Being a Villain is My True Calling

The research facility crumbled into complete ruin.
Lacking any proper security installations due to its concealed location within the slums, demolishing it had proven unexpectedly effortless.

‘Well, they really should have invested more in protective measures.’

Averting my gaze from the obliterated structure, its very form now unrecognizable, I addressed my companions.

“It would be advisable for us to disperse from this location.”

“Indeed, that would be for the best.”

Even considering the slum’s locale, such an extreme disturbance was likely to attract heroic attention sooner or later.
It was prudent for us to part ways here.

“…So our business here is concluded, then?”

Uchi’s mouth twitched momentarily before settling into a casual smile directed at me.

“That’s correct.”

With the targeted ability enhancer rendered a non-issue after eradicating the facility, and Astra’s assigned mission already accomplished, there was no lingering purpose remaining.

‘No further reason to linger here.’

“Then I suppose this is farewell.”

Regarding me with an enigmatic expression, Uchi remarked:

“It was a brief encounter, but an enjoyable one nonetheless, good sir.”

“……”

While indeed a fleeting interaction, a multitude of events had transpired within that condensed span.

From Uchi persistently tailing me upon our first meeting.
To jointly apprehending and utterly demolishing that drug-peddling researcher.
Culminating in the total decimation of the entire facility itself.

…
Could any of it truly be described as ‘enjoyable’?

“I’m rather glad to have followed in your footsteps!”

I nodded solemnly in response to his words.
Patting my shoulder heartily, Uchi continued:

“…What fortune.”

“When might I again experience such a grand spectacle?”

Letting out a lighthearted chuckle, Uchi shifted his gaze toward the smoldering ruins.

“Though I’ll admit, there were moments where I wondered if you were simply some utter madman!!”

What was that supposed to mean?

“Yet I firmly believe the good sir to be a truly benevolent soul, championing the downtrodden!”

Flashing me a radiant smile, Uchi averted his eyes from the obliterated facility.
He briefly glanced toward the girl at my side before nodding resolutely in my direction once more.

‘…It seems he has arrived at some unfathomable misunderstanding yet again.’

Uchi likely presumed that my demolition of the facility stemmed entirely from noble intentions of protecting the vulnerable.

‘…Ah, whatever. This will be our final encounter anyway, so I may as well leave him to that delusion.’

“Farewell, then.”

I offered a perfunctory nod as a parting gesture.

“Oh, but good sir, might I inquire as to your name?”

Just as I turned to depart, Uchi called out to me once more.

“While it may seem improper to ask upon our parting, could you not at least afford me that much?”

I contemplated his request briefly.
In the aftermath of this tumultuous affair, divulging ‘Maker’ would be unwise, as would any alias too closely resembling my true identity.

“Jack. You may call me Jack.”

Thus, I provided one of my common foreign aliases from my past life instead.
There was no need to offer my genuine name, so this would suffice.

“Farewell, Sir Jack!”

“Are you not going to bid me farewell as well?”
“You would do well to vanish from my sight posthaste.”
“So callous~”
“Safe travels, good sir!”

Dismissing Traitor #1’s objections, Uchi waved cheerfully in my direction with a bright smile.
I returned his gesture with an amused snort and a brief wave before departing with the girl and Traitor #1 in tow.

“Oppa.”

Entering the tranquil cafe, the ‘Closed’ sign still hanging on the door, Ga-yeon scurried over to greet me warmly.

“Welcome back.”
“I’ve returned.”

As I opened my arms, Ga-yeon naturally nestled into my embrace.
Smiling fondly, I stroked her head reassuringly.

“Did you complete your task?”
“Yes. It’s all finished now.”

Ga-yeon and I exchanged a few tender pleasantries.

“……”

Tug.

Feeling a insistent tugging at the hem of my shirt, I turned to find the girl gazing up at me expectantly.

“…Hmm?”

Perhaps sensing my attention had shifted elsewhere mid-conversation, Ga-yeon too pivoted to follow my line of sight.

Her eyes scrutinized the girl with an indecipherable expression.

“Oppa.”

Regarding me with a quizzical look, Ga-yeon seemed to seek an explanation.
I provided one calmly and matter-of-factly.

“A new colleague of ours.”
“A colleague?”

Ga-yeon’s skeptical side-eye prompted me to clarify further.
After alternating her gaze between the girl and myself, she stated with confident authority:

“I’ll allow it.”

Placing a hand on her hip, Ga-yeon granted her approval regally.

‘My deepest gratitude.’

“What’s her name?”

“Uh…?”

Caught off guard by Ga-yeon’s direct inquiry, the girl met her gaze with evident consternation.

“Umm, uhhh…”
Awuwu…

After a momentary hesitation, the girl shook her head vigorously before scurrying to hide behind me.

‘Is she reluctant to disclose it?’

Yet her intermittent glances and mouthing motions implied a willingness to provide her name.

Ah, right.
Now that I recalled, she had been referred to as a mere ‘test subject’.
Assigned only a serial number, the likelihood that she had ever been addressed by an actual name seemed slim.

