[Jaykobell]

Surely this villain was only saying those things to hurt them, to make them doubt the greatness that was Johnson Smith. It couldn't be the truth, that Johnson Smith had deserted them like this. It simply could not be so. Johnson Smith was the epitome of perfection. Surely he would not desert them.

"Look in your heart," the villain said, convinced, and now it was time to convince these stupid locals. "You know it to be true."

[Jaykobell]

"No," one of the locals said, and without seconds, all of them were starting to fall into a panic, because it just couldn't be the truth! How could it be the truth? Johnson Smith had given a name to their town, had given them purpose. Surely he hadn't done this just to up and leave. The Plot couldn't be that cruel, even to pointless background characters.

"Your whole life was a lie," the villain pointed out to them.

[Jaykobell]

A cacophony of despair rang across the village. Even those on the other side had heard of this tale, and they, too, had joined in the pain and the hurt. They refused to believe that Johnson Smith had betrayed them so easily. Had it all been a ruse? Surely, it could not have been. Had they not worshipped him enough? Had he been dissatisfied with their adoration?

"You're all alone now," the villain said, driving the knife further in.

[Jaykobell]

It was so great, turning all these stupid locals against the main character of this weird and silly spin-off. If the villain was going to suffer, then so would everyone else in this village, it was as simple as that. They would bathe in despair, they would open their wounds for the world to see, for the whole world to fall into darkness.

Meanwhile, no one had any idea what the thief had even stolen from Johnson Smith.

[Jaykobell]

It mattered little, though. After all, the great and beautiful Johnson Smith had completely deserted them. What a bittersweet pun, to have deserted a desert town. Such was the quality writing of The Plot. No one would have seen it coming, despite it being such a great and obvious joke.

The villain revelled in the pain of the other villagers. They writhed in agony over the reality that their one and true hero had deserted them for something better.

[Jaykobell]

"Why, Johnson Smith-sama?" the villagers asked, over and over and over again, repeating it until they had to say it again. "Were we not good enough, Johnson Smith-sama?" Where had they gone wrong? What had they done wrong? They had simply wanted some recognition from such a legend. Had they been too greedy? Had they asked for too much?

"Now you understand," the villain said, their face turning into a large grin. "Real heroes don't exist!"

[Jaykobell]

It seemed like all hope was completely lost now. The villain had a backstory that was too strong for them to handle. Only a real pure hero would manage to overcome it. And the one true hero they had had had deserted them shamelessly. With the mist right outside of town, they were doomed. All hope was lost now.

Or perhaps... it wasn't?

Against all odds, as usual, a light shone brightly up ahead, on top of a building.

[Jaykobell]

The villagers gasped upon seeing the light. It was blinding, but they simply could not look away, despite whatever damage they were doing to their cornea. What mattered was identifying this brand new light. Who was generating it? Perhaps it was only the sun, but maybe... just maybe...?!

A hand and arm were raised from the light, revealing a clear paw. "I..." the voice started to say, booming across the village like a megaphone, "... am here!!"

[Jaykobell]

The quote was very reminiscent of a popular foreign anime by the name of Savior School, Mine. It shook the hearts of those who heard it, which was basically everybody in the whole wide world. It gave the feeling that things were finally starting to look up.

"Oh!" a local said upon seeing the shape in the bright light. "It's Johnson Smith-sama!" they announced, revealing the identity of the mysterious light. "Johnson Smith-sama has returned to save us!!"

[Jaykobell]

The locals started to cheer. The villain had been wrong. Despite their tragic backstory, their emo could not rival the true and pure light that was Johnson Smith. Truly, they had been blessed.

The villain turned around, and saw the light, too. They gasped. "Impossible!" they screamed with disbelief. "You ran away past the alleyway! You abandoned the town!"

Even despite the blinding light, everyone could see the grin on Johnson Smith's face. "You were wrong, villain!"

[Event posts end here]