Chapter 66 (A war comes to a close)
'Where is he?! It's my destiny to kill the devil.' Gabi thought from inside her mind whilst she was in caution. She saw pure titans eating soldiers of the allies' forces inside the fort, however no sign from Saitama.
"I will find him eventually..." Gabi stated and glared daggers to her surroundings with a pistol in hands. Reiner and Zeke jumped off a zeppelin, Reiner was reaching the ground faster than Zeke. He saw the wall of the fort and had a flashback.
"Walls... I had enough of Walls!" Reiner cut his hand and transformed into the Armored titan, soldiers from inside the fort begun shooting at him with the anti-titan shells. 'The anti-titan shells, tch! Even humans are able to break through my armor and not just those damn heroes!' Reiner hissed inside his mind as he destroyed the cannons atop of the fort.
"Oh, now that dude is familiar. I wondering, he remembers me?" Saitama jumped atop the wall of the fort, grabbing Reiner's fully attention. 'SA-SAITAMAAAA?! What is he DOING HERE?! HOW HE GOT HERE?!' The Armored titan froze when he saw One Punch Man staring at him lifeless.
"The Armored titan, A-ha!" Gabi saw Saitama on the wall, she immediately ran towards their location without caring about their enemies ahead. 'You won't escape me this time, bald devil! This magazine is all yours!' Gabi decreed determined in her thoughts whilst Saitama holded his chin, trying to remember Reiner's name.
"It's been 2 years since we last met. Uhhhh? How was your name again?" Reiner didn't know what to do or say, however Zeke saw his strange behavior from above and asked. "Reiner! What's the hold up!?" Reiner snapped out of it, he stared at his War Chief. He then pointed Saitama with his armored finger.
"Hm?" Zeke widen his eyes tremendously nervous and frustrated. "Im-possible!" He took off his glasses and transformed midair. The Beast titan landed with his fist punching the ground. His attention went instantly on Saitama right after he was able to see.
"Well, well, well. My old enemy. We finally meet again." Beast titan retorted to Saitama whilst he picked a quick glance at the ocean, he witnessed the ships of their enemies being completely annihilated. "I'm pretty sure you are the one responsible for the ships, hah?" Saitama shook his head up and down with a neutral expression. "They were dangerous, they didn't know there were kids here?" Saitama meant Gabi, Falco, and their other two friends.
"Isn't war a terrible thing? Saitama." One Punch Man answered back to the Beast titan with his usually bored face. "Only a dumbass wouldn't understand that." Reiner didn't know what to do. Both him and Zeke were front of Saitama who was still atop of the fort's wall.
"Last time we met, I told you I will kill you the second time around. Why you helped us now?" The Beast scratched his ear with his huge nails. "I don't care what problems you people have with me, but leave kids and innocents out of this." The hero's body turned muscular as he took a serious expression towards the two shifters.
"I hope you don't mean our Warrior Cadets by saying innocent kids." Saitama's serious gaze disappeared and returned to his blank one. "Eh? Warrior Cadets?"
"SAITAMA! YOU DEVIL!" Saitama turned his head to where the voice was coming from, Gabi had already climbed up the wall in order to reach her enemy. Zeke and Reiner in their titan forms looked at her as well.
Jaws titan and Cart titan had dealt with the remaining enemy soldiers, their attention went now on their Chief who had one of their WORST enemies front of him, talking to him so casually like nothing ever happened.
Jaws run and prepared to lunge his claws against Saitama. Zeke lifted his hand and prevented Galliard from attacking. 'W-What Zeke-San is planning to do?! How the hell that devil came all the way here from the island of Paradis?' Galliard mumbled in his mind, so did Pieck in her Cart titan nape.
"Reiner! Why you ain't killing him?" Gabi stared the Armored titan with a question mark on her face.
Zeke didn't want to fight Saitama, not now at least. "Gabi? I don't know what you doing up here, however if you trying to kill Saitama, that's not the day. He destroyed the ships of the allies forces for us." Beast titan decreed. Making Gabi to look at Saitama with suppressed anger.
