Being a Villain is My True Calling

“Weren’t we supposed to initiate our plans immediately?”

“There are a few reasons for that.”

I couldn’t just recklessly charge in.
I took another sip from my coffee mug.

“First, we need to lay the groundwork to summon the main players to the same location.”

“Groundwork?”

No matter how extensively I prepared, it would be meaningless if the main players failed to assemble.
All the individuals deemed necessary for this endeavor must congregate in the same place, at the very least.

“For radiance to manifest, those who oppose it must shine as well. Do you understand my meaning?”

“…I suppose.”

It didn’t seem he fully comprehended.
Despite his impassive facade, it was evident he feigned understanding.

‘Well, is that so surprising?’

While Alpha currently projects a grim and aloof demeanor, during his heyday as an active hero, he had presented a far brighter persona akin to a martial arts protagonist.

“Simply put, the protagonist requires an adversary to accentuate their radiance.”

And to facilitate that, they must occupy the same space.
A play cannot properly unfold if the actors fail to take the stage.

“Furthermore, you need to become sufficiently renowned and garner attention from the Heroes Association. In a sense, this ties into the first point.”

“What do you mean by that? And it seems to contradict your earlier instruction for me to play dead for around a month.”

Ah, it appeared he wouldn’t gloss over matters pertaining to his own role.

“It might be a rather troublesome request, but I’d prefer if you existed like a phantom.”

A lingering belief in your definitive presence, despite being unseen.

“Acknowledged by the Association, yet intangible – become an elusive specter.”

“…Is such a request even feasible? Now that I’ve escaped, the media will undoubtedly-”

“They won’t report a thing. The Tartarus incident will soon be buried as well.”

“?”

Alpha’s expression conveyed perplexity.
Offering a slight smile, I elaborated further on his circumstances.

“The Association will undoubtedly treat this villain breakout as a mere hiccup. Or perhaps reframe it as an entirely separate incident.”

And then proceed to portray it as a non-issue.
Rising from my seat, I turned on the TV with the remote.

[An inexplicable explosion occurred at Tartarus earlier this morning.]

‘Ah, a broadcast is currently airing.’

As the TV flickered on, the blonde anchorwoman continued her report, accompanied by various footage from Tartarus.
Impeccable timing.

[It’s an almost unprecedented incident at Tartarus.]

[According to statements from both the Association and Tartarus, the incident resulted from a sudden disturbance by a villain being transferred there.]

…

…

[Fortunately, thanks to the swift response from the guards and heroes, they were able to subdue the villain in question…]

Observing the narrative unfold as I had anticipated, I turned off the TV and faced Alpha once more.

“You see? The Association wishes to bury this incident.”

“…What benefit does the Association derive from that?”

“To prevent public unrest and pandemonium.”

The supposed impregnable fortress of Tartarus had been breached.
A single breach, yet the difference between zero and one remained significant.

This represented the potential for past villains who had once wreaked havoc to escape anew, likely inducing widespread panic among the populace.

Hence, the Association opted to withhold and control the information flow.
Of course, that was merely the superficial pretext.

“You’re well aware of how they typically operate, having experienced it firsthand.”

The Heroes Association had always conducted itself in such a manner.

One could charitably deem it a benevolent deception for the greater good, but a more cynical interpretation would be that they manipulate and blind the citizens to facilitate their own expedient interests.

‘Admittedly, it can prove quite useful and beneficial for protecting citizens and others when wielded properly. Certainly.’

A fleeting thought.
The issue arose when such power was abused to utterly bury an individual’s existence.

“Perhaps your case is slightly different, though?”

“…You seem to have a habit of speaking as if you know everything at times.”

Well, I did possess a certain degree of foreknowledge.
Offering a warm smile, I drained the remaining coffee from my cup.

“In any case, the Association is endeavoring to portray this as a non-issue.”

“For the citizens’ sake?”

“From what I can tell, it appears they’ve successfully apprehended all the escapees aside from you. They have no intention of aggravating the situation further.”

There was no need to disclose unnecessary facts, and divulging information about Alpha – believed to be deceased – would only invite needless complications.

“However, they’re likely grappling with quite the conundrum behind the scenes.”

While they had recaptured most of the escapees, Alpha had eluded their grasp.
For now, they might feign nonchalance, but given Alpha’s longstanding animosity and lack of inhibition, they must be apprehensive about potential incidents.

“Hence, without the citizens’ awareness, the Heroes Association will endeavor to locate you.”

It would be preferable to find you before any mischief occurs.
But if an incident were to transpire, leading to your discovery? Then they would undoubtedly portray you as a mere common villain and attempt your apprehension.

“Hah.”

Of course, that presumed they could successfully subdue you in the first place.

“You seem to underestimate me.”

“How could I not? All video records pertaining to you have long since vanished, leaving only human recollections to rely upon.”

