“Your Honor-! The defendant, Cha Tae-seok, has committed countless murders under the preposterous pretext of delivering justice.”
“...”
“Even by the official tally reported in the press, he is believed to have murdered at least ten people. Furthermore, he acted unofficially without formally registering with the state, and considering the circumstances, the nature of the defendant’s crimes was extremely grave—grave enough to have plunged the nation into utter chaos.”
“...”
As the prosecutor pointed at me and spoke as though he were conducting a medieval witch trial, the spectators in the courtroom exchanged furtive glances, whispering and buzzing among themselves as if they, too, were confused by the situation.
“Furthermore, during the arrest, rather than cooperate willingly, the defendant injured several high-ranking Awakened devoted to the Republic of Korea, inflicting tremendous damage on our national strength and causing our national defense to be shaken...”
‘What bullshit... If this country’s national defense could be shaken just because a few Awakened got hurt, it would have collapsed ages ago. I did try to surrender willingly, you know? But they got hurt fighting among themselves over who would get credit for catching me, and now they’re pinning it on me?’
While I wore a dumbfounded expression at the prosecutor’s attempt to list my crimes one by one and condemn me, the judge, who had listened in silence until then, stopped him for a moment before looking at me standing in the courtroom and speaking.
“Defendant.”
“Yes.”
“As I understand it, people who support you voluntarily offered to provide you with legal counsel. Why did you refuse?”
The judge looked genuinely unable to understand why I had refused. I looked at him and answered as though it were nothing.
“I do not believe I have done anything wrong, so is there any need for a lawyer?”
“No need?”
“I only killed villains who had harmed society. I simply judged that there was no need for counsel.”
“W-what...!”
At my statement that I had merely killed villains who harmed society, the prosecutor looked utterly flabbergasted. The judge, too, fell silent for a moment as though surprised by my words, then spoke with a hardened expression.
“Do you believe you were right to kill them?”
“That is correct. They were evils in society, were they not?”
“Evil?”
“They butchered young children on their way to kindergarten.”
“!!!”
“They murdered people merely to see how a person died; they committed terrorist attacks here and there because they wanted to throw the world into chaos; and they killed people without hesitation simply for their own amusement.”
“...”
Having heard my opinion, the judge seemed to have nothing more to say. He pressed his lips together tightly and closed his eyes for a moment. Then the prosecutor beside him once again wore an angry expression and raised his voice as if rebuking me.
“Defendant-! E-even so, how can an individual take judgment into his own hands! Furthermore, did you not act without even officially registering with the state? This country is, without question, a nation governed by the rule of law...”
“Bullshit~ You sure do love that rule-of-law talk!”
“Defendant-! This is a hallowed court! Watch your language!”
“Is it not ridiculous to hear people who are too busy running away whenever villains show up talk about the law here?”
“What did you say?”
The prosecutor’s face instantly turned bright red at my sarcastic words, and he raged like a monkey throwing a tantrum. While the judge calmed him down and told him to settle himself, I continued without hesitation.
“You cannot even properly capture the villains you are supposed to catch, and is it not laughable that you got hurt acting like damned fools among yourselves over who would claim credit for catching me, then hold me responsible for it?”
‘!!!’
“Of course, I believe it was wrong for me to act without registering with the state. But I do not believe my actions were wrong. Yet you put me on trial here? Then how are you any different from villains?”
“T-that bastard-!”
“He still has not reflected at all!”
The executives of various guilds watching the scene appeared furious because their guild members had been injured by me.
‘Well, from their perspective, I did say I would let them arrest me without resistance. Then they got hurt competing for credit. Telling the truth would be embarrassing, so that is why they are putting this on me.’
The outcome had already been decided. As though my prediction had been correct, the judge hesitated for a moment. Then, as if he still harbored a trace of guilt, he gave me a sorrowful look and let out a deep sigh before speaking.
“Although the defendant, Cha Tae-seok, acted for the public good, he nevertheless acted unlawfully without registering as an Awakened with the state. Moreover, it is true that he committed dozens of murders, even if the victims were villains, and it is also clear that he disregarded the rule of law in violation of the Constitution.”
“...”
“Additionally, it cannot be denied that he inflicted harm upon Awakened belonging to the various guilds that had gone into the field to eradicate villains...”
The judge calmly listed my crimes one by one. Then, as if the tie around his neck were uncomfortable, he loosened it slightly, heaved another deep sigh, and delivered the final verdict.
“I sentence the defendant, Cha Tae-seok, to death.”
BANG, BANG, BANG—!
As the sound of the gavel rang through the courtroom three times, some people cheered at the verdict while others protested. As though they intended to handle the matter as swiftly as possible, unidentified people who had already been waiting seized me by both arms and led me away somewhere.
