"Go to the nearest supermarket, he says." Beast King grumbled before gesturing to his surroundings with his arms. "WE'RE IN GHOST TOWN! THERE ARE NO SUPERMARKETS!" He shouted, managing to get an echo effect.
Beast King and Kamakyuri ran quickly down the steps. They. Were. Hungry. But when they reached the bottom and soon entered City Z, they realized something. The closest district to the mountain range was Ghost Town. You know, the abandoned part of the City Z.
More accurately, it was MOSTLY abandoned. However, the only people who lived here were at the recently constructed "Hero Apartments". That wasn't the official name; that's just what everyone called it. Thinking about it, did the building have a name?
Not important. Put a pin in that for now. Focusing back on the lion and the mantis, they were desperately looking for a source of sustenance. Yet, following Beast King's outburst, the insect man had another realization.
"...Uh...Beast King..." Kamakyuri began, coming to a stop. "How are we going to pay for food?..." He asked.
Hearing that question made the feline fellow stop as well. They had been given accounts and money courtesy of One Punch Man. Yet, neither of the animal men had their cards on them. So, effectively, they were broke.
Yet, instead of getting angry, Beast King realized ANOTHER thing after Kamakyuri's realization. Bang told them to go to a supermarket and get something to eat. But they weren't supposed to interact with people until later. So, why would their sensei tell them to...
...
...
"...Oh...my god..." Beast King muttered in horror as his eyes slowly widened. "...We've...been played...this entire thing...was a test..." He said.
"...No..." Kamakyuri whispered, his eyes also wide. Surely, it couldn't be, right?
"What else could it be?!" Beast King asked. His tone wasn't angry. Instead, it was a mixture of amazement and surprise. "I bet Bang lied through his mustache! His kitchen's probably stocked to the roof! He just wanted to see if we'd be smart enough to call him out on it!" He exclaimed.
"...That makes too much sense..." Kamakyuri replied, now holding his head. The mind games this martial arts master played were TERRIFYING.
"MAN, I'M STARVING!" Beast King roared, ripping up the list Bang gave them. "I JUST WANTED FOOD! THIS DIDN'T NEED TO BE A TEST! WHY DID HE HAVE TO MAKE LUNCH A-"
Sniff...Sniff...Sniff...
Beast King's nose twitched. As expected, his senses were sharper and more powerful than a normal person's. The same applied to every member of the House of Evolution, but each one excelled with a different sense or a combination of them. Example: Beast King had the best hearing and scent detection. The only member who was equal to him regarding the latter was Ground Dragon.
So, to see Beast King's nose twitch and him come to a full stop mid-rant immediately caught Kamakyuri's attention. Whatever the feline smelled must've been significant.
"What's up?" Kamakyuri inquired as his companion's nose kept twitching.
"Fish...I smell...fish..." Beast King responded. "And no, I WASN'T trying to find fish because I'm a cat." He added, preventing any jokes or assumptions.
"Really? I don't think there's a market near here. I'm pretty certain there's no rivers or bodies of water, either." Kamakyuri said.
"It's not raw. Someone's cooking it." Beast King informed him. "It smells...so good..." He muttered, his stomach grumbling due to the aroma.
"Hmm...maybe it's one of the others? It is lunchtime, after all." Kamakyuri suggested.
"Maybe..." Beast King agreed, licking his lips. "Whoever it is, I'm going to see if they'll share with us." He decided before walking away.
"Wait, what?!" Kamakyuri questioned, hurrying after him. "Beast King! What if it's a human? Maybe it's a homeless guy who managed to get some fish and is cooking them over a barrel fire?" He asked.
"First of all, that's an EXTREMELY specific scenario." Beast King pointed out. "Second of all, this is Ghost Town. Not even the homeless want to live here because of the usual monster activity." He answered.
"Hmm...good point..." Kamakyuri replied. "How about this? We find the source, investigate from a safe distance, and if it turns out to be a civilian, we'll walk away." He suggested.
