Solo Cultivating in Superhero Academy
Chapter 116: Villain

Chapter 116: Villain

Elius narrowed his eyes as he pressed the accept button on his communicator.

The call connected with a soft, mechanical beep that vanished into the endless stretch of the night sky above him.

A slightly coarse, aged woman’s voice came through the device, laced with an unmistakable authority.

"Elius Northrim. This is Hero Invasion Hall Administration," she said, her words crisp, each syllable sharpened by years of experience.

"We are contacting you regarding an individual you listed in your background check. A Keith Northrim. Are you aware of this individual’s current situation?"

Elius froze for a moment before answering. "...He’s my half-brother." His voice was steady, but internally, a thousand alarms were blaring.

He hadn’t heard anything about Keith since coming into this world.

He had assumed—no, hoped—that Keith was still alive and not dead.

If alive, he was on the right path, still alive, still striving toward the destiny the original comic had laid out.

The woman’s voice came again, patient but insistent. "Half-brother? Clarify, please. Maternal or paternal relation?"

"Paternal," Elius said quickly.

"Biological father?"

"Yes," Elius answered.

"And your mother?"

"Different mothers. Keith’s mother and mine are different."

A long silence stretched between them, punctuated only by the faint hiss of static. Elius could imagine the woman flipping through files, data, and records at inhuman speed.

"And when was the last time you saw or communicated with Keith Northrim?"

Elius narrowed his eyes. They were being extremely thorough. "Not since I was very young," he lied smoothly. "We weren’t close. He...went his own way."

Another pause. The woman’s voice grew sterner. "Elius Northrim, are you certain you have no ongoing contact with Keith Northrim?"

"Yes. I’m sure."

"And can you confirm that you are unaware of his current activities?"

Elius inhaled slowly. "Yes."

Another long silence. He could hear faint tapping on the other end, almost like claws drumming on metal.

"We attempted to locate Keith Northrim in the Civilian Data Archive first," the woman finally said, her voice turning even colder, more clinical. "No civilian record matching his post-secondary appearance has been found within the legal civilian database. His last civilian registration was nearly two years ago, with no subsequent updates."

Elius frowned. Two years? In the comic, Keith should have still been the rising star of the Academy around this time.

"We then accessed the Superhero Registration Database," she continued. "Again, there was no recent registration or application filed under the name Keith Northrim. His last activity on record in the Superhero Developmental Program was a withdrawal, cited as ’personal reasons.’"

The woman paused for emphasis.

"Due to the absence of records in the Civilian and Superhero Data sectors, we were forced to expand our search parameters."

Elius swallowed. His hand tightened around the communicator, his knuckles whitening.

"Thus, we initiated a search within the Villain Data Sector."

Another beat of silence. The old woman almost seemed reluctant to say it.

"And we found him."

Elius’s mind staggered. His breathing hitched.

No...

Keith...the protagonist of this world...is now a villain?

He barely registered the old woman’s continued, detailed explanation.

"Keith Northrim has been officially listed in the Villain Data Registry. The following offenses have been recorded: illegal acquisition of restricted magic artifacts, robbery of corporate laboratories specializing in genetic enhancement, assault and battery against C-Class and D-Class heroes during pursuit engagements, sabotage of city defensive grids, unauthorized opening of minor dimensional portals for resource theft, destruction of Hero Support infrastructure valued at over ten million credits..."

Her voice was merciless, listing crime after crime.

"Multiple minor civilian injuries were recorded during his thefts, though no civilian deaths have been directly attributed to his actions. Despite this, he has consistently used excessive force to escape engagements, suggesting a high potential for future lethal incidents."

Elius gritted his teeth as the list continued. It felt endless.

Every petty theft, every rebellious act, every sabotage attempt—it piled atop each other, painting a horrifying picture of a man spiraling down into criminality.

"And most notably," the woman’s voice grew even more severe, "during one of the latest skirmishes, Keith Northrim displayed high-level mastery over three separate Esper abilities—Illusion, Telekinesis, and Lightning Manipulation—indicating a highly unstable and dangerous power set with potential for widespread urban devastation if left unchecked."

Elius closed his eyes briefly. Illusion? Telekinesis? Lightning Manipulation?

Those were not Keith’s original powers in the comic storyline. Something had clearly gone very, very wrong.

After a final, cold pause, the woman’s voice asked, "Do you wish to know his current Villain Rank Classification?"

Elius’s voice was dry. "Tell me."

The old woman’s voice was grave as she spoke, with a weight that could crush mountains.

"Villain Rank: Villain Star Two. Classified Threat Level: Sixth Stage F-Rank Villain."

Silence fell between them once again. Heavy, suffocating, endless.

Elius stared up at the dark, starless sky, the realization sinking deeper than any blade could cut. His half-brother.

The one destined to be the shining beacon of hope for humanity.

Now marked as a criminal. A threat. A hunted animal.

In the comic, Keith Northrim had been the golden boy—the unshakable light.

He had fought back against the darkness of the world, inspiring others to rise beyond their limits. His defeat of cosmic horrors, his defense of cities under siege, his incredible power growth—all of it had been legendary.

But now? Now Keith was a fugitive.

A Villain Star Two.

Barely a rung above complete nobodies, but dangerous enough to warrant national monitoring.

Elius’s chest tightened painfully.

The stakes were far higher than he had anticipated. If Keith had truly fallen to villainy, then Elius’s own cover as a "Solarion bloodline descendant" would be under even greater scrutiny.

He needed to act carefully. Ruthlessly.

Because if the world found out that he wasn’t a true Solarion heir—and with Keith now branded a criminal—the authorities would doubt him next.

And doubt would lead to investigation.

And investigation would lead to death.

Elius inhaled sharply and steeled himself.

No. He couldn’t afford to falter.

Not now.

His path forward was clear. He had to grow stronger.

Stronger than anyone.

Faster than anyone.

More ruthlessly than anyone.

He could not trust destiny anymore. Destiny had already been twisted beyond recognition.

Keith had fallen. The world was not what it once was.

And in this chaotic storm, only absolute strength could be his lifeline.

The communicator crackled softly again. The old woman’s voice came once more, colder than before.

"Elius Northrim. Be advised that due to your familial relationship with Keith Northrim, further investigation into your activities may be conducted periodically. Cooperate fully when contacted."

"Understood," Elius replied, forcing the words out.

The communicator clicked off with a finality that echoed in the empty street.

Elius lowered his hand, letting the device fall limply against his thigh.

He tilted his head back once more, staring up into the black abyss of the sky.

The stars seemed further away than ever.

And somewhere out there, his half-brother—the man who was supposed to be a hero—was now a branded villain, hiding in the shadows.

Keith...

What happened to you?

His fists clenched, his nails digging into his palms.

What to do?

What can he do in this situation?

What are the ways?