A sharp smile stretched across his face as he looked away from the makeshift communication device. The heroes were foolish to keep his core so close to the rest of the artifacts they clearly deemed important. He wondered how long it had been then, since his defeat. He felt the phantom energy race across his body, the tearing and rending of his skin, muscle, and bone that he had endured. Lightning crackled against his skin in his renewed excitement, the memory of the finishing blow sending shivers down his spine. His smile stretched even further, sharp rows of teeth menacing in the dim light of the dank underground room.
He looked back down at his communication device and the large hand that griped it, careful not to smash it in his excitement. They were here and in position. The blinking green confirmation screen reflecting off his face and eye. He put in the coordinates of the targets; his fleet ready to reduce the Earth to ash should he lose communication with them. He put the device a safe distance away from him as he began to bring his energy to the surface. It wouldn't do to have the planet accidentally destroyed by his own recklessness.
Hot, white lightning lit up against skin and raced down the cracks in his body, illuminating his pastel pink hair and whipping up currents of wind. One strike should be enough to garner the attention of those that moved about their lives above ground. He could sense their presence even from where he stood. With a clenched fist covered in the blazing hot light, he struck the wall, blasting a hole in the foundation and watching as the energy wave went on for a mile. The ground rumbled tremendously, threatening to come down all around him. After a moment it stopped, and Boros turned to grab the communication device once again before sitting on the floor against a wall, directly in front of the large metal doors.
The doors were impressive, but they alone wouldn't keep his impressive strength bound to the room. He of course could leave whenever he wanted, but Boros was smarter than that. He wanted them to come to him. He wanted them to see how at ease he felt in their so-called base. When he had hacked their systems to set up communications he had nearly laughed with glee. Boros barely had to do any work to get what he wanted. He set his blue eye to watch the door once more, firmly grasping the device. He doubted they had anyone that could harm him here, only someone that could have the strength a god could have a chance of beating him. It was a good thing he was looking for said god. Boros frowned and looked up in contemplation, his pink hair tickling his back. Saitama was no god, but he may as well have been. He shook his head, clearing away the thoughts. Not now, he would have time to contemplate the possibilities of his strength later, but for now, he had to stay focused.
Footsteps echoed down the hall and Boros' grin returned full force. Finally. The doors opened with a groan of metal and shift in air pressure. Cool air blew in and Boros didn't bother to move, his eye adjusting quick to the lights being turned on. In front of him stood a squad of men, armed and covered in protective gear from head to toe. In front of them stood a child with brown hair and wide eyes, his lollipop falling from his hands. Boros wasn't fooled though, he was privy to all their secrets with his device. He leaned forward slightly, not caring that the weapons were trained on him.
"Child emperor" he let his voice be consumed by his native tongue, the guttural sound making what he said hardly understandable. "My fleet is orbiting Earth, if I lose communication with them, they will reduce this planet to ash. Do you understand?"
The boy didn't move but he seemed to have regained some semblance of his composure. His brown eyes sharpened as they looked at him and the device he held, trying to determine if he was bluffing.
Boros continued, "I hacked your system, used your primitive satellites. You can go ahead and check for yourself." He leaned back and watched as robotic arms came out the bag in his back, pulling with them a laptop. The boy typed away furiously before stopping, his eyes widening slightly.
"Six of my best ships, each capable of destroying a planet on their own." Boros could admit it was slight overkill, but he had to be absolutely sure nothing could go wrong. For all he knew, Saitama would have been able to dissipate the power his ships were capable of.
Brown eyes looked up from the laptop and he nodded towards him, understanding his situation. "You know me, but I don't know you." Child emperor was studying him, cautious but curious.
Boros refused to let his surprise show. Refused to acknowledge the fact that Saitama hadn't mentioned him. He shoved the thoughts to the back of his head roughly and gave the young human a wild smile.
"My name is Lord Boros, I am the dominator of the universe." He held high pride in his titles and let it show.
Child emperor bit his lips and glanced back down at his laptop, as if what he said confirmed his suspicions. Perhaps Saitama had mentioned him then.
"I believe you; your ships seem highly advanced. What is it that you would like?" While the child spoke, he had continued his typing. It didn't matter to Boros though, even if he was relaying everything to his superiors, Boros would still have the upper hand.
The child was right to the point though and Boros laughed internally. "The warrior that defeated me. Your strongest here, bring him here."
The kid blinked in confusion. "Blast defeated you?" His voice seemed skeptical, but Boros couldn't figure out why. Either way, Boros had never heard of that name before, who in the nebula was Blast?
"Wait-" the kid continued. "Who are you talking about?"
"I do not know this Blast you speak of," Boros chose his next words carefully. "The man that I fought, he had strength far beyond mine and any other in the known universe." His tone was hard, relaying the truth of it. If there was one thing Boros could respect, it was power.
"I seek Saitama. And when I leave, none but those in this room may follow."
Curiosity sparked behind brown eyes before the child's fingers moved across his keyboard at lightning pace, the robotic arms moving in to help. He noted that the child didn't even bother asking about him leaving, curious.
"I'll inform my superiors, I'm sure you'll want to talk to them too."
Boros nodded when the child looked up questioningly before returning to his device.
"Okay, they're getting in touch with Saitama now."
His typing stopped and Boros looked back to the ceiling, ignoring how the child was studying him. After a while though, he finally got annoyed enough to ask.
"What?" There was no response, and he looked down in time to see Child emperor pop another piece of candy into his mouth.
"You came on that ship, right? The one that destroyed the whole city?"
