The Monster Aspires to Be a Hero!

The GPS showed the perpetrator was likely an acceleration or bodily enhancement ability user, fleeing at considerable speed.
Humans who commit violent crimes and flee are in an extremely agitated state.
In such a state, rational judgment becomes impossible, and losing control of their abilities is highly likely.
If heroes are deemed incapable of subduing them, and the risk of additional civilian harm exists, lethal orders can even be issued – it’s that dangerous an incident.
Most don’t flee after using abilities to commit crimes, given the potential for on-site elimination…

Either a villain or someone who has completely lost their senses.
Exactly.
Initially, there were groups arguing against lethal force on human rights grounds.
However, ability users are walking bombs.
In the U.S., self-defense is legally justified if someone shoots first in permissible gun ownership areas.
In such circumstances, human rights groups couldn’t exert much influence.

If not a villain, it’s a perilous situation.
Right.
If it’s someone who suddenly awakened to abilities and lost control, it’s a major problem.
Having committed assault and fled the scene, any circumstances could potentially warrant a lethal order against the perpetrator.
Some heroes are even rumored to revel in killing.
They must be subdued before the worst occurs.
Scaling walls and leaping between buildings to avoid colliding with pedestrians, I steadily closed in on the GPS coordinates.
The perpetrator simply kept running straight ahead.
Weeing
My phone rang, with a new line added to the initial emergency call.

The perpetrator has been tentatively identified as Kim Insoo, a 2nd-year high school student.
Formerly an ordinary civilian who recently awakened abilities.
Attacked 3 classmates, leaving 2 critically injured and 1 with minor injuries before fleeing.
Likely a bodily enhancement-type ability.
Swift subdual requested.
So it was someone who suddenly awakened and failed to control their abilities after all.

Going to kill them?
Subdue them.
Such cases warrant some leniency.
While using abilities in crimes incurs heavier sentencing, being underage and a loss-of-control case could mitigate it.
If civilian casualties increase and heroes judge subdual impossible, then…

Lethal force.
Exactly, which is why I must stop it.
The physical training at the training room seemed effective, as the passing scenery blurred without my legs tangling.
Continuing ahead, the GPS soon indicated the target had stopped moving at a certain location.
Likely surrounded by other heroes or exhausted.
I hurried toward that building.
An edifice undergoing construction, littered with cement, bricks, and steel frames – quite hazardous.
Carefully entering, I found two heroes who had arrived before me.
Though wearing hero suits, they weren’t anyone I had seen on TV.
Likely very low-profile heroes.
They seemed to be discussing response methods.
“One moment, please!”
Noticing me, they called out and, seeing my hero badge, urged me to collaborate on a response plan.
“I can use gravitational manipulation, and this friend is an acceleration user.”
A gravity manipulator who ran all this way?
Ah, the perpetrator must have happened to flee in this direction by chance.
“It’s just a bodily enhancement ability, so subduing them should suffice, right? We can’t waste time here in case they flee.”
“But what if they resist too fiercely…”
They both seemed to have only recently become heroes.
Hesitating here risked the perpetrator fleeing and causing further casualties, which was more perilous.
Ignoring them, I dashed into the building.
Near the blinking GPS coordinates, I spotted someone sitting slumped.
“Kim Insoo, student?”
“Uwaaaaahh!”
Hearing my voice, they hurriedly tried to flee.
But perhaps due to agitation, their legs tangled, and they collided with a nearby pillar.
Reminiscent of my own tangled falls during training room sessions.
This level should be easily subdued, I thought.
The moment I charged forward, it happened.
“Get awaaaay!”
They wildly swung their arm horizontally.
Though their back was turned and the attack posed little threat to an ability user like me, an ordinary civilian could have been endangered.
Pak!
As I evaded that strike to subdue them, the acceleration user had already appeared and punched the perpetrator’s face.
“Uwaaahh, aaahh, uwaaaaaahh!”
Despite possessing bodily enhancement, the impact area seemed quite painful, causing the perpetrator to go berserk.
Flailing their arms in all directions, it resembled swatting flies or mosquitoes.
Pak! Pakpakpakpak!
Rocks flung from somewhere struck the berserk perpetrator’s face and body.
Likely that gravity manipulator hero.
“Ughh, hukhh, huhuughh!”
As the flailing perpetrator’s gaze met mine, I realized… Insoo, as the name indicated, was crying.
Only then could I carefully observe their movements.
The slightly hunched back, the limping gait, the bruises and scrapes peeking through torn clothes – all too familiar.
Injuries commonly seen on abused children.
Could this person be…?

Greed!

What is it?
Utilizing the core. Psychometry.

…Using an ability you’ve never employed in such a situation?
Yes!

Reckless fool!
Though saying that, Greed seemed rather eager.
The cylindrical core container in my pocket began reacting.
While drawing Insoo’s attention, I utilized my ability to prevent the core’s energy from dispersing as it merged with Greed.
I abandoned physical hardening.
Simultaneously handling three abilities was currently impossible for me.
I also minimized movement.
Unlike physical abilities, this required intense concentration.

Go!
Following Greed’s cry, I pushed off the ground and charged at Insoo.
The rocks flung by the gravity manipulator struck my body, momentarily winding me, but I endured it.
As I tightly grasped Insoo, they struggled with all their might to throw me off.
But having only recently awakened with a physically impaired body, Insoo couldn’t shake me off.
And then Greed’s psychometry began.
My consciousness grew hazy as darkness enveloped my surroundings.
Shortly after, the area brightened, revealing a new scene.

