CHAPTER 33: MISSION: KIDNAPPING

*In a forest near the Poland–Belarus border*

A small wooden house stood quietly among the trees.

Inside, Jacqueline—whose real name was Zofia—was pinning a photo onto the wooden wall.

It was a photo of Indigo.

"Hehe... Indigo... I’m going to find you and break your legs so you can’t run away from me again..."

Jacqueline whispered, letting out a small laugh with an obsessive smile.

"You belong to me... Indigo."

She traced her fingers along the picture, her violet eyes glowing brightly. At this point, she looked completely deranged, consumed by her obsession.

The world still didn’t know that for the last two weeks, Jacqueline had thrown away her status as a Hero.

She had even attacked several cities and escaped every time.

She did all of this just to get Indigo’s attention.

And why didn’t the world know despite the destruction?

Because the Polish government had forbidden any broadcasts reporting Jacqueline’s betrayal.

They were terrified their reputation would collapse.

After all, Jacqueline was their one and only SS-rank Hero.

They had no S-rank Heroes, and only a handful of A-ranks.

If news of her betrayal went public, countless villains would target Poland—and the country would collapse in days.

But there was something the Polish government still didn’t know.

The reason Jacqueline betrayed them.

Indigo.

*Seoul, Korea — Sunday morning*

I sat on the sofa, watching TV while trying not to grimace.

Damn it... even after two weeks, the pain was still sharp.

Standing was difficult.

For some reason I felt a sudden chill, as if someone somewhere was talking about me.

I still couldn’t do any villain activity right now—I was still recovering.

This was frustrating. I needed several more days before I was fully healed.

I tried to recall if any Hero had a healing ability.

Without someone like that, I’d always end up stuck like this after every injury.

"Hm..."

Oh! Right. Someone did have healing powers.

The problem was... he was a Hero.

It would be dangerous for me to go alone.

I needed to bring at least one of my members.

But who should I bring?

*Later that night*

I stood on the rooftop of a small building near a café.

I wore my usual gear—hat, mask, coat, and cloak

Behind me stood So-ah in her villain outfit.

Good thing the outfit I ordered for her arrived today.

"Oppa, why are we here? Are we robbing that café?"

So-ah asked curiously.

"No, we’re not robbing anything. We’re here to kidnap someone."

"If that’s the case, why not just do it alone?"

"...It’s not that I don’t want to, but my lower back still hurts.

Besides, didn’t you want to start doing missions too?"

"Well... yeah, but who would’ve thought my first mission would be kidnapping someone? Everyone else did something so cool..."

she said, crossing her arms jealously.

Handling jealous girls was harder than I expected.

Before I came to this world, I’d never even dated anyone.

"Alright, alright... I’ll take you on another mission next time."

Hearing that, So-ah brightened instantly and hugged my arm.

"That’s what I love about you, Oppa!"

Behind my mask, I smirked.

A few minutes later, the café closed and a man walked out.

Our target.

We hid in the shadows.

The man walked down the street, scrolling on his phone.

When he passed a quiet intersection, the perfect opportunity appeared.

I tapped his shoulder.

He jumped, looking back at me.

"When you walk, don’t stare at your phone."

He froze. Just as he was about to step back, So-ah struck the back of his neck.

He collapsed immediately.

*In a dark room lit by a single spotlight*

He woke up, eyes opening in confusion.

He tried to move but realized he was tied to a chair.

"Oh? You’re finally awake."

"What is this!? Let me go!! Who are you people!?"

"So loud..."

So-ah summoned flames in her palm, ready to throw them at him.

"Stop talking and answer my boss properly,"

she said, her eyes glowing red.

I stepped out of the shadows.

"You... Indigo!"

the man shouted.

This man was Park Hyun-Woo—an A-rank Hero and the only healer in Korea.

He seldom visited the Association, and instead spent more time at hospitals healing patients.

A genuinely good-hearted person.

He also had a younger sister who was sick—something he kept hidden.

And despite being a healer, he couldn’t cure her illness.

Her disease: The Stasis Pallor—a condition even SS-rank healers couldn’t cure.

Tumors formed and latched onto her heart, slowly spreading until the victim died painfully.

In the future, Hyun-Woo would be killed by a villain without his sister ever knowing.

Eventually, she would die too.

Tragic.

But I knew how to remove the tumors.

"Hello, healer hero~"

"Tch..."

Hyun-Woo clenched his teeth, anger and fear mixing in his eyes.

"I want you to work with us."

"Work with a villain? Just kill me!"

"Oh? And what would happen to your sister if I killed you right here?"

His expression froze.

"H-how... how do you know about her...?"

"Let’s just say I have very good intelligence."

He fell silent, fear gripping him.

"Relax. I’m not going to hurt your sister.

I just want you to become our healer."

"...Why should I trust you...?"

"Oh? Want to hear something interesting?"

"...What?"

"I can remove your sister’s disease."

Hyun-Woo’s eyes widened in pure disbelief and hope.

"You... you can cure her?"

I nodded.

Not "heal"—but remove the tumor using my power.

"...Fine... I’ll do what you say. Just... save my sister."

"Of course."

*At Hyun-Woo’s home*

We followed him to his house.

He opened the bedroom door.

"Ah... Hyung... you’re back..."

a weak voice greeted him.

He swallowed hard.

"Hyejin... I brought someone who can cure your illness."

"Really? I hope... I hope he can..."

she whispered.

Her name was Park Hyejin.

She looked extremely weak—pale, exhausted, her once-black hair turning white.

She couldn’t even open her eyes properly.

I walked toward her bed.

"Just relax. No operation needed."

"What? Really...?"

"Yes. Just stay still and don’t move too much."

"Mm... if Hyung trusts you, then I will too..."

she said softly with a faint smile.

So-ah stood by the door, watching.

I gently lifted Hyejin’s shirt to expose her abdomen.

My right hand hovered over her stomach—dark blue light appeared.

Then my hand slowly phased inside her body.

I had to be careful. One mistake would kill her.

Her organs pressed tightly around my hand, making the movement difficult.

She winced softly.

I slowed down.

Gradually, my hand reached her heart.

I searched gently until I felt something hard attached to it.

The tumor.

I grasped it.

A thin, concentrated glow of dark blue light wrapped around the tumor—only the tumor.

It sank into the glow and vanished.

To be sure, I checked around the heart for any remaining growths.

Then I slowly withdrew my hand.

The dark blue light faded.

Color returned to Hyejin’s face.

Her white hair gradually shifted back to black.

"It’s done. You can open your eyes now."

She slowly opened them—no signs of pain or weakness.

She pushed herself up...

And succeeded.

Hyun-Woo broke down instantly, hugging her as tears poured down his cheeks.

He looked like a man who’d been reborn.

Even So-ah wiped a tear from her eye.