The number one S-rank was engulfed in unprecedented anger.

 

The reason was absurd. It was because his one and only disciple was holding a woman tightly.

 

‘What the hell is that? Hugging each other affectionately, even biting the neck. And the disciple is stroking her? Huh?’

 

-Tremble.

 

He was so enraged that the energy unconsciously released caused the surrounding air to ripple.

 

Thanks to that, Yu-jin and Winterer clung to each other, trembling. The more they did, the angrier Aika got, her aura flickering.

 

It was a perfect vicious cycle.

 

…Seol Ha-yeon’s brow furrowed deeply.

 

‘Ni no miya. No matter what, this is too much.’

 

She understood why Aika was angry.

 

Yu-jin was her one and only disciple.

 

But, hugging a villain like that in front of everyone.

 

It wasn’t strange for her to be angry, feeling it sullied her master’s name.

 

But, there are limits.

 

This was just a minor contact that occurred during a scuffle.

 

To Seol Ha-yeon, a martial artist, it was an everyday occurrence.

 

It was only natural for Aika’s rage to seem overblown.

 

She sighed deeply.

 

‘Getting jealous of a woman clinging to your disciple at your age. It’s pathetic, really.’

 

Having sensed their unnoticed feelings with her intuition made it even clearer.

 

However, that was really a distant observation.

 

Up close, it was a thriller unfolding.

 

“Eek.”

 

“Ugh, ugh…!!”

 

-Tightly.

 

“These punks….”

 

Winterer, on the verge of fainting from direct killing intent.

 

Yu-jin, nearly soiling himself from the aftermath.

 

Aika, gradually losing her temper.

 

Lastly,

 

-Murmur, murmur.

 

“I heard there was an earthquake in Japan when Aika swung her sword once. Could it be in Seoul…?”

 

“Why the hell is she doing this? What’s she so upset about?”

 

“Someone please….”

 

The anxiety of the shrimps caught in a whale fight.

 

The shrimp representative, Seol Ha-yeon, sighed deeply and stepped forward.

 

Sensing that if left alone, a disaster would occur.

 

‘I’ve known that experience can’t keep up with strength, but I didn’t expect it to be this bad. I need to sternly admonish her.’

 

-Thud.

 

“Ninomiya. That’s enough.”

 

“Seol Ha-yeon.”

 

Thus, the two S-ranks faced off.

 

A sudden Korea-Japan showdown was about to take place.

 

“Why are you so angry?”

 

“My disciple hugged a villain.”

 

“That’s normal during a fight.”

 

“Normal? Hah. Nonsense….”

 

“I’ve been fighting with my fists for 40 years. No one is more accustomed to such brawls than me.”

 

“……Tch.”

 

Round 1. Aika’s defeat.

 

“And, in the first place, it’s none of your business what he does with another woman.”

 

“What? She’s a villain. If it were any other woman…”

 

“Then it’s even less your concern. Yu-jin is also a man, who would blame him for touching a villain a bit?”

 

“H, huh!? Seol Ha-yeon, are you crazy.”

 

“Do you, Ninomiya, by any chance, like Yu-jin? Are you jealous because your lover is with another woman?”

 

“……!!?”

 

Round 2. Seol Ha-yeon’s counterattack.

 

Aika’s face turned red, struck by her weak point.

 

“I, I like my disciple!? What nonsense is that!”

 

“If not, then just leave it be. Yu-jin is also a man.”

 

“No way? My disciple wouldn’t… huh.”

 

‘…Well. He does have some manly aspects.’

 

Thinking of something different in the middle and blushing, this was a reason even Seol Ha-yeon couldn’t guess.

 

Round 2 was also Seol Ha-yeon’s complete victory.

 

“So stop being ridiculous. If you don’t like it, let Yu-jin touch your breasts sometimes.”

 

“B, breasts….”

 

“———More importantly. Isn’t this all your fault?”

 

And lastly, Round 3.

 

Seol Ha-yeon delivered the final blow.