"Sure. I've got no issue with that." Beast King accepted. Afterward, the duo followed the twitching of his nose in silence.
Meanwhile, Not Too Far Away...
The Blizzard Group was in position. They followed their leader, Hellish Blizzard, to an abandoned multi-floor building. On her order, the group located every entrance and prepared to enter the structure. They'd proceed once their leader gave to go-ahead via telepathy.
As for Hellish Blizzard herself, she was trying her best to figure out what the target they'd been tracking was doing. Without giving herself away, she followed the entity's movements with her ESP. It walked all the way up to the building's rooftop and seemed to be...cooking. Huh, that was remarkably harmless.
Even so, Hellish Blizzard was certain that this creature was intentionally preventing themselves from being identified. Again, as previously established, she COULD break through this unknown barrier without issue. But the element of surprise was the greatest advantage to her and her subordinates. They couldn't throw it away.
"Alright, everyone. Listen up." Fubuki started, easily reaching her group's minds. "Our target is on the rooftop. Climb up the stairwells and be mindful of traps. I've already given the building a once over and come up with nothing. But whoever this is clearly isn't a normal person. We can't behave too boldly here." She told them.
"Yes, mam!" The Blizzard Group, Slugerous included, responded with enthusiasm. Although Slugerous was the only one among them (excluding Fubuki) who had ESP, they could still speak to their leader if she was listening. It was the same as when she talked to One Punch Man via telepathy.
With their orders received, the Blizzard Group proceeded with the entry. Fubuki was at the head of group one, which consisted of her, Mountain Ape, Lily, Eyelashes, and Slugerous. The non-human was with them because she didn't want him to get hurt. He was skilled and powerful, but being her new subordinate made Slugerous Fubuki's responsibility. Plus, officially, he was still a rookie hero after all.
Slowly and safely, the Blizzard Group ascended the building. When every team was at the top of their stairwell, putting them at roof level, Fubuki checked in with each. Everyone was prepared to emerge from their roof access doors and surround the target. All they needed was their leader's permission.
However, before doing that, Fubuki wanted to see what they were dealing with. Carefully, she had Mountain Ape open the door just enough to where she could see the rooftop. There, at the roof's center, was a figure sitting before a makeshift fire. A rather considerate detail made by the mysterious individual was the construction of the fire itself. It had been put together to ensure the building wouldn't be set ablaze.
As for the stranger, that was hard to describe for two reasons. Firstly, it was covered in an unknowable amount of rags, cloaks, and various other tattered articles of clothing. This entity had gone to great lengths to conceal its identity. Like with the fire, it was taking great care to ensure its attire wouldn't catch fire as it cooked what appeared to be fish. But with so much cloth and fabric hanging off of them, how did they manage this?
Well, you see, that's where the second reason for why they were so hard to describe came into play. Despite its effort to conceal itself, the entity's very existence gave away what it was. It wasn't human. The height and size alone conveyed as much. Although sitting, Fubuki could still discern it was over ten feet tall. However, this wasn't the only thing that gave its non-human status.
Remember the fish it was cooking? Two arms were attending the meal. Yet, these arms came from the middle of the torso. Also, there was a second set right above them. They were attached to the entity's shoulders, as you'd expect.
Regarding the lower set, they weren't concealed like the other two. There wasn't any material covering them. Fubuki could see them in their entirety. The limbs appeared to be made of rock and glowed with an unknown blue energy.
"Everyone," Fubuki spoke to her group. "This situation is worse than I thought. The target is non-human. Not only that, their size is substantial. They're also completely covered, so I can't verify if they have weapons unless I penetrate their protective field. But, as you know, if I do this, they'll be alerted." She informed them.
"Should we re-position, then? If you reveal yourself, they'll try to run. We don't know if they can fly. Even if they can't, they could leap to the ground and remain unharmed. Anything is possible since they're non-human." Eyelashes responded.
