Hey, guys. Look. What's that in the lake?
Huh? Looks like there's someone swimming.
No way! It's so cold out! What kind of moron does that?
Right?
Damn! This guy probably went crazy for views!
Hey, how about we post this clip to FOMO and give him a name?
What about... Winter Swimming Hero?
That's a great name!
Look! Winter Swimming Hero's coming back up!
Hey, he's coming towards us.
Hey! What are you doing?!
What's your deal?!
What, you wanna go?!
You think you're some hot shit, huh?
Say something!
Apologize!
Pick up my cell phone for me, you!
Apologize!
Are you deaf, or are you mute? I said, apologize!
Trash.
What? You dare insult me?
You think you can get away with knocking down my phone?
Don't waste your breath on him.
People like him just want to stir up trouble and get famous.
Just kill him and be done with it.
Trash should be cleaned up and dealt with.
You just keep yapping, huh?!
Kill him!
Keep yapping!
You're so tough, huh? Want to take a beating, huh?
Die!
I'm gonna beat you to death!
Insult me! Insult me some more!
Trash should be cleaned up and dealt with.
This crazy guy is stupidly tanky.
Pfft! No wonder he's out here swimming on a freezing winter day.
His body's as tough as a rock.
Why's this guy so weird?
Maybe... we should just drop this.
Getting cockier with the beating, huh?!
I don't believe you won't die!
I'm gonna mess you up!
Die!
Go die already!
I'm searching for a candidate.
Someone that can be nurtured into a god.
How about it? Are you interested?
Once I become Zero...
will I get to clean up all the eyesore trash?
What's your name?
Dragon Boy.
Very well.
I will have everyone remember this name of yours.
Are you ready?
Of course.
But it seems that this time, your plan was derailed.
I should've been the one to replace Ghostblade.
However, despite leaving your control,
his ranking has only gone up since the Ruins Incident, not dropped.
And it just so happens that
those two little pieces of trash entered the top ten due to that failed theater play.
Such irony.
Hmm... Which one should I clean up first?
My reason for calling you here today is just the opposite.
Loli and Little Johnny are very popular right now.
Striking where people are watching will bring trouble.
Besides, if they manage to enter this tournament's ranking matches,
it'll just be good news for you.
Trash is trash.
Passionate emotions can give them popularity,
but will still swallow them in the end.
Assuming I make the top ten before the start of the ranking matches.
The current tenth hero, Firm Man, is merely a Commission figurehead.
Making a move on him will alert the entire Commission.
The white- and green-haired weirdos are peaking in popularity right now.
They have people circling them everywhere they go.
And don't even get me started on X.
We don't even know where he is.
That's why our target will be the top ten hero who's just outside the public's gaze.
Oh, I get it. You mean that old guy.
Now that you mention it,
he's been sitting in the top ten for a good few years—
A good dozen...
Huh? For decades now!
Everyone acknowledges his position.
Nobody discusses it anymore.
If we can shatter everyone's deep-rooted impression of him,
then the waves of trouble stirred up will certainly be more than the Ruins Incident.
Sure, that's true, but it doesn't seem like he's got anything we could exploit.
Maybe you've already grasped some scandal of his?
There really is no information you can't gather.
In terms of credentials,
his position can no longer be threatened by shallow public opinions and criticism.
The only thing that can destroy him is the most lethal of weapons.
Which is?
You only have one chance.
Whether or not you make it into the top ten will be up to you.
Smile, Nice! Smile naturally.
Even more natural.
Stop, stop! What's up with Nice?
His smile looks so awkward.
Like there's no emotion there.
You're being too vague with your demands.
What do you mean, "smile naturally?"
A smile is a smile! What more do you want?
There, there, Miss J! Please don't be angry.
Mr. Wang is the best photographer.
It wasn't easy booking a time slot with him.
Best or not, it doesn't matter!
He's wrong for making nonsensical demands!
A smile... is something that comes from within.
It's a power that radiates outwards, moving your face muscles.
and allows you to display an emotion that can affect others.
That's why a natural smile from within is so difficult to fake.
No, no, no. Put away that stiff, commercialized smile of yours.
Before you smile, think about what is truly worthy of your joy.
Hey, what do you think of my smile?
You look like a lecherous creep.
Screw you!
Where'd you learn that from?
My childhood idol, Hero Smile!
I also hope that one day,
I'll have a smile as contagious as his.
How about it?
Did you think of a reason to smile?
Now that's a good smile.
All right, I've got my own work to do.
Very good, Nice. Keep it that way.
Smile just like that.
Yup, keep it like that.
Great! One more, one more.
Whew. Thank goodness for Hero Smile's professional advice.
Very nice. Just a little more natural.
Think about that feeling you just had.
Nice.
You finally got into the zone.
Let's not interrupt it now! Come on!
Excuse me. I need to chat with Nice for a moment.
Can't you wait 'til after the shoot? My time's very precious!
Calm down, Mr. Wang.
If we tell you to take a break, do it. Stop talking and go!
I had some afternoon snacks prepared for us.
Let's go take a break in the back.
Man, I can't deal with this job anymore!
Why have you come here?
Didn't I tell you to lay low for a bit?
It was Miss J. Miss J told me to come here.
I haven't even finished wiping your ass after last time.
You might still be able to prove yourself to me.
I don't need a cheap smile.
