Chapter 4: High-quality concept is indistinguishable from the real thing.

The villain known as Clown was an ordinary university student.

That is, until she went to graduate school.

Skipping the intermediate process that no one would be curious about, she became a villain.

And she vowed to eliminate all professors in the world to prevent the birth of more graduate students like herself.

As for why she came to hold such an ideology…

Skipping the intermediate process again, today she found another professor ruthlessly exploiting a graduate student.

“You, you tormented a poor graduate student again today, didn’t you?”

“Who are you?”

“If you’ve made a graduate student suffer, you must be prepared to suffer at the hands of a graduate student, right?”

She let out a laugh bordering on madness and began to slowly approach the professor.

“…If you come any closer, I’m really going to report you to the police.”

“What are you going to report me for?”

‘She’s crazy.’

Thinking this, the professor immediately took out his phone to report her, but the graduate student was faster, smiling brightly as she threw an electric orb at him.

At that moment, all electronic devices around the professor, including his mobile phone, were completely fried.

Although she failed to control the power in her excitement and her own phone was also destroyed, the objective was achieved, so it was fine.

“P-Please save me!”

“You’re the bad one for tormenting a graduate student.”

Just as the crime was about to be committed, a dimensional portal suddenly appeared, and from beyond it, the dark hero emerged.

“There are no personal feelings involved.”

“Kyaaah?!”

With a light gesture from the dark hero, a stream of water, not hot enough to cause burns but sufficiently hot, poured down on the graduate student’s head.

“Ugh… this much… is more bearable than graduate school life….”

The graduate student felt a pain so intense it nearly drove her mad, but it was nothing compared to the moment the professor stole her thesis.

However, the real problem was something else.

Her body was now drenched, which meant her powers were sealed.

Using her powers in this state would be tantamount to suicide.

‘To think he’d aim for my weakness… the rumored dark hero is different, as expected.’

This was clearly a thoroughly calculated act.

After all, her opponent was a pro among pros who had been active for over half a year without leaving a single trace.

With that thought, the graduate student decided to flee first.

Confronting a monster like that head-on would be certain death.

Having made her decision, the graduate student immediately started to run away from the dark hero.

‘It’s okay, there are still many chances.’

Just as she was trying to create distance while looking forward to the next time, a portal appeared in front of her, and a purplish smoke spewed out from beyond it.

“Hiiik?!”

The graduate student felt a surge of extreme fear and fell backward.

This might seem like an overreaction, but anyone who knew the true nature of that smoke would understand.

Because that smoke was the smoke of death, one would die if they inhaled it.

Of course, that might be an exaggeration, but inhaling it would lead to a terrible end.

After all, her opponent was a dark hero who didn’t shy away from any means.

Why would such a being bring out smoke that was merely ominous?

Therefore, this must be dangerous smoke.

The opponent wasn’t a fool who would use harmless smoke for the sake of mere style.

At the very least, even if the opponent were a novice operating on a concept, they would use a non-lethal chemical weapon like tear gas, not harmless smoke.

‘Ominous-looking smoke… if he used something like that, it would have been exposed long ago.’

Thinking the obvious, the graduate student was backing away from the clearly dangerous smoke when she heard the dark hero’s voice from behind her.

“Did you think you could escape?”

The graduate student’s mind went blank.

No, it would be more accurate to say that fear prevented her from thinking.

As she lay there dazedly on the ground, the dark hero lightly raised one hand towards the sky.

“You wouldn’t be hoping for something like salvation, would you?”

Then, the space above cracked, and from beyond it, a giant eyeball appeared, emitting a red glow.

“Repent, until the moment you die.”

At the same time, the graduate student instinctively felt that her death was near.

This is bad.

Suppressing the villain was fine and all.

But there was one problem I had overlooked.

And that was that the villain wasn’t resisting at all.

As I’ve said before, people like a moderately bad dark hero.

Not a thug who ruthlessly tramples on a non-resisting villain, but a dark hero who stylishly and overwhelmingly suppresses a wicked villain.

Of course, I can overlook one or two negative opinions.

Unfavorable views will arise no matter what I do.

But a dark hero who mercilessly suppresses a graduate student is a bit much.

That’s not a dark hero, that’s just an a**hole.

So, I can’t upload today’s video.

But why isn’t this villain resisting?

Shouldn’t she at least try to land one hit?

It feels a bit bad if she doesn’t resist at all….

Of course, that doesn’t mean I’ll stop my act.

The highlight is about to start, so why would I stop?

“You wouldn’t be hoping for something like salvation, would you?”

As I raised my hand to the sky, I simultaneously opened a portal connected to the basement of my friend’s house.

Just as the portal fully opened, I secretly operated a remote control hidden inside my coat to turn on the lights.

