Hey y'all, it's ya boi. Can I take a minute to say holy fuck? Cause like damn. 101 reviews on this story. Goddamn. I'm still relatively new to this fanfic game, and 100 reviews is a pretty big milestone for me. Thanks y'all for stopping by and leaving a comment, and everyone else who has followed and favorited this wee little story of mine. Y'all are epic motherfuckers and I appreciate it. However, tragically, with the school year starting once again, I probably won't be able to write too much. Tragic, I know. But I'll try and find time to write whenever I can as not to keep y'all waiting. I'm having a lot of fun writing this, so I don't expect this to end anytime soon. But until next time, good luck, have fun, and don't die.
Chapter Sixteen: The Tournament
He strode into the bar, sniffing disdainfully. He hated these kinds of places. Not that he'd ever been to one. He wasn't old enough.
But the alcohol wasn't why he was here. Apparently, Golden Ball, the A-Class Rank 26 hero often frequented this establishment.
He spotted the hero at a booth and made his way over to him. People gasped when they realized who he was and whispered to one another, subtly getting out of his way. He ignored the stares, he was used to it.
"Excuse me, Mr. Golden Ball? I'd like to have a word with you," he said.
"H-huh!?" Golden Ball replied, looking at him. "What are you doing here?"
"I'd like to talk to you about your report in Z-City," Child Emperor said.
"O-oh, sure, of course! Here, sit with me," Golden Ball offered. Child Emperor climbed into the booth. "Can I get you anything?"
"No thank you, I'm not hungry," Child Emperor said. "Please, can you tell me about this monster you encountered?"
"Yes. It was humanoid, but solidly black. There were no discerning features on its body. However, its eyes were wide, and seemed almost insane. Kombu sprouted from its head like hair, and it could control its length and manipulate it at will. It was able to deflect one of my golden balls, which can penetrate steel, and then it grabbed me by the leg and flung me across the street," Golden Ball said. "I've never seen a monster like it. It was fast too. It was able to react to my golden ball and dodge Spring Mustachio's tomboy thrust."
"And what of the rumor the monster spoke of?" Child Emperor said.
"I wasn't conscious at that point. Spring Mustachio would know more. He should be here later if you want to stick around," Golden Ball said.
"I think I will. But according to your investigation, do you think it has any merit?" Child Emperor asked.
"I'm not sure," Golden Ball mused. "I don't remember why the area was quarantined off in the first place. But other than that, Spring Mustachio and I came across several areas where it had seemed some sort of battle had taken place. And if you're here I assume you've heard of what happened to the monster."
"Yes," Child Emperor said simply. "Were you able to catch a glimpse of the creature that did it?"
"No, I was still unconscious," Golden Ball said.
"Interesting. This monster you faced didn't seem to have much interest in killing you. From Mustachio's report, it claimed to want to be popular. And whatever killed it seemed to spare you," Child Emperor mused.
"What's your interest in the ghost town anyway? Figured a big shot like you would've had bigger fish to fry," Golden Ball said.
"Unlike some of my peers, I have an interest in preventing problems from coming to fruition. Rumors like that don't appear out of nowhere," Child Emperor said.
"You think there's something nasty lurking in there? You give the word and I'll come kill some bitches if you need," Golden Ball said.
"Watch your language. I appreciate your enthusiasm, Golden Ball," Child Emperor said. "But we have more immediate concerns."
"What do you mean?" Golden Ball asked.
"The Hero Hunter's lurking around outside. I think he planned to attack you, but saw me and is trying to reevaluate his strategy," Child Emperor said.
"The Hero Hunter? That fucking punk. Let's take him." Golden Ball stood, but Child Emperor stopped him.
"Language. I've contacted Superalloy Darkshine, but by the time he gets here the battle will likely be over. I suspected this might happen, so I've got a few things with me. But you said Spring Mustachio will be joining us?" Child Emperor asked. When Golden Ball nodded, he continued. "It would be better to wait for him. I'm not much use in direct combat and your role is typically support as well. It would be good to have someone to engage the Hero Hunter directly."
"How could you know the Hero Hunter would come here?" Golden Ball asked.
"I didn't know for certain, but when I was trying to find you I noticed that your entry in the Hero Association Guidebook said you come here often. If this guy's hunting down heroes, it would only make sense that he's got a copy of it. That's probably an error on the association's part," Child Emperor explained.
