Being a Villain is My True Calling

Jjeojjeok. Jjeojjeojjeok…

‘Why is she here?’

A chilling draft emanated from the shattered doorway, causing an involuntary shiver.
I was aware she was due to return to Korea after the exchange program ended, but I hadn’t expected to encounter her amidst this act of terrorism.

“…Haha.”

The Ice Queen before me wore an unusually radiant smile, one that would have been quite pleasing were it not for the apparent turmoil seething beneath.

Hmm.
Perhaps I should offer a greeting, for starters.

“Long time no see, Ice Queen…”

Piing-!

In an instant, I barely deflected an incoming ice javelin with my shield.
The force behind it was so immense that it pierced straight through the shield itself.

“Tsk.”

“…Quite the brusque greeting.”

Had she intended to kill me..?
Recalling how that strike had precisely targeted my head sent a chill down my spine.

“Do you know how much I’ve been yearning to see you again, Maker?”

“Your smile is beautiful, but a tad unsettling.”

I would have preferred a stoic, frowning expression…
The oppressive aura exuded by her smiling visage was utterly daunting.

“Given your conspicuous absence, I assumed you had been dispatched elsewhere. But to hear you’ve been so eager to see me, I’m quite flattered.”

Concealing my true thoughts, I regarded the Ice Queen with a nonchalant grin.

“Were you that eager to see my tentacles again?”

“…You’re dead.”

Her face hardening at my flippant remark, the Ice Queen summoned her abilities and charged towards me.

Piing-!

Another ice javelin came hurtling my way.
Once more, I raised my shield to deflect the strike.

Uwoong-

With a wave of the Ice Queen’s hand, the embedded javelin began to undulate.
As it gradually enveloped my shield in ice, I swiftly discarded it.

“You’ll need more practice with remote manipulation!”

She instantly froze the surrounding floor, gliding towards me with an icy path.

Taang! Tang! Taang!!

I attempted to retaliate by swiftly manifesting a firearm, but my barrage merely slowed her advance slightly as she erected ice barriers.

The accelerating Ice Queen closed the distance rapidly.
Just as I shifted to increase the gap…

“Who needs more practice, you think?”

“…You’ve grown overconfident.”

Jjeojjeok.

The ice trailing from my discarded shield had extended to ensnare my feet.

“You deserve a beating first, Maker.”

Gliding towards me, the Ice Queen clenched her fist as she charged.
However…

Kwagagagagak!!

“My apologies, but I happen to be quite a precious being.”

“Big bro’s off-limits.”

Pollia teleported beside me, her ability causing sharp spikes to erupt from the floor – forcing the Ice Queen to halt her assault and retreat.

“Tch.”

Clicking her tongue in displeasure, the Ice Queen regarded me with disappointment.

“You’ve become rather vicious since we last met.”

Not just her expression and tone, but her very actions carried an unfamiliar ruthlessness.
If I had to describe it, a distinct lack of restraint, perhaps.

Previously focused solely on subdual, her attacks now incorporated potentially lethal force if they connected.

‘If I had to hazard a guess, before she merely intended to subdue me through moderate beatings. Now, she seems intent on breaking a limb or two if necessary to achieve that goal.’

Recalling her initial ineptitude with her abilities, this represented immense progress.

“…You have no idea how much I’ve suffered.”

“Is this about those tentacles?”

Chiljjeoreuk~?

Summoning a tentacle which I waved in mock greeting, I let out an amused chuckle.

“Yes!!”

‘…Quite the overreaction.’

Her body trembled violently before she erupted in outrage, any respectful honorifics forgotten amidst her fury.

“Hey now, I thought we had fun together?”

Chiljjeoreuk~!

“Fun? Like hell it was fun!!”

“Ah, my apologies for broadcasting it. We should have enjoyed it privately.”

“Heoheuk!!”

“Wh,what…!! Keep spewing that nonsense and I’ll freeze your head!!”

Phantom Luna covered her mouth with widened eyes, while the Ice Queen flushed deeply at my remarks.

‘Just some playful banter, but their reactions are quite entertaining.’

Unexpectedly sensitive to such matters, it seemed.
Making a mental note of this potential exploitable weakness, I regarded the Ice Queen with a meaningful smile.

“…Because of those damn tentacles, I’ve endured unimaginable suffering.”

Her head lowered as she began muttering bitterly, her strained tone hinting at profound anguish.

“That footage spread everywhere, leaving me ostracized at the Hero Association. Whispers followed wherever I went…”

“…Hmm.”

“The footage was parodied and sold on adult sites, news reached my acquaintances, my so-called ‘fans’ even reveled in it…”

Jjeojjeok. Jjeojjeojjeok…

“Then at the exchange program, the local villains went berserk. Some baseless rumor spread that I enjoyed such acts, attracting all manner of deviants pestering me about re-enacting tentacle plays for ‘research.’ Bizarre tentacle challenges became a craze, every villain obsessing over tentacles, tentacles, tentacles…!!”

