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What is a hero?

What is a hero?

When I thought about that as a child, I should have opened a dictionary or asked my parents. In that way, the answer that I would have gotten would be simple and clear. A hero is a great person and a protagonist. A hero is someone who has strength beyond human understanding and performs acts like that of a messiah. It was a rider who wore a mask, a human that can become a giant for three minutes, or five people grouped together to destroy evil.

Then, what should I do to become a hero?

When thought about that, I wanted to ask the dictionary and my parents for an answer too. But I wasn’t able to get it. Even to this day. I don’t understand anything, know nothing, but only want something. But, it’s a but. In my opinion, hero is justice, so to speak. In that case, something on the opposite side of that will be necessary. In other words, evil. Justice appears only when there is an evil guy, aren’t heroes praised too much?

Justice and evil.

Who decided which is which, I don’t know very well. What is right and what is wrong. Who is right and who is wrong. I don’t know.

What is a hero?

I still have no idea to this day. Protecting a stranger and making most of the present. The only answer I can accept was that.

「Hey, don’t sleep.」

Shaken by someone, I woke up. Apparently, I dozed off for a moment. It’s regrettable, but it will be work from now on after all.

「We will arrive soon. It’s the start of the job… Oh.」

We ran over something, a stone maybe. The bus strongly jolted. Because of that, a commotion happened inside the crowded bus. Like me, those who were sleeping must have also woken up. Suddenly, when I looked outside the window, it was dark and I could not see anything.

「Right now, what time is it?」

When I asked, the man sitting next to me casts his eyes down to his left wrist. But there is no watch worn there.

「Aah, I changed clothes. Sorry, I don’t know.」

「Is that so?」, I muttered and closed my eyes. Not to sleep. It’s to organize the plan for today in my mind

「Hey, are you going back to sleep? That’s why you can’t climb up the ranks. You don’t change no matter how much time passes. How long will you do this and say that it’s fine?」

My thought is interrupted after being called out. There’s no need to revise and check it though. We underlings always have only one thing to do.

「The opponent tonight, who is it again?」

The guy sitting in front leans out and asks me. I’m sure he is wearing a stupid look on his face.

「What year are you?」

Before me, the man next to me spoke. From the tone of his voice, I hear his irritation. Well, that’s obvious. I don’t understand how can you ask such a thing when we are about to do it soon. We might be underlings, but there’s no need to put in an effort to know the opponent. In that case, there might be next time. This time, we may return alive.

「Fourth year. Well, I took a leave last week because of a cold, so I didn’t receive any information.」

「In that case, you can ask your batchmates or a senior, right? How long will you act like a rookie? … Ah? Fourth year?」

The man next to me crosses his arms. He seemed to be thinking about something.

「This is according to my guess. Last time, almost all of my batchmates were sent to the hospital with no visitors allowed. Honestly, I think that catching a cold saved me.」

I see, I’m so envious. If I can do that, I would have wanted to have a day off last week. Anyway, I don’t care that those guys took out something like a new weapon and tried shooting it a few times, but the number of injured person exceeded what we need for this. After all, it would be dangerous if I enter the front line.

「If your batchmates are no good, ask a senior.」

When the man next to me said so, the man on the front seat moves his hand to his head.

「Well, it seems that I’m hated by the seniors.」

「Obviously.」, I smiled wryly.

「Or rather, we’re also those seniors that you’re talking about.」

「Ueeh? Really? I completely have no idea.」

I look at the window. That’s obvious. It’s easy to tell from your face and attire. All of us are wearing the same clothes and the same masks.

「Well, there’s no need to go all out. For today, we only have to take something in the warehouse and break it.」

That’s how it is. Naturally, the thing we will take is not ours. We also don’t know what’s inside it. The order given to us underlings is to steal a box. The thing that a certain somebody took great care of hiding, that is our job. It’s none of our concern.

「If we arrive at the right time, we can aim for the moment they carry it to the ship. If we beat the hell out of them properly then that would be enough.」

I nod. The man in the front seat groaned.

「But will it go smoothly? Look, last time…」

「Daaaaa! Stop saying something like that!」

Someone stands up. When I looked, it was a guy with height and nice body build.

「You’d raise a strange flag, wouldn’t you?!」

「Ah, eh, eheh. Sorry.」

「Oh, we arrived.」, the bus stopped and all of us stand up. There’s no trace of tension either. It’s the start of a very enjoyable job.

