The person next to me yawned deeply.

“What’s wrong, are you sleepy?” 

“Ah, no!”

The new recruit answered loudly, seemingly flustered.

Who taught this kid manners?

“Hey, keep your voice down. This is a secret base.”  

“Y-yes, sir…”

I couldn’t help but laugh, seeing the new recruit quickly shut his mouth. 

I was like that once, too.

“Don’t worry too much. No one comes through here. It’s a travel spot but not a popular one, and it’s far off the beaten path. There are even ‘Private Property’ signs up. Who would come to a place like this?”

“I-I see…”

“That’s right. So don’t worry and just focus on keeping watch.”

Ugh, being on watch duty is the worst!

I purposely shouted that out and plopped down onto the grassy field to put the junior at ease.

I even had to look out for the newbies now. 

Life is so unfair.

Back in my day, the seniors beat manners into us.

“Thank you, senior.”

“Huh? For what?”

“I didn’t think I’d get used to places like this. You’ve helped me a lot.”

“What are you on about? We’re just small-time villains anyway.” 

“Still, thank you.”

Geez.

What drove a guy like him to become a villain?

Some people want to live honest lives, but their circumstances won’t allow it. 

Seeing naive guys like him made me feel conflicted sometimes.

How hard their lives must have been to end up on this path?

‘Life really pisses me off.’

That’s when something black approached us.

“I really think you’re amazing, senior…”

“Quiet, newbie. We’ve got a situation here.”

“Huh?”

“Over there, you see? It’s a person. Get ready.”

“Oh, you’re right.”

So much for being at ease.

He’s just standing there stunned instead of preparing.

Exasperated, I patted his back. 

Only then did he hurriedly grab his weapon.

I held back a sigh. He’s still just a rookie.

I checked out the approaching figure.

…A woman, huh?

Did she get lost?

Her smiling face looked ominously creepy.

“This is private property. Please leave.”

“Ohoho, is that so?”

“Yes. I don’t know how you ended up here, but I can guide you back if you’re lost.”

I politely offered while scanning her.

No weapons…

No visible injuries…

From her uniform, she must be a student of the academy.

Maybe she came out for some field activity and got lost.

Tch, what a nuisance.

If I kill her here, it will just cause more trouble.

Especially being an academy student. 

An investigation could expose this location if she’s filed as a missing person.

I should probably respond appropriately and send her away…

“No, I came here on purpose. To the Übermensch’s playground.”

“…?!”

“I almost came too late. I’m glad I found it in time.”

I swung my sword to attack the woman.

She dodged the attack as if she expected it, but he didn’t care.

An academy student woman.

For her to come to this place alone knowing the organization’s name?

There’s no way.

Our hideout has been exposed.

“Hey, newbie! Sound the emergency alar–ughh?!”

“That won’t do. If someone tries to escape, it’ll upset Lyla. She decided only fifteen can survive.”

What, when did…?!

She was definitely unarmed!

But my throat was now deeply cut and bleeding profusely.

The floating blood droplets were the only indication I had been attacked.

…Wait, blood droplets?

“You have good eyes. But it’s too late now.”

Instinctively, he clutched his throat, but it was of no use. 

The blood was already gushing out rapidly.

My head was getting dizzy, and my vision blurred, likely from blood loss.

‘…Damn it, I let my guard down assuming she was unarmed…’

This is it.

It was wire, thin as thread, that cut my throat. 

She didn’t attack.

There was no movement from her.

She must have set up the wires along the path I took, anticipating it.

“Ugh…The academy’s…top student…?”

“Well, there’s no need to tell someone about to die, is there?”

“What’s your…goal?! How did Übermensch…get exposed…!”

It was hopeless to survive. 

With this level of bleeding, I’d likely be dead in less than ten minutes.

“Spare…him…”

Then, at least, I had to save the newbie.

Speaking through the gash in his throat was agonizing, but he forced the words out.

I had to buy time somehow.

That naive kid couldn’t die here.

If I could stall, maybe he’d come to his senses and wash his hands of this…

“Oh, the person lying over there?”

“…What?”

“Over there. I made it quick so they didn’t have to suffer.”

The newbie was lying in the field.

It was like how he was sprawled out earlier.

Except now he was covered in a red blanket, the ground as his bed.

…Haha, hey, kid.

Lying down like that is going to be uncomfortable, you know?

You’ll get a stiff neck sleeping like that.

