I’m Not That Villain

8 – Ability (2)

“My ability is ‘Target Setting.'”

“Target Setting…?”

Cha Seo-yoon turned his head. He put the empty can he had just drunk from on the table.

“My ability itself is simple. If I set a target to hit and accurately strike that place, the power increases. It’s a simple ability.”

“Oh?”

Cha Seo-yoon clenched his fist towards the can.

“I’ll hit the center of the can.”

Crack.

The moment I thought I had lightly touched it, the can was torn apart in all directions. To the naked eye, it seemed as if I had just lightly placed my fist on it, but the shattered aluminum pieces rolled on the floor.

Wow. I’ve seen it a few times in popular videos, but it’s my first time seeing it in person.

Interesting. Very interesting. And the ability itself is simple, isn’t it? It’s a versatile ability, isn’t it?

“And? Are there any problems?”

“There are preparatory movements that need to be taken. And… there is also a bigger weakness than you might think.”

“What is it?”

“Mr. Lee Seo-jun, have you ever heard of an ability being called a ‘double-edged sword’?”

Ah. Yes, of course.

Those who possess abilities that are so strong that they consume their own flesh.

It’s quite a common case, isn’t it? I nodded.

“Of course. You’re talking about those who possess abilities that are so strong that they end up harming themselves, right?”

“Of course, there are such cases, but it is more correct to understand it in another way. All abilities have their strengths and weaknesses. It is better to express it with the concept of high risk, high return.”

Cha Seo-yoon picked up the broken can pieces.

“I don’t know the principle, but most of them are like that. Some ability holders get hurt by their own abilities because of that point. Rather than saying that the ability was too strong and ate away at their flesh… it is more correct to say that they couldn’t cover the weakness itself and got cut. And I also have that. The essence of my ability is that its power varies depending on the ‘area’ of the target I set.”

“Hmm?”

“If I set the entire large wall as the target and hit it, the force is not that strong. But if I assume a narrow range and hit it, I can knock down the enemy with that much stronger force. Do you remember the day we first met, Mr. Lee Seo-jun, when I subdued the enforcer?”

“Huh. I couldn’t see anything. Everything just disappeared with a swoosh.”

“…It might be hard for an ordinary person to follow with their eyes, but anyway, at that time, I was definitely using my ability. After going through the preparatory movements, each blow aimed at the vital points accurately hit the opponent. As a result, I was able to knock out the enforcers in one blow.”

“Isn’t it a perfect ability without any weaknesses?”

“It is optimized for ambushes, but not for frontal battles. Most targets move, and if the opponent is an ability holder, their movements are even faster. It is very difficult to accurately hit the vital points of a moving target. And if I fail to hit the vital points of the target I designated internally…”

Cha Seo-yoon lightly shook the broken can pieces.

“All the shock that should have gone out comes into my body.”

“……?”

“Glass cannon. It’s a nickname I got when my body broke several times when I first entered this industry. I’ve done so much that the identity of my ability is widely known in this underworld. Fortunately, I am covering that weakness with experience… but it is certain that it is an ability that cannot be used recklessly in a frontal battle. If I miss, it is no different from shooting myself.”

Glass cannon.

Isn’t it a fitting nickname?

“Is there anything else special?”

“Not really… My ability itself is easy to explain, and its strengths and weaknesses are clear, so I don’t think there’s anything more to say.”

“Alright. Then… is there any form you prefer? Like a favorite weapon form, or a tool, or something you use often?”

“…Not really… I don’t usually carry specialized equipment. The workshop has made some for me a few times, but they all broke quickly. Partly because I handled them roughly… but anyway, that’s how it is.”

“It’s because the synchronization rate is low.”

“I made it with high quality that matches over 90% with me…”

“Tsk tsk. Why use something that’s over 90%? It should be a dedicated weapon to be helpful. At 90%, it would rather undermine your skills. You’ve been scammed.”

“……? What do you mean…? 90% is sufficiently high quality.”

“What are you talking about? Most dedicated equipment starts at 100%. Equipment should not stop there but should be able to draw out more than 120% of the user’s abilities to be truly called equipment.”

I straightened my shoulders.

“90% synchronization rate? That’s like a skilled apprentice’s work. I know everything, you know?”

“…….?”

“I’ve heard from a real master before. The world of true elites. Ha! How much effort do you think I put in to follow that!”

The gaze looking at me was not kind. Ah. Yes. It’s obvious that they are filled with suspicion.

But you know what? I’ve never bluffed. I only spoke the truth.

Except when making illegal weapons, I’ve been hiding my skills…

I’ll reveal everything!

The things I’ve been hiding because I didn’t want to expose my bottom line, I can use them without hesitation in my workshop!

Honestly, even if I’m not a first-class master, I’m close to it.

After all, I am!

The protagonist who made a work highly praised by a billionaire villain!

. . .

Cha Seo-yoon found a point of doubt.

The actions and tone of the man named Lee Seo-jun. And the emotions contained within.

The ability factor.

She thought about it briefly.

