Although a Villain, My Wish is World Peace

[Really, do you have to act so stiffly?]

While clearly showing his disappointment, Taika obediently opened his mouth.

[I was just going to ask if you’d like to go around conquering Gates with me instead of hiding and doing it.]

And Taika’s ‘main point’ was, as I expected, not welcome at all.

First of all, what came to mind was ‘Why?’ Why would that amazing SS-grade potential super rookie, no, America’s strategic weapon, be so eager for a sloppy villain organization?

[You want to go around conquering Gates with us?]

Despite my lukewarm reaction, Taika’s expression remained the same.

[Well, it was really fun back then.]

It seems conquering Yebrica remained a very good memory for Taika Cooper.

—Wasn’t it terrible for you?

‘I enjoyed it too. It’s just that we had to suffer terribly wandering the streets for two weeks afterwards, avoiding people chasing us.’

If only that part could be deleted, it could have remained a pretty good memory for me too.

By the way, I didn’t think Taika would still remember that. I thought it would be nothing special to a hunter who enters S-grade Gates like eating rice.

[I didn’t think you’d still remember something that happened months ago.]

[To be honest, it was the first time I had so much fun, so I thought of you guys every time I conquered Gates afterwards.]

[That’s probably because the situation then was special.]

The reason Taika found conquering with us particularly fun was probably because our clumsy, chaotic situation was refreshing compared to orthodox Gate conquests.

[I guarantee, if you go conquering with us again, it won’t be as fun as back then.]

At my words, Taika smiled and shook his head.

[You might change your mind if you knew how I usually conquer Gates?]

What on earth is it like? At my gaze, Taika pouted and continued speaking:

[People here just treat me like a button to fire missiles. They stick me in a safe place and when something dangerous appears, they press the missile launch button. Then I throw black holes from the rear like firing missiles. This is all I know about conquering.]

I roughly understand what he’s saying. Taika was a precious person. Whether inside or outside Gates, he would be treated preciously like a sacred cow.

That thoughtless Taika probably thought all that process was boring and uninteresting, but from the guild’s perspective that had to manage Taika, it was how they managed the high-class talent called Taika.

Taika seems thoroughly fed up with being treated like a precious strategic weapon to be used at critical moments.

Hmm.

‘This is why romance novels about greenhouse flowers falling for thugs are rampant in the world.’

There are side effects even from cherishing too much?

—You’re aware that you’re the thug.

‘The problem is that reality is very far from romance novels.’

—Oho, well. A greenhouse flower and a thug. Usually that’s a combination that ends with the flower getting trampled, right? Surely you’re not thinking of doing that?

‘No, I said reality is different from romance novels. That greenhouse flower is a monster that can blow up mountains with its bare hands!’

—That’s what you meant by different!

So I had to think very carefully. Because that greenhouse flower could crush me with a single gesture.

[We’re grateful you think well of us, but that’s difficult. After all, we’re criminals, and uh, the more we get involved with you, Mr. Cooper, the more, well, dangerous it becomes.]

It’s not for nothing that we pretended to be a C-grade mercenary group to enter here. After saying that, I quickly added:

[You know we’re criminals, right? I’m grateful you didn’t report us, but associating with us isn’t good for you either.]

Taika’s eyebrows twitched at my words.

[I know, I know. I’ve been saying it from earlier. I was so curious about what kind of people you were that I even looked into it myself. I even bought villain magazines.]

[Right, that villain magazine. It’s dangerous to judge us based on just that magazine. We are, uh, quite dangerous criminals!]

—The moment you say that, it feels like half the dignity of dangerous criminals has flown away.

I know how embarrassing it is to be yelling that I’m a dangerous criminal in front of this person.

But if I don’t say such things, I can’t properly warn that guy!

Despite my warning, Taika was still smiling with an innocent face.

[Well, looking at the information spread in Korea, I don’t think I can say you’re that bad. I agree that if you’re a criminal, you’d be the worst criminal. Ah! I mean the worst as a criminal, not that you committed the worst crimes!]

I waved my hand to calm Taika who was about to pour out words again. A sigh escaped involuntarily.

[…Enough, I roughly understand what you’re trying to say.]

[As I said earlier, you’re considered the worst rookie even on the villain side. You can be proud.]

[I told you not to judge us based on just that villain magazine. By the way, where on earth did you get that magazine?]

Who brought such trashy yellow journalism to the world’s strongest hunter! What on earth was Oh Seung-woo doing not catching such things! At my outcry, Taika’s eyes sparkled as he said:

[Ah, are you curious where you can get that magazine? Should I tell you where to buy it?]

[No! It’s fine. No, really, put your phone away!]

At my refusal, Taika rolled his eyes as if disappointed. Good heavens, really. I’d be swept away by this guy if I’m not careful. I returned to the main point again.

[Anyway, the important thing is that we’re villains. Walking the opposite path from hunters like you.]

At those words, Taika, who had buried his back in the sofa, shrugged his shoulders.

