“I’m a Top-Tier Villain, but If You Guys Insist, I Don’t Mind Becoming a Hero!” Episode 2 [Creative Award 2024, Manga Original Story Category Entry]

“Attack!”
The group in flashy tights tries to surround Mai while performing unnecessary forward and side rolls.
“Surround her and neutralize her all at once!”
“I won’t let you do that!”
“Guh!”
“Nwah!”
The combatants take Mai’s kicks and easily have their formation broken.
“Between that slap you gave me and this, you’ve got real talent. Do you do some kind of martial art?”
Mai shakes her head at Jinrai’s impressed question.
“I don’t really do anything... just a little self-defense karate... about a month through a correspondence course...”
“Y-you reached that level with just that!?”
“Well, guys like this show up almost every day, so my level goes up whether I like it or not...”
“I-is that how it works...”
“Damn it, that woman again!”
“But didn’t we do pretty well this time?”
“How so! We were literally kicked around!”
Jinrai couldn’t help but criticize his opponent.
“Ugh, then it’s your turn! Take her out!”
When one of the combatants calls out, a large combatant appears.
“Just because you’re a bit big!”
Mai quickly delivers a flying kick.
“Hmph!”
“What!? You caught it!?”
“Hmph!”
“Kyaa!?”
The large combatant grabs Mai’s leg and throws her. Mai is slammed into the ground.
“Alright! Keep it up and finish her!”
“Guh...”
“Whoa!? ”
“Y-you...?”
The large combatant throws a punch at Mai, but Jinrai catches the fist with one hand.
“I owe you for the meal, after all...”
“Nuh...”
“I-impossible, to catch it with one hand despite being so slender!?”
“Unlike you lot... my training is different!”
“Dwah!?”
Jinrai throws the large combatant. Mai is surprised.
“T-that power... are you really from space, by any chance?”
“Y-you still didn’t believe me!?”
The combatants are shaken as they watch Mai and Jinrai arguing.
“N-no way!”
“D-don’t flinch! Hey, you guys, attack all at once this time!”
“Ohhh!”
Multiple large combatants attack Jinrai. He catches their punches and kicks with one hand each, but another combatant punches his exposed midsection.
“Gnugh! Damn you!”
Jinrai immediately delivers a front kick, knocking one large combatant down, then retreats slightly and drops to one knee while holding his abdomen. Mai calls out to him.
“A-are you okay!?”
“It’s been a while since I’ve fought in my raw body... I took that one clean.”
“Step back! I’ll handle the rest!”
“No, this isn’t an opponent you can handle...!?”
Jinrai turns around, surprised. A strange box that had been rolling in the garden has become a robot the size of a two-story house, and Mai has climbed into its center.
“With this power, I can fight back!”
“A piloted robot suit... could it be something Daijiro developed?”
“That’s right! Take this!”
“Doh!”
Two large combatants are hit by the robot Mai is piloting and sent flying.
“The large combatant quartet has been defeated!”
“W-what do we do!? Should we retreat!?”
The combatants panic again.
“Don’t panic, nya...”
“Hah!? Lord Neko-Manma!”
The combatants salute. A humanoid monster with a cat’s face appears from behind.
“What is it...?”
Jinrai looks puzzled. Mai shouts.
“The Secret Society Leporu is an evil secret society plotting world conquest!”
“I already heard that.”
“They have high scientific capabilities and have developed many cyborg monsters with superhuman powers by transplanting the abilities of animals and plants! They’ve finally appeared!”
“Ho, a cyborg... I thought they were just barbarians, but they seem not to be underestimated.”
“That’s a bit insulting, but whatever, step back!”
Mai moves the robot forward and delivers a sharp punch toward the monster.
“! Heh heh heh... your movements are slow, nya...”
The monster had moved behind the robot.
“Ugh! Hah!?”
Mai tries to turn the robot around in a hurry, but its limbs are severed, causing it to lose balance and collapse, throwing Mai out. The monster holds up its claws and laughs.
“Hmph, children’s games are over, nya...!”
“!?”
The monster tries to tear Mai apart with its claws, but Jinrai steps in and stops it.
“J-Jinrai...”
“Ho, to be able to keep up with this speed... you’re pretty good for a human, nya...”
“I don’t know if I’m human or not, but...!”
“Oops!”
Jinrai knocks the monster’s arm away and delivers a kick, but the monster jumps back to dodge.
“...When it comes to fighting a cyborg, I’m at a disadvantage in my raw body... I need my usual suit...”
As Jinrai mutters bitterly, a goofy voice is heard.
“Jinrai-kun~ I brought your suit~”
Daijiro appears, toddling along with the folded suit.
“! You’re thoughtful!”
Jinrai rushes over to Daijiro and takes the jet-black suit.
“Oh, that is...”
“Don’t tell me, you fixed it!?”
“Uh...”
“Put on!”
Jinrai presses the switch, and the suit expands to wrap around his body. His face is also covered by a mask, with only a transparent visor over his eyes.
“O-oh...”
“Wearing complete! It’s fixed, I’ll praise you for that, Daijiro!”
“Uh, Jinrai-kun...”
“What is it?”
“I have some good news and some bad news...”
Daijiro rubs the tip of his nose as if it’s hard to say. Jinrai gives a bitter smile.
“That kind of phrasing exists on this planet too, huh. Well, fine, tell me while we fight!”
“Ah...”
Jinrai lunges at the monster.
“The good news must be that this suit is fixed!”
“N-no! It’s more like bad news, or rather...”
“What!? Guh!?”
Jinrai’s attack is easily dodged, and he takes a counterattack and collapses.
“It seems this suit can’t fully demonstrate its abilities on this planet...”
“T-tell me that sooner!”
“It’s like you’re a fool for being surprised...! Nya!”
“Dwah!”
The monster swings its claws down with force. Jinrai rolls away to dodge the attack and rolls to Daijiro’s feet. Daijiro smiles.
“Even though you’re essentially in your raw body, your reaction speed is amazing...”
“Is this the time to be nonchalantly impressed!”
Jinrai stands up and closes in on Daijiro.
“W-well, calm down! Listen to the good news! Take this...”
Daijiro hands over a folded yellow suit. Jinrai tilts his head as he receives it.
“...What is this?”
“It’s my masterpiece. Please, humor me and wear this!”
“I’d rather not be humored...”
“He’s out! Shippu Daijiro!”
The monster lunges.
“Ugh! The switch is... this one!”
“Nya!?”
Smoke billows up, and the monster is blown away.Standing there was Jinrai, clad in a yellow suit and wearing a yellow mask. Jinrai stares intently at his own hands.
“I thought it was a similar type of powered suit, but what is this surging power...”
“That suit is generated from NSP! It should have quite a lot of potential!”
“From NSP...”
“I took the liberty of deciding on a codename, but would you mind hearing it!”
“You’re quite presumptuous!”
“How about this...”
Daijiro approaches Jinrai and whispers in his ear. Jinrai sighs.
“Well, I’ll adopt the creator’s opinion... stay back.”
“You’re a reasonable guy!”
“Codename, Shippu Jinrai (Hurricane Thunder), has arrived! I will crush your wicked ambitions!!”
Jinrai strikes a flashy pose.In the garden of a private house.

Episode 3↓