My SuperVillain System: Building Legion of SSS-Ranked SuperHeroines
Chapter 87 - Is Zone 7 Really Prepared?

Chapter 87: Chapter 87 - Is Zone 7 Really Prepared?

The lights buzzed weakly above, casting flickering shadows on the concrete walls of Zone 7’s underground den.

Scars from the last battle were still fresh—half the planning boards were burnt, gear was scattered, and one of the old terminals was leaking smoke.

Five villains sat around a table, none of them laughing for once.

Razorback cracked his knuckles, his voice rough. "That last attack from the Hero Association... cost us more than just muscle. We lost half the squad—Ripper, Thornclaw, Sable... gone. And for what? A bloody warning shot."

Coiljaw snorted darkly. "They hit us with everything. Labs burned. Supply lines cut. They want to erase Zone 7, not just scare us."

Sootshade’s eyes glinted coldly in the dim light. "We’re bleeding. And all because those higher-up idiots couldn’t keep their egos in check and got two of our A-rank villains killed by that S-rank hero, Volta."

There was visible frustration among them.

Just a few days ago—not even two full days—they lost two valuable members at the hands of a superhero from the Hero Association named Sugar while fighting another hero named Volta, delivering a fatal blow to their ranks, especially in terms of numbers and power levels.

Given their worth, it was a dangerous situation; they had become weak enough for the Hero Association to use them as scapegoats.

A broken television, wedged into the corner of the room, crackled as someone flicked the channel idly.

"Turn it off," Sootshade grunted. "Don’t wanna see another smug cape—"

"Wait," Coiljaw held up a hand. "That’s not the Association."

The screen showed the Blac Corporation’s press conference. Cruxius stood there, his presence sharp, almost theatrical, as he stood at the head of a table with microphones from various media houses pointed at him.

"—The Hero Association has lost its control," he was saying. "And today, we present undeniable proof."

As the screen flickered, a CCTV recording began to play in the background, behind the senior members of the Blac Corporation. Though blurry, the video showed a scene narrated by Cruxius himself.

:: Naturally, I did criticize the Hero Association for its unethical attempts, including the attack I endured from one of their superheroes, Raiken. I had firmly stated how heroes should maintain discipline and restraint. However, deep down, I wondered if I was generalizing all heroes unfairly... ::

"What is he going on about?" Coiljaw muttered, watching the footage and listening to Cruxius’s statement. What kind of stunt was this man trying to pull again?

However, in a firm tone, Sootshade stopped him. "Shh, be quiet. Even if we haven’t taken our revenge, at least this guy is managing to corner the Hero Association. Let him teach them a lesson again."

’Lesson? Bastard, it’s because of this guy we became scapegoats for the Hero Association,’ Coiljaw fumed internally. He couldn’t believe the others didn’t see it—everything that had happened, the reason they were being targeted, was because this man had provoked the Association by trying to tarnish their image.

While it seemed favorable to villains on the surface, it had completely backfired.

And here this idiot was treating that man like some kind of hero—one of the worst choices anyone could make.

:: I’m not teaching the Hero Association a "lesson," in case some clueless pea-brain thinks that. But the video behind me is living proof that I may need to reconsider, and maybe things aren’t as simple as they seem. The Hero Association, mind you, is clearly a rogue organization. They blatantly attacked me in broad moon-light with the clear intention to kill... ::

’!’

"What the... Why is the Hero Association after him?" one of the villains asked, confused.

He looked at the others, not understanding why the Association would target the heir of the Blac Corporation—someone who could make things much harder for them, considering the Association thrived on maintaining order for the rich and powerful.

"Maybe he just wants attention... haha."

:: To prove my point to those who think I’m just seeking attention, the latest videos show that not just Ryken—a low-ranking hero—but also Eventide, an S-rank hero, attacked me. ::

’!?!’

"Shit, that’s definitely that bitch. I saw her once—fighting a villain," Coiljaw muttered, recognizing Eventide from her revealing costume.

She was clearly shown lifting Cruxius by the neck, trying to kill him after breaking in through the window.

"Did she just try to kill him?" The others were visibly shocked, watching the footage unfold.

:: I request the government to restrain the heroes as soon as possible— ::

The villains watched, first with amusement, then with growing fascination. The room fell silent again.

Suddenly, Cruxius’s phone rang on live TV. He answered it on speaker. The entire world heard the voice.