'DA-DAMN YOU DEVIL!' The girl said to herself, she was glaring daggers at Saitama while her hand with a gun was shaking.
Commander Magath and everyone else were looking this strange event that was taking place. Only Magath could see clearly with the binoculars. "Gabi has reached front of him!" Magath uttered out loud.
"Does she have A DEATHWISH?!" Udo shouted scared because everyone there were thinking Saitama as the devil. "Gabi, don't be so stubborn!" Falco placed his hands around his mouth and shouted as much as he could.
"Huh?" Saitama got a better look at Gabi, his visions came back to him, the visions of Sasha's death. One Punch Man recognised the sassy child as his girlfriend's murderer. He walk slowly with a now serious expression. "It's you the one." The hero mumbled whilst Gabi was walking backwards.
"Don't you dare touch me, you devil!" She wanted to shoot, but Zeke didn't allow her to do it. She stopped as the Beast titan shook his head left and right. "We won't fight him today Gabi, he actually aided us to end this horrible war." The Beast shifted his hairy face towards Saitama.
"We still don't know how you came here nor why you helped us, you mind telling us?" Saitama nodded whilst he was looking intensely Gabi.
"All I did was to sprint a bit too far from the Walls, I accidentally came up here and saw some ships firing against some people, including this child." Saitama replied serious and pointed at Gabi.
'WHAT?! Is he that fast that could run on water?! Don't be shitting me!' Reiner gritted his teeth from inside his nape whilst Saitama was now front of Reiner's cousin.
"What do you want devil!?" Gabi shouted and aimed at Saitama with the handgun. The hero kneeled to match with her height as they made eye contact. "Please, don't shoot my girlfriend." Gabi got shocked after what she heared.
Gabi's pov
'That devil walk right towards me and he told me to NOT kill his girlfriend? That bastard has a girlfriend?! Gotta be a demon just like him! There's no other explanation!'
'Why Zeke-San and everyone else ain't fighting him? They could kill this devil and end this madness with Paradis. Although I hate to admit it, he destroyed the ships for us...'
'What is this bastard's goal anyway? To gain our trust and then kill us right before we notice?! His stupid face ain't deceiving me, I will kill him when I have the chance! Tch! He truly is the devil, I shot him directly on the face and the bullet melt instead!'
Gabi only hissed as Saitama extended his hand to touch her head. "Oh? Don't be afraid, I am a good guy." Gabi took her eyes off Saitama and looked down. "I ain't believing you devil!" Saitama felt slightly surprised and quickly made her a question. "Why you calling me devil? I am not here to kill anybody, even when I smashed the ships, I didn't kill the dudes that were on them. I hope they know swimming, eh nevermind." Saitama shrugged and blinked his eyes two times.
Annie had jumped from the zeppelin last, she looked down confused cause she saw the four titan shifters in their forms, staring at somebody on the wall. Annie felt fear befalling her as she understood who it was.
The only guy she was afraid the most, the only one capable of besting her in a matter of seconds with a single punch. Leonhardt didn't transformed. However she landed on the wall where Saitama, Gabi, and the others were around them.
The Beast titan smiled and proceeded to say. "Annie, you finally came. Isn't that your old 'friend?'"
"Friend? No way in hell I am friend with him..." She stated cold-serious towards the hero. Galliard and Pieck kept listening in their titans forms, but they were both in guard.
"War Chief Zeke, it seems we won. Most of the enemy forces has been eliminated, as for the rest they have surrendered to Marley." Pieck in her Cart titan form uttered at the Beast titan.
"Excellent, 4 years of war have come to an end at last, no need to fight any further today. Saitama you are welcomed to join us." Zeke smiled evily from inside his nape.
'His mind is weak and innocent, if we turn him on our side we can finally defeat those fools in Paradis, including that runt, Levi.' He told to himself without caring what the others would say to that.
"He will WHAT?!" Gabi shouted at the Beast titan, she wouldn't allow Saitama to be one of them just like that.
