Chapter 48: When A Villain Falls, Gigantification Is The Norm (1)
Before Yoon Iseon could utter a word, a ‘monster’ clad in a black hanbok had appeared.
There was an occasional joke about it.
If there was a high school teacher who wore a hanbok, they were likely to be known as a ‘villain’ among the faculty.
What specific wrongdoings they inflicted on the students need not be detailed. Still, Duoexini, who was standing before us now, was not wearing this attire as a fashion statement.
The magical power that emanated from him was immeasurable. Recklessly fighting him would not guarantee victory.
Despite his appearance and eccentric behavior, the strength and combat power hidden beneath that mask could deal with an average S-class too easily.
Such a person took out the demon’s seed and threw it at Yook Gibong’s body.
There was no time to react.
[Grr, Grrr….]
The Doppelganger grew over 2 meters in an instant, growled like a Lycanthrope rampaging on a full moon night, and Duoexini bowed in salute behind such a monster.
“I would love to take you down, Goblin, right away… but first, I must deal with this ‘traitor to our race.’”
[A traitor? The Doppelganger?]
“Yes, indeed. This one has committed a truly atrocious act. It’s quite shameful to know we belong to the same nation. How could he… claim the clothes of a villain as his own!”
Duoexini spread his arms and shouted.
“In an era where stealing from others is punished, he stole from a villain! This one tries to make a fortune by stealing not the material but the image. He’s a demon of capitalism! A devil’s sprout squirming with evil in his heart! So, I made this demon into a complete demon, so he can never die as a human.”
Splat.
Something like a parasite sprouted from the center of the diagonal wound on the Doppelganger’s chest, spread its tentacles like legs, and settled into its host.
If before, the demon’s eyes just flickered, now those eyes seemed to be infected by the seed and had fully turned into a demon.
“Hehehe. This one has defiled the honor of our nation. He made us a nation that shamefully steals and lives off others’ patents. Ah, what would others think when they see this? Wouldn’t they think we’re a nation that only steals and copies from others? So, such a person deserves to die!”
Duoexini threw his head back, spreading his arms wide.
“This body shouldn’t simply perish. Instead, it’ll be recycled in the most beneficial way for humanity. Like this.”
With a tap, tap, Duoexini took out two more devil’s seeds from his possession and tossed them onto the Doppelg?nger, which seemed to be on the verge of going berserk.
“It will become experience points for the heroes. Hahaha.”
With a splatter, a mass of energy that looked remarkably like a human eye sprang from the linear wound on the Doppelg?nger’s chest.
Even though the Doppelg?nger already had an eyeball, complete with a bundle of tentacles, sprouting in the middle of its chest, the emergence of two additional eyes gave the observer a sense of shock and terror.
Moreover,
“You will grow even bigger, demon. To atone for your original sin and the endless peace and advancement of those living on this land, you must sacrifice yourself.”
[Growling…!!]
With two more devil’s seeds implanted, the Doppelg?nger’s physical form began to swell even more. It wasn’t simply swelling, but tentacles spewed from the Doppelg?nger’s chest, enveloping its body and forming a round, egg-like sac.
It locked its body inside the egg, and it seemed as if it was preparing for a metamorphosis into a new form.
“At-, attack—!”
One of the heroes gave the order to attack in a flustered voice. The rest of the heroes commenced a long-range attack on the Doppelg?nger’s egg, trying to smash it, but the egg was unscathed.
The egg continued to grow, reaching a size close to 5m, then 10m. I held back from stepping forward with my Goblin bat.
[Duoexini. What the hell are you?]
“A patriot.”
[You’re a patriot? Stop talking nonsense.]
“I suppose it’s not something I want to hear from someone who spouts English-named skills on Sejong Island. And one more thing.”
Duoexini slapped at me through the air with his white-gloved hand.
“Where do you get off being so informal on our first meeting? In this land of courteous manners in the East, don’t you know it’s courteous to use respectful language to someone you’re meeting for the first time?”