"Shit. That thing's got all my moves in it. All of Mustachio's too. I hope you got some tricks up your sleeve," Golden Ball said.
"Language. And I do. It looks like Mustachio's here. And the Hero Hunter's making his move! Quick! Let's go!" Child Emperor leapt from his booth and ran to the door, Golden Ball right behind him. They found Spring Musachio staring down the Hero Hunter, who was crouched in a fighting stance.
"Hero Hunter! Surrender now," Golden Ball shouted, loading a ball into his sling.
The Hero Hunter straightened, rising to his full height. "Surrender? To a couple of chumps like you? Don't make me laugh."
"You're outnumbered. It would be wise to know when you're beat," Spring Mustachio said, his eyes never leaving the Hero Hunter's face.
"Kid, if you wanna leave here's your chance. I don't fancy beating up children," the Hero Hunter said, eyes darting back and forth between the three of them.
"Oi! Don't underestimate me!" Child Emperor said.
"Fine. If you all want to play hero, game on!" The Hero Hunter lunged at Golden Ball first, kicking him in the ribs before he could react. Golden Ball went flying, crashing into some trash cans. Spider-like appendages erupted from Child Emperor's backpack, swiping at the Hero Hunter. He dodged, flipping backward, but Spring Mustachio was on him in an instant. The Hero Hunter managed to dodge most of the strikes, but the rapier cut his shirt and cheek.
The Hero Hunter growled as Spring Mustachio pulled back, taking up a defensive stance between him and Child Emperor. The Hero Hunter smirked. "What, not going to finish me off? Come on then, hero, you're not afraid of monsters, are you?"
"As cowardly and spitefully as you act, you are no monster," Spring Mustachio said, earning a snarl from the Hero Hunter. "Just a painfully misguided man."
"Tch, goes to show what you know. I'm going to be–" The Hero Hunter was cut off as a round of gunfire erupted from the alley next to him. He managed to dodge somehow, but couldn't escape Spring Mustachio's Tomboy Thrust.
Child Emperor smirked. Looks like tonight was going to be productive after all.
"What the–" Child Emperor dodged out of the way of Spring Mustachio, whose body came flying at him. The Hero Hunter, grinned maniacally as he pulled the sword from his hand.
"Should've run when you had the chance kid," the Hero Hunter drawled, advancing on Child Emperor. "Now you're all out of tricks."
Child Emperor raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?"
"Huh?" Was the only thing the Hero Hunter managed to say before a sonic blast from beside him knocked him through a wall. Child Emperor released two balls from a compartment on the bottom of his backpack that sprouted into humanoid robots. "Underdog Man #20 and #21! Subdue the Hero Hunter!"
As his two faithful robot companions charged the Hero Hunter who was back on his feet, Child Emperor checked on Spring Mustachio and Golden Ball. Both were unconscious, but alive. Their injuries didn't seem too serious, but they wouldn't be fighting again today.
The sound of tearing metal brought Child Emperor's attention back to the battle. Underdog Man #20 had a hole in its chest, and #21 was missing an arm and stuck in a brick wall.
"Alright you brat, playtime's over," the Hero Hunter declared, running at Child Emperor. Child Emperor closed his eyes as he activated his Flashlight. 400 lumens assaulted the Hero Hunter's eyes, dazing him. Child Emperor grabbed his Nap Time Candies and tossed them at the Hero Hunter's feet, but the hissing sound betrayed the knockout gas. The Hero Hunter waved at the air, holding his breath as he backed away. Child Emperor shot two Shockers that electrocuted the Hero Hunter, forcing him to cry out, inhaling some of the gas. Another sonic blast knocked the Hero Hunter to the ground. Child Emperor pulled out his Tactical Pencil case, taking aim at the Hero Hunter.
With a snarl, the Hero Hunter leapt up, jumping to the far side of the street and blindly running down an alley. Child Emperor sighed. Even with him being blinded and disoriented, there was no way for him to catch up to the Hero Hunter. And without the element of surprise, the Hero Hunter would likely defeat him too.
"Underdog man #21, follow the Hero Hunter. Reconnaissance only," Child Emperor commanded the newly freed robot. As his creation bounded after the Hero Hunter, Child Emperor collected the fallen heroes, applying the minimal first aid he knew as he waited for an ambulance. Looks like tonight really wasn't as productive as he had thought.
