"Ugh, I'm getting bored here." Kabuto groaned as he threw his head back. "We know these punks want to kill us. So why don't we just pull'em out of the river and beat'em within an inch of their lives?" He suggested.
Carnage Kabuto and Ground Dragon were paired as a team. Even with his new improvements, the latter wasn't confident he could hold his own. So, he was partnered with the strongest member of the House of Evolution. Of course, Metal Knight was also present with a drone like the other teams.
"Should I tell him all the ways that's a bad idea, or will you?" Ground Dragon sarcastically asked, speaking to their supervisor.
"Hey! I know I could take those fishy bastards, no problem!" Kabuto angrily exclaimed.
"It's not a matter of IF you can; it's IF you should. And the answer is no." Ground Dragon said with a sigh. "Don't you remember? We're supposed to SUBDUE them. Not kill them." He reminded.
"That's why I said within an inch of their lives!" Kabuto countered while folding his arms over his chest. "Break a few bones, bust a few lips; it'll be quick and easy." He explained.
"Although all signs indicate conflict, I'd strongly advise restraint." Metal Knight stated. "Furthermore, Tornado has yet to inform the rest of us about the status of our leader's meeting with the Deep Sea King. If you start a brawl, it could potentially ruin peace negotiations." He added.
"...Alright," Kabuto said, accepting the decision.
"That's all you needed to say." Ground Dragon chimed in. "Mosquito Girl might be One Punch Man's biggest fan, but I'd say Kabuto admires him the most." He shared.
"Shut it!" Kabuto yelled at him.
With a chuckle, Ground Dragon obeyed the command of his partner. Afterward, the trio resumed waiting in silence. At least, they did for a few minutes.
"...Something's happening." Metal Knight spoke. However, it wasn't just to Kabuto and Ground Dragon. Through every drone under his control, the S-Class hero informed each team he supervised.
"What? Are they coming onto land?" Kabuto guessed as he and Ground Dragon moved closer to the machine.
"...No. One member of each group is producing something. I've never seen an item quite like it. It appears organic, but in such a way that can't be easily described." Metal Knight replied.
"Is it food? Maybe they're hungry?" Ground Dragon proposed.
"...I'm unsure if it's food. But they did consume it. All teams, ready yourselves. Don't be caught by surprise." Metal Knight told them.
Although confused, every team listened to their supervisor. They entered combat stances and readied their weapons. The waters they monitored began churning, whether on the coast or near riverbanks. From a serene stillness to a disturbed motion, something was about to happen. However, none of them were truly prepared for what would transpire.
From the depths of the waters, disgusting mounds of flesh and bone erupted. Everyone knew it was the Seafolk, yet they no longer looked as they once did. If the word monster had a physical embodiment, these poor creatures would be it. Their bodies grotesquely mutated and changed at a rate that could be barely perceived.
"Damn!" Kabuto exclaimed with widened eyes. "The Hell's going on? What they'd do?" He asked.
"Again, I'm unsure. They consumed something, but it's entirely unknown to me. Whatever it was, it is the source of their rapid transformation." Metal Knight answered.
"More like deformation! It's horrifying!" Ground Dragon responded.
"Indeed. Their bodies can barely keep up with the alterations. Their flesh, bones, organs, and muscles are actively regenerating in reaction to the damage being done. On some level, it is impressive. But there was very little consideration for their well-being." Metal Knight said.
"So? What's the order? Those freaks are climbing up, and I don't think we can talk with'em." Kabuto inquired.
"They're not there anymore. Any intelligence is being replaced by sensory overload, pain, and other side effects of consuming what they did that I cannot specify now." Metal Knight replied as the mutated Seafolk made it onto land. "Your directive remains unchanged. I will only interfere should it appear necessary. Your opponents are far stronger than they were moments prior. However, from what I've seen and have been given by your Creator, I know you can handle yourselves." He stated before raising an arm on each of his drones to point forward. "So, let the bloodbath begin." He instructed.
"YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL ME TWICE!" Kabuto shouted with a wide grin as he rushed ahead. He was still working on his sadistic tendencies. But in this instance, they'd be no issue.
Within seconds, Carnage Kabuto was before one of the Seafolk. It was once a crustacean but now was a mess of sprouting claws, eye stalks, and armored plating. With a fist reared back, Kabuto sent forth a medium-strength punch. He wanted to gauge this thing's durability.
POW
With a thunderous noise, the punch connected to the Seafolk. Nearly its entire body was obliterated. What little good that armor did for it.
"HA! PATHETIC!" Kabuto taunted as he focused on the others. "ALRIGHT! WHO'S NEXT?" He asked.
However, as Kabuto turned toward the remaining enemies, Ground Dragon, who remained beside Metal Knight, noticed something peculiar. As did the S-Class hero.
"It's...regenerating." Ground Dragon said in amazement.
"Yes, impressively, so." Metal Knight responded before speaking to every team. "Be mindful, everyone. The mutated Seafolk can regenerate, even if most of themselves have been destroyed. The rate at which they regrow is considerable. Ensure their demise by destroying their bodies." He instructed.
"So, uh, are you going to take over for me?" Ground Dragon asked. "My strategy was to burrow underground, build up speed, then shoot out like a missile and piece them with my claws. I'm not suited for the new task." He explained.
"No, I think you are." Metal Knight answered, catching him by surprise. "Think creatively, Ground Dragon. Your movement when beneath the surface is unmatched. You could make graves for these monsters. Crush their remains with enough dirt, rock, and general debris to ensure they can't return." He suggested.
"Hey...you're right!" Ground Dragon exclaimed. "Thanks, Metal Knight. I'll get right on it!" He assured before disappearing into the dirt.
"Kabuto!" Metal Knight called out to the beetle man. "Pulverize the Seafolk into mush! Then retreat so Ground Dragon can finish the job!" He instructed.
"SURE THING!" Kabuto yelled back, just as he ripped the Seafolk he was attacking in half.
Meanwhile, With Team B...
There were very few times Metal Knight was impressed. Before One Punch Man helped curb his ego, it was due to his superiority complex. Now, it was because Metal Knight, thanks to his work, was exposed to astounding things all the time. It builds up a person's resistance to being "wowed" or "amazed" by what others would be.
Yet as the S-Class hero monitored Kamakyuri and Frog Man, he felt his eyes try to follow the dazzling movements and motions of the pair. Their speed wasn't what made this so remarkable; it was their swordsmanship. The duo danced between their foes while delivering precise and powerful slashes. Limbs and chunks were severed with each motion of the mantis's arms or the amphibian's carefully crafted blade.
Unfortunately, as Metal Knight had mentioned, their efforts were being undone by the incredible healing factor of the Seafolk. Furthermore, their mutations also brought upon a greater size. There was so much to slice apart and get through that by the time the duo made any progress; they were being sent back to square one. However, they didn't want to rely on Metal Knight's weapons. Their pride and their Creator's renown as a geneticist was at stake. They needed to win!
"ANY IDEAS?" Frog Man shouted over the sounds of combat while slicing apart tendons.
"MY ACID'S POINTLESS! IT WOULDN'T BURN THEM FAST ENOUGH!" Kamakyuri yelled back at him as his arms cut through the torso of his current foe.
"METAL KNIGHT!" Frog Man called out to their supervisor. "IS THIS A FIGHT WE CAN WIN?!" He asked.
"Based on the information I have on your recent alterations and additions, there is a way the two of you could succeed." Metal Knight answered. "However, Doctor Genus requested that I refrain from guiding you for as long as possible. The solution is there; you only need to realize it." He told them.
As Kamakyuri and Frog Man darted and dashed between their enemies, their brains raced to find the solution that Metal Knight eluded. Then, the amphibious assassin remembered one of his many new attributes. When he did, he couldn't believe it took him so long to think of it!
