Starfield's trailer...oh lawd, if it ends up being half as good as I fear? Imma no life it once it comes out...
Now Yuha had no doubt that to most anyone else, being in the same room with some of the world's strongest fighters would be a great honor.
For seated around the rectangular shining black table the likes of Tatsu~, Bang, Metal Bat, and Superalloy could be seen, and of course, the man Yuha was sitting next to, King.
A great honor, yes. And yet, listening as he was with half an ear to the gray-haired bureaucrat recapping the battle and speaking words of thanks towards him and Metal Bat, the man in a suit even tapping on the table, making it light up and a holographic projection to spring up, showing the battle's, and Yuha's 'greatest hits' as it were…
He found he cared little.
For a couple of reasons.
The fact that Tatsu snickered at the screen depicting Yuha 'saving' a kitten from a tree, followed by similar acts of…heroism, did hurt his ego a bit. And no, Metal Bat chuckling, and even Bang's lips quirking upwards didn't help either. At least Superalloy had the decency to merely blink and offer him a nod. While King's visage remained solid, as if such things were beneath him, the man merely choosing to assume the Gendo pose.
And a quick check through his data-banks now that he had the time and could do so, revealed that yes, the [paper trail] he'd bought did its job perfectly. But trawling through the implanted memories showed them to be just as cringe as he'd feared.
But that aside, there was another reason he cared so little for the praise heaped upon him and Metal Bat or the implications behind it, namely that with his suicidal stunt he'd all but assured himself a place within the Association.
My gainz! This is unfair! Unjust! I demand more!
For indeed, the number staring back at him almost caused him to audibly grit his teeth.
20
But, much as he didn't like it, he could understand why it was so.
Fact: A Zenkai is proportional to the Saiyan's base power.
And his had been quite low to begin with.
Fact: It also depended on the amount of damage the Saiyan suffered…which was not of the self-inflicted variety.
The thought made him wince, as while he'd been at death's door? It was more due to his own actions than any damage suffered at the hands of the Subterraneans.
Fact: The Zenkai also depended on the strength of the enemy, or at last what a saiyan could gage at the time. Which neatly explained why Saiyans, all other factors aside, who couldn't feel Ki received such tiny boosts when compared to Vegeta and Goku who could feel Frieza's girth.
Still, even with all that…
I hate this! My gainzzzz!
It didn't mean he had to like it!
Still, glancing at the haughty dommy mommy seated opposite him, he suspected he had another reason to thank her other than for the woman just saving his life.
Tatsu meet his eyes and arched an eyebrow.
He smiled back.
For that telekinetic punch from the woman at the end there, probably did more damage to him than all the Subterraneans combined, and coupled with his subconscious shitting itself for a few seconds and labeling her an enemy even if for an instant? His cells probably used her as their own 'Frieza', his body comparing itself with her and thus trying its best to adapt.
So, she was quite likely the reason he even got a Zenkai in the first place, much less a Zenkai worth, somewhat, of a damn.
Sasuga! Green dommy mommy is the best! As expected!
Tatsu's cheeks darkened a tad, and she huffed as she focused back on the droning bureaucrat.
Shit. Had he thought that out-loud?
…Meh, it was the truth.
Still. His gainz…
He sighed.
Let it go, Yuha. Just…Let it go. You have time to train and get you swole up. But speaking of swole. His gaze landed on Superalloy's sculpted form, from the chiseled shining pecks, to the bulging biceps and the flaring traps.
He nodded to himself. Yuha could recognize and appreciate a man who put in the gym. Supperalloy's eyes met his, and the bald man, lips quirked, nodded back and flexed just a tad.
Damn!
Yuha wondered if the man needed a gym buddy? He should ask after—
The mother of all bitch-slaps made his head bend forward and his ears to ring as, out of the corner of his eyes, a spectral hand made of green energy dissipated.
"Hey! Pay attention! This is important!" Tatsumaki said with a scowl, the bureaucrat pausing.
"Yes, mommy."
Snickers erupted around the table.
"Idiot!"
Oops?
Bang smiled as he watched the antics of the younglings, his heart filled with joy at the sight of such promising young heroes, ready to inherit the mantle of responsibility when the time came and continue protecting this beautiful blue marble.
Yes… young Tornado's fire, young King's barely contained wrath always and only directed against those seeking to harm innocents, and now, Yuha and the unfortunately mutated youth's all but palpable battle-lust.
He knew not what had awakened the youth's drive at long last, sparking the desire in the man to improve and defy death if it meant protecting innocents. But he was glad to see that the youth was at long last, moving past his unfortunate accident with that vat of chemicals.
Yes. The future looked bright at last.
And as the meeting concluded, his lips couldn't help but quirk in amusement as young Metal Bat all but made a beeline for the new rising star, Tornado hot on Bat's heels, while Yuha himself was all but gashing over Superalloy.
The duo discussing training, reps, sets and all manner of gym related subjects, at least if his old ears could be believed.
Which was something which he could not allow to go on for too long, and so, he too started walking towards the end of the hallway where the duo had stopped.
After all, and not to toot his own horn, Bang was something of an expert in martial arts and fighting in general. And thus, could easily discern when someone else took joy and pride in the art as well.
So, no way was he letting such a promising youth slip through his fingers.
For even if Yuha's star rose no higher, the young man's strength plateauing where it was now? He would make a fine successor, nonetheless.
"Yo! Rookie!"
"Ah, Metal Bat, sir!"
And so, with a quick glance at a fuming Tornado, Bang came to a stop but a pace behind the woman, who'd in turn stopped, or rather, floated a step or two behind Bat himself.
