Breaking Up With the Heroine in an Otome Game

58 – Villain’s Appearance (2)

058.

‘Whoa, damn!’

Flames.

A flaming mass is flying towards me.

The human-sized fireball, spewing intense heat, swiftly rushes, prompting me to quickly attempt evasive maneuvers.

But what’s this?

My body feels as heavy as a soaked cotton ball, refusing to move easily.

Suddenly, an inexplicable sense of inertia dominates my body, and my legs shake like bamboo in the wind, halfway releasing their strength.

What, what’s going on?

Why is this happening all of a sudden!

‘Ah, right.’

I used the Maximum Output Sword Stance just now, consuming both stamina and mana at once. Oh, right.

I recall that I used the Maximum Output Sword Stance, expending almost all of my stamina and mana.

It’s like the feeling when you try to move quickly after not relaxing your muscles following a long workout.

While standing still, I could endure it, but when I urgently tried to move, it felt like my muscles were on strike, unwilling to work any longer.

Of course, if I forced it, I could move enough.

But it’s already too late.

In the momentary hesitation, the sharp flames are almost upon me. At this point, there’s no way to avoid them.

‘Ah, damn, what am I going to do…’

In that moment of thought.

“Hoo.”

Lee Siwoon extends his hand like a beam of light and swings the broken sword.

Then, the raging fireball, which had been charging forcefully, gracefully bends along Lee Siwoon’s sword path, eventually flowing past him in a different direction.

The appearance resembled a technique called ‘Flowing Water,’ a defensive skill that appeared in the game.

In the world setting, it was said that it was one of the techniques directly learned from the swordsman known as the Peninsula’s Best Sword…

“Being able to do that with a sword already broken. Indeed, impressive, Lee Siwoon.”

I muttered a short exclamation in my mind.

Of course, he didn’t block the fireballs for my sake. It was merely to brush away the embers that had come too close. Nevertheless, it felt reliable. It was daunting when we were fighting earlier, but now that Lee Siwoon had become an ally, it felt reassuring.

“Hey, you’re a bit too calm about this, kid.”

“….”

The man wearing a distorted rabbit mask reacted as if slightly surprised, and I quietly gazed at his face.

His name was Kim Hwaseung.

A typical Pyrokinetic Esper.

Even without the necessary fuel for combustion, he could generate flames. He could freely manipulate the created flames, and caution was required when using them due to their high lethality.

However, Kim Hwaseung showed no hesitation in using his pyrokinetic abilities.

No surprise, considering he had been fascinated by his own power and flames since he was a child, feeling an indescribable pleasure and exhilaration watching things burn.

As an adult, Kim Hwaseung satisfied his pleasure by setting ablaze cultural heritage, forests, buildings, and more dozens of times.

Until he was apprehended by some hero and sent to prison.

But has he already been released?

“Kim Hwaseung… Despite having a threatening esper ability, according to the setting, he’s just an arsonist.”

An arsonist is an arsonist.

He hasn’t undergone personal combat training or training against powerful creatures. Due to the lack of professional training, his actual combat strength is quite low compared to his ability. He was more of a pleasure-seeking firebug than anything else.

Even calling him a villain would be a stretch; he was more like an ordinary person who, thanks to his esper ability, committed a few arsons here and there. He avoided direct combat with heroes and didn’t get caught on CCTV. The rabbit mask was a kind of mark he left at the scenes of his arsons.

Therefore, if you just paid attention to his blazing pyrokinesis, he was someone easily dealt with.

“…I’ve actually defeated him a few times in the game. That’s why I know quite a bit.”

Memories of the popular villain NPC among gamers came to mind.

But why is Kim Hwaseung appearing now?

Why suddenly in the middle of the midterm survival exam venue?

As far as I know, he’s a character who appears later in the main story after a few more developments…

Anyway, for now, let’s look at the other guys besides Kim Hwaseung.

I glanced briefly at the two men behind Kim Hwaseung.

They, too, seemed like villains, but to be honest, they brought to mind third-rate thugs prowling the back alleys.

Would it be crude to say it felt like vermin?

Moreover, those two, witnessing Lee Siwoon effortlessly dispatching a group of troublemakers with just his swordsmanship, appeared somewhat bewildered.

“Hey, didn’t he just say his name is Siwoon?”

“Siwoon…? Could he be the disciple of that swordsman?”

“He’s supposed to be a Union senior. Shouldn’t we just contact them and wait?”

“Y-yeah, that sounds about right.”

The name Siwoon seemed a bit burdensome.

Already, it seemed they were taken aback, likely because they hadn’t expected to encounter someone with Siwoon’s name. Unlike Kim Hwaseung, there was no information about these two. However,

“If they find Siwoon’s name a bit burdensome, they probably aren’t particularly threatening villains.”

If those two had been active villains battling with current heroes, they wouldn’t have been so flustered even if they heard Siwoon’s name.

After all, Siwoon was, at best, just a trainee at the Union Academy.

However, their reaction indicated that Siwoon’s skill level was somewhat noteworthy.

“Contacting them, huh? Could it be the handiwork of those Rebellion guys?”

Rebellion.

An organization of villains that would eventually threaten the protagonist and their group.

Composed of a tiny elite, they were so powerful that the current protagonist’s group couldn’t dare to oppose them.

“This situation seems similar to the main episode, the joint training assault. Could it be?”

