[Important Person Alert]
[Flame Mist]
[Cradle Special Training Institution for Superhumans, Hero Department, First Year]
[C-Class Hero]
[Real Name: Baek Yuha]
Woojin walked alongside Yuha down the corridor.
“I told you not to come because I knew this would happen.”
“Hehe…”
Yuha chuckled sheepishly.
They had just extricated themselves from a surging crowd.
In modern society, a hero’s profession was practically that of an all-around entertainer.
Yuha, in particular, was a hero currently enjoying immense popularity.
With an idol appearing right before their eyes, it was only natural for chaos to erupt.
Their plan to blend in unnoticed had gone awry from the very first step.
“I just wanted to give our Woojin a boost.”
“Who asked for help… no, never mind.”
Catching a fleeting hint of disappointment on Yuha’s face, Woojin hastily swallowed his words.
While he appreciated her concern, this was the problem with Yuha; she was excessively overprotective of him, whether by heroic instinct or something else entirely.
Once, even that had contributed to his inferiority complex, but now, of course, it no longer did.
Still, he sometimes wondered if she wasn’t going a bit too far.
He certainly felt what it was like to be a celebrity, but he doubted he’d ever make proper friends this way.
“So, who were they?”
“Who?”
“Those girls standing next to you at the entrance ceremony earlier. They kept glancing at you. I wondered if you knew them.”
“No…? I don’t know them. They probably just looked because I was nearby.”
“I see. But what’s that bracelet on your arm? I haven’t seen it before.”
“This? I just saw it while passing by and bought it. Why? Does it not suit me?”
Yuha seemed unusually curious today.
Woojin calmly asked back, concealing his uneasiness.
Fortunately, its design wasn’t particularly distinctive.
Until he twisted it, it looked exactly like an ordinary bracelet.
She shook her head, her expression clearly tinged with regret.
“No, it suits you well. I didn’t know you had that kind of taste… If I had, I would have bought it for you…”
“I just bought it on impulse. It’ll probably be rolling around in a corner of my room in a few days.”
“Oh, I see…”
Woojin shook his head in denial.
There was no way he had such taste.
He was, in fact, a little embarrassed about it now.
A true man wearing accessories?
Yuha, her face still showing a lingering hint of disappointment, asked,
“Can I sometimes come visit you in the General Department?”
“Aren’t you busy? The Hero Department’s curriculum must be much tougher than ours. Why bother…”
“Oh, it’s nothing. And it’s just the next building over.”
If he told her not to come because he didn’t want attention, she’d probably get hurt again.
He hated seeing that expression on her face.
“If it’s just for a little while…”
Woojin nodded moderately.
How often would she really come, anyway?
She’d probably stop after a few visits.
A thought suddenly occurred to Woojin at Yuha’s words.
“Then, can I sometimes visit the Hero Department?”
“Uh, what?”
Modern society revolved around heroes, not the powerless.
The Cradle, naturally, was no exception.
That was where future incidents would erupt, and where important figures gathered.
He needed to familiarize himself with it at some point anyway.
If he could freely come and go under the guise of visiting Yuha, it would be beneficial for him.
Of course, he also had some genuine curiosities.
“I can’t always just have you come over, can I? I want to check out your side too…”
“Ah, no, you can’t do that.”
Yuha suddenly shook her head vigorously.
Woojin, dumbfounded, asked again,
“Why not?”
“Ah, it just… can’t. Just…”
“…?”
The fact that she couldn’t meet his eyes implied she had something to hide.
To see the girl who always smiled so easily act this way was, paradoxically, more unsettling for him.
“Ugh, fine. I won’t go then.”
Woojin eventually raised the white flag.
“Honestly. At least explain why. Is it like, ‘commoners aren’t allowed in the prestigious Hero Department’?”
“Ah, no… it’s not like that…”
Yuha, momentarily intimidated, mumbled with her mouth.
Only then did Woojin acutely realize the mistake he had just made, and the unusually sharp edge in his voice.
Habits were truly terrifying things.
The stubborn, foolish self-deprecation from before his regression was still gnawing at him.
‘I need to be careful.’
“…I was just kidding.”
