Chapitre 25: Chapter 25
Author's Notes: So I've been reading comments across the spectrum of sites I've posted this story on and one critique that has gotten my attention. It's that I spend too much time on canon events (or characters) to the point where I'm just straight up rehashing entire chapters ripped straight from the story itself. I understand that's a problem and I recognize I have a crutch since I use the OPM manga as a reference point and in most cases I am literally reading the manga as I write this story.
That's bad (m'kay) but in my defense I've been writing the story under the pretense that people don't read the OPM manga or at the very least haven't read it in a while (I don't acknowledge the existence of the second season of the anime). Regardless I've heard your critique and I will endeavor to no longer rehash the canon events.
Thing is this kind of revelation comes at a time in the OPM story where there are so many moving parts it's hard to keep track of and I've added to that chaos through the actions of my OC SI and friends. I've essentially written myself into a clusterfuck of a wall here and I have to spend a significant amount of time dismantling the bricks to see the end of it. It doesn't help that I've been neglecting this story too.
Point is, don't call this chapter a comeback so much as its me trying to get reacquainted with the story.
~O~
"Thanks to Miss Tatsumaki, we've been able to save time getting to our destination" Child Emperor announced.
What he failed to mention was that while Tatsumaki's wide-scale attack cleared the way for the strike force to continue unopposed, she also ended up destroying the drones he had been using to monitor the area. As annoyed as he was at the destruction of his drones, he'd much prefer this outcome. While he would never discount the efficiency and speed with which his fellow S-Class heroes could dispatch the monsters, the same couldn't be said for the lower-ranked heroes. He very much doubted they would hide behind the S-Class and let them take care of the monsters.
So at the very least Tatsumaki saved them time, energy, and the potential for injuries, as slim as the chances are.
'Besides, I doubt there won't be more monsters showing up, even with what we have planned.'
Shaking his head of those thoughts, he looked to the holographic display on his wrist-mounted device shaped like a watch. Thankfully, he still has pre-recorded satellite data images as well as the information from the drones before they were destroyed, enabling him to pinpoint where they are supposed to go. After reaffirming their positions through the trackers embedded in the earpiece as well as checking on the other teams, lingering on Silver Fang and Amai Mask for a moment, the Child Emperor began to address the gathered heroes.
"The surface team will be on standby!"
The moment he spoke, most of the heroes stopped marveling at the admittedly impressive feat of power from Tatsumaki. Said surface team consisted of predominantly A-Class heroes, along with a few notable B-Class heroes with particular sets of skills to aid.
He turned to his fellow S-Class members and said, "Strike team members; assume your individual positions and begin your assault!"
The base they were infiltrating is designed as a series of overlapping tunnels in a relatively short area of space. What he was able to map out gave it the appearance of an intricate tower-esque, maze-like construct on the hologram. It was so vast and intricate that despite entering the base in relatively the same area, each member of the strike team will end up going on completely different routes they can traverse for hours without ever crossing paths with each other.
No doubt, the design was made to confuse and ultimately trap any intruders, allowing them to be picked off in a multitude of ways. In this instance, however, the design would worked to their advantage. The S-Class heroes prefer to work alone, and Atomic Samurai's students work effectively as a three-man cell. This way, they are free to wreak havoc on both enemy numbers and infrastructure without worry.
With the destruction Tatsumaki wrought above ground, they needed to apply some creative methods for generating new paths underground. While the entrances were being made, Sekingar took the time to give a speech. He reminded the strike team that their number one priority was to rescue Director Nova, while for the surface team, he reiterated the absence of reinforcements.
'That's not entirely true' Child Emperor thought.
There were still heroes left back at HQ, though they were to primarily serve as cleanup in the aftermath of this debacle. He can't say that some of them wouldn't eschew the orders given to participate in battle should things not go according to plan.
'I know I wouldn't be satisfied with sitting on the sidelines even if it was the right move to make.'
In any case, the speech was more or less for the benefit of the surface team. Strike Team One understood that their role was to effectively serve as a distraction. As Sekingar wished them luck, all the entrances were finished to allow the 'rescue team' into the Monster Association HQ, including an extra large one for Pig God.
And thus did the heroes begin their mission.
~O~
As well as the Blizzard Group did in infiltrating a restricted section of the Hero Association, especially with the entire base under heavy security via Metal Knight's drones, their luck could only go so far. In this case the moment Fubuki was disconnected from the medical machines her vitals registered a flat line it sent alarm bells ringing throughout the hospital wing.
Once the medical staff made it to her room, they found the esper missing. The doctor in charge sent a frantic message to Sitch, the only other person besides Sekingar privy to the true nature of Fubuki's presence in the hospital wing of the Hero Association. If he were being honest, Sitch heavily disproved Tatsumaki's request to house Fubuki in the HQ.
First, it was wasteful, as Fubuki is a powerful hero who would have been a valuable asset to have participated in the mission.
Second, it was immoral, as what they were doing was tantamount to imprisoning the woman against her will.
Third, it was unnecessary; Fubuki was not helpless in the slightest, and despite some of her shadier dealings, she actually earned her spot as the second-ranked A-class hero.
Hell, with how diligent and driven she is to rise through the ranks, she might even be close to S-Class at this point.
Despite his disapproval, he understood Tatsumaki's position as an older sister protecting her younger sibling. That still didn't give her the right to do this, especially during a crisis of this scale. Deliberately incapacitating their second strongest hero outside of the S-Class at a time when they were already short on numbers is just about one of the dumbest things one could do, especially with the fate of world as they know it on the line.
It is also something that only Tatsumaki could get away with.
Among the S-Class (and that includes Blast), she is the best asset the Hero Association has and the one they are banking on her to succeed should the others fail. Even Sitch agreed that among the S-Class she is the one most liable to get the job done. Despite her personality, Tatsumaki has proven herself to be reliable on multiple levels.
Luckily for the Minister Officer of Justice, neither the culprits behind Fubuki's disappearance nor the not-so-missing esper in question were making it difficult to locate them. It turns out the ones responsible for her 'abduction' were in fact her own subordinates in the Blizzard Group, and far from staying hidden in their 'escape' attempt, they were all walking in plain view of the security cameras, according to the report given to him by a technician he had asked to locate them.
Just in time too, since the entire base was on lockdown, no one was allowed in or out of the building, and the sentry drone was being rather obstinate in not allowing them passage out of one of the main lobby.
Fubuki seemed to be one more warning away from simply destroying the drone and making her way through the door.
Since everyone's attention was on the drone, with most gearing up for a fight, they didn't notice him, and before things could escalate, Sitch made his presence known with a shout.
"Blizzard of Hell!"
Naturally, everyone was surprised by his appearance, given that he was practically the face of the Hero Association executives.
"Mr. Sitch," the 2nd ranked A-Class hero greeted somewhat tersely.
"A word, please."
The esper pursed her lips for a moment before ultimately acquiescing to his request with a nod before turning to her subordinates and saying, "Wait here."
"But Miss Fubuki," called out the youngest of the group,
'Lily of the Three Section Staff, if I recall correctly.'