"No. Even if we did, you guys could get hurt." Fubuki said. "...I...think the best approach is a peaceful one. I'll go out there and see if I can't prevent a fight from even happening." She suggested.
"Miss Blizzard! We can't let you do that!" Lily exclaimed. Although they didn't chime in, the rest of the group felt the same.
"Guys, it's okay. I won't get too close. Plus, they might try to run immediately. Or, should they attack, I can protect myself with a barrier." Fubuki told them.
The Blizzard Group had STRONG reservations about this plan. However, they trusted and believed in their leader. So, no further objections were raised.
"Okay...here I go..." Fubuki said to them after composing herself. Then, with her nerves steeled, the Esper opened the door and walked into the open. "Excuse me. I'd like to have a word with you." She began.
Upon hearing and seeing Fubuki, the entity...didn't move. Whoa. That was honestly more concerning than a typical reaction. The only thing that happened was the entity's lower arms stopped attending to the fish.
"Sorry to surprise you." Fubuki continued, taken aback by the non-reaction she received. "I noticed smoke coming from the rooftop. I was worried the building was on fire." She explained.
"..." The entity said nothing. It stared at Fubuki, but she couldn't see its eyes. Like with everything else, it was hidden by the wrappings and clothing.
"The silent type, huh?" Fubuki asked with a smile. She was trying to be as friendly and non-hostile as possible. "I can respect that. I'm not one for big talkers. It's easy to make yourself seem scary when you bark loudly." She said.
"..." The entity maintained its silence. The lower arms resumed moving. They were putting out the fire and removing the fish, which roasted on a skewer.
"...Yeah...this is weird, huh?" Fubuki asked. She took a moment to think of a different approach. She wasn't afraid of this creature. Rather, she was confused. It was dead set on giving her NOTHING to work with. "I'm a human; you're clearly not. I'm acting as if this isn't a big deal, which isn't normal. But that's because I'm a hero. I deal with these situations ALL the time." She shared.
Finally, another reaction. The entity's lower arms, which had been raising the fish (still on the skewer) to where its head presumably was, had stopped. Something Fubuki said just now got their attention.
"...Hero?..." The entity questioned. Its voice sounded...tired. No, there was more to it than that. Sadness? Pain? Maybe there was a greater reason for the materials shrouding its identity. Was it injured? Was it hiding from more than just humans?
"Yes! A hero!" Fubuki confirmed, immediately raising her hands. "But! I'm NOT a threat to you." She assured.
"..." The entity was silent again, but it was different this time. It was waiting for proof or an explanation to support her claim of non-violence.
"My home is nearby." Fubuki started, lowering her arms. "I live and work in close proximity to One Punch Man. If you somehow don't know who that is, he's the strongest hero in the world. As crazy as it might be to hear, One Punch Man is working toward equality between humans and non-humans. He doesn't want to harm or kill any more of your kind if it can be prevented. I wholeheartedly agree with this mindset. So, I will not harm you unless it is in self-defense. I have no intentions of turning this into a battle." She told it.
Another reaction. The upper half of the entity bent forward. To Fubuki, it looked like it was hanging its head. Again, something she said affected it.
"He...can't..." The entity whispered. If any other noises were present, including the wind, Fubuki might not have heard it. That's how quiet its voice was.
"He...can't?" Fubuki repeated, confused by that response.
"Kill...my kind..." The entity clarified.
It took her a few seconds, but Fubuki figured out the meaning. The weight of the entity's words hit her at full force.
"...I'm...so sorry..." Fubuki whispered with a saddened expression.
There was a small part of the Esper that wondered if she made the right interpretation. Unfortunately, she received confirmation. The entity raised its upper half. Despite hiding its eyes, Fubuki could feel the creature's gaze. It felt...mournful.
"STOP RIGHT THERE, SONIC!"
That...wasn't Fubuki's voice. It wasn't any member of the Blizzard Group, either. But by the time everyone, including the entity, traced the voice back to its source, there was no chance to say anything else. A blindingly fast black-and-white blur was rapidly approaching the roof. You didn't need to be a hero to know what its intent was.