Boros nodded absently, not feeling an ounce of remorse. He had razed numerous civilizations before.
"I was watching nearby; I was wondering why there were so many explosions going on up there. It seemed…intense."
Ah, the tiny human was curious. Very well, Boros didn't mind indulging him.
"The battle was intoxicating. It had been millennia since my strength has been challenged, and to have it challenged so absolutely was exhilarating." He felt the vicious smile stretch across his face and show his teeth. The slight crackle of electricity across his skin as he recounted the events. He could see how it made the boy and the guards nervous, but he didn't let up.
"I have laid waste to solar system after solar system, local cluster after cluster." At those words, he saw child emperor's eyes go wide. As they should. Boros was a supreme being, they would come to know this. "Yet, it is here, in this pitiful planet that someone can match- no, surpass my mighty strength." He cut himself off, not wanting to say too much yet.
Brown hair bobbed as he nodded, as if he understood. Boros knew though, no one would ever be able to understand. Well, now, almost no one.
The brown-haired boy turned the laptop screen to him and his robotic arms brought it closer, the boy himself seemingly unwilling to get to near to him. "My superiors want to talk with you."
Boros nodded, it was a reasonable request and one he didn't mind. After all, if he wanted to take over this planet, he would need to know how their politics worked. To make it seem like joining him was in their best interest. Of course, it wasn't like they had much of a choice.
The screen showed a room, it was filled to the brim with numerous men in black suits along with others in more varied clothing. He studied them but refused to speak first. Finally someone stood, a man with a large nose and grey hair with his hands crossed behind his back.
"Boros-" he started before being cut off.
"Lord Boros," he interrupted, refusing to be called just by his name by someone so weak. On the screen he could see several of the oddly dressed individuals stiffen and glare. One small one in particular glowing green. There was another moment of silence before the man started once more.
"Lord Boros, my name is Sitch. I am the minister of justice and head of the Hero Association." Boros nodded for him to continue.
"I have heard of your threat to the Earth and would like to negotiate." Everyone in the room seemed mostly composed and Boros could only assume that child emperor had already informed them of the situation. Good, it meant less talking for him.
"I have already stated what I wanted." He was bored of the conversation already and didn't bother hiding it.
"Yeah, our strongest hero! If you think that egg head is the strongest then you've got another thing coming!" The small woman enveloped in green was shouting at him, her hair and clothes swirling in her anger.
Boros had wondered how long it would take for her to make an outburst. He wasn't amused though. A frown marred his face, his eye narrowing in anger. His skin blazed hotter for just a moment before he managed to somewhat calm himself. "You're delusional, to think your strength stronger than the one that bested me. Even you would be unable to harm me, Tornado or Terror." He said her name mockingly, a smirk pulling at his lips.
She looked to be vibrating in anger, her eyes glowing a brighter green. The grey-haired man turned to her and shouted "Enough!" before turning back to Boros and apologizing on her behalf. She was promptly escorted out of the room with some convincing, her body seething in hatred.
"Is that overconfidence or are you being serious?" An older man with black hair and a sword at his hips spoke, the stick he chewed bobbing from side to side in his mouth.
Boros sighed internally. Usually, questions of his power weren't ever brought up since he typically managed to decimate any area that he came about. This was new territory for him. "I am speaking the truth. I have no need to lie about my strength."
The swordsman seemed to accept that answer before nodding, looking away from him and to another older man who had stepped forward.
"You fought Saitama?" His silver hair and larger silver eyebrows didn't convince Boros that he was an ordinary old man. So, he simply nodded to him and that seemed to be enough.
"Bang do you know something we don't?" The samurai spoke up, his head tilting to the side and stealing a quick look at Boros before he refocused on Bang.
"Looks like it." Bang didn't sugarcoat it. "Saitama is the strongest hero I've ever met." Their disbelieving looks at the older man brought a series of questions to Boros' mind. They didn't know.
He straightened his back and leveled them with a hard stare, and everyone in the room looked back at him through the screen.
"You were unaware of his strength" it wasn't a question, and Boros could see their hesitation to answer. He could have laughed.
"Regardless of that, we are willing to cooperate for now. Given how your ships seem to be holding us all hostage." Sitch spoke again, apparently doing his best to try to sound calm.
"Very well, then make it fast." He pushed the laptop away and leaned back against the wall, watching the opening to the room intently. Several long, silent moments passed and just as he was starting to get impatient, lazy footfalls could be heard down the hall and child emperor's tiny shoulders seemed to sink in relief.
Boros stood, his full height easily towering over everyone in the room. He was in his first form, naked but he wasn't worried. There would be no fight. He dimly noted how child emperor backed up to the side, training the laptop screen towards him so the others could see the interaction. He didn't care, they were all insignificant to him.
The first thing he saw were red boots, followed by a yellow suit and white cape. Boros moved forward, his excitement growing even as he tried to contain it. Saitama stopped short, his eyes widening slightly as he tilted his head back and met his gaze. It was silent for a moment, but Boros' savage grin remained intact.
"Oh, Boros." His tone held no inflection but Boros grinned nonetheless. He had remembered his name. Between the two most powerful beings in the universe, this was a great honor, he knew. Boros remembered none of the foes he had ever bested after his strength become an all-encompassing and indomitable force.
"Sai-tama" he nearly growled, but it was not one of anger. Behind Saitama, a cyborg narrowed his gold on black eyes at him, stepping slightly closer to the man. "Sensei, who is this?"
Saitama blinked and turned his head back to look at the blond cyborg. "Remember when city A got destroyed? This is the guy that I said was pretty strong."
