[21st Round] The Perfect Hero
The beginning was always the same.
I sat on the throne on the top floor of my father-in-law’s villa, with the First Spirit resting on my head.
And in this position, all my copies waited for days on end for heroes to come.
However, when I personally controlled one of them, additional people appeared.
My cowardly wife.
Shadow A.
Captain Fantasy.
Rice Cake.
Green Cake.
But now, I had lost almost half of them.
“This is annoying.”
“You have a frightening expression on your face, hubby. Anyway, I have good and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?”
“Start with the bad news.”
As with food, I saved the dessert for last.
“Since you lost Hippolia and Green Cake, your combat power had dropped by 0.48%.”
“That’s much lower than I thought.”
I thought it would be at least 5%.
“Green Cake was attached to my aunt’s strength, and she took over the body of the puppet herself, so her power’s been limited.”
That was understandable
“Where’s the director now?”
“That brings us to the next news. My aunt ran away. She’s currently somewhere in Fantasy, but I don’t know where she is.”
That was within my expectations.
Time to hear the good news!
“… Or are you not done with the bad ones yet?”
Judging by the way my cowardly wife rolled her eyes, the good news wouldn’t come soon.
“There’s still more bad news. My traitorous husband has no other heating pads anymore. If you don’t want to sleep alone in the future, you better treat your wife well.”
“My God…”
That news was worse than the one about me losing combat power!
“Should I continue?”
“Go for it.”
We had already gone down this path. It was only proper for me to see it to the end!
“While you were fighting with my aunt, thirteen students were able to graduate. This means that you died thirteen times just sitting on the throne.”
“Tsk…”
“Because of that, a guide for the 5th curriculum has appeared, which you’ll be able to find using your smartphone. The graduates were nicknamed the 13 Legendary Heroes because they turned out to be much stronger than the other heroes.”
“This is ridiculous.”
If I controlled my copies, they never would’ve been able to pass.
I was a little annoyed by the fact that my juniors graduated only through sheer fortunate coincidence.
“I’m not done with the bad news yet.”
“Huh? There’s more?”
“The Fantasy Institution is now accepting students from other planets besides Earth.”
“Accepting? More like kidnapping.”
“Okay, I’ll call it kidnapping. The Fantasy Institution usually switches to other planets only when the number of people they can kidnap has been depleted. However, due to several operational errors and the director’s years of absence, the school’s reputation has been severely undermined. Even the outside world has begun to view it as kidnapping, not enrollment.”
“Isn’t that good news?”
That meant that the Fantasy Institution, led by the First Angel, might meet its end soon.
“If this were still my aunt’s world, it would be. But things are different now. You have a chance to usurp control, and you’re just going to give up like that?”
“Hmmm.”
“I’ll continue. Since its reputation has fallen, the school will again only abduct the inhabitants of the Earth until its situation stabilizes. After all, that planet is this establishment’s go-to place, considering we’ve been working with it for a long time now.”
“All this information is making me feel like my head’s splitting up.”
“And now for the worst news.”
“…”
“Some of the gods have started showing interest in the Fantasy Institution.”
“How’s that the worst?”
“Well… Among them, there are many strange and unpredictable creatures who became gods, having reached perfection. Imagine my aunt and father while they’re deeply distraught. Now multiply them by the dozen.”
“That’s… really dangerous.”
I just wanted to return to Earth to my parents and be a civilized citizen. Why did I keep having to go through all these trials?
“Also…”
“You’re still not finished?”
“This is the last one.”
“Alright, fine.”
“Your battle against my aunt ruined 69% of the system, which means we should expect it to have a lot of bugs and errors. Due to its current state, even though I’m its developer, I can’t predict what will happen next.”
“Ruined?”
“One of you fought so hard that he was willing to sacrifice everything. We can consider ourselves lucky for having only 69% of it destroyed.”
“Is that all?”
“Yes. I’m done with the bad news. Stop nervously fiddling with your fingers now. You’re going to make me start feeling nervous as well.”
Bad news, huh?
I closed my eyes and tried to calmly lay it all out.
It was really bad.
I felt like this situation couldn’t get any worse.
Ssosia, who had caused her wonderful MAX-Class husband to develop a neurotic disorder, continued in a cheerful tone.
“And now the good news!”
“Well, let’s hear it.”
I wondered what news could possibly be positive in this situation devoid of all hopes and dreams.
“My crazy aunt still hasn’t come to her senses.”
“How do you know?”
“Because the ownership and control over the Fantasy system have almost been passed completely to me. If my aunt were okay, this wouldn’t have happened. Even if she regains her sanity now, she won’t be able to do anything.”
“Hmm…”
A logical question arose.
If she had taken control of the Fantasy system, why couldn’t she find the director’s hideout?
“As I said, 69% of the system has been destroyed.”
“Oh!”
“But I’m sure of one thing. Now my aunt is locked in the Fantasy Institution just like us. After the classroom was destroyed, my aunt’s puppet hid somewhere on one of the continents.”
“Then it’s time to go treasure hunting.”
I thought my insurmountable sacrifices were all for naught, but after my cowardly wife explained the situation, I realized there was still hope.
It seemed that luck hadn’t left me yet. The President of the Universe was still showing an interest in me.
That wasn’t all.
▷ Type: Race
▶ Name: Perfect Deity
▶ Rank: Mythic
▶ Mythic 1: Perfect Hero.
▶ Mythic 2: Perfect Demon Lord.
▶ Feature 1: Sponsored by Universe Co., Ltd.
▶ Race 1: Perfect Human.
▶ Race 2: Perfect Darkness.
My race’s characteristics had some form of obsession with perfection.