BAM
The blur suddenly impacted an invisible wall. Instinctually, Fubuki erected a barrier. However, it wasn't for her. She didn't want anything bad to happen to the entity.
"WHAT THE?!" The blur, revealed to be Mosquito Girl, shouted in alarm.
Again, before more words could be spoken, something happened. The entity, with the skewer of fish in hand, stood upright. Immediately afterward, it ran for the side of the rooftop opposite Mosquito Girl.
"WAIT!" Fubuki called out. Damn it! It was going so well!
Sadly, the esper's request was ignored. From the entity's perspective, this was an ambush. Fubuki had been convincing, but Mosquito Girl revealed the hero's "true" intentions. Thus, it jumped off the roof once it reached the edge.
Everyone, including Mosquito Girl, was shocked by this. The Blizzard Group quickly hurried down the steps. Fubuki followed them. Mosquito Girl, remaining in the air, flew across the rooftop and looked down.
The entity plummeted toward the ground. Yet, when it was halfway down, it produced two swords from within its attire. These blades weren't made of metal. They seemed to be concentrated fire, maybe even magma!
FWIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISH
That was the noise the swords made when they were shoved into the building. They didn't break or shatter the structure. Instead, due to their heat, they melted it. However, the interaction still provided enough friction to slow the entity's descent and allow them a safe arrival to the ground.
"OH NO, YOU DON'T!" Mosquito Girl yelled, pursuing the creature. With her speed in the air, she'd reach it before it-
BAM
A barrier. Fubuki, who used her ESP to track Mosquito Girl, created another one to prevent the insect woman from giving chase.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" Mosquito Girl shouted. "THE GUY IS TRYING TO KILL YOU!" She exclaimed.
"Trying to kill me?" Fubuki wondered. Even without her ESP, she could hear the woman's voice from inside the stairwell due to how loudly she'd yelled.
Before Fubuki could try and ask Mosquito Girl about this, the situation outside changed again. The entity, now at street level, was about to stow its swords. But then, MORE people decided to appear with perfect timing.
"The hell?" Beast King questioned while coming to a stop. He and Kamakyuri were a few feet from the cloaked creature.
"GUYS!" Mosquito Girl yelled down, getting their attention. "THAT'S SPEED-O-SOUND SONIC! HE'S A PROFESSIONAL KILLER!" She informed.
Unfortunately, the duo couldn't respond. As Mosquito Girl relayed this information, the cloaked creature lunged at them with its burning blades. Of course, with their combat instincts, the pair evaded the attack with ease. Even so, "Sonic" wasn't a slouch.
Using the window it created, the entity ran past the lion and mantis. To prevent them from giving chase, it quickly spun around and sent forward a long horizontal crescent-shaped attack. It had the same properties as the swords and was dripping something onto the ground as it flew. Adding further credibility to the notion that they were magma rather than ordinary fire.
"WHOA!" Beast King exclaimed. He and Kamakyuri bent backward to avoid the projectile. Despite their success, Beast King's fur and Kamakyuri's exoskeleton were lightly singed. The heat from that was no joke.
By the time the duo were upright again, the entity was out of sight. They were about to give chase when a voice called to them.
"STOP!" Fubuki commanded. "THIS IS A HUGE MISTAKE! THAT'S NOT SONIC!" She told them.
"Then who is it?!" Kamakyuri questioned. Although this was the first time he was speaking to either Fubuki or her sister via telepathy, Beast King and himself had communicated with Slugerous through the same method multiple times. Thus, this occurrence wasn't unfamiliar to them.
"I don't know! But this whole situation is because a certain MOSQUITO charged in without thinking and escalated things! That entity isn't our enemy!" Fubuki explained.
"Shit...you should've told Mosquito Girl that..." Beast King responded, eyes aimed at the sky.