If any other being had said it in such a way, Boros would have been infuriated and ripped their internals out. Instead, his skin pulsed white in his growing excitement, trying to keep his energy in check. He smiled smugly as the cyborg's eyes widened in shock, the news seemingly impossible to hear. "Then how-!" The blond cut himself off, looking at his master in question.
Boros knew though, he could clearly see the boy was well aware of his teacher's strength.
"My kind is highly regenerative. Though it did take some time to heal, your master did defeat me." Regardless of being bested by a man with such overwhelming power, it still stung to say it.
"Ah," Saitama nodded at him, his face still as blank as he remembered it. "You fought well."
Before Boros could thank him, child emperor interrupted their conversation. "You got to talk; now will you leave the Earth alone?" His high voice barely shook, but it was there.
Saitama suddenly seemed to notice the situation in the room, from Child emperor to the laptop trained on them, showing all of the higher ups and other heroes of the association.
Boros sent the child a chilling look that made the boy swallow and sweat form on his brow.
"Eh? Boros?" Saitama looked back at him questioningly, slightly more invested in the conversation now.
He sighed and held up his communication device. "I have my fleet of ships honing their weapons on this planet. If I lose contact with them, they will reduce this wretched place to ash."
Boros saw the second Saitama's student came for him, but was surprised when he reached out to intercept him and caught nothing. Saitama suddenly stood closer to him, his grip tight on his student's arms as he forced him to the ground. He hadn't even seen Saitama move.
"Se-sensei!"
"Enough Genos!" The cyborg, Genos immediately stilled. Saitama let him go and Genos stood, almost looking sheepish. "Apologize, sensei."
Saitama let out a loud sigh and rubbed the back of his neck, as if he was too tired to be bothered. Even with the fate of his planet on the line. "Ok Boros, you have my attention. What do you want?"
Boros held out his hand, offering it to Saitama. "You," he started, his voice rough. "Join my crew." His words echoed in the sudden silence. No noise even came from those shown in the laptop screen, but their faces were all similarly displaying disbelief.
Saitama didn't move, but Genos had his fists clenched at his side, steam escaping his vents. The humming of fans came from the blond and Boros mentally chuckled. He would get what he wanted, whether Saitama wanted it or not.
"How many ships are here." Boros had somewhat expected that question from him, and he was glad that he had overdone it in number.
"There are six. Not even you are fast enough to divert all the beams, Saitama." A humorless chuckle left the hero, his face darkening.
"You're smarter than me."
Boros smiled at the humility but didn't want Saitama to feel completely defeated. "I'm older than you by millennia, it only makes sense." The bald hero nodded, the light catching on his shiny head. Still, Boros didn't miss how his fists relaxed from their clenched position.
"How do I know you won't just blow the place up when I leave?" Boros nodded approvingly. Saitama wasn't smarter than him, but he wasn't dumb.
"My word, I suppose. If you join my crew, I shall add Earth to my vast empire." Boros paused, leaning down to look at Saitama in the eye. "There's more than just me out there." He didn't miss the uncomfortable movements a few of the humans made on the screen, nor the fear. "But," he continued. "My empire is the strongest."
Saitama sighed, the seriousness leaving his stance as he ran a hand down his face. "I feel like this is out of my paygrade."
To his right, Boros saw child emperor nod as if in agreement before he turned the laptop back towards himself to continue typing. Probably chatting with the people in the room. Boros ignored him and instead took note of Genos who was standing perfectly still, yet fuming at the same time. His first were clenched hard, his eyes glaring daggers into Boros as if to eliminate him with his glare alone.
A sudden thought stuck Boros then, his eye trailing back to Saitama. "Tell me Saitama, when I asked for their strongest warrior, it was not your name that came up. Is there someone stronger than you?" He really doubted it, but it would lead to his next line of questions.
"Sensei is the strongest! He is beyond anyone here!" Genos' shout startled everyone but himself, he expected it from the disciple that seemed so devoted.
"Ah Genos calm down! You scared the hell out of me!" Saitama seemed to have relaxed some, though Boros was honestly unsure why. He chose not to dwell on it though, the calmer Saitama was with this, the easier it would be.
"They did not know of your strength." It was a statement and Saitama replied with a simple shrug.
"I wasn't trying to hide it, I'm just unlucky I guess."
Boros could have scoffed. "Nonetheless, what is your answer?" Boros already knew though. Knew that Saitama was too kind, to human to let his planet be blown up.
It grew quiet again, but it didn't last. The one who broke the silence was child emperor, his composure breaking.
"I've been talking with the higher ups…"
"No." Genos didn't let him continue. His eyes glowing a brighter gold.
"I'm sorry Genos, but, but they think he should go. Especially if we can sign Earth into its first interstellar contract. It would mean nothing like this would have to happen again." The child refused to look up from his laptop as he spoke, his age showing in the way his hurt was on full display. The young boy was still uncomfortable with the thought of sending his ally to death.
It was a feeling Boros had long ago let go of. The weak serve a purpose and die. He looked back at Saitama, knowing he was anything but weak. Still, he could see the hesitation in the man's eyes, the anger of having no choice.
Boros spoke again, intending to put the final nail in the coffin. "Aren't you tired, Saitama?" Said man looked at him in question.
"Humans are fragile," Boros lifted a hand to the wall and lightly tapped it, causing it to splinter and crack. "I do this with barely any of my own formidable strength, yet you are still stronger." He looked back to meet his eyes. "Tell me, now long did it take before you could even touch any of your own species again? Is that why you let him be your disciple?" He gestured to Genos. "Because you know he can't get hurt as easily?"