"I'll be fine," Fubuki reassured, and no one else questioned her as they parted to allow her through.
Sitch didn't take them far, just out of the main lobby away from prying ears.
"I'm glad to see you are doing alright, Fubuki," he addressed using her real name.
For her part, Fubuki folded her arms as she looked down at the man in frustration. "Thankfully, I was able to use my powers to flush the sedatives used to put me under from my systems."
"For the record, I did not approve of what your sister did."
"But you went along with it anyway," she bit back.
"Tatsumaki isn't someone who can be denied easily."
"Or at all in most cases" went unsaid.
"..." she simply stared before turning away with a click of her tongue.
"Where do you plan on going after leaving here?"
"Where do you think?"
Sitch hummed mentally; she was angrier than he thought, given how she was addressing him without the formalities.
"Tatsumaki robbed me of an opportunity to take part in the raid," the A-Class hero continued. "I won't let her selfishness ruin this for me."
Sitch almost sighed at the angle she was taking but wasn't surprised. For all that she was highly regarded in both the public eye and in the Hero Association. Fubuki is what he'd call a 'career hero.' She is someone who did not become a hero for any noble, passionate, or altruistic reasons, which wasn't all that uncommon, unfortunately. Fubuki's case differs from most, however, in the sense that she is very business-minded without it being a gimmick.
He didn't think she saw herself as a hero so much as an employee for a company attempting to work her way to the top. In a relatively short amount of time, she has extensively studied the structure of the Hero Association, found its weaknesses, and made the right connections to exploit it for the benefit of her and her organization. Fubuki was essentially gaming the system, so to speak, with the end result being the coveted S-Class position and all the power, influence, and recognition that came with it.
Sitch didn't approve of her motivation or methods, but he could hardly disparage the results. Not to mention, once again, that there is no doubt that Fubuki would be a major asset in the operation.
At the same time, however,
"Your presence in the strike force is unneeded at the moment."
"You can't be serious." Fubuki unfolded her arms with a look of incredulity. "Are you going to deny my aid in this situation? Are you that afraid of my sister?"
If Sitch were any less of a man, he would have scoffed.
"That's not it," he began "regardless of what your sister demanded, I would have never allowed you to sit this battle out. You're too good to be left on the sidelines."
Despite the tension, he could see her posture straighten and a brief expression of shock and even pride on her face before it was replaced by a milder frown.
"Then why prevent me from participating?"
"By some miracle, all the heroes in one of the branch hospitals recovered. That's almost a dozen A-Class heroes, Tank Top Master and Metal Bat.
"Isn't that more of a reason to have me be there?" She questioned, "Why bother keeping anyone back in the first place when the monsters are holed up in a single area?"
He knew what she was getting at. It basically seemed as if they were sending a relatively small team to face off against an army, which isn't a lie.
"We're not engaging in a protracted battle with the Monster Association. After Director Nova is rescued, the heroes will retreat, allowing Metal Knight or your sister to destroy their base and the surrounding areas."
"You'll destroy City Z?" Fubuki asked in surprise.
"We want to keep the collateral down to just the abandoned district," he supplied. "However, we are having the city evacuated in case things get out of hand," he answered. "We're keeping you as well as the majority of the other heroes here as emergency reserves. We want to be thorough in destroying the Monster Association, and given how they've operated thus far, that means accounting for any stragglers or last-minute surprises the monsters may have in store for us."
Fubuki scowled. What Sitch is saying makes complete sense from a tactical standpoint. However, her pride as well as her resentment towards Tatsumaki won't let her accept it.
Seeing the wealth of emotions playing across her face, Sitch made a decision. "I can't stop you from leaving, but know that I do not recommend it. Child Emperor has meticulously planned this operation with the resources available. Whether your presence on the field will be a boon or spell doom is up in the air. Just know that your interference may result in the mission failing."
Fubuki stared at the shorter man for a long moment before she finally spoke. "Will I be dismissed from the Hero Association for not following your suggestion?"
"No," he said, shaking his head before pinning her with a stern expression that made her stiffen. "As it stands, if your gambit pays off, then your dereliction of my orders will be forgiven, but should your interference result in a failure, then..."
Fubuki nodded "I understand."
"I'm not finished," he interrupted. "I can allow you to go, but the rest of your group will stay here and await further orders."
There were several reasons for this, including their numbers, the fact that most of them don't even meet the criteria for participating in the raid in the first place, and their presence, which will likely hinder the other heroes.
With nod of affirmation she furrowed her brow in thought as she glanced back at where her subordinates were left waiting.
"You can tell them I gave the order for them to stay back, and if they disobey, they will be dismissed from the association, and so will you."
Fubuki's eyes widened because Sitch was not bluffing.
"We have too much riding on this operation for it to fail, Blizzard of Hell," he spoke, and Fubuki swallowed. "I can forgive you disobeying orders to lend assistance because, frankly, I am hard-pressed to see you as anything but an asset to this operation. The same can't be said for your subordinates, and as their leader, you'll be held accountable for their actions. Am I clear?"
"Yes sir."
"Good. Once you're finished relaying the news, you'll be escorted through a side entrance."
~O~
The journey of 'Team 2' consisting of Tomoro, Amai Mask, Bang, Bomb, Do-S, Suiryu, and Suiko was not a silent one as the group made their way towards their destination.
"Here," Amai Mask said, handing him a wireless earpiece. "Child Emperor wanted you to have this to help with coordination."
Tomoro accepted the earpiece, and as he fiddled with it, he posed the question, "So what plan did he hatch for this raid?"
"We are to infiltrate the base while the other teams keep the monsters' attention with distractions on multiple fronts. While inside, our primary objective is to find Miss Nova. Along the way, we can further disrupt their operation by any means convenient to the situation."
"So culling their numbers, sabotaging their infrastructure, gathering intel, and just causing general mayhem?"
"Yes," Amai Mask nodded, "but the main focus should be on Miss Nova's rescue."
"Well, I think it's safe to say this team is overkill for a simple rescue operation, and there are still some important side objectives that need to be taken care of while we're in there."
Amai Mask did not like the sound of that "what?"
"I'm sure Child Emperor briefed you on what else is inside that base that we can't let get away in the ensuing chaos."
Of course, Amai Mask knew what he meant. The Monster Association was not dangerous only because of the size, strength, and organization of its members. At the head of the organization lies someone who engaged in dangerous research and managed to partner with other villainous organizations as well. Hence, gathering general intelligence is one of the sub-objectives.
And so, with gritted teeth, he replied, "I am aware."
"Hey, don't you worry, your pretty little head off, between the seven of us, Solaria's safety is all but assured," Tomoro reassured, and capped off with a hearty pat on the A-Class hero's back, which in turn earned him a death glare of epic proportions.
"My brother and I will be pursuing Garou," Bang reminded.
"And I'll be going with them to ensure they don't get lost" Tomoro added.
"We don't need an escort," Bomb grumbled.
"Alright, then I'm sure you know how to work with the communicator to keep in contact."
"…"
Bang shook his head. "I understand your worries about communication but is it wise to leave the others by themselves?"
