Chapter 5 : Start – 5

Rushing toward home, I spotted Ruby in the park.

But she wasn’t alone.
The moment the man chasing her grabbed her by the collar, my reason snapped.

Thud!

When I came to, my fist had already smashed the b*stard’s face.

“Ugh!”

The pervert staggered, clutching his face, barely keeping his balance.
Seeing the blood dripping through his fingers, I tilted my head for a moment.
Did I hit him that hard?

“You fcking btches…!!
Do you know who I am!?”

He looked pathetic for someone shouting like that.
But the lightning emblem gleaming on his suit’s chest gave me a clue about his identity.

Probably the Ikazuchi inspection department the loan shark warned me about.
I never imagined such a big shot would be a pedophile, but since he tried to touch my sister, I had zero regrets about throwing that punch.

Now, what do I do?
One glance told me this wasn’t a situation I could resolve with words.

Even if it were possible, I’d pass.
I have no intention of negotiating with a filthy pervert like him.

The problem is his arm.
Clearly cyberware, replaced through body augmentation.
It’s bound to have combat functions, so a powerless 16-year-old girl like:: stands no chance of winning.

“Ruby.
Get behind me.”

“Big sister… let’s run.
That guy’s dangerous!
He smashed our door with one punch!”

No.
Running would only make things worse.
There’s no way we’d get off scot-free after doing this to an Ikazuchi bigwig.

In the end, I only had one option left.

I pulled the ring case out of my pocket.
This was definitely the only key to getting out of this mess.

Can I really do this?

The fate of anyone who uses a Stone is sealed.
Great power always comes with a steep price.

My hesitation didn’t last long.

‘I have to do this now.’

There was no time to waver.
Even if I didn’t use the ring, a miserable end was inevitable.

“F*ck this.
I don’t care about tribute anymore.
I’m gonna kill both of you here.”

Still clueless about the gravity of the situation, the Ikazuchi inspector kept running his mouth.

Taking advantage of the moment, I opened the case and slipped the ring onto my finger.

“Big sister…?”

“Just wait a sec.
Everything’s gonna be fine.”

Hoo.
I closed my eyes and steadied my breathing.

From the moment I landed in this city and met Ruby, I made a vow.
I’d protect the family I finally gained after 20 years, no matter what.

Ruby becomes a psycho villain who kills the protagonist’s family later?
I won’t let that happen.
No matter what, I’ll raise her to stay kind and pure, just as she is now.

So I can’t die.
This chance, so hard-won, is too precious to lose to some child predator here and now.

I’ll protect my sister and survive myself.
If one of us has to die here today, it’s him.

Steeling my resolve, I opened my eyes.
The guy was smirking smugly, loosening up.

“Done with your last words to your sister?”

“Your nose is impressive.
Is that the latest trend?”

A clear bite mark and a nearly crushed bridge.
Blood still gushing—it hurt just to look at.

Probably Ruby’s doing?
I’d love to tell her violence isn’t the answer, but honestly, I was so proud.

My taunt hit the mark, and his face twisted in rage.

“…Fine.
If you wanna die that bad, I’ll make it happen.”

Whoosh.
Vrrrm—.

With his words, a heavy engine roar came from his steel arm, flashing red.

A fist that can smash through iron doors?
I’d die if it hit me.
Feeling cold sweat, I clenched my right fist with the ring.

He charged fast.
His fist swung at me.
Staring at the punch, too quick to track, I closed my eyes.

The moment the brain chip connected to the ring’s connector.

A sensation I’d never felt before took over my body.

BOOM!!

A deafening impact rang out, and Gustav’s lips curled up.

The pain in his nose and cheeks faded in his excitement, but the sensation in his fist was crystal clear.

His attack didn’t miss.
That meant the girl was dead.

No surprise there.
The cyberware in his hand cost more than most houses.
A fist that could crush steel hitting a frail girl’s face?
The outcome was obvious.

Next, he’d kill that cocky little brat behind her.
Her looks were his type, so he thought about having some fun, but she dared to fight back like she was hot sht*.

A bit of a shame, but oh well.
A dog that bites its master needs to be put down.

As Gustav retracted his fist and stepped forward, a strange feeling hit him, and he blinked blankly.

‘Why… do I still feel something in my fist?’

The girl should be dead.
Her body should’ve hit the ground, and his fist should be in the air.
So why was the sensation still so vivid?

The answer was simple.

She wasn’t dead.

“Tch!”

Instinctive panic hit, and he tried to pull back, but his body wouldn’t budge.
His steel fist was locked in the girl’s delicate hand, not moving an inch.

In that split second, everything flipped, and fear gripped him.

‘Me?
Scared of this rookie?’

Realizing his own emotions only made him shakier.
He tried to deny it, telling himself it was a mistake, but reality didn’t change.

The silver-haired girl stared at Gustav with a blank expression.

“So that’s how it works.”

Her calm, cryptic murmur, as if this fight was nothing to her, shattered Gustav’s pride.

His face twisted as he forced out a question.

“How the h*ll…!!”

Cyberware?
No way.
She showed no signs of it, and a debt-ridden slum girl couldn’t afford cyberware strong enough to block his steam armor.

“I like that look.
Get even more shocked.”

She flashed the back of her hand, showing him.
Staring at the gleaming ring on her finger, Gustav muttered softly.

“…Stoner.
Ha.
Haha.”

He let out a hollow laugh, his fighting spirit gone.

“Crazy.
Selling your soul to the devil.”

It’s a common saying.
Using a Stone is like selling your soul to the devil.

The moment you use a Stone, your real enemy becomes yourself.

“Just one time won’t hurt, right?”
That kind of naive thinking doesn’t work.
Sooner or later, the fate of anyone who touches a Stone is sealed.

But the girl clenched and unclenched her fist, speaking casually.

“Nah.
I feel fine.”

“…Bullsht*.
No matter how much you pretend, it’s useless!
You’ll die in agony!”

“Maybe.
Even so, that’s better than you, dying right here.”

“It’s you who’s gonna die here!!”

His last chance.
Taking advantage of the rookie Stoner’s cockiness, Gustav poured every ounce of remaining energy into a final blow.

She didn’t even notice the attack, still clenching and unclenching her hand.

‘Victory’s mine!’

That certainty flooded his mind.
Without even looking up, she spoke.

“Too slow.”

Crackle.

BOOM!!!

That was Gustav’s final memory.

How do I describe it?

The feeling of Stone energy coursing through my veins, spreading through my body.
No drug could ever feel this thrilling.

Immense power, transcending human limits.
For a moment, everything felt utterly trivial in the face of this overwhelming strength.

I just reached out.
The enemy who tried to kill me flew through the air, crashing into the park wall and slumping limp.

No need to check if he’s alive.
Even in this high-tech cyberpunk world, you can’t revive someone whose head’s completely gone.

As the Stone energy drained from my body, it left behind endless exhaustion and emptiness.

I killed someone.
That fact hit me late.

I tried to justify it, telling myself it was to protect Ruby, but my hands wouldn’t stop shaking.

“Haa… Haa.”

My heart pounded like crazy.
It felt like someone was squeezing it tight.
My vision darkened, my mind growing fuzzy, but I bit my lip, fighting to stay upright.

Ruby was still waiting…

Then, a woman’s voice came from behind.

“Had a real blast making a mess, huh?
Fun using my stuff without asking?”

I couldn’t even respond as I slowly collapsed backward.
Blinding sunlight poured down from the cruelly clear sky.

In my fading vision, the voice’s owner leaned in.

Red hair, perfectly matching the gleaming red necklace.
With her intrigued smile as the last thing I saw, I lost consciousness.