Insanely-Talented Player

Episode 166

‘...Do not abandon humanity, King of Heroes.'

No matter how ugly and unworthy of salvation they are.

Even if all humans point at Yoosung as a traitor and fear and despise him as a monster.

Those were the last words of Lieutenant General Kilgore, who declared that he would remain an American war hero and a ‘human hero' in his final moments.

He was truly a hero.

A person who is not understood by anyone and no one recognizes that fact, and who sacrifices himself to protect the world of humans.

Yooseong raised his head, leaving behind the ‘Hero's End' that was burning to ashes.

Lieutenant General Kilgore willingly chose to resist in front of Yoo Seong-ui, who reigned as the monarch of heroes. Even if the resistance is nothing more than a meaningless struggle.

A dizzyingly strong smell of gasoline filled my nose, and I raised my head.

Tuk.

The twilight western sky was being swallowed up by dark, dark clouds. A raindrop fell between the dark clouds.

One drop, two drops, five drops.

In the pouring rain, Saint Mary silently took something from her bosom. It was a cigarette. In the pouring rain, an ember burned at the end of the cigarette in the saint's mouth.

Maria said after taking a puff of cigarette smoke.

“Let’s go, Yoosung.”

“Where?”

Yooseong, who had lost his place for a moment, asked back. Because I just don't know where to go.

“That’s the decision you have to make, Yoosung.”

That's why Maria answered.

“I just...

will remain by your side until the end,

with a benevolent smile as always .”

“No matter what decisions you make or what path you take.”

Maria said. She was no longer a human saint. Nevertheless, she was still a benevolent saint.

And her love was directed only to the King of Heroes.

“Thank you, saint.”

Yoosung responded to her words.

“How long are you going to call me by that name?”

Maria asked playfully, and Yoosung smiled bitterly as if embarrassed.

“Maria.”

And after silence, Yoosung called her name. As soon as I said her name, I felt strangely lighter.

“Let’s go.”

That's why Yooseong spoke, and this time it was Maria's turn to ask back.

“Where?”

Yoosung answered Maria’s question.

“To see if humans are really worth saving.”

After saying that, I raised my head.

“Reveal yourself.”

Amid the hell of bombing and napalm scattered by Lieutenant General Kilgore, beyond the ruined streets where the dark evening sky was covered and rain was pouring down.

In the silence, a silhouette in a suit appeared.

Head of the International Players' Police Organization (CIPO) and a British hero. A player who has officially signed a contract with the ‘Lord of Lies'.

Mistress Lydia.

“Welcome, player Kang Yu-seong.”

“Mistress.”

And the ‘hero’ there wasn’t just Mist Liss.

There were ten players, led by her. A familiar face, the tomb keeper, was also present. However, except for two people, they were all unfamiliar faces that Yoosung did not know.

At the same time, I was able to intuit it.

They are the ‘ten heroes’ who protect and protect the new human world and order.

There was no longer a place for shooting stars and saints. The same was true for Lieutenant General Kilgore, who fell and remained determined to be a human hero until the end.

Even if several heroes die or disappear, even if they abandon their heroism, new heroes are born in their place and the positions of the ten are preserved.

Because humans are hoping for that.

“Heroes join forces to defeat the enemies of humanity.”

Mistress giggled happily, leaving behind the new heroes there.

“Isn’t this a very familiar composition?”

“Do you think you can do anything about me?”

Nevertheless, player Kang Yoo-seong coldly asked back.

“No matter how slim the odds, a hero never gives up the fight.”

“Oh, I see. “What are you guys doing?” Mistress continued speaking as if she was amused by Yooseong's sarcasm.

“Even if the enemy we must defeat is the ‘greatest hero’ who once protected this world.”

“Hmm, I’m glad you know. “I should be an ordinary great hero.”

“Don’t be funny, you scoundrel…!”

The story ended there.

One of the silent heroes kicked the ground and rushed over. Villain. Yoosung could only laugh at those words.

He was a hero wearing a cape and hero costume.

In a split second, the distance narrowed, and the hero's fist began to burn.

A fist of steel, as hot as cast iron, struck down at

Yooseong .

There was a young child who was absorbed in watching television.

On TV, the desperate struggle of heroes was unfolding.

The ten heroes there are risking their lives to fight against the monster and ‘traitor of humanity' who is trying to destroy the world.

That's why I clenched my fists and cheered on the heroes who were fighting hard and prayed that they would win.

