Chapter 13

1.

I hate people.

What’s more, I find the very existence of humanity utterly repulsive.

Because they’ve always only ever hurt and caused me pain, betrayed my trust, and shown themselves to be less than animals.

In the past, I too relied on and trusted people, finding joy in being with them—walking together down the street while laughing stupidly, sharing the same moments as we studied, and rejoicing in each other’s happiness.

There was a time like that. A time that now fills me with regret, when time seems to have been wasted.

Back then, I trusted and believed in them.

But what came back to me was betrayal.

Some called me a demon, others labeled me a monster, wielding words like knives against me.

Why did they speak so cruelly to me?

At first, I doubted my own ears. Then, foolishly, I begged those I thought of as friends.

I hoped they would tell me that my ears were mistaken, that they had only misspoken.

But—

“Monster!”

“I was never really your friend to begin with.”

“Trusted me? Hah! That was your mistake, wasn’t it?”

In the end, all that returned to me was a wretched, painful betrayal.

The ones I trusted as friends and comrades. The people I once genuinely loved and cherished, those who shared my time, thoughts, and emotions—they were the ones who came forward to stone me, pouring out their malice disguised as advice and persuasion, uttering words that cut deep and caused immense anguish.

My heart ached, and my head felt as if it would explode.

At that moment, it was hard to even tell whether what streamed from my eyes was tears or blood, so tightly was my heart constricted by their malevolence.

I couldn’t comprehend it.

What had I done wrong? Why did I have to endure such pain?

There was nothing I could make sense of.

I didn’t want to understand. I was afraid that if I did, everything would fall apart, and that there would be no way to restore all that had been ruined.

‘Why?’

Even so, it was a desperate question I still clung to.

It was the plea with which I stretched out my hand, hoping they would pull me from hell, hoping they would tell me it was all a joke and not leave me behind.

But…

All that returned was that same sharp malice.

The cold reality that those I trusted had betrayed me.

I don’t remember exactly what those people said to me that moment,

but the feelings of loss and betrayal I felt then are still crystal clear in my memory.

The sensation that the world beneath my feet had crumbled, of my mind going blank, of everything I held dear being invalidated—that terrible, endless fear.

The despair was so painful I couldn’t even cry, and it was something I never wanted to feel again.

And so, the memory of that day was deeply rooted in my heart. From that day on, I felt as if something within me had broken.

I don’t know what was broken or why it needed fixing.

All I know is that the instinct to never be hurt again was what made me rise from where I was.

I put on a mask.

I picked up a gun.

And I laughed.

The ones who betrayed me called me a monster. If I’m the monster, does that mean they who called me such are ‘people’?

Then, if ‘people’ are as horrific and loathsome as this—if betraying and hurting others defines what it means to be a ‘person’—

“Fu fu fu, ahahaha ha ha…!”

People are my enemies.

I resolved to crush them all.

That was—

The reason I became the ‘Calamity Fox.’

2.

I remember the moment I escaped from the Correctional Bureau.

With D.U’s Sentum Tower going offline, the entire city fell into chaos, and the cries of people reverberated through the air.

And in the midst of all this, I saw countless betrayals play out.

It was comical.

Behold the despicable displays of abandoning each other at the loss of someone’s control—acting purely on instincts and indulging in their basest desires without hesitation.

It wasn’t just betrayal that made Wakamo distrust humans at first but the insensate, dull humanity that followed, making her despise them ever more.

The city’s rules and order became a laughing stock, trampled into the ground, and law enforcement ceased to function. It was a moment when the primitive nature of Kiburatos was laid bare.

“Aha ha ha ha! Truly, it’s such a trivial affair…”

After escaping from the correctional bureau, Wakamo began encouraging the very worst instincts in people—instigating terror throughout the city or, other times, manipulating others to escalate the chaos. She watched as the humans helplessly crumbled under the face of Calamity.

And then—she saw her.

The hero, Silk.

Through the news footage arose a sense of order I had long erased from my mind.

The cheers and praises of the people, their hopes, were all there.

At first, I had the same question as others.

Who was this person, and why was she acting this way?

Why did she pretend to be a hero and roam around Kiburatos?

The people asked questions, but she never answered. Instead, she seemed determined to prove herself through actions alone, tirelessly every day addressing the countless disturbances arising in Kiburatos.

Crimes were dealt with, and order was restored.

Villains were punished, and citizens were saved.

The principles she established were simple: Good remained good, evil remained evil—a basic and simple distinction that seemed absurdly naive.

Nevertheless, over time, Kiburatos began to change ever so slightly, following the path this hero laid out.