“Well, I’ll be going then. Enjoy your remaining time.”

Step by step.

The crimson demon walked away.  

My vision blurred.

My head spun.

Somehow, I dragged himself over and collapsed next to the newbie.

“Ha…hey, newbie. I kind of figured this might happen someday, but not to you.”

No answer came back.

Damn it, my vision is fading out.

Where do you get off falling asleep when your senior is still awake?

Back in my day, we’d get beaten all day for that kind of thing.

“Newbie…life really pisses me off, you know?”

Again, no response.

And I could no longer continue either.

The strings of the two puppets were cut.

***

“Intruder! Emergency! Emergency! What are you all doing?! Stop them quickly!”

“What were those on lookout duty doing?!” 

“You idiot! They’re probably already dead! If you have time to blame others, fight back!”

…Ah, so noisy.

They’re all just trash.

Instead of attacking, they raise their voices when caught off guard by methods they can’t comprehend.

No wonder fifteen won’t be enough.

Amelia and Siwoo are the protagonists, the hero and heroine.

These trashy guys would get wiped out even if a hundred were sent.

No, wait, these guys.

Are they even Übermensch?

Why are they holding guns?

“Gugh?!”

“Th-threads! She uses threads! Drop the guns and cut the threads with blades! Quickly!”

Someone’s voice rang out.

…Took long enough.

I was wondering how long it would take for them to notice. 

Their level really is too low.

Fifteen definitely won’t be enough. I’ll need thirty at least.

At that voice, they discarded their guns and started wildly swinging their blades.

Most didn’t manage to cut the mana-infused threads, but I could feel some snap through my fingertips.

…Oh.

There are a few decent ones, at least.

“Well, I’ll let you through then.”

“What are you–?!”

In an instant, their uniforms burst apart as thread after thread infused with mana spread out, grazing the villains’ bodies.

The result was, well.

A resounding success…?

“Heh, hiiick…?!”

“Ah, I didn’t expect that… Ugh, disgusting.”

No, I guess not a success.

More of a failure, really.

Dozens of villains were diced up, their bodies shredded into pieces.

…Too cruel, maybe.

Alright, that one is safe.

I might throw up my lunch just by looking at it.

The stench is nauseating, and the visuals are unpleasant too.

With all that spilled blood, it leaves a bad taste as well.  

…Better not use that one.

Thankfully, the people I marked didn’t die. 

It paid off that I went easy on them.

…Ah, I regret it now.  

I should have spared that man keeping watch. 

Since it was our first meeting, I thought they were all around that level.

Who knew it would take them this long to even notice the threads?

If I had known, I would have added him to the survivor list.

“D-demon…!”

“Well…calling me a demon is rather rude. Won’t you call me a human instead?”

How rude.

I’m no monster.

Compared to ones like you killing people for your own selfish desires, at least.

If the Author hadn’t created you, I wouldn’t have to go around killing like this either.

Don’t make me feel so disgusted.

“Let’s see, thirteen… Thirty might be too much. Hey, how many are left?”

“Like I’d tell you, you demon!”  

I’ll have to make do.

No helping it, I’ll send them on ahead.

I used the gloves on both hands to give the remaining people a gift.

“Now, we’ll be playing a game of tag.”

“Just kill us instead! We won’t follow your–“

“Be quiet. I’m speaking.”  

Ah. 

Why do they only listen when I get angry?

Can’t we just do this smoothly? 

My mood is ruined now.

“Shall I explain the game of tag again?”

“Ugh…”

“It’s simple! You all will ambush the students at the cabin on the mountain slope!”

“Ambush students, you say…?”

“Kill even one of them, and I’ll let you live.”  

I dangled a carrot to lure them, as they seemed too frightened.

Ah, as expected.

Their trashy gazes turned even trashier at my words. 

Looks like their motivation is back.

Go get the protagonists’ group with that energy.

Beat them down to an inch of their lives.

That would be ideal.  

“Now hurry along. Or else, who knows what will happen?”

“Heh, hiick?!”

…Even so, running away trembling like that hurts my feelings.

Is my face really that scary?

But it definitely looked pretty when I checked the mirror earlier…

“Well then, shall I see what the twelfth executive looks like?”

There are twelve of them, right?

I wonder which creature they’ll be.

Author’s Notes

I found out today that I ranked 3rd in the weekly popular novels and got the editor’s pick!

It’s clear everyone loves the yandere protagonist.