"I GOT IT!" Frog Man exclaimed as he came to a stop. "ALRIGHT! COME AND GET ME!" He taunted the Seafolk closest to him.
"FROG MAN?! WHAT'RE YOU DOING?!" Kamakyuri questioned.
Before the mantis could say anything else or Metal Knight could chime in, the Seafolk Frog Man taunted rushed at him with its mouth agape. The monster in question had been a species of whale. With its black-and-white coloring, it was likely an Orca. So, its mouth, which was already large, was now gigantic with its increased mutated size.
This worked out perfectly for Frog Man. He planned to jump right inside. With perfect aim and proper timing, the spring-legged non-human went past the teeth and right into the mouth. Only a few seconds went by before the Seafolk horror collapsed.
"IT WORKED!" The muffled voice of Frog Man celebrated, followed by his sword piercing through the skull of the former Seafolk.
Kamakyuri and Metal Knight watched as Frog Man carved his way out of the creature's head. Remarkably, he was fast. Also, as he did this, Kamakyuri held the other beasts' attention. His speed easily allowed him to evade their strikes. They were mindless behemoths, after all.
"GUYS! IT WORKED!" Frog Man cheered again. He was covered in a mixture of poison, saliva, and blood. "I PRODUCED THE DEADLIEST TOXIN I CURRENTLY KNOW OF, AND IT KILLED THE SEAFOLK INSTANTLY!" He explained.
"Yes...we saw..." Metal Knight responded for himself and Kamakyuri so the latter could focus on evasion. "You...didn't need to throw yourself into its mouth. You could've produced the poison while Kamakyuri created wounds where vital organs are located." He said.
"...Ooooooooh...yeah, that would've been better..." Frog Man agreed. "Alright, Kamakyuri! You heard the man! You hurt'em, and I drop'em!" He exclaimed.
"Sure...just...give me a sec..." Kamakyuri requested. He was still processing what he'd seen. Frog Man so casually threw himself into the literal jaws of death. He was either fearless or so confident he'd succeed he didn't consider the possibility of failure. Either way, each option was impressive for different reasons.
Meanwhile, With Team C...
"Extermination. Complete." Armored Gorilla stated in a monotone robotic voice. He and his partner, who was Slugerous, had just finished dealing with the mutated Seafolk.
Of the teams deployed, Metal Knight anticipated this one to deal with the problem the second fastest. Why? Well, it's rather simple. Doctor Genus and his clones barely did anything to Armored Gorilla since he was a cyborg. What they DID do was add more weapons. A LOT more weapons.
Yet, even if Armored Gorilla weren't there, Slugerous would've held his own. Although nowhere NEAR as powerful as Tornado or her sister, the newly-improved Esper of the House of Evolution knew how to utilize his powers properly. Armored Gorilla had focused on overall damage and suppression with his arsenal. Slugerous ensured the Seafolk would remain dead by continuously destroying their organs with his ESP.
However, as stated, he wasn't to the point where he could, theoretically, CRUSH someone's brain or heart if he wanted. But this didn't mean that Slugerous couldn't KNOW where such organs were in his targets, nor that he couldn't aim for them. The cerata on his backside were the Esper's weapons. He removed them with his powers and sent them flying like high-speed javelins.
This is where the trio learned an immensely valuable fact. As long as something was blocking the regeneration, the Seafolk remained deceased. The organs and other body parts would heal AROUND the cerata, but they couldn't complete the process. So, after Slugerous nailed direct hits on each of their opponents vital organs, all Armored Gorilla had to do was finish the job. What remained of their adversaries could easily be confused for ground beef at this point.
"Exceptional work, you two." Metal Knight praised them. "As I assumed, you were the second fastest overall." He said.
"Who was the first?" Slugerous inquired as they turned to look at the drone.
"Beast King. He was the only member sent alone. Excluding my drone's presence, of course." Metal Knight began while projecting a holographic map via his drone's optic. "His station was on the beach, meaning there aren't as many buildings around that he needs to be mindful of. Even before the regenerative properties of the mutated Seafolk were discovered, he sliced them into such small pieces that there was no return for them." He explained.
