Chapter 165 – #166 Tough Guy
#166 Tough Guy
“The water is definitely good and the air is good.”
Standing halfway up the mountain, the president of the Valencia Association muttered while looking around.
The fresh air that can only be felt in the mountains with many trees, the sound of a flowing stream, and the scenery from a high place were close to superb views.
The good cheer given by the mountain was enough to pierce the heart of the head of the Valencia Association who is tired of the arduous daily life.
“… It would have been perfect without that.”
Looking back, he put on a sad expression. If a superb view stretched out in front, a desolate steel wall stood in the way behind.
“When can we break down that wall?”
The head of the Valencia Association wanted to tear down the tall, massive steel wall right away. However, I knew very well that in reality this was not possible.
Because that high wall is a protective shield that protects the safety of the citizens from the fearsome monsters that exist outside.
The ancestors who made the Dark City what it is today built a huge barrier to protect themselves from huge monsters.
At that time, everyone cursed as crazy, but as a result, people were able to get a safe place to live.
A monster that smelled of a human approached, but was blocked by a wall and could not enter the Dark City. Also, even if the monster tried to break down the wall, it was so thick and even endowed with superpowers that it did not break through.
“…”
A steel wall that is responsible for the safety of citizens, but at the same time a steel wall that prevents advances into the wider world.
The president of the Valencia Association looked at such a wall with complicated eyes.
“Why do you come all the way here and be so upset?”
“Ah.”
At that time, someone spoke to the president of the Valencia Association. His stocky appearance and the size of a wrestler made it hard to believe that he had reached his old age.
The reason for coming here, and the president of the Valencia Association, who met eyes with an old friend, smiled.
“Does it show how old you are? Why do you live in a place like this when you have a family and a nice house?”
“What is it like here? The air is nice and quiet, so I have a lot of time to think.”
The tall old tough guy shrugged and said.
“How good living here makes my skin firm.”
“My skin has always been good. Do I drink like you or eat more meat than necessary?”
“Kids say that these days.”
“Kids these days?”
“Don’t hit cowardly with facts, let’s fight fair and square with instigation and fabrication!”
When the president of the association said this while clenching his fists, the tough guy made a grotesque expression. It was like looking at mint chocobap.
“What kind of bullshit is that? Why fight with incitement and fabrication?”
“I don’t know. That’s what kids say these days.”
“Nothing wrong. Anyway, if you haven’t eaten, come with me. But I’m here as a guest, so I can’t send you off without food.”
“I’ve been waiting for that word. I’ve wandered a lot trying to find you how wide the mountain is.”
Hehe. Yes, eat a lot and go.”
“…”
The head of the Valencia Association secretly bit the tough guy.
The tough guy didn’t say ‘let’s go’, he said ‘go’. Apparently, the tough guy had no intention of going down the mountain.
‘It won’t be easy.’
Last month, the tough guy was tasked with protecting an artifact called [The Siren’s Heart]. And while carrying out the mission, he was defeated by Steel Armor, an S-class villain, and received serious injuries such as tearing his ankle and crushing his hand.
Of course, until reaching the position of S-class hero, the tough guy suffered more severe injuries than this, and there were times when his life was in danger.
However, like the hero name Tough Guy, he overcame all those wounds and injuries and became an S-class hero. He was tough mentally as well as physically.
‘Tough guy…’
Thanks to the hero’s exclusive healer, S-class hero Shinui, this time, the tough guy got up right away from the hospital bed. With a different level of resilience, the two-month recuperation period was reduced to about 20 days.
The Hero Association officials said that he was also a tough guy, and expected that he would lead the heroes and arrest the villains as well as before.
But he did something completely unexpected.
‘I’m sorry, but you can’t retire yet.’
That’s when he announced his retirement.
Naturally, the Hero Association had an emergency and did not announce the tough guy’s retirement.
The symbolism of an S-class hero was never light.
There are a total of 17 S-class villains, including the newly emerging steel armor. Since the double jet stream was defeated by Steel Armor and disappeared, it means that there are 16 S-class villains in Dark City.
On the other hand, the Hero Association had only 9 S-class heroes, slightly more than half of them.
The strongest hero [White Knight].
A spider man who handles electricity [Genifier].
A witch who handles fire [Flame Witch].
Controlling the wind [Wind Line].
A [Hive Master] Who can manipulate people’s minds.
A [Ether] Capable of manipulating space.
A [Clown] That fools opponents with self-made poison.
A [Memory Hunter] Who can read people’s memories to determine if they are guilty or not.
And the mental support of all heroes [Tough guy].
These are the 9 heroes who stand at the pinnacle of protecting the safety of citizens from villains.
In a situation where there are an overwhelming number of S-class villains, if even one of them retires, the negative impact that will occur is indescribable.
‘You may want to rest, but please stay by our side a little longer, friend.’
That’s why the head of the Valencia Association came to convince the tough guy who had declared his retirement and suddenly went into the mountains.
*****
The tough guy prepares his own food for his old friend, Valencia, who has come to visit him. He brought the award right away, probably getting used to the life of a natural person.
“I don’t have anything prepared, but I will eat a lot.”
“What’s wrong with saying this when you’re in a situation where you’re getting it, but…”
The president of the Valencia Association glanced at the prize and said to the tough guy.
“I don’t really wear anything.”
“This bastard? But I have nothing to say because it’s true.”
The table was a log, and the meal on it was all grass. It was raw grass that was not even seasoned. It was really just washing the wild grass with water.