The child's parents, the neighbors next door, the customers gathered at the bar... everyone in the world was watching the fight and cheering for the heroes. The heroes' enemies were praying for the villain to fall and be defeated.

Don't lose, you have to win.

May heroes win and evil fall. May justice prevail and the monster be defeated.

Before I knew it, the child could no longer remember.

There once existed a player called the ‘King of Heroes’.

I begged my mother to buy me a t-shirt with his image on it and treasured it like a treasure.

No matter what anyone said, that man was the child's irreplaceable ‘true hero'.

The people watching the video felt the same way.

There was no one left who could recall the face of player Kang Yoo-seong from the image of the ‘monster’ shown on television.

Those who approved of him and those who denied him couldn't even remember ‘whose performance' it was that made it possible to protect the world several times after it became a game.

On television, there were only heroes and villains.

[The human monarch exercises the ‘influence of an overlord.’]

[The human monarch labels player Kang Yoo-seong with the ‘brand of a villain’...!]

[The human zeitgeist cheers for the hero... [...]

There were heroes and there were villains.

However, since the world is not a hero movie, there is no way that the hero will win or the villain will lose.

The stronger one simply wins.

Sigh!

The sword of winter night in Yooseong's hand swung around and slashed at the chest of the man wearing the hero costume. A bitter cold was scattered, and at the same time, another hero moved.

But the meteor was faster than that.

The annihilation of the Heavenly Demon's Sword continued. The second hero did not even realize that he was dead, and his body was just broken into pieces.

The human form collapsed and broke apart, scattering frozen pieces.

Screams rang out, and heroes were falling one after another at the hands of the villain. And every time I defeated them, I became less and less able to understand it.

“What are you fighting so hard for?” That's why Yooseong asked back.

“For the sake of humans...!”

One of the ten remaining heroes answered. However, there was a strange lack of will in his voice.

It was a monotonous voice, like a tape reciting recorded lines over and over again.

That's why I cut it. Without any hesitation.

The sword was swung and blood was splattered. However, I didn't feel any emotions, like cutting a wooden doll.

As soon as one was cut down, the next hero rushed in. Even though I cut down two, three, five, and ‘ten' people, it didn't change.

Because the number of heroes was not all ten.

“Anyone can be a hero.”

Mistress smiled happily and it was as she said.

Countless heroes were there.

Peacekeepers, the South Korean military, and the police...even unrelated ‘ordinary citizens' were gathering there.

With eyes that are out of focus, expressionless, like a puppet being tied and controlled by puppet strings.

—Whenever a hero dies and there is a vacancy in the hero's position, one of them is chosen as a ‘new hero' and jumps into the battlefield.

To carry out their duties as heroes.

“How does it feel, Lord of Heroes, not to be able to protect your people?”

“How does it feel, King of Heroes, to take down with your own hands those you have decided to protect?”

Leaving behind the endless army of heroes flocking from all directions, Yooseong slammed the sword in his hand to the ground.

I just snapped my fingers.

Before we knew it, the armies of heroes rushing in from all directions stopped moving all at once. And the same was true for humans who had not yet become heroes.

Immediately afterwards, the bodies of the humans there began to crumble into powder and scatter.

Except for two, the Mistress and the Tomb Keeper.

“...It seems like ‘heroes’ can no longer stop you.”

The remaining Mistress smiled joyfully. Georg, the tomb keeper next to her, continued to remain silent.

“Even if all 6 billion people become ‘heroes,’ we won’t be able to help you.”

“And now you are willing to kill all 6 billion people who have become heroes.”

Yoosung did not answer.

The same words were just repeating endlessly in my head.

These were Lieutenant General Kilgore's last words, asking him not to abandon humans.

I raised my head.

He thought of the soldiers and police heroes who had fallen by his hands.

After thinking about it, Yoosung asked back.

“Who are you?”

Mistress answered that question.

“I am a real villain.”

A real villain. Yoosung fell silent at those words.

“This is the dark side of all this and the catalyst for true evil.”

“really?”

“Oh, of course it’s a lie.”

Mistress burst out laughing as she said that.

“But sometimes the world wants an ending that is easy to understand.”

“I’m sure humans are hoping for that.”

Mistress laughed at Yoosung's words without denying them.

“is it so. “It is also the job of our heroes to be willing to atone for their sins.”

Yoosung did not respond to those words.

“——You will become a hero to humans again.”

And Mist Liss opened her arms wide and spoke towards the silent shooting star.

“Now what are you hesitating about? “Go ahead and do the hero’s work.”