 

“Because you kept chattering through telepathy, Yu-jin lost the villain he was subduing.”

 

“…How did you notice the telepathy.”

 

“With all the mana being exchanged, how could I not notice.”

 

“…….”

 

“In any case. This mess is entirely Ninomiya Aika’s fault. Not Yu-jin’s, not Winterer’s. It’s the fault of the number one S-rank.”

 

Striking suddenly at the core.

 

Aika’s eyes widened.

 

She was as startled as if she had been doused with cold water.

 

“That’s….”

 

“The part Winterer bit was the carotid artery. Yu-jin is exceptionally sturdy, but he almost died. Because of your interference.”

 

“……!!!”

 

-Ssss….

 

The energy gradually receded.

 

Only then did she notice the bite mark on Yu-jin’s neck.

 

The chairman sighed deeply.

 

“I understand. As the world’s strongest, it’s natural to act without thinking first.”

 

“I, I was advising for my disciple’s future.”

 

“But consider the people caught in the crossfire. Yu-jin almost died just now.”

 

“That’s….”

 

“Take this as a lesson and refrain from reckless actions in the future. Living so arrogantly, you’ll face serious consequences someday.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

“If you understand, go and reflect. We can’t have a conversation with you here.”

 

“Understood…….”

 

-Deflate.

 

Aika, who had never been scolded by anyone other than her mother, was disheartened.

 

It was Seol Ha-yeon’s third consecutive win.

 

[Disciple, I’m sorry. I was too presumptuous.]

 

[No, Master! It’s my fault for being incompetent….]

 

-Hesitant.

 

[It’s nothing much, but tonight… that….]

 

[…?]

 

[I’ll tell you later! When we’re alone tonight. Secretly!]

 

“……?”

 

A telepathic message only Yu-jin received before she retreated.

 

Had Seol Ha-yeon heard it, Round 4 might have happened…

 

Fortunately, it didn’t.

 

Aika retreated only after seeing her disciple nod.

 

With a strangely flushed face.

 

And,

 

‘A talk just for the two of us at night, huh? I’m curious, but… I’ll ask later. First, some flattery.’

 

“Thank you, Ha-yeon noona!”

 

“……?”

 

The young man, revived thanks to her, began to give excessive lip service.

 

* * *

 

I was only worried about how to excuse myself for my master’s extreme anger.

 

But instead, I received an apology from my master.

 

Thanks to the chairman’s tearful shield.

 

‘Lady…!! No, noona!!’

 

This was the fourth-ranked S-rank. Korea’s legend. Seol Ha-yeon.

 

I apologize for all the slander I’ve spoken before.

 

I worship you. GOAT.

 

My mouth moved on its own.

 

“Thank you, Ha-yeon noona!”

 

“……What?”

 

With rising respect, my tone became more familiar. My conscience screamed at me, but I decided to put on a brave face just for today. When you give, you should also receive. This much lip service was necessary.

 

“Did you just call me noona…?”

 

“But you know what? I didn’t stroke her out of sexual desire or anything.”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“She looks like a villain, right?”

 

I jerked Winterer’s head toward the chairman.

 

Even her blinking eyes, caught off guard, turned toward her.

 

“Of course she looks like a villain….”

 

“Actually, she’s not a villain. Just an Awakened.”

 

“……What?”

 

The chairman’s expression became serious. She didn’t say anything like, “What nonsense are you talking about? I’m an expert on villains.”

 

“What kind of nonsense is that!? I’m a villain….”

 

“She does feel a bit different from typical villains, but the uneasiness is the same.”

 

“She’s hypnotized herself into believing she’s a villain. Since she was a child.”

 

“W-What?”

 

“In fact, I peeked into her memories with hypnosis.”

 

I then diligently started the washing machine. The washing machine of “She’s actually a victim.”

 

‘If I just said I stroked a villain, I’d get in trouble later. Let’s pretend I peeked into her past and hugged her out of sympathy.’

