· · ────── ꒰ঌ·✦·໒꒱ ────── · ·
Translated by BiasNil
· · ────── ꒰ঌ·✦·໒꒱ ────── · ·
"Stardust!!!!!! If you don't come out!!!!!!!!! I will destroy everything!!!!!!!"
In the middle of the city, where a festival was taking place.
But it was no longer a festival—more like a funeral.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
Screams rose from all sides.
Citizens who'd been attacked without warning lay scattered everywhere.
Boom—. Boom—.
Buildings, booths, streetlights—
The monster was smashing everything as it advanced.
The guy covered head to toe in green scales: Crocodile Man.
He appeared in the middle issues of the original comic.
I remember—a scientist was experimenting with an alligator, then an accident happened and he turned into this.
The important thing is he's not supposed to appear here.
It's not the right time for him yet. He wasn't even on my priority list, so why did he pop out all of a sudden?
"Stardust!!!! Why aren't you coming out?!!!! Or are you busy sucking and kissing that Egostic?!!!!!!!"
...Uh, is that why he popped out?
He's smashing things while yelling. What a sight.
"Sniff, sniff…"
People were down everywhere, groaning.
Most have already run away, but plenty got caught up in the chaos, so the groans are everywhere.
This guy usually lives like a normal person, but he turns into a crocodile monster whenever he wants—more vicious then.
Ugh. If not for that transformation, I could just teleport, shoot him, and be done. Guess I shouldn't slack off—I should beat him instead.
Anyway, it's already happening.
He came out of nowhere yelling, "Stardust, come out!"
Crocodile Man. He's probably the first villain who actually looks like a villain most people have seen. He'd been hiding till now.
The Association later graded him an A-class villain. Honestly, S-class wouldn't be weird either. In the early stage, the Association is generous to villains compared to heroes, so why A-class… who knows.
Anyway, this guy was tough in the original.
Basically, his skin's covered in thick scales, so physical attacks barely work.
He's a monster whose body can shrug off guns, bombs, you name it.
In fact, he's hard even for Stardust, whose ability is superhuman strength. No matter how hard she hits, he can tank it.
Worse, he's obsessed with Stardust. Not the first idiot in the series to be a clown about her, but the one who openly calls her out. Honestly, when I called out Stardust, I was referencing this guy from the original. I mean, the righteous Stardust somehow always runs to me when I call.
Anyway, it's an emergency.
Somehow, this bulky, green-scaled, tanned brute is trying to steal Stardust's attention from me.
No! You think I'm going to lose my Stardust to a green brat?
And timing-wise, he launched a terror attack at a moment when it's very hard for Stardust to step up. It'll be delayed if she has to stop by the Association to pick up the recognition-interference device. Everyone will die before that. What about all these people bleeding on the ground?
Yes. It's 100%. A 100% chance Stardust will step out without the recognition-interference device.
That cannot happen.
During the "Revealed" episode near the end of the original, the world turned into hell for Shin Haru. Malicious comments, terror, sniping—everything poured down like a waterfall. Accusations, endlessly.
Right. I swore I'd make Stardust happy, so I can't let her fail in front of me like this.
So I have no choice but to step up.
What if they call me an anti-hero again?
That's why I need an excuse… I mean, an explanation. And how?
I'm going to turn on the broadcast.
Gosh, honestly, I don't know if I'm a villain or a YouTuber anymore.
***
"Stardust!!! Are you still not coming out?"
Crocodile Man shouted as he knocked everything down.
He clenched his fist angrily.
His fist is almost as big as a human head.
"Well then, there's no choice. I will kill everyone here!!!!!"
With fists clenched, he strode toward the cluster of collapsed people.
They tried to wriggle away the moment they saw him coming, but they were already in tatters and couldn't move.
When his shadow fell over them, terror froze them.
"D-Don't kill me…"
"Don't blame me—blame Stardust!!!!"
He raised his fist to strike, and the people screwed their eyes shut, feeling death looming.