Tomoro pointed at Amai Mask, "Well, he seems hell bent on finding Solaria, and I pity anyone who stands in his way." He then pointed to the two siblings, "And with the heroes taking care of the major threats, I trust in their ability to handle anything else that comes their way."
"Then who will the young lady be accompanying?" He said this while gesturing to Do-S.
The silent monster girl gave an imperceptible flinch at their attention, or rather, at the attention of a certain idol hero whose gaze was practically piercing.
"Ideally I would have preferred her sticking with Suiryu and Suiko" Tomoro admitted "safety in numbers and all but-"
"The monster is coming with me," Amai Mask declared with a tone that brokered no argument.
Tomoro met his eyes for a moment before turning to the siblings and asking, "Is that alright with you?"
Suiryu shrugged. "I'm fine with it. We were just going to ask around for where they're keeping the monster cells anyway."
"We can handle that" Suiko added, hitting a fist into her palm.
Despite the casualness of their words, they both held expressions of focused determination to go with their confidence. Tomoro was glad for their confidence as well as their determination. They both seem to have something to prove, but Suiryu more so.
'I guess he's looking to redeem himself for how he performed at the Super Fight Tournament' Tomoro smirked, 'I approve; don't disappoint me you two.'
He then turned to the only person whose opinion he hadn't gotten.
"What about you? Are you alright with tagging along with Mr. Idol here?"
Do-S maintained a straight face, refusing to so much as glance at the idol in question as she answered nonchalantly.
"It doesn't matter who I end up going with."
'…She's says with red tinted cheeks under her mask.'
Tomoro could only silently shake his head at how down bad the monster woman was.
Moments later, they arrived at their destination, and after ensuring that each group had a communication device, Tomoro destroyed the surveillance drone at the entrance before they all went about completing their mission.
~O~
"Is there a problem?"
Gyoro Gyoro directed the question to the group of monsters gathered before him. All of them were below the Demon disaster level and didn't even have any interesting or useful abilities to compensate for their lack of power, thus relegating them to 'fodder' in the psychic monster's mind.
"You all seemed so eager to go out and fight the heroes that I had to order them to stay back, and now that I am finally allowing you to go, you're all getting cold feet."
The monsters quivered in fear under the gaze of one of the Monster Association's top members, but one of them gathered their courage to speak out for the group.
"It's not like that Lord Gyoro Gyoro-"
"They're just too strong!" another monster shouted interrupting the first then flinched when attention was put on him.
One brazenly came forth: "We thought we could overwhelm them with numbers, but everyone who went before us died so easily!"
"Are you afraid of death?"
"That's-"
"Of course we're prepared to risk our lives, but what's the point of fighting the heroes if we're just going to die without doing anything!?"
Gyoro Gyoro looked contemplatively down at the monsters before humming out loud, "I see what the issue is. What you witnessed was the power of the second-ranked S-Class hero, Tornado of Terror."
At this information, the monsters gasped and murmured amongst themselves.
"That was caused by a single hero!?"
"So that's the power of the S-Class?"
"We are so screwed!"
Gyoro Gyoro leveled some of his intent on the crowd, causing them to quiet down.
"As of this moment, the S-Class heroes are wandering the base leaving only the weaker heroes on the surface for you to slaughter."
His words caused the fear in the group to be significantly lessened and soon they gained back their enthusiasm. With a few more words of encouragement along with the oh-so-subtle threat of violence, he sent the group of hapless and bloodthirsty minions away. Truly, their chances of survival are only marginally better against the heroes on the surface, but Gyoro Gyoro didn't care much for fodder.
'Victory is assured so long as the S-Class fall' thought the Monster Association advisor, 'and speaking of, it appears my hypothesis was correct.'
With Child Emperor's drones snooping around the base, with at least one making it to almost all the entrances, Gyoro Gyoro figured the heroes would attack on multiple fronts in an attempt to spread their forces thin.
'A simple strategy worthy of a child' he internally scoffed 'not that they had many options to begin with.'
That's why he set up drones at every conceivable entrance and made sure to pay extra attention to them even as he surveyed the main points of interest. His precaution ended up fruitless, as one of the drones ended up being destroyed. It happened almost instantaneously, but not before he caught a glimpse of the intruders. To his surprise, he actually recognized most of them, though the surprise came more from the group itself than the individuals.
Of course, he recognized Silver Fang and his brother Bomb, as well as Amai Mask. He even recognized Suiryu, the three-time Super Fight champion that Gouketsu showed some interest in. The unknown girl bore some resemblance to the young martial artist he surmised as his sibling, as he was stated to have one from the background check Gyoro Gyoro did to ascertain Suiryu's potential danger.
The pair of siblings' presence here was confusing, as it was surprising, though they made more sense than the only female of the group, who had Gyoro Gyoro's eye narrow.
'So that's where you've been, Do-S.'
Being a peculiar monster with an even more interesting ability, Do-S was one who Gyoro Gyoro kept his eye on, even among the other Demon-level monsters. The ability to mind control someone is one that could have many applications. Recent events have shown him this, and despite her failure to take down her objective (Fubuki), Gyoro Gyoro was willing to spare her for her failures.
At least that would have been the case had she returned to base, but she didn't. Gyoro Gyoro entertained only two possibilities as the reason for this. She was either killed following her defeat or she fled in fear of reprisals for her failure. Both reasons are plausible yet improbable on different grounds.
For the former, though Do-S may not have the highest combat capabilities among even the Demon-level monsters, she had high survivability and instincts. It would take no less than an S-Class hero to kill her, and Gyoro Gyoro had them under surveillance during the attack.
As for her running away, both Gyoro Gyoro and Orochi made it very clear to everyone that there is no backing out of the Monster Association. From the highest executives to the lowest fodder, everyone is beholden to the organization and Orochi's (Psykos') vision for a world dominated by monsters.
Gyoro Gyoro knew Do-S understood this because for she was confident in her ability to the point of arrogance and made no small amount of racket about it amongst her fellow monsters when she first arrived. She even went so far as to style herself as the 'Monster Princess' until she got a reality check following the first time she gazed at Orochi.
She hasn't used the moniker since.
But that makes it all the more surprising to Gyoro Gyoro to see her among the humans infiltrating the base.
'She may be a coward at heart, but I didn't figure her for a traitor.'
From what was observed she believes very much in monster supremacy or at the very least human inferiority.
'She wouldn't betray us in such a manner unless forced to, and none of the heroes would think to turn one of our own against us in such a manner.'
They would interrogate her for information and dispose of her afterwards. The fact that she was among their numbers spoke of there being some other element in play here.
And with that thought, his attention went to the only unknown of the group.
'Who is he?'
The man wasn't a person of interest, nor did Gyoro Gyoro ever recall seeing the man at any point during his investigations into the Hero Association or certain persons of interest who could be a threat to the Monster Association. He made sure to be very thorough in his investigations, and at no point can I remember that man.
'Is he a secret weapon of theirs?'
It was mildly disturbing that the Hero Association was able to keep him hidden, and yet...
'He doesn't look like any hero or even an affiliate of the Hero Association. He looks like a random civilian, yet I can't help but feel like there is something more.'