The biting chill was palpable even from a distance.

“Ha, hahah…! Hahahahaah!! Hahahaha!!!”

Amidst the swirling ice storm born of her turbulent powers, the Ice Queen erupted into laughter.

‘Oh.’

What to do.
The Ice Queen had become unhinged.

“Hahahahahahah!!…Haha…!…Ha…”

After a prolonged outburst, the Ice Queen’s laughter gradually subsided.

“That’s why I’ll capture you.”

Her expression hardening once more, she leveled an intense glare at me.

Jjeojjeojjeojjeojjeok!!

Scores of icy spikes materialized around the Ice Queen simultaneously.

‘…This may be problematic.’

“Danger.”

Kwaaaaang!!

Pollia narrowly deflected the assault by erecting barriers from the floor.

“…From my perspective, we had an enjoyable conclusion.”

“…Not enjoyable at all.”

Recalling her reactions back then, she had seemed rather enthusiastic.
Well, having such proclivities broadcasted globally while being subjugated by a villain as a hero – understandably, she would want to vehemently deny any hint of enjoyment.

Alternatively, a lack of self-awareness could explain her stance.
In any case…

“While I understand you’ve endured hardships these past months, Queen…why is it my fault?”

“What??”

No, think about it logically.
I truly hadn’t done anything objectionable regarding the issues she cited.

I didn’t create that tentacle footage myself.
Nor did I spread it.
I had simply been a bystander as other villains indulged in tentacle-related antics.

‘How am I even remotely involved?’

…
Oh, wait.
Now that I recall, Narin was responsible for it all?

I reviewed my previous thoughts against the facts:

I didn’t create that tentacle footage myself. – Later learned Narin had produced it.
Nor did I spread it. – Narin created and shared the Maker Gallery.
I had simply been a bystander as other villains indulged in tentacle antics. – The Maker Challenge Narin propagated.

While I may not have been directly involved, my subordinate certainly was.
…

“In any case, I’m not to blame!”

Regardless, I hadn’t directly participated, right?
And back when that tentacle footage spread, it was right before recruiting her as an associate!

“The one who started it is the biggest culprit here, you scumbag!!”

Unaware of my reasoning, the Ice Queen berated me furiously.

Jjeojjeok. Jjeok.

Another barrage of icy spikes materialized, their razor-sharp gleam exuding lethal menace.

“If only you hadn’t…!”

“…Clinging to past grievances isn’t advisable. Why not forgive and move on?”

“That ‘past’ hasn’t faded yet!”

Well, she had a point there.
No logical rebuttal.

Perhaps an appeal to empathy, then.

“There are hostages trapped in that cage behind me. Wouldn’t want any undue casualties, would you?”

Surely the Ice Queen wouldn’t disregard civilian lives on my account.
No matter how violently she had changed due to me, she wasn’t the sort of paragon who would forsake innocents to apprehend a single target.

“You’d best withdraw those menacing ices, lest the civilians get hurt…”

“The civilians will be fine!!!”

The Ice Queen hadn’t been the speaker.
That voice had come from behind me.

Precisely where the hostages had been confined.

“…It seems my pet has acted out.”

“Ohohohoh! Who’s calling who a pet?! Bba~ga!! I already released all the hostages!”

Still exuding an unsettling aura, Phantom Luna laughed gaily while sticking out her tongue defiantly.

“The whole pet act and feigned dejection! All part of my performance to safely release the hostages!”

“For someone feigning, you seemed quite earnest.”

She was still wearing that leash, her eyes reddened – her claims rang rather hollow.

“Sh,shut up! No matter the situation, I’ll fulfill my heroic duty!”

Ever the disingenuous one.
Well, while not a complete victory, I supposed I could be satisfied with today’s outcome for now.

Piing-!

Pagagagak!!

“So you’ve learned to strike preemptively as well.”

“I’ve always known how to launch surprise attacks.”

Taking advantage of my momentary lapse in focus, the Ice Queen launched an ice arrow far swifter than her javelins.
Pollia intercepted the high-velocity projectile.

“Sorry…”

Having momentarily let her guard down, Pollia hung her head apologetically with a solemn expression.
I reassuringly patted her head, adjusting the hood’s slightly disheveled edges.

“So what will you do now, Maker?”

Regaining her composure, the Ice Queen addressed me formally once more.

“With the hostages freed, you no longer have leverage against me. And there are two heroes you must contend with.”

“Hmm.”

Admittedly, it seemed a precarious situation.
Facing two formidable heroines, one A-rank and one B+, without any hostages to deter them.

‘While Pollia is present, expecting her alone to simultaneously handle adversaries of their caliber would still be unreasonable.’

“In that case, Pollia.”

There was but one viable recourse.

“Let’s retreat.”

Tuk, degureureureur…

Pushi-i-i-i-!

“Rrgh! Don’t run, Maker!!”

Retreat was indeed the sole answer!!