Genos was looking at his master with wide eyes, seemingly never having thought of that possibility. "Sen…sei" Genos' voice trailed off, his brows furrowing in an unnamed emotion.
Saitama didn't answer, instead he looked up at the ceiling, his eyes betraying his emotions. Boros looked away from Saitama, trying to look contemplative.
"I'm surprised by your control, but I've seen your worry. You made sure I was above you when you struck me. You knew what your power could do to this world, didn't you?" No response. The only way Boros knew he was listening was from the slight clenching of his fists.
"It's not like I have a choice in the matter, why are you still trying to convince me?" Saitama saw through his ploy and Boros shrugged it off.
"What I said is still true. I'm just telling you there's better ways to live." Boros watched him intently, not bothering to hide his smile when he saw the moment Saitama made up his mind. He extended his hand out once more, not saying a word, and watched as Saitama took his first step towards him. The hero stopped abruptly though when his disciple followed.
"Genos," Saitama spoke his name in a firm, commanding tone. Telling the cyborg everything in that one word.
"I will not leave you, Sensei!" Genos' voice was full of resistance as he stubbornly stood next to Saitama.
Boros wanted to frown, but he decided to let the two talk it out. Maybe both of them coming would be for his better interest.
"Genos, you have to take your revenge, you have a whole life left to live," Saitama met the cyborg's gaze and his eyes were hard, unwilling to budge on this issue.
"No. You have taught me that life is more. I refuse to leave your side, you will have to kill me to do so, sensei." The passion that laced Genos' voice intrigued him, and he watched as the cyborg opened his chest, exposing a solid core full of power, his face set in determination.
"I-Genos!" Saitama was losing his ground, and Boros could admire the student's dedication, so he spoke up, extending the 'offer'.
"My ship has plenty of space and technology, he can do as he wishes so long as he does not disobey." Genos met his gaze and the hate that Boros felt earlier was lessoned. The cyborg nodded to him in confirmation. "I would never betray Saitama sensei."
Boros scoffed, that wasn't what he meant but he let it slide.
Saitama sighed, his posture hunching in defeat. "I can't control you Genos, but if you ever want to come back, I'm sure we can find a way." Without waiting for his student to reply, Saitama moved closer to Boros, no longer phased by his student following his steps.
"Saitama"
Boros grit his teeth in anger at another interruption. He looked down at his communication device and pinged his closest ship to his location, they would be picked up soon enough.
From the monitor, the man named Sitch stood, his face nearly covering the whole screen. "Thank you, Saitama. You will be remembered for this." Saitama waved the man on the screen off and shrugged before looking back at Boros.
"It's what heroes do."
. . .
King clenched his fists, his heart pounding. The others didn't mention his 'king engine' going off and he could only be grateful. He was sad, nervous, and above all scared. Saitama, his hero and friend was being forced to leave, and he wasn't sure if he'd ever see him again. It was time for King to clear the record, he knew it, but he was such a coward that it scared him shitless to think of what the other's would say. He paused, watching through the screen as Saitama and Genos were following behind the alien lord. Saitama was never scared, even watching him now, he seemed at peace with the outcome. He had to talk to him one last time, clear his name. They needed to know the truth of Boros' words. He knew they still remained skeptical, and if it weren't for the ships that had Earth as a target, they would have laughed and called Boros' bluff.
He stiffened his spine, his heart hammering louder and louder. The others began to look at him, their expressions ranging from curiosity to apprehension. "I need to speak with Saitama."
A few seemed surprised that he knew the hero on what seemed to be a more personal level, but the way Silver Fang looked at him made his heart hammer louder. He knew. King wasn't sure how, but he decided to think about it later. He stood and took off, racing down the halls and praying he made it to Saitama on time.
When the light of the sun hit him with its warmth, King ran faster. Up ahead he could see the group, and just as he was about to get closer Boros stopped and turned around, his aura menacing and his eye narrowing as he focused on King. He skidded to a halt, his breath coming out in sharp pants. Child emperor was still there, his laptop open and showing the meeting room he had previously been in.
"What's up, King?" Saitama's casual greeting broke him out of his stupor and King forced himself to look away from the menacing pink haired lord.
"I-" His voice shook, his legs clattering, and his heart rate accelerated even faster, it's pounding making Child emperor nervous. "Lord Boros is right,"
At the mention of his name, Boros tilted his head to the side in curiosity before a knowing look overcame him. "You're weak, I smell it on you." Boros' face became disgusted, his lips pulled back in a sneer. "Aren't you supposed to be one of their strongest heroes?" He mocked.
King was shaking, his head lowering in shame, refusing to acknowledge the looks Child emperor and Genos gave him. A hand on his shoulder made him stiffen and he saw Saitama staring at him with reassurance.
"King, it's ok-"
"No Saitama!" King cut his friend off and gathered his courage. "I may never see you again, they-" He choked on his words. "They deserve to know."
King could feel the eyes on him, even though the monitor on the laptop. "I'm a fraud." Saitama squeezed his shoulder again, his grip comforting.
"That was easy enough to tell."
Saitama sent a withering look back at Boros who actually rolled his eye and huffed in annoyance.
"I'm no hero." King continued, cutting Child emperor off with a look when it seemed like the child was going to interject. "I-I am not the one who has been killing monsters. It was all Saitama." King felt lighter, like the weight of the world had suddenly been lifted off his shoulders.
"So you lied." King flinched at the accusation but didn't deny it.