Tatsumaki breathed in deeply. It was ok. She could do this. It was fine. Everything was fine! Ignoring the grinding sound of twisting metal of a lamp post nearby, Tatsumaki knocked on his door. She heard a bit of shuffling before the door opened. "Hey Saitama, I–what the hell are you wearing?"
"Huh? Oh, well you see there's this martial arts tournament and I was gonna join," Saitama said.
"No! That thing on your head!" Tatsumaki said.
"This? It's my disguise," Saitama said, patting the wig on his head.
"It looks like a red panda died on your head," Tatsumaki said.
"Oi! That's not nice," Saitama said.
"Why do you need a disguise anyway," Tatsumaki asked.
"Well, it's Churro's ticket, but he got beat up so I'm entering in his place,'' Saitama explained.
"Who the hell is Churro?" Tatsumaki asked.
"Old man Bang's student. Former student, I guess, since the old man's chasing Garou or whatever," Saitama said.
"The Hero Hunter? Why didn't they just send me? I could've dealt with him," Tatsumaki said.
"Well, Bang hasn't found him yet, that's the issue," Saitama said.
"Hmph! Anyways, there's something I wanted to talk to you about," Tatsumaki said.
"Sure, just give me a second. Hey Genos, did you find any videos on how to tie these stupid belts!" Saitama called.
"I am still looking, Sensei!" Genos' voice called back. Tatsumaki grit her teeth. Of course this prick was here. She should have predicted that.
"Do you want to come in? It might be a minute," Saitama said. Tatsumaki nodded and Saitama walked back into his apartment and Tatsumaki floated in behind him, shutting the door with her telekinesis. Genos was standing at Saitama's desk staring at the computer. He held a piece of rope in his hands, mimicking the man on the screen. But where the man on the screen had a neatly tied karate belt, the cyborg had an appalling mess of knots. Saitama went up next to the cyborg, also trying to figure out how to tie the belt.
Tatsumaki looked around the otherwise empty room. It was strange how familiar this small, cluttered space had become. Her own house was much larger and more spacious, with newer, more updated appliances. She never left manga or old food wrappers on the ground. And yet, this place was far cozier than her house.
"I think I got it," Saitama said, looking down at his waist. Indeed, the belt had been tied. In a horrific entanglement that barely kept his pants from falling down.
"I don't think that's quite right, Sensei," Genos said.
"Well, it's tied and I'm not untying it," Saitama said. "Let's go."
"Wait, the tournament's right now?" Tatsumaki asked.
"It starts in a couple minutes, yeah," Saitama said.
"Can I come?" Tatsumaki asked.
"Sure. Come on, we're gonna have to run." Saitama opened the door, and the three heroes headed towards C-City. But when Saitama started running down his steps, his wig came off.
"Oh." Saitama picked up the wig. "I guess this probably won't work."
"Sensei! Perhaps you could glue it," Genos suggested.
"That's the stupidest idea I've ever heard," Tatsumaki said.
"It could work though," Saitama mused. "Don't you have that super strong glue in your feet?"
"Hai! Would you like to borrow some of my adhesive?" Genos asked.
"Yeah, here, just spread a little on the wig here," Saitama said. "Alright, that should be good."
Saitama put the wig back on and patted it down a few times before giving it a little tug. "Okay, that should be good."
They started off again, speeding through cities. They didn't have time to take the train, so they ran all the way there. Except for Tatsumaki, who flew. The stadium wasn't hard to find. It was huge, and thousands of people were making their way to it. Tatsumaki bought a sweatshirt, hoping to hide from all the masses. Genos could draw attention to himself all he wanted, she didn't want to do the same.
As Saitama went to register for the tournament, Genos and Tatsumaki found seats in the stadium. The matches weren't starting for another half an hour. Great. She got to sit with metalhead all day. What a fucking dream come true. Fucking prick.
As they found their seats, Tatsumaki could hear people whispering behind them. They were talking about Genos. Tatsumaki snuck a glance at him. He didn't look like he was bothered by it. Tch, idiot. Didn't he care that people were sneering behind his back?
Whatever. His loss, not hers. As more people started pooling in, she wondered how Saitama was doing.
