Gooooood Morning Vietnam! How's it hanging, it's been a hot minute, but guess who's back, back again? I just finished my finals so I'm vibing with this newfound freedom. Hopefully I can pump out another chapter or two before I have to go back to college. Now down to business. Firstly, in chapter 173, we got some exposition regarding the canon Blast and his war against God. I have been asked if I was going to incorporate this in this story, and my answer is no. I'm sorry, but Saitama is not a researcher and he would not have the patience of a drawn out war with God. If Saitama had been aware of God's existence, he would've found a way to get into God's dimension and kill him. That's not who Saitama is, and I try to keep my characters as canon-compliant as I can. And before anyone argues this, just go back to the sealed dragon. The instant Saitama heard about some evil dragon, he found the seals, broke it and killed the dragon. He would have done the same thing if he came into contact with God. And since I want God to be around for this story, Saitama can't be aware of his existence yet. Don't worry, there will be a character that takes over Blast's role, I've already got a plan for it. Secondly, in the most recent chapter, 176 gave us some info on Tatsumaki's backstory, and I fucking love it. Tatsumaki is like my second favorite character in One Punch Man, and I love everything about her. This new information doesn't really affect my story at all, but I think it's really cool, and I can't wait to see where this arc is going. Obviously I psyched for the Saitama-Tatsumaki fight, that's such an amazing fight, but I can't wait to learn more about this group. Personally, I have a theory that canon Blast is an ESPer like Tatsumaki and Fubuki, he just uses his powers differently. Shibawa is an ESPer who specializes in the Third Eye ability, and I'm pretty sure Volten and Maiko Plasma are ESPers specializing in electric abilities. I think Blast is an ESPer that specializes in gravity manipulation and spacial manipulation. Anyways, enough of my ramblings, here's to the story:
Chapter Nineteen: Discourse
"Tatsumaki?" Fubuki exclaimed. What was her sister doing at Saitama's apartment?
"What are you doing here!?" Tatsumaki demanded.
"Well, since you decided to take out half my group, I decided I needed to gather the New Fubuki group in response to the Monster Association crisis," Fubuki said, crossing her arms across her chest.
"What!?" Tatsumaki demanded, whirling around to face Saitama. "You joined the Blizzard Group!?"
"Not that I recall," Saitama said, not looking up from his device.
"You're a part of my Blizzard Group whether you like it or not!" Fubuki snapped. Stupid men.
"Hey! Who the hell do you think you are ordering him around like that, huh? He's a million times the hero of all your stupid subordinates put together!" Tatsumaki yelled.
Fubuki recoiled in shock. Her sister never stood up for anyone, not even the S-Class. The best she would give was a grunt of acknowledgement. Why was she defending Saitama?
"Oi, Tats, calm down a sec," Saitama said, not looking up from his game. Fubuki flinched, instinctively creating a psychic barrier around herself. To her utter shock, Tatsumaki did not start yelling or throwing and smashing things. Instead, she blushed, mumbled an apology and glared at her like Fubuki had gotten her in trouble with their parents.
What the FUCK was going on!?
"Hey King, why'd your monster beat mine?" Saitama asked, tapping away at the hand-held console he was playing with. Tatsumaki glanced at him, then went over to sit kneel behind him, inspecting the device. Fubuki couldn't help but stare at her sister. She had never, ever, shown any interest in what other people were doing, especially if it was "trivial" things like video games. What had Saitama done to her?
"It's the type advantage," King was explaining. "My monster's an earth type, and yours is a wind type."
"Why is wind weak to earth?" Saitama groaned. "That doesn't make any sense. Plus, my monster's a higher level than yours. Doesn't that mean I'm stronger?"
"No, the type advantage is OP. Pretty much no matter how strong your Golemguy is, it'll never beat my Chat Memeow," King said.
"Ah, what, I've been grinding this monster for like a week! You couldn't have told me that sooner?" Saitama grumbled. "Ok, I guess I'll just use my Devilsweat then."
"That monster's actually not very good either," King commented. "The monsters you're using are mostly early game garbage monsters. You might want to think about getting some higher tier monsters."
