chsdbacks Chapter 62 Man and Monster
Chapter 62 Man and Monster
The news of Iai's promotion to S-class was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, creating huge ripples both inside and outside the Hero Association.
Congratulations, questions, scrutiny... all kinds of eyes came rushing in.
Iai remained calm about this, spending most of his time at the dojo, consolidating his newly acquired power while guiding his junior disciples in their cultivation.
That afternoon, Iai had just finished a round of training focusing on the precise manipulation of chakra when the association's dedicated communicator, which was placed to the side, rang.
He picked it up and saw that it was an unfamiliar number.
"Hello, who is this?"
"Is that Mr. Iaian, ranked 18th in the S-class?"
A gentle, pleasant male voice, yet carrying a formulaic distance, came from the other end of the communicator: "Excuse me for bothering you, I am Sweet Mask, ranked 1st in Class A."
Iai raised an eyebrow slightly. Sweet Mask?
This man, who calls himself a "hero and idol" and guards the threshold between A-class and S-class, suddenly contacted me. Was he trying to "interview" me?
"It's me, Mr. Sweet Mask. What's up?"
Iai spoke calmly.
"Congratulations on your promotion to S-rank."
Sweet Mask's voice remained gentle. "I greatly admire your performance in G City. I wonder if it would be convenient for you to speak with me in person about the responsibilities and future of S-class heroes."
Iai hesitated for a moment, then agreed: "Okay, what's the time and place?"
"One hour later, in downtown G city, at the 'Quiet Time' café, VIP room 3, how about it?"
"it is good."
An hour later, Iai arrived at the elegantly decorated, sparsely populated café on time.
Guided by the waiter, he pushed open the door to VIP3 and saw the long-renowned "hero and idol".
Sweet Mask sat by the window, the afternoon sun casting a golden glow on his perfect profile. He wore a well-tailored white suit, his demeanor elegant, and his face adorned with an impeccable, gentle smile, making him appear more like a model straight out of a fashion magazine than a battle-hardened hero.
"Mr. Iai-an, please have a seat."
Sweet Mask smiled and gestured, his voice magnetic.
Iai sat down opposite him and ordered a cup of tea.
After the waiter left, the private room fell into a brief silence, with only the faint sounds of the city noise coming from outside the window.
"Mr. Iaian, I'll get straight to the point."
Sweet Mask put down his coffee cup and looked at Iai, his gaze gentle yet penetrating. "I've been watching you for a long time. As Mr. Atomic Samurai's top student, your swordsmanship is solid and your beliefs are unwavering. I've always believed you have the potential to become an S-class hero. I also voted in favor of the association's evaluation regarding your promotion."
"Thanks."
Iai nodded slightly.
"but……"
Sweet Mask abruptly changed the subject, his tone turning serious. "S-Class Heroes are on a completely different path from A-Class. This means you'll face Demon-level or even higher threats alone, and every mission could mean facing death. The danger far exceeds your imagination. Are you... truly prepared?"
His gaze was fixed on Iai's eyes, as if trying to probe into his truest thoughts.
Iai met his gaze, her eyes calm and unwavering: "Having chosen this path, I have nothing to fear."
"very good."
Sweet Mask nodded, seemingly satisfied with Iai's answer, but he didn't intend to end the conversation. Instead, he leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice, and spoke with a barely perceptible hint of inquiry, "So, one last question. The association's report mentioned that after your serious injuries in G City, you displayed astonishing self-healing abilities. I'd like to confirm again, is this ability truly just the activation of your body's potential after breaking through your limits? Or is it some other kind of... 'change'?"
He deliberately emphasized the word "change," and his eyes sharpened.
Iai realized that this was Sweet Mask's true purpose for meeting him.
He was testing the waters, testing whether he, like him, had walked the dangerous tightrope between humanity and monster.
Facing Sweet Mask's gaze, which held a hint of tension and scrutiny, Iai, who had been silent for a moment, suddenly spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but it exploded in Sweet Mask's ears like a thunderclap:
"For example... becoming a monster like you?"
Upon hearing this, the perfect smile on Sweet Mask's face instantly froze and shattered.
"you--!"
His handsome face contorted at a visible speed, terrifying veins bulging and writhing beneath his skin like earthworms, his eyes instantly becoming bloodshot, his gentle and refined demeanor vanishing, replaced by a ferocity and violence akin to that of a wild beast.
A terrifying killing intent, like a tangible ice storm, instantly enveloped the entire private room. The cups and saucers on the table trembled slightly, and the air seemed to freeze.
"How did you know?!"
Sweet Mask's voice turned hoarse and dangerous, filled with disbelief and extreme vigilance. He stared intently at Iai, as if he were about to strike and kill at any moment. "Could it be... that you also accepted that power?!"
"rest assured."
Despite the murderous intent that could break an ordinary A-class hero, Iai remained calm, simply picking up his teacup and blowing on the steam. "I haven't turned into a monster. It's just that my senses are more acute, and I happen to be able to detect some 'abnormal' aura on you that is similar to that of a monster."
He paused, looking at Sweet Mask's hideous face, so different from his usual idol image, and said with a hint of sincere admiration, "To be honest, I admire you. After becoming a complete monster, you were still able to maintain your true self with your strong willpower, uphold your heroic beliefs, and be more like a hero than many real humans. You are a true hero."
Sweet Mask froze, his bulging veins subsided slightly, the bloodshot in his eyes faded a little, his terrifying killing intent subsided, and at the same time, a complex emotion that was hard to describe appeared.
He seemed surprised to hear such words from Iai.
Iai downed the tea in his cup in one gulp, stood up, walked to the door, stopped, but didn't turn back. He simply left behind a calm yet resounding statement:
"Finally, I want to say that to judge whether a person is still human, we should not look at what their physical body has become, but rather at this part of them—"
He pointed to the location of his heart.
"As long as one always maintains a human heart and adheres to the bottom line of humanity, then no matter what incredible changes occur to his body, he will still be human."
After saying that, Iai opened the door to the private room and walked straight out without looking at Sweet Mask again.
Inside the private room, Sweet Mask stood frozen in place, the ferocity on his face slowly fading, the bulging veins disappearing, and he regained his handsome appearance. However, his eyes were empty, as if he had lost his focus. He just stared blankly in the direction where Iai had left, without moving for a long time.
Iai's last words echoed in his mind like a resounding bell, impacting the deepest, most unbearable knot in his heart.
"Keep...one human heart..."
He repeated it in a low voice, his clenched fist trembling slightly, which finally turned into a complex and incomprehensible sigh.