The Stone Berserker's Fury
The villain wore a helmet made of solid stone, so I couldn't see their eyes, but it was obvious. Crunch crunch—that brutish lump of rock was stomping toward me over shards of debris.
Panicking, I called up the guidebook. "Hey! That fucker—what's it coming at me for?"
[Target assessed as having lost rationality due to superpower awakening and mental stress.]
[Such destructive behavior right after awakening is highly likely a manifestation of suppressed impulses.]
[Thus, the target's approach to the Tester is presumed to stem from instinctive destructive or sexual urges toward the Tester.]
"What?! That son of a—"
In simple terms, this villain bastard was coming to either beat me to death or fuck me. I had zero interest in getting crushed by that rock monster, and even less in getting railed by whatever genderless freak it was. The problem? My pathetic stats meant I couldn't beat it.
I cranked my high-speed thinking to max and questioned the guidebook. "Weakness! Doesn't that thing have a weakness?"
[Estimated as a physical transformation and enhancement superpower that turns the body to stone. Can be subdued by applying strong physical force to joints or superpowers that affect petrified bodies.]
[Target is in a rampage state due to the awakening process.]
[Stalling until the rampage ends offers the highest survival probability.]
"None of that's stuff I have!"
Haa... All I could do was hope it tired itself out. But the opponent was clearly physically enhanced, while I was still stuck with my shitty stats—that was the issue.
'Pray the rampage ends quick.'
Decision time over. The villain was still lumbering toward me with that heavy stone bulk. First, I needed distance from where Lee Hye-ri was. The moment I decided, I bolted down the road, away from it.
The villain spotted me and ripped off a car door nearby, hurling it my way. A body-sized slab flying like a discus. Screeech—whoosh—boom!
"Argh! You crazy bastard!"
Thanks to staying alert, I barely dodged. I saw the door leave its fingertips and threw myself full-force out of the path. The heavy whoosh grazing my side sent chills down my spine. A direct hit would've separated my upper and lower halves for sure.
And this villain had gotten a taste for throwing—every time I turned to put distance, it'd tear off nearby car doors, tires, hoods, whatever, and chuck them.
Whoosh whoosh. "Yeah, come on, you dog-fuck!"
Dodging endless projectiles from behind? One slip and I'd be done. I gave up fleeing. Better to face it head-on and evade properly.
'When I get back, stats first thing!'
What good was high-speed thinking if my body was nerd-level weak? Dodging alone left me gasping. Even with superpowers, a shitty foundation meant I couldn't use them right. Pitiful reality.
Grrrumble... "You a real beast or what...?"
The villain seemed pissed that a wimp like me kept twisting away. It growled like rocks scraping.
Whoosh—boom! One punch cratered the smooth asphalt. If that hit my face, I'd turn 2D—no joke. If I was lucky, I'd keep a flatfish mug.
Dodging its irritated swings, I scanned around for defensive cover. Instead, I spotted something ridiculous.
Click click. "Hey, what do we do about that? Isn't that guy in danger?"
"Filming a movie? We'd just get in the way."
"Upload this to the channel—views will explode!"
Murmur murmur. Downtown incident—passersby were spectating my ass-kissing villain dance. Some thought it was a movie shoot; others were hyped for SNS posts. The original story's crowd trait—gawking at hero-villain fights instead of fleeing—shone here.
My plan was to be one of those spectators, but nope—I was the one facing the villain. Comedy from afar, tragedy up close.
Ah, my life.
Thwack—crash! "Guh!"
Distracted by the screw-loose crowd, my focus slipped. Dodged the fist, but a blindside kick clipped my thigh. I twisted late, but the thud! sent me tumbling.
Scrambled to rise, but my knee buckled against my will. The villain approached slowly, thinking mobility-killed meat was caught. It raised an arm to smash me.
Life flashed—never risked my neck, never learned martial arts, yet I'd lasted. Safe eject would work, right? Hope it doesn't hurt. Quick and painless preferred.
High-speed thoughts raced. As it swung down—
Bang! Twitch. "Freeze! Police! Hands up—don't move!"