"Gah, whatever, I'm done with this game anyway," Saitama said, tossing the console on the table. "Oh, hi Fubuki. When did you get here?"
"I've been here for ten minutes!" Fubuki yelled. "How could you not notice me!?"
Tatsumaki started like she was going to yell, but Saitama put a hand on her leg. He didn't even turn. "Huh. What are you doing here anyways?"
"It's a state of emergency! My Blizzard group is gone! The Monster Association is an enormous threat! The Hero Association is scrambling to respond! This is no time to be lounging around playing video games! Are you even aware of what's happening out there!?" Fubuki demanded.
"Yeah, yeah, a group of monsters stole a kid. Child Emperor called me an hour ago. He's getting a team together. When the preparations are complete, we'll meet up with the strike force," Saitama said, lying down.
"Uh-oh. W-well don't just lie there, we need to do something! Let's go to the HA HQ and meet up with the rest of the heroes!" Fubuki shouted.
"Genos and Bang don't look like they're up for the walk," Saitama commented.
"And I'd rather stay here," Tatsumaki added, who had turned on the TV and was casually flipping through channels. Fubuki opened her mouth, then closed it. Her sister had put her foot down. Guess they were staying here. Fubuki scanned the room. There had to be some way of taking control of the situation.
"I've seen King here before, but what are you doing here Tatsumaki?" Fubuki asked her sister.
"I like it here," she said simply, like she was bored. Fubuki grit her teeth. Her sister was always looking down at her.
"What about you Silverfang," Fubuki asked.
"I was tired after our battle. Saitama was kind enough to let me and my brother rest here," Silverfang said. "We raised quite the ruckus. My back's been killing me."
"It's been a while since we've used the Roaring Aura Void Ripping Fist. My joints are all aching," the other old man said. That must be Silverfang's brother.
"Ah, I see. You just came from a terrible battle! You must have faced an incredibly powerful monster! These creatures from the Monster Association are not to be trifled with! You're playing it off, but you're nervous, aren't you Saitama!" Fubuki demanded.
"Nah, it's pretty much the same as usual," Saitama said.
"What!? How can you say that!? This extremely critical emergency is nothing like normal!" Fubuki shouted.
"What's got your sister in a tizzy?" Saitama asked Tatsumaki.
"No idea," Tatsumaki answered. "She's always been dramatic. This Monster Association situation will blow over once we arrive."
Fubuki grit her teeth, clenching her fists. It was just like Tatsumaki to downplay her. She wasn't worthless! And she was going to prove it!
"Come! We need to have a strategy meeting!" Fubuki said, sitting at the head of Saitama's round table.
"And who put you in charge?" Tatsumaki asked.
"Well since no one else is taking this seriously, someone has to take control of the situation," Fubuki retorted. "Saitama, you especially should recognize the importance of our situation. The S-Class will undoubtedly be part of the strike team, but us in the lower rankings have no guarantees. We will need to step up and make a difference if we want our efforts as heroes to be noticed."
"You're not participating in the raid, Fubuki," Tatsumaki said.
"Excuse me?" Fubuki asked.
"You heard me. I talked with Child Emperor and Sekingar. You will not be part of this. You should head back to your headquarters," Tatsumaki said.
"What! No! You can't sideline me!" Fubuki shouted.
"Yes I can. I won't allow you to throw your life away. You'll just get in our way," Tatsumaki said.
"No I won't! I may not be as strong as you, but I am an accomplished ESPer!" Fubuki exclaimed.
Tatsumaki scoffed. "I don't know about accomplished. You rely more on your subordinates than your own powers. If you cut ties with them and took care of yourself by yourself then maybe I'd let you come."
"Cut ties with them and take care of myself?" Fubuki scoffed. "What, like you?"
"Yes! Exactly," Tatsumaki said. "Your dumb group of B-Class losers is holding you back."
"We are not having this conversation right now," Fubuki said. "It's your fault that they're in the hospital!"
"They wouldn't be in the hospital if they were strong!" Tatsumaki yelled.
