Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: The Kind Monster
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-Fwoosh…!
-Crackle, crackle…
A single clock-headed monster stood at the fire scene.
“...Crazy.”
It was me.
I'd been binge-watching my favorite magical girl stories, which always ended in bad endings. After leaving a dignified 5,699-character comment, I drifted off to sleep—only to wake up transformed into a monster, spawned right in the middle of a blazing inferno.
“...The situation's urgent, so let's get a quick rundown.”
Alright, so right now, I've become the Time Stop Monster from that magical girl web novel Rolling Magical Girl—one of the most ridiculously overpowered villains who shattered all sense of balance.
His name was Clockian Timea Chronon Watch, or something like that...?
Whatever. The point is, I've become that guy.
Which means, if I play my cards right, I should be able to stop time too.
The problem? The guy who fell asleep chugging beer in his one-room apartment, scratching his bloated belly, has zero clue how to use something like Time Stop.
-Boom!
“!!”
Debris crashed down right beside me.
For now, I bolted forward in a panic.
As a monster...
This guy's infamous for breaking the game's balance, so his physical stats alone should let him crush most other monsters.
I spotted a window right away and hurled myself through it.
“Hup!”
-Crash!
My body smashed into the glass, sending shards flying through the air.
It's freaking high!
I'd leaped without thinking, and it looked like at least twenty stories up.
This wasn't some bungee jump—the fear was too intense to even glance down properly.
Praying I wouldn't die, I crossed my arms to brace for impact.
-Thud!
I plummeted onto a car below.
Did I survive?
Only then did I push myself up, catching sight of the car flattened beneath me.
It was crushed down to maybe three centimeters thick.
The sight really drove home that I'd become a monster.
I let out a quiet sigh of relief inside—
-Bang!
“Like a comet to your heart! Magical Comet makes her entrance!”
“...!”
There, right in front of me, appeared Magical Comet—the protagonist of Rolling Magical Girl.
True to the original description: blue twintails, a cute and round face, a frilly girly dress loaded with lace, and a staff gripped in her right hand topped with a gem shaped like a falling comet.
No doubt about it. Magical Comet herself.
What do I do first?! Right—I'm a monster right now, so I gotta be as friendly as possible! Talk to her nicely, friendly-like.
In the original story, Clockian-whatever looked creepy and imposing with his arrogant, heavy tone, which only made him seem more dangerous.
So if I go the opposite route and keep it light and casual, maybe she'll cut me some slack?
To make the best impression, I brushed the dust off my cape—which was part of my body—and gave her a polite greeting.
“Hello, Magical Girl Magical Comet! My name is Clo...k! Clok!”
That ridiculously long name was obviously no help, so I shortened it on the fly. Not bad at all.
“I don't know much about this fire incident, but if you'll allow it, I'd like to help save the citizens by your side. Would that be okay with you?”
I extended my hand toward Comet, pretty pleased with how smoothly the lines had come out.
Lucky I can speak however I want.
If all I could do was monster howls or stick to Clockian-whatever's scripted lines, it'd be one massive misunderstanding.
Truly a relief. I waited for her to take my hand.
“You evil monster! Did you think I'd fall for that excuse while you offer your hand?! I'll defeat you right now and save everyone!”
“Huh?”
“Comet of light, Comet Light!”
“...Well, this is getting a bit tricky.”
How did things end up like this?
Korea's one and only magical girl, Magical Comet, was on high alert.
A clock-headed monster at a fire scene...!
Twilight Apartment—famed as the exclusive haven for the nation's absolute elite.
Built with top-tier security against the monster invasions that had raged for years and the sudden emergence of these villains called monsters.
Yet here was Twilight, engulfed in flames far too easily.
Fire trucks kept arriving, but the blaze showed no signs of dying down. Korea's sole magical girl, Comet, mobilized immediately.
And what greeted her? A clock-headed monster standing tall and proud after flattening an entire car.
