2,952Fubuki was waiting outside the fence that lead into the abandoned area of City-Z, her gaze focused, yet her mind whirling with questions.
'How can I get Saitama to join me? If he refuses, I can't simply have my men crush him. His strength far surpasses my group. I may have to step in...but would my powers be enough? Perhaps I can find something he likes to bribe him with? But what could he want? And who was that woman he was with? I need answers! I need Saitama!'
Her ears picked up multiple footsteps, causing her to turn around and widen her eyes in surprise. She saw not just Eyelashes and Wild Ape approaching, but her entire group was right behind them.
"What are you all doing here?" she asked.
"We're sorry, Miss Blizzard. We told them not to follow, but they insisted on coming along." Eyelashes apologized.
"Why are you all here? I only ordered Eyelashes and Wild Ape to come." Fubuki asked her group.
"We know that. However, we couldn't let only them accompany you further in." Piko spoke up.
"Plus, we all came here because we have our own business with Saitama as well." Lily added. Fubuki was surprised at this, but said nothing on the matter as she turned back towards the fence.
"Very well, but don't get in my way and do nothing unless I order it. Understood?" she said.
"Yes, Miss Blizzard!" her group said as one.
"Good." she said before using her powers to break the lock and open the fence. "Let's go."
Genos was quiet as he walked through the abandoned area towards Saitama's home with a neutral expression.
"I must apologize to Master Saitama and the others." he said before he brought out an enormous stack of papers labeled 'My Apology To Master Saitama.' "Perhaps I should look this over one more time to see if I have everything?"
He suddenly stopped and looked off in the distance.
'High speed object approaching! A monster?! It's heading in the same direction as...Master's home?!'
Genos put his apology away and quickly activated his thrusters, launching himself in the direction the unknown object was to intercept. He landed on a rooftop a second before the object in question touched down on the roof.
"Who are you?!" Genos demanded.
"Me? I'm the fastest ninja alive. Speed o' Sound Sonic!" Sonic declared. "I'm here looking my rival, Saitama. If you know where he lives, it'd be in your best interest to tell me." Sonic answered.
"Speed o' Sound Sonic?" Genos asked, a hint of amusement in his tone. "I recall now. You are that pervert from before!" He lifted his hand towards Sonic, his weapons systems charging up. "You claim to be Master Saitama's rival? Foolish. Begone from here, or I will destroy you!"
"No, that's your fate, sidekick." Sonic boasted as he held up a few shurikens, a grin on his face as he got ready to fight.
Mizuki, Beast Queen and Kogane were making their way back to the apartments after finishing their daily workout. They had started later due to Kogane sleeping in after last night. Which lead to her getting bombarded with questions from the other two.
"So...how was he?" Mizuki asked, her cheeks turning pink as they walked.
"It was...amazing!" Kogane sighed, a big smile on her face as she hugged herself and twirled. "I felt safe and loved and so much more!"
"As much as I want to keep this conversation going, I'd rather we talk about something else." Beast Queen said, her cheeks turning pink as well. "I'd rather not think about Saitama while I'm...in heat."
"Again?" Mizuki asked. "Do you need another one of those shots from your doctor that you told me about?"
"Well...maybe not this time." Beast Queen said, a small smile coming to her face as she looked at Kogane. "If what you told me Vaccine Woman told you is correct, then Saitama can take care of that little problem any time it comes up."
"You're just using that as an excuse for you two to fuck in the future, aren't you?" Kogane asked with a sly smirk.
"Oh yeah." Beast Queen chuckled before she stopped walking, her expression becoming blank. The other two stopped and looked at her as she stared into the distance.
"Something wrong, Beast Queen?" Mizuki asked.
"We have visitors." she said as she closed her eyes and listened. "By the sound of the footsteps, they could be humans. And a rather large group. Thirty. Maybe more."
"That many? Here? Why?" Kogane asked.
"Dunno. But we've got a problem." Beast Queen said with a frown as she faced the other two. "Judging by the direction I hear them going, they're heading right for Saitama's home."
"They are? Who are they?!" Mizuki asked in panic.
"How would I know?! I said I sense them, not that I know who they are!" Beast Queen answered before looking off in the distance in worry. "Regardless, this could be a problem if they're enemies."
"You're right. They could be people who don't know about us. And if that's the case, then our secret could get out and Saitama could have the Hero Association come down on his head." Kogane stated.
"Crap! We need to warn Master Saitama then!" Mizuki yelped before she took off, with Kogane and the Beast Queen right behind her.
Saitama was quietly playing away on the handheld game he 'borrowed' from King, with Raptora quietly messing with her laptop inside his apartment.
