Villain Assault
"Hello, pervert? I told you not to run because I definitely remembered your face, right?"
Long, straight black hair. A mature, composed aura. She was the kind of stunning beauty who could make anyone blush if they bumped into her by chance—but instead of blushing, my face was draining of color, turning pale.
Oh God.
Of all the customers to walk into the convenience store, it had to be Marie, the hero who'd mistaken me for a pervert exposing himself and tried to hand me over to the cops.
"I have no idea what you're talking about. Must be a case of mistaken identity?"
Calm down. The scene that night had been pitch black, and she'd been straddling me to pin me down, so she probably hadn't gotten a good look at my face. If I denied it firmly, she'd suspect but couldn't be sure.
"Denying it so adamantly? You really thought I'd just go, 'Oh, my bad, wrong person~ Sorry!'?"
"I'm denying it because you're mistaken. Anyway, hand over whatever you're buying so I can ring you up."
Damn it. Her expression made it clear she was convinced I was that pervert from yesterday. She'd been giving me the coldest stare since she walked in.
"I'm really curious, but why do you do stuff like that? Lonely? Craving attention? Or just want to show off your goods? Not that I saw much worth bragging about."
"What? You sure you saw right? I've never once been humbled in a bathhouse, you know? Wanna see?"
"Show me what?!"
Marie flushed red and snapped, then smirked like she'd caught me. Crap. Denying my manhood as a guy had made me snap back without thinking. It wasn't even my original body—what did I care if it got dissed?
"Haha... I-I can explain everything."
"Go ahead. Try."
This was insane. Explain? With what? 'I'm a werewolf'? That'd be game over.
My brain raced faster than ever, but no good excuses came. I just sweated bullets as Marie's glare turned icier by the second.
"What's your name?"
"...Jeong Yuseong."
For the record, Jeong Yuseong wasn't my real name—it was this werewolf body's. Using someone else's still felt weird, but giving my original would've been stranger.
"Sigh. You look normal, you work a normal job... so why pull that crap? Exposing yourself in public is a straight-up crime, you know?"
"Yep."
"And you know that but do it anyway?"
"Sorry."
No defense left, I took her lecture like a guilty man, meek as could be. Pathetic, right? The masked, hooded customer behind her stood there watching the farce like it was free entertainment.
What the hell? Some shame play? If you're buying, pay up quick or get lost—why gawk?
Glancing resentfully at the guy, he suddenly shaped his hand like a gun and aimed it at me and Marie.
"Bang."
BOOOOOOM!!!
What the hell just happened?
The customer behind us pointed at us... and after that, my memory blanks. Like my consciousness blacked out for a second.
A massive heat wave and explosion rocked right next to me, like a bomb went off.
Enemy? Monster? Villain? Were we under attack?
Cough. Cough.
Thick black smoke choked the air. Inhaling burned my lungs, hacking up a storm.
I tested my hands and feet—moved fine, no pain. Felt like a huge impact hit, but my body's holding up surprisingly well.
"...Pervert? Can you hear me?"
"Yeah, I can."
"Can you... move?"
"Seems okay."
"Then, when I give the signal... run. As far as you can."
"Huh? What're you—"
"I... can't hold out long. Ngh!"
Pain laced Marie's voice. Something warm and sticky coated me—it was her blood.
Now it clicked. We got hit. She shielded me, so I'm fine. She took the brunt protecting me—and she's wrecked.
"Whoa, still kicking? Hit you full force, but you're tougher than I thought."
The villain's voice rang out, dripping with mockery.
"Sneak attack? Typical coward move for a villain."
"Battle ain't playtime, hero girl. On a real battlefield of life and death, there's no 'fair' or 'coward'."
Marie struggled up, shielding me with her body as she faced the enemy.
"Terror in the heart of the city? Hope you're ready."
She snarled like she was fine, but she was at her limit—I could tell. The enemy confirmed it: he's stronger. Even head-on, she had no shot. Yet he ambushed. Thorough, no gaps.
Why hit a hero so flashy in the city?
"You need to prepare yourself. You're the one dying now."
"A hero can't lose to a villain."
"That's cartoon stuff. Reality's harsh."
Marie glanced at me, took a stance—probably signaling to bolt when she gave the word.
Could I even escape? Sure, better than average for a civilian, but still human limits. She's done; next hit finishes her.
No way I make it. Plus, running means she dies.
She thinks I'm a pervert criminal, but threw herself in harm's way without hesitation. I didn't want to watch her die.
Have to transform. No choice—we both die otherwise. Even if exposed, better survive as a fugitive werewolf...
"Bang."
BOOM!!
Before I could shift, he fired the same attack at Marie—hand aimed, explosion.
"Heard you plotting to run."
Her effort wasted; she crumpled.
"Hey, sorry 'bout this? I was after the hero, but can't leave witnesses."
"..."
"Don't hate me too much. I'll make it quick and painless."
"Hey."
"Yeah?"
"Shut up."
"What? Gone mad from fear? That's a fun reaction."
Crack. Crunch. Bones twisted, frame and muscles swelled. My 170cm frame shot past 2 meters in a blink.
"...Huh?"
Clothes shredded as I grew. View rose, fur sprouted everywhere, claws sharpened on hands and feet.
"Grrr..."
A beast's growl leaked, not human speech.
"What the—you a monster?"
Head burned hot. Transforming made me feral, aggressive—and pissed off, I saw red. Kill everything.
"Wait, calm down. Don't wanna fight you. Monster or whatever, I'll pretend I saw nothing. We go our ways?"
He panicked, trying to de-escalate. I scraped my last reason into claws on the floor.
I've got no reason to let you live after seeing my face.
Werewolf's deadliest weakness: human identity exposed. No option to let a witness walk.
"Bang!!"
BOOM.
He realized he couldn't just leave, blasting as soon as he read it. Searing heat scorched flesh, savory smell rose—but wolf fur and hide halved it, burns healed fast. Not lethal.
"Ngh. Bang! Bang! Bang!"
BOOM. BOOM. BOOOOM!!
Relentless blasts, but weaker each time. Probably power drops with spam.
Still, too much to tank forever. One's fine; barrage ain't.
I lunged close, slashed claws. Deadlier than fists—could rip human bone and muscle clean.
"Gah!"
He rolled, barely dodged, tried spacing out—but I stuck tight.
Not a close-quarters guy. Blast up close, he'd eat his own explosion.
At range, pain in the ass. Up close? Just prey.
Slash.
"GAAAAAAAAH!!"
Claws sheared his arm. Severed limb tumbled, spraying blood everywhere.
"W-Wait! Deal... let's deal!"
He knew he lost, proposed terms.
"Kill me, my buddies won't let you off! So deal!"
Buddies? Desperate bluff? Or not—late night city center terror. Heroes patrolling harder lately; noise draws them fast. He knew, still did it—means escape plan. Maybe allies.
But that ain't...
Not my problem.
...my business.