:: Sir, the train scheduled to pass through Station Kael during off-grid hours—it’s unguarded... but it’s carrying recovered superhero gene-serum. Not verified. Just fragments. Leftover tech from the Ashwell Facility fire two years ago. ::

The air in Zone 7 froze. Even those watching live on the screen seemed to stop blinking. Their mouths parted, but no words came.

Finally, one of them straightened slowly. "Did he just say Ashwell?"

Another was already pacing. "Fragments of gene-serum. From Ashwell. That’s supposed to be gone. Burned. Lost. Covered up—hard. But if..."

A silent understanding spread across the group. Maybe this was a good thing.

Maybe they finally had a way to fight back against the Hero Association’s blatant bullying.

The Hero Association had been targeting them openly.

Now, Zone 7 had a reason to strike back—possibly with direct support from the heir of the Blac family, who seemed to have turned against the Association after the attack on his mansion.

Normally, villains kill so many innocents they lose count. Heroes are always a hassle.

But people like Cruxius Blac—who, after being attacked just once, suddenly act like they’ve woken up to how the world works—are the biggest hypocrites.

He’d remained silent during all the atrocities committed by villains against heroes, and now he wanted to act righteous?

Funny, really. These wannabe rich guys and their selective morality always made for the best comedy.

"Do you all think the same as I do?" one of them muttered, his eyes glancing towards another as they realized this was their chance to rise.

Clearly, that serum would boost their strength and maybe make them strong enough to give a befitting answer to the Hero Association, which had been actively targeting them.

"Yes, it could be our chance..."

All of them were united, clearly decided on what they needed to do next.

A metal door creaked open.

The villains turned sharply, weapons half-raised, tense.

From the shadows stepped a tall woman in a sleek trench coat, a cane tapping rhythmically with each step.

A dark, minimalistic mask covered her face—just enough to make it impossible to read her expression, though her cold, unreadable poise said everything.

She stopped at the edge of the light.

"You’re all going to die if you keep sitting here like fools," she said plainly, her voice low and smooth—like silk stretched over knives.

Razorback frowned. "And who the hell are you supposed to be?"

The woman tilted her head, amused. "Someone who doesn’t like wasting assets. But apparently, I misjudged the quality of this batch."

"What’re you on about?" Sootshade rose halfway from his seat. "You think you can just walk in here and spout nonsense?"

She chuckled—dry, almost pitying.

"Let me simplify it for your benefit, then. The broadcast? The serum? The so-called ’unguarded’ transport?" She leaned forward slightly. "It’s bait. Very pretty bait. And you’re the mice."

The room tensed.

Coiljaw scoffed, baring his jagged teeth. "Bullshit. That serum came from Cruxius’s own leak."

"Of course it did," she said coolly. "Which is why it’s so convincing."

"You’re bluffing."

She tilted her head slightly. "You believe a corporate heir—who profits off both sides of a war—suddenly wants to empower you?" She let that hang for a moment. "How... adorable."

"Shut your mouth," Sootshade snarled. "You think you know everything—"

"No," she said, cutting across him with no rise in tone, "I do know everything. That’s why I’m standing here. And you’re all about to die."

They bristled, some rising from their chairs, others gripping weapons—but hesitation was visible now. Doubt crept in.

"I could explain the layers," she continued, glancing at her fingernails as if bored. "The planted intel. The subtle push from your informants. Even the exact time you were supposed to move. But frankly..."

She looked up. Her masked face reflected the flickering light.

"...I’ve found that explaining things to dumb people only delays the inevitable."

Razorback surged forward. "Why you—!"

She raised a hand.

Three shadows appeared in the doorway behind her—silent, masked, armed. In one synchronized move, they stepped in and raised their weapons.

Silencers whispered.

Blood sprayed across the cracked concrete. Razorback dropped first—his head jerking back, skull splitting.

Then Coiljaw, before he even turned. Sootshade tried to dash for cover, but the third bullet caught him clean through the temple.

The remaining two barely had time to scream.

One of them crawled, shaking, hand outstretched toward her.

"H-Help..."

The woman stepped forward, lifted her cane—

CRACK

A sickening crunch. Silence returned.

She stood in the middle of the carnage, stepping neatly over the growing pool of blood.

Finally, she turned to her masked agents and nodded once.

"Burn everything. Make it look like an internal betrayal. No survivors, no records. Let the serum rumor spread—it will lead the next batch in even faster."

The agents bowed slightly before setting to work.

As she was about to walk away, her eyes turned towards the television, looking at it for a moment before she lost composure. Seeing that man on the screen, her smile twisted beneath the mask before, in a hushed voice, she said, "...This time, we will definitely die together, my evil man."

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.