Chapter: 38
The official recruitment for the Evil Organization wrapped up in no time. Unlike those other big companies that subject applicants to rigorous certification exams and even more grueling pressure interviews that make headlines, such nonsense didn’t exist here.
What the Evil Organization needed were people who didn’t mind society’s judgment of being villains and simultaneously were pushed to the brink of desperation. Honestly, these were people who had no way to survive without being a villain.
The organization’s role was to retool these individuals into functioning gears within a proper society.
“─Hail Evilus!”
“Hail Evilus!”
“From now on, you are now combatants of the Evil Organization…”
In the distance, a veteran combatant, treated like a junior executive for several years, was seen training the newcomers.
I found it surprising that there could be such veterans among the combatants of the Evil Organization, which was supposed to be for welfare, but it turned out they weren’t those who had lost in competition and had fallen out of society; they were actually elites who could eat and live anywhere right now. Talented individuals who had acquired every kind of national certification and had even made a name for themselves in internet news articles.
Why such people were working in a place like this was puzzling, but apparently, the boss had hired them as trainers for the new combatants. Honestly, if a job didn’t have much work but paid a lot, there would definitely be more people just playing mobile games than working on self-improvement.
“Ah, Interviewer?”
While I was watching the new recruits, a familiar voice called out to me. It was Sten, a retired hero and a dad to boot. He immediately raised his hand and offered the special greeting unique to the Evil Organization before speaking.
“Thank you for choosing me like this. Really…”
“What do you mean? It’s all because you’re so capable, Sten.”
“I’m just a badly regarded hero; what skills do I possess? It’s all thanks to the interviewer’s good favor…”
It seemed Sten viewed becoming a member of the Evil Organization as a family honor. His face was plastered with a giant grin, and his exaggerated mannerisms made it pretty apparent.
However, considering the benefits and perks he mentioned after becoming a member of the Evil Organization, it was hard not to understand his perspective.
“I can’t believe they’d give so many benefits to a mere combatant… I’m truly shocked.”
“What benefits?”
“First of all, I got a house. A huge house that’s more than enough for a family of four… and despite my child just starting kindergarten, they say they’ll even support college tuition? Even if I mess up and leave the Evil Organization, these benefits will stay intact as long as I don’t get kicked out.”
Truly, these were benefits unimaginable on Earth. If a company like that existed on Earth, graduates from the world’s top universities would line up to join. Yet it was astounding that such a company could be accessed by a retired ex-hero or a 10-year reclusive.
I wasn’t aware of these benefits, but as an organizational executive, I couldn’t just be frivolously surprised. I chuckled lightly and offered him some words of encouragement.
“You’ll do even better moving forward.”
“Yes. Thank you!”
“Ah, and—there’s one thing I wanted to ask… Sten, could you demonstrate your ability? Just a little, up to the wrist─ Ah, yes. That’s enough.”
After verifying Sten’s ability, I smiled broadly and handed him a piece of candy. Sten looked at the candy with a puzzled tilt of his head.
“It’s candy. Eat it.”
“Ah, okay… Thank you.”
“Eat it right here, right now.”
“Right now…?”
Sten, pondering in confusion, seemed unable to disregard my words as a superior and began rolling the candy around in his mouth. Judging by his face, it didn’t taste too bad.
Now that he had it in his mouth, he wouldn’t go home and give it to his kid or pass it to someone else. Confirming that, I nodded lightly and headed to the lab.
*
‘What’s happening all of a sudden…?’
While rolling the candy in his mouth that had a slightly nutty flavor, Sten tilted his head in confusion again. Given that he had been suddenly given candy, he seemed to think I was a good person.
It was an added bonus that despite looking so young, I held the position of an interviewer because it gave a strong first impression. Sten had a very favorable image of the interviewer whose name he didn’t even know yet.
However, that first impression didn’t last long.
“Hmm? You. What are you eating?”
“G-Galm! Hail Evilus!”
I was met by an S-rank villain, Galm, while heading to the training grounds. He had no history of harming innocent citizens or killing heroes, but just his appearance and aura were enough to intimidate anyone.
Sten, appearing apologetic, looked around for a tissue to spit out the candy he had in his mouth. At that, Galm shrugged as if saying there was no need.
“I didn’t say to spit it out. Just don’t eat while working out.”
“S-Sorry……! It was given to me by the interviewer.”
“Interviewer? Which one?”
“The guy who was in the middle!”
“Oh— I see. That guy gave it to you?”
Upon hearing that, Galm grinned wickedly and stood beside Sten, observing him closely. The atmosphere turned so stiff you could hardly breathe. Overwhelmed with tension, Sten gulped—then swallowed the candy whole.
“Did you finish it all?”