A golden clock for a head gleaming brightly, with a grotesque, shark-like maw dangling beneath it.
His body resembled black armor, and the cape draped over it amplified his overwhelming presence.
The monster brushed dust from his cape and parted his creepy jaws.
“Hello, Magical Girl Magical Comet! My name is Clo...k! Clok!”
Clok. A name that fit his appearance not just well, but perfectly.
“I don't know much about this fire incident, but if you'll allow it, I'd like to help save the citizens by your side. Would that be okay with you?”
The monster—presumed culprit, no, definite culprit—suggested teaming up to save people in a deceptively casual tone, as if trying to trick her. Comet swallowed hard, tension coiling tight.
He's different from the others...
She'd been a magical girl since middle school, facing countless monsters along the way.
Most were driven by instinct over reason—no chance for talk. Even those that could speak usually just rampaged wildly.
But this one... he felt dangerous.
Standing so leisurely amid the inferno. Extending his hand for a handshake with such relaxed confidence.
He was dangerous through and through. And even now, he just stood there, seemingly waiting in earnest for her to take his hand.
“You evil monster! Did you think I'd fall for that excuse while you offer your hand?! I'll defeat you right now and save everyone!”
Comet, guardian of justice, love, and peace, refused to fall for the monster's ploy.
“Huh?”
His ploy was so cunning, he even let out a sound like he was genuinely flustered.
“Comet of light, Comet Light!”
Comet fired a beam of light straight from her staff.
“...Well, this is getting a bit tricky.”
Clok's tone remained utterly nonchalant, as if it were merely inconvenient.
The light struck him dead-on.
-Boom!
Clok was flung back into a parked motorcycle.
“...A bit painful.”
Unlike the wrecked motorcycle, he rose unscathed and uttered something utterly ridiculous.
“...!”
As I thought... insanely strong!
“In that case...!”
Recognizing her opponent as a formidable foe, Comet prepared her finisher.
“Raining...!”
The instant she began calling out the technique—
-Fwoosh!
“Kyaa!”
A fierce burst of flames hurtled toward her, sending her tumbling backward.
“Owie owie...”
Thanks to her quick reflexes, she'd blocked with her left arm.
But the impact was no joke, and her left arm—hit directly by the flames—was badly scorched.
“...Ugh.”
Tears welled up from the intense pain. Clok voiced his concern toward her.
“Oh dear... that must hurt quite a bit. I almost want to fetch you some medicine.”
“Eeeeek...!”
Taunting her like that? He definitely had some trick up his sleeve.
Comet was convinced of it and geared up for her finisher once more.
“Rain—”
And again.
-Fwoosh!
“!! Not getting hit twice—”
-Fwoooosh!
“Kyaa!”
Flames flew at her as she scrambled into position, but they suddenly swelled in size, forming a humanoid shape.
“Kuahaha! Magical girl! Become my sacrifice!”
It was a monster.
“!! No way!”
Made of flames—this had to be the culprit behind the incident.
Distracted by Clok, she'd been too late to block the incoming blaze.
She hastily raised both arms, crossing them in an X.
“Kuahahaha!”
-Sizzle...
The flame monster latched onto her arms, cackling loudly.
“Ugh...! Nngh...!”
Smoke rose as her arms began to burn away bit by bit.
And its strength was so overwhelming, she couldn't shake it off easily.
...Gotta peel it off.
Comet reversed her grip on the staff.
She poured all her strength into the hand holding it.
-Stab!
“Urgh!”
And jammed the pointed end of the gem's base straight into the monster's body.
“You... bitch...!”
The flames released her arms and staggered back, but now the monster was thoroughly pissed.
“I'll melt you whole!”
He charged at Comet on all fours like a wild beast.
“Magical—”
She swung her staff, trying to call out the technique.
“Ugh...!”
But the pain cut her off.
No...!
Bracing for the imminent impact, Comet raised her arms.
“Easy.”
In the blink of an eye, Clok stood before her—one hand gripping the flame monster's head.