'Oh fuck yeah—no one's dying today!'
Downtown perks—cops arrived fast, firing a warning shot skyward. Villain's gaze shifted; I crawled desperately away. Ugly as hell, but who cared? Even knowing I'd survive, I wasn't confident my skull could take a casual smash.
"Stop! Any closer and we shoot!"
Thud... thud...
Villain ignored, advancing. Cops fired. Bang! Stone legs halted briefly. Bullet in thigh—crumbles from stone armor. Minor shell crack didn't stop it.
Advanced again. Shooting cop yelled, "Bulletproof gear! Aim to kill—no holding back! Fire!"
Gathered cops unleashed on chest and head. Rat-tat-tat! Impacts staggered it, slowing steps; it growled rage.
Ripped off nearby car door, hurled. Boom! "Take cover!" "Aaaah!"
Cops dove. One patrol car dented deep. Pistols useless. They grabbed shotguns from intact cars.
'Shotguns? Even in a novel, Korean cops with shotguns...'
So American, yet natural here? I'd assumed modern Earth identical—worldview gap hit. Hero-world logic.
While I reeled, three cops fanned out with shotguns, blasting.
Ka-chunk—boom! Ka-chunk—boom!
Pistols did zilch; shotgun staggered it drunk-like. Stone chips flew—effective.
"Keep blasting!" "Raaargh!"
Villain danced forced shotgun jig—almost pitiful. Cumulative shocks dropped it to knees.
"Hoo... hoo... Now stay down."
Boom! Kneeling headshot silenced it. No blood, but if a person's inside that armor, not normal. Concussion best case?
Villain-cop showdown left me speechless. 'What? Why so competent?'
In the original, cops just stalled terrorists till heroes arrived—like cheerleaders. More hero-world vet than me; handled mindless villain solo.
"Sir, you okay?"
"Y-yeah. Thanks—I lived."
"Captain Seo Min-jeong. Ambulance en route—hang tight."
Earlier charisma masked it, but damn, she was a beauty.
"Got it. Whew..."
Relief sigh—alive. Then—
'Forgot something...?'
Scratched head, remembered. Her—upside-down in flipped taxi.
"Lee Hye-ri...!"
Whirled—taxi wedged in road corner, hood smoking. Limped over, yanked door.
"Hye-ri nuna!"
"Ugh... Min-ho?"
Slapped cheek and shoulder; she cracked eyes groggily.
"Hold on—getting you out."
Careful not to drop headfirst, unbuckled. Pulled her down gently—then.
Spark—fwoosh! Flames erupted from hood.
Spine-chilling dread, like villain premonition.
"Out now! Car's on fire!"
"Wh-what?!"
Yanked roughly. Scratches everywhere, but explosion risk? Scrapes irrelevant. Dragged her out—must flee fast. Her legs wobbly; mine injured too—no carrying.
Spotted Seo Min-jeong directing cops afar.
"Captain Seo! Help here!"
She turned—then ominous roar in my ears.
Fwoooosh—boom boom!
High-speed slo-mo: flames from hood fill cab, burst out. Glass shatters; flung door swings at Hye-ri.
Can I save her?
Instant—I had her in arms, back to blast.
'Fuck...'
No more thoughts—shock hit.
BOOM! We flew meters. Hugged tight, but force loosened grip; we tumbled apart.
Beeeep—murmurs.
Urgent voices muffled by ringing. Vision blurry—nape smacked hard? Lying there, hearing and sight crept back.
Lee Hye-ri over me, tears streaming.
"...ho! Min-ho! Wake up!"
"Hye-ri nuna...?"
"You okay? Open your eyes right!"
Forced focus on her. Tears dripped like faucet.
Ignored crowd chatter on debris, bleeding. Knew my state best—darkening vision, numb lower body. Gone.
Trembling hand to her tear-streaked cheek.
"Sob... Min-ho..."
"Wanted to get closer..."
Her teary eyes widened. Good—she's unhurt. Soft smile last—strength drained.
Hand dropped.
"Miiin-hoooo!"