Hero! Hooligan! Let's Eat!
Hero! Hooligan! Let's eat! .......... Hero Hooligan. That's the villain name of that dog-headed bastard.
The reason his villain name is so grandiose isn't because he's actually some hero or great warrior. He just calls himself that, that's all. Leaving aside his terrible naming sense, the real danger of this guy lies in his Awakener ability.
Its characteristic—stock market-linked proportional power. He gets stronger when the stocks he owns rise, and weaker when they fall. Almost in real time, too.
He used to be a small fry bouncing between low and high D-rank, trading only domestic stocks. But a few years ago, he started dabbling in U.S. stocks, and his power skyrocketed exponentially. Back in the second half of this year, when both KOSPI and Nasdaq hit all-time highs simultaneously, his threat level reached the upper tiers of A-rank.
That's when the government deployed their ultimate weapon in a desperate rush, and even then, it barely took him down.
But recently, with bad news piling up and a market correction kicking in, reports said his power had shrunk back to low C-rank in an instant. No one knows exactly what stocks the bastard's trading that make his strength yo-yo so wildly on a mere 10% dip.
Come to think of it... right now?
I pulled out my phone and checked the overseas stock news channel.
Ah.
It clicked. At this rebound pace, he's at least upper C-rank. Impossible for a single combat agent to take down alone.
I shoved my phone in my pocket and dug into the inner pocket of my suit for it.
Its identity—a pair of anti-villain combat gloves. Knuckle-dusters made of ultra-reinforced material, packed with electric shock stronger than a stun gun. Standard gear I always carry off-duty.
I've survived more times than I can count thanks to these gloves.
I slipped them on both hands and scanned the scene. Two fellow combat agents were already facing off against him. I didn't know who they were—probably on duty or rushed over from nearby.
They held anti-villain suppression shields, squared up against Hero Hooligan.
I rushed over and barked orders.
"Hey, it's Han Kang."
"Huh."
"—!?"
"Shut up and listen. We rush him together and take him down. You two use the shields to pin him against the wall. I'll smash his head with my fists."
"Got it!"
Short and sweet. No bullshit. The Special Security Management Bureau might be a bunch of half-assed types including me, but when it counts, we deliver.
All three of us kicked off the ground at once. The two with shields from the flanks, me dead center. Triangular encirclement.
Anti-villain suppression shields can tank C-rank attacks no problem. Pin him to the wall, cut off escape, trap him between wall and shields—and I pound him senseless. Solid tactic, even against upper C-rank. Safe and effective.
——But.
"Hahaha!"
The dog-headed villain, Hero Hooligan, roared with laughter.
"I said bring booze and broads! This won't do!"
The moment he raised his fist.
It swelled up. Three times its original size.
"—3x Leverage Punch!"
"What?!"
No time to think. The massive fist slammed into both agents with shields at once.
BAM—!!
A thunderous boom, and their bodies flew through the air. Twenty meters, thirty. They only stopped after smashing into a distant streetlamp pole.
The two agents... not moving a muscle. Out cold at best.
It happened in a flash.
"Hahahahaha!! With leverage, I'm three times stronger!"
Hero Hooligan bellowed in mad laughter.
And I—
Fuck, we're screwed.
Crushing tank-proof anti-villain shields like paper with one punch? That's no upper C-rank—mid B-rank at least.
Normally, a Hero would show up for this. Or the government's ace-in-the-hole like the Ferocious Tiger Squadron mecha.
Should I... run? Retreat?
I value my life too. Bolt like hell, and yeah, I'd get fired and jailed, but I'd live.
"No, can't do that."
But backing off here? No way. Nowhere to go. This is downtown. Wounded comrades on the ground. Someone's gotta stop this lunatic.
And that's me.
Hate to die, but no choice. Just give it everything I've got.
Like I have for the past eighteen years.
"Tch, no helping it."
I already knew about this Hero Hooligan bastard. Relies purely on his Awakener power, zero martial training.
So, same play as with the Baseball Hooligan. I kicked off the ground.
"You ain't booze or broads!"
Hero Hooligan raised his fist. Before it could crush me, I dropped low.
Tackle. Grabbed his waist, drove my weight in. His body staggered.
The instant his balance wavered, I circled behind. Arm around his neck.
