I'm Really Sorry
"Kill me, please."
"…Huh?"
Hwang Yerang blinked, tilting her head as if she'd misheard. But the look on Baek Seung-ah's face staring back at her confirmed it wasn't her imagination. Baek Seung-ah's expression was that of someone who'd long since lost any attachment to life.
"What… what did you just say?"
"Kill me. I just… I hate everything now. I'm just a monster no one can love anyway… There's no place for me in this world…"
"…"
"We're friends, right? So please, just grant me this one request."
"It'd be a problem if you went and died on your own like that. Do you have any idea how valuable an experimental subject you are?"
Hwang Yerang stood frozen in shock, unable to react, when an emotionless, mechanical voice snapped her out of it. Turning toward the source, she saw Ashstone—the lab director and a Senior hero—watching them in his white coat.
"What did you just say?"
"I see. Little Devil, you're acquainted with the subject, aren't you?"
"Don't call Seung-ah an experimental subject! I'll kill you!"
"Kill me? You, kill me? I've got more than enough data on you already. You can't beat me."
"You think you can get away with this? I'll go straight to the Association and expose everything. You're finished!"
Hwang Yerang screamed in fury, her voice fierce and menacing. But Ashstone just smirked, utterly unfazed.
"Kids like you are so predictably stupid. You have no idea how many executives are involved in this experiment—even if it hasn't been officially approved yet. Sure, I might get a slap on the wrist, but it's not enough to end me."
"You're lying! The Association would never let this slide!"
"Tch. That's why I hate dealing with brats. You can't think rationally—you just let your emotions dictate what's 'true.' It's so pathetically naive it makes me want to puke."
Even as Hwang Yerang threatened to report him, Ashstone showed no sign of fear. If anything, he spoke with brazen confidence, implying the Association was turning a blind eye. It couldn't be true. The Hero Association—protectors of people—condoning something this inhumane? She wanted to deny it, but a moment's thought made it clear. No lab director would run a risk like this alone, something bound to be exposed eventually. Not unless the Association knew and approved.
Hwang Yerang turned back to Baek Seung-ah. The faint spark of brightness and vitality that had started to return lately was gone. I did this. She'd been the one to urge her to join the Association.
There were direct culprits, sure, but Hwang Yerang had lured her into that den of villains herself. If only she'd stayed by her side instead of heading to the Pollution Zone. If she'd checked even a little when suspicion first arose. Maybe she could have saved Baek Seung-ah before she lost the will to live.
She never imagined the Hero Association—the ones who protected people—would be behind something like this. That's why she'd let her precious friend suffer until it was too late.
Suddenly, Hwang Yerang recalled what she'd told Baek Seung-ah before leaving for the Pollution Zone. That the world was beautiful. That she hoped Baek Seung-ah would see it too. That she'd make sure of it. The words made her nauseous now—irresponsible, blindly optimistic promises she couldn't keep.
Baek Seung-ah's first words to her had been a plea to die. Not to be saved. At first, she must have hoped for rescue, to escape this hell. But endless torment had worn her down until she'd abandoned all hope. Even with a chance to flee this nightmare, she no longer clung to life. Words no sixteen-year-old should ever utter.
"I'm sorry."
"I'm really sorry."
"I'll take full responsibility."
"So…"
Tears blurred Hwang Yerang's vision. Her head burned hotter and hotter, on the verge of exploding. Reason sank away, rage filled the void, and her mind flashed white.
From her limbs outward, black armor-like skin formed over her body like plating. A long, thick tail sprouted from her hips, and sharp, devilish horns grew from her head. In the isolation room, a true devil was born.
"Ho. I heard Little Devil couldn't achieve full transformation. Is this some kind of emotional awakening? They say abilities awaken through desperate wishes in extreme conditions, but I never thought I'd witness it firsthand. Fascinating."
Ashstone muttered to himself with interest, even with the enraged devil right in front of him. No hint of danger in his eyes—he trusted his own power completely. People thought he'd become a Senior hero through research alone, but no one understood his changes better than he did. He'd honed his abilities relentlessly. He knew Little Devil's data inside out; even accounting for evolution, he was confident he wouldn't lose.
