I'm Not Your Dad, I'm a Villain - Chapter 76

Chapter 76

Gigantes (1)

‘Someone who has never experienced loving another cannot support the world.’

It’s a logical conclusion.

A single person is too small and weak to encompass the grand concept of righteousness. Only someone worthy of being called a ‘god’ could do such a thing.

Therefore, he always searched.

For someone who, as a human, had experienced loving another, someone who knew love, and someone who was learning to love…

Someone who could build the strongest tower of conviction based on those feelings.

“…I shall return.”

Even though it’s still an immature start, he had engraved the beginning in his eyes.

Couldn’t he say that he had achieved his purpose with this alone?

“What?”

“I’ve achieved my objective, so I’m withdrawing from this mission.”

“Wait, where are you going…!!”

Spiritas, startled, watched him turn his back.

But then,

-Boom!!

A massive tremor enveloped the area.

However, the shock wasn’t from where they stood.

Something happened at a considerable distance…

Something so terrible that its shockwaves reached this place.

“If you plan to move forward, heed this warning.”

Bykontrast already knew the cause.

“This city has been devastated by one person, Gigantes.”

“…Gigantes?”

“Yes, and before we parted ways, he was slowly making his way from the mountains to the city’s center. By now, he must have reached the heart of the city. If left unchecked, the city will be erased from the map today.”

Bykontrast spoke calmly about Gigantes’s purpose and danger.

Even amidst this, he still had his back to her, showing no intention of fighting her seriously.

“…Why are you telling me this? Aren’t you allies?”

“Allies? Not at all.”

A snorting sound emerged from beneath his horse mask.

To a villain, his words sounded absurd.

“We merely use each other to achieve our goals. I’ve already accomplished my purpose here. Why should I risk any more?”

“What the…”

“Hero.”

Bykontrast turned to look at Spiritas, who was bewildered.

His eyes, visible beneath the mask, were filled with goodwill.

Yes, he recognized the sprout of a hero left by that man.

“You’ve decided to use your love to become stronger. But that’s just a process, not the result.”

But she was still just a sprout.

She hoped to become stronger than anyone, but she hadn’t yet achieved that result.

So he was retreating.

Not to crush her with his own hands but to give her another challenge as she continued to grow.

“Think carefully about what you must do in my absence.”

To see if she could muster the confidence to face a monster capable of devastating an entire city alone.

***

And so, it was past midnight and into the early hours.

[Breaking news just in.]

As the recovery efforts in District B continued, the announcer’s urgent voice accompanied a rapid shift in the disaster scene footage.

Captured by the camera was a single deviant leaving the city…

No, it was just a deviant in appearance.

Anyone who knew his identity would recoil in horror.

[As the heroes dispatched by the Association belatedly began their recovery efforts, a report came in of a villain escaping the outskirts of the attacked city. That villain’s name is… Bykon! Bykontrast, the S-rank villain!]

“Oh, I didn’t think that guy would pull out.”

Gray Anatomy, who was watching the TV beside me, muttered.

Sipping his beer, he seemed to have expected it to some extent.

Beside him, a pile of cans and snack bags indicated that he considered the current disaster a mere spectacle.

“The snacks are finished. Squid would be okay, right?”

“…Give me one.”

Of course, I felt the same way.

[The Association members who identified him tried to stop him, but Bykontrast avoided confrontation. He stated he would no longer participate in this attack and left the scene. Some said he should be pursued, but the Association decided to focus all efforts on recovery rather than on a villain who left the scene…]

The announcer, still in disbelief, stammered through the news.

News of some hero named Moonhee being carried away in ropes was also mentioned, but it felt distant to me.

I was most concerned about Bykon.

His ruthless nature and cruelty toward heroes made it surprising that he would withdraw from such a major battle.

“No, if you think about it, it makes sense.”

Unlike me, Anatomy accepted the news.

I looked at him with curiosity.

“It makes sense? What do you understand?”

“Well, that guy’s hobby is voyeurism.”

“…Voyeurism?”

“Yeah, Bykon likes to hide in parks on his days off, spying on couples. He says watching people in love makes him happy… Maybe he saw something like that in the city and just ran off. As much as we respect preferences nowadays, getting joy from watching others without participating is a bit much, don’t you think?”

Indeed.

From my perspective, respect or not, I wished he would just drop dead.

“…How do you know that?”

“I did some background checks. Honestly, that guy’s my type.”

“Crazy bastard.”

“Genetically, he’s human, but there’s something about that horse mask… It excites me.”

Crazy, crazy…

Is this guy attracted to anyone with signs of a beast, regardless of gender?

I take back what I said earlier. This guy should be erased from the world even before Bykon.

“But come to think of it, you and Bykon have some similarities.”