Waiting for his chance, after all…
"Cut the, sir, Rookie. We've already shed blood together and are to be comrades in truth…unless you don't intent to join the Association…"
"Ah, no, I'll definitely join."
"Good. In that case, drop the sir, and Rookie, I'll be blunt. During the fighting? I liked what I saw, and so, what do you say to becoming my apprentice and—"
"Your apprentice?" Tornado interrupted with a scoff. "Hah! Don't make me laugh!" the woman said, crossing her arms and lifting her nose as she rose until she was eye to eye with Metal Bat. "What could a muscle-head like you teach the Idiot? Besides how to be an even bigger Idiot? Idiot!"
After all, courtesy of his years and…his past mistakes, it was child's play for an old man like him to notice the budding interest between Tornado and Yuha.
"Ah…Metal Bat, sir, I'm flattered, but…"
Interest from both sides, that is.
And so, it was unlikely that the young love starved woman, regrettable as that fact was, would let such a chance slip through her fingers.
No. Metal Bat's pitch was doomed from the start.
After all, his blood still boiled. So, there was little chance he'd bothered to truly pay attention to Tatsumaki's after action report or had the patience to do a quick, if thorough, check of young Yuha's records. And thus, Bat failed to notice the seed of psychic power in Yuha, a seed that was beginning to blossom, if the two sisters' words were to be believed.
So, no. He truly had been doomed to fail from the start.
But, the man's attempt and words did serve a purpose.
Namely, to put a hold in the discussion between Yuha and Superalloy, which while somewhat regrettable, as he truly had nothing against the gym obsessed youth, Bang really needed a successor, and truly, if Yuha followed in Superalloy's footsteps? Well, he rather doubted the mutant man would look good with such bulk on him.
…but no, in truth, he really, really wanted a successor.
"Hohoho! Such spirit makes me feel young again!" he said, creasing his eyes as he smiled and stepping close to Yuha, planting an arm on the man's shoulder, giving it a squeeze.
And also catching Bat and Tornado by surprise.
"You…" he paid little heed to the woman's angry hiss. After all, he knew better than to try for a full-blown apprenticeship. Besides, Bang rather doubted the young man would accept.
No, his was a more insidious if simpler plot.
"Forgive this old man, and it might be rather presumptuous of me, but I have to ask. Tell me, my young friend, do you have anywhere to stay?" he asked, making everyone blink and pause. "At least until you become a full-blown member and thus get your advance payment for your services?"
Yuha blinked and shrugged his shoulders, raising an arm as he did to scratch at his neck.
"Ah, no, I'm afraid I don't," the man said with a weak laugh. "B-but it's ok!" he hastened to add. "After all, my…err, unique physiology affords me quite a few benefits. One of them being that I require no sustenance, and the elements bother me little and—"
Bang patted him on the shoulder again, interrupting Yuha.
"Then, would you be averse to keeping this old man company? There's plenty of space in my Dojo I assure you?"
Caught flatfooted, the youth blinked.
"Err…I mean, that is…"
"I insist, my friend."
"Eh, as long as you're sure…"
Bang nodded, fighting back the urge to smile. "I am."
"Well, ok then," Yuha said with a wide smile, hunger peeking through the youth's facade of modesty.
Heh. He still got it! And he'd been right in recognizing a fellow lover of the art. And as Bang glanced at a scowling Tornado he winked, making the woman's fuming grow worse.
She might not realize it yet, but Bang was doing her a favor.
After all, now she'd have a reason to overcome any apprehension she might feel and visit Yuha. Cause if she didn't? Well, for all she knew, the youth might in fact become Bang's apprentice, or worse, some other bird from the nearby city might catch the boy's attention.
So really, this was for the kids' own good.
Well, Yuha wasn't sure what he'd done to achieve this. But he was thankful nonetheless.
A giddy smile split his face as the train they were in raced towards Z-city and Bang's residence.
After all, with the man's offer to stay at his house, a lot of Yuha's worries ceased to matter.
For Silver-Fang was one of the strongest beings on the planet. Who would dare attack the man in his own home?
And thus, Yuha could at last begin to relax, for it would seem that with this, he would get the break he so needed to catch his breath and grow stronger.
Now, if he could do somehow avoid the public address from the Heroes Association, which he was all but required to take part in as well as the exams to join said Association? That would be grand.
He sighed.
You can't have it all, Yuha. You can't have it all…
His arm reached, and his smartphone materialized in his hand. And a quick check of the device caused him to frown.
Staring back at him was the progress bar tied to the divergence of the timeline.
And it was already at 20%
The hell?
Ignoring the cowering creature by his side, the black-haired man opted instead to state into the solution filled tube within which a somewhat familiar form was growing once more.
Truly, the original was onto something with this.
The materials gathered from the field of battle would advance their research by years, no, decades!
Admittedly, it was curious why the subject was seemingly more human than before, but the readings and the projected changes otherwise? And all from a tiny splice of Dna?
His grin stretched into inhumane proportions and the pathetic creature by his side whimpered, causing him to frown.
It'd already been spared by the original for its failure, but its continued whimpering made it mighty difficult to hold back from re-purposing its biological material.
She opened her eyes and mouth, and staring at nothing, screamed into the hyper-oxygenated liquid she floated in.
No! No! No! Make it stop! Please! It buuuurns!
She knew not, cared not for the fact that she drew breath once more.
No. The only thing on her mind being the burning, terrifying, absolute power masquerading as tongues of flame which had peeled back her skin, her cells, inch by agonizing inch until oblivion had mercifully claimed her…