Chapter 246: True Madness

Dialogue is probably the most ideal way to resolve conflicts between people.

Unfortunately, reality isn’t so generous. Sometimes, there are situations where one must abandon dignity and resort to violence. For example, when the other person doesn’t listen—or when they’re crazy… or very crazy.

Anyway.

This is exactly one of those cases. A moment when dignity must give way to violence. Because the President of the Association, now fleeing and trailing blood, is a lunatic with whom dialogue is impossible.

Thok.

I couldn’t just stand there with a patient this critical, so I inevitably administered an injection—with my knife.

The President’s eyes flew wide open as the sashimi blade pierced his side.

“Gaaaaaaaaaaah!”

A bloodcurdling scream filled the laboratory. Since the entire interior was lined with metal, the echo thundered back with force.

At the center of this hellish wailing were him—vomiting blood in torrents—and me.

“It’s just a stab.”

The President convulsed, foaming at the mouth after taking the injection to the abdomen.

His rolled-back eyes made it clear he wasn’t in good shape.

What a shame… His madness was worse than I thought.

In moments like this, one has to harden their heart. Hearing the screams of a man over two hundred years old tears your soul, but this is all part of the treatment.

And let me repeat this is not gratuitous violence. This is medicine. It’s not like I want to treat the Director’s father like this.

‘My heart hurts.’

As if something were being torn inside.

Which is why I must cure his madness as quickly as possible. Besides, I only had about 40 seconds left on my [Blessing of Insensitivity to Pain].

“I’ll administer another dose.”

“P-p… stop… please, stop…!”

“If you move, it’ll hurt more—ah, right.”

I scratched my head with the hilt of the knife.

“This is supposed to hurt!”

“Kaaaaa!”

Ignoring his attempt at resistance, I stabbed him again with the sashimi. Splash. Blood sprayed across my cheek.

“Damn, I’m going to need a lot of soap to wash my face.”

The President’s face began to turn as pale as a corpse. It was the perfect moment to activate the [Blessing of Regeneration].

This kind of blessing even regenerates blood, so there’s no risk of bleeding out or dying from shock.

If timed right, the patient won’t die. Or rather, they can’t die. I won’t let them.

Now that I think about it, if this blessing were made widely available, the entire medical system would collapse.

‘And even I, self-taught, have already “cured” several people.’

Of course, the blessing alone doesn’t perform miracles. It’s thanks to my precise cuts and genuine desire to save lives that this has been possible.

At this rate, shouldn’t I be considered a divine doctor?

·
·
·

Well… maybe not.

***

“It hurts, doesn’t it, President?”

Thok.

“Feels like having a giant nail driven into your chest, doesn’t it?”

Thok.

“That’s the same kind of pain the Director felt just a moment ago.”

Thok.

“And don’t think it’s only children who get nails driven in.”

Thok.

“Parents drive nails into their children’s hearts too.”

Thok.

“I know it well—because I was one of those victims.”

***

“…Hey, Geom-Ma.”

Media called out to Kang Geom-Ma while witnessing the “madness treatment” being administered to the President of the Association.

When he turned around, he saw her completely pale.

“I understand how you feel, Director. It can’t be easy, especially considering it’s your father. But don’t worry, this will all be over soon.”

Geom-Ma tried to reassure her, but Media lightly bit her lip and shook her head.

“Geom-Ma… No matter how I look at it, this doesn’t seem like treatment—it looks like torture…”

“Director.”

Kang Geom-Ma cut her off with a stern gaze.

“It may seem a bit extreme, but you know better than anyone that this is the only way to treat the President’s madness.”

Media didn’t respond.

“……”

But she thought. Victor Poison was a lunatic, yes—but a lunatic who was aware of his own madness.

And Geom-Ma? Though she didn’t want to think that way about a student she cared for… Kang Geom-Ma was also a lunatic. Just a glance at his record was enough to see how unhinged he was.

However, under normal circumstances, he acted with morality and common sense. As long as his “madness switch” wasn’t triggered, Geom-Ma was a model student.

Maybe his premature maturity and mental instability were side effects of growing up without parents.

In this world, he had no one to rely on but himself.

And despite all the adversity, he achieved miraculous feats, as if Heaven had granted him a special talent.

‘Despite everything, Geom-Ma has endured.’

Media reminded herself it was her duty to act as a guide, to make sure that this prodigious youth didn’t stray from the path.

Even if he swung wildly between sanity and madness, with the right environment, he could change.

‘But the problem is…’

Kang Geom-Ma didn’t know he was mad. He wasn’t aware of it. He genuinely believed he was a normal person.

“It may look like simple violence. But to understand the value of life, one must feel the pain of death firsthand.”

“……”

“I don’t like doing it. It’s uncomfortable. But it’s necessary. It’s all part of the treatment.”

Even then, while speaking as if convincing himself, Geom-Ma said it with complete sincerity.

And that’s exactly why he acted without hesitation.

‘Fine. Let’s suppose he’s right about everything.’

In the world of heroes, solving problems with violence wasn’t that unusual.

Otherwise, what Geom-Ma did to Kojima would’ve been totally inexcusable.

Media, for her part, had her own reasons for not hitting him.

Even though she would’ve loved to, she restrained herself.

But Geom-Ma didn’t. He went straight to the hospital and stabbed him with sashimi. And deep down, Media found it rather satisfying.

‘With those high-and-mighty, arrogant heroes, sometimes violence is the only language they understand.’

After all, she slapped her own father. The difference was only in degree, but in the end, violence is violence.