"Come at me. Time to teach a naive kid about the real world…"
——KABOOM!!
The devil charged at blinding speed, smashing her knee into his face. Overwhelming force sent Ashstone crashing through the thick isolation wall.
Rising from the rubble, Ashstone's face twisted in shock.
"Guh… Impossible! Even in full form, you shouldn't be this much stronger…"
-KABOOM.
The devil's tail whipped down on his head before he could finish. His skull slammed into the floor, legs flailing up from the impact. The tail relentlessly lashed his crumpled body like a whip.
Under the merciless barrage, Ashstone convulsed, unconscious. But the devil didn't stop.
Suddenly, she raised her head, scanning the room.
"Hah… haa…!"
The researchers, witnessing the director's flight and beating, froze in terror, trembling.
The devil turned toward them and advanced.
"W-wait! What you're doing is outright terrorism against the Association! You think you'll get away with this!?"
They shouted threats, but she ignored them. Her face was a mask of demonic rage.
She approached slowly. Overwhelmed by her murderous aura, the researchers' legs gave out—they couldn't even flee.
"P-please! Spare me! Don't kill me!"
-SQUELCH.
Her hand plunged into a researcher's chest. A hot, pulsing heart throbbed in her grip, spraying warmth over her fingers.
"Guhk… sp-spare…"
"Did you even pretend to listen when Seung-ah begged for her life?"
-CRUNCH.
She crushed it. The man spewed blood and collapsed.
Her first kill. Even against villains, Hwang Yerang had always subdued without killing, believing heroes delivered justice through capture, not death. But these weren't people to her anymore. No guilt stirred. She'd slain countless monsters before—they were just more of the same.
The surviving researchers bolted on shaking legs. But Hwang Yerang had no intention of letting any experiment-related staff escape.
A one-sided massacre unfolded in the lab.
A massive impact triggered the facility's special defensive barrier to prevent monster escapes. It shattered like brittle candy under one punch from Hwang Yerang.
The barrier trapped the researchers inside instead, dooming them to be hunted one by one.
In just over thirty minutes, death bloomed across the lab.
Amid the blood-soaked carnage, Hwang Yerang reverted to human form and returned to Baek Seung-ah.
"Yerang-ah…"
Kim Youngho, arriving late and cradling Baek Seung-ah, looked at Hwang Yerang with bittersweet eyes.
"Let's go, mister."
Hwang Yerang gave a faint smile and turned to leave the blood-scented lab—only for Ashstone to stagger up, blocking their path, gasping for breath.
"I can't let you…! You have no idea that child's true value!"
"What value does human experimentation trash like you even know?"
"What's wrong with experimenting on humans? Look at the world today! If we obsess over 'human value' and 'dignity,' will we still be spouting that nonsense after humanity goes extinct? Every advancement in evolution and progress has thrived in society's shadows! Even the tech and medicine keeping our peace! You live in prosperity built on sacrificing the few—what right do you have to stand in my way!?"
Ashstone bellowed in rage, but Hwang Yerang just listened impassively. As he finished, panting, she transformed back into the devil and approached.
"When I was a kid, I thought crazy scientists like you were so cool… Seeing it for real, you're just pathetic."
Ashstone glared, face contorted.
"Cut the 'for humanity' crap. Stop justifying it. You just wanted to satisfy your curiosity."
As he tried to activate his power, she moved faster, seizing his throat.
"Gack!"
"Dragging in little girls for your sick experiments and jerking off to 'saving humanity'? Pathetic, right?"
-CRACK.
She lifted him by the neck, slowly tightening her grip. Blood flow cut off, his face turned red, then blue.
"Grrk…"
As it shifted from red to purple, crunch—his neck snapped, head lolling at an unnatural angle.
Kim Youngho watched, unable to hide his bitterness, as Hwang Yerang finished Ashstone off.