[Do you really think hunters and villains walk opposite paths?]

Taika’s voice saying that was much lower than before. The smile that had filled his face had already disappeared.

[This hunter world is overflowing with people worse than you. Because America is thoroughly based on meritocracy. Do you know how the law works here? It’s incredibly flexible. An A-grade hunter who ‘accidentally’ froze his housekeeper to death last time was acquitted without even getting probation. By the way, it was the fifth ‘accident’ that bastard committed.]

Taika opened his mouth with a nonchalant face.

America is a vast land. Though it was a country with many talented people, it was too much to cover all this vast land. Was that why? Hunters’ value skyrocketed, and hunters hired the most competent lawyers in the world.

With laws already lenient towards hunters, plus the world’s most competent team of lawyers.

[There are numerous hunters who walk away fine after committing terrible crimes. Yeah, there are several such guys in our guild too. Protests to punish hunters always occur, but few hunters receive proper punishment.]

This was different from what I knew.

[I thought America mercilessly sentenced awakener criminals to death…]

[That’s all about powerless hunters with low potential. Cases of B-grade or higher hunters being executed are, well, extremely rare. No matter what they do, they can get away with it.]

Taika who said that added:

[The law is outdated. Besides, lobbying is legal in this country. You understand? Lobbying is legal.]

It meant corruption in America was more serious than I thought. No, this might be even worse.

[And those bad guys don’t even think they did anything wrong. Awakeners are superior! They say what’s wrong with killing a few humans who can’t do anything!]

Taika who said those words seemed to feel contempt for all those things. I didn’t know this bright-looking Taika had such a side.

But that appearance was brief, and Taika smiled brightly at me again and said:

[So I don’t care how much bad things you’ve done. At least you’re much better people than the human trash I’ve seen!]

[Yeees…]

Oh no, so he wasn’t just a thoughtless greenhouse flower? This is harder to deal with.

As I was lost in such thoughts, Taika added:

[If you’re really that concerned about the crimes you committed, how about immigrating to America?]

[Immigrate?]

[America has a system that gladly accepts hunters who committed crimes abroad. They pardon all the crimes committed so far and give permanent residency. Well, we’ve been criticized a lot for this, but America is the world’s strongest. No one dares to say anything.]

I just blinked at that sudden proposal.

[When I looked into it, villains called Weltschmerz were described as terrible in that country. But if you come here, you can start over cleanly. You don’t need to hide your identity and wander around C-grade Gates like this, you don’t need to wear those thick masks, you can live freely.]

Huh. It was certainly an tempting proposal.

Unlike with Oh Seung-woo, it came with an offer to cleanly launder my life, so there’s no reason to worry about my identity being discovered.

But…

The problem is that I have my own reasons for calling myself a criminal.

If I accept Taika’s proposal, I have to live as an upright American citizen.

Of course, I could do dirty things behind the scenes. But there are limits to such methods.

The moment I stand in the light, I have to hand over all the freedom I’ve enjoyed to the state. No matter how much I have Taika Cooper behind me, no, rather because I have Taika Cooper behind me, I’ll have to be even more careful.

Besides, if I come here, everything I’ve done in Korea becomes meaningless. It was all just in the beginning stages. All the people I’ve drawn into this will be left hanging.

I could bring the people I was trying to save to America, but… No, I can’t. The faces of a few people who wouldn’t listen to me no matter what flashed through my mind.

The conclusion is one. Problems can’t be solved by avoiding them.

—You could gain power here and go back.

‘What would change if I go back as a successful hunter? In the meantime, Seol Rok-jin will have completely taken over Korea.’

Seol Rok-jin’s influence is growing stronger by the day. Even without brainwashing, Seol Rok-jin’s words have power. In a few years, Seol Rok-jin will become a person who can do anything in that Korea.

No matter how famous a hunter is, they can’t openly antagonize such a Seol Rok-jin. I know Seol Rok-jin’s methods. The moment you try to deal with Seol Rok-jin in the light, what kind of hell Seol Rok-jin will show.

It’s not for nothing that I chose the method of hiding in the shadows to deal with Seol Rok-jin. No, even I haven’t been able to properly deal with Seol Rok-jin until now.

I plan to quietly build up strength, gather people, and strike all at once after all preparations are complete.

To bring down Seol Rok-jin, no, to kill him, all those preparations are necessary.

‘But I can’t beg Taika Cooper to kill that bad guy for me.’

Hmm, wait. It’s a bit tempting. Should I really ask him to do it? As I was thinking that, Taika’s sparkling face caught my eye. Never mind, what a terrible thought I had.

Dealing with Seol Rok-jin is something I have to do. It means it’s a sin that I, who failed to stop him in my past life, no, rather cooperated with him, have to deal with.

The escape ticket given to me was extremely attractive, but I was a person unqualified to hold this escape ticket.

[Thank you for the offer, but I still have a lot to do.]

[Then when all that work is done?]

I froze at the question that came back. When all my work is done? I had never thought about what comes after that.