Woojin continued to mumble, trying to salvage the situation.
“I was just curious, really. About how you’re doing over there…”
“Really…?”
Yuha tilted her eyelashes slightly and said,
“Well, there isn’t really much difference… but if that’s your reason, then…”
Twirling a strand of her hair, she let out a sigh of relief.
‘Good. At least I got permission.’
“I just thought, what if…”
“What if what?”
“Oh, never mind.”
“Oh, by the way, have you made friends with the other heroes?”
Woojin casually changed the subject and asked.
In truth, this was the real point of his inquiry.
Yuha tilted her head, a somewhat subtle expression on her face.
“Other heroes…? Who…?”
“Just the other students in the Hero Department, you know. Like Snow White, or Psyche…”
However, at his subtle probing question, Yuha pouted, her expression clearly dissatisfied.
“…Maybe I should just tell you not to come.”
“What? You can’t just take back something you’ve already said!”
“I don’t know.”
‘Why is she acting like this today? I can’t get a read on her mood at all.’
Saintess – Snow White.
And Psyche.
They were two heroes, along with Yuha, who had attracted attention even before admission.
He recalled them being collectively referred to as the “Three Powers of First Year.”
Moreover, they were key figures in the events to come.
If there was a connection, it would make approaching them easier.
That’s why he subtly asked, but judging by her reaction, it was a lost cause.
Rather than intimacy, he sensed a certain competitive spirit.
‘It looks like I’ll have to start from scratch then.’
-Beep!
A familiar call bell sounded from Yuha’s waist.
She, who had been walking closely beside him, made a dismal face, clearly disappointed.
“I don’t want to work…”
“What are you saying? If a hero like you acts like that, how are ordinary people like me supposed to live?”
“Ugh…”
When he playfully urged her, Yuha spoke with a voice still dripping with reluctance.
“Can I come over to your place this weekend?”
“You never do anything but lounge around on my bed.”
“Who said I only lounged around on your bed…!”
Yuha retorted with a somewhat wronged expression.
“Don’t you remember I did your laundry and cooked you dinner?”
“…Right.”
Woojin nodded sheepishly.
‘But that’s not ‘hanging out’.’
It was because the girl who claimed to be visiting kept looking for chores.
Even when he said he’d handle it himself, she was so stubborn.
At least he had managed to keep the dishwashing to himself.
‘Or am I really that unreliable? So much so that she can’t even trust me with laundry and dinner?’
It was clear how pathetic Yuha must have thought him all this time.
She probably just didn’t show it because of her kind nature.
‘This time, I’ll have to try to change that perception, even if just a little…’
“…I don’t know. I’m going anyway.”
Yuha, declaring her intent, gripped the choker around her neck.
It was an accessory with a suit storage function, much like his own bracelet, though hers had a more girlish appearance.
Soon, with an alien mechanical whir, a blue and white suit enveloped her body.
“Alright, I’m going now? Don’t get into trouble, go straight home…”
“Ah, Yuha.”
Woojin briefly held back Yuha, who was about to bid farewell.
She asked, bewildered,
“Huh? Why?”
“No, it’s just, when you’re on patrol today. Could you perhaps pay a little more attention to Sector A…”
“Our Woojin must have seen another scary news report, huh?”
Yuha said calmly, as if it was obvious.
“Why? Are you worried?”
“It’s not that… Ugh, fine. Go on, go.”
“There’s no need for that, I tell you. I’m Flame Mist. Most villains would run away just from sensing my presence!”
Yuha shrugged, oblivious to his true intentions.
It was a long shot, but, as expected, it was a completely useless suggestion.
“Woojin.”
Then she called his name.
“Why?”
“It’s really great going to the academy together, isn’t it?”
“…”
Woojin was momentarily speechless.
He could tell she was genuinely happy.
Such a small joy.
Yet, a joy he could have easily granted her in his previous life.
“…Indeed.”
Woojin opened his somewhat reluctant mouth to reply.
Yuha nodded and smiled, as if she had expected his answer.
“Hehe, I knew it. Alright, I’m really going now? See you tomorrow~”
From her palms, as she bid farewell, crimson flames shot forth.