The bald man in question was currently trying to avoid scrutiny from a dude with a really Sour Face. Seriously, couldn't he relax in this room by himself for five minutes without someone coming to bother him? Whatever. At least he had some info about Garou.
But man, did he really have to keep on blabbering?
"You never were one for fighting Charanko," Sourface said. "What're you even doing at the Super Fight Tournament? Didn't you know only big shots enter tournaments like this one?" Sourface winked at him. "Oh, I get it. You're here to make a name for yourself. Well don't worry. With any luck you'll lose early on before you can get really hurt."
"Nah, I'm here so I can experience other kinds of martial arts," Saitama said truthfully.
"Don't worry about that, there will be plenty of different styles on display here," Sourface said. "But you won't get to experience any from a hospital bed. You should sit this one out and find yourself a place in the stands. That way you won't get hurt."
"I'd rather have the firsthand experience, ya know?" Saitama said.
"Haha! You got guts, I'll give you that Charanko," Sourface laughed. "But seriously. Get out of the tournament while you still can."
"I'll take my chances here," Saitama replied.
"Hmph. Have it your way. Speaking of guts, I hear you're calling yourself Master Bang's top disciple. You know, if I hadn't quit when Garou went berserk, I'd be Master Bang's top disciple right now," Sourface said.
"Huh. Good for you," Saitama said.
Sourface grit his teeth. "What I'm saying is, you shouldn't be so cocky. There are a lot of tough people out there."
"I'm counting on it," Saitama said.
"And when I win this tournament, I'm going to prove that I'm the best martial artist! With my confidence returned, I'll hunt down Garou and make him pay for making me quit," Sourface exclaimed.
"I thought you chose to quit?" Saitama asked.
"That was before I knew Master Bang was going to expel him," Sourface said, waving a hand.
"But still, you quit," Saitama said. "Charanko stayed after everyone else quit. And he fought Garou alone. And when I'm done, I'm going to hunt down Garou and beat him up."
"Hmph. Bold words. We'll see if you can back them up with your fists." Sourface stood and headed towards the door. "And Charanko? I'm gonna kick your ass out there."
When the door closed, Saitama breathed a sigh of relief. Finally that dude was gone. Saitama tugged at his wig. Maybe gluing it wasn't such a good idea. It was kinda itchy.
So this Garou fella had been making trouble for a while, huh? Attacking old man Bang's dojo, beating up a tournament dude and wearing his mask, and now this. Saitama almost hoped that Bang wouldn't find him. I mean, who just calls themselves a monster out of nowhere? It was like when he started calling himself a hero. Saitama hoped this guy'd get strong. Then maybe he could have a real fight. Without borrowing anyone else's body.
Saitama checked the time. He had another five minutes until he had to go out and do some presentation thingy. Hopefully he didn't really have to do anything.
Saitama looked through the seeded list of fighters. What were these names? Bakuzan of the Dark Hell Assassination Art? Choze of the Fist of the Pure Blood Master Race? Bazuzu's Nuclear Explosive Fist? Suiryu of the Void Fist Style? Seriously? What was wrong with people using their regular names? Like, did they think they sounded tough? Oh, look at me I'm a nazi, or ooh imma send you to the shadow realm with my hands (spooky). Wow. Were people really just that full of themselves?
Whatever made them feel cool. There was an announcement over the PA system telling all participants to go to the main arena for introductions. Saitama got up and stretched. He should probably find out where that was.
A few minutes and several wrong turns later, Saitama found the arena. One by one, each of the combatants were introduced. Saitama had to suppress a groan for some of them. This might have been a mistake. None of these dudes seemed strong enough to help him understand martial arts. Maybe he should just forfeit.
When Charanko's name was called, only two people in the stands clapped. He spared the two a glance. Genos and Tatsumaki, the latter with a too big hoodie pulled over her head. Saitama briefly wondered if she had looked at it before buying it. Probably not, considering what it said. Finally, the introduction part was over with. Now the real fights could start.
The first fight was between some dude named Max and a girl with bells in her hair. It ended pretty quickly, so Saitama didn't really get to see their techniques. Sourface explained what a reverse seed was, and then it was his turn to fight.
Saitama's opponent was a guy named Zakkos. Based on the reverse seed, he was also pretty weak. Saitama hoped he'd provide at least a bit of insight into martial arts before Saitama KO'd him.