"They're strong enough! That doesn't mean you can throw them fifty feet in the air!" Fubuki cried.
"Tch! They're fine," Tatsumaki said.
"They're hospitalized!" Fubuki yelled.
"Attacking fellow heroes–" Genos began.
"Stay out of this tin can!" Both psychic sisters yelled. Genos wisely chose to stay silent.
"You need to stop attacking my group!" Fubuki demanded.
"I wouldn't have to if they weren't in my way all the time!" Tatsumaki exclaimed. "They're weak, Fubuki! You're stronger than any of them! Stop wasting your time associating with weaklings and focus on making yourself stronger!"
"I am focusing on making myself stronger! But I'm also responsible for my team, something you wouldn't understand!" Fubuki shouted.
"Responsible? You don't think I understand responsibility? I looked out for you your whole life! I'm the one who took care of you and kept you safe!" Tatsumaki yelled.
"Safe? You think driving everyone away kept me safe?" Fubuki asked.
"Yes! I kept people away from you so they couldn't hurt you!" Tatsumaki exclaimed. "No one will hurt you. Not while I'm here."
"You scared everyone off! I was never allowed to talk to anyone because you were always there to run them off!" Fubuki shouted.
"It was for your own good!" Tatsumaki yelled.
"I never had any friends because of you!" Fubuki shouted. "No one would even look at me, because I was the freak with the crazy sister!"
"You shouldn't have friends! They're weak, and they make you weak too! Don't let them control you, Fubuki, they'll only let you down," Tatsumaki said.
"Oh yeah? Why are you here then?" Fubuki demanded.
"What are you talking about," Tatsumaki growled.
"Why are you hanging out with Saitama then? Are you friends?" Fubuki demanded.
"What? That's a silly question," Tatsumaki scoffed.
"Then answer it. Are you friends with Saitama?" Fubuki pushed.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Tatsumaki asked.
"Everything! You're a hypocrite and a liar!" Fubuki yelled.
Tatsumaki bristled. "I am not!"
"Is Saitama your friend or not?" Fubuki demanded.
"I…don't know," Tatsumaki said.
Fubuki softened, watching her big sister deflate. "Tatsumaki…"
Saitama looked up from his game. "I thought we were friends."
Tatsumaki looked at him, eyes shining. "We were?"
Saitama shrugged. "Well, are. But yeah. You didn't?'
Tatsumaki shook her head rapidly. "No no no, of course I did! I just didn't um, well I couldn't–"
"You are such an asshole!" Fubuki yelled. "You preach everyday about how friends hold you back and make you weak, and you hang out with him! How dare you throw my group around and then hang out with him!"
"Oi! Don't compare those losers to him!" Tatsumaki shouted.
"Why not? What's so special about him? He's a hero just like me and my group!" Fubuki shouted.
"Like your group? Ha! Are you kidding me?" Tatsumaki laughed. "Do you even know who this is? He's not some low level b class loser, this is Blast you're speaking to!"
"B-Blast!?" Fubuki shrieked. "You're kidding, right?"
"What, you think I'm lying?" Tatsumaki demanded.
"No! No, of course not," Fubuki said quickly. "You're Blast? The Blast? The Blast that single handedly destroyed the island of Han-shu? The Great Ocean Killer? The Hundred Handed Warrior? The Greatest Hero of all Time? He Who Makes Monsters Fear? You, Saitama, are that Blast?"
Saitama sighed. "Why's it such a big deal? It's such a stupid name anyway. Why can't I just go by my actual name?"
"Because you're not just Saitama!" Tatsumaki shouted. "You're a hero! The greatest hero of all time! You're the pinnacle of power, a symbol of strength!"
"Eh, but like anyone could do that," Saitama deadpanned.
"No they can't! No one is as strong as you! You're the strongest hero in the world! No one even comes close to you!" Tatsumaki exclaimed.
"You're Blast!?" Fubuki demanded, finally coming out of her shock.
Saitama shrugged. "I guess."
"Where the hell have you been?" Fubuki demanded.
"Fubuki!" Tatsumaki gasped.
