The socially awkward villain's furry superpower

This booth is very uncomfortable to sit in.

Perhaps it's because it uses the same cheap artificial leather as the bus seats, or perhaps it's the strips of tape used to secure it, or maybe it's the slightly sticky feeling, or perhaps his jeans are a bit too tight.

Whatever the reason, Kevin didn't like the booth.

At the same time, despite the terrible seating in the booth, for some reason, it was somehow a little comfortable—not physically, but… he felt it was an aesthetic choice? The booth matched the rest of the bar's decor.

It was dark and old, with some dirt on the corners, but it was well maintained despite its age.

He nodded to a waitress and ordered any freshly poured liquor. She brought him a pint, cloudy brown in color, topped with a layer of foam.

He placed a ten-dollar bill on the table, which she grabbed as she walked by. He wasn't expecting change, and genuinely didn't care.

This place was the kind of particularly run-down place he liked, unique in its own way. The old men sitting around him felt like part of the furnishings.

The door opened, and a man in a tattered coat with a hunched back walked in. Kevin looked up.

The man looked around and then slightly raised his arm.

A chorus of "Hey!" and "You're here!" came from a nearby table, and even some people on the benches at the bar turned around to greet them.

The old man sat down, and the same waitress who had served Kevin earlier placed a drink in front of him without waiting for him to order.

The atmosphere here is great, almost like home. These people aren't the richest in Eau Claire, they're not sophisticated retirees, and they're nothing special—just a group of ordinary men and women with some free time, whiling away the hours in their favorite bar.

He hated that he was about to ruin the atmosphere, but he had no choice.

Or perhaps he'll make his move after he finishes his beer and eats something.

The aroma wafting from the back kitchen made his mouth water.

Besides that, he quickly found a few more excuses not to destroy the bar for the time being. After all, there was no harm in taking a few minutes to observe the place.

He worried that he wouldn't find anyone willing to work for him here.

The people here are either older or look like ordinary citizens who have just finished get off work for various reasons.

He was looking for gang members, thugs, and idle thugs.

Unfortunately, the obscure town of Auclair had no criminal gangs and no losers willing to follow him.

So far, his search has yielded nothing. There might be a few drunkards, but they need training and to toughen up, and he doesn't want to create more trouble for himself.

Some students from nearby universities were an option, but he found that these people tended to be more...idealistic rather than vicious and brutal.

Kevin felt he would eventually get lucky. He was sure he could find people he could coerce or bribe to work for him.

The compensation he offered wasn't low. At least so far, he's just had bad luck with recruitment.

He took a big gulp of beer while looking around the bar.

If he can't find a suitable person here, he might as well make some money.

It wouldn't be bad to rob all the cash here, especially in a place that only accepts cash and doesn't accept electronic payments.

Two children were sitting at the bar. One of them was looking back at him, and they made eye contact.

For a moment, he froze, then shook his head and refocused. Did he know her?

Kevin doesn't usually spend much time watching kids. They're generally harmless, just a bit annoying, and he doesn't really like dealing with children anyway.

The last time he saw a child was... when he was fighting with some young heroes who wanted to stop him from robbing an armored truck.

He sat up straight and looked at the two girls more carefully.

Two girls were sitting at the bar, sharing a plate of fries.

They were drinking soda with straws in their mouths. They looked like ordinary kids, but what are kids doing in a bar?

Then, he blinked and noticed that one of the girls, who was wearing a gray hoodie and hadn't been looking in his direction before, had a tail sticking out from the back of her pants.

Of course, he had seen it before, but he thought it was just some kind of childish outfit and meant no harm.

But ordinary outfits don't sway like that.

Kevin stood up, the bench beneath him making a slight squeaking sound, and then he walked across the room toward the girls.

The girl without a tail turned around and saw him walking over. She patted her friend's arm, and then the two of them jumped off the stool and slipped out of the bar.

The bartender, an older woman, frowned as she watched them leave.

“Hey!” she called out from behind the two of them.

She didn't chase after them as they slipped away.

Kevin wanted to chase after him, but the bar was a bit crowded, and it wouldn't be easy to get out unless he tried to force his way through.

So he went to the bar. "What's going on with those two kids?" he asked, pointing towards the door.

The bartender turned around and looked at him, squinting as he was sized up. For a moment, he felt a little embarrassed, but he quickly suppressed the feeling.

He thought it was indeed a bit suspicious for a man to inquire about two unattended girls.

“They look a bit too young to be here,” he explained.

“Yes, they’re waiting for someone to pick them up,” she said. “The person who’s coming to pick them up has probably arrived.”

“Okay, sure,” he said. He didn’t want to ask any more questions. He glanced around the bar again, feeling that he had come all this way for nothing.

Moreover, he was a little worried. What if they were there to ambush him?

However, they were already there before he arrived, and they hurriedly left as soon as he approached. This could just be a coincidence.

But then again, why would a child be in a bar?

If it's just a coincidence, that's too strange. If these two little heroines were adult women, he would consider it pure chance, but they shouldn't have been here in the first place.

Kevin sighed. He had been planning to have lunch before taking action. He walked out of the bar and straightened his coat.

Charlotte parked right in front of the bar, next to some beat-up old motorcycles, looking quite stylish.

He walked to the car and opened the small side compartment. His supervillain mask was inside.

He picked up the mask, stuffed it into his coat, and then looked at the other things in the drawer.

He had several guns, an extendable baton, and several cans of pepper spray. These were things he might need to cause trouble.

He felt that he didn't need these things for the time being, and that he didn't need them to deal with the two children.

He patted Charlotte's drawer shut gently, then turned and searched the street for his target.

He found it without much effort.

Not far away, two girls were being scolded by a third girl, and a fourth girl stood beside them with her arms crossed.

The two newly appeared girls were wearing uniforms.

Kevin gritted his teeth. This definitely looked like a planned ambush. Perhaps he had thwarted it by taking the initiative.

He considered jumping onto Charlotte's bike and riding away. That would be a safer option.

He cracked his knuckles and then walked forward. Safety doesn't necessarily mean better.

If he wants to make this city his territory, then he has to make sure that every hero knows where he is.

Kevin couldn't help but grin as he walked toward the girls.

His heart was pounding, and his breathing was rapid. He was already incredibly excited about the battle before it even began.

The girls certainly saw him coming. The first one they saw was the girl with her arms crossed, who tugged at the sleeve of another girl in uniform.

“Damn it.” He heard her whisper, “Hawkeye, Thief, get behind me. Ursa Minor, stall for time.”

“You’re on my turf,” Kevin said. Were they trying to stall for time?

This only shows that they felt they had no chance of winning. He had already won; now all he had to do was enjoy the fun part.

"This isn't your territory." The chubby girl with her arms crossed glared angrily. "This is the boss's city, so why don't you wiggle your ass and get out of here? Shake it off."

“My name,” he roared, reaching into his coat for a mask. He easily slipped the mask onto his face. “It’s Rattlesnake.”