The guy immediately lunged for him, a fist aimed at his head. Saitama allowed the strike to land. The other guy blanched, and retreated.
"Oh! What's this? Competitor Zakkos' strike had no effect! Is he really that weak?" The announcer called.
"Tch, I'm planning on proposing to my girlfriend after I win this tournament," Zakkos snarled. "If you think some cheap haired amateur is gonna make me look bad, you got another thing coming!"
Shit, Saitama sweatdropped as he dodged the next punch the guy threw at him. I can't let this guy look bad in front of his girlfriend. So Saitama ducked and weaved, avoiding his opponents' attacks. The hard part was making it look like he cared. Was this martial arts? Why would anyone want this? Then again, Bang liked martial arts and he wasn't nearly this weak.
"Oi!" A voice beckoned from above. Saitama looked up to see Tatsumaki floating above the arena. Zakkos' strike connected with his neck and he glared at the dude.
"Hey, hold on a sec, do you mind?" Saitama asked as he turned to look up at Tatsumaki.
"Hey! Don't ignore me you prick!" Zakkos roared, unleashing a flurry of attacks.
"What do you want!" Saitama yelled up to Tatsumaki.
"Monsters are attacking! Let's go!" Tatsumaki shouted down to him.
"Can't you just take care of it?" Saitama asked.
"Well yeah, but don't you want to help?" Tatsumaki demanded.
"I'm kinda in the middle of something here," Saitama yelled.
"Who cares? I don't even know why you're wasting your time on this," Tatsumaki said.
"Hey! I paid for the entry ticket, so I mine as well do the thing," Saitama said. "Plus, the cash rewards is really high. Think of the bargains."
"I get more than this shitty prize money every month!" Tatsumaki exclaimed.
"Yeah well not everyone's an S-Class hero." Saitama turned to the Zakkos fella. "Oi, do you mind? I'm having a conversation here."
"Shut up and die already!" Zakkos screamed.
"Ugh, so annoying," Saitama punched him, and he flew out of the ring, smashing into the cement. "Anyways, what were we talking about?"
"Monsters! They're attacking!" Tatsumaki yelled.
"Then what are you doing here? Go kill them." Saitama stuck his finger in his ear and started to turn away.
"There are a lot of them!" Tatsumaki said.
"Ugh, fine. But I'm coming back for my next match. I still want that prize money," Saitama said. As Saitama exited the arena, he passed a dude in a black karate suit with long hair. The man grinned at him, as if sharing a private joke with him, then he pushed himself off the wall and headed towards the arena. Saitama stopped and watched him as he went. What was that about?
Saitama rushed to the locker room and got on his hero outfit. As he was leaving, he caught a glimpse of the black suited karate guy kicking a large man in the face. He didn't get up. The announcer said something about Max and Snake forfeiting. Hm. Less competitors for the money. Still, hopefully they weren't gonna be his competitors. Maybe they could explain martial arts to him. Genos and Tatsumaki had already taken off. Saitama checked his communicator. They were taking care of the monsters in C and R City, he was tasked with taking care of the ones in F-City. There were six monsters in the city. Saitama found and killed them pretty quickly, before racing back to the arena, quickly changing back into his karate uniform. Crap. He still didn't understand how to tie this stupid belt. He made it back in time to see the match before his end. Sourface knocked out some big guy, then helped him back up. How nice.
"Oi, Charanko, you didn't tell me you were a hero," Sourface said as he approached him. "I guess it would make sense that you follow in Master Bang's footsteps."
"Oh, oh yeah," Saitama said.
"Anyways, you're up next. Be careful of this guy. You might think being a hero makes you invincible, but this guy's no joke. He's favored to win the tournament, and he won't go easy on you. He doesn't respect people he believes to be inferior" Sourface warned.
Saitama just nodded as he went up to the arena. His next opponent seemed tougher than the last guy at least. Maybe he'd tell him the secret of martial arts?
As the announcer was shouting into the crowds, Saitama could only think, man, this dude is hairy. The shout of "Fight!" brought his attention back to the battle.
His opponent smirked and walked towards him. "You caused quite the stir in your last bout. But you won't shrug me off like that amateur Zakkos. Don't get cocky because you managed to survive the first round. You think because you're a hero you're some big shot martial artist? Don't make me laugh."
