King stood a few steps behind him, arms crossed, cape unmoving in the still air.
"You think they control everything," King said at last.
Ayu didn't turn.
"They let heroes run free. They let villains rise. And when people die, they hide behind paperwork."
King stepped closer, boots scraping softly against gravel.
"The government doesn't control heroes," he said. "It manages consequences."
Ayu scoffed.
"Sounds like the same thing."
King didn't argue. He leaned against the railing, eyes on the city.
"Heroes exist because people demanded protection," he said. "Not justice. Protection. After the first large-scale disasters, the public didn't ask why villains existed. They asked who would stop them."Ayu clenched his fists.
"And when those heroes cause damage?"
King nodded once.
"That's where the government steps in. Licenses. Jurisdiction. Restrictions. Payments."
"Payments," Ayu repeated, bitter.
"Yes." King looked at him now. "Because ideals don't rebuild cities. Money does."
Silence settled between them.
Ayu finally turned.
"So heroes are just tools?"
King shook his head.
"No. Tools don't choose. Heroes do. But choices come with weight."
He pointed toward the city below.
"Every hero action creates ripples. Save one person, and a building collapses. Stop a villain, and a district loses power. The government exists to decide which ripples are acceptable."
Ayu's jaw tightened.
"And who decides that?"
"Committees. Councils. People who never fight," King answered honestly. "People who only see numbers."
Ayu stood up abruptly.
"Then it's broken."
King didn't stop him.
"It is," he said calmly. "And it's still the only thing holding the worldAyu turned back sharply.
"How can you defend that?"
King met his gaze, unflinching.
"Because without structure, heroes become kings. And kings become tyrants."
The words hung heavy.
Ayu looked away.
King continued, his voice lower now.
"Do you know why duos need permission to operate?"
Ayu shook his head.
"Because two people can agree on a lie," King said. "A team of many is harder to corrupt. That's why teams are trusted more. That's why funding increases with numbers. Not because they're stronger — because they're watched."
Ayu laughed bitterly.
"So it's all surveillance."
"It's accountability," King corrected. "Or at least… an attempt."
Ayu stared at the city again.
"My family died because heroes fought near their home."
King closed his eyes briefly.
"Yes," he said. "And the reports probably listed it as 'unavoidable collateral.'"
Ayu's breathing grew uneven.
"So tell me," he said quietly, "why should I respect a system like that?"
King stepped forward until they were side by side.
"You shouldn't," he said. "Not blindly."
Ayu looked at him, surprised.
King continued,
"But you also shouldn't destroy it without understanding what replaces it."