Crap! Beast King was right! Fubuki, in her desperation to keep the duo from joining the assault, had shifted ALL of her focus to reaching them with her ESP. When she checked for Mosquito Girl's presence, the insect woman was already gone. She flew after the entity when it ran past Beast King and Kamakyuri.
Elsewhere, A Few Streets Over...
"Damn, it! Where'd it go?" Mosquito Girl asked as she flew through the air.
"Sonic" quickly ducked into the first alleyway he found. Even with Mosquito Girl's immediate pursuit, this helped him to evade her sight. Now, only a couple of minutes later, she had lost track of him. Zombieman was likely going to give her an earful...
Continuing to buzz around in the hope that she'd find "Sonic" before her partners arrived, Mosquito Girl swooped through the area as fast as possible. She knew she could find this guy! How far could he have gotten in so little time?!
...
...
Buzzing. So much buzzing. That woman wasn't leaving anytime soon. Luckily, it didn't matter. She'd never find it.
The entity, knowing the skies weren't safe, entered the first building it could from the alleyway. From here, it'd safely move from structure to structure. Each time, it waited for the buzzing to get quiet. That meant the woman wasn't nearby.
Fortunately, through all of this, the entity managed to maintain its meal. It'd been so long since it had anything to eat. It was starving. All it wanted was some food.
Taking a brief break from its escape, the entity sat down with its back to the wall. Its legs were tired. Truthfully, so was the rest of itself. Once comfortable, it raised the skewered fish to its mouth to begin eating.
However, as the entity opened its mouth to take its first bite, it saw something move in the room. The movement came from a nearby window. The cause was...a wet green tentacle. No, wait. It was a plant. What was a plant doing-
BANG
Quickly, the entity had to dodge. The sound reached its ears first. Next, it felt something pass through its body. It was powerful. It made a clean hole through its left side.
The need to evade was so sudden that the entity couldn't do it properly. It hit the ground with a THUD and slid a few inches. During this, the skewered fish flew from its grasp, landing a few feet away. Sadly, the entity wouldn't be able to retrieve it.
BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG
A deafening barrage unfolded. The entity had to keep moving. The source was from outside. Amid the chaos, the creature couldn't tell where the exact point of origin was.
BOOM
Suddenly, the roof collapsed. From above, the woman that had been chasing the entity crashed into the building. No, that wasn't quite right. The entrance was deliberate, albeit violent. This was a coordinated trap.
"I GOT EYES ON SONIC!" The woman shouted to her allies outside. Her wings opened. She was going to charge.
No time. Can't think. One choice. Don't make a mistake.
FWIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISH
In that instant, the entity produced its swords. Then, it plunged them into the ground. As the woman approached, it spun in a circle. Please, let there be something beneath them.
Luck. It is a fickle thing. Sometimes good, others bad. But as the entity started its descent, it felt relief. This gamble had paid off.
Of course, the woman wouldn't be stopped so easily. So, to dispel its pursuer, the entity swiftly raised its swords and sent forward two crescent-shaped projectiles. As it turned out, this entire time, the creature had four swords. It'd just been using two while its bottom arms were occupied holding its meal.
"GAH!" The woman shouted in alarm. The entity had timed the attack as well as it could. As she attempted to enter the hole, that's when the projectiles were cast. She managed to dodge JUST barely. She would definitely suffer burns across her body, but ones that weren't TOO severe.
THUD
That was the sound of the rubble the entity had created hitting the floor. Yes, the floor. This building had a basement. That's how the creature was able to fall.
With this opportunity, the entity quickly searched its surroundings. Piles of assorted junk were everywhere. But the creature gave them no attention. All it cared about was the walls.
Running to the one closest to its position, the entity began to tunnel. The rate at which it could do so was beyond description. It's as if it commanded the Earth to part and provide passage. When deep enough inside, it collapsed the entrance. Hopefully, luck would remain for just a while longer.
"Please, let this be enough..." The entity whispered to itself before continuing to burrow. It needed to get as far from here as possible. Yet, considering the creature's condition, that might not be far at all.