Dear Heroes, I really am a Villain
Chapter 101: The Symbol of Fear

Chapter 101: The Symbol of Fear

Strauss stood at the podium, the IHB logo displayed prominently behind him.

"Greetings, citizens of Arkadia. I’m Heinrich Strauss, the current Director of the Arkadia City International Hero Bureau, or IHB. I’m here to address the incident that occurred last night," Strauss began.

"Last night, an anonymous villain attacked the city center. He laid waste to the area and its surroundings. The villain, accompanied by his allies, targeted our forces who were working to maintain order.

There are 42 casualties, 40 of them were the brave soldiers of Arkadia City, and two were IHB heroes who helped us contain and eliminate the threat."

The moment Maximilian heard there were casualties, he frowned. He knew he hadn’t killed anyone, he made absolutely sure of it.

What happened after he left the scene?

Did the other villains take advantage of the weakened state of the heroes and enforcers to launch a follow-up attack?

If so, then those poor souls were truly unlucky.

Strauss continued.

"Unfortunately, the mastermind behind this attack has escaped. This villain is extremely dangerous and possesses an EF ability that allows him to control and create darkness, shaping it into various objects.

The power behind these objects, such as spears and swords, is highly destructive. If anyone encounters a dark object the size of a sword but lighter than a small wooden branch, please notify the nearest authorities or call the number shown below.

As for the villain..." he paused, and an image of Maximilian in his black armor appeared on the screen.

The angle of the picture was from below, showing Maximilian controlling colossal spears behind his back just moments before releasing them.

It must be said that, from this angle, combined with his armor and the dark wings resembling those of a devil, he looked incredibly menacing.

"The villain is suspected to possess an EF power at Gamma level or beyond, which makes him a threat to the entire continent. If you encounter him, please escape immediately and contact the authorities using the number below. We will do everything in our power to apprehend this villain as soon as possible."

At those words, the reporters began whispering among themselves.

What does Gamma Level mean?

It means that, apart from the top five heroes in the rankings, no one would be able to stand against this villain. And those top five? They’re the pillars of humanity, elite heroes who protect the order of the UEC and only face threats of unimaginable scale.

"As for his alias, he named himself..." Strauss paused, ensuring every reporter in the room was focused on him before continuing.

"Nihilus."

The moment the name was spoken, gasps echoed throughout the room, followed by hushed murmurs.

The name Nihilus... a word associated with nothingness and destruction.

Is this villain aiming to destroy them all? All of humanity?

Villain Points gained: +1323

Villain Points gained: +1847

Villain Points gained: +2174

Seeing the Villain Points explode like that, Maximilian was startled. Are people really this afraid of me from just a simple broadcast!? This is insane!

Then, the session moved from the announcement to the Q&A. Reporters all raised their hands eagerly.

"Sir!" one of the chubby reporters called out, raising his hand. Strauss nodded toward him, signaling him to ask his question.

"Thank you, sir. I wanted to ask. Do you have any clues about who he really is?" the reporter asked.

"We do have some clues," Strauss replied, "but until we’re certain, we’ll refrain from disclosing that information." He then turned and looked in another direction.

"Next question," Strauss said, making it clear from his posture and tone that he wouldn’t take another question from the same reporter.

"Sir! Do you know where this villain is right now? Or maybe you know someone who can reach him?" a female reporter asked next.

"That’s two questions, Ms. Reporter. Please choose the one that matters most to you," Strauss said, pointing at her for trying to slip in a second question.

"I’m sorry, sir. The latter! Do you know who can reach him?" she quickly corrected.

{Shit...} Maximilian cursed internally.

[Yes... shit indeed. I think taking a three-day vacation back in our old world sounds pretty good right now,] Atherna chimed in, agreeing with him.

{Yeah... but still, I really hope that guy doesn’t say my name on live TV. If he does... shit’s gonna hit the fan.... Hard.} Maximilian prayed silently.

"We don’t have conclusive evidence yet. We need more time to gather it. As you know, it hasn’t even been 24 hours since the incident," Strauss replied, skillfully avoiding a direct answer.

"You mean... you don’t have conclusive evidence, or you still don’t have a clue?" the reporter asked, attempting to provoke Strauss with a baited question.