"Well well well. Look at this." she said with a smile.
"What's up, Raptora?" he asked, his eyes glued to the game.
"I was checking your current ranking in the Hero Registry. You're now Rank 7 in Class-B!" she informed him. "Congratulations."
"Thanks. I don't know why I moved up the ranks though. All I did was beat a bunch of monsters." Saitama answered before he paused the game and looked at her. "Why are you looking up my rank anyway?"
"I was curious since you defeated a monster that encased people in ice. A monster with that kind of capability isn't a weakling by normal standards." she answered. "That...and it's really quiet here without Genos constantly talking."
"Yeah. It is quiet." Saitama agreed. "I wonder what that guy's doing right now?"
"Probably pouting about being kicked out. Good riddance!" she huffed.
"Ease up on him. True, he was acting dumb and irrational, but he's not a bad guy." Saitama said as he went back to his game.
"He tried to kill Kogane and Vaccine Woman, then called all of us filthy monsters!" Raptora snapped. "That's not something that you let slide!"
"I didn't let it slide. I tore his arm off and told him to leave until he was ready to apologize to everyone for being stupid." Saitama countered.
"If I didn't know he was a cyborg, I'd think you were a psychopath." Raptora chuckled. "But...thanks for standing up for us."
"Sure thing. We are friends." he said.
"Yeah, but I feel I owe you for that." she said.
"Nah. I'm goo-" he started to say before he felt her kiss his cheek. He stopped playing the game and looked at her as she walked towards the door, an subtle sway in her hips as she walked.
"I'll be back." she said as she opened the door to leave, only to stumbled back as she felt a fist smack her in the face a few times. "O-OW! OWWW! STOP IT!" she yelled as she rubbed her face. "Who the-?!" she started to growl before she saw a people in suits standing outside the door.
"Uh, sorry. We're-"
"AHH!" she yelled before she slammed the door shut and ran back towards Saitama. "Saitama! We've got a problem! There's a ton of people outside the door!"
"There is?" he said before he put the game down and walked over to answer the door. He peeked his head out to see the Blizzard Group standing outside his door. "Uh...You salesman?"
"What? No?! We're all heroes!" Eyelashes yelled.
"Eyelashes." Fubuki spoke up, making the man close his mouth and move aside to let her through. "Hello, Saitama. Nice to see you again."
"Hi...Who are you?" he asked with a smile. Blizzard kept her smile while the Blizzard Group looked annoyed at his attitude.
"She's the Class-B Rank-1 hero, Blizzard of Hell." Raptora answered as she stood behind Saitama before glaring at Eyelashes. "And all the people behind her are her subordinates that like to hit others in the face!"
"I was aiming for the door." Eyelashes told her.
"Well your aims sucks!" she huffed.
"Shouldn't you be hiding?" Saitama asked Raptora.
"They know about us. Remember?" Raptora told him.
"They do? When?"
"Don't you remember? You stopped Vacuuma from eating Blizzard. You explained everything to her when she and all those other heroes came over." Raptora reminded him. Saitama looked back at Blizzard before squinting his eyes, then widened them.
"Oh yeah! Now I remember you!" he said. "So, did you need something?"
"Miss Blizzard." Lily spoke up before Fubuki could say anything. "Before anything else, we need to say something to Mr. Saitama."
"Ah, yes. You did say you all had something you wished to say to him. What was it?" Blizzard asked.
The members of the Blizzard Group all glared at Saitama, making him raise a brow and earning a glare from Raptora. Then, as one, they moved.
"THANK YOU FOR SAVING OUR LIVES!" they all chorused while bowing at the waist.
"Huh?" Saitama said while Blizzard looked a little shocked.
"Miss Blizzard told us how you and the monsters here saved us from being eaten by another monster. While we're still wary of a hero working with monsters, it doesn't change the fact that Miss Blizzard, and all of us, are only alive because of you." Lily explained before lifting her head and flashing a grateful smile at him. "And we never got to say thank you until now."
"Oh? Okay." Saitama said with a shrug and smile of his own before looking at Fubuki. "Is this what you wanted to do?"
"Actually, I wished to discuss hero business with you." Fubuki stated. "Tell me, do you know of Hero Factions?"
"Hero Factions? What's that?" Saitama asked.
"Within the Hero Association, there are factions of heroes that band together to take on monsters that are too powerful for them. These are Hero Factions." Fubuki began. "There are many factions within the Hero Association, each one doing their best to not only keep the people safe from monsters, but also by having each other's back and helping out as well. Among the factions we have-DON'T CLOSE THE DOOR ON ME!" she yelled when she saw Saitama slowly close the door, forcing her to grab it and open it back up.
