“Huh? What are you talking about?”
Lee Jooah began to smile awkwardly at Hajoon's words.
And Hajoon simply looked at her and said, “The meeting time was 7 o'clock, not 8.”
Lee Jooah's expression instantly froze, her once bright smile fading away and her eyes starting to quiver in confusion.
With an unusually flustered look, she—no, the doppelganger—asked, “Ah! Maybe I got a little confused? Ahaha...”
With those words, the doppelganger slowly shifted its gaze towards the open-air hot spring, likely scouting for an escape route. Watching this, Hajoon couldn't help but smirk.
Of course, at first, Hajoon hadn't noticed that she was a doppelganger. The creature's ability allowed it to perfectly mimic someone's physical appearance and even their magical essence.
It would be impossible, though, if the target's power vastly surpassed its own.
However, if the creature was determined to disguise as someone, it wouldn't easily be discovered. But it made one crucial mistake.
-Strange. I can't feel the energy of Fenrir from her.
While the doppelganger successfully mimicked Lee Jooah's appearance, it couldn't replicate the energy of Fenrir with which she had a contract.
A few minutes before Lee Jooah came to the hot spring, Hajoon, informed by Philaten, immediately activated Time Stop to verify the situation.
Upon leaving the lodging to find Lee Jooah, he confirmed she was still with Yoo Seolah.
“Hmm...”
Hajoon recalled the original storyline.
Normally, the creature would have chosen to disguise as one of the children, as it couldn't mimic the powerful magic wielder Anna.
The key point of this story was for Anna to notice the doppelganger's existence, deduce its identity, and ultimately rescue the children.
He didn't want to bother her, who had already come for some rest with a troubled mind.
“Well then,”
Hajoon's hand reached into his pocket, revealing the brilliantly shining golden hammer, Maharazu.
The moment the creature saw that hammer, its eyes began to tremble in fear.
Hajoon, with a predatory grin, approached it.
“We have some unfinished business, don't we?”
While this episode was originally supposed to be a complex mystery due to the doppelganger's 'Disguise' ability, the creature had chosen the worst possible opponent in Hajoon.
An A-rank villain, the 'Doppelganger'.
His strength wasn't particularly impressive for an A-rank, but he rose to A-rank notoriety almost overnight five years ago due to a failed assassination attempt on the president of the Korean Heroes Association.
Of course, it was known that he had failed in his assassination attempt and had died.
Nevertheless, right now, he was nothing but flustered.
'How did he figure it out?'
It made no sense to him that he was suspected without any apparent reason.
The fact that his appointment time was questioned indicated suspicion that he wasn't really Lee Jooah.
He briefly looked at the boy known in Korea as the 'Irregular', swallowing hard.
There was no room for excuses.
It was clear that the boy was convinced he wasn’t Lee Jooah.
"Sigh..."
Since his identity was already exposed, there was no point in continuing the act.
So, he seriously began to speak to the Irregular, conveying the message that the Puppeteer had intended to deliver in the past.
"Irregular."
"...?"
"I have something to tell you."
Immediately after, he deactivated his ability and removed his disguise.
The visage of Lee Jooah slowly melted away, revealing his true self.
A sharp-faced Korean man with pomade-styled black hair.
He glared at the Irregular, or rather Hajoon, and warned in a hushed tone,
"The Villain Alliance is watching you. This is a warning. Don’t meddle in our plans."
At this, Hajoon let out an incredulous chuckle.
For now, he decided to simply watch and see what the Doppelganger would do next.
The Doppelganger spoke up, "Our strength is formidable. We can easily take down a top-tier hero. And that includes you."
He might not have known, but the statement about easily killing a top-tier hero was indeed true. If they truly intended to kill one, especially a top-tier hero, it would be quite simple.
"If you don't stop, the Villain Alliance will do everything to kill you. The moment the symbol of peace disappears, you'll be the first one we tear apart."
However, Sage Choi Jungwon, a hero with an unparalleled reputation even among great heroes, was the symbol of peace in Korea.
The reason the powerful Villain Alliance remained restrained was all thanks to Choi Jungwon.
In some respects, the mere existence of Choi Jungwon served as a deterrent to the villains.
Hajoon could somewhat understand why the Doppelganger was confidently warning him.
If you solely considered their plans, it was just a matter of time.
Yet, Hajoon found the villain's words laughable.
A slight smirk formed on his face.
After all the grandstanding about the organization and the warnings, it still boiled down to a plea for his life.
Hajoon retorted,
"So, you're asking me to spare you?"
"Our goal isn’t to annihilate all the heroes of Korea. We could, at least, spare you. Let’s make a deal. If you spare me and keep your promise, the Alliance won't touch you. The fire at your house a few days ago was just a warning, to-"
"...Enough."
For a moment, Hajoon interrupted him, looking at him with a cold expression.