The villains became cautious of the hero’s presence, and citizens began to trust her as they walked the streets.

Silk had become a symbol of order, her presence spreading like a wave across the entirety of Kiburatos.

Now the citizens did not flee in the wake of villainous chaos. Instead, they believed that the hero would come to their aid, so they themselves stood firm with their weapons ready.

The citizens resisted evil, and the hero punished it.

It was a scene I had never seen—a completely unfamiliar world to someone like me who had only ever been exposed to humanity’s malice throughout my life. The girl who had never seen anything but the world’s darkness bore witness to something—

“…”

Extraordinary.

With just one person, the tumult of Kiburatos began to settle.

No matter how much malice was hurled at her, she would not fall. Again and again, she would rise, punishing the evil as she always did.

At such a sight, Wakamo felt a curious mix of deep interest and repulsion. It wasn’t the restoration of order that repelled her—it was the girl on the screen, Silk, whose presence stirred an unknown anger within her.

Why?

Was it because this girl was a type of human Wakamo had never encountered?

Or was it that deep down within her heart lingered something akin to hope, something she wanted to prove?

I don’t know. I didn’t want to analyze it. Like always, Wakamo acted on impulse.

It was simply that this time, the target of that impulse was this hero.

That’s how Wakamo defined her emotions.

As always, she justified it with a reason.

To uncover Silk’s true purpose.

To reveal that she wasn’t the high-minded hero everyone believed her to be.

To show that she wasn’t purely motivated by goodness and responsibility.

To prove that she was nothing more than a simple ‘human.’

Wakamo rehearsed these excuses in her mind while disregarding the truth—that she sought answers through the girl. And so, she provoked Silk.

To make her chase, to make her come closer.

“There you are. Hero of the city, Silk.”

“…Wakamo.”

That’s how it led to the present.

3.

Silk is strong.

It’s a fact Wakamo instinctively understood.

And so, in order to break the hero, there could be no limits on the methods and means.

Even if she would later be criticized or condemned, Wakamo resolved to use all possible means to bring the hero down. Ignoring the tremors within her, Wakamo once again played to her strengths, finding a way to oppose the hero using her unique abilities.

The solution presented itself quickly.

Just as celebrities have many enemies, the same was true for heroes; they had countless adversaries.

Most of the people living in the underbelly of Kiburatos resented the hero who operated openly under the light, surveilling their every move.

Wakamo exploited this resentment, tempting them with whispers of revenge against her.

The majority of them were easily swayed by Wakamo, gathering in her hideout to exact their revenge on the hero.

Thus, a congregation of villains came together, including herself.

Afterward, Wakamo openly revealed her location to Silk, who had been tracking her for some time.

Confident in her knowledge of the hero, Wakamo believed she would surely appear here.

And indeed, the hero emerged alone amidst the den of villains.

The sight of her confident posture sent another pang of pain through her chest, but Wakamo ignored it and gripped her gun firmly.

‘Alright, show me.’

If you really are the hero of this city…

Or if you’re just another ordinary human!

That was the question the girl sought to answer.

4.

“So, this was your trap?”

I smirked humorlessly as I looked around. The number of presences I’d detected earlier seemed strangely high. It became clear that Wakamo had gathered almost everyone from the back alleys who had a grudge against me.

All for my downfall.

‘How is this a school story?’

More like a noir story sprinkled with a superhero.

It was absurd. The hoard gathered against me or…

“…This is ridiculous.”

Even my own belief that I could handle this.

Tchek-

Guns pointed at me, the sound of ammunition being loaded echoing from all sides, and hostile eyes full of lethal intent.

From the looks of it, there were dozens of foes.

Is it possible?

“I’ll make it.”

It wasn’t merely to punish the villains but to prove something to myself.

I will face greater, more powerful foes in the not-so-distant future. I must take the strength I have now and make it my own.

‘And this battlefield is no longer just about me and them.’

Whirr-

A faint sound came from behind me.

Though I couldn’t see it, the noise of a camera lens adjusting and a drone hovering barely reached my ears.

Through this drone, the citizens, students, and villains of Kiburatos will watch my fight.

There are many reasons I’ve done this, but the main one is simple:

If I defeat all these enemies here, it will signify the triumph of justice.

Moreover, the citizens caught in this tumultuous era will start truly embracing hope, and countless students will recognize and remember me.

One day, I will traverse the entirety of Kiburatos, carrying out my activities. This is a preparatory step to build recognition ahead of that time, a kind of declaration.

“Come.”

I am here.

If you wish to create chaos in the city—

Know that I am always ready to crush your heads, you villains.

And that,

Is the message I send to Kiburatos.

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