"Then please get to the point. I hate long speeches. Especially since I have no idea what Hero Factions and all that stuff is." Saitama droned.
"Very well. I wish for you to join my faction, the Blizzard Group." Fubuki stated.
"Oh, is that all?" he said with a smile. "No thanks."
The mood immediately flipped from friendly to hostile as Fubuki frowned. Though her reaction was a lot more tame than that of her group.
"Excuse me?! Did you just say no?!"
"How dare you refuse Miss Blizzard's invitation?!"
"You should be grateful she's inviting you!"
"It's nothing but an honor to work for the Blizzard of Hell!"
All the shouting suddenly died when they heard Raptora laughing like she's just heard the greatest joke ever.
"What're you laughing at?!" Eyelashes demanded.
"You!" she answered with a grin. "'Honor?' 'Grateful?' Do you hear yourselves?!"
"How is that funny?!" Wild Ape growled.
"What honor is there for a powerhouse like Saitama to gain from working under a weakling like her?!" Raptora asked while pointing at Blizzard.
Judging by how Fubuki's group suddenly pulled out weapons, that was the wrong thing to say.
"HOLD ON! WE DIDN'T COME HERE TO ATTACK HIM!" Blizzard yelled. She may not have liked Saitama's refusal or Raptora's comment, but she'd be a bigger fool to think her group could fight a monster like Saitama. Sadly, her group's rage at hearing Saitama and Raptora disrespect their leader deafened them to her pleas as they lunged at Saitama.
Or they would have lunged at him, had they not been suddenly preoccupied by a mass of yellow kombu wrapped around each of their necks, making them panic as it choked them.
"Huh? What happened?" Saitama asked while Fubuki looked stunned and horrified.
"Sorry, Master."
The two non-choking heroes turned to see Captain Mizuki, Beast Queen and Kogane walking towards them, the latter's hair wrapped around the Blizzard Group's throats.
"Hey. Back from your daily training?" he asked.
"Yeah." Mizuki said with a smile before looking at the Blizzard Group. "Can you tell me why you tried to do something silly like attack my Master?"
"GaAdckakack!"
"Gugghggug!"
"...too...tight..."
"What'd you say?" Beast Queen asked with a dark chuckle.
"You'll have to speak up~" Kogane giggled.
"Alright, enough! Let them go." Saitama told them. Kogane frowned before releasing them, allowing them to breathe.
"See? Weaklings." Raptora said with a smile, earning a disappointed glare from Saitama.
"Knock it off." he told her before looking at Kogane. "Why'd you do that?"
"They were going to attack. I was just gonna choke them until they passed out." she answered. "It's not killing, right?"
"Okay. Still, I could've handled it." Saitama told them.
"We know. This was the less painful route." Beast Queen said with a grin. Saitama merely hummed before looking at the Blizzard Group.
"Why'd you guys even try to attack me anyway? Seemed a little much, don't you think?" Saitama asked.
"It's because that's what they do."
Everyone turned to Captain Mizuki, who was glaring at Fubuki.
"Blizzard of Hell likes to stay at the top of Class-B, so she seeks out anyone else in Class-B that she sees as a threat to either recruit them into her group, or crush them so that they have to quit being a hero." Mizuki explained.
"I'd heard about that from some of the people where I turn in bounties, but I thought it was just a rumor." said Beast Queen.
"I didn't believe it either until I saw this. And honestly? I was really hoping it was only a rumor." Mizuki answered.
"Isn't that a little pathetic?" Saitama asked.
"What?" Fubuki asked with a glare.
"If that's how you do things, then neither you, nor your group, are gonna survive. Give it up, Fubuki." he told her with a sharp gaze.
Fubuki was quiet as she shed the white overcoat she wore, an aura suddenly surrounding her.
"I'm done being nice." she said as her group started to panic.
"Oh crap! Miss Blizzard's angry!"
"She's gonna use her powers! RUN!"
Her group all ran down the stairs or simply jumped off and landed on the street before they kept going to avoid her wrath.
"Should we help Saitama?" Beast Queen asked.
"Yeah. By getting out of the way!" Kogane answered as she grabbed Mizuki before both her and the Beast Queen ran off as well.
"What the-...?! Telekinesis?" Saitama asked.
"That's right. You don't look surprised." Fubuki said as the wind picked up, various amounts of nearby rubble floating through the air around them.
"You gonna fight by throwing pebbles at me? That's not a good idea." Saitama stated.
"You still continue to mock me? Save me and my group or not, I won't let you surpass me! I'll kill you until you're dead! HELLSTORM!"