Its arrogant statements about perfection didn’t make me uncomfortable, though.
I felt like it was as meant to be.
“You are now a deity, after all.”
“According to the system?”
“No. A true deity. From the moment you inherited my father’s divine essence, you were already a deity. You were divided and weakened, which prevented you from feeling it. This time, however, another divine trait appeared.”
“Perfect Hero?”
“Yes,” said Ssosia, her eyes shining.
“What are you doing?”
“My heart’s beating faster because my husband, whom I considered a cowardly traitor, was able to achieve perfection.”
“Hmmm…”
Was that enough to turn my cowardly wife on?
“Gods born of nature, such as my father and auntie, are weak, considering they don’t have complete control over their innate attributes. Those like you, who became gods by achieving perfection, are different since you reached the pinnacle of excellence through your own efforts. It all depends on what type of perfection one strives for, but only perfection can cope against perfection.
“What do you mean?”
“An imperfect being can never defeat those who became a deity.”
“Because they’ve reached perfection?”
“Yes.”
It was a weirdly logical concept.
Even though I became a deity, I couldn’t feel it.
“Do you have any more good news?”
“Sure. Look. This is the photo your mom posted yesterday.”
“What?!”
I didn’t know where Ssosia got the mollanphone from, but I grabbed it and looked at the messages.
⤷Mom: Where have you disappeared this time, son? (7:25)
⤷Mom: Are you sick? Are you in pain? Tell your mother. (13:47)
⤷Mom: Son, I’ll kill you someday! (10:53)
“…”
I didn’t reply for a long time, so she was understandably upset.
That aside…
⤷Son: I’m sorry, but I have found the perfect woman, prepared for me by fate, and I’ve fallen head over heels for her. (13:29)
Who was the person sending such stupid messages under my name?
⤷Mom: Oh, you’re still alive. (15:34)
⤷Mom: Son, is that girl really so perfect that you forgot your mother and my daughter-in-law? (15:36)
⤷Son: She’s the second most beautiful woman in the entire universe. (15:37)
⤷Mom: Who’ the first? (15:38)
⤷Son: You, of course. (15:39)
Did my impersonator have no conscience at all?
My mother might have been a beautiful woman in the old days, but she was by no means the most beautiful woman in the universe.
How could they be so shameless?
⤷Mom: My son has finally matured. I love you ♥ (15:40)
⤷Mom: What’s your relationship status? (15:41)
⤷Son: I married her. I was drunk, and it happened by accident. (15:43)
Married drunk ?!
I hoped my mother wouldn’t believe what this impostor says!
⤷Mom: Ah! Well, since it’s already happened, there’s nothing we can do about it. Don’t make her cry and take responsibility. (15:46)
⤷Son: Yes. Thank you for your approval. (15:47)
⤷Mom: What’s the name of my new daughter-in-law? (15:49)
⤷Son: Ssosia. (15:50)
Seriously?
⤷Mom: Be attentive to Ssosia. (15:51)
⤷Son: Of course. If I dare cheat on her, please hit me as hard as possible with your tennis racket. (15:53)
⤷Mom: Will do. Haha! My son has really grown up ^^ (15:54)
⤷Son: Thank you for your kind words. (15:55)
“Ssosia!”
“Don’t yell at me yet, hubby. Just keep reading.”
“What the hell are you doing with my account?”
“I reassured your mother, who was angry at you since you were unreachable for ten years. Because of it, she even commended you for growing up.”
“You coward…”
“What? She found peace of mind.”
“What peace of mind… Hmm? Wait.”
No matter how advanced science had developed on Earth, a person’s life span couldn’t be increased by tens of thousands of years.
However, she was still sending me messages.
I investigated this mystery.
⤷Mom: Look at this photo of your little brother when he started elementary school. The Minister of Education is standing in the corner of it. (9:54)
⤷Mom: And this photo was taken on the beach during his summer break before entering 2nd grade. Wherever we go on vacation, he always attracts the attention of girls who call him cute. (9:58)
I saw a series of family photos with comments from my mother.
But that was weird.
As my brother grew older, my mother and father seemed to get younger.
Ssosia gave me an explanation.
“It’s only been a century.”
“Hmm… Have my parents become vampires?”
Judging by their photographs taken in broad daylight, that didn’t seem to be the case.
What happened?
“Oh! You got it all wrong. One hundred years have passed here in Fantasy, but only ten years have passed on Earth.
“What?!”
Tens of thousands of years should’ve already passed because of the director!
With a grin, Ssosia replied, “Such a sacrifice was too much for her.”
“What?”
“Time is the same for everyone, which means she loses as much time as you do. What do you think would’ve happened if she had left her position for that long?”
“Ah!”
The Perfect Hero was prepared to sacrifice everything, but the First Angel wasn’t.
“That’s really good news.”
My family was still alive.
I was more delighted with this news than with being promoted to Perfect Deity.
My brother didn’t make me happy, though!
His expression was like a brooding old man. No matter how hard I looked for it, I couldn’t find any cuteness in him.
I couldn’t understand why my mom was so obsessed with him.
“That’s the end of the good news.”
“It’s more than enough.”
In high spirits, I slowly rose from the Demon Lord’s throne.
I was prepared to sacrifice everything, but I didn’t lose anything.
No, that was wrong.
I lost Rice Cake and Green Cake.
“Are you going to search for them?”
“Naturally.”
I wouldn’t let go of the director so easily.
▶ Urgently: Cadet Kang Han Soo! I have very important news!
‘What? Trainee Teacher has news for me too? Is it good or bad?’
The Perfect Hero was ready to listen to everything!