"Nah, this is actually my first time doing one of these tournaments. Master Bang said I should get a better understanding of martial arts," Saitama said. "So come on, let me experience your martial arts."
"As you wish, I'll give you the full course before your execution. First, I'll hit you with my Demon Sweeper Low-Kick. The impact will shatter your tibia and fibula and ensure you never walk again." Bakuzan demonstrated, tapping Saitama's leg with the side of his foot. "Then, your torso. My Bear Killer Mid-Kick will snap your arm and my Carnage Punch will spew your guts all over the floor. Finally, my Hell Bringin' Hand Chop will crack your skull open and splatter your brains on the cement. That is my martial arts experience. A true lesson in pain and power."
"Oh. Sounds good. Let me have the real thing now," Saitama said.
"So eager to die, are we? Fine. Don't think I didn't warn you. This is what happens to those that lack resolve!" Bakuzan roared. He fired off his entire combination in less than a second, all four devastating blows delivered in the blink of an eye. The force of the blows actually made a shockwave and cracked the ground under Saitama's feet a little.
Saitama felt himself up. "Well, my guts appear to be intact. Guess that means you won't be much of a help either."
"Wha–" Bakuzan didn't finish as he went flying into the air, smashing a hole into the cement off the side.
Saitama sighed. "Oh well. Maybe there's someone stronger here."
Saitama exited the arena, oblivious to the riot he just caused. The same dude in the black suit was watching him, and when they noticed each other, he winked at Saitama. He was even in the same stance as before.
The next few matches went by pretty quickly. Even though Saitama was paying more attention, he couldn't figure out what was so special about martial arts. Every one of these dudes were so cocky, and yet most of them ended up getting beaten pretty bad. His next fight was with Sourface. The dude was super overconfident for no reason. Saitama let the man attack him, out of curiosity. His move set was kinda like Bang's, but a little different. Saitama couldn't put his finger on how exactly they were different. Saitama brought his hand up from his side so he could hold his chin. But he accidentally clocked Sourface in the chin, sending him out of the ring. Whoops. That being finished, Saitama headed to the bathroom. Man, he really needed to pee. After he finished washing his hands, he scratched his head. Gluing this stupid wig was definitely a bad idea. It was so damn itchy!
The door busted open and Sourface shouted at him. "Oi! You're up. Uhh, what're doing? Why are you holding your head like that? Are you nervous? I'd be nervous too, if I hadn't let my guard down. Then I'd be going up against your next competitor. He's a real dark horse. I hear he enjoys beating down weaker opponents. Be careful, or he'll break as much of you as he can before the refs interfere!"
Maybe this dude wasn't so bad after all. Now that all the arrogance and Hey Charanko I'm gonna kick your ass attitude was gone, he wasn't a half bad senior disciple.
This opponent was definitely a psycho. Saitama had come up against a few serial killers in his work as a hero, and this guy had the look of one. The crazy eyes, the loony grin, the way his fingers clenched as if eager to be soaked in blood. Maybe he should call the cops after this match. Look into this guy's background.
"Heh. You think ending your fights in one punch is impressive?" Choze leered. "Fool. Finishing an opponent with a single strike is easy. I take my time executing my opponents. They should have the pleasure of knowing that I am their superior in every way. You see, I am a different breed than these commoners. My family has been breeding the perfect species for generations, and I am the ultimate culmination of the finest DNA this world has ever known."
"So you're a fan of inbreeding?" Saitama asked.
"I'm going to kill you." A vein twitched on Choze's cheek.
The ref yelled "Fight!" and Saitama made sure to punch the man unconscious. He wouldn't want him waking up while he was in the middle of his last fight and scurrying off.
Saitama dusted his hands as the final challenger approached. This was it. His last obstacle in the way of all that sweet, sweet cash. And also his last chance to experience martial arts.
The dude was grinning like a maniac, staring Saitama right in the eye. Crap, did this guy figure out he was wearing a wig? That's bad. What if he tells the refs? They might disqualify him. Or fine him and jail him. He should probably run for it. His hero costume and communicator were still in the locker room. He needed to grab those before leaving.
"Take your stances!" The ref called. The guy backed off and lowered into some sort of stance. Phew. Maybe his cover wasn't blown yet. "Fight!"
