It was the evening after the monstrosity known as Elder Centipede had been slain. Saitama and his entourage had made their way back to his place, with everyone but the Caped Baldy and King having to nurse their wounds.

Bang was laying on the floor and treating his back, which he'd thrown out in all the action, with acupuncture needles. At the same time, Bomb was stretching and massaging his legs, attempting to treat his aching knees from all the running and carrying he'd been doing. Genos was keeping himself busy trying to repair his broken form. However, missing half of his body made this a slow-going task. Shunshi, meanwhile, had taken off most of his outfit, only leaving on his pants, while doing his best to meditate and let himself heal. Lastly, King and Saitama were passing the time by playing a handheld game against each other.

While sitting crossed-legged on the floor, Shunshi continuously got distracted by Genos. The two weren't saying anything to each other, but the golden-eyed cyborg kept giving Shunshi glances as if wanting to strike up a conversation. However, whenever his junior would notice this and give him an inquisitive look back, Genos would grunt angrily and get back to work on repairs.

Feeling the air of unease slowly creeping between them, Shunshi couldn't meditate properly. However, with a few hours having passed, the older of the two students had recovered enough that he could move around without much trouble once more. He was in no condition to fight, but he was fit enough to exercise if he wanted to, and with the atmosphere in the room being what it was, this was an option that sounded far too appealing at the moment.

With mild annoyance, Shunshi thought to himself, Well, this is something I wanted to practice. I guess now's as good a time as any.

Turning to look at Silver Fang, with his back full of needles, Shunshi's intention of requesting his older sensei's aid died instantly. However, next to the elder Hero was a nearly, or just as good alternative. And that was Bang's older brother.

Standing up, Shunshi approached Bomb and bowed while asking him, "Grand-Sensei Bomb, if you are willing and able, I'd like to ask for your aid with some light training."

Glancing at his little brother's newest pupil, Bomb asked back with bewilderment, "Grand-Sensei? What's that about, kid? And don't you need to sit and rest? You nearly died back there."

"Shunshi, what's this about?" Bang added while lifting his head.

Lifting his face up, Monster Mask explained humbly, "Since you're the older brother of my sensei, I assumed Grand-Sensei was the appropriate term, Bomb. Sorry about assuming. And, well, with the Monster Association still being a threat, I'm too antsy to sit around. I want to improve on some things I'm lacking on. Besides, I heal fast. I'm good to train already."

Sparing a moment's notice, Saitama thought, Already? Huh. Shunshi used to need days. Guess Genos was right about him getting better at healing.

"I'm just going outside to practice for a bit. If you aren't in the mood to help, that's okay. I can train on my own," Shunshi explained meekly.

Stroking his beard, Bomb gave Shunshi a ponderous expression before telling him, "Hrm... Well, I'm curious to see what type of training my brother's student does on his own. I'll supervise you, but my knees are killing me, so don't expect me to take a physical role."

"Really?! Thank you so much, Grand-Sensei!"

Climbing up on cracking knees, Bomb dismissed Shunshi's excitement, "Alright, cool it, youngin. Now, let's go see what you can do."

Slowly following Monster Mask's excited steps, the elderly master made his way outside with the youthful Hero.


Making her way through the ghost town of City-Z, Fubuki was on her way to talk with Saitama's gaggle of cohorts.

"The Blizzard Gang got annihilated, mostly by my own sister. However, dealing with the Monster Association is a serious emergency, so I'll rally my forces at this Blizzard Gang branch. I just hope that one guy isn't- Ergh!"

As Fubuki finished her mutterings and drew near to Saitama's home, she saw the one man she was hoping to avoid, Monster Mask, doing martial arts, once again shirtless, while getting yelled at by some old guy sitting on a pillow.

"No, no, no! You need to make sure to rotate your whole arm while you do it! How else do you expect to pull off my techniques?!" The geezer shouted like a drill sergeant.

As he sweated profusely and performed one clawing strike after the other, Monster Mask muttered feebly under his breath, "I mean, I never asked you to teach me your techniques. I just wanted a bit of coaching... Hm?"

While Shunshi got ready to perform a karate chop with one hand and a claw strike with the other, he noticed Blizzard. Once their eyes met, the two grimaced at each other, albeit for different reasons.

Although they were both annoyed by the other's presence, Fubuki was somewhat frightened, while Shunshi was slightly angered. However, despite his initial reaction, Shunshi remembered his second encounter with the Great Philosopher and the decision that it had helped him reach.

"Hmm? Do you know that woman, kid?" Bomb asked as he noticed the looks the two young folks were giving each other.

"Ergh... Yeah. Please give me a second, Grand-Sensei," Shunshi replied.

Taking a deep breath, Shunshi stood up straight and gave the greeting, "Hello, Chilly. Listen, I... I..."

While Monster Mask was hesitating, Blizzard gave him an inquisitive glance and asked, "What is it? If you want to be a part of the Blizzard Gang, I might just be willing to forgive your attitude up until now."

Shunshi staggered at Fubuki's words, gritting his teeth as his eye twitched with fury.

"Grr...! No! No, I don't want to...! Look, I've had some time to think about things. I think everyone deserves a second chance, and I'm willing to bury the hatchet with you, but you and your gang need to stop rookie-crushing. That sound good to you?"

Intensifying her gaze, Fubuki seemed to mull this over before answering, "Very well, I accept these terms and will allow you to become a Blizzard Gang part-timer. Eventually, you'll be allowed full membership once I deem you've repented adequately for your past hostilities."

All the aggression on him seemed to have vanished at once, as Shunshi's face had become completely blank. In truth, his facial muscles were no longer up to the task of displaying the levels of annoyance he had reached.

Without any hesitation, Monster Mask came to the decision, That's it. I'll be the one to do it. The next time the Blizzard Gang targets another Hero, I'll take them all out on my own.

Cocking an eyebrow, Bomb inquired, "What is this? A lovers' spat?"

While Blizzard only seemed perplexed by this old man's words, Shunshi was quite obviously flustered as his face, nearly free of bruises, could show off its red blush far more blatantly.

Initially, Shunshi's eyes were locked on Fubuki when Bomb asked his question. Any sane man would recognize that she was a gorgeous woman with few piers. However, when it came to her personality, it was an understatement to say that the blue-eyed Hero couldn't stand her. To Shunshi, looking at the Blizzard Of Hell was like looking at a pristine lake being filled with toxic sludge.

Turning to glare at his Grand-Sensei, Shunshi shouted, "WHAT?! No! No! We are not dating! I'm seeing Lin Lin! So you can stop that right now, Bomb!"