 

“The truth is, she….”

 

The explanation was quick and concise.

 

The horrors of the human experiments she endured were already well known, so I skipped that part. The important point was,

 

“Why are you spinning such a sob story, you little rice cake….”

 

“Moreover, she hasn’t killed anyone since then.”

 

“……Hick.”

 

Not a drop of blood on her hands since that day. While Winterer shrank, the chairman exclaimed in surprise.

 

“Oh. Winterer, is that true?”

 

“That’s nonsense!! I’ve killed so many. At least ten a day….”

 

“That’s a lie, isn’t it?”

 

“Hmm. It is a lie.”

 

A bonus validation from a living villain detector and lie detector. Winterer, suddenly turned into a villain poser, thrashed wildly.

 

“N-No!! I am a villain!!”

 

“This is a bit ambiguous. It seems she truly believes she is a villain.”

 

“She’s been living under self-hypnosis for most of her life. I almost didn’t notice it myself in just one day.”

 

“Even I mistook her for a villain. Understandable.”

 

Ignoring her, we continued our discussion. Not a villain, right? Yes. No.

 

The chairman’s eyes turned back to Winterer.

 

“Then let me ask you one last thing. Why did you attack me if you didn’t kill anyone?”

 

Why did you cause real terror as a self-proclaimed villain? I also fixed my gaze on Winterer. I was curious too.

 

“I, to kill you and create a nation of villains. To plunge this country into chaos….”

 

“If you’re not a villain, you might not know this, but villains don’t have such grandiose motives.”

 

“That’s why I’m telling you, I am a villain!!”

 

She didn’t easily give up an answer. I gently stroked her head.

 

-Swish, swish.

 

“It was tough, wasn’t it? Even though you did nothing wrong, people did terrible things and tormented you.”

 

“Cut the sympathy!! I’m a villain, so stuff like that….”

 

“Still, can you tell me honestly? Then we can think about how to help.”

 

[Activating the skill ‘Complete Hypnosis’….]

 

I coaxed her gently. It was the most necessary part for the washing machine.

 

Of course, Winterer clamped her mouth shut, as if she would never tell…

 

“Maybe, you can stay with Haru.”

 

“……!!!?”

 

[The target falls under ‘ordinary’ hypnosis!]

 

Her weak spot. Haru. When I stimulated that, her closed heart opened slightly.

 

“Such an amazing person, yet they didn’t save someone like number 47 from the villains. It pissed me off….”

 

“…….”

 

‘Oh dear. Was it love and hate?’

 

Her answer made me frown.

 

The reason Winterer attacked the chairman?

 

Such a great person, yet she repeatedly failed to save Haru from a top-class villain like herself.

 

She probably left Haru at the academy for the same reason. Despite hating it, she knew the chairman was amazing enough that maybe she could treat Haru’s brainwashing.

 

A messed-up logic, but…

 

She was not in her right mind, to begin with. It seemed she acted more on emotion than logic.

 

I met the chairman’s eyes.

 

[Hmm, that’s what she says? What do you think, Ha-yeon noona?]

 

[Drop that title. Will you take responsibility if you make my heart flutter?]

 

[Eek. Ridiculous.]

 

[Tsk. Anyway, her crimes are serious, but… She seems too pitiful to throw into the abyss.]

 

[Aren’t you concerned about her targeting you?]

 

[What. I’m more sorry I didn’t realize sooner.]

 

We debated through telepathy. It was a discussion about Winterer’s disposition.

 

It didn’t last long.

 

[Then I’ll convey that, okay?]

 

[Go ahead.]

 

“Ahem. Winterer?”

 

“Why, why. If you say something like you pity me or forgive me, I’ll….”

 

Anticipating something, Winterer ground her teeth and flailed about.

 

But,

 

“Pity you? Who do you think we are to forgive you? You must be punished if you did something wrong.”

 

“…What?”

 

“I’m calling the police.”

 

Reality was cold.