"Yeah," Saitama spoke up, pulling King closer to him in a side hug. "He's one of my disciples. I asked him to step in for me since I don't really like having to talk to people that much." The smooth lie that rolled off Saitama's lips startled King, his eyes watering as he looked at his friend in surprise. Past his blurry vision, he could see Genos looking at his sensei with such a look of praise, King knew this moment would forever be etched into the cyborg's memory. He knew his sensei was lying, but he did not correct him. Instead, he let his master wave the accusations off, deflecting them away from King.
"Sorry I asked him to lie to you guys like that, but I liked my life to be all peaceful and everything, so this was the best option." Saitama let him go and sent King a smile. "You're free now though, go enjoy all those games you always complained about never being able to finish because of me."
Boros huffed and continued waking ahead, disinterested in the conversation. Saitama gave them all a final wave before following behind, leaving King to stand alone with a shocked Child emperor and equally as surprised meeting room through the screen. King thought he would finally have had the chance to redeem himself, but even now, Saitama saved him.
. . .
The meeting room was silent, none willing to speak after the massive confession that had just been made. Atomic samurai looked over at Bang, his brows furrowing.
"You knew." Everyone's attention was drawn to Atomic samurai before they followed his line of sight to Silver Fang. The hunched old man gave a deep sigh and shook his head.
"Not to that extent, no."
Silence reigned once again as the room began to shudder. They watched the monitor as Metal knight's spy camera was zooming out to capture the large, dark ship as it descended from the sky. It looked similar to the ship that had originally blown-up city A, but this once seemed a tad smaller. It was hard to tell though since it had been so long. It made them all angry that all they could do was watch. They had thrown out Tornado for her tantrum but none of them could really fault her for it. It was hard to keep their composure. They watched as the ship hovered precariously over the newly built and extended headquarters of the HA, a smaller ship being launched from under and flying straight towards Boros. The alien lord turned towards Child emperor, his face bored.
"I'll have my inter-species diplomat on standby in orbit, they will prepare documentation to officially add Earth to my empire." Boros looked away again and they all went back to watching the smaller alien aircraft land in an open clearing nearby. Boros moved and had everyone's undivided attention as he paused and turned to look at Saitama.
"You killed my previous lieutenant."
For a moment everyone held their breath, wondering if they had been played and if this was some ploy to get revenge.
"You'll be my first lieutenant," Boros paused before reiterating his words at Saitama's blank look. "My second in command."
Atomic samurai wasn't sure who sighed in relief, but he felt the same. He realized then just how tense everyone was, watching one of their own be taken away. The hatch of the ship opened revealing a dark red, almost burnt looking alien in strange armor. It's three eyes were set in a triangle shape on its massive head and it had no mouth anyone could see. When it spoke, they could not tell where from.
"Lord Boros," the being practically groveled as it bent its massive frame down, refusing to meet its lord gaze. With one of its arms, it presented the lord with something gold and covered in jewels. Boros simply nodded and turned back to Saitama as the new alien equipped what they could now classify as armor on the lord. In seconds he was dressed in a golden chest piece that had sharp spikes sticking out on his shoulders and forearms. His bottom half was also covered in flowing white fabric that ended in sharp, black boots.
Atomic samurai absently wondered what kind of alien tech could make someone able to dress that fast and if he could apply it to the many layers of his clothes.
Saitama spoke up before Boros could speak, "Oh you have more armor like that? That's cool."
The alien that had 'dressed' Boros growled in the back of it's throat, it's three red eyes narrowing. "Don't you dare speak to Lord Boros you filthy-"
The alien was cut off and atomic samurai watched as Boros brought his hand up to his face, the thick purple blood of the now fallen alien thick on his hands. He hadn't even seen him move. He gritted his teeth and quickly glanced around, it seemed like none of the others had seen the pink haired alien move either. He brushed it off, playing it as a fault of the monitor, not wanting to admit it to himself yet.
On the screen, Boros spoke, "know your betters Cygnus,"
The alien didn't respond, instead it tilted his head to expose it's throat towards his lord, nodding in understanding.
Boros didn't spare another word towards the fallen alien who now had a large chunk of its face ripped off towards the bottom.
"Come, Saitama. We can speak as much as you wish once we have boarded."
They watched as Saitama glanced down and carefully stepped around the fallen alien before pausing and looking back at Genos.
"Are you sure?" He asked, his voice low enough that the microphone almost didn't pick it up.
"Yes, sensei." A defeated sigh left Saitama and they watched as he ruffled the cyborg's hair. "Stay close then."
They continued watching in silence as their two heroes boarded the ship, the dark red alien trailing after and shutting the door. They watched as the ship ascended and landed back into the larger mothership that had been hovering over the entire association. When the camera could no longer see the ship as it left the atmosphere the feed cut off to static.
The silence was tense, everyone had their guards up even though there was nothing they could fight.
Tank top master let out a shaky sigh, his fist coming down hard on the table. Atomic samurai closed his eyes and forced himself to relax, trying to be a calm voice in the coming storm.
The doors flew open and an angry Tatsumaki flew back in, behind her, her younger sister Fubuki was panting and trying to catch up. Ah, Atomic samurai had wondered how they managed to keep her distracted that long.
"Are we just going to sit here and take this!? You call yourselves heroes!?" Her high voice cut into them but Bang slammed his hands on the tables, spinning to face her.
"Enough! Billions of lives were at stake! Honor Saitama's sacrifice, don't squander it with your petty squabbling!" Everyone had frozen, never hearing Bang lose his cool like that. To his surprise, even the Esper seemed taken aback.
