The Flame-Haired Rocker
The flame-haired, fierce-eyed……rocker. ……………
Yesterday was packed with events. Absolutely jam-packed. First off, the three goddesses shipped me off to the fifth world with their powers, and I became Han Kang. True to the Victory Goddess's word, Han Kang was pretty damn strong. A former special forces operative named Han In-gang—no, Han Kang—he'd injected himself with augmentation serum, granting him physical prowess that outstripped even Olympic gold medalists.
But as the Victory Goddess had warned, great power came with equally great trials. Han Kang was a middle-aged guy in his forties, teetering on the edge of alcoholism, a pitiful man who'd lost nearly ninety percent of his assets to his cuckoo ex-wife's revenge scam. At the moment of possession, his human relationships were in utter ruins, practically on the verge of solitary death.
Anyway, now that I was Han Kang, I went in for my first day at work and took down my first villain. In the afternoon, I ran through shooting drills and close-quarters combat training, made lunch plans with Lee Jin-ah, and finally……
'Reconciled with my daughter in a really good atmosphere.'
For Han Kang, it was a life-changing moment, no exaggeration. Utterly unexpected, though. I had no idea Han Sol would show up out of the blue, or that she knew she wasn't my biological daughter. Even so, we'd somehow patched things up. It seemed Han Kang and Han Sol hadn't truly hated each other—they'd just lacked communication.
'How strange.'
Emotions blending with Han Kang's swirled inside me. Warmth, relief, and a twinge of guilt. Complicated feelings toward his daughter. But all in all, it was a good thing. I'd reunited with a daughter I'd thought I'd never see again for the rest of my life.
However.
No matter how monumental yesterday was, I couldn't skip work. I hadn't even taken a vacation day.
"――Yeah. Gotta go in."
No time to wallow in sentiment. I cracked my eyes open before the alarm could shred my eardrums. Washed up, threw on a suit. Fridge check: still just soju and bottled water. Breakfast would be mix coffee and vending machine snacks from the break room.
Stepped out of the one-room. Took the subway to the Special Security Management Bureau Seoul Branch. Rode the elevator to the sixth floor and opened the office door. The second I sat down――
"Senior!"
A voice flew at me first. It was Lee Jin-ah, standing in front of my desk.
"You didn't drink last night?"
"Mm. Didn't."
"For real!?"
Lee Jin-ah's eyes went wide.
"You really didn't? Truly?"
"Told you, I didn't."
It was true. Now that I was Han Kang, I wasn't quitting booze cold turkey—just cutting way back. No reason to drink anyway. Downing it without cause was just addiction.
"Whoa……."
Her face lit up like she'd hit the lottery.
"You're amazing! First time ever—Senior going without a drink for no reason!"
"……Yeah?"
"Of course! You drank every day. Every single day!"
Lee Jin-ah clasped her hands, eyes sparkling.
"You're gonna keep it up, right?"
"I'll try."
"Great! I'll help! Call me anytime you crave it!"
'Call you? What for…….'
Probably just exaggerated hype. If I actually called, I might end up plastered on some anonymous site as the "creepy fortysomething boss."
Still, Lee Jin-ah was undeniably a good person. For a mere workplace senior, even if it was performative concern, she worried this much. Not all young folks were this sweet nowadays, but she had a genuinely kind heart. To a gruff middle-aged guy like Han Kang, a bright junior like her was truly a light and salt of the earth.
"You must be feeling great today! I'll go brew some coffee!"
She scampered back to her desk like an eager puppy.
'……Phew.'
Sat back in my chair. Booted up the computer, punched in the time-honored top-secret password—1q2w3e4r5t6y—and was about to log in when……
I caught a glimpse of Han Kang's face reflected in the black monitor. A thought struck me.
'This guy Han Kang……how the hell did he live? Everyone treats him like a terminal case or a walking suicide risk.'
I had a rough idea, actually. Digging through Han Kang's memories, it was hopeless. Drank every day. Alone, in his one-room. No friends, no hobbies, no wife, barely any contact with his daughter. Sober at the office, drunk asleep in the one-room. All in a mid-forties body. Suppressing chronic pain by force. Risking his life on missions.
In summary: one step from alcoholism, high-risk solitary death candidate, no future, no hope.
"……Tch."
I clicked my tongue. Han Kang's life had been a slow suicide. He was killing himself, deliberately and steadily.
'Gotta live properly now. I'm Han Kang.'
Cut the booze, exercise……well, I did that daily anyway, eat real meals. To pass the trials, date too.
'Normal, happy love. Happy ending.'
The task the three goddesses gave me. Failed four times, but fifth time's the charm.