We line up and alight from the bus in succession. After looking around the group of my fellow coworkers, I transferred my line of sight to one man.

「Walk from here.」

The chief surveys us and sighs. He is always like that. He appears to work depressed. But since he’s more senior than me, his position is higher than me.

「We don’t need something excessive like a strategy. Attack and steal. That’s all.」

「Yeah…」

A half-hearted response is heard somewhere. But the chief is not pointing that out.

The chief is in a position to command us, the underlings. His pitch black tights costume is no different from ours, but to comply with the organization, there was a lame golden badge on his chest. Its purpose is to make a distinction. But I who is in the sixth year can recognize the chief even without the badge. He’s the only one who does not seem motivated. His shoulders are dropped down even while fighting, that slovenly walking guy, I don’t know anyone except for the chief.

「Ah, there’s also no need to scout. After all, the bus can only wait for 30 minutes. Those who come back late will also walk home, okay?」

Miserable voices leak out from here and there. The chief laughed a bit.

That day, heroes did not show up.

In the early morning, the station is crowded. Students are going to school. Employees are going to work. Each of them is heading towards the place they should go. Nobody cares about other people’s matters. This time, I don’t want to waste even one-tenth of a second.

「Please!」

Someone I expected to see is also in that place where people gather. Frankly speaking, it’s those guys handing out flyers. Recently, those guys are increasing in here. And the contents are also the same. I decided to take all these sorts of leaflets. It’s not that much. Only, I plant to make it a topic of conversations.

「… Please.」

During that, I noticed the girl with a sullen face. It’s the first time I saw that face around here. The small girl was unusual, but she was also in a wheelchair. It does not mean she is intentionally trying to draw sympathy. If that is the case, she would be more sociable.

Anyway, I accepted the flyer from that kid. I fold it up and shoved it to the pocket of my jeans. Although I accepted it, there were no words of thanks from her. At least, I did not hear anything.

While waiting for the train home, I take out the flyer that I put in my pocket. Looking closely, it appears to be a recycled supermarket flyer. I’m moved. Money is a problem everywhere. I also have problems with money. Or rather, everyone, even now, is troubled by something.

… Way back before I was born, the place called the National Diet of this country literally collapsed. I’m still not clear about the details. Particularly, I don’t even want to know. Even before that, it seems it was more peaceful compared to now. People seemed to live without worries. Well, isn’t it still the same today?

Anyway, Japan became lawless. That’s obvious. The place referred to as the institution that represents the citizens, the highest institution of national sovereignty and the only legislative body of the state fell through after all. As far as what I have heard from my parents and grandfather, it soon became terrible. People die and get killed, while the cities were broken and destroyed. With its function as a country already gone, the other countries continued to turn a blind eye.

However, it’s just enough. People are still alive and there are even cities. The country called Japan is properly on the world map. The one who rescued this country was an unstoppable great man called a hero. He was the Prime Minister at that time, Mitsurugi Tenma. Although it’s merely superficial. There is a title but it is the same as nothing. It’s an empty Prime Minister. However, he carried it out. He accomplished it. The magnificent revival of the country called Japan. In a hero suit.

A hero suit.

It doesn’t mean that he’s fooling around. At the very least, I’m sure he, the prime minister at that time, was serious. As for the hero suit, it is a nickname that the media shortened from a long one and popularized. The original name is physical reinforcement something something carapace. Regardless of the name, its performance was amazing. Anyway, it only has to be worn. No exaggeration, its punch breaks rocks and its kick crushes even iron. How many scientists made it? The people at that time must have really thought it was a dream world or even a fairy-tale. A guy seen on television, but he slipped out from there and beat up opposition party members and gangsters. It is strength against strength. Organizing a hero corps that possessed tremendous strength, Mitsurugi governed and brought together the country in one year. Naturally, a lot of opposing people appeared. It must be because they were forced against their will. It’s not so bad when you just think about it, but honestly, he doesn’t do what a person that held the title of a prime minister does. It’s an abnormal regime. But nobody could say anything. Because if you speak, you will be blown away for several meters with just a poke in the forehead.

However, it didn’t go well after that. It’s impossible that nobody wants a suit with tremendous ability aside from Mitsurugi. Of course, Mitsurugi also wanted to keep it only for himself, but nobody can oppose the magical power of money. The hero suit technology had leaked out to the private sector. It’s strength against strength. If it is a peace that was broken with strength, it is probably inevitable that it will also be snatched away with power and be lost. In relation to the use of a suit, regulations and bills were passed but it was too late. There was no end to the people doing whatever they want.