The joint training assault episode was the event where Rebellion members attacked the Union Academy’s joint training facility, gaining infamy worldwide.

Rebellion members all possessed unique superpowers and formidable strength, but their numbers were significantly lacking.

Because of that, one of the Rebellion members, an infamous villain known as the Hero Maniac, used his superpowers to brainwash third-rate villains roaming the streets and attacked the training facility together.

Originally, this would have been a main episode occurring after the final exams. That it happened so quickly, was it because of me?

Until now, the actions I’ve taken might have set off a chain reaction. It might not be true, but regardless, it bothered me.

“If the story twisted like this because of that… damn it.”

Anyway, let’s leave the detailed situation analysis for later. For now, the priority is to subdue those guys in front of us.

Facing villains, there’s no time to think about each one individually.

First, put out the urgent fire in front of you and then think. I swallowed a dry spit and tightly gripped the bow lying stealthily in my hands.

“Fools. Don’t be afraid of kids.”

“What?”

Kim Hwaseung sneered at the two hesitant villains in front of him.

“You scaredy-cats, I’ll take care of Lee Siwoon, so you guys handle that little guy. He’s somewhat famous lately, but he’s just a regular human, not a paranormal. Surely, that little guy won’t be scared too, right?”

“If it’s just that guy…”

“I saw him on TV. They call him the Bow Master, but his skills are just average.”

The villains suddenly focused on Siwoon and assumed fighting stances.

Then, I swiftly threw the sword hanging from my waist to Siwoon. He instinctively caught it.

“Why me?”

“Your sword broke, you have to use something.”

“And what about you?”

“I have this.”

I casually shook the bow.

“Will it be okay?”

“Probably?”

“…”

“The sword suits you better than what I use.”

“Well… okay. Lee Jinhyuk.”

Siwoon hesitated for a moment, looking at me, then nodded.

Oh, Siwoon, do you really think I’m a swordsman instead of an archer? Well, it might make more sense since I even used the Bow Technique, but seriously, do you think I’m a swordsman?

I learned archery even in my past life.

So, I’m a bit sorry for taking the sword. Please don’t give me that look, as if you’re sorry for me, Siwoon.

“Siwoon, that Fire guy seems to have a crush on you.”

“Huh.”

“I’ll take care of the other two, so please handle that Fire guy for me.”

“Got it.”

Siwoon glanced at the Fire guy for a moment and said, “I’ll knock him out quickly and help you, Lee Jinhyuk.”

“Yeah, sure. That’d be great if you could.”

Sorry, Siwoon.

I hit you when you were off guard.

Kim Hwaseung is more valuable than those two?

I might need to quickly take down and help you instead.

“hehehe. I wonder if women would still like that handsome face even if it’s burned to ashes.”

“….”

Kim Hwaseung suddenly spewed flames, threatening Lee Siwoon, who quickly wielded his sword and advanced.

And as for me and the other two villains…

“Kid, you’re famous these days, huh? Without any special abilities.”

“Poor thing. Managed to get into a place like Union with a bit of intelligence, but look at you now.”

From Noble mtl dot com

They were babbling as if they had won everything.

Well, I’m a noob, and the bow and arrow I’m holding are training items, so they probably think they have the upper hand.

But, do you know something?

I’ve got a ton of items in my dimensional ring.

Special arrows for giant monsters, parchment with various enchantments, explosive talismans, a net for capturing major villains, an electric shock gun, sleep powder, paralysis gas, and so on…

Normally, fights among bastards are decided by items.

It might be a bit tough to fight bare-handed, but with this many items, it doesn’t seem like I’ll lose easily.

I don’t really know how skilled those guys are, but at best, they’re not third-rate villains, right?

In the group training assault episode, the third-rate villains who couldn’t even properly contribute to the protagonist’s experience.

Despite being a loser, I’m an elite (?) hero trainee who successfully entered Union with pride(?).

In this situation, I didn’t think I would lose to those guys, probably.

Maybe.

***

A region in the forest.

The once silent forest was now filled with the essence of people.

Moans of pain and the pungent smell of blood faintly wafted through the air.

“Kkuuuh, kkyuk. You, you bastard, go!”

“Oh, what is this? Is this the hope of South Korea? It’s more mundane than I thought.”

Yoo Dahee extended her arms, her pure white hair flowing, holding up the neck of a trainee.

The trainee whose neck was held in her hand was Kang Daehan.

Despite being the top spearman alongside Lee Siwoon, he was hanging limp, firmly caught in Yoo Dahee’s grip.

Kang Daehan gradually felt his consciousness fading.

That woman, she’s a monster.

She played with Kang Daehan like a child.

Not just Kang Daehan. Kang Daehan slowly scanned his surroundings. Around Yudahee, numerous people lay scattered, powerless.

They were security agents and Union trainees.

No one seemed dead, but the situation looked dire. Most of them had broken legs, twisted joints, or were vomiting blood.

Despite being mostly former heroes, security agents were helpless against the white-haired girl.

At best, they appeared as academy students and peers.

How could she possess such skills?

It was as if one were witnessing the childhood of legendary figures who once held Korea in their grasp. No, perhaps it was even more than that. No matter how skilled the prosecutor and Gang Cheolwoon were at that age, they couldn’t have had this level of ability. Why, of all people, did such talent fall into the hands of such a villain?