And surprisingly, it seemed feasible. The starting conditions weren't bad. Plenty of elements to work with. Sure, mid-forties, but Han Kang's body, pumped full of augmentation serum, was ridiculously strong. I could probably hang with the juiced-up Supermen from hero flicks—as long as they didn't have steel arms or shields.
Plus, Han Kang's salary was decent. Hazard pay bumped it up. Sure, he'd suffered that ultra-bad beat of losing ninety percent of his assets mid-life. But after that, save scraps, add salary steadily, find a good person, marry, live happily till our hair turned white.
'If not, lower my standards. Divorced single mom with kids……eh, if she's kind, it's fine.'
Yeah. Han Kang had already married the absolute worst and survived. Hot rice, cold rice, even hellish bean slop at seventy percent beans—I could handle anything. Just needed a good person. Just a good person. Nothing else mattered. Pretty was a bonus.
"Senior, your coffee!"
Lee Jin-ah was back. A steaming paper cup on a tray. Perfect temperature and strength, just like always.
'Got a good junior.'
With that thought, the day began.
……………
D-rank Villain Appeared
Hongdae Street Area
Agents on Standby
Beep――!! Beep――!! Beep――!! Again. Red text flashed on the wall-mounted big screen.
'Why today of all days…….'
Not rigged or anything, but two days straight since I became Han Kang?
"Another D-rank, huh."
"Second one this week already."
Coworkers muttered. D-rank villains popped up pretty often, actually. Weak didn't mean harmless. There were tons of them, and a high ratio caused street chaos.
"I'll go."
The junior next to me spoke up. Name……Kim something, I think. Han Kang barely mingled with colleagues.
"Nah, I'll handle it."
"Solo?"
"No need for two on a D-rank."
Nothing else to do anyway. Paperwork wasn't mine, morning training done. Grabbed my gear and stood.
"Senior, be careful!"
Lee Jin-ah waved.
"Mm."
Nodded and left the office. Fired up the emergency response bike in the underground lot. Helmet on, throttle twisted. Engine growled low.
Ran there yesterday, but Hongdae was a haul. Bike made sense.
'Ten minutes-ish.'
Bike's perk: squeeze through traffic. Ignored lights, hopped lanes, full throttle.
Scene came into view soon.
'There.'
No need for Lee Jin-ah's power this time. Just follow the stampeding crowds.
About a hundred meters out――
"Hey――!!! Shut the singing the fuck up―――!!!"
An ear-splitting roar. Parked the bike, ditched the helmet. Walked toward the source.
Mid-street. Spot for small indie bands busking. Stage amp, mic, drum set scattered on the ground. And in the center, a guy. Twenties-ish. Wearing what looked like a metal suit.
And his gadget? Megaphone. Or too big to call it that. Man-sized leg. Thought it was a bazooka at first.
"You fucking bastards――!!! Shut the singing the fuck up――!!!"
Villain bellowed, megaphone boomed—nearby shop windows shattered. People clutched ears, huddled.
"……Your ass is way louder than the street performers."
Tiny earbud piped Lee Jin-ah's voice.
"Mm."
"Got it."
"Planning to."
Science-mod gear type. Like hero movie goons in suits blasting lasers, flying around. Of course, this chump was leagues below.
Point was, neutralize the gear, and he was just a normie.
Dismounted, approached. Silence Man hadn't spotted me. Kept screaming into the megaphone.
"You fucking bastards――!! Shut the singing the fuck up――!!!"
Street clear, thirty meters. Wait for him to inhale, dash in, rugby tackle—done.
'Approach wrong angle, eardrums burst. Timing key.'
Moment I crouched—
Bam――!!
Sudden impact; Silence Man's head snapped forward.
"……Huh!?"
Took a second to process.
Behind Silence Man……someone stood. Long-haired woman with flame-orange locks. Early twenties-ish. In her hand――
'Electric guitar?'
Glossy red electric guitar that'd smashed his head.
"Lemme hear some songs――!! You fuck――!!"
Mimicking his lines, probably. Suit took the hit, but he didn't drop. Staggered back.
But the flame-haired girl didn't stop. Swung the guitar. Again. And again.
Twang――! Twaaang――! Boom――!
Shrieking from the strings. Sounded like……impromptu jam.
Storm of strikes. Guitar as bludgeon, pounding Silence Man.
"Rock――"
Boom!
"Gotta be――"
Boom!
"LOUD――!!"
Boom!!
"Guh――!!"
Silence Man groaned, crumpled. Megaphone clattered from his grip.
'……What the hell is this girl.'
Just stood there, dumbfounded.
The orange-haired girl slung the guitar over her shoulder and grinned wide.
"Ah――refreshing! That's rock!"