‘She may not even have an official name at all.’

For now, it appeared the subject of names was a sensitive matter for her, so changing topics might be advisable.
Addressing both the girl and Traitor #1, I suggested:

“It’s getting rather late, so let’s call it a day and reconvene tomorrow, shall we?”

“Call it a day, you say?”

Traitor #1 regarded me with evident puzzlement.
What was the issue?

“Is this not your main base of operations, Sir Jack?”

‘Ah, I haven’t properly revealed my identity yet.’

Now I understood the basis for Traitor #1’s assumptions.

“This is merely a venue for my personal hobbies, not my official headquarters per se.”
“Is that so? Then…”
“You see, I’m actually an active operative within a particular organization.”

Removing my hat and mask, I conjured a half-mask to conceal the upper portion of my face.
Recognizing my appearance, Traitor #1’s eyes widened slightly in apparent realization.

“You’re…?”
“Pleased to make your acquaintance. I am Maker, an A-rank villain and executive member of Eclipse.”
“E,Eclipse?”

Traitor #1 regarded me with palpable shock, his mouth hanging slightly ajar.

That night.

“Sir Jack?”
“You may address me as Maker.”

I knocked on Traitor #1’s guest room door to summon him.

“May I enter?”
“By all means, I wasn’t able to sleep just yet in any case.”

Creeak…

After shooting me a fleeting glance, Traitor #1 welcomed me inside with an amiable smile.

“That said, I must admit I’m rather astonished.”
“By what, may I ask?”
“Your true identity as Maker. I never imagined you were operating under Eclipse’s banner…”

As I took a seat, Traitor #1 set about brewing a pot of coffee in the corner kitchenette.
From his perspective, such a revelation must have seemed rather startling – to have a prominent villainous organization’s fangs bared so abruptly.

“Our organization did suffer from drug addiction issues before.”
“…But this latest batch was only distributed within the slums.”
“The Blue Scorp incident was the root cause.”
“Ah.”

Finally comprehending the connections, he clutched his head in dismay.

“…So that’s how it managed to infiltrate your ranks as well.”

While I had indeed facilitated that narcotics influx, I chose not to elaborate further.
Regardless:

“Well, what’s done is done. No point in dwelling on regrets now, is there?”
“I suppose not.”

The research facility developing the ability enhancer had been utterly obliterated, its staff buried beneath the rubble.
Traitor #1 sipped his freshly brewed coffee with an air of resigned calm.

“Are you intending to kill me?”

He then met my gaze with an unflinching stare, posing that direct query.

‘To be perfectly candid, you have indeed exhausted your usefulness.’

There was no further intelligence for him to divulge.
From the very outset, his termination had been the intended conclusion once this endeavor reached its end.

Click.

Conjuring a firearm, I leveled it squarely at his face without a shred of hesitation.

“I rather presumed as much, yes.”

Traitor #1 took another indifferent sip of his coffee.

“Even if you aided me in the end, it was half under duress, and I’ve committed far too many misdeeds to simply overlook…”

…No, you’re dying because you’re a degenerate, plain and simple.

“Blinded by ambition for achievements, I inflicted harm upon so many. Entrusted with one of the main projects, only to be demoted to this sorry state in the end.”

I wish you wouldn’t randomly delve into unnecessarily melodramatic backstory tangents.
That final line made it seem like I should hear him out to the bitter end, though.

“…But I suppose rehashing it all now is rather pointless. My apologies. It’s only natural for the glib tongue to run rampant when staring death in the face.”

“Do you wish to live?”

“While I would certainly desire to further indulge in as many exquisite pleasures as possible? That choice ultimately rests in your hands, does it not, Sir Maker?”

Regrettably, I had already determined his demise was inevitable.

‘Not solely for the asinine reason of his degeneracy, mind you.’

He represented far too many potential variables.
Not only were his capabilities as a sole researcher rather limited for recruitment purposes, but more crucially, he could never be fully trusted.

If integrated into Eclipse’s research divisions, he could just as easily abscond with all our data at any moment.

At best, our relationship amounted to nothing more than captor and hostage, hardly a firm foundation for comradery.
Ample justification for any potential future betrayal lurked beneath the surface.

‘While relinquishing Z-Biotech’s intelligence and his senior researcher expertise is somewhat regrettable…’

It wasn’t as if Eclipse lacked an abundance of exceptional candidates to replenish our ranks.

Maintaining my stoic demeanor, I kept my aim unwavering.
Seeming to sense my resolve, Traitor #1 closed his eyes in acceptance of his impending demise.

“Well, it’s not such a bad way to go, I suppose.”

Just as we both appeared to have reconciled ourselves to this outcome, the very moment I prepared to squeeze the trigger:

CRAAASH!!
“Wait, just a mome…!!”
CRUNCH!!

‘What in the absolute fuck?!’

The young girl had burst through the door like a rampaging beast, her formidable claws utterly demolishing my summoned firearm in an instant.