I Became the Academy’s Kibitz Villain

What did it mean for an ability user to lose their powers?

There was a story in America, akin to an urban legend:

The Bomber was no longer a Bomber.

The tale of an ability user who could cause explosions losing his power and becoming an ordinary person was treated as a joke by ‘Wang Huan’, a former A-class ability user and a Chinese student at Sejong Academy.

However, after the emergence of Solar Platina and once he himself had become a devil and then lost his abilities,

He felt he could understand why the Bomber had caused a suicide disturbance.

He wanted to die.

It feels like death without the overflowing power.

Although decorated like a luxurious single room, everything in this room only brings pain and suffering.

He didn’t easily feel hungry, and eating didn’t make him feel bloated.

Even if he hit his head hard with a plastic tray after eating, it didn’t hurt.

Even greater pain didn’t hurt, but now the pain was overwhelming.

The fear, torment, and pain of becoming an ordinary human are unbearable.

That’s why others, unable to endure this state, harmed themselves and ended up confined like in a psychiatric ward.

At least Wang Huan, being an ability user under the party’s protection, had some solace.

His father, a high-ranking party member, would surely come to rescue him.

Others did the same.

Through a channel that allowed communication with other Zenros via a monitor panel, though they couldn’t see each other face-to-face, he gained hope from what someone else had said:

The party would come to rescue them.

Because if they ended up on Sejong Island, they’d never be able to leave.

Having lived on Sejong Island, they knew how much it was like a prison, and they didn’t want to enter it even based on hearsay.

-Brother Wang. There’s a rumor that there’s a lab underground on Sejong Island where they experiment on ability users.

“That’s just a conspiracy theory. Could such a thing really exist?

-If not, why would they want to take us to Sejong Island?

Because Sejong Island was the safest fortress from Korea’s perspective.

If human experimentation is happening in that fortress, that would be something to see.

Anxiety crept in with these words.

What would happen if they really ended up eating ‘Korean Stew’ on Sejong Island?

Old movies showed people being dunked in water or strapped to electric chairs for electrocution.

If that actually happened, what was once breath-holding competitions or electric massages when he had abilities, would now be nothing but torture with his current human body.

“Damn it….”

Wang Huan felt like going mad.

He wanted to escape this place, even if it meant becoming a devil again.

As a devil, he had even more power than when he was an ability user, capable of achieving anything he desired.

But now, as a mere human without abilities, he’s too weak to do anything.

Especially for someone like Wang Huan, who had killed people and was then imprisoned.

Ding-dong.

The bell rang.

Soon, along with the sound of a cart being pulled outside, a woman brought in food on a plastic cart and placed it on the table.

“You have one hour to eat. If you don’t, it will be collected as is.”

“Without even chopsticks?”

“There’s a spork.”

The woman, an employee of the association, pointed to a pink plastic spoon placed next to the tray.

The rounded spoon’s tip was blunt, seemingly unable to pierce anything, just leaving a pressed mark.

“Does it have to be like this…?”

“In other rooms, there were cases of self-harm with a spork. Please don’t let that happen.”

“Hmph, why would I harm myself.”

Wang Huan looked at the food on the table.

Most of the food was soft or squishy, with no hard objects like clamshells.

“Is this chicken?”

“Boneless chicken.”

“…….”

Even the bones were removed, leaving him speechless at the extreme measures.

“This is not how you treat prisoners.”

“…….”

“Why? Do I look like a real prisoner?”

Wang Huan picked up his boneless chicken with the spork.

“Do you think I’m a joke now? Just a week ago, someone like you, an E-class agent, would be…”

Click.

The agent pulled something out of their pocket.

It was a wireless earphone, and the agent simply stood there wearing it, saying nothing.

“…Damn it.”

Wang Huan quietly chewed his chicken.

It was unpleasant, but he couldn’t act out in frustration.

After all, he was now powerless, and this E-class agent could kill him with just a finger.

Crunch.

“…….”

Juices burst in his mouth.

There was a feeling of chewing something that shouldn’t be chewed, and Wang Huan carefully moved his tongue while chewing the chicken.

Chewing, chewing.

Wang Huan finished his meal, and the agent left with the cart.

Once the agent closed the door and left, Wang Huan pretended to sleep, covered himself with a blanket, and reached into his mouth.

Ssh.

What came out of his mouth was a red plastic.

He unfolded the plastic, and inside the transparent tape-like object, there were written words.

“……Right.”

Fetching the Moon from the Bottom of the Sea.

It was an idiom, but the short word clearly conveyed its meaning.

“Have to come. They will. Hehehe….”