I need a weapon that can exact vengeance,
not some dull, useless ornamental piece.
Why do think I came up with all these ways to make you popular?
You can't possibly think it's really to make you a hero.
I need you to get into the top ten,
get rid of E-Soul in the ranking matches,
and bring down that bastard, Rock!
So watch carefully.
That relic in front of you...
No matter how you do it,
no matter if he's dead or alive,
I need you to replace him.
Get into the top ten before the start of the ranking matches!
I know what to do.
Sit back and watch.
This year's ranking matches are crucial.
This is your best chance to become X.
Oh? What makes you say that?
The Commission wants to avoid another tragedy like Downfall.
So they've enacted an execution order on the current X.
Everyone present is aware...
that if Trust Value exceeds a certain amount,
then it means the vast majority of people will have become that individual's believer.
Which in turn means that person could become... a god.
Gods can bring blessings upon the world,
but can also destroy the world in an instant.
We all experienced the disaster brought upon us by Zero.
Preventing the creation of gods was why the Commission was created to begin with.
So we mustn't allow him to reach the top for a fourth time.
Coming, coming. What do you want so late at night?
Hm?
Who are you?
Skewers with beers, the world be rid of fears!
Which restaurant are you from? Wrong house?
I didn't order delivery.
Okay, okay. Just let me in already.
And you're just going to waltz in?
It's me!
Old bro Smile, last time, you wore a mask. This time, you're wearing a helmet.
Can't you start coordinating your outfits?
I'm just being secretive so I don't expose your identity!
Change into slippers!
O-Oh.
Skewers with beers, the world be rid of fears...
I always feel guilty eating late at night,
but it feels so good after a long day of work!
What made you jovial enough to come eat late night snacks with me?
On a lonesome night,
a lonesome man can only find another lonesome man as his company.
Hey, I don't feel lonely.
I like being on my own.
Your realistic side is too realistic.
You should snap your fingers and chat with me using your other self.
No, thank you.
I have a principled stance against working overtime.
It's time you told me what you're here for.
I heard the Commission wants to remove you from your pedestal this tournament.
Well, I thank them greatly, then.
I already wanted to quit last time.
Who knew the Ruins Incident would occur and cancel the tournament for the year?
Thinking back, I don't even know how I managed to hang on all this time.
I just want to get back to living a normal person's life already.
All that hero stuff, whoever wants it can have it.
Eat your skewers. Blah, blah, blah.
Quit it with the humble-bragging.
Being a hero for decades like you, smiling for decades...
So tiring. I sincerely admire you.
I've already forgotten what being tired means.
I got used to it a long time ago.
I give everyone my smile,
and everyone returns with their smiles.
I'm actually pretty happy.
Yeah right, who am I kidding?!
I'm in pain on the inside!
Other people have their wives and kids, and their warm beds.
Me? I'm crying alone in the middle of the night!
Liar. Judging from your smile, you seem pretty happy to me.
Smile, smile, smile... I'm smiling so much my face is all stiff.
I have tears in my heart, but they won't flow from my eyes!
I don't believe you.
If you really feel that much pain on the inside, how are you still smiling?
You don't believe me?
Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing?!
You can't do that just because you're lonely!
Wait, you're right. Why am I stripping?
You should just use this stripping move to defeat me in the ranking matches.
Huh?
What's that?
My wife bought it for me.
One for me, one for my daughter.
She always said I smile at other people's kids every day
but I never have time to look at my daughter or give her a smile.
So she put a photo of our daughter in this locket.
At the time, I asked her why she put a photo of a scowling face.
She said, "it's because your daughter has no photos of her smiling."
Now my daughter's all grown up.
She's moved out on her own and we don't connect much.
Wouldn't you say that's painful... for me?
No one'll run into me here.
My gosh, it's so stuffy in there.
Hero Smile.
Yup, that's me! Hero Smile!
I'm not here to appreciate your ugly face.
You're Rank 12, Dragon Boy, aren't you?
I'm here to make a deal with you,
using your ranking as the bargaining chip.
Oh? What are you offering in exchange?
What do you say... this necklace?
An ordinary necklace to make me give up my current ranking?
So you don't recognize this necklace?
Well, I'm sure you'll recognize the person in the photo.
How about it? Now can we strike a deal?
Where is she right now?!
Who are you talking about?
I picked up this necklace off the street.
If anything happens to her...
I'll tear apart that loud mouth of yours.
So you stay smiling even while making threats?
So tragic.
Oh well, I guess her keepsakes can keep you company.
Looks like it's still not enough.
Hit me.
If you can beat me up enough, I'll tell you where I've buried her ashes!
That's enough. I'm done playing.
I'll take you to her.
Speak! Where are they?!
I already said that's enough.
Don't stand there yapping.
Oh, and...
when I say I'm done playing...
It means it's my turn.
Especially now that you've lost your smile, you're just trash.
How's that, huh?
I wasn't lying.
I sent you to Hell to be with her, didn't I?
So, in exchange, it's time to give me your ranking.
Huh?
I know you're ranked 12th.
I've also heard about your powers, of course.
As expected of an old hero.
Your true strength really can't be underestimated.
Thank you for reminding me...
that only by keeping a smile on my face will all of my powers be awakened.
You! I know you're watching!
How long do you plan on hiding?!
You're being quite clever with your calculations to reap benefits here, Nice!