The source of power for all ability holders. It can also be seen as the unique characteristic that an individual possesses.

Because there is an ability factor, abilities can be used. And what is made using that ability factor…

Is the individual’s dedicated equipment.

Because it is custom-made equipment, others cannot use it. The ability factor only reacts to the same ability factor, making it even more so.

So what does the dedicated equipment do here?

It’s simple. It assists the user.

That’s all.

“…….”

That’s roughly what specialized equipment is. Of course, he is not an expert. He is neither an artisan nor particularly knowledgeable about specialized equipment.

However, he knows a few people who use specialized equipment.

The reason they all used the equipment was the same.

Ability assistance.

That is the whole reason for using specialized equipment.

Abilities are more dangerous than one might think. The more powerful they are, the more complex and demanding the conditions, and some obvious weaknesses exist.

It was no exaggeration to say that ability holders used specialized equipment to hide those weaknesses. They tried to somehow compensate for their fatal weaknesses.

For example, there is ‘him.’

The holder of the ability ‘Living Sword,’ which can cut through non-living things but cannot cut through living things.

He cannot control the ability itself, so he cannot even cook normally. But by using specialized equipment to suppress that ability, he can cut through living things with that specific tool.

That’s exactly the role of specialized equipment. To forcibly suppress the weaknesses of abilities that are always active, or to use them as pure blades or blunt weapons.

In other words…

It means it is merely ‘assistance.’

The most important thing about specialized equipment is the synchronization rate with the user. However, he had never seen a case where the synchronization rate exceeded 100%, which is the limit of specialized equipment synchronization.

Since it cannot fully transmit power, it remains merely ‘assistance.’

Sometimes, the best use is to completely lower the synchronization rate and create equipment close to 0% to suppress abilities like ‘Living Sword.’

So, he doesn’t understand even more.

The man in front of him who says something impossible is possible.

“…I know that if you modify the ability factor and put it into specialized equipment, impurities will somehow mix in.”

“Cha Seo-yoon, I’ve thought this for a while, but you’re really smart. You could be an artisan.”

“I’ve only heard things in passing. So, it’s impossible for the synchronization rate to exceed 100%…”

“There you go again. You think I don’t know anything, right? Hey, I heard it from the owner of the top-tier Black Chain Workshop, okay?”

“What?”

Black Chain Workshop.

It’s definitely one of the top three large workshops in the country. And the owner is also known as a renowned master.

Lee Seo-jun straightened his shoulders.

“Ordinary people like me don’t know, but I’ve heard that specialized weapons with a synchronization rate exceeding 100% are sold among the upper class. And because of that, I’ve been told many times not to be arrogant because there are many people like me.”

“…….?”

“Hey. I’m not falling for it. I know everything, okay? You don’t have to flatter me. The reason ability holders don’t get their specialized equipment from workshops is because of that, right? They all have pre-arranged places to trade, and they only match with them. Moreover, such large transactions don’t go up on the internet or anywhere else, so only those who know, know. I’ve already heard it from the biggest player in this industry.”

“…If you mean the biggest player…”

“I told you earlier. The best of the best. The owner of the Black Chain Workshop, ‘Kang Tae-sang’. He told me directly. The top of the industry has a separate league, and in that place, you can extract unimaginable wealth. It’s a place where not just anyone can enter. But since I’m not completely without talent, he promised that if I learned a little under him, he would take me as his direct disciple. Of course, now it’s all for nothing.”

What kind of nonsense is this? I’ve been in this industry for quite a while, but I’ve never heard such a story.

Equipment with a synchronization rate exceeding 100% is traded among the upper class? And such a market is hidden from the general public?

It’s nonsense among nonsense. It doesn’t even exist in the first place. There’s no way such equipment exists.

But those words… were said by the owner of the Black Chain Workshop? For what reason?

“Life as a handyman is really tough. The senior’s territorial behavior is severe… If you pretend to know something, it just makes social life harder. So later on, I just kept my mouth shut. It was more comfortable that way. Ah. It reminds me of the old days. In my first year, I didn’t know anything and just acted out, only to get scolded. I was really young back then…”

I can’t focus on the pouring backstory. My mind is solely on the shocking words he uttered.

The owner of the Black Chain Workshop.

A famous figure known as a master even in the country lied. Even targeting an apprentice.

If I had no information, it would have been difficult to guess the reason. But Cha Seo-yoon noticed a huge piece of information right in front of him.

The man in front of him, Lee Seo-joon…

He is the one who directly developed the exclusive equipment for the Bad Sector.

And he is also the one who even received praise from that picky weapon collector.

Based on the information obtained, the man in front of him, Lee Seo-joon, must possess tremendous technical skills.

If you connect the dots… Could it be…

The owner of the Black Chain Workshop gaslighted him over time?

To fully make his skills his own?

“……”

The hypothesis is complete, but it doesn’t make sense at all.

The Black Chain Workshop is a workshop with top-notch technology even in the country.

Such a place spent effort and time just to deceive one man.

What kind of nonsense is that?

An individual’s ability… surpasses the group?