Saitama was flung out into the street before a whirlwind of rubble surrounded him, keeping him from view as Fubuki kept the attack up while gently floating to the ground.
"There it is! Miss Blizzard's signature attack! Hellstorm!" one of the Blizzard Group cheered.
"He may be strong, but there's no one who can take that and walk away unscathed!" another agreed.
'I didn't want to have to do this, but you brought it upon yourself. Those who oppose me will be crushed under my-'
"Aren't you a little too high-strung to be a leader?" Saitama asked from where he stood right behind her. The Blizzard Group stared in shock while Mizuki and them grinned from where they were atop another building.
"You-!" Fubuki began as she whirled around to face him, only to stop when he raised a fist and glared at her with a serious expression.
"You have no idea what a hero truly is! The world is full of powerful monsters and bad guys in the world. Stopping them is a hero's duty, even if that hero is on their own!" he began while her expression morphed from shock to anger. "What you do is just plain stupid. You, who surrounds yourself with weaklings and kissasses, won't survive. If you run into something stronger than you, your subordinates won't be able to help. Factions? Rookie Crushing? Ranks?! None of that crap matters! Show heroes some respect, poser!"
"SHUT UP! WHAT DO YOU KNOW?!" she yelled, her composure crumbling as she slapped her hands onto the ground. "I WON'T LET YOU OR ANYONE TAKE AWAY MY RANK THAT I WORKED SO HARD TO OBTAIN!"
Saitama felt the ground around him lift and smash him, only for him to reduce it to rubble with ease.
'Geez. What's with this woman? Nobody else has acted like this.' he thought before he felt himself be blasted away by an invisible force, followed by a barrage of rubble. 'Is this it? That other psychic...Tornado, was it? She threw whole mountains at me. This is getting dull and-'
His thoughts were interrupted as he saw Genos and Sonic about to clash behind Fubuki, who now had tears in her eyes as she aimed a box cutter at his neck.
"Huh?!"
And then the explosion hit.
Captain Mizuki, Beast Queen, Kogane and the Blizzard Group were all thrown about by the sudden explosion. Many of them immediately got back up and looked at the billowing pillar of smoke in worry.
"SAITAMA!"
"MISS BLIZZARD!"
The two in question couldn't be seen for a moment before the smoke started to clear, allowing the two groups to see three shadows standing there.
"What...What happened?" Fubuki asked as she held her head, blood dripping down the side of her face.
"Hmm. It seems my attempts to kill that pesky annoyance has lead me back to Master Saitama's home." Genos stated as he looked up at Saitama's home.
"Genos of Class-S? Fubuki thought out loud as Genos turned to Saitama, who had moved to shield Fubuki from the blast.
"Apologies, Master. I kicked up some dust around your home." the cyborg apologized.
"This is more than just 'some dust!' What are you doing here, Genos?! And why did I see you fighting Sonic a moment ago?!" Saitama asked.
As the two talked, Mizuki sank to her knees.
"Thank goodness." she sighed in relief. "I was afraid for a moment."
"You're doubting Saitama's strength?" Beast Queen asked with a smirk.
"What? I'm not allowed to worry about my Master?" Mizuki asked as Fubuki's group surrounded their leader.
"Miss Blizzard! Are you okay?!"
"You're bleeding! Can you stand?!"
"How many fingers am I holding up?!"
"Everyone, easy. I'm alright." Fubuki assured them.
"EXPLODING SHURIKEN!"
Everyone shielded themselves as something explosive hit Genos.
"What's going on?! A monster?!" Fubuki asked.
"No. But this may take a moment, so you guys can go home if you want." Saitama said in a bored tone.
"Hmph. You could hit me with a hundred of those, but you will never damage me." Genos said as he glared at Sonic, who was perched atop of a street light.
"Maybe, but you haven't even hit me, Puppet Man!" Sonic smirked before he suddenly disappeared, the street light shattering and falling as Sonic reappeared on the street. "Listen well, Saitama! After I turn your sidekick into scrap, you're next! And those of you here can spread the word of my victory!"
"W-Who is this?!" one of the Blizzard Group asked.
"I don't know...but we're no match for him." Fubuki stated, chills going down her spine as she felt Sonic's strength and anger flow out of him.
"Master Saitama, I ran into this man on the way here to apologize and felt it necessary to stop him from annoying you. Allow me to do the world a favor and rid it of him!" said Genos.
"Think you can?" Sonic chuckled before looking confused when he noticed Kogane and the Beast Queen amongst the onlookers. "And who are they? Residents of this Ghost Town?"
"Uh...something like that!" Kogane answered quickly.