"Sounds about right." Armored Gorilla commented, maintaining his voice.
"...Dude, why are you keeping that up?" Slugerous questioned. "We KNOW it's fake." He added.
"...Sorry." Armored Gorilla apologized as he looked down. "I like it. I think it's cool." He told them.
"If you want to sound like that, consult your Creator about a voice modulator." Metal Knight suggested.
"That's...a great idea! Thank you, Metal Knight!" Armored Gorilla replied.
"Anyway, how are the others faring?" Slugerous asked, not only wanting to change the subject but also out of genuine concern.
"The third fastest team, Carnage Kabuto and Ground Dragon, are already done. Kamakyuri and Frog Man are finishing up as we converse. Mosquito Girl and Kombu Infinity are struggling." Metal Knight answered.
"Yeah, that makes sense. Mosquito Girl CAN'T drink their blood. We don't know what it will do to her." Armored Gorilla said.
"Precisely. Her greatest advantage against normal Seafolk was lost. Of course, she didn't need me to tell her that. As such, she and Kombu Infinity can only slice or stab them. Unfortunately, neither has the same speed or power as Beast King. They also lack a unique ability like Frog Man's toxins. The situation gets worse by the second." Metal Knight informed them.
"I don't mean to insult you with this question, sir. But will they be alright? You WILL help them, won't you?" Slugerous inquired.
"No offense taken. I know you ask that out of concern and nothing more." Metal Knight assured before answering. "Yes. I wouldn't sit here and watch them get slaughtered. They've yet to be harmed, but they are getting exhausted. The strength of these mutants is considerable. One good strike could result in worrying damage. Should this occur, I will swiftly extract them and begin the barrage." He stated.
Knowing there was no way they'd make it there in time, Armored Gorilla and Slugerous fell silent and patiently waited. They had confidence in those two. They knew they could pull this off.
Meanwhile, With Team D...
"SHIT!" Kombu Infinity exclaimed, barely dodging a titanic fist as it swung in their direction.
Kombu Infinity could reach impressive speeds. Sadly, this was only when they could use ALL their seaweed as additional legs. But in this fight, each strand was given either an offensive or defensive position. None could be spared for mobility.
Suddenly, Mosquito Girl barreled through all of the Seafolk. She became a deadly drill soaring through the air by spinning as fast as possible with each proboscis extended. The wounds she dealt to their opponents were sizable. Additionally, Mosquito Girl had done her best to hit the hearts, lungs, or both with her attack. Fortunately, her hard efforts in the combat room paid off.
Even so, the duo only had, at most, a minute to think of something. The Seafolk were already regenerating and would be ready to fight again.
"Are you okay?" Mosquito Girl asked, taking a brief moment to assess her partner's condition.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Kombu Infinity answered with a pant. "Compared to six days ago, this is nothing." They added.
"That's good." Mosquito Girl replied with a quick smile before focusing on the problem. "So, any ideas? I hate to admit it, but I'm at a loss." She inquired.
"None. I've got nothing." Kombu Infinity confessed. "All we're doing is stabbing at meat that won't die! But that's all we CAN do!" They exclaimed as they looked back at the drone. "Metal Knight, I think we need your help." They said.
"You will if you don't think." Metal Knight responded. By now, the Seafolk's fallen forms began to stir. "I've come up with two solutions to this dilemma you face. I won't share them to encourage you to realize them yourselves. If you can't in the next few minutes, I'll have you kill the Seafolk again, then leave so I can finish the job." He stated.
Two solutions, huh? Not to insult themselves, but neither Mosquito Girl nor Kombu Infinity felt they were smart enough to figure them out. Plus, it wasn't fair for Metal Knight, an ACTUAL genius, to hope they'd replicate his amazing intellect. At least, that's what they thought about it.