Once again, heroes appear.

However, there was nobody who cheered for them. I guess the existence of suits became common. It’s welcome if it’s valuable. But it’s possible for a person who wore a suit to commit a crime after all. In order to crack down on the criminals, other people who wore suits appear. In some way, it is stirring trouble to get credit from the civilians. Thus, Japan had become a country where heroes and villains are walking around like normal.

『Hero Employment Agency, currently recruiting employees.』

I threw away the flyer I received a while ago.

That’s natural. When I was born, there was already an existence similar to what is called evil organization and guys who are called envoys of justice, it’s generally those. Almost every day, somewhere, someone is wearing a suit. If someone is wearing a suit, a crime takes place. If a crime takes place, a hero shows up.

Children had abandoned their dreams to grow up as a hero. Even now, something like a professional baseball player is popular as the profession that they want to be when they grow up. Kids who say they want to become a hero are rare. By now, hero is a profession. Companies that hire and deploy heroes in case of emergency wasn’t unusual right now. Calculating how much is the hourly pay, there are even cheap heroes in this city. I’m sure they are everywhere. Suits are pretty much in circulation, but it doesn’t mean that it’s sold in public. The thing itself is expensive and selling it without permission is dangerous. Only after getting through a troublesome procedure, you can call yourself a hero. But it doesn’t even mean that you can be active immediately. It will be a world where you hit a hero if you throw a stone. Because of bounties and paid missions, criminals are almost the same as prey for heroes. Like ants swarming a sugar, a lot of them will show up and gather. Slipping through the eyes of the hawks is next to impossible. Sometimes, fighting between heroes also happens. Maybe, they can’t be called heroes anymore.

「Aoi, Aoi.」

With my name called, I turned around.

「Yesterday went so well, it was an easy job. After all, no one came.」

「The preparation was perfect. That time, most of the Heroes seem to be out.」

「Heeh」, A man pulls a pipe chair in front of me and smiles like a nice guy. His name is Kuwazome. He’s my batchmate. But I should not let my guard down. We are bad guys after all.

Kuwazome drinks the coffee he just poured into a paper cup. Although it tastes bad, it’s drinkable enough. The waiting room assigned to underlings is not decent. The lockers have to be even shared among several people. Because we stuff the suits used for fights in there, a nasty smell will pierce our noses if we fail to do laundry.

A dusty room furnished with lights that stopped working. Locker, desk, and pipe chair. Other than those, I see nothing of value. Here is my workplace. Even so, there is hardly anything that I should do here. Actually, moving around the location while saying “Hey you!” is the job of an underling.

「Well, anything is fine as long I receive money. Leaving that aside, Aoi, have you seen the board?」

「Didn’t I tell you to stop calling me by name? … As for the board, I saw it. But it doesn’t matter to us, right?」

The board he is speaking of is a whiteboard placed near the entrance. Messages and trivial scrawls are left in there. What Kuwazome is saying is regarding staff reassignment this time, I think.

「That bastard, he left us behind and got promoted as a Kaijin. Aaah, if I’m assigned under him this time, he will make me work hard. I’ve been overtaken by my juniors, tears won’t even come out anymore. I mean, I don’t care. I don’t care, you understand? He got a better suit and receives a higher salary, geez, should I take over my family business? Well, it’s a liquor store in the shopping district though. Recently, a shopping center was built so the customer traffic decreased.」

「Stop, it’s getting depressing.」

My workplace, simply put, is an evil organization. I don’t know its true identity very well. Around the time I graduated from high school and had no goal in mind, I was scouted as a combatant in the base of the pyramid, the lowest class of the organization, and reached here without doing anything particular for six years. Assigned with trivial jobs, my job is to reach over 20 years of age and run around.

I wasn’t able to grasp its true identity even after six years, and in addition to me being a total underling, there’s nothing certain like true identity in here in the first place. It’s called an evil organization, but I never even heard of any overambitious goals. If they’re advocating something extreme like world domination, I would have quit a long time ago.

Even in such organization, more or less, there is a hierarchy. There’s a division anywhere in society. We combatants, the chief combatants who command and supervise us, and on top are those guys called kaijins. I heard that kaijins received custom suits and are excellent combatants. Moreover, there are kaijins called the Four Heavenly Kings on top of that. I still haven’t seen them before though. Anyway, they exist. That’s why they are the bosses who run the organization. Of course, I have neither met nor seen them.