She couldn’t criticize Geom-Ma without being a hypocrite.

But still…

“Aaaaaagh!”

How could he treat Victor Poison, the President of the Hero Association, like a fish on a cutting board?

‘And saying things like “it’s just a stab,” “this is treatment”…’

And when she tried to speak up about how extreme it all was, Geom-Ma just treated her like she was being overly sensitive.

‘They say the mad don’t know they’re mad.’

Media sighed. She was seriously starting to doubt whether she’d ever be able to “correct” Kang Geom-Ma. If his madness was that pure and uncontrollable, then even she didn’t know how to deal with it.

At that moment—

“By the way, wasn’t the President of the Association a combat-type hero? I mean, he’s hanging in there, but for someone in his position, he’s weaker than I expected.”

Geom-Ma asked casually while cleaning his knife on his sleeve. Next to him, the President sat unconscious in the chair.

Media swallowed hard before responding.

“My father isn’t combat-specialized. But he’s at least at an average warrior’s level.”

“Really?”

Geom-Ma looked at him, surprised.

That wimp who looked like a dainty noble?

“Doesn’t look like it at all.”

“That’s because you…”

…Are ridiculously strong, Geom-Ma.

The words caught in her throat as she saw that Geom-Ma now had two sashimi knives instead of one.

“If he’s at warrior level, better prepare another just in case.”

“Don’t you think that’s… a bit much?”

“Can’t be too careful.”

Geom-Ma shook his head.

“If the President decided to resist seriously, he might accidentally strike a vital spot. It could be a fatal accident.”

Geom-Ma said it with utter conviction. Media could only rub her temples, dizzy with fatigue.

At that moment, the President, who until recently had hung limp like a rag doll, cracked open his glazed eyes.

It looked like he’d returned from his third trip to the other side. Victor groaned in pain. His gaze was unfocused. Drool slid down his chin.

“Please… save me…”

Hearing that, Kang Geom-Ma approached.

“Say it clearly. Are you asking to be saved—or that you want to live?”

“I—I want to live!”

Geom-Ma lowered his voice. Then the President began to beg as if his life depended on it.

“Heavenly Sword, thanks to you I’ve realized that dying hurts more than living forever. I was wrong. Life isn’t a chain of suffering. Even wallowing in mud is better than dying…”

“Shorter.”

“I want to live. I don’t want to die. I want to live—without a doubt!”

Victor kept pleading for his life. A pitiful sight, nothing like the dignified head of the Association.

“Don’t say that ‘I want to die’ stuff again. Because if you do, I’ll come again.”

“Even when my time comes, I’ll accept intensive care if needed!”

Kang Geom-Ma looked at him for a moment, then turned to Media.

“Looks like the madness treatment was successful.”

Geom-Ma smiled, baring his sharp teeth. They gleamed like blades.

“If additional treatment is needed, just let me know, Director.”

“……”

Media couldn’t say a word.

She just let out a sigh so long it echoed like a fading wind.

***

Thus ended the physical therapy session. Media called the assistant and the secretary to return to the lab.

“……!”

The moment they stepped inside, both of them covered their noses. The stench of blood hit them like a rock to the head.

“What is this?”

The lab was splattered with blood everywhere. It looked like at least twenty people had bled out there.

Anticipating their reaction, Media briefly explained what had happened. Both were left in shock.

They looked at each other, unsure of what to say. From what the director said, it seemed that the Heavenly Sword had beaten the president.

“I know it’s hard to take in. But please understand. Accept reality.”

“If you say so, Director.”

“And of course, this stays between us. If anything leaks, you know what to do. Understood?”

“Yes,” the secretary replied.

“If anything leaks, we’ll both take our own lives. That was our vow.”

“What? I never made such a vow…!”

The secretary shot him a glare. The assistant cursed internally.

‘Damn it…’

Always with the suicide talk. And now that the president ended up like this, the last thing he wanted was to go down the same path.

Discreetly, he glanced toward a corner of the lab. There, Kang Geom-Ma and the president were chatting cheerfully in front of an old computer.

The scene left him speechless.

They talked completely normally, as if nothing had happened.

Madmen operated on a logic beyond all understanding.

“So, what the president wants is to launch these cyborg angels into space, right?”

Geom-Ma summarized the conversation so far.

“But why bother sending them into space?”

“Sending something into space does require a lot of resources, yes. But once they’re out there, there are many advantages. For instance, they use solar energy, and the vacuum prevents decomposition. See?”

“That makes sense. But if you want to launch them, you’ll need help from the United States. That would take a long time.”

“And why should I rely on the Yankees? Beneath my base in Antarctica, I already have facilities ready to launch a rocket. I just have to press a button.”

“By yourself?”

“I’ve got too much free time to do it all alone, but in other parts of the base I have robots that help me.”

Victor operated the keyboard and switched the monitor screen.

Robots appeared, working actively. Though they had quite humorous designs—penguins, seals, Arctic animals.

“Why do they look like that?”

“Personal preference.”

“I respect that.”

“In any case, the rockets will orbit the Earth like satellites. And they’ll only descend as meteorites if you, Heavenly Sword, give the order.”

“Falling from the sky, that really would be a fitting entrance for angels.”

“If we’re going to do this, it should have style. I’m sure if angels fall from the sky, even Fermush will be a bit intimidated. What do you think of my plan?”

“To be honest, it sounds completely insane. From start to finish.”

Kang Geom-Ma said it with utter seriousness.

“Let’s do it.”

Humanity was ready.

All that remained was a worthy enemy—the demon that would breach the gate to invade.