediately turned up the TV volume and began to listen more closely.
[The villain alliance Sankyopha, which controls parts of Japan, has recently been continuously pushed back tactically and is struggling. Government forces have expressed confidence, stating, 'We will be able to capture their leader, Katana, that woman, within this year.']
[However, it seems the Japanese public is not pleased with this. A significantly high percentage of respondents answered, 'I'd rather be under the Yakuza than under a corrupt government.']
With the reporter's words ending, I began to ponder the timely news.
'...As expected, they're getting trashed just like in the original story.'
Japan.
Unlike Korea, which was relatively stable without division thanks to Stardust and Shadow Walker, two highly responsible heroes, and Lee Seol-ah, who had a firm grip on the government, Japan was a bit unstable.
The Sankyopha, a gathering of Yakuza villain groups, had taken over about half the country. As a result, internal conflicts were constant. Furthermore, the government itself was corrupt from the start, making the situation a complete mess.
Of course, in the original story, this situation doesn't last long.
The Sankyopha, which had maintained a balance of power with the government, suddenly began to be pushed back by the government at a certain point.
As I recall, in the original story, the Sankyopha was ultimately annihilated by government forces. Their leader, the S-rank villain Katana, that woman, was also captured.
"....."
But here's where the problem arose.
After the Japanese government and Association finally reclaimed the country, with no rival forces left, they became corrupt beyond imagination.
The reason that woman, Katana, formed the villain alliance in the first place was under the pretext of changing this utterly rotten country. Because the government was so corrupt, after the Sankyopha disappeared, instead of the country becoming peaceful again, it just went to hell. Later, after the Moonlight Cult Gate, they didn't even help Korea; they were so desperate that their own country was on the verge of collapse that they asked Korea for help.
"Tsk..."
So now, I'm conflicted.
Instead of those Yakuza bastards, the Sankyopha, disappearing like that, wouldn't it be better if they stayed alive to keep the government in check? Moreover, their leader even attends the Cathedral Villain Meeting, so maybe later our Ego-Stream could cooperate with them. I heard that woman, Katana, was quite loyal.
Actually, there was only one reason why the Sankyopha, who had been fighting the Association quite well, suddenly started losing.
'...There was a traitor.'
Yes. Even a core figure, known as Katana, that woman's left arm, betrayed them and sided with the government. That person spied and revealed all information to the Association. Honestly, if it weren't for them, they wouldn't have been pushed back.
...Right. When I meet that woman, Katana, at the next meeting, maybe I should tell her this much information separately.
And just a few days after having that thought, an invitation arrived.
"Oh... Is this that invitation or something?"
In the living room, everyone gathered, staring curiously at the white letter that had gently descended from thin air.
"Hmm... This feels new."
I mumbled that, looking at the letter.
Celeste's letter. If you tear it on the appointed date, you can directly teleport to where the Cathedral opens.
Actually, last time, I got in at the last minute thanks to Uncle Atlas's connections, so I didn't have my own and had to go with him to his underwater base, but now the good thing is I can go directly and comfortably from my own home without needing to.
So, I decided to meet Atlas separately at the meeting venue.
"Haha, my daughter wanted to see you, what a pity. Do come visit next time."
Of course, there were some additional remarks, but anyway, I'll see him then.
Having received the letter, the appointed date finally arrived.
"I'm going now."
"Bye-bye."
"Brother, be careful."
With that, I tore the letter.
And with the sensation of my body shifting, I was sucked somewhere.
***
Cathedral.
A meeting of villain alliance leaders, founded by Celeste, a villain currently ranked as the number one S-rank villain.
The characteristic of this meeting, composed of villain alliance leaders who wield considerable influence worldwide, is that they exchange one piece of information with each other.
Since they are all leaders with several S-rank villains under them, they each possess valuable information. Celeste's stated purpose in founding this meeting was for villains to interact by sharing that information with everyone at each meeting. Well, the reality is a bit different, but that's roughly it.
Anyway, just the fact that S-rank villains from all over the world gather in one place is significant, serving as a check on the Association and so on. ...Of course, I came thanks to Uncle Atlas's connections, but that's not what's important.
'Ultimately, my goal is to exert influence here.'
To prevent strange individuals from invading South Korea, which Stardust protects, I need to roughly build up my presence here. For example, by predicting a shocking future that no one knows about... making them mistakenly think I caused it, or something like that.
And today will probably be the first day I release important information.
"Please come this way."
"Hmm."
With that brief thought, I returned to reality.
An dark corridor stretched before my eyes.
Following behind Celeste's white priest, cloaked in a white robe, who was guiding me, I headed towards the round table meeting hall.
After walking a bit and passing through a circular door, an open space immediately appeared.
This place, with stained-glass windows filling the walls on both sides and a massive chandelier. I had arrived at the Cathedral's main conference hall.
"Hmm...."
It seemed I had arrived a bit early; the room wasn't full yet. Atlas and Celeste, the host of the meeting, were nowhere to be seen. Well, everyone else would arrive soon.
I might as well find a suitable seat and sit down.
Thinking that, I casually plopped down in any empty spot with seats on either side.
...It'll start soon.
Tsk, wait. But now that I'm actually here, I feel like I've forgotten something.
A thought occurred to me after sitting down, so I carefully reviewed my memories. I put on my mask, I brought the information. Did I forget anything?
Oh, right. Now that I think about it, that red mohawk guy won't be here today, will he?
Only then did I remember him.
High-Kick or High-Kin, that S-rank villain from Germany who acted like a thug. Last time, he picked a fight with me, calling me A-rank, so I remember looking at him and saying something like, 'Something's going to happen in Germany, so be careful?' right when I was about to release my information. He was a character who died before this meeting in the original story anyway.
...By now, he's probably no longer of this world.
Poor guy. When he was about to die, he didn't remember what I said and think it was because of me, did he? No, you're just a character who dies in the original story...
I sat there, thinking such thoughts.
Just then, someone in a white priestly robe offered me a cup of tea. ...It's okay to drink this, right? Celeste didn't put some kind of drug in it, did she?
As I eyed the teacup suspiciously, a circular door on one side opened, and a new villain leader entered. Was it Uncle Atlas?
I lifted my head, thinking that.
Huh?
Seeing that guy with the red mohawk, my mind went blank for a moment. ...No, why are you alive?
And I wasn't the only one who saw him. He also met my gaze, his eyes widening slightly.
Then he immediately moved, walking towards me.
Stomp, stomp.
He stood directly in front of my chair.
Then he bent at the waist, a full ninety degrees, and greeted me.
"Greetings, Big Bro!!!"
"..."
What situation is this now?