Hero Hack: Reversing Heroes and Raising Harem-Chapter 108: The Masked Headache Begins

Zain leaned back against the cracked tunnel wall.

Finally... the pain was starting to fade.

The Heavenly Demon Body’s second stage...

Had mostly settled inside him.

His muscles still ached. His bones still throbbed.

But now, it wasn’t ripping him apart.

It was simply... there. Brewing under his skin.

He flexed his hand slowly.

"Finally... the most painful part had finished."

He wiped the blood off his mouth with the back of his wrist.

He smirked faintly.

He quickly deactivated his Angelic Demon Shift.

He looked down at his arms.

He noticed some small cuts closed without any effort.

"Not bad."

It was manageable.

As long as he wasn’t stupid enough to fight while still adjusting.

He could let his body repair itself naturally.

And later, once he reactivated the Angelic Demon Shift.

He could push the second stage even further.

Little by little.

Pain equals growth.

Zain’s eyes drifted over to the half-eaten corpse of Skorvile lying nearby.

Or what was left of it.

The monster’s massive body had been torn apart by his desperate feeding.

Only the head remained.

He clicked his tongue.

"Damn monster..."

"Tasted like rotten sewer meat."

He wrapped the head in a piece of cloth.

"At least you’re still useful."

He stood up slowly, slinging the bundled trophy over his shoulder.

"That should be enough proof."

He stretched his back slightly, grimacing at the soreness.

"Man... what a damn day."

First, surviving that insane body upgrade.

Now dragging a B-Rank mutant head through the tunnels.

He chuckled to himself, shaking his head.

"Heroes don’t get paid enough for this."

He took one last look at the ruined battlefield.

Then he turned and started walking back.

---

Zain arrived at the Hero Association building.

He carried the wrapped Skorvile head casually over his shoulder.

He ignored the curious glances from a few tired heroes wandering the front hall.

When he entered the main operations lobby, he spotted Blazren immediately.

He was standing near the mission board.

Arms folded and face dark with a deep frown.

Zain raised an eyebrow.

"Yo. Morning, old man."

"What’s with the funeral face?"

Blazren turned around, frowning.

"You haven’t heard yet, huh?"

Zain shrugged. "Heard what?"

Blazren sighed.

"The Velvet Demon struck again."

Zain blinked once.

"...Again?"

Blazren nodded grimly.

"And this time... she wasn’t alone."

Zain’s eyes narrowed slightly.

He walked closer.

"What do you mean ’not alone’?"

Blazren tapped a few commands onto the holographic mission screen nearby.

A display popped up showing scattered footage.

"There were others with her," Blazren said.

"Masked, like her. Different styles. Different colors."

"But definitely coordinated."

Zain frowned, his voice low. "A group?"

"Yeah."

Blazren’s expression hardened.

"They didn’t just hit some weaklings either."

Zain waited.

Blazren pointed at a flashing report.

"Three confirmed deaths. Two B-Rank heroes. And one A-Rank veteran."

Zain’s frown deepened.

An A-Rank?

Velra wasn’t supposed to be forming groups.

She was supposed to be a lone storm.

"Velra..."

"What are you doing?"

Blazren didn’t hear him. He kept going.

"Association leadership’s pissed."

"They’re starting to list Velvet Demon as an A-Rank Villain candidate."

Zain tapped the side of his wrapped trophy.

"Well, good thing I’m not the one getting hunted."

Blazren shot him a sideways glance.

"Yet."

Zain smirked faintly but said nothing more.

Inside, he was thinking fast.

Velra had evolved.

If she really was leading others now...

If she was inspiring killers to follow her...

Then things were going to get a lot messier than he first planned.

And somehow...

Zain wasn’t sure if he was proud.

Or worried.

He shook the thought off for now.

Blazren crossed his arms, giving him a look.

"Well, stop standing there. Hurry up and turn that thing in."

He pointed to the cloth-wrapped Skorvile head.

"Before it starts stinking up the whole damn lobby."

Zain chuckled lazily.

"Alright, alright. Don’t get your hair on fire."

He walked across the hall toward the robotic reception terminal.

The robot’s eyes blinked as Zain approached.

"Welcome back, Hero: Heavenly Demon."

"State your purpose."

Zain dropped the bundle onto the metal scanning tray with a thud.

"Mission completion. B-Rank target."

"Skorvile—the Webbed Slaughterer."

The robot’s arms quickly scanned the object.

A green light flickered.

"Target identity confirmed. Physical proof verified."

A small holographic screen popped up beside the robot.

---

[Mission Status: Completed]

[Reward Issued: 3,200 Credits + Hazard Bonus]

---

"Congratulations, Hero Heavenly Demon," the robot droned.

"Your account has been updated."

Zain flexed his sore arm and gave a lazy grin.

"Thanks, tin can."

The robot’s head tilted slightly.

"Would you like to accept another mission?"

Zain shook his head.

"Not for now. Got some... things to think about."

The robot’s lights dimmed slightly.

"Understood. Thank you for fulfilling your duties."

Zain turned and walked back toward the exit.

Blazren met him halfway, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Mission finished?"

"Yeah," Zain said, stretching.

"Got my credits. Got a corpse out of my hair. All good."

Blazren raised an eyebrow.

"You sure you don’t wanna take another one?"

"Maybe catch the Velvet Demon while you’re on a hot streak?"

Zain gave him a lazy look. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ

"...Nah."

He stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"She’s... a little more complicated."

Blazren chuckled. "If you say so."

Zain started toward the door.

But in the back of his mind, a single thought burned:

Just what the hell is she doing?

He frowned.

Without thinking too hard about it, he activated Flesh Brand.

The mark responded immediately.

In his mind’s eye, an invisible thread pulled in a specific direction.

"She’s not that far..."

He turned, adjusting his jacket.

"Guess I’ll find out."

His body still ached from the Skorvile fight, but he ignored it.

He quickened his pace, slipping into a side alley.

"Not here to fight. Just asking."

Ask her why she wasn’t hunting alone anymore.

Ask her why there were other masked figures now following the Velvet Demon.

Ask her what the hell she was planning behind his back.

Zain smirked faintly to himself.

"She better have a good answer."