“Be honest. Have you ever had a proper meal?”
“… Exercise the right to remain silent.”
“Ha…”
The head of the Valencia Association sighed and sat down in front of the log to eat the grass the tough guy brought.
“You say you don’t eat?”
“I didn’t say not to eat.”
“… Whoops.”
After laughing at his friend’s answer, the tough guy sat across from him and started eating. The two friends, approaching old age, grazed in silence.
“…Are there any more?”
“…Would you like to go grazing together?”
“Do you not hunt animals?”
“Ugh… Just thinking about it makes me gross. Don’t you know I can’t see gross things?”
“…”
That kind of guy did a really good job destroying the Villain Ttukbaegi. Of course, I didn’t actually break the pot, but I made it bloody or broke limbs.
“Rather than that, when you’ve finished eating, get up now. Aren’t you and I busy people?”
“Apart from me, what are you busy with?”
“I have to prepare dinner from now on.”
“Come on, come down with me.”
“No. There is no place for me in the Hero Association anymore.”
“Why don’t you have a seat? You are still the pride and mental support of our heroes.”
The tough guy laughed at the president’s reply.
“Maybe it’s because you’re old enough to say that without shame.”
“If I can take you back, I can do more than that.”
“More? What is that?”
“…”
The president of the Valencia Association, who flinched at the curious look of the tough guy, raised his arms and placed his fingertips on the top of his head. And he said
“I love you tough guy.”
“… This fellow is senile.”
“… You’re dead when you go back.”
No matter who recommended these words to the president of the association, it was a video.
‘Are you really saying that?’
It must be because of your mood that you can see a gumiho flying a double pole from afar, right?
“Hmmmm! Anyway, our association still desperately needs you. How many juniors are following you, and are you thinking of abandoning them?”
“Throw it away, whoever throws it away. I just realized it.”
“What? What did you realize?”
“That I am a stumbling block to the growth of my juniors.”
“What? Why are you a stumbling block!”
“…”
When he woke up after being defeated by Steel Armor, the tough guy lay in bed and thought a lot.
The tough guy wasn’t always an S-class hero. Like any other hero, he started as a D-class hero and grew step by step to reach his current position.
When I was weak, I lost a lot. There were many times when I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for my colleagues and senior heroes. It was never easy to subdue himself, who had to have mercy in his hands, and the villain who rushed to kill him.
Since he became an S-class hero, he has never been defeated. Even if he didn’t win, he never lost.
Defeating against Steel Armor was the first defeat of an S-class hero tough guy.
‘Ah…! I think this is the end.’
A tough guy, he realized he couldn’t grow any more. At the same time he realized
That he was preventing his juniors from growing.
Tough guy saved his junior heroes without sparing himself whenever his juniors were in danger. Sometimes, he even went ahead and arrested the villain for being higher than his junior hero.
Yep, that was the problem.
It takes a lot of effort and experience to become strong. The urgent moment of life and death is the shortcut to rapid growth.
However, due to the confidence to protect the juniors, they were deprived of the opportunity to grow.
He thought of his juniors not as fellow heroes, but as citizens he had to protect.
‘I was holding back the juniors, no, the heroes!’
The moment he realized that, the tough guy decided to retire.
“… But thanks to you, many heroes were able to save their lives. Growing up is important, but isn’t life more important than that? Do you regret saving their lives?”
“Yes, I regret it.”
“Tough guy!”
At the words of regret, the president of the Valencia Association widened his eyes.
“I should have pushed them to limb a bit more. Rather than protecting them, I should have allowed them to fight and grow with the villains. I wasn’t protecting them. I was holding them back. Like shackles.”
“That’s a bad idea. I can tell you this clearly. No one, no hero, will ever resent you for saving you! You idiot!”
“The river does not stagnant. It flows endlessly. Let’s wait and see. It may be difficult now, but I, the stagnant water, have flowed down, so young blood will soon take my place.”
“…”
The head of the Valencia Association has prepared a lot of words to convince the tough guy. But the moment he met his determined eyes, he realized that all the words he had prepared were useless.
“…We need you.”
“Stop talking. I’m thinking of going back…”
“The young heroes who will be responsible for the citizens and associations in the future lack experience. You fill that experience.”
“What?”
So, the president of the association decided to persuade him in a different way.
“Aren’t you always stuck in the mountains anyway? Now that you’ve retired, you should spend happy times with your family. When you come down from the mountains, tell your juniors the story of your life so far and how you dealt with each situation.”
“…”
“Isn’t it safer to learn your know-how and fight the villain than to run into the villain with your bare body? Surely it’s not the kind of Scrooge who wants to monopolize experience? The world’s toughest guy?”
“Her…”
At the words of the president of the Valencia Association, the tough guy laughed. Since stagnant water was stagnant, he has that much experience. As he said, if he learns his own know-how, his junior heroes will be able to fight villains in a safer environment.
After thinking for a while, the tough guy accepted Valencia’s offer.
“… Instead, you’ll have to give them a lot of allowances.”
“There’s no way. I’ll give you just as much as I give to the guest lecturer.”
“Scrooge is you, not me.”
“No, Scrooge is you. A friend came and he only fed the grass, but what…”
“Oh well, you can’t hunt animals with your bare hands?”
“Then make a javelin and catch it!”
“I don’t like it. Blood splatter is gross.”
“I’ve seen that guy’s bloody villain!”
The two giants of the Hero Association bickered like they did in their youth and talked about memories all night long.