Strauss narrowed his eyes and responded.

"Let me ask you this, Ms. Reporter..." He pulled a large stack of papers from inside his suit and held it up to the cameras.

"I have over ten thousand names of suspects gathered in the past ten hours of investigation. Do you want me to randomly throw one of those names out on a live broadcast?"

His tone grew colder.

"What if the name I mention turns out to be someone you love? Can you imagine what kind of life they’d be subjected to after that?"

Seeing her falter, Strauss didn’t let up.

"If you can’t imagine it, let me paint the picture for you:

The moment I say the name, your neighborhood might storm your house. They’ll throw trash or whatever they can get their hands on. They’ll scream, curse. Your home will be damaged. Your child could be traumatized. Your dog might get hurt.

Worse still, some might break into your property, and certain officers may turn a blind eye because they, too, hate villains. And that hatred could easily extend to your family just for being associated."

He paused, letting the silence press on the room.

"And what consequences will there be for those who break into your home? Likely none. Because it’s nearly impossible to trace who actually vandalized your house or harmed your loved ones."

Strauss looked her directly in the eye.

"Knowing this, do you still want me to throw out a random name from that list?"

The reporter looked down, silent. She had no retort.

"When I say the evidence is inconclusive, I mean it. It’s not because I’m dodging responsibility. On the contrary, because of my responsibility, I refuse to risk causing unintentional damage to society," Strauss concluded firmly.

He scanned the room one last time.

"This Q&A session is now concluded. Thank you for your patience."

With that, Strauss stepped down from the podium, leaving behind a flurry of shouting reporters, all eager for more but blocked by security guards.

{Wait... he didn’t say my name!?} Maximilian was confused.

[Whoa... He didn’t say your name! Wait... he said it’s inconclusive. Does that mean he’s still just suspecting you? But... that shouldn’t be possible. The guy’s smart, and you’ve met him once, your identity should be clear... Hmm... is he helping you? (￣～￣;)] Atherna asked, unsure of what Strauss was aiming for.

{I don’t think so. Maybe he’s just waiting for a better opportunity. Or... he’s simply being cautious,} Maximilian replied.

[Don’t you think maybe... just maybe, he’s helping you? Or he doesn’t want to implicate ’Max,’ who seems innocent in his eyes, despite the fact that ’Max’ is ’Maximilian’ brother,] Atherna analyzed.

{No matter what it is, I think it’s a good thing for us,} said Maximilian.

Villain Points gained: +2341

Villain Points gained: +2753

Villain Points gained: +3124

Seeing the notification of points exploding like this, both Maximilian and Atherna couldn’t help but stare in awe, like they’d just hit the jackpot at a casino.

Strauss! Good job! You are a good man, Strauss. I used to think you were just a grumpy jerk! But you’re a jerk who brings us fortune! Maximilian thought.

While Maximilian was reveling in his newfound wealth, a voice spoke.

"That villain... he seems very strong. Will this city be okay?" Rebecca asked, worried about the future of the city and the stability she had just gained.

"You don’t need to worry, Rebecca," Maximilian said, trying to comfort her.

"Huh? Why?" Rebecca asked.

[Because I will protect you. Now! Say it!] Atherna immediately cheered.

"Because I don’t think that villain will make any big moves soon," said Maximilian, ignoring Atherna’s encouragement.

[Tch! Boring!]

{Interrupt me again, and I’ll start collecting harem like it’s a creature collection game.} Maximilian threatened mentally.

[Try me, Maximilian Sterling Graham, and I’ll snip-snip you! (╬ᇂ_ᇂ)] Atherna immediately retorted.

{See? You don’t like it either.} Maximilian pointed out.

[I’m only allowing Rebecca, and maybe one more because I need them. End of discussion. (╬ᇂ_ᇂ) ]

{Heh... you’re such a big jelly.} Maximilian teased.

[(눈_눈)凸]

—

With this live conference, the name Nihilus had become common knowledge—a household name.

People feared this name because of what it represented: destruction and nothingness. Coupled with the news and various channels repeatedly airing the footage captured during Maximilian’s fight at the city center, the fear only grew stronger.

This surge in attention pushed Maximilian’s Villain Points to new heights.

With all of this... the name Nihilus had become a Symbol of Fear.