[I don’t think we need to show much courtesy to someone who transforms villains into demons and demons into even bigger demons.]
“Ha…! Interesting. Very well. It’s fitting for a resolute villain and someone who shouts out skill names in English, like you.”
Duoexini bowed again, raising his hands.
Duoexini didn’t lower his head. Instead, he kept his gaze upward as he respectfully greeted me, lightly tapping the floor with his cane.
“Then try dealing with that traitorous demon.”
He suggested.
[Before you leave, let me ask one thing.]
I pointed to the Doppelganger on the verge of a rampage.
[Leaving aside a monster like that, which seems eager to kill people and wreak havoc, how can you claim it to be ‘patriotism’ and an act of ‘atonement’?]
“…Hehe.”
Duoexini pointed at the crowd of people and heroes all around us.
“The only value of a traitorous demon that harms the country’s dignity is to serve as a ‘foundation’ for heroes to become stronger. Of course, if they cannot ascend these foundational steps because they are too high, they will simply die out.”
[So that’s your philosophy.]
“It’s not only my philosophy but also that of the organization I belong to. Hehehe, Goblin. What will you do? Will you run away or join the heroes in battle? I will quietly watch your decision.”
With a swoosh, his coat fluttered. As soon as a light flashed from the magical formation similar to a magic circle that appeared beneath him, Duoexini disappeared in a blink.
[…Tsk.]
I tried to get some information out of him, but he just rambled on and left without giving anything useful.
‘I wonder where he created the devil’s seeds, how many are left, and what other functions they have besides strengthening the devil. If he doesn’t tell me, he should just shut up.’
Our conversation was perfectly in sync, but there was no gain from it. Next time, I should smash him with my club before he starts talking like that.
[He talks a lot but doesn’t seem to have any substance.]
He was definitely watching from somewhere right now. I should make sure to say something when I meet Duoexini next time. Something that would make him lose his temper.
[Kishaaaaaaat!]
Whether the transformation was complete or not, the demon Doppelganger let out a roar that echoed in all directions. He ripped off the shell surrounding him and fiercely revealed his existence to the world after breaking out of the giant cocoon.
[A 10-meter tall humanoid wolf. I thought it would get bigger; what a pity.]
I thought it would reach about 50 meters, but fortunately or unfortunately, it didn’t grow that big. If it had, I would have had to bring some nonexistent giant robot to combine with or hold up a spoon to the sky and become a giant of light for three minutes to engage in a melee fight.
It would have been a shame for others, but if I had gone that far, my magical power would have been exhausted, and the transformation would have been canceled, leaving me in my god-given, natural form.
I didn’t see any reason to go that far.
“Uh, um, excuse me!”
Behind me, Yoon Iseon called out hastily.
“As a hero, it’s not dignified to ask a villain for help, but… will you help us ‘save’ the student Yook Gibong from that demon?”
[Save?]
“…At least, to ensure that no one gets killed by that demon, to offer it peace.”
Yoon Iseon pointed at her Taeguk Watch with a heavy voice.
“One of the hero rules. A superhuman who became a demon should be suppressed without considering the means, no matter who they are. And for superhumans who have gone mad to the point where communication doesn’t work… we need to intervene so they don’t commit any more killings.”
[Death could also be salvation, seen from the perspective of not accumulating the karma of killing.]
“…Will you help?”
[Roar!]
It roared in celebration of its complete rebirth.
The estimated rank of the Doppelganger, now glaring at the surrounding area, was almost S-class.
It was almost bizarre that A-class and S-class villains frequently appeared on Sejong Island, where students studied, but that was the power of the demon seed.
The deal with a demon brought a gift greater than human imagination and took a more horrifying price.
[I can’t not help. But I don’t think I necessarily need to step in.]
I pointed at the sky.
[The strongest hero has appeared.]
I was not being sarcastic.
I meant it.
[Even if he’s a monster who has the boosted magic power from three demon seeds, he can’t win against pure class.]
From the sky.
[Finally, she’s here.]
White snow began to fall.
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