In an instant, Yuha used them as propulsion and vanished far into the sky.
Woojin stared blankly at the spot where she had disappeared.
Only after a long while did he finally manage to turn his body.
‘I need to do my own work now.’
****
Woojin walked, pushing his way through the crowd.
His smartwatch buzzed on his wrist.
[Skill: Perception Dampening is active.]
[Skill: Machine Manipulation is active.]
The skills he had newly acquired after killing The Doctor were proving quite useful.
Surveillance cameras shifted their focus, and passersby merely brushed off any collisions without a second thought.
He had worried about having to wear that dark suit all the time, so this was a relief.
With these abilities, it wouldn’t be easy for the Bureau of Management to track him.
Strictly speaking, it was a misnomer to call them newly acquired skills.
Woojin glanced at his reflection in a shop window.
[Important Person Alert]
-Marionette
-Real Name: Kim Woojin
-Cradle Special Training Institution for Superhumans, General Department, First Year
-Artificial Superhuman
-???
[Possessed Authority: Hypnosis]
-Skill: Marionette
-Skill: Dream Manipulation
-Skill: Machine Manipulation
-Skill: Perception Dampening
-Skill: Multi-Target Manipulation
-Skill: Self-Hypnosis
-Skill: Oblivion
‘At least they’re treating me as an important person.’
The skills listed beneath the Authority caught his eye.
Every single one was a skill Marionette had frequently used before his regression.
And it seemed he could use all of her skills perfectly.
Perhaps it was because he had been so close to her for years, observing and experiencing them firsthand.
For him, this was fortunate.
Awakening an Authority wasn’t a panacea; most superhumans had to dedicate themselves to training for a long time after becoming one, developing their own skills.
The Cradle Academy was established, in part, for that very purpose.
Of course, his proficiency was still low, but desiring more than this would be greedy.
He could just use them frequently to improve.
[Event Calendar]
-March 12th, Villain Red Mask’s Serial Murders
[Thirst 67%(+2%)]
-Warning Threshold Reached
[Body Collapse Rate 14%(+1%)]
-Follow-up action recommended.
The Doctor’s schedule had not appeared since his death.
It seemed that if a person related to a highlighted memo died or an incident was resolved, the schedule entry would also be deleted.
Although the thirst that had been alleviated by killing The Doctor was rising again, it was still manageable for now.
The Body Collapse Rate had a bit more leeway.
In this regard, he had even more leeway as long as he didn’t overuse his Authority.
He anticipated crises along the way… but before then, he could just establish a relationship with the Saintess and request healing.
He would have to approach her at some point anyway.
But first, he had to deal with the immediate task.
As he escaped the crowd and walked up the alley, darkness had already descended, enveloping the surroundings in gloom.
Woojin manipulated his bracelet and donned his suit.
Then, an unfamiliar alert, one he hadn’t seen before, sounded.
[Person Alert]
-Red Mask
-D-Class Villain
-Serial Killer
-Real Name: ???
‘So this moment has finally arrived.’
The idea that merely knowing a bit about the future would solve everything was a misconception.
The Bureau of Management, the police, the Hima Gallery (TL Note: A fictional online community for heroes and villains, likely similar to a forum or social media platform.)—none of them had heeded his warnings carefully.
Even Yuha had simply been pleased that he was worried about her.
He couldn’t express how fortunate he was that the surgery from The Doctor had been successful.
There was nothing more hollow than the knowledge of the powerless.
‘As expected, I have no choice but to do it myself.
In fact, that’s only natural.
I have a responsibility.’
‘The responsibility to ensure Yuha’s head doesn’t roll again.’
“Then…”
If an alert had appeared, it meant someone connected to him was nearby.
Woojin scanned his surroundings.
And his heightened superhuman senses detected a disturbance from beyond the secluded, dark alley.
Concealing his footsteps in the darkness, he advanced along the alley.
Finally, a filthy, squalid scene where a crime was about to begin revealed itself before his eyes.
“P-please, save me… please…”
“Hehehe, when you’re that scared, it just makes me want to dote on you more, doesn’t it?”
A hulking assailant, seemingly wearing a red wrestling mask, pushed a woman into the alley and flicked his tongue out lecherously.
