I'm Not Your Dad, I'm a Villain - Chapter 32

Chapter 32

The Star Girl Spiritas (3)

***

Heavenly Demon.

A title given to a hero symbolizes everything they have accomplished.

To villains, he was a calamity in the sky.

To the public, his free movement on stage was like that of a heavenly steed, earning him a nickname filled with fear and reverence.

To others, it was a name not granted lightly.

He was a unique presence, like the moon standing tall in the sky.

An irreplaceable being in this world.

“Wow…”

A single fan who admired him now looked up from the center of the sky.

Though the sky was so high it gathered clouds, her whole body felt frozen by the cold air as she moved away from the ground.

Even breathing thin air was a struggle, yet her gaze remained fixed on the center of the sky.

“So damn high.”

Yes, even after coming this high, it was still a dizzying distance.

Just looking at it made her realize.

No matter how much a mere star (a celebrity) admires the moon, it can never become one.

How could a mere human, with feet rooted on the ground, grasp the light that illuminates the dark sky?

‘Yes, Marjack, trying to follow you was a reckless act from the start.’

Her life, left to the flow.

That life, which was nothing, met him, leading her to pursue the path of a hero, even as a fake.

She believed that even as a fake, she could benefit the world. But eventually, she came to realize.

It was a borrowed belief.

Without personal conviction, one forgets to draw a line in their actions, leading to ruin.

‘No matter how much I admire you and try to follow, I can never become you.’

Spiritas cannot become Jack Horse.

As she accepted that realization, her gaze finally shifted from the sky.

From the place filled with the gigantic moon and countless stars.

“Look there, everyone!”

To a lower place.

As if meeting the gaze of those looking up at her.

“Everyone, look there! Spiritas!”

“Spiritas is flying in the sky!! Where is she going!? What is she trying to do!?”

As the battle continued, the number of helicopters at the scene grew from one to over ten.

They broadcast every corner of the scene, showing the public everything happening here.

The shadows visible on the castle terrace—could they be people who finished handling the chaos within?

‘Kana, your weapon is not just your strength.’

Yes, they were all watching her.

Moreover.

Everyone on the continent, seeing this through their eyes.

‘You think you must bear the responsibility of your power alone… But that’s just throwing away the advantages of your path.’

As she felt those gazes, she recalled the advice from a man with solid convictions, who she deemed more fitting for this power than herself.

‘What do you mean? How am I throwing away the advantages of my path…?’

‘I told you, justice is a cowardly concept.’

Even her admiration for him may now seem a reflection of her weakness, yet he still said.

‘Evil defined justice as doing anything, but that means those on the side of justice have leeway. Unlike villains with no one to rely on, heroes have supporters around them.’

Yes, no matter how strong, one is just an individual.

Believing one can solve everything alone and save everyone is arrogance, not even bravery.

‘A hero is not alone.’

So sometimes, look around.

‘And those you believe you must protect live their lives in their ways. Among them, some may want to help you.’

Realizing she wasn’t alone on this stage.

‘When it’s hard, lean on them. No, trust them once.’

Acknowledging her weakness, learning to depend on others…

The gazes below her, clearer than the starlight, taught her what that meant.

‘Old man, I think I understand now.’

Yes, any stage.

Even a stage prepared for one person is not created alone.

Just like the title of Heavenly Demon was established with the support of many, she was here because of those who supported her.

Heroes who sacrificed themselves to save people and eliminate traitors while drawing attention to a villain.

People who risked their lives to inform the public.

And all those who came to report this moment painted another night sky behind her.

‘And now, it’s time to meet those expectations.’

-Crack.

The moment everyone’s admiration gathered, strength surged into her battered body.

What she would achieve was a fallen symbol of admiration.

Acknowledging her weakness and aiming for the ground (reality) instead of the sky (admiration)…

Her awakened conviction created the Ultimate Shooting Star.

-Swoosh!!

Her body soared at supersonic speed.

By the time the sound echoed, she was already plummeting to the ground.

-Kaboom!!

The fallen light hit the ground, blasting everything around it away.

Like a mass of metal from a satellite, it snapped the tree towers reaching hundreds of meters like toothpicks.

Her body pierced the ground, causing a tectonic shift in the forest, tilting the distant castle by 5 degrees.

“…Cough.”

But the blow took a toll on her body.

Spiritas couldn’t be said to be unscathed.

Standing in the massive crater formed by the impact, all she could do was staggeringly rise.

‘This is… my limit…’

She wanted to collapse immediately but couldn’t kneel to the ground.

Helicopters still maintained balance overhead, their lights shining on the crater like spotlights on a stage.

From those lights, Spiritas felt the gazes of cameras pointing at her.

She felt the gazes of the public watching this scene.

“Attention, everyone!!”

Feeling that attention, her collapsing body straightened.

“I am…”

Spreading her legs, which seemed ready to give out, and catching her breath which seemed ready to stop.

“My name is Spiritas, the Star Girl!”

Even if it was a bluff.

Raising her outstretched hand, she declared.

“To banish the evil from this land, I descended from the stars in the sky…”

Proclaiming herself as someone independent of past idols.

“I am your friend!”

Starting her journey alongside them.

More confidently than ever.

***

…Then.

“So reckless, really.”

In the middle of the overturned forest.

Beyond the chaos, I finally reached her, still posturing with her battered body, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

She took hits just to buy time, used a rebound that wrecked her muscles, and even plummeted from thousands of meters.

Yet seeing her rise and straighten her posture, I felt both pity and admiration.

“Late bloomer, you rascal.”

Now she had some leeway.

Unlike the past when she believed she had to bear everything alone, she now realized the light shining on her was the result of others.

Realizing those lights could lighten her burden.

“Still… that’s what a hero should be.”

Trusting her allies, entrusting her battered body to them after burning herself out.

In such mutual dependency, true altruism blossomed…

Yes, the woman before me finally stood at the starting point.

“Finally.”

Despairing over not being able to bear everything, succumbing to the system’s self-absorption and arrogance…

This moment, she seized the chance to grow as a true hero.

“Now, it’s worth defeating you.”

Seeing her fall to the hands of evil would bring despair to the world.

Defeating her head-on, they would realize all their pursuits were wrong.

Though my body is weak compared to hers…

But my life has always been like this.

Only surviving, bluffing with this insignificant body.

Dreaming of destroying the mightiest hero, maybe I could reach a higher level.

“…If only.”

Yet, I felt regret over the birth of a true hero.

The hero society full of pretense and vanity.

The excessive worship like a religion, the idealistic heroes born from it…

Amidst this, awakening true justice by abandoning selfishness is hard.

Yes, she is a rare case. One person can’t change the era.

Unless the system supporting this society collapses.

“If all heroes were like you… I too…”

A brief lament from such realization.

-Whoosh!

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew over me.

Feeling the chill, my gaze turned towards the source.

“What the…”

Though it was night, the wind was too cold.

Like mid-winter, though it was still spring, such a cold wind blew.

-Crack!

Frost spread over the fallen trees, expanding its reach, making me hold my breath.

I couldn’t forget what this cold wind signified, who was arriving now.

“…Seolhwa.”

A cold wind that freezes the blood.

-Whoosh.

A new hero awakened at this moment, bringing the chill.

End of Chapter