Rear Naked Choke. Squeeze the carotids—lights out in ten seconds.
"You bastard!"
Hero Hooligan thrashed. But no attempt to peel the choke—just wild swings.
Yeah. This is humanity's wisdom against supernatural bullshit. Just hold on a bit longer.
A bit mo—
Then I felt power surge into his legs.
No way.
If he just collapses, great. Grappling-wise, that exposes his neck wide open. Hell, I'd thank him—clamp down and rip his head off.
But Hero Hooligan's jump exceeded expectations. Nearly five meters. No, more.
Sky above. Up to the third floor of a building. Then gravity yanked us down.
"—You mad fuck!"
And he slammed backward. Back-first into concrete.
Me underneath.
THUD—!!
"Gahhk!!"
Lungs emptied. Concrete crushed my back, ribs creaking. Still conscious purely on grit.
Vision shaking, ears ringing. In that gap, he slipped free.
"Hahahahaha! Nasdaq is god, and I'm invincible! Bring booze and broads!"
...Fuck.
Couldn't breathe—diaphragm frozen. Couldn't twitch a finger.
Despair city.
Truth is, comrades down, me combat-ineffective. Meanwhile, dog-head's fine, squawking for booze and pussy like a parrot.
"Woo! Woo! Woo! Booze! Broads! Meat! Like a restaurant metaphor!"
This fucker... gotta do something...!
Then—
"Hey!!"
A voice from the side. I barely turned my head—flame-orange hair in view.
Yeom Hana. Gripping her electric guitar like a club. Just like when she bashed Silence Man.
"Broad delivered!"
"What?! Then just booze left—"
Hero Hooligan lit up at his prize broad.
Yeom Hana charged. Blinding speed. Footsteps echoed late.
Guitar whistled through air.
WHAM!
He blocked with his arm. Impact like a car crash boomed.
"Tch!"
Yeom Hana leaped back, reset stance.
"For mad dogs—"
Then unleashed a barrage.
"—history proves this is the cure!"
Guitar swung again. Down from up, up from down, left to right.
Hero Hooligan blocks, dodges, counters.
Yeom Hana evades, parries, strikes back.
That girl...!
Thought she was just some rock-fan chick who chuckled at frog and Shiba Inu memes, scarfed down tteokbokki till her cheeks puffed.
But now Yeom Hana's trading twenty-plus exchanges against a 3x-leveraged beast.
No time to admire. She's losing ground. He's adapting to her patterns.
Need to recover fast. Crack his skull from behind.
But.
Can I win?
No confidence. That tackle was best play. Grapple and choke—surefire.
Failed. Next? Same thing? He'd just jump and slam again.
Need something else. Think. Think!
Hero Hooligan's power. Stock-linked proportional.
Up, stronger. Down, weaker.
...Hmm.
An idea hit. Risky, uncertain.
But only shot right now.
..........
About two minutes later.
"Hey! Yeom Hana! Hero Hooligan!"
Both turned. Me. Staggering up from the ground. Pale face, ragged breaths.
"Hold up! Stock breaking news!"
Hero Hooligan froze solid.
"What? Stocks!?"
Booze, broads, meat—just spoils. Stocks alone hooks this villain's core.
"Yeah. Big news—listen up."
My thumb tapped the screen. Moments later, a man's voice spilled from the phone speaker. Calm, deliberate—news anchor vibe.
"—What?!"
Hero Hooligan ignored Yeom Hana, whirled to me. Eyes bugged, then gleamed with manic joy.
"Hahahaha—!! Mister 'No Rate Cuts Ever' finally fired!!"
He threw arms skyward, roaring.
"US rates cut too? I'm truly invincible—"
The broadcast cut him off.
Hero Hooligan's cheer died.
His face drained white. Body visibly shrank. Muscles deflated like a punctured balloon. Madness fled his eyes, terror rising.
"L-Lies—gotta be lies! No way!"
He screamed, charging me.
"Hero! Hooligan—"
Flame-orange hair engulfed him.
Yeom Hana.
"—let's eat!!"
CRASH!!
Red guitar nailed his side clean. Impact on another level.
3x leverage meant a 15% Nasdaq drop equaled -45% power. Hero Hooligan wasn't a beast anymore—just a mutt.