Gabi's pov
'Three minutes ago I'm was ready to shoot that devil, and now he will celebrate Marley's victory with us?! That's too much! We can't trust that bastard! Why War Chief ain't listening to me?! I bet even Reiner doesn't want that to happen!' She thought inside her head while Saitama was nonchalant as ever.
"Saitama helped us to win this war, we must show him the right respect." Zeke ended his sentence towards everyone around. Galliard and Pieck finally came out of their napes and stayed put, so did Reiner with disbelief inside his mind.
"Z-Zeke-San, are you sure about this?" Reiner felt cold sweat falling from his forehead, although he didn't care.
Zeke came out of the Beast's nape and stand a few meters across Saitama and Gabi. "Of course I am, Reiner. So Saitama? You will come with us as our guest?" Saitama holded his chin with boredom on his face.
"Umm, I don't have something better to do, so I will come with you for now. Genos and the others know I went for a walk, they won't freak out if I ain't with them for a few more hours... I hope..." One Punch Man decided to follow Zeke and his group.
'FUCKING HEEEEELLLL!' Gabi gritted her teeth and screamed inside her thoughts. Her worst foe was going to celebrate among side with her, Falco, and the others.
Night time in Marley city
While Zeke explained to Colt and their superiors about the battle results, Saitama followed Gabi and Falco to celebrate Marley's victory with them. Gabi couldn't stop sweating because of her anger, she was tremendously pissed toward Saitama who was following behind them. Falco was keeping some meters distance from him.
"I told you, I ain't gonna hurt anybody." Saitama said normally to them.
"Y-You mean that?" Falco asked afraid of One Punch Man. "Of course, don't be like that." Saitama smiled slightly to encourage Falco, the boy slowly walk next to Saitama. "See? Nothing bad happened."
Falco felt unsettled, although he nodded to Saitama without replying anything else. Gabi was skeptical and kept her silence.
After Zeke and Colt talked with their superiors about the war
Zeke and Colt had a normal conversation on a roof, they talked about Zeke's spinal fluid. That could turn humans into titans so Zeke could control them with his royal blood. Magath heared most of what they told and decided to join them.
"Oi, Zeke. You keep acting calm but what about him? The devil." Magath shut Zeke and made him drop his cigarette. "You didn't had to mention Saitama. He will be one of us soon enough." Colt scratched his back considerably nervous about that. "How can we trust the own devil himself?" Zeke shifted his attention at Colt.
"We will use him to defeat the forces of Paradis." Magath couldn't resist and laughed his ass out to what Zeke just said. "Use him?! You think he is so stupid that he will betray his own demon comrades?" Zeke was serious about that though, he nodded to Magath and Colt.
"Grrr! I hope you're right about that, or else he will screw us over. But if you're correct, he will truly help us defeat the forces on Paradis." Zeke thought about it with a chill expression.
"Hmm, at first I wanted to turn him into a titan by letting him drink wine with my spinal fluid inside of it. However I can't let that opportunity to go to waste now. The forces on Paradis possess three titans. The Founding titan, the Colossus titan, and the Attack titan." Zeke continued to explain his plan to Magath and Colt.
"It's likely that the Founding and the Attack titans are both dwell inside of Eren Jeager. But the Colossus is still unknown. If he had died, then a baby with his power should have been born, but no such child have been discovered here on the continent. That's why we need Saitama, to defeat those three titans that are being used on the island of Paradis." Colt found a chance to talk back.
"So, they are passing down their titans? That's why we need that Saitama to help us get the titan powers back from those islanders?" Zeke nodded whilst Magath was doing a cigarette.
"Exactly! We will use their biggest weapon against them, all we need to do is to get him to trust us as his new comrades." Colt lifted his hand for a question. "Since when they got the first titan power?" Zeke took a huge breath and answered.
"Huuuh, this all started twenty-two years ago, when the owl, a surviving member of the revolutionary army, snuck the Attack titan and Grisha Jeager onto the island. And now the glowing embers they scattered seem to have set the whole island ablaze. The Fritz family had changed its name to Reiss and made a commitment to nonresistance, but then their king was eaten by the Attack titan, taking everything from him... Including the knowledge of how to pass down a titan." Zeke shifted his head at Magath now.