In that quiet, music suddenly started blasting.
"Hmm?"
Crocodile Man cocked his head.
Upbeat rock began blaring—completely out of place.
As a noisy electric-guitar solo wailed from somewhere, Crocodile Man turned.
There I was, on the rooftop of a nearby building.
I stood on the railing, looking down at him.
On my right, a Bluetooth speaker at max volume was spewing sound.
I danced to the beat up there. Not much—just a little shoulder shake. Sometimes a clap on the beat. First appearances should be loud, you know.
On my left, a camera held aloft by my telekinesis was streaming me on YouTube.
Time for greetings?
Let's get back into character.
"Hello, everyone! We meet again after last time. The real villain of this era—Korea's public enemy—Egostic. Nice to meet you!"
[Mangostic! Mangostic! Mangostic! Mangostic! Mangostic! Mangostic! Mangostic! Mangostic! Mangostic!]
[He's here! My porn[1]!]
[God, is that Mangostic? God, is that Mangostic? God, is that Mangostic?]
[F—, he calls himself the real villain, the public enemy. Hahahaha]
[Yako's[2] enemy. Hahaha]
[Did he slip up? Shouldn't he call himself the real hero of this era?]
[Wasn't he the public hero? I really don't know.]
[Hahahahahaha, it's already funny. Why is he dancing? Hahahahaha]
[Wait, where is he now?]
[Isn't that where the green monster is terrorizing?]
[I think it is!]
[Why is he there again? Hahahahahaha]
I had a sack slung over my back—the one I brought from the underground base.
I rummaged inside and pulled out a wireless mic. Let's see… pair it with the speaker? Okay, done.
The song cut off; the mic connected.
I tapped it.
Tap—.
Thump.
A heavy thud boomed from the speaker.
Good—connected.
"Ah, ah. Mic check. Mic check."
My voice blasted so loud from the speaker my ears rang. Oh, hell. I'm going to go deaf.
Seo-eun must've modded this thing—small body, concert-hall lungs. Yeah, he can hear me just fine from down there.
I brought the mic to my lips and talked to the croc below. Should I speak politely like usual? Nah. Dropping honorifics.
"Listen up, you crocodile brat. You're surrounded. Surrender now."
Crocodile Man, about to start slaughtering, looked up and stomped toward my building.
He bellowed—how the hell is he that loud without a speaker?
"Who are you?!!"
"I'm Egostic, the one you were bad-mouthing a minute ago, you punk!"
"What did you say?!!"
He squinted up at me, stared, recognized my face—and then raged.
"You!!!!!! Aren't you Egostic?!!!!!!!"
"Yes, I'm Egostic."
"You punk! I'll kill you!"
And suddenly, he charged. I was honestly surprised. Did I say something?
By the way, I'm on a rooftop. How's he planning to reach me—take the elevator?
Before I could finish the thought, he slammed his hands into the building's outer wall and started climbing. He's totally crazy.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!"
"What are you doing?"
He roared as he climbed.
I just stood there, watching. He's faster than the elevator. Not many floors, either—he's up quick.
"Aaaaah!!!"
He hauled himself over the parapet.
When he landed on the rooftop with a thud, the whole building shook.
"You punk!!!!! I'm going to kill you!!!!!!!"
"Wait—let's talk first."
The moment he rushed me, I casually blinked away with a teleport and reappeared behind him. No need to go far. The speaker stayed put; I only moved with the mic in hand—and the stuff on my back.
He flailed, confused by my vanishing act. He should know about my teleportation from the news, right? What's he doing?
He spun around hunting for me, so I kept teleporting just out of his line of sight. He was so rattled. Wait—was he always this stupid?
Eventually, I couldn't resist and slapped the back of his head. Yes, with my hand.
"What are you doing, you punk?"
This guy is an idiot…
[1] TN: They mean his videos are addictive like pornography—can’t stop watching.—They need to chill.
[2] TN: A Korean cartoon character.