With only a few lines in history books and people’s memories remaining, an accurate assessment of Alpha’s capabilities was improbable.
It was highly likely his abilities had been underestimated in that process.

“So I’ll let you recognize the folly of such assumptions a month from now.”

That one-month period served a dual purpose: allowing me to assemble the main players while simultaneously instilling a sense of dread and trepidation towards Alpha within the Association.
And then, unveiling your grand re-emergence in a manner too monumental for the Association to simply overlook.

“You don’t wish to merely conclude as an ordinary Villain #1, do you?”

“…No, I absolutely cannot allow that.”

His eyes flashing intensely, Alpha clenched his fist as emotion surfaced in his previously impassive gaze.

“However, even if they do pursue me, what purpose would garnering the Association’s attention serve? Their aims would surely be achieved by merely locating me.”

“Ordinarily, people tend to forget those who remain unseen. And in turn, they disregard any feelings they once harbored towards that person.”

Be it a criminal or a celebrity, if they lack exposure through any avenue, people inevitably forget them along with the associated emotions they had once elicited.
The more unrelated an individual is to oneself, the swifter the oblivion.

Hence, Alpha needed to periodically reinforce his presence within the Association’s awareness.

“For a month, your identity as Alpha must remain concealed from the citizens while simultaneously provoking a heightened sense of vigilance from the Association regarding your existence.”

Unseen by the citizenry, yet acutely perceived by the Association.
Like a phantom.

“And you seem to underestimate the situation, don’t you? How do you intend to shatter those presumptions?”

“…I must prove myself.”

Alpha appeared to grasp the gist, his expression turning solemn as he inquired further.

“Precisely what actions must I undertake in that process?”

“Persistently reinforce your survival without allowing the Heroes Association to apprehend you.”

In essence, eluding capture while ensuring your presence remained palpable.

“When I instructed you to play dead, I meant refraining from overt, high-profile activities. And by ‘garner attention’, I’m referring to continuously leaving traces through CCTV footage and the like, ensuring the Association undoubtedly recognizes your existence.”

“I understand~”

Despite his apparent reluctance to exert mental effort, he didn’t seem outright dimwitted.

“By using you as bait, I’ll gather the main players, and swiftly ignite an incident too formidable for the Association to readily respond to.”

“Understood.”

Drrrrrrrrring!

As we discussed the plan, the ringing of a bell interrupted our conversation.

Big bro! Everyone is almost here, so let me know a secluded outdoor area where we won’t attract attention!

“It seems our colleague is arriving. Let’s depart.”

“Understood.”

After briefly acknowledging Narin, we prepared to leave the hotel.

“……”

Observing Alpha hastily gathering his coat, I couldn’t help but frown at the sight of his protruding bones, the greasy unkempt hair and beard persisting despite his recent bath.

“Alpha.”

“?”

“I neglected to mention something crucial earlier. You need to groom yourself over the next month. Eat well and regain some weight.”

“…Is there a reason?”

A reason?
There were plenty.

“You’re currently quite unsightly.”

“……”

He seemed perplexed, but I was sincere.

“In your current state, I doubt anyone would find your actions a month from now impactful or immersive.”

To summarize Alpha’s present appearance: a scruffy skeletal husk.

“Your demeanor and visage are utterly mismatched. With that look, you might as well cackle maniacally instead.”

“……”

“And aren’t you supposed to be a martial arts protagonist? Subduing foes with that emaciated physique just doesn’t paint an compelling picture.”

In other words, his character lacked cohesion.

“Think about it.”

“…I suppose.”

“The resurrection of the most infamous hero, presumed dead? Consumed by vengeance, demolishing buildings! Feel the anguish I endured! Something like that!”

“……”

“But in your current state, who would find a lead protagonist looking like a walking corpse appealing?”

“A walking corpse…”

At the very least, to achieve a lasting impression required a certain flair.

It wasn’t for no reason that final bosses in films, dramas and comics were depicted as either charismatic beauties or formidable, intimidating monstrosities.

That very aura was the embodiment of impact!

“You said you didn’t want to conclude as an ordinary villain, didn’t you?”

“…That’s correct.”

“Then you need to have impact!”

“…I suppose?”

“And impact equates to charisma! When aiming for charisma, it certainly helps to be handsome!”

“…Is that so?”

“Indeed!”

It was one of my core tenets as a villain.
To be a captivating (= impactful) villain, mere strength alone was insufficient.

A compelling narrative was essential, along with elements that accentuated one’s presence.
And the most straightforward yet challenging method was to cultivate one’s appearance.

“You desire a brief, hit-and-run approach, don’t you? With limited time to establish a narrative, you must leverage other allures to generate impact.”

Appearance was synonymous with plausibility.
A worldly truth I had long since embraced from my previous life.

“……”

Alpha now regarded me with deadpan eyes.

“Do you understand?”

“…Understood.”

Undeterred by his reaction, I persisted – for my words rang true.