Stroking his beard, Bomb continued, "So you broke it off with your lady friend here, and you're seeing someone else already? I can see why she's upset with you. You shouldn't be playing around with the hearts of lovely young women like that, boy."

With his jaw dropping like an anchor, Shunshi did his best to articulate, "Argh... No! I mean, yes. I shouldn't do that, but I didn't...! I know Chilly's pretty, but she's too much of a... WAIT, NO! Lin Lin is way more my type...! Why are you asking these things, Bomb!?"

Putting her hand to her chin, Blizzard watched Monster Mask lose his cool as she internally considered her possibilities going forward.

So, he finds me attractive? I never would have guessed, what with how he acts. Hmm. If memory serves, he's not bad-looking when he's not all bashed up like he is now. Maybe I should start acting a bit flirtatious to get him to join more easily? He is number 3 in A-Class, after all... No, that's not my style. I've already got him as a part-timer. No need to push my luck. Especially considering how volatile this one can be.

With her thoughts concluded, Blizzard exclaimed, "Let's forget about this for now. I came here to speak with Saitama, so I'm heading up."

"Oh, so it seems she's moved on as well. To your other Sensei, no less. Well, all's fair in love and war, as they say," Bomb concluded.

Slouching over while gritting his teeth, Shunshi muttered under his breath, "Grr... With how desperate she is for his attention, she might as well be looking to be Master's wife or something."

Straightening his posture, Shunshi started to speak audibly, "Hold on. What do you want to talk with Saitama Sensei about, Chilly?"

Folding her arms indignantly, Blizzard answered, "I'm here to discuss the Monster Association crises with him."

The knot in his brow lessening, Shunshi responded, "Huh. Is that so? Well, that is important. Okay, Chilly. I'll go up to let Master Saitama know you're here to talk business while you head up the stairs."

As soon as he finished his response, Shunshi jumped up to Saitama's floor and landed in front of his Master's door.

Opening the door, Shunshi yelled, "Master Saitama! Blizzard Of Hell has arrived to talk to you about the Monster Association. I told her she could come in. Is that alright? I'll send her away if you want."

"What?! Shunshi, how dare you permit such a thing without asking Sensei first!" Genos exclaimed.

Looking up from his game with King, Saitama alleviated his top student's concerns, "It's fine, Genos. Fubuki can come in, but I'm in the middle of something, so I won't be paying too much attention to her."

"Understood, Sensei!" Shunshi exclaimed before closing the door. By the time he had finished talking with Saitama and shut the door, Blizzard had made her way up the stairs.

Gesturing to the door with an apathetic expression, Shunshi told Fubuki, "Door's open. Master's busy with King right now, though, so don't expect his full attention or anything. Also, Master Bang is in there as well. He's healing his back after the battle we all fought yesterday. Don't bother him too, or else I'll chase you out of here. Anyway, I have some more training to do."

"Wait! King and Silver Fang are here too?! With three S-Classes here, you all must be up to date with the Hero Association's next course of action. Tell me!"

Having to halt jumping back down to the street, Shunshi groaned before answering, "I asked the same thing. Genos-Senpai's S-Class communicator got melted during Super Fight, Master Bang dropped his when we were fighting Elder Centipede, and King's got destroyed by the shockwaves of his and Saitama-Sensei's punches."

Placing her hand to her chin once again, Blizzard concluded, "Drat! I guess we're in the dark for now, then. Alright, I'll go discuss what our group's next move should be and fill you in once we have everything strategized properly."

"Fine, whatever. Like I said. Training. Me. Now."

With this last exchange wrapped up, Blizzard entered Saitama's apartment, while Monster Mask jumped down to resume his training with Bomb.


Less than a half-hour after Blizzard's arrival, Saitama stormed out of his house in full Hero attire.

Before noticing his Sensei, Shunshi was practicing breathing exercises and asking Bomb, "So, if I can pull it off correctly, I can improve my overall performance at the cost of my short-term health? I guess Master Bang was right on the money when he called this Abandonment."

Resting on his side, Bomb responded, "Right? If my little brother had gone through with fighting that centipede thing with this technique, then he might be a goner at the age we're at. Speaking of, this is my brother's technique, so I'm not entirely sure if I'm teaching it to you correctly, so be careful. Then again, with how well you heal, maybe Abandonment's damage won't be a problem for you."

"I can only hope. Alright, well, if you want, you can head back inside, Bomb. I'm just going to keep practicing what you've shown me until the sun starts to go- Sensei!? When did you get here?" Saitama's second pupil inquired, having just noticed him watching.

Slouching as he usually would, Saitama answered, "Just a couple seconds ago. I'm pissed off, and I'm going Hero Hunter hunting. You wanna tag along? I know you've got that beef with the guy and all."

"Wha...? Going patrolling with you?! I, um... As much as I would be honored to do so, I'm not in fighting condition yet, Sensei. I'll have to turn down your benevolent offer. I need to get stronger anyway if I want to take on Garou, so my time is better-spent training right now. Please know that I would accept this offer under any other circumstances, Sensei! If you do encounter Garou... Please let him know I wish things could have been different. I think he'll know what that means."

As Shunshi exclaimed all this, Bomb had taken up the young man's offer, grabbed his pillow, and went back up the stairs.

Tilting his head in a mixture of confusion and boredom, Saitama replied, "I... Uh, okay? I'll just be going then."

"Of course, Master! I wish you the best of luck!"

With those words sending him off, Saitama made his leave.


A few moments after the Caped Baldy had gone out on his mission, Blizzard also left, pursuing Saitama's trail. However, Shunshi was not present to witness her departure, as he had gone further into Z-City to find a completely abandoned building away from his Master's usual living area.

Once he found a structure that suited his needs, a two-story complex that hadn't seen use in years, Monster Mask activated Fist Of The Impenetrable Fire Spirit.

Despite the strain that this was putting on his recovering body, the flaming Hero yelled out, "Roaring Aura Void Riping Fist!"

In one hand, he performed Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, and in the other, Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist. In addition to his taught techniques, Shunshi focused his Kie to his fingertips with the improvised Fire Spirit Burning Claws technique he'd used against Suiryu.

As Shunshi unleashed his attacks, he rushed forward as fast and as powerfully as he could. Each one of Monster Mask's blows cut, smashed, burned, and blasted through the stone and steel of the structure he was assaulting, demolishing everything in his path and leaving behind a trail of blazing destruction.

Once he finished his exercise, Shunshi took a moment to turn off his Fire Spirit technique and roll his shoulders before turning around to examine the results of his test.

The outcome of Shunshi's attack left the building with a whole going through both levels that could easily allow two semi-trucks stacked on top of each other to drive through. Despite this level of decimation, Monster Mask growled with frustration, his technique not living up to his desired expectations.

Damn it all! I wanted to level the whole thing...! Maybe if I could use Abandonment or control Spirit Rage, I could do this. Feh. I didn't even do the technique right. I barely know anything about Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist. I need to practice that way more before I can really do this, not to mention needing more rest... Hehe. Maybe if I had another pair of arms, I could pull this off better... Wait, I wonder.

As he finished talking to himself, Shunshi started to focus his Kie onto his shoulders. After concentrating for a few solid minutes, Shunshi sprouted two Burn Whips from his shoulders that clung to him there as they had to his palms. After forming like this, the Burn Whips slumped to the ground and began burning the parts of the sidewalk they rested on.

Shunshi had known he could form Light Balls from any part of his body for some time but rarely ever had a reason to do so, as they would always just fall to the ground and explode without his hands to grip them. However, with his Burn Whips being so new, he hadn't considered the possibility of manifesting them anywhere but his hands until this point.

Testing out his hypothesis, Shunshi began flexing and moving the muscles in his shoulders to try and get these Burn Whips to respond. To his joy, they did react, but in seemingly random ways, lashing his surroundings at random. After a half-hour of experimenting with this, he managed to get his shoulder-mounted Burn Whips to lash directly in front of himself at will.

Well, that's not the most practical attack. Tsk, I'll need more time before I can figure out a way to use this. It's not exactly the extra limbs I was hoping for... I shouldn't start pushing myself too hard until I actually finish healing. I can tell that I still got a few fractures and torn muscles. I'll just keep at the breathing exercises for now.

With his experiments done, Shunshi returned to the street outside of Saitama's home for the remainder of his training for the day.


Hours later, the moon and stars had risen into the sky. As he said they would, nightfall had signaled Shunshi to return indoors to rest for the remainder of the night.

While Shunshi was having a glass of water, Genos instructed his junior to help him sit upright so he could observe King playing one of his handheld games. Both King and Shunshi obliged, with Shunshi even believing he understood his Senpai's intentions.

Once King had finished speed-running Super Cutie Combat Beasts in mere minutes, a feat Shunshi didn't think was possible, the screen of his game read, 'Thank you for playing.'

"Alright. I cleared the whole game. Is that what you wanted to see?" King asked.

"Is that all? I did not understand any of it," the Demon Cyborg bemoaned.

Smiling at him, Shunshi told Genos, "I think I understood a little bit, Senpai. If my hunch is right, their simulated battles are more about testing strategies than actual exchanges in combat. After all, what game could possibly simulate the powers of Sensei and King properly?"

"Do you think so? Hmm... I could not understand how they could practice such things with these simulations. I suppose I will need to improve my abilities in the real world before I can comprehend the nuances of Master and King's virtual simulations," Genos concluded.

What the heck are they talking about? King internally questioned.

Looking for a way to avoid this topic, King glanced out at Saitama's balcony before commenting, "Ya know, it's getting pretty late. Is Saitama still looking for Garou?"

"In all likelihood, Garou is probably at the Monster Association's base," Bomb remarked.

Still resting on the floor, Bang added, "Right. A half-hearted search won't locate him."

"Master has an unshakeable will. He may not return without finding and destroying the Monster Association, even if it takes him days," Genos declared.

Sweating a bit, King said, "Well, I mean, Saitama's strong, but he's not too quick-witted. What if he falls into a trap?"

Grinning once again, Shunshi retorted, "Then he'll break through the trap and punch whoever made it. It's not smart to underestimate Sensei." After making his comment, Shunshi heard a soft chuckle of satisfaction come from Genos.

"I must agree with my junior on this one. Master Saitama has proven time and again to surpass our already high expectations of him," Genos added, along with a small smirk that left Shunshi stunned.

"You boys certainly have faith in Saitama, don't you?" Bang rhetorically asked.

Before a response could be made, the apartment's door flew open as Saitama's voice filled the small home, "I'm hooome."

At the sound of his Master's voice, Shunshi sprang to his feet, not really paying attention to the fact that he was still keeping Genos flung over his shoulder. The cyborg himself didn't seem to mind this, though, knowing that his junior would take him over to greet their teacher. At the same time as Saitama's pupils, King, Bang, and Bomb sprang up as well and went to the entranceway too.

"Perhaps he really was successful," Bang commented as he stood up.

As Saitama came in through the front and only door, covered in monster blood and removing his gloves, he was stopped by a wall of his friends and associates.

Ignoring them at first, Saitama groaned, "Man, that couldn't have gone any worse."

"What?! Did you fight Garou!?" Both Bang and Shunshi questioned.

Finally paying attention to the people in front of him, Saitama grimaced as he asked, "Huh? Bang? King? Other old guy? You guys are still here? It's crowded enough with Shunshi sleeping here too. I'm not taking any more housemates."

"Is that blood Garou's?! Did you end up having to take his life?!" Bang questioned further.

Cocking his brow, Saitama replied, "No. I just ran into a big monster on the way home."

"Was it from the Monster Association?!" Genos asked from over Shunshi's shoulder.

Unzipping his outfit, Saitama explained, "No, there are always monsters around here. I don't know why, though. Anyway, that's not the problem." Now dressed in just his undershirt and shorts, Saitama slouched against his kitchen wall as more questions were flung his way.

"What disaster has befallen you?!" Genos inquired.

"You were in such a good mood when you left, but now you look totally bummed," King added.

"If it's not from fighting Garou, what did happen, then?!" Shunshi questioned, while internally fretting that his Master may have witnessed some horrid tragedy that he was too late to stop.

Letting out a depressed sigh, the Caped Baldy explained, "Well... I dropped my wallet somewhere. And six thousand yen was inside it!"

While Saitama's students understood how awful this was for a man of his financial situation, Bang let out a sigh and questioned, "Is that all? I thought you'd confronted Garou."

With the topic of money brought up, Shunshi suddenly started whispering to Genos, "Senpai, how much rent do you pay Master per month?"

"Eight million yen per month. Due to his amazing abilities to budget, Sensei has yet to spend any of it, though. Why are we whispering?" Genos posited back.

Initially, Shunshi was tempted to scream in shock at this but was able to keep his composure enough to whisper once more, "I... I, uh... I'm just trying to figure out how much I'll owe Master once I move into my own place in City-A. I should probably get that done sooner rather than later."

Standing up, Saitama thought to himself for a moment before responding to Bang, "Confronting...? Crap! That reminds me! The dine and dasher!"

"Hm!? Did you encounter Garou after all?" Bang questioned.

"No. I bought some cabbage, but when I chased this perp, I left it behind at a restaurant!"

"Shunshi! We must go recover it!" Genos yelled into the ear of the one carrying him.

"Of course, Senpai! Let's go!" Shunshi responded with equal enthusiasm.

Grabbing his pupil by his free shoulder, Bang exclaimed, "No! You boys are too injured!"

As King watched the others grow more and more dramatic, he internally pondered, What's up with everyone? It's just cabbage.

Suddenly, the front door swung open once more, with Blizzard stepping through it, looking quite a bit more put off than usual.

"Having fun, everyone?" The psychic Hero questioned.

"Blizzard! You have returned again?!" Genos shouted.

Staggering slightly, Shunshi commented, "Okay, Senpai, the whole yelling in my ear thing is starting to take a toll."

Ignoring the Caped Baldy's goons, Fubuki held up a grocery store bag for Saitama to take while saying, "You forgot this. You've done it this time, Saitama."

The cabbage?! What is she doing with it?! Genos wondered.

'Done it this time?' What is she talking about? Why does Chilly care so much about Master's cabbage? Shunshi pondered.

Taking his groceries from Blizzard, Saitama smiled earnestly and responded, "Oh, hey, thanks! I felt like having a hotpot tonight, and hotpot isn't hotpot without cabbage."

"Excuse me. Aren't you forgetting something?" Fubuki questioned judgmentally.

"Huh? Uh, thanks for bringing my cabbage back?"

Furrowing her brow, Blizzard howled out, "No! Apologize for sticking me with the bill at the restaurant!"

Shrinking back and sweating, Saitama responded, "Oops. I forgot. S-sorry."

"Not to mention you ran out in the middle of our conversation!"

Tilting his head, Saitama asked meekly, "Huh? We were talking?"

Shoving her finger into his muscular chest, Fubuki yelled once again, "See!? You weren't even listening! Anyway, you owe me one, and don't you forget it!"

She knows she is not equal to us, yet she still takes up such an attitude? Why is she here constantly? What does she hope to gain? Does she hope that Master will make her his apprentice as well?! No! I cannot allow Master to be overburdened! I must-.

Before Genos could finish his thought, Shunshi spoke up, "Yo, Chilly!"

Glaring at Monster Mask now, Blizzard questioned, "What is it, part-timer?"

"I don't understand the full situation, but if Saitama-Sensei left you to pay the bill as you said, then I think you two are even."

"Huh?! What are you talking about?!" Blizzard snapped.

Tightening the knot in his brow, Shunshi explained, "When you first showed up, you came here with your fake Heroes to bully Sensei into submission and then tried to attack him when he wouldn't be pushed around. You never apologized for that. Also, you haven't stopped bugging him ever since then. If he left you to pay a bill, then that was obviously Sensei's way to allow you to repent for your crimes. Be grateful and leave the debts at that."

Holy crap! Thanks, Shunshi, Saitama thought mischievously as Blizzard was left dumb-struck and frustrated.

Before Genos could form a proper thought on his junior's quick thinking, his sensors began going off.

In his mind, Genos analyzed the situation. There is a foe of Demon Level approaching at high speeds! No! It has ceased moving, but it is very close by. Beneath the building, in fact! With my injuries, there is little to nothing I can do to fight. Bang and Bomb are also too injured, and Blizzard would stand no chance against such a foe. Shunshi seems to have healed for the most part, but his training has likely exhausted him. On top of all this, the anxiety Sensei is suffering from losing his wallet must be debilitating. All of this means we have only one person left who can fight.

Reaching over and grabbing King with his remaining arm, Genos exclaimed, "King, you are the only one who can fight right now. An enemy is approaching, and we need you to handle it. Shunshi, get the door for him."

"Do what now?!" King asked in fear.

"What?! A monster's here? Well, I guess it is best to leave it up to King right now," as Shunshi said this, he walked over and opened the door, while Genos dragged him along.

As he got yanked towards the door, King exclaimed, "Hey. Hold on! You don't have to pull! What's even going on?!"

While throwing him out the door, Genos told King, "Do not worry, there is only one of them."

"WHAT?!" King shrieked.

"You got this, King!" Shunshi cheered enthusiastically as he closed the door behind him.

Having watched his pupils' odd act just now, Saitama questioned them, "Guys, what was that?"

"There is a monster outside. King is going to fight it," Genos answered.

Nodding, Shunshi added, "I could've tried to fight it, but I'm not at a hundred percent and would've made a racket. King is the one man capable of being your sparring partner, Master. I'm sure he'll swat the monster and come back without any issues or noises."

Folding his arms, Saitama responded in understanding, "Oh... Oooooooh... Uh-oh."

Just as Shunshi walked back over to Saitama's side with Genos, King peaked his head back through the door and said, "Hey..."

"Oh, see? It's already over," Shunshi remarked pleasantly, while Saitama tilted his head.

"It was... right outside. Says he knows you," King explained as he stepped aside and allowed a humanoid robot to walk in.

This robot had a black, glass dome helmet with a white metal collar around its neckline. It wasn't too tall, but its body was made from interlocking, silver parts. On the robot's right shoulder was a rotating missile launcher, and on its left was a lethal-looking railgun. Lastly, in its right hand, the robot carried a black briefcase of unknown purpose.

"What!? You let it in?! Argh!" Genos exclaimed, lifting his arm to fire an incineration blast.

"No, hold on! You're injured, so you shouldn't strain yourself, my boy. Besides, it's me, Genos." As the robot finished speaking, the glass around its head vanished in a blocky pattern, revealing Dr. Stench's face underneath.

"Dr. Stench?!" Genos questioned.

Initially, Shunshi was as taken off guard as everyone else. However, recognizing who this was and knowing what would be appropriate, Shunshi approached Stench so Genos could speak with him more easily.

"Hey, Dr. Stench. Good to see you again," Shunshi said while approaching, before deciding to keep his mouth shut.

"What are you doing here?! And why are you armed?" Genos asked just as his junior finished speaking.

Nodding to both of them, Stench responded, "Likewise, Shunshi. And, Genos, I was just worried about you. I received another distress signal so soon after repairing you, so I decided to come check on you in person instead of sending one of the drones. I see you've lost a couple of limbs and had to get a chauffeur." When he made that last comment, the good doctor gestured to Shunshi.

Looking at the floor in shame, Genos responded, "I am sorry to have worried you. I promised that I would not lose again, and yet..."

Raising his eyebrows, Stench commented, "Honestly, I'm surprised. I gave all of your abilities quite the upgrade, and yet you still found an opponent that could do this to you. Well, what's important is that you're still alive. That's more important than winning. So, what happened to the opponent who did this to you?"

Gesturing his head over toward Saitama, Genos explained, "As usual, Saitama-Sensei saved us."

Looking at the man Genos gestured at, Stench approached and addressed him, "Oh, so you're Genos' master. He said Saitama, right? It's a pleasure to meet-."

Before Dr. Stench could finish, Saitama cut him off with, "Mind taking your shoes off, first?"

"Agh! I'm sorry." As Stench apologized, the rest of his robotic suit dematerialized in the same manner as his helmet. As soon as his armor was off, Stench hurriedly removed his footwear and continued.

"Alright, as for proper introductions, my name is Stench. I was once an ordinary engineer, but now I've joined Genos in his quest for justice."

"Name's Saitama. Nice to meet you," Saitama replied with an earnest smile.

Shaking hands, Stench told the Caped Baldy, "Really, it warms my heart that Genos has found such a reliable and worthy teacher."

After giving the bald Hero praises, Stench began to tell him a story about how he and Genos have been fighting by themselves for years. However, this quickly devolved into Stench repeating this same sentiment over and over again, just restating it in different ways.

Paying the story no mind, Saitama spoke up, "So, you're here to pick up Genos, right? Shunshi, why don't you help him take Genos back? See ya later, Stench. That goes for everyone else too!"

"It might be best to explain this in twenty words or less, Dr. Stench," Genos whispered to him.

As if ignorant of Saitama's dismissal of him, Stench crouched down to open his briefcase while explaining, "In any case, I brought something for you. I hope you like it."

"Are they cybernetics upgrades for Master?" Genos questioned.

Giving his cyborg student a nervous glance, Saitama retorted, "Dude, I'm flesh and blood. That might not be..."

Perking up, Shunshi hypothesized, "Oh! Maybe it's a high-tech upgrade for your home, Sensei."

Initially, Saitama lifted his finger at that idea before bringing the digit to his chin and responding, "That's... not as bad, I guess. Might be nice, actually."

Pulling out a present-wrapped box, Stench gestured for Saitama to take it while explaining, "It's a gift set containing super-premium beef that's hard to come by. A real top-shelf product! Genos tells me you usually have to buy discounted meat. I hope you'll accept this as thanks for taking care of my boy."

"Hey! That sounds pretty good," Bang added.

Smirking, Bomb chimed in, "I haven't had any meat for a while myself."

"Stench... Ahem. Dr. Stench," Saitama addressed the kindly man as he gripped the box and continued, "As Genos' mentor, I'm sure we have much to discuss. You're welcome here anytime!"

With his Sensei accepting his caretaker, Genos let off a sincere smile. The sight of Genos' earnest smile was so moving and out of character that Shunshi could not help but feel his heart begin to warm.

Turning to face Genos and Shunshi, the doctor said, "Well, with that settled. Shunshi, could you set Genos down so I can repair him? I'm sure you don't enjoy having to carry him everywhere."

Initially surprised, Shunshi eventually answered, "Huh...? Oh! Sure." He then helped Genos balance himself against a wall before asking, "Uh, so how exactly are you going to do this? You don't seem to be carrying any tools with you, Dr. Stench."

Before the doctor could answer, Genos spoke up, snapping at his junior, "That is enough, Shunshi! Do not doubt the brilliant mind of the brilliant Dr. Stench!"

Jerking back in fear from his two-limbed senior, Shunshi responded, "Geez, okay! Sorry... Did you say brilliant twice?"

After adjusting his wristwatch, some of the cubes that made up Stench's armor flew over to Genos and covered up all the torn-off sections of his frame. Suddenly, the cubes formed into limbs of the same make as Stench's armor, except sized in accordance with Genos' proportions.

Even the Demon Cyborg himself seemed surprised by this, opening and closing his new hand repeatedly to inspect it.

"Now, Genos, you shouldn't be yelling at your friends just for asking a simple question," Stench instructed.

Despite his brow twinging when Stench said, 'friends,' Genos responded, "Yes, Dr. Stench."

"As for how this works, Shunshi. I just set my nanite armor to assemble where Genos' vacant appendages would be. It's a good thing Genos managed to repair his socket joints on his own. Otherwise, that wouldn't have had a chance of working. Now Genos, this is just a temporary patch-job until I can repair you properly. These replacement limbs aren't as fast or strong as what you've grown used to. Apologies in advance for that."

Straightening his posture, Genos immediately responded, "There is no need to apologize. These replacements are more than adequate. I must admit, though, even I was unaware of your ability to do this."

"Oh, well, this type of equipment wouldn't hold up in a battle compared to what I usually construct your body with. Even if it were some type of emergency unit, you would need to remain still for too long for it to be a viable option."

Just as Stench finished talking, Saitama exclaimed, "Alright! With that handled, let's add this beef to the hotpot!"

Immediately, Genos yelled, "Yes, Sensei! Shunshi and I will chop vegetables! Shunshi, with me!"

Flinching initially, Shunshi quickly composed himself and exclaimed, "Wha? Oh! Yes, Senpai!" And then he followed Genos into the kitchen.

"You're going to use premium beef for a hot pot?!" Blizzard interjected. "What a waste. Don't you even have any red wine around here?"

Cocking an eyebrow at her, Saitama responded, "Uh, no? Why would I...? Wait. You aren't staying for dinner, are you? I told you guys to leave."

"Shunshi! Your cutting form is terrible! More like this!" Genos suddenly yelled from the kitchen, distracting everyone.

"I'm sorry! I only know the bare basics of cooking, Senpai!" Shunshi declared in shame


While the party at Saitama's place waged on, the Hero Association elites were preparing themselves for war in the A-City headquarters.

Walking down a hallway while crunching on a lollipop, Child Emperor was examining a holographic display from his wristwatch.

Alright. My robot has Metal Knight's drone's signal. I'll find the Monster Association's base soon enough, the prepubescent Hero thought to himself.

Suddenly, Child Emperor was approached by one of the Hero Association's representatives. This man was dressed in a standard business suit and had combed back black hair. If he stood beside Shunshi, one would see that this man had at least a solid inch on him in height. Lastly, his notable trait was that of his right eye. The lid was constructed from various mechanical parts. The artificial materials in place of his actual eyeball were pure black with a faintly glowing white dot in place of a pupil.

"Have you had any luck yet?" The man asked.

"Mr. Sekingar?" The Emperor asked back.

"I've told the S-Class to wait, but Tornado is impatient," Sekingar explained.

"Well, have all the others gathered?"

"No. Drive Knight still isn't responding. Meanwhile, Tanktop Master and Metal Bat are still in the hospital. On top of this, Metal Knight and Watchdog Man are still refusing to participate."

Gritting his teeth, Child Emperor complained, "Why?! We need everyone for this!"

Acknowledging the S-Class child's concerns, Sekingar continued, "Well, the good news is that Zombie Man is on his way here. Also, I still haven't contacted Silver Fang, Demon Cyborg, or King yet, so they're likely to come once they're called. Oh, and on the topic of bringing people in. You've already confirmed with us that Monster Mask is S-Class material, so we were thinking of including him, like how Atomic Samurai is bringing his disciples. Besides, after he won Super Fight, the evaluation committee is already planning on running his promotion by Sweet Mask after all this is over."

Concern spreading across his face, Child Emperor spoke up on this topic, "I... Wait a second. I've actually got some concerns about them. I did some digging on Demon Cyborg. He lives in the City-Z Ghost Town, and the monsters' hideout is somewhere near there. Furthermore, his birthplace apparently got wiped off the map. Isn't that a bit suspicious?"

"What's with the sudden concern? Quite a number of S-Class Heroes have sketchy backgrounds."

Intensifying his stare, Child Emperor went on, "There's a lot we don't know about our opponent. Like their numbers and individual power. If it's possible that we got a mole, then we shouldn't key them in on our timing or attack route, or they'll wipe us out. Genos is new and lacks a record adequate to prove he's loyal."

"If you're that concerned, then why not directly confront him?"

Grimacing, Child Emperor insisted, "No. We need to just cut him out of the operation. Everything about this needs to remain stable."

Pleading, Sekingar said, "But, we know we're outnumbered. We should bolster our own forces as much as... No, I think you're right. We can't allow any possibility that this rescue and mop-up mission might fail. Very well, Demon Cyborg is out."

Not letting up, Child Emperor added, "Silver Fang is also suspicious. He used to be Garou's master, so it worries me that he let Garou escape. The Hero Hunter is part of the Monster Association now, and we can't afford to have our people going easy on the enemy. That could prove fatal."

Sighing, Sekingar conceded, "Got it. Silver Fang is out too."

With just as much concern, Child Emperor went on, "And in regards to Monster Mask... Well, he's on record as being Silver Fang's newest pupil. Not only that, but he and Genos are both working for that new B-Class Hero I told you all about. In all honesty, Monster Mask has formed an amazing record in the short time since he's joined the Hero Association. Nearly every day, he's defeated at least one monster or criminal, and from what little I've seen of him, he seems like an amiable individual. However, with his connections, the likelihood of him being a liability is too great."

Despite conceding to Child Emperor's previous requests, Sekingar hesitated with this one. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to reconsider your stance on Monster Mask."

Slightly surprised, Child asked, "What? Why?"

Sulking slightly, Sekingar explained, "I wasn't entirely honest with you. Monster Mask's capabilities are only a minor factor in why the higher-ups want him as a part of this. Have you heard of 'Project Fight Fire With Fire?'"

"Uh... No. What is it?"

Nodding, Sekingar continued, "I'm not surprised. It's only been a minor project until very recently. Some of our scientists have been tasked with converting or brainwashing some of the captured monsters to our side. With how psychopathic monsters are, though, the project was never taken too seriously. However, Monster Mask, along with Stinger and Lightning Genji, turned over a captured Demon Level monster recently, with the monster claiming that it wanted its humanity restored. With that development, the higher-ups became far more invested in the project. The monster, who claims to have been a man named Uchiara, says that he's willing to fight alongside us for this operation. We were planning on introducing him in disguise as a supposed Super Soldier that the military sent to aid us in our efforts. I apologize for keeping this from you, but Uchiara insists that if he were to cooperate with us, then all of the Heroes who captured him need to be present as his parol officers, especially Monster Mask. I'm afraid that the bosses would demand that Monster Mask be included for this reason primarily."

Dropping his lollipop, Child Emperor responded in shock, "I... Are you serious?"

"I'm afraid so. This is actually something they told me to overrule anyone on. Their perverse little experiment."

Shaking initially, Child Emperor recomposed himself and said, "If that's the case... Contact Monster Mask and get him here as soon as possible. He'll be debriefed on the situation, and if he tries to resist, we'll have to detain him here."

Grimacing, Sekingar closed his eyes and responded, "Understood. I'll have the message sent out immediately... Wait, what about King? We never got around to him. Surely you don't take issue with him as well."

"No. Of course not. King is essential for this operation. He stays on the team... Wait, are you going to bring in those other two Heroes as well?"

Putting a hand to his chin, Sekingar answered, "Well, we hadn't planned on it. We figured Monster Mask would be sufficient to keep Uchiara under control... However, now that we're down so many S-Class Heroes, it would probably be wise to bring in some lower-ranked ones to make up for their loss. I suppose we may as well include those two in on that lineup."

Turning to walk down the hallway, Child Emperor gave one last instruction, "Understood. In the meantime, inform the other S-Class Heroes that I'll have the base's location soon."

"Of course. I'll make sure all the messages get sent."

After that last exchange, the two figures walked in opposite directions.


As the Hero Association went on with their preparation, the home of Saitama was bursting with anticipation.

Eight figures, Saitama, King, Bang, Bomb, Genos, Shunshi, Fubuki, and Stench, were gathered around a hot pot, waiting for it to finish cooking as delicious scents wafted off of it. Each of the individuals had a bowl and a pair of chopsticks in their hands, ready to make use of both.

While everyone else was anticipating the meals they were about to enjoy, Shunshi had different thoughts racing through his mind.

This is my chance to truly prove myself. This phrase was playing in the brain of Saitama's second pupil on a loop.

Suddenly, as the pot began to boil, Saitama thought to himself, It's ready. With that, he lifted his chopsticks. However, much to his confusion, everyone else had done the same, as if to race him.

Instantly, as all the superhuman individuals thrusted their chopsticks into the hotpot, food quickly began to fly everywhere. Very quickly into this carnage, a stray hand glanced by King's face, knocking him out.

With his gourmet hotpot flying about his home, all Saitama could do was internally scream in rage.

As pieces of food were in the air, Blizzard noticed a piece of the beef and used her powers to bring it over to herself. However, as soon as she was about to snatch it out of the air, Genos swiped it away first.

"What do you think you're doing with Master's meat!?" The Demon Cyborg asked with a bloodthirsty tone.

Glaring back at him, Blizzard questioned, "Demon Cyborg and Monster Mask. Are you two truly satisfied working under Saitama?"

While swiping as many pieces of tofu as he could to fill his bowl, Bang made an attempt to broker peace, "Come now, you two. A hot pot is about sharing in harmony."

"Stop taking all the tofu!" Bomb yelled.

Raising his hand to them all, Saitama exclaimed, "Okay, hold it. Hrmm. Something's not right here. Why are-?"

However, before Saitama could finish his sentence, a bowl full of cabbage and beef was presented in front of him.

"Fret not, Senseis," Shunshi exclaimed in the coolest-sounding voice he could muster. Having struck a pose where his face was slightly tilted toward the ground while his arms crossed his body to present the bowl just in front of his Master's face, Shunshi had on one of the most confident smiles any of them had ever seen from him.

"I made sure to fill my bowl with plenty of the cabbage and beef. Please enjoy, Saitama-Sensei. And as for you, Bang-Sensei." Just then, Shunshi dramatically presented his chopsticks to Silver Fang, each one having two pieces of tofu skewered on them. "As any true fan of yours would know, Bang-Sensei, you love tofu. As such, I made sure to grab whatever you couldn't for you."

Both of Shunshi's teachers feeling somewhat overwhelmed by Shunshi's sudden demeanor shift, the two Masters took their pupil's offerings into their hands without thinking.

DAMN IT ALL! Shunshi may be closer to surpassing me than I thought! Genos internally declared as he witnessed, with wrath on his face, the bounty Shunshi had presented to their teacher.

Looking from the chopsticks to his student, Bang asked, "Um, Shunshi? What are you going to eat?"

Closing his eyes and letting out a small chortle, Shunshi quickly backflipped over to his backpack before reaching into it. Suddenly, he pulled out a set of three granola bars gripped between his fingers in his right hand and two juice boxes between the fingers in his left.

With just as much flair and confidence as before, Shunshi declared, "You don't need to worry about me. I've been surviving off these beauties for the past few days. I'll be perfectly fine!"

With a powerful smirk, Shunshi closed his eyes and thought to himself, Heh. Nailed it.

Damn it! Where is a notebook when I need one?! Genos thought as he frantically scanned the room for a way to record Shunshi's display of dedication.

With her jaw having dropped, Blizzard wondered, What...? What's wrong with this guy?

Even though he had already stuffed his face with a few bites of Shunshi's offering, Saitama suddenly exchanged guilty glances with Bang when Shunshi mentioned what he'd been eating. Despite being pleased with the meal given to him, Saitama took one last gulp before, regrettably, knowing what he needed to do.

At once, Saitama and Bang both looked deathly serious at Shunshi and told him, "Shunshi! That's clearly not healthy!"

When confronted with this response, Monster Mask shot his eyes open, frowned, and asked, "Huh?"

Suddenly, Bang marched up to his student, grabbed him by his ear, and sat him back down at the table. Silver Fang then put the chopsticks back in Shunshi's hands while giving him a stern glare.

"Eat something nutritious, or your body will give out on you before you even reach your prime!" Bang exclaimed while grabbing at his aching back.

Saitama then put over half of what his second student gave him into his own bowl and handed what remained to Shunshi.

As Shunshi gave Saitama a confused and grateful look, the Caped Baldy asked him, "Seriously, dude. Why didn't you say you weren't eating?"

A look then reappeared on Saitama's face as an idea occurred to him. "Okay! While Shunshi gets what he needs to eat, everyone else, stop mooching off me and go home already," the world's strongest Hero exclaimed with a smile.

Swallowing some of the food she'd gathered, Blizzard exclaimed, "That's right. It's too cramped in here. I mean, you old-timers aren't even part of the Blizzard Gang. Though, I guess you can all stay if you prove your value."

Shifting his eyes to her, Saitama clarified, "I meant you too."

Having followed his teachers' orders wordlessly, Shunshi had already been scarfing down food as fast as he could when Fubuki made her remark. Enraged, he tried to speak up but instead broke out into a coughing fit as cabbage and beef clogged his airway.

Clenching his metal fists, Genos glared at Blizard and exclaimed, "Both Master and Shunshi have made it quite clear that we want nothing to do with your syndicate! I believe it is time that I eliminate you!"

Panicked, Saitama turned to his top student and shouted, "Genos, stop! You'll break stuff!"

As all the shouting went on, everyone seemed as if they were oblivious to Shunshi's wheezing as he writhed on the floor and punched himself in his chest in a desperate act of survival.

Placing a hand on Genos' shoulder, Dr. Stench told him, "Genos, stop that. That's not like you."

"Yes, Dr. Stench," the blonde cyborg replied immediately.

Smiling at him, Stench continued, "Regardless, it's nice to see this side of you. Sitting down, enjoying a hot pot, and being able to speak openly with friends."

Looking to his surrogate father, Genos responded, "Doctor... This she-devil is no friend of mine."

Grimacing, Blizzard commented, "Well, that's rude."

"Oh...? Is this like your rough relationship with Shunshi? I mean, you and Ms. Fubuki here are co-workers after all," Stench questioned.

Shaking his head, Genos explained, "We are co-workers, yes. But that is very different. While I still find Shunshi very annoying, after recent events, I have been forced to admit to myself that I do care for him to the extent that I could consider us friends."

He's never disagreed with me so fiercely... I suppose that's good too. Shows that he's growing, Stench thought to himself.

Suddenly, another smile appeared on the old man's face as he asked, "Wait, so you've been able to truly make friends? I'm so happy to hear that, Genos. I'm sure Shunshi is relieved to hear that as well."

Unfortunately, as Genos and Stench discussed this, Shunshi had finally managed to dislodge the blockage in his windpipe. This distracted him from hearing as Genos made at least a small acknowledgment of their bond. Despite him now gasping for air on the ground, there was still no one who noticed the entire ordeal Monster Mask had just been through.

"I-I swear... I could see the light... for a minute there," Shunshi wheezed to himself.

As the blue-eyed Hero crawled off the ground, the party's conversations continued, with Genos snapping at anyone who tried to ask Saitama or Stench for anything. Before Shunshi could join back in with the talking, he heard his phone's message alert go off from inside his backpack.

Going over and getting his phone out to check it, Shunshi saw an alert from the Hero Association. Excited and worried, he quickly checked what it said before alerting anyone else of the situation.

"!ALERT! Report to A-City's Hero Association Headquarters as soon as possible, Monster Mask! This is a top-secret mission for defeating the Monster Association! Informing any other Heroes of this mission will result in your expulsion from the Hero Association.!ALERT!"

Shunshi was floored by this info, and he panicked internally, I-Uh... What!? What the Hell is this?! What do they mean 'Don't tell anyone?' I have to tell my Senseis SOMETHING!

The blue-eyed Hero then spent a few moments internally going over his options before coming to a conclusion. Okay. To be safe, I should say I'm just going out for a walk for now. I'm sure once I discuss this situation with the bigwigs, I'll be able to convince them to let me inform the others of this... I should finish eating first, though.

As he got up to go back to the table, Shunshi took notice of the fact that King was on the ground as well.

Cocking an eyebrow, Monster Mask addressed the room, "Uh, guys? Does anyone know what's wrong with Mr. King?"

Shifting his sitting position to turn around, Saitama asked, "What? Hey, King, what are you doing?" Getting up and walking over to him, Saitama continued, "Hey, dude. You can't sleep here. Hey...! Is he dead?"

"I still detect life signs from him, Master. I believe King is simply unconscious, though I could not tell you why," Genos reassured.

As Genos said this, Shunshi had made his way back to the table and shoveled down everything left in his bowl. He then grabbed his backpack and rushed to the bathroom to put on what was left of his armor before throwing on his backpack and stepping out.

Having noticed Shunshi from out of the corner of his eye throughout all this, Bang turned to ask him, "Shunshi? Where are you going at this hour?"

"Uh, I... I'm just going out to shop for some more nutritious rations for my stash. Most places are probably closed right now, so it'll take me a while to find anywhere I can do some shopping. But I should be back by tomorrow. See ya, everyone!" As soon as he said this, Shunshi hurried out the door before anyone could say another word to him, leaving a number of his friends baffled.


After quickly making his way through Saitama's neighborhood, Shunshi could see the exit for the town through the dark of the night. Once he saw the gate of the City-Z Ghost Town in sight, Shunshi got ready to leap it. However, he staggered when he saw a short, feminine figure with a small purple flame in one hand opening the gate. The lack of light in the night, combined with the distance, left Shunshi unsure of what he was looking at.

Is that a monster? Wait... He questioned to himself while tensing up. However, as the figure opened the gate, Shunshi relaxed his stance and began approaching.

"Lin? Is that you?" The Hero asked aloud as he got close enough for the faint flame to aid his vision.

Perking up, the figure lifted her hand, revealing Lin Lin's face.

"Shunshi? Oh, thank goodness. I thought I'd be searching the ghost town all night," she exclaimed in relief as she pushed her way through the gate.

Getting a better look at the state Shunshi's outfit was in, Lin Lin then questioned, "Hey, what happened to your armor?"

Making his way to the female fighter and taking her free hand into his own, Shunshi responded while gesturing to his missing faceplate, "All this? It just got smashed up by... monsters yesterday. I'm fine. What about you? I thought you'd be in the hospital longer. What are you doing here, Lin?"

Lifting her Kie-covered hand up to Shunshi's face, Lin Lin explained, "Well, you weren't kidding about Kie helping with the healing process. Also, the Hero Association's hospitals are better than any I've stayed at before. I've already made a full recovery."

"Wha-? Wow! You really did it, Lin!" Shunshi exclaimed.

For a second, though, Monster Mask looked closer at Lin Lin's flames and thought, Purple? Not white? Does the color mean anything?

Smiling smugly at him, Lin Lin asked, "What? Did you think I was lying to you about it?"

Cocking an eyebrow, Shunshi responded, "Uh, Lin... I don't think you ever told me... Wait, hold on! You haven't told me what you're doing here."

"Oh, right... Uh, well, after I got out of the hospital, I went to your parents' house first to try to find you... They told me about what happened and asked me to tell you they want to talk."

When Lin Lin said this, Shunshi grimaced but said nothing. Instead, he continued to listen as he shoved his thoughts on this matter to the back of his mind.

Recognizing that her boyfriend had no intention of speaking up, Lin Lin continued, "Alright... So, after that, I checked our training ground. You weren't there. So I came here since the Ghost Town is where we first met."

Putting a smile back on his face, Shunshi responded, "Well, I'm glad to see you're okay. But, I got a message from the Hero Association. I gotta get to A-City as soon as possible."

Just as Shunshi was about to release his grip on Lin Lin's hand, she tightened her own grip and told him, "Hold on. That's the actual reason I'm here."

Cocking his eyebrow, Shunshi inquired, "The... The Hero Association sent you to get me?"

"Huh? No, no! I came here myself! I want to come with you to fight the Monster Association."

Remembering what she'd said to him back at the Super Fight arena, Shunshi responded, "Oh, right... You said you wanted to fight them too. Uh, are you sure about it, Lin? The monsters are gonna be-."

"I know that, dummy! I'm scared out of my mind just thinking about it. But the idea of letting you fight those things without me being there with you is way more terrifying. I just can't do that. I already almost lost you once!" As Lin Lin yelled this, she reached forward and grabbed Shunshi by the rim of his cloak for emphasis, shaking him slightly.

Initially stunned, Shunshi looked into his girlfriend's gray/blue eyes and saw the raw levels of concern and devotion she was expressing to him. The way this moved the young man caused him to place his hand on her cheek without thinking. After caressing the face of his surprised significant other for a moment, Shunshi moved his hand to the back of Lin Lin's head before beginning to pull her closer.

Now moving without thinking as well, Lin Lin pulled on Shunshi's cloak to get him closer to her too.

Once their faces were within each other's reach, the two exchanged an impassioned kiss. This lasted for a solid minute, during which time the two went from grabbing one another to instead embracing each other. After this time passed, the two separated their lips but still held the other in their arms.

"So, you're really sure about this? It's life or death stuff," Shunshi asked softly.

Nodding, Lin Lin answered just as softly, "You're not leaving here without me."

The two then continued to hold each other for a few more minutes until Shunshi, regretfully, pulled back, now only holding Lin Lin's hand.

"Alright, Lin. We're off to City-A then." As soon as he said this, Shunshi walked out of the City-Z Ghost Town, hand in hand with the woman he loved.

As they walked, the female martial artist continued to use her Kie to brighten their path. However, after walking for a few minutes, a thought occurred to Lin Lin that prompted a question from her.

"Hey, by the way, Shunshi. Why haven't you also turned on your Kie to see better?"

Pausing for a moment, Monster Mask had to think hard about how he would answer this inquiry.

Eventually, though, a confident smirk formed on his face as he explained, "Haha. Well, you see, Lin. That's something we call a good idea. And I don't tend to have those."

Once Shunshi made his joke, Lin Lin couldn't help but chuckle a bit. At the same time, Shunshi ignited the hand he wasn't using to hold Lin Lin's, surprising her somewhat by just how much more fire he could produce.

Now with their path illuminated up by their intermingling white and purple Kie flames, Shunshi and Lin Lin began hurrying at a far more brisk pace towards City-A.