"Here's my opinion, Commander. They were able to sink thirty-two navy ships, not a single one could get away. It's hard to believe only a titan could do that, there must have been at least two titans, including Eren Jeager and something else...Perhaps something or someone as strong as Saitama... ... Blocking the way of the survey ships." Magath replied right away with a serious face.
"I agree. Attacking the island will require battleship support, even that devil Saitama might be able to help us perhaps?" Zeke nodded and said back to Magath.
"Yes... And we should not forget... The titans are not the only threat." Magath didn't like that, he kept his gaze on Zeke.
"They have a force of flying freaks who wear strange contraptions and arm themselves with swords and bombs in both hands. Weapons designed for the sole purpose of killing titans. As for our guest Saitama, if we manage to turn him against them, the war is already won for us." Colt raised an eyebrow with moderately disbelief.
"He indeed destroyed the enemy ships... But is he so strong to defeat them for us?" Colt's question made Zeke to plant a smirk on his face. "Trust me, that guy is able to take on an army all by himself easily." Magath made some steps back surprised.
"Wh-what?! Then he is no human, like we all know him... The devil himself." Zeke coughed to grab their attention again.
"However, our enemies on Paradis might have more supernatural people with them, strong enough to beat titans in an instant, including titan shifters. But that's just a possibility. They also possess a bloodline once thought to exist only in legends told by the royal family... The Ackerman clan, byproducts of titan science. At least two members seem to be there. To be frank I never want to meet THEM again, if Saitama is not on my side that is."
With Saitama, Gabi, and Falco
Saitama followed Gabi and Falco and ended up to a port where the other two friends of Gabi and Falco were waiting.
"Gabi, Falco. Why it took you so long to com-" Udo froze when he saw Saitama waving at them casually behind Gabi. "Yio." One Punch Man said with a small smile.
"GABI?! WHAT THE HELL THE DEVIL IS DOING HERE?! IF ANYONE SEES HIM WE ARE AS GOOD A-" Falco run and shut Udo's mouth with his hands. "It's Zeke-San's orders! Nobody must find out about him!" Falco tried to explain, but Udo wasn't calming down, not a single bit.
"Isn't he one of the biggest threats for Marley?! Why is he here and acting like nothing bad happened?!" Gabi wanted to say the same thing, but she had to obey Zeke's orders. "Unfortunately he is our 'allie' I know, I want to kill him too, Udo." Gabi stated as she stared at Saitama.
"Kill him?! Have you forgot?! This devil took a bullet straight on his skull! You shot him!" Gabi remembered when she tried to kill Saitama in the pit. "Don't remind me of that... We gotta deal with it for now..." Gabi sat next to Falco whilst Udo stood up and kept a safe distance of three meters from Saitama.
The hero simply sat next to Gabi as they were watching the sea, all 5 of them. "Uh? Hi. You can all call me Saitama, and I am just a guy who is a hero for fun." Gabi and her two comrades didn't reply to him, only Falco after some seconds. "Ni-Nice to meet you, Saitama..." Saitama showed them a dumb face and asked. "So, kids. What you were talking about?" Udo swallowed one time to encourage himself to speak.
"Nothing important..." Suddenly they saw tied men walking in a line. "What is that?" Falco asked and forced Udo to answer for Saitama as well. "Th-They must b-be transporting traumatized enemy soldiers... My guess is...those soldiers survived being attacked by pure titans. And once they go back to their country, they'll be used as mascots to show the whole world how inhumane titan weaponry is." Saitama scratched his armpits and reply to Udo next of Gabi.
"Well, your guess is stupid. Why they would be traumatized by those things? I fought a lot of those titans, but they were so boring and their faces were so comical." Udo and her friends didn't believe Saitama at first, but then their memories reminded them. "Hah! Of course... You are the devil after all, you ain't afraid of some pure titans..." Gabi got up and sit from the other side next of Udo, just because Saitama was right next of her.