Bang's anger was tangible in the air and Atomic samurai moved to place a hand on his friend's shoulder. He felt the man stiffen under his touch before forcing himself to relax and let out a tired sigh.
"Thank you, Kamikaze."
Atomic samurai was slightly surprised at the use of his name but said nothing of it to his old friend. These were trying times.
To his right he could see Sitch move around and type a few words before a new image on the screen was pulled up. It was split into several small squares and Kamikaze would see that several different diplomats of varying nations were in the call.
"I assume you all caught that video feed?" Sitch gestured to the monitor that had previously shown the space lord and Saitama. Several nods were given but no one spoke.
"Very well then, once I have been contacted, you shall all once again be invited to join and negotiate." The feed turned off and Sitch sat down, his hand supporting his head.
"How are we going to get baldy back?" Tatsumaki's voice filled the silence and Bang looked at her incredulously. Before he could answer however, Sitch spoke up.
"How much of that did you catch, Tatsumaki?"
She responded with a shrug. "Enough to know that pink haired guy is full of himself and clearly has some weird obsession with egg-head."
If it weren't so inappropriate, Kamikaze could have laughed.
"As much as I'd like to rescue Saitama, he is definitely out of our hands now. Boros has made him second in command." Sitch's voice was tired, and Kamikaze couldn't blame him. A lot had happened today. He took a quick peek at the clock and cringed when he saw it was only noon.
"Strange isn't it? Promoting him so quick?" Bang had his brows furrowed as he spoke and Kamikaze could see the concentration in his eyes.
It was strange.
"He certainly isn't merciful, even with his own crew." Tank top spoke up, reminding everyone of the cruelty the lord was capable of.
"I didn't even see him move." Bang's admission was met with surprised murmurs and Kamikaze felt the need to back up his old friend.
"Me either."
Bang looked at him and Kamikaze met his gaze evenly before continuing. "I don't think he was bluffing about his power. He's strong." He slid his eyes away from Bang and looked at the Esper who was stewing in anger. An idea crossed his mind then.
"Tornado, have you ever… tried using your powers on Saitama?" The Esper looked caught and Atomic samurai chuckled. "I'm not accusing you of anything, I was just wondering…" He trailed off and narrowed his eyes on her.
"Did it work?"
Everyone was now looking at her and Kamikaze could see the wave of unease that overcame her before it was quickly wiped away. She turned her head, refusing to look at them but answered nonetheless.
"No." She crossed her arms, her fists clenching the loose fabric at her wrists.
"I think Saitama can take care of himself, we just need to have faith." Atomic samurai stood and put a comforting hand on his swords that rested on his side. "For now, all we can do is wait."
. . .
Genos followed behind his master stiffly, his fists clenching and unclenching at his side. There were a million thoughts going through his head now that he was actually on board, and there were a few things that he regretted not doing, but he knew he would regret leaving his sensei the most. So, he stayed. He watched as Boros led them down dimly lit halls, the ship seemingly empty.
"I requested only Cygnus join us so we may have a moment to talk." Boros paused momentarily in front of his chair, grabbing the deep red cape and attaching it to his shoulder spikes before he sat down in what Genos now saw as the cockpit. He motioned for them to sit and Genos waited for his master to pick his seat next to Boros before finding the closest seat next to his sensei.
"I am lord, but the rules of space are different. Show no weakness, not even mercy." Boros' blue eye bored into his sensei, watching him intently. "If someone speaks above you, punish them. If someone questions you punish them."
He saw his sensei frown, his brows furrowing. Boros sighed and looked back towards the window, his hands idly skimming by the controls and turning on certain modules for flight.
"I know you're kind, Saitama. You even let me enjoy our fight." The way Boros said it made Genos think that it was hard for him to say. He filed that information away for later.
"But if you want your disciple to live, show no mercy." Boros didn't look back at Genos, but he suddenly felt his master's eyes on him.
Saitama was studying Genos hard, his face all sharp angles in the dim light. "Genos is strong." He said it with conviction, and he felt himself sit up straighter.
Boros laughed, his hands manipulating the throttle with ease as they ascended. "So are my men."
Genos clenched his fists and brought his gaze to his lap, his teeth grinding. He was still a burden to his sensei.
"Okay." Saitama's voice made Genos look up and he saw that his master hadn't looked away from him, yet his gaze seemed far off all the same. He wondered if his master regretted letting him come.
He saw Boros look back at him and Genos tensed, meeting him with an even face.
"Good, then he will stay as your assistant. The crew will be less inclined to mess with him once they know your true strength."
The rest of the trip was done in silence. Genos looked around and noticed that the chairs were quite massive. It made sense though, since Boros was nearly eight feet tall. Genos wondered how he overlooked it, but then just settled on the fact that he was used to interacting with beings far larger than himself. When the ship shuddered, he looked up and saw a large, metal, garage looking room out of the window.
Boros let go of the controls and stood, gesturing for them to follow. They passed the red alien on the other side of the door and it refused to even look at them, seemingly understanding the situation. Genos stared hard at his sensei's back, refusing to make eye contact with any other being once they were outside of the smaller ship. His sensei on the other hand was looking around curiously as he lazily followed behind Boros.
Genos felt eyes on them as they began to walk down corridors and massively dark halls. If he had a heart, he was sure it would have been erratic in its beat. He swallowed and stared at his master with even more intensity, wondering how the man seemed so calm and collected, as well as hoping that he could be that way one day. Genos watched as Boros slowed down suddenly, his sensei almost crashing into him. He was about to intervene, but Boros seemed to have counted on his sensei being distracted and placed a massive armored arm on his sensei's shoulders, steering him along and making him walk next to him. Now that they were touching, he could see the tremendous size difference and wondered if his sensei found him to be heavy. Probably not.