[This is reporter Lee Min-a, reporting from the courthouse. Cha Tae-seok, known as the Villain Sniper for mercilessly killing numerous villains, has been sentenced to death. The prosecution claims that “No matter if it was to carry out justice, murder can never be forgiven,” and insists that justice has been upheld in this ruling. The various guilds that suffered at Cha Tae-seok’s hands have also agreed. However, the Human Rights Commission and the bereaved families of villain victims claim that “Cha Tae-seok is not at fault,” so the standoff between the two sides is expected to continue for some time.]
Three months later.
“Mr. Cha Tae-seok, do you have any final words?”
“I do not think I have anything in particular to say. But if I had to leave any final words, I would only regret that I could not execute more villains.”
“You regret that?”
“That is correct. No, rather, if I had cut off the sprouts that showed the potential to become villains from the very beginning, someone like me would never have appeared, and the world would have been more peaceful than it is now.”
“Cutting off the sprouts in advance... Do you truly believe that?”
“That is probably the case, is it not?”
“Hmm... I see.”
As though he agreed with me, the executioner, whose face was entirely hidden beneath a hat pulled low, nodded. Then, before the eyes of numerous onlookers, he placed a finger on the red button.
“I will now carry out the execution of death-row prisoner Cha Tae-seok.”
PRESS—!
CLANK—!
“Ghk! Gahk! Ghk—! Gasp! Cough! Cough! Cough!”
As the pressure of the rope constricting ever more deeply around my throat caused my consciousness to grow faint.
‘!!! T-that bastard—!’
The executioner who had asked me questions earlier wore an unfathomable smile. His lips moved as though only I could hear him.
(You will cut off the sprouts of villains? That is quite an amusing idea, is it not? Heh-heh.)
‘W-what? Who the hell is this...?’
(I am the one known as the God of Mischief... Your idea of eliminating the sprouts of villains has intrigued me, so I shall give you one more chance. This time, live according to your own ideas-!)
As the unspoken conversation carried by the movements of his lips reached me through my fading consciousness, my eyes slowly closed and my surroundings grew dark.
And so, I was disappearing from this world.
“!!! Ghk! Gasp! Gahk! Cough! Cough! Cough! Huff, huff, huff... Cough! Cough! Cough!”
As though the blocked channels in my body had suddenly opened all at once, a cool breath rushed into my throat. Startled, I kept coughing harshly.
“What the hell is going on?”
After coughing for a long while and regaining my breath, I gradually began to come to my senses and see my surroundings.
“Where the hell is this...?”
White smoke filled the room as though someone had been smoking something. Once I had barely come to my senses, I tore off the tape sealing the window and opened it to air out the room. Then a sheet of paper covered in writing on the table caught my eye.
[I am terribly wronged. As a teacher, I never stalked her, my student. I resent the teachers and students who did not believe me and turned their backs on me. I hated being looked down on because I was a teacher who had grown up in an orphanage, but I truly hate and curse this reality where everyone has turned their backs on me.]
‘What is this? It is a letter lamenting his own lot.’
[But even more cursed is that though I have Awakened, I am worse than a non-Awakened person. I can no longer go on living here.]
‘An academy teacher? Wronged? Resentment? He cannot go on living? Could this be... a suicide note?! Wait, then...’
“!!! Aaaagh—!”
At the sight of the remarkably youthful face of a young man reflected in the mirror beside the apparent suicide note, I could not help but stare in shock.
“T-this is not my face!”
Then, as I was reeling from the shock, my head suddenly throbbed with pain.
“!!! Ngh! Ghhk!”
It felt as though data were being transmitted into my mind. Memories belonging to the original owner of this body flowed into my head.
[Name – Baek Seon-woo]
[Awakened Ability (Grade) – Third Eye (Common Grade)]
◎ You can identify the locations of targets within your sight.
No matter how distant the enemy, they cannot escape his eyes.
Even hidden targets will not be able to elude this eye.
※ However, the above ability cannot be used on targets with a higher Awakened Grade.
(Currently, it can only be used on Common Grade Awakened.)
‘It is a good ability, but it is only Common Grade—the lowest Grade... What a shame.’
Even if it could identify enemies at a great distance and those in hiding, as well as read an opponent’s attacks, it would be useless if the person wielding it did not have the physical ability to back it up.
“So that is why he said he was worse than a non-Awakened person...”
Even his body’s current condition showed it. He was plump and completely unsuited for combat.
“Furthermore, his Awakened Grade is the lowliest, Common Grade... What a shame in so many ways. If I still had the ability I possessed back then, it would have been an ideal combination... What a shame.”
As I recalled the time I had Awakened in Cha Tae-seok’s body and regretted it for a moment.
DING—!
‘!!!’
[Awakened Ability Inherited.]
[Inheritor – Cha Tae-seok -> Baek Seon-woo]
[Inherited Awakened Ability (Grade) - Gunner (Mythic Grade)]
※ Cha Tae-seok’s Mythic Grade Gunner ability has been inherited by Baek Seon-woo.