"Hey, everyone." Reiner came to greet everyone, even Saitama in some sort of way. The four children run towards Reiner, first it was Gabi, Reiner's cousin.
"Reiner! It's okay for you to walk already?!" Gabi asked him full of excitement.
"Oh?" One Punch Man stand on his feet and walk near them to greet Reiner. "Yep. What about all of you? Everyone all right?" Reiner patted the four kids' heads whilst he was calling their names.
"Gabi?" "Mhm!" She blushed when her cousin touched her head. "Udo?" "Eh." "Zofia?" "I'm fine." "Falco?" Falco was the last one, he only lifted his opened palm to greet Reiner. "Hello."
Then Reiner saw him, Saitama standing behind Falco. "Saitama... An-and you? How you managed to calm them down?" Saitama shrugged to Reiner.
"I don't know what you're talking about, I just sat next to them and said hi." Gabi ignored Saitama and took Reiner's gaze again. "Hey, did you hear?! We get to go back to the headquarters in Liberio!" Gabi was now shouting and the people around were looking more at her than Saitama. "Gabi, my ears..." Reiner mumbled with a small smile.
"I can't help it, we finally get to go home!" Gabi immediately grabbed Reiner's right hand and forced him to walk. "Hey..." Reiner uttered with a bit caution about Saitama.
"Let's walk around town until then! We don't get many chances like this!" Gabi shouted towards Reiner again.
"Hey, Saitama." One Punch Man looked Reiner with a raised eyebrow. "Eh?"
"Wear this, everyone will be freaked out if they recognise you." Reiner gave to Saitama a nice leather jacket, two black boots, aristocratic grey pants, and a nice brown hat. "I guess you're right, let me take off my hero suit."
"W-wait... Right here?! Right now?! You are so stupid!" Gabi shouted at the hero but he didn't seem to care. "There we go, now to put those clothes you gave me." Saitama was now with only his white underwear. He put on the jacket and the hat first. Zofia, Falco, and Udo look away while Gabi picked a glance on Saitama. Her eyes went right on his 'tool' we can say.
She blushed a bit more than usual and decreed in her mind. 'W-Wow... It's huge... A monster! Wh-what am I saying?! I'm only twelve years old! I don't want to be a sinful woman!' She snapped out of it when Saitama put on the pants. "Alright, lead the way." The hero said to Reiner and made him to snap out of his own vision of his old comrades when he was a kid.
"Uh?! Yeah... You're right..."
Few hours later, on a train
While Gabi, her three comrades, and drunk Colt were celebrating on a wagon, Saitama were send by Reiner to another wagon to discuss with Zeke, Galliard, and Pieck.
"There is our greatest allie! Come sit with us, Saitama." Saitama yawned in boredom whilst Galliard was glaring daggers at him, the hero was next of Zeke who was facing the window. From the other side of the table it was Galliard and Pieck looking at Saitama with doubt and slight fear.
"Wow, the kids must be enjoying the drinks. I can hear them from here." Galliard and Pieck were looking each other. "I ain't hearing anything..." Pieck said serious to Saitama.
"Hahahaha, nevermind. Let's talk about business, shall we?" Zeke looked Saitama with a kind smile.
"Is this conversation necessary? Business are boring you know, like telemarketings." Saitama stated with a finger in his nose. "It's actually very important, you will save many innocent lifes by participating to this." Saitama slightly widen his eyes for that.
"Alright, just because it's important. Well... Tell me." Galliard had his hands crossed together, he also was thinking mad about the hero front of him. 'He can hear them from here? What kind of ears does that bastard have?! Tch! I know his power... That fucker is even holding back...' He remained quiet and let Zeke do the most talking.
'War Chief Zeke... I hope you know what you're doing with him. One of our biggest threats is having a chat with us right now. Like we never fought in the past! Although if your plan work and get this Saitama on our side, we'll be able to finally defeat the islanders of Paradis island.' Pieck had her own thoughts about Saitama and Zeke's plan to turn him into an allie.