There was more to this man by virtue of him being among the infiltrators. Not to mention in the instant the drone picked up a visual of their entrance Gyoro Gyoro noted that it was the man who caused its destruction. It was so fast that, had Gyoro Gyoro not been focused, he would have missed it.
Again the question of his identity came to mind before a thought occurred which caused Gyoro Gyoro's eye to narrow.
'Solaria'
"I see, so that's the game you're playing," the Cyclops muttered to as he lay back in the massive bean bag chair.
Of course, with how nonchalant she had been about her capture, even after dealing with the doctor's ordeal (according to him), she would have some kind of contingency in place for her rescue outside of the Hero Association itself. It seemed reasonable enough for a woman of her wealth and standing to have agents of her own.
'He must be something special then. I'll have to keep an eye on that group as well.'
Outwardly, Gyoro Gyoro sighed. "In the end, the plan remains the same."
Speaking of which, he could have made a more efficient plan to get rid of the heroes, as this one seemed needlessly theatrical.
But that was the point.
The theatrics of it all, that is.
This battle wasn't just a means to an end.
It was about sending a message.
And what better way to send a message than to have the 'brave heroes' venture through a maze-like base having random 'encounters' and 'ambushes' with fodder they will cut through like a scythe to wheat, thereby lulling them into a false sense of security, their confidence and arrogance at an all-time high before they ultimately end up facing against the true monsters who will break their confidence, arrogance, and all preconceived notions they held about their strength and the strength of their enemies before breaking their bodies and, in turn, their spirit.
That is the ultimate reason for all of this.
'And when all is said and done, I will gather what is left of them and broadcast it to the world. Humanity's greatest and last hope is reduced to utter failures. I will show them; I will show her and savor their anguish before allowing them to die'
"…!"
Suddenly, several presences he'd noticed long before got close enough for him to properly acknowledge by turning his beanbag chair to face them.
'And the main actors of this play arrive~'
From the gloom of the room, I walked in five of the Monster Association's executives, colloquially referred to as Cadres by rank and file. Each of these monsters is a dragon-level threat; each of them, Gyoro Gyoro, is personally sought out for their unique abilities that can counter and overwhelm the best the Hero Association has to offer.
"Ah, you're here."
"You're the one who summoned us." Black Sperm spoke with an annoyed look, "just when I was about to go up and start killing the heroes too."
"I understand your eagerness to take part in the bloodshed; however, it would run counter to my plans."
"And how goes this plan of yours?" Homeless Emperor spoke with folded arms.
"It is going as expected. The heroes have begun their infiltration using multiple entrance points. They should be engaging the ambushes and patrols I've set up."
"Seems like a lot of trouble for nothing," said Fuhrer Ugly while picking his nose with his pinky.
Gyoro Gyoro never told them the details of the plan he had in mind partly because he saw them as nothing more than weapons, perhaps just a step above tools and weapons didn't need to know anything beyond being pointed at a target.
"It's all in the name of gathering data and updating you all on any changes or surprises."
"Not like it's going to change anything," Nyan commented lightly. "In the end, we'll kill them all."
"Furball's got a point." Black Sperm agreed, "All this sitting around doing nothing is a waste of time. Let me at em' I can take on all those S-Class heroes myself."
The worst part is that he might actually be capable of doing it but he didn't need the added ego boost.
"Be that as it may, I won't leave anything to chance. It would be unfortunate if the heroes prepared something at the last minute that ends up being your downfall," Gyoro Gyoro informed with a meaningful yet piercing gaze.
A vein appeared on Black Sperm's white head as he gave a thuggish "huuh?" Then, taking a step forward, he asked a simple question: "Are you looking down on me?"
That single question turned the tension up a notch, but not as much as the sudden appearance of Orochi's partially transformed face coming into view behind the Cyclops. The Monster King said nothing as his yellow eyes, devoid of soul yet radiating power, bore down on the executives to such a degree that they all became agitated in various ways.
Gum's mouth stretched wider as he barred his teeth with the force of an industrial compactor.
Nyan's fur bristled as the pupils of his cat-like eyes contracted.
Fuhrer Ugly stopped picking his nose as his expression became one of focused anticipation.
Homeless Emperor's eyes narrowed as the air around him became slightly electrified.
For his part, Black Sperm met the gaze of the Monster King without a single ounce of fear or worry. They entered a staredown, with the Cadre seemingly giving consideration to attacking the Monster King.
'This is the main reason why I don't share my plans with any of you' Gyoro Gyoro thought with a sigh.
Getting them together was difficult enough to begin with, but even with Gyoro Gyoro's manipulations and the threat of Orochi's power, their compliance mostly hinges on other factors that have nothing to do with either Gyoro Gyoro or Orochi's presence. Gyoro Gyoro is convinced that the only reason any of them don't outright challenge Orochi for the leadership title is a combination of their curiosity about seeing the plan through and their shared hatred of humanity and the heroes that protect them.
Before things could escalate, they were interrupted by the arrival of another Cadre.
"Am I intruding?" Dr. Psycho questioned him as he strolled in with his hands behind his back.
Capitalizing on the lull in tension, Gyoro Gyoro spoke, "No, Doctor. As a matter of fact, you are just in time. I was about to explain to your fellow executives that it has come to my attention that there was an information leak. I have confirmed that the heroes were able to somehow coerce one of our Demon-level members to turn traitor."
This caught the attention of all but Gums, though they didn't seem overly concerned with this turn of events.
"I doubt it will have any bearing on the outcome of your battles, but there is a chance that we've lost the element of surprise, and they might have prepared contingencies, doubtful as that may be."
With a gesture, several bio-drones in the form of eyeballs with batwings attached flew towards each Cadre. Except for Gums, whose drone kept its distance from the walking embodiment of gluttony.
"These drones will keep you informed on updates of the situation as it unfolds. I suggest you use the time to prepare for your enemies' arrival. That is all; you are dismissed."
"Tch" Black Sperm scoffed and stomped out while the others filed out at their own pace, including Orochi, whose head retreated away, leaving Gyoro Gyoro alone with Dr. Psycho.
"Do you have something to report?"
"The boy is ready to be moved."
"And his conditioning?"
"I've done all I could to expedite the brainwashing procedure, and in the process, he has monsterized further, which has helped, but without time to capitalize on this, the best you'll get is a berserker."
Having spent a significant amount of time studying monster transformations in all their forms, Gyoro Gyoro wasn't too surprised that Garou further monsterized from the stress under the doctor's supervision. He was actually counting on it, but his will proved strong enough to delay the brainwashing process so that the breakthrough was rendered moot.
"Truly a shame," Gyoro Gyoro acknowledged while mourning the lost opportunity, "but it will have to do."
It's a shame that Gouketsu fell for multiple reasons.
'He would have been the perfect foil for Silver Fang and his brother, leaving the doctor with more time to work on Garou. Then I would have yet another pawn of Orochi's caliber to work with.'
Dr. Psycho went to leave only for Gyoro Gyoro to interrupt, "And what of Solaria?"
"Sedated for the time being."
"Is that all you have to say?"
The short man's brows furrowed. "What?"
