Chapter 1: I Became a Villain

It was Peaceful Day.

The city was bustling with people going about their busy lives.

I stood on the rooftop of one of its buildings, gazing down below.

“Phew...”

The expansive sky, buildings scattered across the landscape.

A scene no different from any regular day in South Korea.

However, I knew that this world was different from the one I once knew.

Because I was standing in the world of the superhero manhwa [Stardust!].

Yes, a world where villains wreak havoc every day, and heroes with special
abilities soar through the skies. Into that world, I had been Transmigrated.

“...”

The superhero comic [Stardust!]...

The day I finished reading the final chapter of this manhwa that I had so
enjoyed, I found myself dropped into its world without any explanation.

“Well, at least I received some powers...”

The god that dumped me here seemed to have some reservations about sending me
empty-handed, so I was granted some abilities. Specifically, teleportation and
telekinesis.

However, the issue was that these two abilities were flawed and hardly enough
to survive in this world.

The world I had entered was not a kindly one, even by superhero comic
standards. As the original story progressed toward its later parts, the power
balance collapsed; most heroes and villains were overpowered, capable of
laying waste to an entire city.

And here I was, having to cope with just two abilities: teleportation that
drains my stamina in proportion to the distance covered, and telekinesis that
comes with a penalty after use.

“Ha, there’s no use complaining. Time to get to work.”

...Shaking off such thoughts, I refocused.

Yes, it was time to get to work. This was not the time to dawdle.

That “work” was, quite simply, killing villains.

To be precise, I needed to eliminate villains who would grow powerful enough
to destroy a whole country in the future.

Although the powers I possessed were weak, there was one unique ability I had
that others do not.

The ‘knowledge of the original work’.

I knew everything about this world, all learned from the original manhwa.
Naturally, that meant I knew the real names of the main villains and where
they live.

And I intend to deal with them while they were still weak, before they became
too powerful to confront.

“...Alright, let’s get going.”

I double-checked my attire once more on the rooftop.

A black robe, a black cape, and even a white mask that covered half of my
face.

...It did look somewhat like a cosplay outfit, but in this world, this was the
standard attire for people with abilities.

Perfect, everything’s in place.

Having finished my preparations, I teleported straight from the rooftop to the
location of my target villain.

Alright.

It’s time to go villain-hunting.

***

Class-A Villain Rhino.

A main villain in the latter half of the original manhwa [Stardust!], he
was the epitome of an individual capable of single-handedly destroying a city.

This man, who roamed around committing terror with his rhinoceros-shaped mask
and ability to control his horn, became even more unhinged after his powers
awakened further in the latter part of the story. Hundreds die as a result of
his rampages.

In other words, it was necessary to take care of him now while his abilities
were still weak to prevent that future.

And now, being still in the early parts of the original story’s timeline, was
the perfect moment to act.

So, I teleported right into the middle of his living room.

As soon as I arrived, what I saw was a guy sitting in front of a sofa, holding
some paper.

The man, who had been staring intently at the paper, was visibly startled when
I suddenly appeared in his living room.

“What, what are you?”

“Mr. Rhino.”

With a sly smile, I went on to immobilize him using telekinesis. 

Good, now he can’t move.

And then, aiming my gun naturally at the bewildered man, I spoke.

“Goodbye.”

“What are you doing, you son of a—”

-Bang.

And so, the sound of a gunshot echoed.

“...”

“Phew...”

I looked at the man who had collapsed on the floor and let out a small sigh.

A villain who would have brought terror to the world, snuffed out so
unceremoniously.

...But it’s not easy, after all.

This wasn't the first time I had dealt with a villain in this manner. It was
already my second time. Yet, the sensation that came after completing the task
was something I still couldn't easily get used to.

“Sigh...”

Goodbye, Rhino. Still, I enjoyed watching the fight scenes between you and the
protagonist in the original work.

With that, I turned away and took out the paper he had been looking at.

...A blueprint of a department store. Next to it, a written plan for a
terrorist attack.

“Tch, of course.”

I laid the paper with the deadly plans back down on the floor and naturally
walked into his room to open his wardrobe.

As expected, hidden deep inside was the rhino mask he used during his acts of
terror.

I took it out and returned to the living room, casually tossing it next to his
fallen body.

At this point, either the police or the Hero Association will quickly realize
he was Rhino.

“What now...”

I muttered to myself in the middle of the living room.

Rhino was already down. More precisely, I took care of him.

The problem is that this is clearly not legal.

All villains are supposed to be processed legally and humanely through a
trial. If anyone does something like this, they would be treated as a villain,
too.

But that didn’t matter to me. No, it was rather preferable.

I planned to become this world’s villain.

“...”

So, I stared coldly down at Rhino, who had become a lifeless corpse.

Everyone needs to know that I am the villain. Especially Stardust.

Naturally, to draw attention, people will need to know a villain did
this—meaning, I did this—after this corpse is found.

What should I do...?

After a moment’s consideration, I flicked my fingers and made a decision.

Yes, let’s do this.

This will surely make it look like the work of a villain.

Having resolved, I started to move my gloved hand swiftly.

***

Korea’s Supernatural Ability Association, also known as the Hero Association.

A member of this association, A-class hero Shin Haru, also known as Stardust,
was observing the gruesome scene at a home with a stern face.

“So, you’re saying this is Rhino?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

To her question, the policeman next to her nodded and briefly confirmed.

“By the time we arrived following reports from residents who heard a gunshot,
the situation had already concluded. The murderer has likely fled, and we
believe with high probability that it’s the same individual who escaped after
killing another villain using telekinesis. Especially considering this
clue...”