“Yes, yes? Yes… I did.”
“Good job. It’s rare to see someone get something from him.”
“…Umm, could I ask what kind of person the interviewer is?”
“You didn’t even know who you were taking candy from? He works as a scientist in our organization. An evil scientist who creates terrifying and dreadful things.”
Galm chuckled while teasing Sten. But for Sten, that was definitely not the kind of thing to laugh about. An evil scientist? Someone who primarily creates horrifying and dreadful things?
That sounded exactly like a mad scientist you’d see in movies or comics!
To learn he had just swallowed something from a person like that made his stomach churn suddenly. He rushed to the restroom to dry heave multiple times, but afterward, he still couldn’t get the swallowed candy back out.
‘Oh no, this is bad…!’
What on earth did I just eat? What on earth did the evil scientist feed me? Cold sweat dripped down his back while he clutched his trembling chest, and Sten began exercising vigorously.
He was now lifting heavy weights, hopping on one foot on a box, and learning how to roll to break his fall against heroes without getting hurt.
All of it was training meant more for someone who was more of a supporting character than a main star or even less than an extra. As a former hero, he should have been upset about that, but strangely, he wasn’t. An unpopular hero wouldn’t receive as much attention as these combatants.
And thus, the days passed.
“Sten. You said your power is to harden your body, right? Exactly how much can you block?”
“If it’s just me, I won’t even get a scratch from a bullet! I’ve never been shot by a cannon, but it should be similar!”
“Good. Would you like to join?”
An opportunity had fallen. An opportunity to go on a mission to the newly formed Kota Z.
Sten and several other combatants with abilities to protect themselves had been selected.
Just by accepting this, they could be promoted to elite combatants with salaries doubled or more, and if they wanted, they could remain employed by the Evil Organization for life.
Naturally, no one would pass up such an opportunity. Sten was no exception.
“Everyone, wear the elite combat suits. These are special products personally made by the scientist.”
Following the senior combatant’s words, those who put on their combat suits gasped in awe. These suits looked like they belonged in some SF movie, enveloping their bodies. I heard they would not only enhance physical abilities but also wouldn’t get even a scratch from typical attacks.
On that note, Sten, who was a bit hesitant, used his ability and wiggled his hands. Unfortunately, even with the suit’s power, he couldn’t move his hand. It would be impossible to move something as heavy as a big chunk of metal.
After putting on the suit and getting into the vehicle, they received the operation outline during a tense atmosphere.
“What you need to do is simple. This is finally something the Evil Organization will do.”
“Something the Evil Organization will do…?”
“Cleaning.”
Galm, who was at the front, stated that Kota Z had been partially owned by the Evilus Corporation but was being illegally occupied by criminals.
Their task was to subdue and expel those criminals. Surely, that was an immensely dangerous task compared to just playing around with heroes in City E.
Having to take lives with their own hands… that was a daunting task as well…
“Oh, there’s no need to kill them. The guns we provided are strictly for subduing. You use those to subdue the criminals and turn them over to the police.”
“…But I’ve heard that the police don’t do their job in Kota Z.”
“That’s why we’re collaborating with the international police this time. We only have to subdue them.”
Fortunately, it was not about killing. At that statement, sighs of relief began to come from various corners, including Sten. After all, although the Evil Organization was villainous, not many would have actually prepared to kill people when joining.
Sten, a former hero, felt similarly. He had applied because he had researched beforehand what kind of organization the Evil Organization was, but if they were a villain like the ones in City G who killed people effortlessly, he wouldn’t have even dared to dream of joining.
Time passed, and soon enough, the vehicle halted amidst the growing tension.
“─Disembark.”
At Galm’s shout, who stood at the forefront, the combatants poured out of the vehicle. They began scanning their surroundings cautiously as they slowly ventured into the operation area.
In the meantime, Galm must have trusted his skin and body since he didn’t bother with camouflage while leading the charge like the other combatants.
‘He’s going to get killed─.’
I thought that just as a giant pillar hurtled down from a distance. The object that looked like a missile slammed down, crushing Galm completely.
“G-Galm!”
“Crazy—! Hide!”
As the combatants were startled into various cover positions, Galm, who had been pinned beneath the massive pillar, burst out laughing boisterously as he picked himself up. The enormous pillar that had been pressing down on him toppled over to the side.
“I’ll take care of that, so you all head to the operation area. Got it?”
“Yes, yes!”
Galm said this and disappeared instantly. As the strongest member of their group vanished, tension and anxiety settled among the combatants, but they followed their training and moved accordingly.
They subdued what appeared to be criminals one by one, cleaning up the operation area smoothly.
While there were those who occasionally resisted, most of the resistance couldn’t penetrate the suit’s defenses and didn’t inflict any damage on the combatants inside.