In one hand, he held a massive blade reminiscent of a Chinese cleaver.
‘So that’s Red Mask. What a fitting name, indeed.’
But upon closer inspection, it wasn’t a mask; his entire facial skin tissue was exposed.
He wasn’t just wearing a mask, but was a heteromorphic (TL Note: A type of superhuman with a non-human physical form or appearance) superhuman.
Though he didn’t seem particularly useful.
‘Anyway, I’ve located the scene, so let’s deal with him quickly.’
Woojin stepped forward without bothering to conceal his presence.
“Didn’t I tell you not to worry? You too will experience the aesthetics of dismemberment… Who’s there! Huh…?”
Red Mask, who had sensed a presence and momentarily adopted a defensive stance, stared at Woojin in confusion.
The woman, whose face had briefly shown a flicker of hope, now wore a dazed expression, as if her soul had abandoned her.
‘Well, of course.’
A person appearing in a dark alley at night, dressed in all black, was hardly a hero.
“What the hell is this guy? Don’t interrupt my artistic endeavors; get lost while I’m being nice…”
Woojin let the man’s intimidating warning pass through one ear.
There was no need to exchange words, nor did he have any desire to.
He simply opened his mouth calmly.
“Red Mask. Strangle yourself to death.”
-Snap!
Woojin lightly flicked his raised finger.
An excessively loud trigger-like sound echoed in the dark alley.
[Skill: Marionette is being used on the target…]
[Success!]
“What? Heh, this won’t do. This guy’s a complete lunatic… huh?”
The man, who had been grinning, suddenly stiffened his expression.
The strangeness began immediately after.
Red Mask abruptly ceased his movements, dropped the cleaver powerlessly, and then began to bring his trembling arms to his own neck.
The man cried out with startled eyes.
“W-what…! Wait…! Cough…!”
“…”
Indeed, there was no need for words.
Woojin merely observed the scene slowly, as if it were a work of art.
The man’s strong hands coiled tightly around his own neck, like snakes.
“Cough, cough, hack…!”
The dark alley was filled with gasping sounds, like an animal being slaughtered.
He was choking himself so fiercely that his red face was turning blue.
It was a truly unfunny joke.
Then, the hulking figure, which had been twitching precariously, finally collapsed limply to the ground.
-Thud!
The man lay motionless on the ground.
Loud alerts continuously vibrated on his wrist.
[D-Class Villain Red Mask has been successfully eliminated!]
[Authority: Hypnosis proficiency has increased]
[Skill: Marionette proficiency has increased]
[Thirst: 60%(-7%)]
-Warning Threshold Reached
[Body Collapse Rate 16%(+2%)]
-Follow-up action recommended.
‘Only -7%? That’s a bit disappointing.’
It was incomparably stingy compared to when he killed The Doctor.
‘Perhaps it’s because he was just a petty D-Class villain.’
Woojin grumbled lightly, then finally checked on the woman.
She had long since fainted, eyes rolled back, foam at her mouth.
‘…Well, at least it’s better than dying.’
[Event Calendar]
-March 12th, Villain Red Mask’s Serial Murders -> Deleted
‘….Done.’
Woojin inwardly cheered.
The event on the memo had been deleted again.
He had killed Red Mask before the first murder occurred.
The future where the man would commit serial murders nearby had vanished.
Naturally, no undeserved arrows of blame would be aimed at Yuha.
He had successfully removed the shackles that had bound her since the beginning of the semester.
A sense of satisfaction filled him.
His business here was concluded.
‘Time to go back.’
“Turn around slowly.”
Then, Woojin abruptly stopped moving.
He slowly turned his body.
The voice, unmistakably laced with hostility, came from the sky.
Despite being a dark alley, the surroundings were as bright as day.
Thanks to the flames she was emitting from her hands.
“You’d best give up any thought of escaping, villain.”
A terribly familiar yet overly strange resonance pierced his ears like needles.
The hero, appearing like a comet in the night sky.
Flame Mist simply stared down at him with an icy gaze.
“Unless you want to burn to death alive.”
Her eyes held not a shred of warmth or kindness.