"No, you say he's a hero, well where the hell have you been all this time? We've been waiting for you, we've needed someone to save us, and you haven't been there!" Fubuki shouted. "Where were you when Dorru was killed? Where were you for every Dragon Level Threat the Hero Association announced? Where were you when we needed you?"
"He's always been here! Do you know how many monsters he's killed in the past three years? Thousands! He's probably killed more monsters in the past week than your crew has in their entire career!" Tatsumaki shouted.
"Then why couldn't he save us!?" Fubuki yelled.
"He already has! A million times over!" Tatsumaki screamed.
"I don't care if he's killed a billion monsters, where was he when we needed a leader? Do you know what's been happening in the Hero Association? It's chaos! There's no unity, just a mad scrambling for power. All because you weren't there," Fubuki snarled.
"That's not fair, he didn't even know the Hero Association existed until a few months ago!" Tatsumaki retorted.
"He must be either stupid or negligent then." Fubuki glared at Saitama's expressionless face. "And obviously he never has been, because he thought mom and dad could accept you home."
"You take that back," Tatsumaki snarled. "Right fucking now."
Fubuki turned to Tatsumaki to yell at her, but stopped as soon as she saw her sister. Tatsumaki was hovering over the couch, a thick blanket of psychic energy. Her eyes glowed green, and her hair was standing upright like bolts of jagged lightning. Fubuki, now that her rage had calmed, could hear alarm bells in her mind screaming DANGER! The psychic power her sister was putting off was stronger than anything she had seen from her sister beforehand.
"I-I'm sorry!" Fubuki blurted out. "I-I didn't mean it! Please don't hurt me!"
"Tatsumaki," Saitama said in a commanding voice. "Calm down."
Slowly, the light faded from Tatsumaki's eyes and she descended to the floor. The coating of psychic energy around her body disappeared. Still, she crossed her arms in front of her chest and glared at her sister.
"She has a point, you know," Saitama said nonchalantly. Both of the psychic sisters turned to stare at Saitama. "I should've taken more of an interest in world events. Seriously, how did I not notice a continental, monopolistic organization practically taking over the world?"
"They don't rule the world," Fubuki argued.
"Oh really? Who's in charge of the cities? Do we have a president, or a king or something? What kind of government do we even have?" Saitama asked. Fubuki didn't seem like she was able to answer, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. "Exactly. The Hero Association's a monopoly. Anyways, I should have paid more attention. And what was that about your parents not accepting you?"
"It's nothing!" Tatsumaki said too quickly.
Saitama raised an eyebrow. "Ohhh-kay. Anyways, I don't think I even met your parents before I left you at your door. As soon as you said it was your house I was gone. What if your parents had moved or something? That was irresponsible of me."
"No it wasn't! You're a hero, you probably had to go save a city…or something," Tatsumaki stuttered lamely.
"Well, a monster did show up later that day, but I wasn't leaving to fight it when I dropped you off," Saitama said.
"See! Important hero work." Tatsumaki nodded sagely.
"Gah!" Fubuki cried. "You are the most annoying, stubborn person I have ever known!"
"Tch, you're one to talk! You're the idiot who won't give up their stupid harem, following them around!" Tatsumaki yelled.
"Hrk! What!? They are not a harem!" Fubuki cried.
"Whatever, same thing! Fire them already!" Tatsumaki demanded.
"Fuck off, we're not doing this again!" Fubuki yelled.
"What is your whole deal with that anyway?" Saitama asked. "What's wrong with having disciples?"
"What?" Tatsumaki squeaked.
"I mean, Genos is my disciple. Wait, is that why you don't like him so much?" Saitama wondered.
"Yeah, and he's holding you back!" Tatsumaki yelled. "He's weak and preventing you from doing your heroic duty!"
"I am not weak!" Genos yelled.
"Shut up tin can! You couldn't even crush a bug!" Tatsumaki yelled back.
"Genos, let's let them handle this," Saitama whispered.
"Genos is not holding Saitama back from his hero work," Fubuki said. "And my Blizzard Group is not a liability! They are capable heroes in their own right, and when we combine our strength we can achieve power no individual can amass alone!"