Genos heard whispers break out, all in languages he couldn't understand. Some were deep growls, a guttural sound that was made in the back of throats. Others were high in pitch and sounded like elongated noises a whale would have made. He wondered then, what Boros was up to. He set his systems to record so he could try to decipher the whispering later. But for now he forced himself to walk as close as he could to his master without coming into contact with the large golden spikes that stuck out of the lord's armor.
The hall suddenly opened up into a large, scarcely decorated room. A single chair stood at the head and Boros gestured for Saitama to stand to his right on the elevated steps. Genos hesitated briefly but when his sensei turned to make sure he was still following, he complied and climbed the few steps that led to the elevated platform. If Genos thought the whispers were interesting before, they certainly were quite a curiosity now. They had raised in volume and echoed loudly in the giant hall. He watched as Boros sat down, one leg crossed at the ankle and his head tilted back to look down his nose at everyone below. His sensei came to Boros' right side and he leaned causally against the throne, causing even more ferocious whispers. Genos really wished he could understand what they were saying. He stood behind his sensei and turned back to face the now crowded room. He remained completely still and kept his face blank, unwilling to cause his sensei further problems.
Boros' voice suddenly boomed out, causing him to stiffen. The lord was now speaking in a language he didn't know, the sound low and deep, as if he had learned the language from the sounds of forming molten rocks. It was difficult to describe any other way. Genos watched as a timid alien approached the throne, it's head bowed low as it gave it's lord some device.
"Put this part in your ear and attach this to your throat." Genos heard Boros instruct his sensei. He couldn't see, so he was thankful when his master turned around and placed it on him instead. Some sort of collar and ear device. A beep sounded in his ear and Genos felt his eyes widen as the guttural whispers and high pitched tones turned into a langue he could understand.
"Why are they here…"
"Too close to my lord!"
"They look so weak"
Genos swallowed, suddenly wishing he couldn't understand them. His sensei stood as passive as ever in front of him, his left arm returning to hang off the throne and provide him support while he leaned against it.
"Why is lord Boros allowing such filth to touch what is his!"
Was the main whisper that grew in intensity. Different shapes of eyes all staring daggers into his Sensei. Genos heard Boros chuckle, the sound reverberating and shifting the air around him. The whispers quieted down as they all stared at their lord in reverence and fear. As if they were looking up to god himself.
"Eager as always," Boros stated at the crowd before gesturing to his sensei. "This is Saitama, he will my first lieutenant." Boros' deep voice was the only thing heard in the suddenly silent room.
Genos didn't know what a shocked alien looked like, but he suddenly got the feeling that he had a lot of examples in front of him.
"You may challenge him if you wish." Boros continued, seemingly uninterested. Genos grit his teeth in annoyance but held his tongue. His sensei sighed and gave an exasperated look at Boros before being motioned to keep quiet.
"It looks like it's my lucky day." The deep voice that broke the silence seemed gleeful. The crowd parted and a slim, yet tall being stepped forward. Its color was a deep blue like Boros, but it was hairless and had too many eyes. Genos lost count at 12, each on different parts of it's body and even on its strange two digit hands.
"Very well." Boros gestured for some room to be cleared and Genos discovered why the room was so large. The others moved back without any hesitation and left a large space open, giving Boros the best view of the ensuing fight. His sensei didn't move for a moment, but Genos caught Boros flicking his eye back to him then his sensei. Saitama straightened then and moved down with purpose, never once looking back at Genos. The cyborg grit his teeth but forced himself to relax. His master had already beat Boros, this was more to display his power than anything. He just hated how his sensei was almost being forced to protect him. He stepped a little closer when Boros motioned him, instructing him to kneel next to his side to watch.
Boros leaned towards him slightly and whispered, "only my first lieutenant has the privilege of standing next to me. When you approach, kneel, otherwise it would be seen as a disrespect to your master." Genos nodded in affirmation, his eyes never leaving his sensei as he walked towards the being that challenged him.
Genos realized then, that most of the beings in the room were substantially taller than him. Boros was among some of the largest, but was still short compared to several dozen. When his sensei stood across the creature that towered over him, Boros raised his hand in a fist and shouted, "begin!"
The alien across from his sensei swung one of its many arms towards him with incredible speed, some semblance of a smile plastered on it's odd face.
His master took the hit dead on, looking bored. A wave of pressure forced some of the onlookers back but his sensei wasn't even phased. "That's it? Unfortunate."
Genos didn't even see his master move, but the next thing he knew his sensei was simply walking back up the stairs. Startled noises broke out through the crowd as they located him, then a shockwave of pressure and wind exploded out from the center of the room. They looked back at the being that had challenged him only to find that he was nowhere to be found. Genos increased power to his eyes, looking desperately for what happened.
Boros' booming laughter startled him, and he trained his eyes on the lord who had his head tilted back against his throne, a savage smile in place. What had he missed? And how?
"Very good, Saitama!"
Saitama shrugged and moved back to his position against the throne, making Genos scoot back and stand once more. He still wasn't sure what happened, but it was clear to him now that Boros did. And that meant that the alien lord must have been faster than Genos.
"Ah, I see some of you are confused." The onlookers were staring at their lord, waiting for him to continue explaining.
"Saitama devastated Sylefro, and reduced him to atoms. You were simply too slow to see it."