"You were planning to move her against my orders."
His face betrayed nothing; however, he felt a touch of anxiety.
"What are you talking about?"
*THUD*
In response, something landed before the feet of the doctor, causing the man to startle backwards. What lay before him was the mangled corpse of Erebus, his agent, one of the strongest artificial espers of Tsukuyomi, and someone whom he had given the task of setting up a spy network throughout the Monster Association base.
"I find it amusing that you thought you were able to hide your actions from me within my own base of operations."
'Erebus has the ability to conceal his presence from nearly all natural and esoteric senses as well as most sensors. How was he found out?'
A moment later, a barrier erupted around the man, barely giving him any room to move.
"What is the meaning of this!?" the man yelled as he looked up at the monster.
"It's a shame you've chosen to renege on our partnership, doctor."
And with that, the barrier began to enclose.
"You can't do this!"
Before he could properly retaliate, the barrier stopped before dissipating entirely, leaving the doctor both relieved and shocked.
"Luckily for you, I still need your expertise." Gyoro Gyoro spoke as he looked down on the man, both figuratively and literally.
'Of course she needs me to operate anti-esper technology. Without me, Solaria will eventually get free!' He reminded himself, though he gritted his teeth at the monster for essentially threatening his life.
"You can do what you will with Solaria after and only after the day is won, just as we agreed. I'll even be generous and hand you what's left of Tatsumaki as a bonus after I am through with her."
Gyoro Gyoro's eye narrowed as he put the pressure on, "Try to disobey me again, and you will become another sacrifice to Lord Orochi, am I understood?"
"Yes," he gritted out.
"Excellent. Now that it appears you are now a subordinate, I have taken the liberty of assigning you a guard."
Just then, Dr. Psycho turned around and looked up to find Fuhrer Ugly standing before him.
"Eh, what's up, Doc?" The Ugmon was greeted with a grin filled with misshapen teeth.
Dr. Psycho said nothing as he noticed one of Gyoro Gyoro's drones perched on the monster's shoulder.
He turned back to Gyoro Gyoro with an expression that said, "Message received."
"You are dismissed," the Cyclops intoned, and he watched as the two left before closing his eye to tap into the drone system.
'Now how are things progressing?'
~O~
This morning Child Emperor woke up to find an encrypted message from Dr. Bofoi. The message turned out to be a set of instructions 'suggesting' he should take a certain route when entering the base. Seeing he had nothing to lose and knowing the man to be rather cagey when it came to information, as he was secretive and paranoid to a fault, he went along with it.
It didn't take long for his sensors to get a ping.
For some reason, this particular section of the base showed an abundance of electronic activity. To that end, Child Emperor was making steady progress with his route. He'd encountered a few monsters, but they were easily dispatched and hardly worth mentioning in the face of the objective.
'I'm close.'
*BEEP-BEEP-BEEP*
'Right here.'
Absently, he dropped a Mini Octotank No. 9 to act as a sentry and made his way to the heavy steel door with a control pad that took him seconds to bypass with his hacking tool. With a loud sound, the steel door slid away to reveal a laboratory, and a rather advanced one at that.
'Is this what you wanted me to see, doctor?'
His eyes were immediately drawn to the centerpiece of the room, where a large metal slab contained the disassembled pieces of the robot, publically known as 'Metal Knight.'
'Dr. Bofoi mentioned the Monster King dealt with the Metal Knight unit himself, but... His thoughts trailed off as he swallowed a bit.
The sight of his former mentor's most prized robot sitting on the table disassembled with visible damages made the boy feel nervous. As the doctor's former protégé, he understood what went into its creation and could only guess the kind of power that would allow something to destroy it. It's one thing to be told something and another to see it before his eyes, and right now, Child Emperor has reaffirmed his earlier thoughts of not wanting to meet the Monster King in battle.
'I'll leave that monster to the likes of Tatsumaki and One-Punch Man.'
His backpack opened, revealing several tools for scanning and information gathering.
"Time to get to work."
Minutes Later…
Child Emperor went over everything he could find in the lab, and his investigation told him two things.
First, "whoever did this knew what they were doing and was very thorough."
The robot was carefully disassembled with each individual part analyzed before going through some form of stress testing, all without incurring further damage. He even detected hints of tampering with the software to prevent anti-tampering measures.
'Or maybe the doctor just decided not to activate them in the first place.'
It was risky, but he could see the doctor taking the risk as it enabled him to the pathfinder system to get a detailed map of the lower levels of the base.
'Which he didn't bother sharing with us!'
Child Emperor resisted the urge to let out a growl of frustration and instead used the information to update the shared map currently being used by them.
'I don't understand that man.'
Taking thoughts away from his infuriating past mentor, Child Emperor focused on the matter at hand, namely the mystery behind who took Metal Knight apart.
'Whoever did this to Metal Knight went through all this trouble, but to what end? And who would even have the capability of doing this?'
The immediate answer would be Gyoro Gyoro; however, from the information he gathered about the research itself and the methodology, it seemed unlikely. Gyoro Gyoro, for all intents and purposes, seemed more of a biologist and geneticist with a focus on monster-related research.
His mind jumped to the next most plausible answer based on the information that came from the email.
'Could it be that organization? ' he thought with some alarm.
The Child Emperor knew of the Organization from his time under Dr. Bofoi, but only in so much as one knew of local legends. Unfortunately, not even his former mentor had much information about them other than that they are vast, their roots run deep, and they primarily deal in robotics. He didn't even know its actual name and could only refer to it as the Organization.
'Their involvement might be a pretty good reason why Dr. Bofoi chose not to involve himself any further. They might arguably pose an even bigger threat to him than the existence of the Monster Association and the Monster King itself.'
After all, monsters, no matter how strong, can be killed with the right kind of firepower; however, the same cannot be said for an organization capable of analyzing and creating countermeasures for said firepower. And to prove his point, Child Emperor found notes for killer robots based on Metal Knight's design.
'This pretty much confirms their involvement, I think.'
Or not, but frankly, for all that the Monster Association had accomplished, Child Emperor couldn't fathom them being able to do all this with the Metal Knight unit after only a few short days following its capture.
"This is Child Emperor. I've found the remains of Metal Knight. I haven't confirmed it yet, but you might encounter robots with the same designs."
Naturally, many of his fellow heroes commented on this, though it was more that they didn't like the idea of monsters using human weapons against them rather than having to fight Metal Knight-lites.
"I'm not sure if they even made these things, and even then, they shouldn't have had enough time to make a one-to-one remake of Metal Knight. From what I've gathered, the designs are actually pretty rudimentary. It shouldn't be a problem for anyone, but I'm uploading information on their weaknesses just in case."
During this transfer, he was alerted to the destruction of the 'Mini Octotank' and left outside to act as a sentry.
'Did I trip something while I was investigating? Well, it's not like I was being subtle.'
He stepped out of the laboratory and into the hallway, where he beheld a foe that gave him pause.
"Sensors detected an intruder bypassing the security pad to gain unauthorized entry into a temporary research laboratory and tampering with a source of valuable data."