‘This is easier than I thought?’
As such thoughts popped into my mind—the moment the combatants stepped onto a new building, something came flying from afar and crushed one of the combatant’s legs.
“Graaagh—!?”
“Hide!”
“Pull him behind the pillar!”
Now quite accustomed to it, they dragged the injured combatant behind the pillar and immediately administered first aid using a red ointment, while others pointed their guns toward the direction from which the attack came, gulping nervously.
Before long, a man slowly emerged from within the building. He looked puzzled as he tilted his head repeatedly.
“This is strange. Just one leg? I was planning on blowing off the entire lower half….”
Just hearing that he was a villain, the combatants opened fire at him without hesitation. As non-lethal rounds flew straight toward the man, he casually extended his palm forward.
With just that, he blocked the bullets, and as if bored, he snapped his fingers. The bullets he had just fired rushed back at speeds several times greater than originally shot.
“Graaagh—!?”
“Gah!”
With combatants screaming from that unexpected counterattack, Sten gulped nervously. That was someone we couldn’t handle. The upper brass, Galm, needed to come back quickly for us to have any chance of dealing with him…
‘In a situation where I don’t know when he’ll come back. Then I need to stall somehow….’
He thought to buy time.
After finishing that thought, Sten immediately revealed himself.
Seeing him appear, the man gasped, looking quite surprised.
“Oh— so bold. Where—.”
Before the man could snap his fingers, Sten immediately used his power to envelop himself entirely.
His ability, which rendered him immobile and turned him into a punching bag, may not have seemed fancy, but at least he could claim he was the best punching bag in the world.
As it turned out, even against such an unbelievable ability, although the suit buckled here and there, Sten didn’t let even a whimper escape his lips.
He watched the timing, slowly making his way toward the villain. One step, another step. Trying to avoid revealing that he couldn’t move while using his power…
“It’s quite sturdy, but… I’ll just do this.”
However, even though he didn’t reveal that he couldn’t move, he couldn’t hide the fact that his mobility was low, and the man promptly slammed Sten into the ground.
Thus, Sten found himself buried between the concrete beneath, with only his head sticking out.
‘Oh no…!’
In a situation where he couldn’t move, the villain seemed to have aimed to torment Sten later, sweeping past him toward the other combatants. Even though they all had abilities to protect themselves, cries rang out freely.
After all, if their powers had been that useful, they wouldn’t have needed to become combatants for a villain organization at all. They were all somewhat defective—abilities insufficient to operate in the main current.
Even in front of a villain who could easily deflect bullets, there was no way to swagger about.
‘…No way. Not again like this—.’
In this situation, Sten recalled past events.
The moment he went out with fellow heroes to capture a villain.
But due to his ability, which made him merely a punching bag, he couldn’t help; instead, he was the one holding back his teammates.
Those nightmares still haunted him, leaving him with PTSD that prodded at his psyche.
However…
‘I don’t want to regret again.’
Stress stimulated Sten’s body as he craved the need for evolution.
Within him, the genetic sphere that had remained sensed the need to evolve.
In an instant, Sten felt the concrete wrapped around him dissolve into the distance; he realized he could now walk out onto the concrete floor.
And he did just that.
“Stop.”
“Uh—? Huh? How did you get out—?”
“I walked.”
Moving behind the villain, Sten said so and reached out his hand. The villain tried to use his ability, seemingly challenging him, but Sten ignored it entirely.
Space tore apart, gripping onto the man’s body. The startled man attempted to escape Sten’s grip, but once caught, the space wouldn’t easily let go.
“What, what is this!? What the heck!?”
“─My ability.”
At that moment, Sten understood the true nature of his power.
After all, it was odd that being heavy meant he couldn’t move at all.
If it were truly heavy, his body would have rolled to the ground; wouldn’t being unable to move just maintain its current state make sense?
His true ability was not merely to harden.
“I just captured you with spatial fixation.”
Spatial fixation.
It was the ability to lock down the space overlapping with his physical form. An impenetrable shield and spear by any means.
“What makes you think you can do that to me…!”
“Hero.”
“…What?”
Sten inadvertently responded to the man’s words, but realizing it was a mistake, he quickly corrected himself.
“I’m a former hero. Currently, a combatant in the Evil Organization. You scum.”
And then, next.
Now completely immobilizing him, Sten sighed and looked at his fellow comrades. The comrades who had been rolling on the floor stared at him in disbelief.
Seeing their dazed expressions filled him with an unsatisfied longing he hadn’t realized as an E-rank hero. That pure satisfaction of saving people.
Although he had retired as a hero, in that moment, he felt he had become a true hero, causing him to have a little laugh.
