Surrender!
"――――――!!!!"
"Ugh!?"
A deafening roar hit Hwang Yerang like a bomb blast, kicking up a massive cloud of dust from the ground in an instant. She instinctively clapped her hands over her ears, her face twisting in realization a beat too late—but it was already over. Even a mere 0.1-second opening was more than enough for my fist to reach her.
Bam.
The sensation of soft skin and hard bone registered at the tip of my knuckles. She took the hit dead-on and went flying, slamming into the wall. A thick haze of sand and grit billowed up as chunks of shattered concrete rained down.
I'd put everything into that punch, fully intending to kill. This should end it...
"Ow ow ow. Punching such a pretty face without a second thought? You're ruthless, oppa."
...No, it wasn't over. How the hell is she still alive after that?
"Ah, nosebleed."
Blood streamed from her nose as she hauled herself up from the pile of debris. Hwang Yerang wiped it away with her sleeve and rolled her shoulders, loosening up.
"Not bad senses. Decent power too. Yeah, that's about what I'd expect."
Far from wincing in pain, she grinned like she was having the time of her life.
"Appetizer's over. Now we get serious?"
A chill ran down my spine. The vicious killing intent pouring off her made me drop into a guard on pure instinct.
And that instinct was spot-on.
Her arm had already morphed into something demonic, her fist already pressing against my guard. The impact hurled me back, smashing me into the wall just like she'd done to me. Numb pain shot up my arm from the point of contact.
If I hadn't guarded, that would've been it right there.
"Whoa, you blocked that?"
Hwang Yerang looked genuinely shocked that I'd stopped her attack. Damn it. I hadn't even seen her move. What the hell is this monster?
I couldn't stay embedded in the wall forever, so I shook myself off and stood. I tried to play it cool, but the damage was worse than expected. Honestly, I wasn't sure I could block another one.
This was the power of a former Senior hero. Way beyond Mid-level.
"Oppa, you already look beat. You okay?"
It just tickled, so I got startled lol
Thud—!!
"Good to hear."
This bitch—attacking while I was writing...? I was scratching letters into the ground when she lunged. Sure, I'd always stayed alert while writing during fights with Spica or Bomberman, ready to react at any moment. This time was no different.
But her speed wasn't something mere vigilance could counter.
"That's why you should've learned to talk sooner. You gonna keep scraping the ground every fight?"
I hadn't even gotten my guard up properly for that hit, and my whole body creaked in protest. Still, my werewolf regeneration was kicking in—the pain was already fading. The gash from her tail swipe earlier was almost healed too.
Werewolf bullshit is OP.
"Werewolf bullshit is OP."
She muttered exactly what I was thinking.
"Whatever, wanna keep going?"
One thing I'd noticed while eating that hit: she could only transform one body part at a time. For her last attack, she'd shifted her legs to close in, then unshifted to punch with her arm. And she hadn't used her tail since.
Probably because deploying the tail locked out other transformations.
Her transformed parts outclassed me in raw power, but that single-part limit was her weakness. Meanwhile, I could output this level of force from any part of my body. If I played it smart, I might actually win.
Hwang Yerang wagged a finger, as if yielding first strike. Cocky as ever.
Tch. I didn't want to pull this card, but pride only goes so far. No room for hesitation when lives are on the line.
Fine.
"Whoa, vibe shift? Got a secret ultimate ready?"
"Grrr."
I dropped into a low stance, upper body hunched deep. My hands hit the ground, cold chill rising from the earth. Four limbs planted firm—a beast through and through.
I charged at her like that.
"Pfft!! What the—?!"
She burst out laughing at the sight. How long can you keep laughing?
Wolves don't run upright—they're quadrupeds. Meaning four legs are faster.
But that's not all. Quadrupedal lowers your center of gravity, making you harder to hit. Standing exposes face and gut, but low to the ground protects vitals. And anything short of a lethal blow? My monster regen tanks it easy.
Hwang Yerang's laughter cut off as I closed in, her face hardening. First time she'd lost her composure.
"Oh shit...!!"
I saw her tail whip out. Upright, I'd have to watch for punches and tail—but this low, her fists would whiff, forcing her to rely on the tail.
And if you know the attack's coming, even blinding speed is dodgeable.
Swoosh.
Staying low on all fours, I flattened to the dirt to evade. Before she could retract, I snatched her tail.
"Ack!"
Yanked it toward me, and she lost balance, dragged right into my range. I slammed a full-power fist into her exposed gut as she stumbled.
"Guh..."
I grabbed the tail tighter to stop her from flying back. Can't let distance open. With the tail out, no other transformations.
Time to end it.
Her legs buckled in pain—I drove a brutal low kick into one.
"Argh!"
Low kicks aren't one-shots, but unglarded? Leg goes numb, you drop. Adrenaline dulls it some, but not enough to tank multiples. Especially against my superior physique and weight class.
My kick landed harder than expected. Her leg gave out; she dropped to one knee.
I yanked the tail again, forcing her up, then hammered the same spot with another low kick.
"Aaaagh!!"
Stack the damage, cripple mobility. Up close with tail deployed, her options are limited to arm shifts. As predicted, she retracted the tail, transformed her arm, and swung.
But a limping punch lacks bite. I sidestepped easy, clamped both arms on her shoulders, reared my head back, and headbutted down.
Crack—like smashing a watermelon.
"Urk..."
Her strength melted away from that alone, but no letting up. I followed with two more headbutts.
Thud. Thud.
"W-Wait! I surrender! Surrender!!"
Right as I wound up for the finisher, she yelled it out.
As if.
You think I'd stop? I ignored her, rearing for the strike—
Thud.
Her tail—erupting from her ass—slammed my gut, sending me flying and forcing me to let go.
What? Arm was shifted—how the tail...?
Wasn't it only one part at a time?
"Damn. You don't hold back at all."
"Who said that? I was just going easy on purpose, but guess no need."
Going easy? Anyone could see she was out for blood.
"Okay, that's enough. I lose. Give up."
Who said you decide when it's over?
"Harsh. If I'd gone all out from the start, oppa wouldn't have lasted a minute."
Doesn't seem like it now?
"I’ve got a secret ultimate too, y'know? But it'd kill you, so I'm holding back."
Then use it if you can.
"Ugh. Werewolves always get feral post-transformation."
I felt it too. In this form, aggression surges unbidden. Not like I wanna eat people or anything.
"Oppa, not much experience transforming into werewolf form, right?"
"..."
"Obvious from not talking at your age."
So what?
"Never eaten a person either, huh?"
No way. Or... maybe? No clue what the original owner did pre-possession.
"Last time heroes nabbed you, you desperately tried convincing them instead of just killing and bolting. Figured as much."
That time Marie mistook me for a perv. She'd been watching nearby? Then she screamed on purpose to lure heroes and test me.
What's your goal?
"Told you. Join us as a teammate. Come on. They'd love someone like you."
Not interested. Wolves don't run in packs.
"What? We already got a werewolf teammate."
...Wolves do pack up, huh. Never met others, so what'd I know.
"FYI, she's a girl. Total babe."
"..."
Not interested.
"Then why'd you hesitate just now?"
Anyway, no plans to team with villains.
No way I'm joining downtown terrorists. Even if it paints a target on my back from the Alliance.
"Stubborn oppa. Villain yourself. No point convincing more—I'm beat, wanna crash. Thanks to you, everything hurts."
Who said you can go?
Letting her walk now's too risky. Alliance might already know, but she dies here regardless.
No more talk. I extended my claws for her throat—then a monster appeared out of nowhere.