The machine monstrosity was reminiscent of a samurai with two sheathed katanas towered over Child Emperor who showed no outward reaction to his presence.
"You are a hero," it said with a hand sliding a katana out of its sheath "don't bother giving me your name; I will eliminate you immediately."
And it went to do just that, however, before it could take another step.
"You are G5, correct?" Child Emperor spoke, "the 'Machine God' battle robot?"
The robot paused "you know of me?"
"I know that there was a 'G4' robot that tried to attack One-Punch Man but got defeated by Demon Cyborg not too long ago. I know that its design philosophy is reminiscent of the battle suits worn by the criminal gang called 'Paradise Group' led by the former criminal Hammerhead. I know about several more incidents that happened over the years involving sketchy tech from an unknown source that no one seems to have any information on."
During his spiel, the Child Emperor reached into his pocket with deliberate slowness to take out a lollipop, unwrapped it, and took a bite.
"What I don't know is why the Organization chose to ally itself with the Monster Association."
"I see," G5's eye flashed, "you know too much."
With those words the robot suddenly lunged at the young hero with Katana poised to stab him in the face, only to be met with resistance in the form of a transparent barrier, halting its charge mere centimeters from its target.
Unperturbed by the resistance, G5 spoke, its mechanical voice carrying a tone of finality.
"I will eliminate you."
Child Emperor, for his part, did not outwardly react, even as the transparent film he dubbed 'Invisible Wall' he secretly deployed during his spiel strained against the might of the 'Machine God.'
~O~
He stomped his way through the narrow corridor, leaving the brutalized corpses of various monsters and the destruction of the walls as the only evidence of his presence.
*Tap*
*Tap*
*Tap*
*Tap*
The sound of metal tapping concrete alerted a group of monsters to a darkened corner where they could make out a silhouette.
"Who's that?" one of them asked.
The tension rose as the figure finally made it into the light. Metal Bat swaggered forward with his signature weapon pristine, save for the flecks of blood.
"It's one of the heroes! Kill him!" another screamed before the top half of its head vanished in a brutal display of gore.
The hero did not wait another moment and bashed the other monsters dead before leaping back just as the wall beside him exploded with sharpened tentacles, revealing a monster whose large body was funnily enough shaped like a wreck consisting of three eyes, jagged teeth, and tentacles.
"It's time for you to die!" The monster growled as it pulled itself through the hole in the wall and lunged at the hero.
*Smash*
*Splat*
A single upward swing and the monster's destroyed body hit the ceiling, looking like a large, overripe tomato.
Metal Bat continued forward without sparing it another glance.
Metal Bat was a man on a mission, and it wasn't just to wreck shit, though you wouldn't think that given the trail of utter destruction he left in his wake. It was convenient that causing general chaos was part of the mission since the results of his rampage were just as much him letting off some steam as it was completing the objective.
Needless to say, while his and Tank Top Master's recovery came as a pleasant surprise to most, not everyone was happy to see them. Specifically Amai Mask was very critical of their performance which landed them in the hospital in the first place, especially his. The idol hero held him personally responsible for Solaria's kidnapping. Never mind that he was ambushed by multiple Demon-level monsters and freaking Elder Centipede (who previously survived a previous battle against Blast, took on Silver Fang, his equally powerful brother and Demon Cyborg all at once before One-Punch Man himself had to step in) before contending with Garou while severely injured.
To Amai Mask, those were just poor excuses, and he should be ashamed to even call himself a 'hero' let alone one of the S-Class. Needless to say, he didn't want Metal Bat to be part of the raid, though that obviously wasn't going to happen. It's all hands on deck, and no matter how he failed in this one instance, he was still an S-Class hero.
Yet even with the assurances of everyone, from his fellow heroes to the executives and even his little sister, Metal Bat couldn't help but feel that Amai Mask was right. In the end, he did fail, and no excuse, even the legitimate ones, could change that fact. What's done is done, and Metal Bat accepted this, but at the same time, having his failure shoved in his face by some pretty boy idol hero wannabe who as far as he knew didn't even do real hero work absolutely pisses him off.
And when he's pissed, there's really only one thing that can calm him down: smashing.
Unfortunately…
'Wailing on these weak ass monsters ain't doing nothing for me.'
He would have sighed, but he was too worked up, regardless of the lack of challenge.
"There he is!" A group of monsters lunged at him in what must have been the seventh ambush attempt.
At least he was keeping busy.
"Is he even human?"
The warbled voice had him turn towards yet another group of monsters. The one who spoke flinched at his gaze, and he could see the apprehension written all over the rest. Yet unlike the ones before, they did not immediately attack him.
'Whatever' he thought, gripping his bat and getting ready for the slaughter.
Seeing this, one of the monsters hastily raised its hands and said, "Wait, we're not here to fight you!"
Metal Bat clearly didn't give a damn and charged right at him.
The monster flinched and got out. "We need your help to kill that thing!"
*Whoosh*
The reinforced bat halted mere inches from its face, creating a small force of wind that it recoiled in fright.
"Eeek!"
Ignoring its fearful shriek, Metal Bat spoke, "the hell you talking about?"
Unfortunately, the monster to whom he was speaking hadn't quite recovered, so he turned to another.
"Well? One of you better explain, or I'm going to start smashing!"
And to prove his point, Metal Bat did a one-handed swing on the insensate monster who was only just coming back to his senses from his near brush with death, pulping its body and splattering its innards on the floor.
The message received was that the monster frantically pointed with one of its claws, "this way! It's this way!"
After flicking the gore off his weapon, Metal Bat rested it on his shoulder as he followed "lead the way."
And so Metal Bat followed the fearful monster, the whole group piquing his interest. As they walked, the relatively small group of monsters seemed to increase, turning into a procession of sorts. On the surface, Metal Bat seemed unconcerned; however, he kept his eyes peeled for any monster with special abilities or one of the higher-ranking members identified. He was taking a huge risk with this, but a combination of his past aimless wanderings and genuine curiosity managed to convince him.
The monsters seem to whisper amongst themselves about something that is seemingly terrorizing them.
They took twists and turns that had them delving deeper into the base in a way that Metal Bat admitted he wouldn't have done on his own, even with the map. He didn't have the patience to figure it out, especially in his state of mind.
'If they want to make my job easier, that's fine with me.'
Eventually, he was led to a section of the base that was significantly different from the bland hallways. This seemed more extravagant, with a fancy archway, candelabra torches lighting the corners, and an actual red carpet on the floor.
'Fancy' he noted, looking at the red carpet, which led to a set of massive steel doors.
He also noted that a new set of monsters stood on either side of the red carpet, making a path for him. All of them sported grins of anticipation on their ugly mugs.
"Your opponent is waiting for you behind those doors," one stated.
"We won't be attacking you; we're just here to watch the slaughter."
"It's totally fine if you win."
'So not the typical ambush then?'
He didn't know if the monsters were being genuine here, but Metal Bat could at least tell that whatever was behind the door would be strong.
"Alright."
Completely unconcerned with being surrounded on all sides, he strode forward, and Spartan kicked the doors open to reveal pitch darkness.