-Crash!

Startled by a sudden chill, I rolled off my seat.

If he had moved even a little, I was ready to jump out of the window immediately.

“Hey.”

Noticing my reaction, Anatomy frowned.

“Do you think I would touch you? If you want my love, grow some more hair, you punk.”

“…Cut the crap and get to the point.”

I really couldn’t get along with this guy.

For a moment, I considered fleeing, but then he continued.

“He became a villain because he hated society’s hypocrisy.”

The sudden statement calmed my nerves.

He became a villain because he hated society’s hypocrisy?

A crazy monster who loses his mind at the sight of a virgin?

“Unlike him, our friend is an E-rank worm with no power at all.”

As I pondered his words, Anatomy’s taunts scratched at my nerves.

I glared at him, but he had already turned his attention back to the screen.

[Breaking news just in. Heroes roaming the city have found the S-rank villain, Chronos, in critical condition. According to captured villains, his defeat was… by Spiritas! The S-rank hero, Spiritas!]

“But for her to fall for an E-rank worm… It’s pathetic.”

“…”

“…Like I said before, don’t you find it disgusting to play the protagonist of a delusional romance at your age?”

“I get it, so shut up.”

How could his arrogant chatter be so irritating?

Even if he didn’t emphasize it, I knew her feelings best.

That’s why I couldn’t be happy.

Even if she continues to harbor those feelings, the day I can reciprocate will never come. Continuing to hold those feelings will only cause us both pain.

Why, out of all the people, did she have to have those feelings for me…

“So, which one is it?”

As I tried to wash away my bitterness with beer, he suddenly asked a question.

I responded sharply, thinking he was provoking me again.

“…How many times do I have to say it’s neither?”

“No, I’ve had enough of your hopeless love life. I’m asking who you think will win, that girl or Gigantes.”

Damn, look how quickly he changes the subject.

Annoyed, I asked him back.

“Why bring up Gigantes all of a sudden?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Since Bykon pulled out, the only one who can stop that girl is Gigantes.”

Yeah, the news wasn’t reporting it, but Spiritas was probably hunting down the culprits to resolve the situation.

And to my knowledge, the only villain capable of devastating a city of this size in such a short time was Gigantes. But he wouldn’t stop at that; he would aim for the most effective spot to collapse the city.

If he succeeds, by dawn, the city will be wiped off the map.

“I have a question before that.”

And there was only one person among the leaders of the former Ouroboros, the most heinous villains, who could do such a thing.

If anyone could answer this question definitively, it would be someone with experience at the same level.

“If our friend is asking, I have to answer. What’s your question?”

“Who would win if you fought Gigantes?”

The moment his relaxed smile turned serious.

The question was quite sensitive for him.

Did he think I was underestimating him?

“…Keep in mind that I wasn’t a combatant.”

No, Anatomy never engaged in uncertain fights.

He was always the most objective about assessing combat capability.

Especially since he claimed not to be a combatant.

“So you’re saying you’d lose.”

“Well, yes. In pure combat power, I’m the weakest among the leaders.”

He wasn’t lying.

He was primarily a researcher. His strength came from his prepared results, but in straightforward combat, he was the weakest leader.

But that was only in terms of raw power.

Ranked third in the organization behind Maestro and Shadow, his evaluations from experience were the most objective.

“Not just me, but the only one among the leaders who might have a chance is Beast Buster.”

The bomber, Beast Buster.

He was considered more of a war weapon than an individual, and I knew better than anyone that this evaluation wasn’t wrong.

Because I had personally experienced the power of his bombs.

“To think about who would win between a villain of that level and a rising hope like Spiritas, it’s natural to be curious.”

Anatomy, who ranked above the other leaders, nibbled on his snacks and continued watching the screen.

His eyes were colder than ever, as if he couldn’t ignore the upcoming battle.

***

And then.

After crossing the flames, Spiritas reached the city center.

“…Ugh.”

As soon as she stepped in, Spiritas grimaced and quickly covered her nose.

She had somewhat expected it.

Since the survivors were driven to the center, villains and heroes who arrived earlier would have gathered here.

But even with so many people gathered, it was eerily silent.

No screams, no sounds of rampage.

There were no corpses, but the dried blood on the collapsed rubble showed what had happened.

The surroundings were completely overturned, and the structures still standing were engulfed in flames.

“Gigantes…”

A villain’s massacre, and heroes’ desperate battles.

Standing in the aftermath, a shadow of a man stood with his back to her.

He looked exactly like his wanted poster.

“…You seem to know me.”

Sensing her presence, he slowly turned to face Spiritas.

A man clad in armor made of cement and asphalt, formed from the surrounding debris.

End of Chapter