"Hmph. Whatever the reason, I'll simply beat it out of you after I take care of this." Sonic promised before turning to Genos. "Now then, how many pieces you want me to slice you into? Or do you think you have a chance despite having shown me everything you got?"
"At what point did I show you everything I've got?" Genos asked, his systems charging and his eyes glowing yellow. "You lose!"
And with that, Round 2 began.
The onlookers could only gape in shock as the fight around them happened, their eyes unable to keep up with Genos and Sonic's fight.
Most of them, anyway.
'Wow. Genos got faster since we last fought. He get another upgrade?' Saitama wondered.
"I can't see anything at all!" Mizuki yelled, her head on a swivel as she tried to catch sight of the two. The only other one besides Saitama to keep a cool look was the Beast Queen, her eyes catching a mere glimpse of the two here and there before the two fighters suddenly broke off their encounter.
"You had some lint in your hair. I got it out for you." Genos said as he dropped Sonic's bundled hair to the ground, leaving the ninja with his hair now only covering his nape.
"You...bastard!" Sonic growled as Genos appeared behind him.
"You dropped your guard! MACHINE GUN BLOWS!" he roared as he attacked Sonic, only to stop and stare in confusion as more than one Sonic suddenly appeared. "Wha-?! What is...?!"
"There's four of them?!" Lily yelped as Sonic's laugh could be heard coming from each Sonic on the battlefield.
"Hahahaha! Hopeless buffoon! How does it feel to punch nothing but air? This technique, combined with my speed and footwork, allows me to create afterimages of myself. I call it 'Fourfold Funeral' Now die! SCATTER FLASH SLASH!"
A whirlwind picked up around Genos, who was looking around before gritting his teeth.
'I cannot track his movements! If that's the case, I'll destroy the whole area! Incineration Cannon: FULL POWER!'
Genos aimed at the ground before he was suddenly slammed into it, leaving Sonic to stop moving and revealing only himself on the battlefield.
'I won? No, I missed! But how?' he thought before he landed and glared at Saitama, who was now standing over Genos. "Saitama. Saving your disciple at the last second? How pathetically soft you are."
"Actually, I was stopping him from blowing everyone and everything around here to pieces." Saitama answered. "Besides, neither of you have any reason to fight. Hey, Genos? Were you turned into a cyborg to handle petty little scuffles? And Sonic, your target's been me from the beginning, right?" Saitama asked as he stepped forward. "You're persistent so, just this once, I'll take you seriously."
If one had been trained for battle, they'd have seen the menacing aura that suddenly surrounded Saitama.
"Come at me, bro!" Saitama challenged.
Sonic smirked, despite the terror running through him, as he sheathed his blade.
"I've been waiting for this moment. And to kill you, I trained until I mastered the ultimate technique needed to bring you down!" Sonic boasted.
"Cool. Let's see it." said Saitama.
"Miss Blizzard, what is he doing?!" Wild Ape whispered to Fubuki.
"That ninja guy was keeping up with Genos in Class-S! Saitama may be strong, but he's only Class-B! He doesn't stand a chance!" Eyelashes said in agreement.
"Quiet!" Fubuki ordered. "Just watch."
"Ultimate Master Technique: TENFOLD FUNERAL!"
Everyone watched as ten Sonics suddenly appeared, each of them aiming their weapons at Saitama.
'Ten afterimages?! Though a joke, he must've trained like crazy!...But...'
'This madman's combat skills are indeed on the level of a Class-S hero! Saitama stands no chance...But...'
'Why?' Sonic thought. 'Why is it that, no matter how much I train, I can't envision myself beating you?! Until I defeat you and break this mentality, I'll never be able to reach the next level!'
"Killer move, Serious Series." Saitama spoke before, to the amazement of everyone watching, he suddenly moved, creating a wall, no, an army of Saitamas. "SERIOUS SIDE-HOPS!"
"ABARFGR!" Sonic gurgled before the wall of Saitamas sped through him and his clones, making them disappear and sending the real one skidding across the pavement. Saitama stopped his attack and slowed down before looking at Sonic's injured form.
"What...was that?!" Sonic got out.
"I just walked past you while doing some sidehops." Saitama answered.
"He...beat me with shockwaves...My technique was useless...He's still too strong." Sonic lamented before glaring at Saitama. "Saitama...Next time...we..." was all he said before he passed out.
"Did you kill him, Master?" Genos asked.
"I don't think I did." Saitama answered as he looked down at Sonic while Mizuki and her friends surrounded Saitama and began to ask questions, leaving Fubuki and her group alone. They were saying something to her as well, but she couldn't hear them, her gaze solely focused on Saitama.
'Saitama...His strength is far more outrageous than I thought.'