As the emotionless eyes of the doppelganger met his, a shiver intense enough to quake his spine raced through him.
At that moment, the doppelganger realized something crucial.
The negotiations had failed.
Suddenly, the space around them transformed in the blink of an eye. The scenery had shifted from a hotel room to a silent, deserted forest.
'What on earth...?' he pondered.
Magic? An ability?
Such an occurrence was beyond his imagination. It wasn't as simple as moving through a portal. He had been transported here without feeling the slightest hint of a change.
Then, a low voice emanated from a young figure, "There's no need to make a scene."
The boy with the hammer, known as the Irregular, approached with a stoic expression, gripping his weapon firmly.
The doppelganger's realization came too late. He turned, ready to flee, fully aware that facing the Irregular head-on was out of the question.
However, as he was about to make his escape, there was a chilling sound. Thud! Suddenly, he found himself face-down on the ground.
Confused, the doppelganger slowly cast his gaze towards his leg, only to wince and close his eyes tightly in pain. His leg was grotesquely bent at an odd angle. He had been attacked without even realizing it.
As the Irregular raised his hammer over his head, the doppelganger cried out in desperation, "Damn it! Stop watching and help me!"
Hajoon observed him with a puzzled expression and soon noticed a small camera pinned to the doppelganger's chest.
As he was staring blankly at the tiny device, the atmosphere changed in a split second.
A gusty sound announced the opening of a gate behind Hajoon. From it emerged numerous hooded figures with concealed faces, each wielding either a sword or a spear.
It did strike him as odd that a weak opponent would approach him alone.
But more intriguingly, Hajoon mused with a smirk, "Lucky day, isn't it?"
Seeing Hajoon's grin, the hooded figures momentarily flinched, then swiftly regained their composure, fixing their vigilant gaze back onto him.
The next turn of events occurred in a heartbeat.
With a whoosh, the Irregular, who had been right before their eyes, vanished.
The villains, who had gathered to rescue the doppelganger, were taken aback by the Irregular's sudden disappearance. Despite having kept a close watch on him, they couldn't catch even the slightest movement.
“Everyone, watch each other's backs!”
“Don’t show your back to the enemy!”
With practiced ease, they quickly formed groups of four, creating a protective circle where they watched each other’s backs, alert to their surroundings.
In the aftermath of the Irregular's disappearance, they adopted this formation to be prepared for any sudden attack from unknown quarters.
However,
“Aaargh!”
“Help!”
“Save me!”
BOOM!
CRASH!
THUD!
“...What?!”
“Could it be...?”
Regrettably, those screams didn’t come from them but from a different location.
Sounds emanated right from behind them.
Specifically, from the other side of the gate they had just crossed.
The death screams of their comrades and the echoing noise of destruction kept reverberating. It was only then that they fully realized the situation.
The smile the young boy had previously flashed wasn't directed at them but at the gate behind them.
Upon this realization,
“...”
“...”
They all were speechless, staring at the gate with a mix of horror and astonishment. The screams and deafening noises gradually started to fade.
And when silence finally reigned, an inescapable truth dawned on them.
The time span of the silence was just 20 seconds.
In a mere 20 seconds, their entire division had been annihilated.
Shortly after,
Step, step...
Footsteps approached from beyond the gate.
A boy with an impassive face stepped through, effortlessly shouldering a massive hammer. His appearance was incongruously serene, as though he’d just returned from a casual stroll rather than a monumental battle.
Seeing him,
Thud, thud, thud...
They all simultaneously dropped their swords and spears to the ground, sinking to their knees.
Every one of them was paralyzed with a peculiar terror, their legs weakening and their will to fight evaporating.
Only fear filled their eyes.
Resistance was futile.
This monster had effortlessly obliterated their division in just a few seconds.
And Hajoon, looking down at them with a cold expression, uttered,
“Did you really think you could set fire to another’s home and not expect the same for yours?”
They were left speechless, with no words to reply.
The situation rapidly unfolded after that.
Watching the villains who had lost their will to fight, Hajoon immediately contacted the Hero Association.
Shortly after receiving Hajoon's message, the Association's president arrived at the scene using a gate and began sorting things out.
Of course, in the meantime, Hajoon discreetly slipped away, heading back to the hotel. Still, he had to explain the situation, so he remained in touch with the president.
Chairman Kim Jeongyong spoke up.
"Hajoon, can you explain the situation?"
"I've captured the one who set fire to my house."
"Excuse me, but could you elaborate a bit more?"
Although Hajoon found it tedious, he decided to explain the situation.
Briefly yet in detail, Hajoon described the events. After hearing everything, the Chairman was taken aback and fell silent.
It was a story that, even after hearing it, was hard to believe.
"My... Hajoon."
"Yes?"
Having accomplished such a significant feat, the president began to grow concerned for Hajoon.
With a hint of worry in his voice, the president explained his reasons to Hajoon.
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