A fleeting warmth accompanied the setting sun. The approaching moon summoned a cold blanket as the retreating light took the world's hotness with it. Creating a comforting mixture of chill and heat and a beautiful visual of warm orange and soothing blackness on the planet. Even a simple stroll down the street would resemble a framed painting.
It was the evenings and nights that Zombieman loved the most. After a hard day of work, walking between the light and shadows was wonderful. It allowed him to sort his thoughts and emotions for tomorrow. Freeing up the time he'd spend in his abode for relaxation.
But thanks to his leader, Zombieman's new home was in a luxurious apartment in City Z's "Ghost Town". Ignoring the quality of his living situation, Zombieman welcomed the isolation and quiet of the abandoned district. No cars. No people. No noise whatsoever. It was bliss.
Yet, as the undead detective trekked through the vacant roads, enjoying the space all to himself, he ran into someone. They intentionally stood in the middle of the path to garner his attention. The setting sun striking their chrome body for added flair was pure coincidence.
"Metal Knight?" Zombieman questioned. The robotic unit standing opposite of him was one of Metal Knight's drones. It lacked any weaponry and was designed for mobility and recon. "What're you doing here? Is something up?" He asked.
In reply, the drone slowly raised its right hand. Then, a spent shell casing was produced from the palm and held between the thumb and index finger. It belonged to a Desert Eagle Magnum.
...
...
"Zombieman?" Metal Knight's voice spoke from the drone. "Is something wrong? I thought this belonged to you." He inquired.
Zombieman's heart stopped. No, that wasn't a joke. Upon seeing that object, his entire body stiffened. Shit. Shit. Shit!
"...Does...he know?..." Zombieman asked. He didn't need to explain his question; there was only one person he'd be referring to.
"No. The only ones who know about this bullet are me, you, Mosquito Girl, and Genus." Metal Knight answered. "Oh, and if you're wondering how my drone got there without you noticing, it was already on site. Our leader requested that I station a unit at the House of Evolution in case something happened." He stated.
"...One Punch Man...did he...not trust me?..." Zombieman questioned with a rare fearful expression.
"No. It was in case you needed backup." Metal Knight responded. "Do note; this doesn't imply he suspects Genus of treachery. He didn't want to leave you by yourself IF this turned out to be an elaborate deception. Genus agreed to my drone's presence so long as it didn't interfere with the work of his clones. As you patrolled the facility, I tracked your movements so you wouldn't encounter it. That was another of our leader's requests. He didn't want you to think he didn't trust you. My drone was and is a just-in-case measure." He explained before moving his drone's head to look at the casing. "I couldn't have guessed you'd throw the first punch. Not to say that I have my suspicions about Genus. But still, it'd make sense if he or his creations were the aggressors. Or, at the very least, comparatively. You're always among the most composed of our team. Who'd think that you'd nearly shoot someone?" He concluded.
Truthfully, what Metal Knight said stung worse than what Zombieman had assumed. If One Punch Man didn't have confidence in him, that'd be one thing. Instead, he did. And Zombieman let down that trust by letting his emotions get the better of him. Damn it.
"...Are you going to tell him?..." Zombieman inquired.
"Tornado would. King might. The majority of our team would use this situation for their benefit somehow. Mainly to make themselves seem more capable than you. But you're fortunate, Zombieman. I'm all too familiar with lapses in judgment. Yet, I'm grateful for that experience. And it's none other than our leader who gave it to me." Metal Knight told him.
Following that, the drone flicked the casing at Zombieman with its thumb. The immortal do-gooder caught it without issue. Even so, Zombieman stared at the casing now resting in his palm with a bewildered look.
"...I...I don't..."
"Nothing. That's what you need to say." Metal Knight said, interrupting him. "As our leader would tell you, everyone makes mistakes. It doesn't matter how smart you are. It doesn't matter how wise. No one is perfect, which includes you." He stated.
"...Thank you, Metal Knight," Zombieman replied, tightly clutching the casing.
"Again, it's nothing. A mistake happened. It's not worth talking about." Metal Knight repeated. "However, as I said, I'm not the only one aware of this error. Genus made no demands; he expected tension and possible conflict. The concerning one is Mosquito Girl. We can't be certain she won't share this experience with One Punch Man. If she does, my efforts to give you a graceful lesson in humility will be for naught." He told him.