"Your pathetic cabal doesn't even stand a chance against Genos, much less me. How could they possibly hope to match Saitama?" Tatsumaki asked.
"Wah–are you saying that Saitama is stronger than you?" Fubuki asked.
"Leagues above me," Tatsumaki said with a smirk.
Fubuki shuddered. Her sister was the Number Two S-Class hero for a reason, and even then most of the world did not know how truly powerful she was. To think that anyone could completely outclass her was terrifying.
"Well," Fubuki murmured. "If Saitama's so far above you, why should he be friends with you?"
Utter silence roared in the apartment as Tatsumaki stared at her sister. Fubuki cringed, knowing she was going to get punished. That had been a mistake. Why had she said that, was she suicidal?
Tatsumaki stared at Fubuki for a full minute as Fubuki tried to make herself as small as possible. Finally, she turned to Saitama.
"Saitama?" Tatsumaki whispered.
"Hm?" Saitama replied, raising his head but not looking away from his game.
"Am I strong enough to be your friend?" Tatsumaki whimpered.
"Strong enough? What does that mean?" Saitama asked.
"Do you see me as powerful?" Tatsumaki asked.
"I mean, compared to the S-Class, I guess," Saitama shrugged.
A crestfallen look fell over Tatsumaki's face. Fubuki was the only one to see a tear fall down her face before Tatsumaki flew out the window with a sonic boom.
Child Emperor sighed and rubbed his temples. "Could you guys leave for a bit? I can't concentrate with all you staring at me like that."
"Very well," one of the smartly dressed men said, and they all shuffled out, some mumbling apologies.
"No worries. I'll call as soon as I get any results," Child Emperor said. Once the door closed, Child Emperor checked his computer for any foreign contaminants. Something was going on with the upper tier of executives in the Hero Association. He didn't think they'd be stupid enough to try and hack him, but it was better safe than sorry. Satisfied that his workstation was clean, Child Emperor opened a secure link for him and Metal Knight.
"Metal Knight! I know you're not actually away. Please respond!" Child Emperor shouted.
"What is it now?" Metal Knight's gravelly voice responded. Even when he talked to Child Emperor, he still used a voice modifier. "You're interrupting my breakfast."
"It's already evening, you know," Child Emperor said. "Look, I feel like I'm just wasting a lot of time and effort here! Someone as smart as you must have already found their hideout a long time ago, am I right? Please, you must tell me. I don't think I'll find it in time. Do you really want the hostage to get killed?"
"...That is not your reason for calling, is it Child Emperor?" Metal Knight asked. "You know exactly where to find the Monster Association, don't you?"
"How did you know?" Child Emperor asked. There was no point in denying it if he already knew.
"I have my ways," Metal Knight responded vaguely. "What is your true motive for calling me?"
"What are you afraid of?" Child Emperor demanded. "I've never known you to run from a fight like this. What are you hiding from?"
"The hostage situation is a lost cause," Metal Knight said starkly. "I expressed this sentiment to the higher ups, and they disagreed. They are too blinded by greed to see the bigger picture."
"What do you mean the hostage situation is a lost cause? The kid is still alive. The monster's wouldn't risk killing him before the battle has even begun," Child Emperor said.
"I disagree. It's likely that the child is already dead. Sending you and the rest of the S-Class into a death trap to retrieve a corpse is foolish. Even if the child is still alive, one child is not worth the lives of any of the S-Class. You are too valuable to waste on this operation. It would be far more efficient to simply nuke the area and kill them all in one fell swoop," Metal Knight declared.
"What about the hostage!?" Child Emperor demanded.
"It's just a kid. Narinki can always make another." Metal Knight's voice echoed in the hollow room. Child Emperor stared at the screen in shock.
"You can't possibly believe that," Child Emperor said.
"I do," Metal Knight responded. "I checked the boy's history. He has average grades, even with a private tutor, has poor social skills and displays behavior typical to that of a spoiled brat. Society will not miss him nearly as much as it will miss the S-Class if they enter this arena."