Genos reeled at the revelation, looking at his master in a new light. Never before had his master displayed such power in front of him. He hadn't even seen it! He would have thought he would have seen the alien at least be reduced to dust at the very least. Unless… unless his sensei's hit was so strong and fast that even the dust parted faster then his sensors could catch.
Once he made the revelation, he stared at his sensei in open shock, and judging from the looks his master was getting, Genos wasn't the only one to figure it out.
A wave of fear washed over the crowd, and no one dared to speak a word. Not even when his master got tired and shooed Boros' arm off one of the throne's arm rests so he could sit on it. Genos scooted up, once again falling to his knees. He didn't care about the formalities, and he would never disrespect his sensei, but right now he had to look at him. The expression on his face was blank as always, but Genos could see the resignation in his eyes, as well as the conviction. His sensei had demonstrated the absoluteness of his power for Genos' sake, he was sure. Golden eyes flickered over to the pink haired lord, and he was surprised to see that Boros didn't even look annoyed at all the room his sensei was taking up. It was as if they had been friends for years. He swallowed and looked away, deciding that he wanted to know why that was.
"Any other challengers?" Boros called out, resting his head on his left hand as his eye lazily skimmed the crowd. Not a word was said. A smile full of sharp teeth split his face and electricity crackled against his skin, illuminating it to a brighter shade of blue.
"Very well," Boros turned to his sensei and nodded at him. "Introduce yourselves."
A frown marred his sensei's face for a split second before it was gone. He stood straight and Genos shuffled on his knees to make sure he would still be behind his sensei when he moved.
"Name is Saitama, I'm from Earth." His voice came out bored, but Genos could see the how the shadows covered his eyes, the slight flexing of muscles.
He swallowed.
"Stand up Genos."
At the command, he listened and snapped to attention, still behind his sensei.
"This is Genos," his sensei moved to the side so the others could size him up. Genos didn't speak, knowing his sensei would ask him to if it was needed.
"He's my assistant, treat him like you'd treat me." Saitama placed a hand on his head and ruffled his hair, the familiar feeling making him relax slightly. Genos wasn't sure why he was so riled up. He knew his own power, knew he could take care of himself. And if anything, his sensei would help him. He steeled his nerves and was glad his face could stay so impassive.
When he turned his attention back to the room he found that there was still no noise. Everyone simply stared, a few eyes lingering on where his sensei kept his hand on his head. The warmth was taken away and his sensei moved to stand in front of him again, placing Genos behind him carefully.
"That's it." He shrugged and went back to his lounging position.
On his throne, Boros rolled his eye. "That's hardly enough but fine."
His sensei gave the lord what could be described as a sheepish look but didn't apologize. Armored hands rubbed against the lord's temples before they were run gently through pink hair. "Urisyura."
The crowd of onlookers once more parted and a stark white being ran from the crowd, immediately kneeling at the steps of Boros' throne. Now that it was closer, Genos could see that it had on white clothes as well. This one was more human like in appearance besides the deadly looking needles that seemed to come right out of its back. On top of its head were more needles, looking as if they had been partially dipped in black ink. "My lord" it's high voice rang out, even if Genos thought it had been trying to be quiet.
"Update me, what have I missed in my absence?"
The being known as Urisyura stood and pulled up some sort of tablet that projected a hologram. Now that Genos could see its face, he saw that it had no nose and eyes, simply a mouth on a stark white background. It unnerved Genos some, but he decided he better get used to it. His sensei looked curious though, and the being tried it's hardest to ignore him.
"The capitol city is still in good shape; the council has been maintaining its upkeep until your return."
Boros scoffed but motioned for Urisyura to continue when she paused.
"A few of our megaships were damaged earlier in the year but they have since been repaired, the plundering of enemy forces has continued as planned. They have few safe havens now, and several systems closer to their capitol have rumors of surrender." Urisyura tapped a few buttons and the image on the hologram changed to a larger view of a couple galaxies, then clusters of galaxies and even beyond that. Genos could see that it was a handful of superclusters and that scale made him feel very, very small.
Urisyura continued once the image was properly projected and Genos took note that several of the superclusters were highlighted in pink. "Your empire has expanded slightly my lord." It tapped one more button and a green hue surrounded the pink. Genos' eyes widened as he realized what it meant. The pink must have already been Boros' empire, the green was showing the expansion.
"Woah," his sensei leaned in towards the hologram, his eyes widening before he looked at Boros. "Man, this is all yours!?"
Genos watched as a prideful smirk stretched across Boros' blue lips, his eye seeming to glow at the praise his master gave him. He noticed how Urisyura was looking intently at her lord, as if it was the first time she had ever seen such an expression on his face, or it had been a very long time.
"Dominator of the universe, remember?" Boros' voice was low, but it didn't hide the satisfaction that oozed from it. His sensei rubbed the back of his head with his free right hand as he looked back to the hologram displayed.
"Man, most times when people tell me things, they're full of hot air. It's kinda cool to see someone actually follow up though." Saitama looked at the high ceiling, missing how Urisyura's grip tightened on the tablet it held. Genos didn't, however. He narrowed his eyes at it but before he could do anything, he saw Boros give it a withering look and it stiffened before looking away immediately.
"Set course for the capitol," Boros raised his voice and gazed out at the beings in the room. "You're dismissed."
.
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This honestly came out of nowhere. I have no beta reader so if the grammar is ass here and there, sorry. I don't know what I'm going to do with this but I figured I may as well publish it and see if my muse keeps up.
Thanks for reading.
