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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: City of Villains
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Tick, tick, tick—
One second before the alarm blared, D-Rank Hero Kang Hyunwoo opened his eyes.
The internal clock honed by his regimented lifestyle was now more precise than any digital one.
He silenced the alarm and swiftly folded his blanket before dropping to the floor.
"One, two, three…"
A hundred bare-handed push-ups were his morning ritual. This moment alone made him feel like he was pushing his limits, inch by inch.
"Fifty… fifty-one…"
His room was little more than a 'minimal survival space.'
A plastic dresser stuffed with threadbare clothes, a tiny fridge next to the sink, and a single-person table—that was it.
"Ninety-nine… one hundred."
Finishing his last push-up, Kang Hyunwoo wiped the sweat from his brow and headed to the fridge.
His usual breakfast awaited.
Bulk plain cereal and boiled Brazilian chicken breast, sans salt.
The first bite filled his mouth with a rubbery texture devoid of flavor or satisfaction.
Calling this food would be an insult to actual meals.
"It's the nutrients that matter, not the taste."
Hyunwoo chewed in silence. Eating was merely fueling up for hero duties.
After breakfast, he picked up his battered smartphone. The screen was cracked to hell, but the Hero Association app launched without issue.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ D-Rank Hero Endure (ENDURE) - Today's Missions 1. Eastern Market Patrol 2. Illegal Trash Dumping Surveillance 3. Safety Inspection of Demolition-Scheduled Building 4. Stray Cat Enforcement
Three years as a D-Rank. Always the same missions.
"It's fine. Even small acts of justice are justice."
Hyunwoo pulled out the uniform issued by the Association.
The navy-blue functional jacket bore his hero name 'ENDURE' in bold letters. The fabric was worn in spots, but its durability held strong.
He slipped on the jacket and black pants, then grabbed his goggle-style mask.
Before heading out, he cast a final glance at the posters of S-Rank heroes plastered on the wall.
His own reflection stood in stark contrast to their glory.
"Let's do our best today."
He donned the goggle mask as he stepped out.
No one would recognize him anyway, but he wore it for one reason alone.
He was a hero.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Stepping out of his studio apartment, the sprawling cityscape of S City unfolded before him.
The official name started with 'Super-Special…' and dragged on forever, but everyone just called it S City.
Built between Seoul and Incheon on secured special land, it was a hyper-modern planned metropolis.
The SH Tower, home to the Korean Hero Association headquarters, pierced the sky, surrounded by cutting-edge research facilities and global corporate giants.
Skyscrapers shot straight up in the central district, their futuristic designs dazzling the skyline.
S City was one of the world's top cities for superpowered individuals, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Neo-Shanghai, New Tokyo, and America's Metropolis—a symbol of Korea's superpower supremacy.
But Hyunwoo's beat was far from that glamour: the outskirts, with rundown apartments and old markets.
Rent was cheap due to the distance from HQ, drawing crowds of everyday folk.
That was D-Rank Hero Endure's turf.
Arriving at an abandoned lot on the city edge, Hyunwoo donned a heavy iron vest leaning against a tree. The 20kg weight vest crushed down on him.
"Alright, let's get started."
With no cheers from anyone, he began his solitary battle against himself.
He dragged a rope-tied discarded tire around the lot ten laps. He lifted weights fashioned from scrap. He pounded a sandbag patched from old clothes until his knuckles bled raw.
"Still… not enough."
His breath ragged, body ablaze, but Hyunwoo didn't stop. After five grueling hours, his t-shirt was soaked heavy with sweat.
A quick shower, then lunch: chicken breast and potatoes.
Only after that monotonous meal did his real hero work begin.
First mission of the day: Eastern Market patrol.
"Hello, Grandma. Out early again today? How's your back?"
"Oh, young man. Out volunteering again? Such a good kid."
Hyunwoo just smiled. He didn't correct her. What mattered wasn't who he was, but what he did.
Passing through an alley, he heard sobs. A lost child.
"It's okay, no need to be scared. A hero's here to help."
Hyunwoo knelt to the kid's eye level and pulled a candy from his bag.
"Chin up—good things are coming your way."
The child stopped crying. Hyunwoo safely reunited them with their parents.
The grateful folks tried offering a reward, but he waved it off with a smile.
"Just doing my job as a hero."
Afternoon brought trash dumping surveillance, fixing leaky pipes, sorting tangled wires—solving neighborhood woes.
He even chased down a pickpocket and recovered the stolen goods.
His ability 'Power of Endurance' was modest, but plenty for petty crimes.
"Hey, you can't touch other people's stuff."
Grabbing the thief, he scolded sternly but handed them to police without malice—offering a chance with guidance.
As dusk fell, he headed to the nursing home. Wednesdays were his volunteer day.
Cleaning and chit-chat were his tasks.
He approached every duty with earnest sincerity. That was a hero's way, he believed.
"Hey, Hero Kang, seen this drama? Turns out the protagonist's a giant!"
"Really? No spoilers till next time."
"Hyunwoo, you know my granddaughter Eunji? She's coming from Seoul next week. Want an intro?"