The man rushed at him, aiming a kick at his head, but stopping right before impact, then backflipping away. What the heck was that about? Didn't this dude want to fight? The guy came at him again, stopping his attack right before it landed.
"Ah! Suiryu starting the match with some explosive attacks! His moves are just too fast! But why is he stopping? Is it because he feels bad that Charanko can't even defend himself!?" The announcer yelled over the loudspeaker.
"Those guys have no idea what they're talking about," Suiryu said. "You're strong. I can tell. I'm strong too. I know you can see through all my moves. You've got that look in your eyes. The same as mine. You're not doing this for fame. You want to have fun fighting strong opponents! Luckily for you, so do I. Is that why you entered this tournament?"
"Yeah. I'm trying to get a feel for martial arts. Maybe you can help me experience martial arts. I came here because I heard you guys were tough, but the matches always end if I fight back even a little. I was starting to think this was a waste of time." Saitama raised his fist. "I hope you can prove me wrong."
Suiryu flashed a grin at Saitama. "Haha. Being strong is fun. So we've got ourselves a deal then? I help you experience martial arts, and in return you make this fun for me?"
"Hey, that's a good idea!" Saitama agreed.
"Let's start for real then." Suiryu launched himself at Saitama, implanting his foot to the side of his head. The force of the kick knocked Saitama sideways, sending him skidding across the arena. Hm. Hopefully Genos' superglue was going to hold. The dude's kicks are kicking up a bit of wind.
Suiryu kicked at him again, trying to push him out of the arena. That was rude. Then he bent down and back kicked him into the air, before leaping up and kicking him back to the earth. Saitama was implanted into the earth, and Suiryu grabbed his arms and kneed his face deeper into the ground. Hm. Ok, that was a decent move.
Saitama pulled himself out of the hole to where Suiryu was waiting for him. His opponent just grinned, then resumed his flurry of kicks. Saitama dodged them all. The guy did want it interesting after all.
"Come on, hit me! Your specialty is your punch, right? Punch me!"
Maybe if this guy could withstand a punch, there was something about martial arts. Saitama shrugged and punched at him. Suiryu's foot came up lightning fast and kicked the outside of his arm, redirecting the blow. Then the same foot curled around his arm, and Suiryu used the leverage to twist his body and kick Saitama in the back of the neck. Then Suiryu pushed off him, backflipping through the air, landing a few feet away.
"How did you like my counter, eh? You're obviously strong, but martial arts clearly isn't your forte. You're not like the other heroes that were here earlier. Tell me, why are you a hero? I never understood why anyone would want to be one. The whole hero business is a joke. Hero is a just a title, but you claim it to be your profession. Why is that? You 'heroes' preach about your lofty ideals, your noble aspirations and heroic justice. And yet, when you come across true power, you're left defenseless. Those other heroes were too scared to continue in this competition! What good is heroism when you're as weak as them? You're strong, too strong to be held down by these worthless ideologies. Why don't you live freely, doing whatever you want? Why do you burden yourself when you can just have fun!?" Suiryu punctuated his last words with a strong kick to Saitama's skull.
"So you're saying martial arts is a way to have fun?" Saitama asked.
Suiryu retreated, sizing up his opponent. The white belt hadn't even flinched from his attack. Not even a hair on his head had moved. However, his facial features had become sharper, and he was standing up straighter, his muscles becoming more defined behind his gi.
"From this tournament, I think I finally understand martial arts. Thank you, Suiryu, for helping me to understand. Martial arts…is a way to look cool." Saitama raised an eyebrow at Suiryu.
"What!?" Suiryu couldn't believe his ears. Was this man dense!?
"I mean, with those names and the flashy way you move, it must be a real ego boost. Shouting your attacks and proclaiming your fist is the greatest of all fists. I get it now, why people like you preach about martial arts. It's not fun to lose is it? You want to imagine you're on top of the world, like there's nothing else that matters besides you." Saitama narrowed his eyes. "If that's what martial arts is, let me teach you a little bit about heroism."
Then Saitama appeared before Suiryu's shocked and angry face, and punched him, knocking him cleanly out of bounds, smashing through the opposite wall and into the street beyond.
"Uh…Ch-Charanko wins!"
Saitama sighed, even as the crowds roared around him. What a letdown.