Just wait.

They will surely come to rescue.

Yes.

Trying to contain Zenros in Sejong Island was like trying to fetch the moon from the sea, a mere futile effort.

Even if he killed Koreans and caused harm,

The trial should not be in Korea, but in his home country.

“…Hehe.”

Back in his home country, he would receive support from the party.

And after repeated research, he would eventually regain his abilities.

How was not the question.

The abilities must be regained, and with that power, he must once again taste that pleasure.

“…Hehehe.”

Wang Huan lightly clutched the pillow.

Right now, he was just holding cotton in his hand.

But later.

If he regains his abilities, if he recovers the power he once wielded as a devil.

“……Want to crush it.”

Once tasted, the allure was too potent to resist.

Meanwhile, in Ulleungdo, as they were establishing the concept.

“Yes, this is Do Ji-hwan speaking.”

[Can you talk briefly right now?]

Baek Seol-hee’s voice came through, tinged with caution, as if mindful of those around her.

“Yes, yes. I’m available. What concerns do you have this time?”

[Ah, good. I need to consult something with you.]

“If it’s something within my capacity to assist.”

[It shouldn’t be a big issue.]

Not a big issue.

[You’re aware of the Zenros being transported to Sejong Island, right? Do you think the Goblin will make an appearance?]

“The Goblin?”

[Yes. The Goblin. The one known for eliminating all villains.]

“Do you suspect he will intervene?”

Was that her underlying question?

Whether the Goblin would get involved.

“I can’t make any guarantees about the Goblin’s intentions, but if I were in the Goblin’s shoes…”

[…If you were the Goblin?]

“If my target had been transformed into a normal person by Solar Platina and then turned into a Zenros, I wouldn’t see any reason to further sully my hands by pursuing and eliminating Zenros.”

[Why not?]

“Well, perhaps because it’s a hassle? Or maybe the Goblin has its own reasons. Possibly preoccupied with patriotism or a loved one.”

[Ah.]

Baek Seol-hee expressed her understanding.

[If that’s the case…]

“Did that answer satisfy you?”

[Yes. But it’s a bit… You know, the Goblin has a knack for appearing unexpectedly, like meddling in others’ affairs.]

She was probing.

As if to inquire whether the Goblin might reappear despite her earlier statement.

“If the Goblin does intervene, it might be to thwart those who, through Zenros, aim for some malevolent purpose rather than targeting a typical villain.”

[Malevolent purpose?]

“There are such rumors. What would the genetics of someone who transformed into a devil and then reverted to human look like? If they could have children, would those offspring be human or devils?”

[Such experimentation is unethical and inhumane.]

“Why, you see that in movies, right? Using criminals for human experiments. In history, not just criminals but even ordinary people were forcibly involved.”

A silence of empathy ensued.

Since Baek Seol-hee and I had actually seen such movies before, she didn’t deny my words.

“Seol-hee, humans can become worse than devils for their evil and desires. Not only those who become devils through abilities are devils. Just…”

[Just?]

“That doubt of whether the Goblin will act as the Goblin. Hahaha.”

[I think I get it.]

Baek Seol-hee responded with a somewhat relieved voice.

[Um, one last question.]

“Yes, go ahead.”

[Are the ‘villains’ defined by the state always bad guys?]

“I’ll answer it this way.”

My response to the doubt I had when I was classified as a villain.

“During the Japanese occupation, from Japan’s perspective, wouldn’t the independence activists also have been seen as villains?”

[That’s a bit complicated.]

“Well, the Goblin might think that way.”

Believing oneself to be right and considering those who label oneself a villain as evil.

“Just remember, the Goblin is like the embodiment of hypocrisy. Self-centered when it suits him, judging everything based on his standards, not the law’s, a selfish trash.”

Whether society defined the Goblin as a villain or not, I knew best that my actions were villainous.

“But sometimes, you know, even villains can act for justice, for a greater cause, doing things that heroes can’t. Daring to take actions that heroes hesitate to.”

[Hmm… Really?]

“Yes. Do you remember that movie, ‘Hero Tyranno and Mecha Tyranno’?”

[Ah.]

The first movie Baek Seol-hee and I watched together in the cinema.

“Even if heroes and villains fight each other, when an alien enemy appears, they unite to fight, because that’s what Earthlings do.”

Though not an Earthling myself.

[So, the Goblin might appear, not as himself but maybe wearing a gaksital?]

“Hehe, Seol-hee.”

I glanced at the concept Yumir and Doul were busily preparing, trying my best to suppress my laughter, and answered her question.

“He might appear in a form beyond our imagination.”

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