A world-renowned geneticist. The pioneer in the field of cloning research and technology. The creator of a new species of super beings that made the average human look pathetic. Now, in a surprising turn of events, Doctor Genus was about to obtain another prestigious title. Veterinarian.
When One Punch Man and S-Class rushed off to Genos' location, the House of Evolution expected them to return with promising materials that they would then study. Truthfully, that would happen; it'd just be much later after Metal Knight and Drive Knight had thoroughly investigated the scene. As for the present, the rest of S-Class, One Punch Man included, did bring something back. However, it most certainly WASN'T research materials.
"IT'S A PUPPY!" Mosquito Girl, still doped out of her mind, cheerfully exclaimed before flying over to the four-legged creature.
There really is no better way to say it than how Mosquito Girl just did. Sitting in front of the House of Evolution's headquarters was a massive black-furred dog. There might've been a chance to view it as a wolf or some other canine if it weren't so well composed. Despite the monstrous appearance and proportions, the six-eyed beast had the same posture as a golden retriever waiting for attention.
When the high-on-meds Mosquito Girl hugged the dog, its tail started wagging. Admittedly, the scene was very wholesome. You had a woman who couldn't stop giggling with glee as she snuggled the world's largest doggo. If these circumstances were, you know, normal, then everyone else could appreciate them.
Sadly, this situation was so far from ordinary that it would need to write letters to stay in contact. Understandably, the House of Evolution's members were unable to give any reactions. Even Doctor Genus, who was fairly accustomed to the outlandish by now, stared silently at the scenario unfolding before his eyes.
"...So..." Saitama awkwardly began as he stood beside the dog. "I...was hoping...you could do us a solid..." He said.
"..." Dr. Genus remained silent. He didn't give off an aura of anger or annoyance. Likely, even a man such as him was so overcome with shock that he was stuck processing.
"I PROMISE that we're NOT trying to get you to take this animal," Saitama assured him, hoping it'd bring some comfort. "All we're looking for is your expertise and help to identify what it is. I give you my word that you won't have to build the world's largest dog house." He clarified.
"...Then...what will become of it?..." Dr. Genus asked.
"Uh...well...that's where things get even more interesting..." Saitama answered with a nervous chuckle.
"How? Did you bring a cat, too?" Dr. Genus questioned, able to be a bit humorous.
"It's...better if I just show you..." Saitama sighed.
Everyone watched as One Punch Man positioned himself before the dog. Mosquito Girl was on its backside, meaning that she wouldn't get in the way. What proceeded surprised the House of Evolution's members a second time. S-Class was unaffected since they witnessed this already.
"Paw," Saitama stated, to which the dog offered its right front leg. "Shake," He continued, to which the dog moved its limb in time with his arm's motion. "Speak," He carried on.
"Woof." The dog purposefully kept its volume low. Whether that was done by itself or something that One Punch Man told it to do before coming here was unknown.
"Lay down," Saitama instructed, which would be his final command.
Like the orders that had come before, the dog obeyed without any hesitation or resistance. Now, lying perfectly straight on the ground, the dog maintained its focus on One Punch Man.
"How?" Dr. Genus immediately inquired. "No, seriously, HOW?!" He repeated, needing to stress the insanity on display.
"It's not a long story, and that's what's crazy about it," Saitama started while turning around to face him. "We went after Genos and learned about some strange underground stuff he saw. Then, this dog fires a giant laser beam from a hole he had made to escape. A few seconds later, the dog tried to jump out of the hole, but I bopped it on the head to keep it down there. That went on for a minute or two, only to end with the dog staying in the hole and whimpering. I felt bad for making it sad, so I jumped in to let it know we were cool. After that, the dog followed me back to the surface, and it listened to anything I told it to do." He shared.
Doctor Genus lingered on that story for a few seconds. Afterward, he slowly looked at the rest of S-Class for confirmation.
"Sorry, Doc, Saitama's telling ya the truth," Bad told him as he rested his weapon on his shoulders. "Believe us, we were just as floored as all of you are. We have NO idea what this mutt's deal is, why it was underground, and why it's now suddenly loyal to our leader. The whole thing comes across as a Saturday morning cartoon." He went on.
"If I may..." Beast King requested, holding up a hand. "If we're going with the idea that this IS a dog of some kind, then that means it likely has a pack mentality. So, if it were confronted by a creature that was superior to itself, the dog would become compliant to avoid angering what it perceives as an alpha. Seeing as how One Punch Man sent it down a hole multiple times just by hitting it on the head, there's no way it wouldn't recognize his strength." He suggested.
"I don't know. If that were true, wouldn't this thing be scared for its life?" Ground Dragon challenged, but only to explore all possibilities. "All of us can read body language like experts, and to me, this creature isn't frightened in the slightest. If anything, it's staring at One Punch Man with admiration." He noted.
"What happened in the hole? Could you tell us the specifics, One Punch Man?" Armored Gorilla requested.
"Sure," Saitama agreed, folding his arms. "Honestly, though, I don't know what you're going to learn from this. All I did was jump down, which caused the dog to cower, but then, when I proved I wouldn't hurt it, I just scratched it behind the ear until it wasn't scared anymore. When the dog's nerves were settled, and it seemed to be listening to me, I told it to follow me outside, which it did." He informed them.