*Fwoosh*
Suddenly, torches are lit up around the room, though Metal Bat's gaze was on the ceiling, immediately pinpointing the predatory gaze peering at him.
'A bat?'
The 'bat' fell to the ceiling, opening its wings to reveal a humanoid dressed in fancy old-time clothes.
"The hell are you supposed to be, some kind of vampire?" Metal Bat couldn't help but say this as he remembered a few movies he and his sister used to watch on the subject.
The monster smiled at him, revealing numerous needle-like teeth. "Oh, so you are familiar with my illustrious race?"
It was more like his sister went through a phase of being obsessed with them after watching that one movie featuring Amai Mask as a vampire.
'…and now I'm pissed.'
His weapon tapped his palm in preparation for a fight. Meanwhile, the monsters filed in from outside as they began to jeer both of them, expressing their dislike for either and looking forward to the fight. The bloodlust in the room was palpable, and as the last monster came in, the door was shut and bolted to prevent anyone else from entering.
"It looks like they really want you dead. You got into an argument or something?"
Not that he cared much, but it was peculiar how much they seemed to dislike the guy.
"They're just envious of me. Nothing but a bunch of worthless insects vying for power but unable to bridge the gap between their betters, so they rely on petty tricks."
"An S-Class hero with high combat capabilities and a vile vampire who devours his fellow monsters," one of the monsters said, "whichever one of you dies is good news for us."
And just like that, their plans came to light, not that it was hard to figure out. They want the two to fight, and whoever wins, they gang up on them.
"Never mind those insects; I'll dispose of them later," the vampire said, addressing him, "so you're one of the so-called S-Rank heroes, hm? You don't seem like much. What kind of hero are you?"
In response, Metal Bat snorted, "What is this, a meet-n-greet?" He leveled a glare at the vampire. "I came here to save a hostage and smash some monsters, and I don't see any hostages."
The vampire looked unimpressed. "Hmph, how droll."
In a burst of speed, the vampire appeared behind the young hero with his maw open wide.
"You'll at least make a decent meal."
*Snap*
Fangs chomped on air as Metal Bat deftly ducked the vampire's attempted bite, much to the vampire's surprise, and in that same breath, swung his weapon at the monster's face.
'Fast' the vampire thought as he narrowly avoided getting his teeth smashed in by leaping away.
"I ain't going to be no one's lunch freak!" The Metal Bat snarled and lunged after the vampire.
"Oh-ho," the vampire's red eyes sparkled with interest as he deftly avoided the hero's swings, practically dancing as he did, "you're a bit better than the other humans I've encountered; however, you lack any semblance of grace."
Metal Bat grunted as he swung into and through the vampire, who seemingly vanished momentarily, shocking the hero.
The words caused Metal Bat to look at his weapon and find the vampire standing on top of it.
"I should expect nothing less from such a lowly species," the vampire finished, and before the hero could react, he delivered a brutal kick to the face that sent the hero flying.
Admittedly, he didn't get far, merely a few dozen feet before the hero halted his momentum.
"Still alive? That kick would have torn the heads of most humans and monsters alike."
Metal Bat now has a small bruise on the side of his face, spat to the side.
"Is that what you were trying to do? Cause I ain't feeling shit."
Once again, the vampire gave a fang-filled grin. "So there is more to you than meets the eye. Very well, allow me to enlighten you, for I am."
The vampire cut himself off as Metal Bat was suddenly upon him, his weapon already halfway swinging towards his face.
"Don't care, get smashed," the hero stated as his weapon came dangerously close to hitting the monster.
Shocked, the vampire managed to avoid his strike as well as the follow-ups.
'He's faster,' the vampire noted, as he dodged the attacks with more difficulty than before.
One particular dodge had him snake around to the hero's back, manifest one of his bat-like wings, and slash it forward like a blade at his blind spot. Whether through instincts or luck, Metal Bat saw through the attack and managed to block it by spinning the bat in a reverse grip. He then leapt back into a shoulder charge that caught the vampire in the chest, and as the monster staggered back, Metal Bat swung his weapon at the open monster.
*Clang*
Only to be met by a second razor wing and the vampire's cocky smirk, "as I was saying."
Undeterred, the hero continued his onslaught, though he was met with heavy resistance in the form of the two bladed wings. All the while, the vampire continued to speak.
"Unlike these fakes in the association, I am a true monster, a direct descendant of a noble line of vampires. The blood coursing through my veins contains extraordinary powers. For example…"
The intense melee that had been happening while the vampire spoke came to an abrupt end when the monster's form suddenly turned into mist, causing Metal Bat to swing his weapon through him.
The S-Class hero's eyes widened, but before he could react, the vampire's form gained tangibility and clawed the hero's face. With a growl, Metal Bat swung at the vampire, only for him to once again miss when the monster went intangible.
*Slash*
Once again, Metal Bat suffered another claw attack on his upper arm and another across his back that caused him to stagger.
'Slippery bastard, the delinquent thought to himself as he leapt away to gain distance.
The vampire made no move to follow and instead contented himself with licking the blood off his claws and savoring the flavor.
"How invigorating!" the monster exclaimed with a delighted grin as his beady red eyes danced. "I will enjoy feasting on your innards, boy."
"You better savor that blood, 'cause you ain't getting another scratch off me again." Metal Bat intoned as he straightened up his posture, popped his neck, and gripped the handle of his weapon tightly.
The vampire laughed mockingly at the hero. "I will admit that you are strong for a human, which is more than I can say for the rest of your life, but that's just all it is."
Once again, his body transformed into mist, and Metal Bat's eyes widened before twirling his weapon one-handed with enough speed that it looked like a propeller and directing it towards the mist. Suddenly, the vampire was hit with a strong, continuous gust of wind that scattered his misty body.
The vampire once again reformed further away.
'That was close; my body was almost dispersed.'
"So it seems you're also a bit clever." The vampire cut himself as he turned his gaze towards the hero, only to find him already within striking range with his weapon mid-swinging towards his head.
With his mind racing in shock, the vampire could only raise his forearms in a hasty block.
*CRACK*
The sound of bones breaking echoed over the cheers and jeers of the other monsters.
"Gah!" the vampire yelled out in pained shock as his arms were snapped with the bones sticking out.
While the vampire crashed in a heap near a few monsters who made jokes at his expense, he only paid minor attention to them as his gaze focused on the hero, who continued his charge for a follow-up. The vampire got to his feet and once again turned to mist, allowing the bat to pass through him. He reformed behind the hero, poised to take a bite, only for the pummel of the bat to slam into his nose with a meaty crunch, breaking it.
"Guh!" As the vampire stumbled back from the blow, disoriented and in pain, a swing to the leg snapped his knee at the side, then a forward thrust caved in his chest, doubling him over, before an overhead swing to the back of the head sent him into the floor, creating a face-shaped hole.
Metal Bat went to swing on his downed enemy again, only for the vampire to once again change into mist.
"Tch, that shit's getting really old."
The vampire reformed near the monster, who incidentally made that one joke, and proceeded to lift it over his head and rip it in half. As blood and innards rained down on him, the vampire opened his mouth to take his fill. Metal Bat noted that even the blood that didn't make it into his mouth soaked into his clothes, which too began to regenerate along with his injuries.