However, as Metal Knight said, the duo had a few more minutes to give it one last try. So, as Mosquito Girl and Kombu Infinity resumed their battle with the monstrous Seafolk, they approached the situation from new angles. They expanded their imaginations. If the answer was there, surely they could find it!
...
...
Whoa. That...was unexpected. Kombu Infinity...had an idea. A BRILLIANT idea. That's why it was so shocking! They didn't think they could be so clever!
As they looked at Mosquito Girl, they could see she was still busy with thought. Holy crap! Kombu Infinity had managed to think of this before her! This was awesome!
But there was no time to be lost in self-celebration. They needed to be quick and get Mosquito Girl on board. However, as they prepared to call out to her, Kombu Infinity realized something. Maybe she hadn't conceived this plan because she didn't want to hurt them even if they wouldn't have a problem with it.
So, Kombu Infinity had to think of an extra step. A way to secretly get Mosquito Girl to participate in the plan. Luckily, that came much faster than the scheme itself.
"MOSQUITO GIRL!" Kombu Infinity shouted at her. "TAKE TO THE SKY! LINE UP ANOTHER DRILL! WHEN THEY GO DOWN, I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT MY PLAN!" They instructed.
"ON IT!" Mosquito Girl replied before soaring upward. She didn't waste time by questioning their idea. She trusted them completely.
Once in position, Mosquito Girl watched Kombu Infinity weave between the Seafolk. They were using their hair purely for mobility now. This allowed them to effortlessly control their enemies' movements by using themselves as bait. She executed the maneuver when the Seafolk were as close as they would get.
Like before, Mosquito Girl had no issues barreling through them. With her speed and the sharpness of her proboscises, the mutated flesh and bones of her foes could offer no resistance. However, she was met with a horrible sight when she got through the last one. Kombu Infinity had positioned itself in front of the final Seafolk. So, her proboscises impaled them.
"KOMBU!" Mosquito Girl yelled out in terror as she landed on her feet. The Seafolk fell to the ground behind her. "HOLD ON! I'LL-"
Before she could finish her sentence, Kombu Infinity wrapped their seaweed around her proboscises and arms. Confused and scared, Mosquito Girl looked at the small Seafolk for answers. The first thing she saw was a comforting smile.
"Hey...don't worry..." Kombu Infinity told her. Although impaled, they maintained a calm composure. "I...might bleed...but I...don't have organs...I'm a plant...remember?..." They said as they pointed at the proboscises. "But...speaking of blood...I think...you can drink mine...so...do it...win...the fight..." They instructed.
Mosquito Girl's head was flooded with emotions. She didn't know what to say or do. She couldn't drain Kombu Infinity of their blood! No! That wasn't an option! She'd retract the proboscises, and they'd fall back!
...Except, she couldn't. That's why Kombu Infinity had wrapped their seaweed around them and her arms. They weren't going to let go. And as Mosquito Girl heard sounds of movement from behind her, there was little time to do anything else.
So, before the Seafolk could fully rise, she drank Kombu Infinity's blood. During all of this, Metal Knight said and did nothing. Was this one of the plans he thought of? Did he anticipate this?
Regardless of the answers, those questions didn't matter right now. Mosquito Girl would find out the truth later. Her meal was finished. Although not dead, Kombu Infinity had lost enough blood to weaken their grip. This allowed her to gently set them on the ground before removing her proboscises.
The last thing the still-smiling Seafolk saw was Mosquito Girl's face. As she pulled away from them and stood back up, her expression changed from confusion and sadness to pure anger. It was aimed at the bastards that had forced them to think of such a strategy. After everything Kombu Infinity had been through, they didn't deserve to endure anything like this.
Yet, they didn't see it that way. As Kombu Infinity watched Mosquito Girl ready herself, noticing how her skin and hair changed color, they only felt pride. They hadn't been useless. They'd likely catch an earful later, but that was a small price to pay for them. Knowing that Mosquito Girl wouldn't get hurt or be forced to retreat because of them was all Kombu Infinity needed to fall into slumber with that smile on their face.
