21 Red Redemption.

Rui was staring at his first target. The building belonging to the Longinus Hero Agency. Its main hero is spearheaded by the 38th ranked hero, Ranger.

Ranger, while competent, is widely known to be highly greedy and just a pain in the ass. Many oral reports of his wrongdoings come directly form his current and ex-sidekicks. His many tales often involve collaborating with villains to directly boost his hero ranking. There are also others who say that they were often underpaid, or not at all.

He was able to consistently swindle and dupe his sidekicks because he was essentially in the perfect place. He was placed at 38th in terms of ranking. That means it was not too high to capture the attention of the media, while still being high enough to earn a substantial amount of money.

While many sidekicks had already reported it to the hero association directly, they could only hush about what happened. Ranger was somehow in the top 10 in terms of popularity which could be attributed by his looks and charms.

This being was exactly what Rui was looking for.

The hero agency building was 12 stories tall and had glass windows on all sides that one could peer into. Rui was situated atop a nearby building and was peering into a specific window on the top floor.

In his view, he saw what might be Ranger speaking into his phone with a smirk. He couldn't read his lips, but his actions afterward told him all he need to know.

Ranger's face became serious and leaped to his feet. He then rushed out of the building.

'All according to plan.'

Before observing Ranger, he had to lure his victim out. To have an absolute plan, he must first lay out the foundation after all.

If the oral sources were anything to go by, Ranger particularly liked cases where a damsel in distress was involved. They said that whenever he realized there was that person in particular, he would rush out of his building immediately to the destination.

In this case, the destination was out in the streets. He had to put out a show in front of as many people as possible.

He followed Ranger to that street and waited until Ranger realized that the previous phone call was phony.

"Fuck! And I thought that there was someone to save again. Damn it!"

The people in the streets recognized Ranger and went squealing after him.

Enjoying basking in the recognition, Ranger decided to stay back for a while and enjoy the fun.

Unbeknownst to him, Rui had swapped with the person behind him. Rui raised both of his hands and brought it back together, smashing the Ranger's head along with it. Brain matter and blood exploded from his head, mentally scaring the bystanders with this grotesque display.

Ranger's body dropped to its knees before finally flopping to the ground. It took a second for everyone to register what happened. After that second, shrieks flooded the street and people started diverging from that point. Everyone ran in all directions screaming murder. Some attempted to phone the heroes but their fingers could not press the numbers. They were trembling so much that the phone could not be pressed.

Much like how the Ranger basked in the attention, Rui enjoyed the murderous screams of the bystanders. He closed his eyes to fully capture the sounds.

After the sounds died out, he fled the place, but not before leaving his now signature mark. Writing the words 'Hero Hunter was here' in the blood of his victims. He had been doing this ever since his first one that he did.

He made his piece with a happy face, satisfied with his first redemption kill.

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"I'm not sure sir, my mom said you are a bad man but I don't see it."

Rui had stumbled upon the same boy who was being bullied a few weeks back. In the same place. But with more bullies. It seems that the leader had brought more of his lackeys for protection, but all was for naught when Rui disposed them with similar efforts from before.

"You're mom's right boy. I am a bad man, in a sense. In fact, you should not be talking to me."

The boy looked to the floor and the bodies before looking back up.

"But in my eyes, you're the good guy and they,' he pointed to the bodies on the floor, 'are the bad ones."

"Then you are right as well."

"But you said my mom was right?"

"Both of you are right."

"How can that be?!" the boy asked with genuine curiosity.

"You will understand when you are older."

"Ugh, that older thing again. Just tell me now!"

Rui was about to reply when he heard the sirens of the police car nearing.

"Sorry but can't. I have to go. See you next time."

Rui disappeared from the place leaving a lone boy with multiple bodies of kids years older than him on the floor.

Needless to say, the police had some questions for the boy.

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They brought him in for questioning and contacted the boy's parents.

'Again? Inumaki Kendo! How many times do you want to meet that man?!" a furious mom asked her boy.

"It's not my fault… he keeps appearing to-"

"Ack! Not another word. Didn't I already say his a bad man?' she turned to the officer that was present, 'sorry for my little boy. He keeps getting in trouble nowadays."

She pulled Inumaki out of the station and into the car.

"After school, I am going to ask you sister to come and get you."

"But she has hero school."

"Doesn't matter. She will be fetching you after school. At least she knows what to do if she ever encounters a villain."

Inumaki sat in the back of the car, feeling defeated. He harrumphed and slumped much to his mom's chagrin. But she said nothing.

Once home, she explained to her daughter of her new duties and to keep her brother in check and to ensure he get bullied or encounter the Hero Hunter.

Istuka Kendo accepted the new responsibilities with an eager heart. She loved her brother and will do anything to keep him safe.