「I wonder how long are we going to 『play』 around?」

Kuwazome sipped his coffee. I could not answer. It’s because there was no need to answer. That’s the way things are decided. Until we die. Because garbages and simpletons like us were supposed to play the role of the villains who are cut down by the heroes. If the heroes and bad guys become familiar with each other to some extent and have common sense, it won’t be like this. My father worked peacefully until retirement in an ordinary company and retired to the countryside with my mother using the retirement money. Around this time, they are raising crops and worrying about their health. I am just an inconvenience to others. I don’t intend to be misunderstood. Even in a world where villains became common, bad things are bad. Law exists. I’m undeniably a criminal now. An evil organization combatant who is not ashamed to reveal it anywhere.

For combatants, physical strength is life. Rather, it’s also fine if they are healthy. The younger the better. I am still in my twenties, so I train my body so I won’t be weak. But what about next year? The year after next? After five years, I will soon be thirty. At that time, can I still run away? Can I still fight? The answer is surely a no. I have no doubt about that.

「Didn’t you hold out for six years?」

Kuwazome says without looking at me. This guy is harsh. Even after six years, I have no hope of getting successful no matter what I do. With a cheap salary and a bonus like a drop in a bucket, I am made to work until I die. Nothing remains. I can’t save anything. Let alone tomorrow, I’m doing my best to live today. It’s the right time.

The job for today was the worst as usual. It’s not good to do something for a second time. Anyone knows that. But those from above said 『go』, so we have no choice but to go. We attacked the same warehouse as yesterday, but sure enough, heroes were lying in wait. The junior who just got promoted as kaijin was wearing a suit which looks like a crow and excited, but he was quickly beaten up. He was beaten because it’s four against one. We underlings ran away. Fleeing is not prohibited and our lives come first more than anything. Thirty combatants abandoned the kaijin and desperately ran away. When I reached the bus, among the combatants who ran away together, one third were missing. Probably, they were caught by other heroes while escaping. When the driver cannot wait any longer, he drove the bus away, leaving behind the others who remained. When I sat on a seat and breathe out a sigh of relief, I noticed Kuwazome was nowhere to be found.

We don’t have any insurance.

We don’t have any welfare program.

We won’t hear any words of apology.

There’s nothing for us underlings. Disposable shields. We’re nothing but consumable goods replenished next after next. Nothing… No, at least in my case, there’s nothing for me. Things that remained or I’m barely grasping would disappear someday. I know, but I could not even do anything. It can’t be helped. I have no money. I have no power. Even my friends disappeared before I noticed it.

I was thinking about that while being jolted by the train I thought about doing it until the end. Should I also withdraw from it? Explain the situation to my parents, and also grow crops…

「Ah…」

When I realized until that point, tears came out. I did not know if it was because I’m pathetic or because I’m sad. I wonder what I was even doing for six years. Yes, should I quit? How did I end up in an evil organization? Ah, because I’m stupid? Because I’m a simpleton? Because I’m a garbage?

When I got home, a flyer similar to the one I threw away this morning was on the floor. It’s probably not mine. Someone unintentionally accepted what the wheelchair girl was handing out and threw it away without thinking about it at all. Like feeling sorry for that girl, I fell into a mood like that. Melancholy. Not good. I am stupid, so I fall deeper the more I think about it. Geez, anyway, let’s stop for today. I will think about it after I sleep and wake up. Fortunately, tomorrow is Saturday so it is a day off.

When I go through the ticket gate and come out in front of the station, it was quiet as expected, unlike yesterday. But I found it. The same as yesterday, that one thing.

It’s the wheelchair kid. She is still handing out flyers. Just alone, without even borrowing someone’s help and just with her own strength.

Nevertheless, it’s just handing out flyers. Despite that, for some reason, it looked like she was doing an extraordinary noble act. I, who is an evil organization combatant was made to think like that somehow. Before I notice it, I was walking towards her. I haven’t thought about anything beyond this point. However, the moment I saw the image of her handing out flyers, as if an evil spirit came down, I’m sure that I didn’t care about that. Maybe that’s why.

「Hey.」

This is stupid.

I am stupid.

What am I thinking?

Where is the me, the damn bastard, who did whatever?

「There’s no phone number written in here.」

What is a hero?

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