Little Devil Little Devil
Little Devil. Real name: Hwang Yerang. A genius hero who debuted as a pro hero at just twelve years old and rose to Senior rank in a mere two years. With her childlike cheerfulness, adorable looks, and overwhelming feats, her popularity back then was off the charts. They even called her the nation's hero, and she enjoyed cult-like fame across the country.
Then one day, Hwang Yerang launched a terrorist attack on one of the Hero Association's facilities and vanished without a trace. A hero sworn to protect people assaulting an Association site—it was unprecedented. The incident shocked the entire nation, and afterward, the Association branded her an S-rank villain and began hunting her down. But she was never caught, and as years passed, she gradually faded from people's memories.
That was everything I'd dug up online after our first encounter. A former hero turned villain who once set the whole country abuzz. And right now, that very girl was standing in front of me, dolled up like we were on a real date.
"Making a girl wait? Your manners suck, oppa."
"It's still five minutes before the agreed time."
"Tsk tsk. That's why you're single. You gotta show up fifteen minutes early."
"Am I on a date with you or something?"
She'd been in comfy track pants last time, but dressed up like this, she was undeniably cute. For the record, I'd picked a bustling downtown street as our meetup spot. These lunatics were bold enough to commit terrorism in broad daylight, so they might try murder even here—but it was the best shot at some safety in numbers.
"Wanna grab some food first?"
I wanted to just spit out whatever she wanted and bail, but seeing how much effort she'd put into her outfit, that wasn't happening anytime soon. For now, I'd have to play along with her whims.
Suddenly hooking her arm through mine, Hwang Yerang led me straight to a seolleongtang joint. Not exactly date vibes, but was hitting up a soup house right after getting all glammed up really a good call?
"Ahh~ Nothing beats soup with soju, right?"
In the full blaze of midday sun, she ordered seolleongtang and soju, chowing down heartily while chattering away. I listened hard, hoping for something useful, but it was all pointless small talk.
After filling up on hearty soup, we headed to a café. She'd covered the bill at the soup place, so I offered to pay here, but she brushed it off, saying a convenience store clerk like me couldn't have cash to spare. Hell, I wasn't even that anymore—just a 100% unemployed bum—so I let her handle it without protest.
"...So I was thinking about checking out this super hot new movie everyone's talking about, but the reviews are so polarized. What do you think—wanna go?"
By now, I was just silently watching, wondering when she'd get to the point. Mid-ramble, Hwang Yerang was straight-up luring me to a movie. To anyone else, we'd look like a couple on a date. When in reality, we could kill each other any second. It was so absurd I couldn't even laugh.
Grateful as I was for her dragging this out, her motives were a mystery—and it pissed me off. She knew my secret; what game was she playing?
Either way, a movie was perfect for killing time, so I went along quietly. By the time we stepped out, dusk was falling.
For the record, the movie sucked. Hwang Yerang raved about it like it was a masterpiece—proving just how divisive it was.
The moon wouldn't rise for a bit yet. What now to stall?
"Werewolves only relax once evening hits, huh?"
"...What?"
"You were stiff as a board last time. Your face is finally loosening up."
"Just used to your antics."
"Oppa, do you get why I waited this long?"
"Dunno. Guess you really like me that much."
Of course she hadn't dragged me around for fun. But I couldn't figure it out. Why wait until evening? If she had business, daytime—when I couldn't transform—would've been more effective.
"Hmm~ Partly that, but talking when you can't use your powers feels like blackmail. So I waited."
"What about it? It is blackmail."
"Don't be like that. 'We' wanna keep things smooth with you, oppa."
'We,' huh... I'd half-wondered during this "date" if she was approaching me purely out of personal interest, separate from the Villain Alliance. But nope—Villain Alliance it was. The psycho crew that pulled off a terrorist attack without batting an eye.
"Come with us, oppa. Villains can't survive solo. You need reliable comrades."
Reliable comrades. What a joke. They'd banded together just to stay alive themselves. In a group of backstabbing villains, where were the "comrades"?
"And if I say no?"
"Then I'll drag you by force."
Figured as much.
"Ideally we'd talk it out, but guys like you who trust their own power? Gotta crush 'em once to break their spirit—or they cause trouble."
In other words, she'd waited to strike first and seize the advantage. Some confidence.
"Then let's change venues."
The abandoned construction site she led me to was eerily deserted even at early evening—no sign of human life. Neither of us wanted witnesses, so this would be our battlefield.
Crack. Crunch.
My bones twisted, skeleton and muscles swelling. My 170-something cm frame shot past two meters in an instant. Vision rose high, fur blanketed my body, sharp claws sprouted from hands and feet.
"Grrr..."
A beast's guttural growl leaked from my jaws instead of words. I'd stripped beforehand, so my clothes were safe. Today, I'd kill her and head home unscathed.
"Oho~"
Hwang Yerang nodded appreciatively as I revealed myself.
"Looking tough. I like it."
Fallen for me already? Sorry, you're not my type.
I clawed words into the wall. She blinked in surprise.
"Huh? You can write?"
"What, no speech practice at your age?"
Werewolves could talk with practice? News to me—I hadn't been one originally. Score some unintended intel.
"Total slacker. How you gonna kill me like that?"
Shut up and come at me.
"Yay yay. Don't get cocky—or you'll die before you blink."
Grinning to bare her fangs, she taunted. I kicked off full-throttle, no holding back since stalling wasn't needed.
The gap closed in a flash; her face loomed near. I twisted my hips, cocking a fist for max power. It whistled through the air toward her face—
Boom.
"―――!?!?"
Something smashed my head; I cratered into the ground, tumbling. What the hell? I hadn't seen a thing. She stood casually, no stance, arms loose. My punch should've landed square—why was I down?
Head throbbing like it might split, I shook it off, sprang up, and backed away.
"Told you not to drop your guard."
Arms crossed, she eyed me smugly. Per my online digging, her power was transformation-based: morphing body parts into devil-like forms. Hence, Little Devil. But how'd she hit me without moving? No devilish changes visible now.
Info shortage. I'd have to clash and learn the hard way.
I charged again, claws splayed instead of fist. Eyes locked on her every twitch. That's when I barely caught it—a devil tail sprouting from her hips.
Thwack.
The whip-like tail lashed from blind-spot, nailing me. I rolled away, reopening distance. The struck spot bled, flesh torn.
A tail? Never saw that coming.
"Ooh, spotted it? Not bad."
She'd whipped it out mid-charge for a blind attack, then retracted. Even my werewolf dynamic vision struggled with its speed. But now I knew—could counter.
Decent haul.
"Impressive. Most drop after one hit, but you tanked two and clocked the tail."
Scared now?
"Nah. Would've been disappointed if you hadn't."
Her cockiness made sense now. Blinding hyper-speed strikes with killer force. Spica or Bomberman would've folded to the first. Each blow was near-lethal.
But I could endure. Werewolf blood boiled with battle lust, power surging.
Stance set, I barreled at her again.
"Spotted the tail? Good luck blocking blind-side strikes."
True—impossible to predict direction. But there was a way: don't let her deploy it.
Charging, I held breath till she was about to tail-out, then roared at max volume.
"――――――!!!"