Hyunwoo politely shook his head at the grandpa's offer.
"Sorry, Grandpa. I'm focusing on hero work right now."
"Fair enough. But seriously, how long you gonna stay single?"
Orphan-raised, Hyunwoo had no family or friends. Only his hero dream and justice sustained him.
"I'm good. Never lonely."
His shift stretched late: breaking up drunk brawls, escorting inebriates home safely.
"Hyunwoo's back. Overtime again?"
The convenience store regular waved.
"Heroes don't punch out."
"Makes us feel safe. You're the best hero for folks like us."
"Just doing what's right."
Few saw the unflashy, plain-clothed man as a real hero.
But recognition wasn't his goal. Doing right—that made him a hero.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Kang Hyunwoo trudged back to his studio, heavy-legged. The shabby door creaked open to the same silence he'd left that morning.
"Ha…"
Every muscle screamed. Nonstop from dawn till now.
He collapsed into the rickety chair.
No lights needed—the neon glow from the window dimly lit the room.
The shadowed seven-pyeong studio mirrored his exhaustion.
He fetched the last chicken breast chunk from the fridge.
Chicken for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Ding—from the microwave.
"Maybe switch up next week's menu…"
Solitude and silence thickened the air. Solo meals tasted blander. He chewed mechanically, eating to survive.
Post-meal, Hyunwoo fired up his phone and logged the day's activities meticulously in the Hero Association app.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Eastern Slum Patrol - Completed] [Illegal Trash Dumping Surveillance - Completed] [Nursing Home Volunteering - Completed] [Notes: Escorted lost child to parents, subdued pickpocket]
He detailed every entry and hit 'submit.' Seconds later, a message popped up.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Thank you for your hard work today. Activity Score: 5 points
Five points. Same as yesterday, and the day before.
C-Rank promotion needed 5,000 cumulative points minimum. He had just 2,365.
At this rate, two more years.
The recent Black Lotus Bank heist news crossed his mind.
"One big case solves for 500 points, right…?"
He swiped to check his account. Association payout: a measly 1.5 million won. Below minimum wage.
Rent, food, training gear… it barely covered.
"It's fine. Money… isn't everything."
Hyunwoo gazed out the window. Distant downtown lights glittered. A world apart from his rundown studio.
Neon signs, flashy billboards. People there laughed, chatted… together.
A wave of loneliness crashed over him.
No family, no girlfriend, no buddies for drinks.
Pouring every hour into training and patrols had shrunk his life smaller and smaller.
In this forgotten room, unrecognized by all, his days felt pathetic.
"No, not yet."
He rubbed his face with both hands.
"Just work harder. Harder…"
Nine PM, he sat before the tiny TV. Checking news was routine.
📰 Breaking News At today's 'Heroes' Charity Gala' in S City's Cultural Center, S-Rank Hero Golden Princess Serena stole the show.
The screen showed a stunning girl in a golden gown.
📰 Breaking News Golden Princess Serena, youngest daughter of IM Group, donated 1 billion won at the event. She also crushed a local crime syndicate during Paris Fashion Week. Her ability 'Golden Rule' manipulates gold freely—the fastest A-to-S promotion in history, just one year.
Next, an interview. Radiant blonde hair, flawless skin, elegant aura filled the frame.
📰 Breaking News "Just doing the obvious. Abilities and resources I was born with should give back to society."
Born with it.
Hyunwoo gave a bitter smile. He had nothing innate. Just endurance and grit.
The news rolled on.
📰 Breaking News Next: Updates on rookie hero 'Great Grimoire,' who cracked the Black Lotus Bank robbery.
A brief clip showed a silver-haired girl with ruby eyes. CCTV footage, blurry, but odd horns protruded from her head.
📰 Breaking News She soloed the C-Rank monster 'Grumpy Toad' in Eastern Park. Here's Hero Association Personnel Director Seo Jin-ho.
The screen switched to a suited man.
📰 Breaking News "Great Grimoire is provisionally C-Rank registered, but formal review could bump her to B or higher immediately. She's shown A-Rank potential from debut—the talent we've awaited. Promotion to top tiers soon; she'll be the best before long."
A strange ache twisted Hyunwoo's chest. Stuck at D-Rank for three years, while she debuted straight to C with A potential.
He clicked off the TV.
A hero envying another? Shameful for a guardian of justice.
'But I've worked so hard…'
He clenched his fist. Resentment bubbled. Why was everything so much harder for him?
Regimented routine, endless effort, strict diet, flawless training.
So why no progress?
His life felt eternally stagnant.
"Work harder."
Biting his lip, he steeled himself. Despair brief—rebound faster.
No great ability or backing; effort was his only weapon.
"Harder. More intensely. Fiercer. Justice always triumphs."
Hyunwoo recited his mantra. The creed sustaining him since the orphanage.
"Tomorrow, up at 3:30 AM for training. 4's too late."
Heading to bed, he mentally mapped tomorrow's regimen.
Heavier tires, more push-ups, longer runs.
"Someday, me too…"
Clutching that faint hope, he turned in early for tomorrow.
The tiny studio fell silent again, where only Hyunwoo's dreams glowed in the dark.