"Yeah, you're right." Zombieman agreed as he stowed the casing in his jacket pocket. "But I have NO idea what the Hell I could do to make it up to her. I put a slug in the ground one inch from her head. A written apology and a generous gift card to her favorite store won't solve this. She probably doesn't even HAVE a favorite store yet." He said.
"Come. We'll discuss this as we walk. It's getting darker, and we need to get home." Metal Knight beckoned with a motion of his drone's arm.
"Why? Has something happened?" Zombieman asked as he approached.
"If it has, I'm unaware. We're meant to have night meetings now, remember? Since it's far more convenient." Metal Knight answered with a reminder.
"Ah. Right. Sorry. Slipped my mind." Zombieman apologized while they began their walk. "But wait, you can connect to the table like you did this morning. Won't everyone find it suspicious that you suddenly sent a drone?" He questioned.
"Doubtful. But if they do, I'll just say it's one of my machines working on the new train system. If they press the matter, I'll say I was so engrossed in the work that I didn't think to disconnect from the drone and switch to the table." Metal Knight responded, having thought this through. "But enough about that. Let's try and brainstorm a solution to the problem you've concocted." He said, getting back on topic.
"Right." Zombieman quickly replied before thinking. "Honestly...I think my only bet is to bribe her. She's obsessed with our leader; maybe some signed merchandise will be enough?" He proposed.
"Possible. But is her fanatic fixation on One Punch Man enough to surpass the threat of receiving a bullet to the brain?" Metal Knight challenged.
"..." Zombieman was silent. Damn it, again. Metal Knight made a good and obvious point.
For the next minute, the pair walked in silence. Metal Knight had no issue waiting for a response. He was curious to see what his peer could conceive.
"...Ugh...I have an idea..." Zombieman groaned. There was a joke to be made, but now was not the time. Plus, poorly timed jests were better suited for Tornado or Metal Bat.
"From your tone, it sounds like it'll be miserable for you." Metal Knight commented.
"OH...YEAH..." Zombieman confirmed amidst another sigh. "But...it's the only true solution. If I want Mosquito Girl to stay quiet, I need to give her absolute assurance. There's only one way to do that." He said.
"...I'm impressed." Metal Knight complimented him. It took but a few seconds to figure out. "Still, are you sure you can go through with it?" He asked.
"I've got no choice. Any wiggle room disappeared with the smoke from the bullet." Zombieman answered.
"Hm, true." Metal Knight agreed, having nothing else to say.
The duo continued their travel to their new home. However, as they were nearly there, only apart from their destination by a few streets, they discovered something. When they did, both heroes stopped dead in their tracks.
Stumbling in the direction of the apartments was a monster. Its skin was darker than a starless night sky. Long green vegetation hung from its head. Yet, the monster and its appearance weren't the reason for their pause.
Zombieman and Metal Knight, even from this distance, could discern the terrible state of the creature. Its backside was alight with recent wounds that still leaked red. Bright spots of purple were spread across its skin, indicative of bruising. Water and blood dripped from its body, leaving a trail of injury that even the blind could see.
Suddenly, the monster stopped moving. It realized it was no longer alone. Slowly, it turned to face those that arrived. That was when the pair of heroes saw the worst of the damage.
One of the creature's eyes had been beaten so badly that it was little more than a massive gash. Nearly all of its teeth had been knocked out or forcibly removed. With its remaining eye, it looked forward with a gaze of exhaustion. It was so absent of life that, even to Zombieman, it resembled a walking cadaver.
"One...Punch...Man..." The monster gasped out through a ruined set of vocal cords. "One...Punch...Man.."
THUD
The creature fell forward onto its face. Finally, the S-Class duo was spurred into action. They rushed over to examine the monster. Although non-human, they wouldn't ignore something so terribly injured!
However, Zombieman and Metal Knight found a gruesome revelation when they reached it. Those wounds on the monster's backside weren't random. When viewed closer and at the right angle, they formed a message. This creature, whoever and whatever it was, was used as a living letter.
"One Punch Man. The Sovereign of The Seas has summoned you. You have one week to respond. Refusal will be seen as a declaration of disrespect. The consequences of such a decision will be war between the Seafolk and the Surface-Dwellers."
-Signed, The Deep Sea King.