Then, the eyeball model on the other side of the portal lit up, making it look as if a giant eye was floating in the sky.

Thus, using a simple prop, I succeeded in creating an atmosphere as if a divine being was intervening.

Although it cost quite a lot of money to make that one thing, the satisfaction is top-notch.

‘…Honestly, isn’t the concept of a dark hero fighting with a contract from a divine being cool?’

Anyway, I cleared my throat again and delivered my decisive line.

“Repent, until the moment you die.”

I’ve felt this before, but this signature line seems a bit cringy.

I want to establish a different signature line right away, but this one has become too widespread, making it an awkward situation to change.

As I was having these rather important thoughts, Iris finally appeared.

“Stop that at once!”

Iris blocked my path with a very wary expression and shouted loudly.

“What you are doing is simply an illegal act!”

“…You again.”

Honestly, I’m incredibly glad to see her.

Now I can just dump all the cleanup on her and escape.

First, I snapped my fingers and hurriedly closed the portal floating in the sky.

If that thing got shattered, not only would my concept be broken, but the repair costs would be enormous.

‘No, if the concept is broken, is there a need to repair it?’

While contemplating this grave matter, Iris began to verbally harass me.

“Do you realize that what you are doing is no different from a villain?”

“I know.”

Honestly, I have no idea.

In what way is a dark hero the same as a villain?

Then why did I give such a nonsensical answer?

Obviously, it’s because she’s so upright that she’s impossible to reason with.

If I were to retort with something…

‘Do you not know why the law exists?’

…she would counter with an irrefutable question, so what am I supposed to do?

Honestly, this is quite unfair.

I prepare a whole bunch of things like my values and my own sense of justice, but what I get back is…

‘That doesn’t justify what you’re doing.’

…only answers like that.

What I wanted was to show the public what cool ideas and values I have as a dark hero, not to inform them that I’m committing illegal acts.

Thanks to that, dealing with Iris is burdensome in many ways.

Because it blocks my most important act.

On top of that, there are minor problems like her being too strong, making it hard to escape, and the fact that she’s my boss.

As I vented these frustrations that had been building for over half a year in my mind, another statement that saddened me was heard.

“In that case, you’ll have no complaints if you’re arrested.”

“I have no intention of being caught meekly.”

I have a lot to say, but it would be pointless anyway, so I won’t.

‘But shouldn’t she at least ask how I became a dark hero?’

‘I really prepared a lot regarding my backstory….’

While I was appealing this injustice only in my head, Iris approached with unbelievable speed and grabbed my wrist.

“I won’t let you go this time!”

I was surprised for a moment, but… huh?

That… I mean….

Ah!

For now, Iris is still wary of me.

If not, why would she just grab my wrist and watch the situation?

This means Iris has concluded that I have a hidden ability, which means my bluff might still work.

Anyway, if I stay still like this, my life will really be over.

So it’s better to try something as a last-ditch effort.

Having made that judgment, I opened a portal with a ‘whatever happens, happens’ mindset.

“Then I have just one question.”

Not towards myself, but towards the graduate student villain.

As the villain fell under the portal, I quickly closed it, trapping only her upper body in the portal.

“The execution of justice and a person’s life. Which will you choose?”

“…What does that mean?”

“Look behind you.”

As soon as Iris looked back, her relaxed face instantly turned pale.

“I-I’ll save you right now!”

Thankfully, Iris let go of my wrist to save the villain and started running towards her.

While Iris was distracted, I opened a portal behind me and walked leisurely towards it.

“So that is your choice… I’ll keep it in mind.”

Honestly, forget the cool lines; I just want to run away in a panic.

But that’s not cool at all.

Besides, the only reason I just survived was all thanks to this bluff.

So maintaining this concept might actually be beneficial, just like a moment ago.

Thinking that, I walked with grace and leisure, and finally succeeded in returning to the safety of my home.

For a moment, I thought I saw a scene where Iris seemed to tear apart the portal that held the villain with her strength, but it was probably just my imagination.

‘…It was my imagination, right?’

Anyway, as soon as I returned to my safe home, my legs naturally gave out.

“Gasp… gasp….”

When my wrist was caught just now, I was so surprised I thought my heart would stop.

It was fortunate that I used my wits well then; if I had fumbled even a little, my life would have been over.

As I was calming my startled heart, a thought suddenly occurred to me.

“I think I was pretty cool today!”

I wasn’t cool at all when fighting the graduate student villain, but everything after that was truly perfect.

A dark hero who remains calm even when the enemy is right in front of him, and even a scene where he tests the hero in return!

Although none of it was intentional, from the outside, it would all look calculated.

First, I need to ask Alessia to edit out the usable scenes and upload the video.

Thus, having turned a crisis into an opportunity, I went to explain to Aire how cool I was.