Chapter 43: Invasion of New York

I teleported to the top of a tall skyscraper.

From the rooftop, I gazed down at the beautiful city spread beneath my feet.

“Back then, I could only see this city through a TV screen,” I muttered quietly.

“But I never imagined I’d be standing here now… looking at it with my own eyes. And who would’ve thought that I’d be the one to destroy a city this grand and beautiful?”

Yes.

I was already in New York.

The largest city in the United States.

A city that could mesmerize anyone who looked at it—so bright, so alive, so dazzling that it almost felt unreal.

The night was breathtaking.

The sky was clear, the stars shining brilliantly above, scattered like diamonds across the darkness. Countless lights illuminated the city below, skyscrapers glowing like pillars of gold and silver.

I pulled out a cigarette.

I placed it between my lips and ignited it using the flame I borrowed from So-ah’s power.

The fire flared softly, and soon the cigarette burned quietly.

I inhaled slowly, calmly, standing at the edge of the rooftop while looking down at the city.

“This city… tonight…”

“…will be destroyed.”

I exhaled the smoke from my mouth.

The smoke was thick, drifting lazily into the air, strangely calming my mind.

Sometimes, I wondered why doctors back in my original world had always told me to quit smoking before I was transferred to this world.

They claimed it would ruin my health.

But right now, this cigarette was the only thing keeping my thoughts from completely collapsing.

It soothed me.

Yet despite that, a question kept resurfacing in my mind, again and again, refusing to disappear.

Why was I doing all of this… just for So-ah?

Before I came to this world, she was nothing more than a villain character in a comic.

A character who was supposed to die.

So why?

Why was I going this far for someone who was never meant to survive?

I fell silent.

I continued staring at the city from the rooftop, my eyes unfocused.

“…Yeah. That’s right,” I whispered.

“Why am I doing this for someone who was supposed to die?”

Suddenly, a vague memory surfaced in my mind.

A blurred scene.

A woman—being tortured.

Stabbed repeatedly by a fat man holding a knife.

She was screaming in pain.

I couldn’t hear her voice clearly, but somehow… I knew exactly what she was trying to say to me.

Just one word.

“Run…”

I took another drag from my cigarette.

I exhaled slowly, then muttered to myself.

“Run, huh… why should I run?”

“Who am I supposed to run from? Strong people? Monsters?”

A single tear slipped from my eye without me even realizing it.

“I can’t lose the people who are precious to me…”

With that thought, I dropped the cigarette to the ground and crushed it beneath my foot, extinguishing the flame completely.

Then I reached beneath my cloak and pulled out my mask.

The black mask that had always accompanied me.

The mask that hid my identity from the world.

I put it on.

If I wanted to enter the Hero Association building, I needed to draw the heroes’ attention elsewhere.

I had to force them outside, away from the building—so I could move freely inside later.

I reached up to my ear, where my earpiece was already in place.

I activated it.

“Donghyun, can you hear me?”

His voice came through almost instantly.

[Of course, Hyung! I can hear you loud and clear.]

“Good. Activate the live broadcast. Spread it across the entire New York area.”

[What are you planning to do, Hyung?]

“I want to distract them. They’ll start searching for me outside… while I’m already inside the Hero Association building.”

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end.

[What!? Why would you go in there!? That place is dangerous! You could lose your life!]

“I know,” I replied calmly.

“But I’m not reckless enough to act without a plan.”

Donghyun fell silent for a moment.

[What are you looking for in there, Hyung?]

“…There’s a potion inside. One that can heal So-ah’s wound. She’s been poisoned with something made by the United States. I have to find it.”

[Hah… even if I tell you to stop, you won’t listen anyway.]

[Alright. I’ll help you, Hyung.]

A faint smile formed beneath my mask.

He really had started to understand me.

*New York City*

People were walking through the streets casually.

Everyone looked relaxed, peaceful, living their everyday lives without a single worry.

They had no idea what was about to happen to them.

A massive digital billboard displayed an advertisement for bread.

Suddenly—the screen glitched.

The image distorted violently, flickering over and over before abruptly changing.

A live broadcast appeared.

On the screen stood a man wearing a black mask, dressed in a villain’s signature attire—black suit, black cloak.

[Hello, citizens of New York.]

[This is Indigo.]

[You probably don’t recognize me. I’m from Korea, and I’m not very famous yet.]

People passing by stopped walking.

Drivers slowed their cars.

Some stared in confusion, others with unease, and a few with curiosity.

[To be clear, I’m a villain.]

[You might think this is a joke… but let me prove it.]

Indigo snapped his fingers.

The ground trembled violently.

Not far from their location, a building exploded.

People screamed.

Children began crying.

Panic spread instantly.

[As you can see, a building not far from you has already exploded.]

[Of course, that was my doing. Just a small demonstration.]

A child watching the screen burst into tears.

[Don’t worry. You don’t need to panic.]

[I’ll stop my actions if the heroes can find me.]

[But of course… there’s a time limit.]

[It’s 8:36 PM right now, isn’t it?]

[If the heroes can find me before 9:00 PM, I’ll stop.]

[Until then… goodbye.]

The broadcast cut off.

Chaos erupted.

The city fell into panic as people desperately prayed for the heroes to find Indigo in time.

*Hero Association – United States Branch*

“What are we supposed to do!? We’re running out of time!”

Hero Jean shouted.

Inside the meeting room, the American S-Rank heroes had gathered.

The director sat among them, cold sweat dripping down his face.

“What happened to Griffon and Edgar!? Weren’t they supposed to be in Korea capturing Indigo!? Why is he here instead!?”

Argina shouted, her voice filled with panic.

The heroes were clearly shaken.

Then—

BANG!

Jade slammed her hand onto the table.

“Everyone, calm down,” she said firmly.

“Didn’t Indigo say it himself? We just have to find him before time runs out—or this entire city will be in danger.”

LongShot nodded.

“She’s right. We need to find him first, or civilians will die.”

Ashley clenched her fists.

“Then let’s move! It’s already 8:39 PM! We don’t have much time left!”

Jade adjusted her glasses and glanced at the director.

“Director. Give us our orders. We’ll capture Indigo.”

“….”

The director remained silent, frozen in panic.

“Director!”

Jade raised her voice.

He snapped out of it.

“A-Ah! Yes! Ahem…”

“All heroes—move out!”

In an instant, the room emptied.

Leaving the director alone… trembling.

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