You Can Become a Hero (As Long as You Don't Misuse Your Power)

"Haah… haah… haah…"

Both the crowd of bystanders and the heroes present were struck dumb. A lone boy had gouged out a villain's eye and even pulled out what seemed to be their brain and spinal cord. Without a care for the gore he had just extracted, he placed the eye and the dangling brain nearby and approached Akishima.

"O-Ozawa… are you okay?" 

Kurata reached out his hand to help Akishima up, but his hand was swatted away.

"Y-you bastard! Damn villain!! You finally went and killed someone, huh?!" 

"Huh?"

"What kind of human are you?! Look around you! Everyone here is freaking out because of your mess! There's no way a human like you should exist!!"

Akishima immediately got to his feet and left the horrific scene as if fleeing. Kurata, looking around at the crowd, noticed that every time his eyes met someone's, they took a step back, screaming.

"What the hell was that… Did he gouge out their eye?" 

"They're totally dead… No doubt about it." 

"A murderer…" 

"Was it some kind of territory dispute between villains?"

Kurata looked at his blood-soaked hands, stained with the villain's bodily fluids, and tears started streaming down his face.

"I've really done it now… finally." 

Then, one of the heroes who had arrived at the scene, Diablo, spoke harshly, his gaze cold and unyielding.

"It is illegal for an unlicensed individual to publicly use their guin." 

"Kid, I'm placing you under arrest. You'll have to come with me."

---

And so, Kurata Takumi was taken to the Yoshikawa Police Station. Now, he sat quietly in an interrogation room, waiting. Staring at his handcuffed hands, he hung his head in despair. 

I've killed someone. No matter how evil they were, no matter if they were a villain, murder is murder. 

Even if there's a chance I could undo it, the body and the brain have already been collected. Who would even believe it's possible to revive someone like that? 

I've heard of it before… a special prison for guin-based criminals. Maybe I'll end up there… Forget about being a hero. I'm a murderer now. 

Looking up at the ceiling in resignation, Takumi muttered softly. 

"Dad, Mom, I'm sorry… I couldn't become a hero…"

As tears streamed down his face, the door to the room was knocked on and opened.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" 

A handsome and Idol faced guy with white hair and cyan colored gem eyes, entered the room casually. 

Who is this guy? Kurata frowned in confusion and asked, "Um… who are you?"

"Hey, hey, it's me! Don't you recognize me?" 

Suddenly, as if inflating himself, the handsome Idol looking man transformed into a familiar figure, leaving Kurata astonished.

"M-Mr. White?! Wha—what's going on?!"

As Kurata watched, the man before him transformed. His attire shifted into a sharp, white suit with a flowing cape edged in silver, exuding a quiet but commanding presence. 

A black, angular mask with glowing red patterns concealed his face, the faintly illuminated eyes radiating an intense focus. His gloves, reinforced with dark metallic accents, complemented the sleek look. On his chest, a silver emblem resembling the letter "W".

"You've seen people flexing their guins in TV interviews, right?"

"No way…" 

"Well, let's just call it a part of my guin for now. But more importantly… I came here because of your situation."

Hearing that Mr. White had come to speak with him directly, Kurata trembled in fear. 

I see… He's come to take me down as a villain. That must be why he's here. 

Lowering his head, Kurata said, "I won't ask for it to be painless. Please… just take my life." 

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on! Let's not jump to conclusions! Calm down!" 

"Aren't you here to take me down…?" 

In the midst of his despair, Mr. White glanced out the small window of the interrogation room and began to speak. 

"Unlicensed use of guins is forbidden… because guins can kill. Even if there's no intent, even if it's a prank or a joke, depending on the guin, it can easily take someone's life."

I know that. Because I've experienced it myself.

"That's why there are hero training academies and hero licenses. To ensure people don't misuse their powers and understand them fully." 

"Yes…" 

"Even knowing that, you still did something so reckless. Why?"

He knew all too well that his guin could only hurt or kill. He had understood that since he was a child. But at that moment, there was no hesitation. He already knew the answer.

"Because I wanted to save him. My classmate… Even if Ozawa and the others don't think of me as a classmate or a friend… my body just moved!" 

I know what I've done. Given what I did, it's no wonder they see me as nothing more than a villain in the making who just wanted to flaunt his power. But even if my guin is so hopelessly dangerous, my body moved on its own to help them.

Mr. White could feel it—how precarious this boy's situation was. 

He's wavering right now, between being a hero and a villain. Despite having such a dangerous guin, he still wants to be a hero. He's worked so hard for it. But his guin's lethality won't let him. 

A guin that can kill so easily… Mr. White shuddered at the thought of what lay ahead if Kurata's efforts were invalidated and denied.

What this boy needs is affirmation. And now is the crucial moment. Mr. White made his decision.

"What you did is unforgivable. Even if your guin could revive someone, the fact remains that you've effectively killed many with your actions." 

"Yes…" 

"But… you still have a chance to learn. About yourself, your guin… When you fully understand them…" 

"Like I said before, you can also become a hero."

Kurata's tears burst forth uncontrollably. Those words… how long had he been waiting to hear them? How much had he longed for this? That single affirmation from his idol shattered all the cumulative rejection he had faced.

"You know, with great powers, comes great responsibilities!"

"So, to make that happen… you need to take responsibility first. So, let's go" 

"S-sniff… Um-okay, but where are we going?" 

"To the morgue. First, you need to revive that villain. Otherwise, even I won't be able to defend you. Do your best—revive him!" 

---

Under the supervision of the police and the heroes present at the scene, Kurata somehow managed to revive the sludge villain. 

The revived villain completely lost his will to fight and surrendered just after seeing Takumi once again, leading to Kurata Takumi being released.....