The surroundings shook.
Pak, pak, pak
A rhythmic sound like something being struck.

This monster freak!
That utterance accompanied the continued striking sounds.

This time the freak even got clothes after being spotted by you humans?

Ahahahahaha!

Then why don’t we just rip out all their hair too?
Insoo was a victimized perpetrator.
The discrete classroom bullying that had been occurring was escalated into physical violence by the human-disguised monster commotion.
Due to a perceived monster-like disability, Insoo’s clothing was torn and hair pulled while enduring torment.
And this hadn’t been a single occurrence.
The body partially exposed beneath the ripped shirt was covered in bruises.
As the tearful Insoo wailed at that moment, the psychometry ended.
“Ughh!”
It seemed a rock flung by the gravity manipulator had struck my head, disrupting the psychometry.
Had their eagerness for results caused them to lose reason?
Greed.

Yes.
Greed had severed the connection with the core.
I additionally employed hardening to firmly embrace Insoo from the front.
As if hugging them.
“Uwaaaaaahh! Aaahh! Aaaaaaaaahh!”
Insoo thrashed and screamed, but lacked the strength to break free.
Footsteps approached.
Apart from the two nearby heroes, others had also responded to the support request.
I had to hurry.
An uncivilized person like that zealous gravity manipulator might appear and attack Insoo.
I didn’t want to see this child hurt any further.
Tightly embracing the frenzied Insoo, I shouted.
“It’s okay! It’s okay! Insoo-ya, it’s okay!”
“Aaaaaahh! Aaaaaahh!”
I continued shouting directly into Insoo’s ear.
But Insoo seemed to have lost all reason, only struggling in my grasp.
An understandable reaction given the circumstances.
Despite my already subduing Insoo, the gravity manipulator kept launching attacks, and the acceleration user watched cautiously.
So many perceived threats surrounding them.
Only darkness and those trying to restrain them.
They must have felt afraid.
Terrified.
Resentful toward the very heroes who did nothing to help when their job was to protect people.
Firmly grasping Insoo with both arms, I began running.
“Wha-?!”
The nearby heroes and those rushing to support grew flustered.
It didn’t matter if they were flustered.
Ignoring them, I dashed out of the building with Insoo in tow.
Perhaps some residual energy from Greed replenishing the core’s power lingered, as my body brimmed with vitality.
Enough to easily restrain Insoo’s frantic struggling.
Emerging outside while clutching Insoo, I noticed civilians pointing cameras our way.
Still tightly embracing Insoo, I descended amidst those civilians.
“Kkyaahh!”
Some citizens let out startled cries.
Those cries seemed to further agitate Insoo, who began trembling while trying to break free.
Firmly grasping the struggling Insoo, I slowly caressed their head.
“It’s okay, it’s okay Insoo-ya. A hero has come. A hero is here, so it’s okay now.”
“Ughh, uwah, uh, mom…”
The half-delirious Insoo reacted to the word ‘hero.’
“Insoo-ya, it’s okay. Your hyung… your hyung will save you. Calm down, Insoo isn’t a bad person.”
“Hukhh, huhhkk, huhuughh…”
Using abilities in assault was a heavily punishable felony.
Having uncontrollably unleashed newly-awakened abilities could warrant leniency.
Moreover, being disabled, having endured prior bullying, and initially being the victim could potentially justify self-defense.
Insoo hadn’t fled in a way that harmed civilians either.
If Insoo calmed down, this incident could potentially conclude.
“Ughh, uwaaaaaahh…”
Insoo’s body trembled as their muscles tensed.
Likely reacting to the hero-suited individuals.
The very ones who had attacked them until moments ago, inciting terror.
Suddenly, Hyunsung Ajeossi’s words echoed in my mind.
Simply apprehending monsters and villains didn’t make one a hero.
No matter how pained or weary, one must always smile for the cameras.
Make others feel reassured and proud just by the hero’s presence.
But what about the heroes presently here?
To Insoo’s eyes, they would appear no different from those scum who had attacked them.
“Insoo-ya, it’s okay. It’s okay. Calm down. You aren’t bad. If you keep this up, your mother will be sad. Calm down. Calm down.”
I continued caressing Insoo’s head while urging calmness.
Though sniffling, Insoo refused to release the tension in their body.
I raised my voice slightly.
“They bullied and beat you, calling you a monster just for having a disability? It’s okay! You aren’t a monster! You’re human!”
Insoo’s body reacted to the word ‘monster.’
Embracing Insoo tightly, I kept shouting.
“Your hyung, your hyung knows everything that happened! It’s been so hard enduring until now, hasn’t it? So painful? But now, now it’s okay. It’s okay, so… calm down.”
‘It’s okay, calm down, I know what you’ve been through.’
Through my volunteer work, I had encountered many children, physically and emotionally drained.
I spoke with the same sincere earnestness as when counseling those children.
The tension drained from Insoo’s body, soon followed by soft sniffling.
“Ah, it hurts… it hurts, so stop, stop it, uh, uhkhh, hukhh…”
“It’s been so hard, hasn’t it? It’s okay… it’s okay now. Your hyung will capture that monster and eliminate it. I’ll tell everyone you aren’t a monster. Calm down. I’m a hero, don’t you trust your hyung?”
Insoo began shedding the sorrow they had endured through tears, and I continued embracing them until the Ability Response Team arrived.
To prevent other heroes from potentially attacking Insoo, to keep Insoo from fearing the other heroes.
I just kept embracing them.