"Why are you so sure the S-Class will fail? We're all veterans and professional monster exterminators. We've all taken out societies of monsters on our own before. Besides scale, how is this any different?" Child Emperor demanded.
"You underestimate your opponent," Metal Knight responded. "The sheer quantity of monsters should have at least given you a clue. Monsters are inherently egotistical, bloodthirsty and power hungry. They will take any chance to seize power and kill without remorse. It is incredibly difficult to force a monster to suppress these instincts. And yet, a legion of these creatures, more than any at one time, have remained hidden right under our noses for an indeterminable amount of time. Moreso, not only did these monsters devise a plan, but organized it and enacted it without flaw. The level of organization and skill that the attack was employed with displays a high degree of leadership skills, as well as a force powerful enough to keep multiple Dragon Level monsters obedient."
"You know something," Child Emperor guessed.
"...The 'Metal Knight' mechanical body…while I was investigating the monster's hideout, it was destroyed in an instant. I have no data on how it happened. It was likely the King of the Monsters, Orochi. His horns function like prehensile antennas. They are versatile, able to move with incredible speed and strike with insane power. It was likely a single strike from one of these. The strike pierced through both arms raised in defense, the entire body, destroying the self mechanism before it could activate."
"Is that it? A monster?" Child Emperor laughed. "You're scared of a single monster? Look, I get this thing might have broken one of your robots. But one of those couldn't beat any of the S-Class. A hundred of those couldn't beat Tatsumaki. And I don't know how many it would take to beat Saitama. If you want to minimize casualties in this attack, why don't you lend us your aid? If you're so worried about losing valuable assets, as you say, isn't it worth it to safeguard them? Join us in the attack! Your robots could make all the difference in the invasion!"
Metal Knight was quiet for a long time. "It is not Orochi that I am scared of. It's not even the Monster Association. There is another force at work here. It waits in the shadows, watching for an opening. When humanity finds itself short of protectors, it will strike. Watch your back, Child Emperor. Trust no one, even if they seem worthy of your trust. I would like to keep my most valuable assets close at hand, preserving my strength. If you wish to lead the S-Class to their deaths, I will not stop you. But my hands are tied. I must keep my cards close to my chest if I am to win this war."
Before Metal Knight could close the communication link, Child Emperor blurted, "Why didn't you tell us about Saitama?"
The crackling of static seemed to intensify in the silence that followed. Metal Knight hadn't closed the link yet, Child Emperor could tell.
"You knew about him before the attack on City A," Child Emperor said. "How long have you known about him?"
"I learned about him after he joined the Hero Association," Metal Knight said carefully. "I was not aware that he existed before that point in time."
"Why did you not share this information?" Child Emperor demanded. "Why keep it to yourself?"
"I wanted time to ensure he was not a threat," Metal Knight responded.
"A threat to the world or a threat to you?" Child Emperor demanded.
"Take care, Child Emperor," Metal Knight said. "I would be most disappointed if you did not return from this operation."
The com link closed, and Child Emperor sat back in his chair. "Dammit."
Amai Mask smiled. Most people in his situation would not be smiling now. The public was in chaos. People were panicking and rioting in the streets. The attacks from the day before, alongside the recent revelations of the Monster Association's demands had whipped the people into a frenzy. Amai Mask had spent the better part of the last two days trying to calm the people down, making public appearances and speaking on the national news on behalf of the Hero Association. It had worked, to a degree, but the majority of the people were still scared.
Beyond that, he and his fellow heroes, if they could be called that, were gearing up for an invasion of a filthy, monster infested town. Whenever he wasn't on a talk show or doing some public speaking, he was speaking with Child Emperor and Sekingar about the strike force, from the members participating to possible strategies. They had debated over where the child would likely be held, the possible strategies the monsters might use, the possibility of having non S-Class heroes (accepting Saitama) descend into the Monster Association.