The policeman pointed to the horrifying body that seemed almost to have
exploded. Next to it was a message written in red blood.

To you, Stardus*.

That eerie sentence gave her a chilling sensation.

Staring at the message, Stardust unwittingly muttered,

“This maniac.”

...No villain, however evil, should die like this. They should stand in court
and be judged fairly.

“...To Stardust. Huh.”

She didn't know why this person had targeted her.

But if this was a provocation, then she almost wanted to commend him.

A villain who brazenly defies the law and commits murder.

'This bastard will undoubtedly pay the price for messing with me.'

With that resolve, she left the crime scene with a stern face.

Whether the dead was evil or not was irrelevant.

What matters was that there was a villain harming people in this city.

Whoever that is, she will definitely stop him

***

[This evening at 7 PM, A-Class villain Rhino was found dead at his
residence. It appears he was murdered, and the identity of the killer remains
unknown. The Association officially announced that they suspect the murderer
possesses telekinetic abilities, categorizing him as an A-Class villain.]

That night,

I, who was relaxing at home, naturally turned my head to the TV as news about
me aired.

On the screen, images of that house and Stardust appeared.

[...A-Class Hero Stardust stated that she will do her utmost to capture the
ruthless individual who targeted her, calling them unforgivable.]

Finally, the official news broke.

It was just come out now—the chaos I caused.

Seeing this, I turned on my phone and skimmed through the news articles. Even
the comments below the breaking news reports.

[If he is only hunting other villains, isn’t that a hero? Why label as a
villain?]

[Seriously lol. I like it. Villains break out of jail anyway, might as well
kill them. I support it.]

[I support this villain. Why do heroes have to capture him? He is better than
the heroes.]

...Huh, this isn’t the reaction I was expecting.

“Hmm...”

I scanned through the comments on the articles, pondering the overwhelmingly
favorable reactions toward me. Even when I checked various online communities,
the reactions were largely similar.

“...”

Is it because I’ve only been eliminating villains so far?

This is problematic. If public opinion about me continues to improve like
this, it could also tarnish the reputation of Stardust, who is after me.

Stardust.

My favorite character and the protagonist of the original manhwa that
this world is based on.

The very reason I go around handling villains like this is all for her.

Well, she’ll never know.

My goal is to make her life as easy as possible.

Rather than have her risk her life in combat and suffer emotional wear and
tear like in the original story, I want her to be happy. Since I’ve been
transmigrated into a gritty hero manhwa, the least I can do is ensure my
favorite character has a fulfilling life.

Stardust, I’ll take care of all the villains that torment you. I’ll eliminate
all those who destroy cities, kill people, and commit acts of terror, so that
my protagonist can stroll down a path of roses...

...But the problem is, she’s the protagonist of this world.

In other words, she needs some trials to grow stronger.

If I remove all those trials for her, she will never be able to grow.
Especially considering she needs to be powerful enough to face off against the
final boss of the original story, her growth is a crucial issue.

So, the conclusion I’ve come to is that I will become the villain.

I’ll be Stardust’s arch-nemesis and challenge her myself. Instead of
eliminating the main villains who are killing hundreds of people, I’ll present
her with challenges that she can manage.

In other words, I must be unequivocally recognized as a villain.

...So, what should I do?

Isn’t there a way to reveal to the public that I am the villain and, at the
same time, help Stardust grow?

And then, I found a way.

So, I’ll make my official debut as a villain. Show myself in front of the
people.

That’s right, terrorism.

Villains always make their presence known through acts of terror.

Alright, what should I do?

What kind of terror act would make me appear menacing, not severely hurt
people, and also improve Stardust’s public image...?

Of course, I was an ordinary citizen in my previous life. How could I possibly
know how to go about this? But I have a wealth of superhero stories from my
past life to draw upon.

In other words, referencing those could work.

“Alright, let’s do it this way.”

Having made up my mind, I pull out my phone and start calling an accomplice I
had arranged in advance.

“Hey, Seo Eun. What are you up to?”

Well, now I’ll have to source the bombs, set up the devices...

It going to be busy times ahead.

***

Korea Hero Association, Stardust’s Office:

As Stardust sat at her desk engrossed in work, an employee burst into the
room.

“Stardust! Turn on the TV now!”

“What’s going on?”

“That villain, the one who assassinated Rhino last time, is hijacking the
airwaves and broadcasting!”

“...What?”

Rushing to turn on the TV mounted on her office wall, a man appeared on the
screen.

With a black background behind him and half of his face obscured by a greyish
mask, he began to speak.

[Good evening, citizens.]

It was the moment when the true identity of the shrouded villain was revealed.

︵‿︵‿୨ * ୧‿︵‿︵

[ TN: The reason the author used 'Stardus' here instead of 'Stardust' is that
in chapter 14, the association shortened Stardust's name from
스타더스트(Seutadeoseuteu) to 스타더스(seutadeoseu). You might be wondering,
‘But, why did they shorten it to call her a name which has no meaning?’ It’s
because for Koreans only pronunciation changed, not the meaning: Just like how
refrigerator is called both ‘ripeurijeereiteo’ and ‘ripeurijeereiteoreu’.
Stardust(Seutadeoseuteu) is called both Stardust(Seutadeoseuteu) and
Stardus(seutadeoseu). The author himself used 'Stardus' several times, since
it's for Koreans, and he didn't want to confuse them. However, since the
meaning would change for the English audience, I kept the correct name -
Stardust - prioritizing the author’s intention. ]

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