In a matter of seconds, the vampire looked like he hadn't received any injuries at all.
"Feh"
*Crash*
The bat left cracks on the floor, and he turned to glare at the vampire, who glared in turn, though his eyes were more considering.
"You're strong for a human and that weapon," he trailed off while flexing his jaw, but grinned anyway.
One strike had Metal Bat feinting then catching the vampire off guard with a reverse thrust, slamming the butt of his weapon into the vampire's face.
The vampire, upon hearing it, touched the injury and grew infuriated.
"Don't get cocky!"
He was met with heavy resistance as bat met razor wing. The vampire found himself once again taken off guard by the hero's strength as the blow was so heavy that it sent a tremor through the monster. Metal Bat proceeded to block a second-wing attack before grabbing the appendage and pulling the vampire forward. The hero swung down, forcing the vampire to use his hands to block.
*Crack*
"Gah!"
The sound of broken bones echoed as the vampire's arms were summarily broken and he was forced to his knees.
'This human-' the vampire thought in a mixture of pain, bewilderment, and anger.
Metal Bat went in for another swing; however, the vampire once again seemingly teleported away.
"Getting real sick and tired of that vanishing trick."
The vampire paid no heed to his words and instead grabbed the nearest blood sack and drained it to heal himself. The entire time, he kept his eye on the human, who turned towards him with a look that irked the vampire to no end. And combined with the memory of the beating he just received, it served to drive him over the edge.
"You cur! How dare you!"
With that yell, the vampire's body dissolved into a swarm of bats that flew towards the hero.
CRIMSON SWARM!
In response, the delinquent hero clicked his teeth, gripped his bat, and spun.
SAVAGE TORNADO!
The swarm of bats met a wall of spinning bludgeoning strikes that resulted in an almost accurate representation of putting tomatoes in a blender. No matter how hard he tried or from which angle, the vampire could not get a single bat to so much as touch the hero. Even worse, the spinning created a vacuum effect that sucked in the swarm, preventing them from escaping.
The other monsters panicked as the moving tornado sucked in a few unfortunate enough to be close, causing them to give the unnatural disaster a wider berth. Fortunately for the vampire, the few monsters that did get sucked in incidentally acted as meatshields, allowing a few of the bats to escape and dive into the nearest group of monsters in a frenzy of blood and screaming.
Metal Bat stopped his attack just as the vampire reformed himself amongst half a dozen monster corpses, completely drained of blood. The vampire looked absolutely livid as he pinned the hero with his crimson bloodshot eyes.
"You're nothing but an inferior species that has to rely on tools!"
"Well, this 'inferior species' is about to beat your pasty ass." With that, he rolled his shoulder and raised his bat in a mockery of a standard fencing pose. "So come and take your licks."
The vampire's reply was to let out a snarling shriek before charging him, while the hero transitioned his fencing pose to a standard batting one.
"Batter up"
Minutes Later...
The surrounding monsters, whose numbers have visibly dwindled, watched in muted shock, awe, and fear at the spectacle. The cheers and jeers had settled into abject silence, with only the sound of metal hitting flesh, squelching noises, the occasional audible breaking of bones, labored grunts, and screams that turned into groans of pain.
"Phew" Metal Bat straightened up, wiping the sweat from his brow, and let out a harsh breath.
Aside from a thin layer of sweat over his skin, splotches of blood on his clothes, and a few miscellaneous scratches, he didn't even notice the S-Class hero held no new injuries, keeping to his word. His opponent, on the other hand, was in stark contrast; no longer the immaculately dressed pale fiend he started out as, the vampire lay at Metal Bat's feet, a bloody, mangled mess.
There wasn't a single bone that wasn't broken; blood pooled under his body, and even a few bats lay pulped nearby.
"H-how…is this…possible…!?" gargled the twitching half-dead 'true' monster.
Despite the power held by his inherently superior race and the ability to regenerate by draining the other monsters, the vampire was not able to grasp an advantage over the hero. His abilities were either met with equal force, straight up overcome, or negated by the human, and what's even worse, as the fight went on, the gap only seemed to widen further as the human became stronger, faster, and more resilient.
He's never encountered anyone like the young man in all the centuries of his life before he went to sleep.
"Humans weren't…this strong…centuries…ago…"
Metal Bat, for his part, raised his bat like an executioner's blade.
"Welcome to the future."
With that, he ignored the last-minute pleading and smashed open the vampire's skull like a watermelon.
In the silence that ensued, a lone voice chattered unsurely, "Is it over?"
Metal Bat raised his weapon, flicking the gore off, and began walking away, allowing the monsters to get a closer look.
After a moment, one of them said, "He stopped moving; guess he's dead."
With that confirmation, they all gained more confidence as they derided his performance.
"Tch, all that boasting, and he couldn't even beat a single hero."
"So much for his 'noble blood' or whatever."
"True monster my ass!" another sneered as it kicked the vampire's remains.
"Idiot,"
Another louder voice suddenly cut through the jeers: "Hey, where do you think you're going?"
With that, every monster now had their attention turned to Metal Bat, heading towards the door.
"Did you think we were going to give you a break?"
Metal Bat leaned his weapon against the door.
"Sorry to say, but you're going to have to fight all of us now~" another cooed mockingly.
He then proceeded to twist the metal bar around the door handles like a pretzel.
The group of monsters that were slowly encircling him like prey paused in confusion at the action.
"What is he doing?"
After giving the door a few jostles and seeing it not budge, I said, "alright that should do it."
"Idiot, all you've done is trap yourself!"
That got his attention enough to turn towards the group of monsters with gimlet eyes and a thuggish "huuuh? What the hell are you yapping about?"
The monsters collectively flinched as pressure bore down on them.
"I ain't locked in here with you."
Metal Bat grabbed his weapon and turned fully to face them.
"You're all locked in here with me!"
.
.
.
.
*CRASH*
A few minutes later, the steel doors were blown off their hinges, allowing Metal Bat to swagger out, sporting a few more scratches, a few more scrapes, and a lot more blood but otherwise looking no worse for wear. In fact, he seemed to have lost much of the tension in his shoulders as he stretched and rolled them.
"Nothing like smashing some monsters to get the flow," he said, giving another satisfied sigh as his shoulders popped. "Alright, I'm all fired up after that warm-up now! Where to next?"
The young hero then proceeded to sprint down the corridor, his fighting spirit sufficiently burning as he headed for the next challenge.
~To Be Continued~
L’AVIS DES CRÉATEURS 
Streggae
Streggae This came out longer than I’d meant it to. Spent a lot of time trying to figure out how I’m going to be moving everyone around since a lot of stuff happens here. I’ve thus decided to ease the burden a bit by only focusing on the non-canononical elements/characters. Assume that everything else that happens off screen happens the same as in the manga unless decided otherwise.
I’d usually do a Pa treon plug but there is no advance chapters posted at the moment. Some stuff is going on, discovered Questionable Questing recently and am now working on porting all my stories over there plus a hurricane is going to hit later today and I have no idea how screwed I am.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone