Chapter 26

Five days went by.

Rook was with his little siblings, and yet, they appeared defeated. "You five don't look happy." He said in a very matter of fact way. "And am I safe to assume, everyone has had a turn?"

They nodded with defeat. "He was all over the place…" said Saitama.

"He was there one moment, gone the next…" said his sister who looked like Suguru.

Rook nodded to their stories, no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't keep track of dad all day. "Now knowing this… do you still blame mom for what happened?" he asked. "This was a battle she had constantly with dad. He refused to listen and saw it more like a game. Until mom roared at him…"

There were looks exchanged; yet they still have yet to believe their mother wasn't at fault with what happened. Saitama in particular. "Mom is an adult, she has it easier than we do!" he protested.

"Kid, not even I can keep up with dad." He confessed. "No matter how much I train, I can't keep my eyes on him all the time. Mom felt the same way as she found dad would purposely elude her since he knew she knew he was eating crap."

Despite his best attempt, they refused to see mom in a better light. Rook however wasn't going to give up on the notion either. Mom deserves vindication!

"Okay, let's put this to bed for now, how about we do something else then huh?"

They appeared curious. "Like what?" asked his sister with the white streaks in her hair.

"Wanna go hunting with me?"

They froze. The sibs were no more than five-year-old looking children, however, Rook has seen them play and rough house with each other. Despite how small and young they appear, they can hold their own rather well. Saitama appeared to be thinking about it, the others weren't so sure.

"How about you watch me hunt?" he asked. "You haven't been yet, so perhaps it would be best if we…"

"You are not taking them hunting."

Rook paused as he turned and saw Mochi lingering near by. Hoshi was beside her and smirked. "Noble aspect, but they are too young and they would be sitting ducks." He explained to Rook. "You need someone to watch out for them as you hunt… I happen to be free at this point…"

"Hoshi?" Rook asked in confusion. "Look man, thanks, but at the same time… why are you still hanging out with Mochi? We don't go to school anymore."

He shrugged his shoulders to it all. It was true, ever since the school incident, he didn't have to pretend to be with Mochi anymore. And yet… he always finds his sister with him… are they really dating now?!

Rook paused for a moment. "Mind if I talk to sis real quick for a moment?"

"Sure, do your siblings mind me?" Hoshi asked as he peered at the five.

Saitama was the first to inspect him, looking him over and taking a few sniffs here and there before he nodded approval. "We don't mind him…" Saitama said.

He nodded and excused himself with Mochi. They got some distance away before he looked to her oddly. "Okay, what's the story here?" he asked of her.

She was confused. "What are you talking about?"

"The whole thing for you and Hoshi being a couple was so the assholes at school left you alone. No one was going to fight him, that's why you two had that arrangement right? So… what's the story now?"

She paused to this. "Are you upset that we are still hanging out together?" she asked with her arms crossed. "I don't NEED your permission to see him."

Rook… suddenly smirked. "Geeze, ease up sis, I just wanted to be sure that's what I was seeing before jumping the gun." He laughed. "Hoshi is a decent guy, he's helped me train and has looked after you… I can only be grateful for him."

Mochi sighed aloud. "Then cut the shit with this secrecy talk, you know he can hear you from here, right?" she snapped back.

"Yeah, and I can hear him too. He's talking to the siblings about you."

Her face turned red. They rushed back as Hoshi had the five on his lap. They were merely sitting there, but Rook had her going in thinking he was talking about her in secret.

"Well, I do need to hunt. Oji isn't here and I am getting hankering for meat. But I am not looking for orc this time around… I want something more… chewy"

Hoshi smirked. "Well, if that's the case. Mom did tell me about this odd gang that has tried to weasel their way into the Japanese mainland… apparently the gang of orcs that held down the place suddenly vanished…" he said offhandedly.

"Okay, my bad!" Rook protested.

Hoshi however snickered. "Actually, this had nothing to do with you. Something else beat you to it." He explained.

Rook, suddenly got curious. He knows orcs well, and a gathering of them would be like a plague of special grade curses according to Oji. "Don't underestimate pigs" were his words. "Especially those who know how to survive and do so well."

Naturally, he wanted more details. "So, what's moving in? Or trying to?" he asked curiously.

His eyes turned wicked like his father's. "Ever heard of an ophiotaurus?"