No, there was little reason for Amai Mask to be smiling. Yet as he sat, watching the various videos of a single event, he couldn't help but smile. The television mounted on his wall displayed an image of a bald man in a karate gi, facing off a large, brown, spiky, four eyed monster. A laptop on his lap had the same video on it, but was instead looking at the statistics of the videos.
3.4 million views.
387,000 likes.
249,000 comments.
And that was only one.
At least a dozen videos like this one had been uploaded to the Hero Association website. Even more were posted on every social media platform. Some were less popular. Most were more popular. But that's not the main reason that Amai Mask was smiling. No, better than the popularity of the videos was the discourse. Amai Mask had known that his speech to the public wouldn't fix Saitama's reputation. He knew it would likely be an uphill battle. But this video, this beautiful piece of proof, had changed everything.
Some of the comments said that the four armed monster hadn't really been dragon level. Others said the horned monster wasn't demon level. A bold few said that it was fake.
But half, 54% defended him. Defended Saitama. The people were behind him. They supported him. They knew how strong he was.
It almost made the whole mess worth it.
Amai Mask smiled. Saitama's popularity was on the rise. He was practically guaranteed to be put in the S-Class once the Monster Association raid had concluded. The hard part was over. Saitama's fame would continue to grow. He would take his rightful place at the Rank 1 of the S-Class. He would become a beacon of hope for all the world, and a symbol of fear for monsters. The figurehead of the Hero Association. The Hero of Heroes.
Amai Mask's true successor.
Amai Mask scrolled through the comments. Many of them were fans saying how cool he looked. Some comments brought up his track record of being a fraud, but most of those were argued against. A select few said that they recognized Saitama, and that he had saved them before.
Amai Mask couldn't contain his smile. He closed his laptop and ventured into the hall. He had to speak with Sitch about this development.
"Look out lads," a cocky voice drawled as he stepped into the hall. "Pretty boy's got a smile. Nothing good ever comes from that."
"Atomic Samurai," Amai Mask purred, eyes narrowing at the sight of the grinning swordsman. "I see you brought your undesirables. I thought there was an understanding that the strike team would be made up of the best of the best. This isn't going to be a picnic, you know. If you wanted to take your merry band of boys with you, you must be responsible for them, you understand? They're liable to end up dying. Not that it bothers me, but I imagine it would sadden you a great deal. Or what would happen if they were to be captured? They could be used as hostages, or human shields. Though, I suppose you could always force them to commit seppuku."
"Amai Mask," Atomic Samurai. "You're joining the strike team? I'm surprised a pretty boy like you would want to get their hands dirty."
"Of course," Amai Mask said smoothly. "Monsters broke into my concert and crashed the party, so to speak."
"I see, I see," Atomic Samurai said. The veins on his forehead seemed to be popping out. How Amai Mask enjoyed pushing him like this. "When the monsters mess up your makeup, I'll be sure to send my disciples in to rescue you."
Amai Mask could feel his pupils dilating, his fingers clenching, itching for blood. This game was becoming dangerous. "In trouble? I'm surprised you still doubt my battle power. Do you assume I'm weaker than you simply because I'm in A-Class? Let me make myself clear then. If I had any reason to, I need only say the word and I'm in S-Class. The only reason I don't is to prevent good for nothing weaklings like you from rising the ranks into S-Class. But it seems I've already failed that."
Amai Mask's traitorous feet stepped up to Atomic Samurai, until their faces were only inches away. He could see the veins in his face, the tightness of his facial expression, he could smell the old monster blood, sweat, hear the adrenaline in Atomic Samurai's blood. Every instinct was begging him to close the gap and tear his throat out, to shatter his ribs and splatter his skull all over the wall.
"Is that so?" Atomic Samurai said through gritted teeth. "You think your fashion brand can hold a candle to any of my disciples, much less me?"
"I know so. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've already wasted enough time on you. I must speak with Sitch," Amai Mask said, brushing past Atomic Samurai.
Amai Mask stalked down the hall, doing his best to quell the killing intent he knew was radiating off him in waves. Halfway down the hall, the words "Yeah walk away pretty boy. Show's over." reached his ears. Amai Mask kept walking, because if he stopped, he'd tear this whole place down.