"Ah. Now, it makes sense." Beast King said while snapping his fingers. "You didn't assert your authority through intimidation. Despite having the advantage, you showed the creature kindness instead of cruelty. Its fondness comes from that." He explained.
"Oh, so it's like positive reinforcement?" Saitama proposed.
"Eh, close enough," Beast King replied.
"Ahem," Dr. Genus cleared his throat, getting the attention. "So, if we're only going to examine this...thing, where will you be keeping it?" He asked.
"Ghost Town," Saitama answered nonchalantly as if that wasn't a big deal. "Since this dog likes me, I'll just keep an eye on it there. Plus, with no one around, it'll have empty streets to run through." He said, only to realize something afterward. "Oh, and it'll have the nearby woods, too. So, there won't be any concerns on whether or not it's getting enough time around nature," He added.
"..." Again, Dr. Genus slowly looked at the rest of S-Class. "And...all of you are okay with this decision?..." He questioned.
"Hey, if the pooch becomes a problem, Saitama will just smack it into the stratosphere," Bad reasoned with a shrug.
"On a more useful note, the dog could be a valuable aid to us in many ways. As an example, combat. Genos has already attested to its durability, strength, and even stealth. Furthermore, all of us witnessed the massive pillar of energy it could produce. If the dog is loyal to One Punch Man, then it would make a GREAT protector for the area." Isamu commented.
"Stealth?" Dr. Genus challenged with a raised brow.
"Yes, sir!" Genos exclaimed, opting to be the one who confirmed that. "When I was searching the underground, the dog snuck behind me without triggering any of my detection methods. Despite its size and weight, the dog is as nimble and light on its feet as Flashy Flashy." He promised.
"Be aware, we've yet to test this," Flashy Flashy quickly stated, not wanting the dog to be considered an equal until it proved itself.
"...Alright," Dr. Genus plainly responded. A part of him wanted to ask more questions, but the majority of himself knew it'd be better to just go with it. "For the safety of myself and my clones, could you stay with us as we examine the creature, One Punch Man? I worry that without your presence, it could be temperamental." He requested.
"Of course. That's the least I can do." Saitama accepted before looking at the dog again. "But you'll be a good boy regardless, right?" He inquired, accompanied by some chin scratches.
Upon receiving that gesture of affection, the dog's tail wagged with enough speed and power to stir up a whirlwind. The rest of S-Class, who were behind the canine, had to move away to escape the powerful gusts.
Nearby, In The Medical Area...
Ever since S-Class departed to find Genos, Fubuki has kept herself busy by attending to the unknown entity. She asked Doctor Genus if that would be alright, to which he gave both his approval and support. Since there was no way to determine when the mysterious being would regain consciousness, especially when it still couldn't be treated properly, having an Esper explore its mind was a great idea. However, Fubuki was sure to clarify that such a course of action wasn't her intention.
There would be no attempts to discretely or forcibly extract information from the entity. As Espers, Fubuki and her sister understood the value of privacy better than most. No one had the right to invade another person's inner self, regardless of power and status. The ONLY instances where it was permissible, at least by their moral standards, was when it was a nefarious individual who held information that was needed to prevent the loss of innocent lives.
Yet, just because Fubuki wasn't spelunking through the entity's subconscious didn't mean that nothing of value could be gained. Her true intention was to establish a mental link with it. Don't worry; that's not as complex or significant as it may sound to some. The process was as simple as it came across at face value. Two (or more) minds would connect, and depending on what is allowed by each individual, any interactions you could have in the real world would be possible in this mental space.
Additionally, there were unique things that could be done. The one that Fubuki hoped for the most was memory sharing. If she could establish a tangible connection to the entity, meaning they were able to communicate, then everyone might not have to wait for clues to be found elsewhere!
Admittedly, though, that WAS a hopeful longshot. At most, Fubuki anticipated an empathic connection to be the extent of what transpired. For those who might be confused, an empathic connection would only allow for the individuals involved to register the feelings of each other. So, if the entity were feeling sad, as she suspected, then she'd feel that sadness. Not in the sense that Fubuki would suddenly be sad as well, but it was a tad difficult to explain it more finely than that.
Anyway, Fubuki was guided to where the entity was being treated. Just like Kombu Infinity, the creature was suspended in a tube of water that contained special medicine meant for non-humans. Alas, as previously established, due to the entity's non-organic nature, this medicine barely did anything. Still, it did help keep it alive, which was all that mattered.
Once alone, Fubuki placed her hand on the tube and closed her eyes. Even if nothing came from this idea of hers, she'd give it all she had. A pettier part of her mind knew that Tatsumaki could probably get results with little effort. But now was not the time to fall into the usual unflattering comparisons that kept Fubuki up at night sometimes. All that mattered was trying to connect with the entity before her.
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The world around Fubuki vanished. From her perspective, she was standing in a fog-filled void. Mentally, she was "checked-out" from her environment. You could consider this current state as meditative.
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It was impossible to keep track of time here. If Fubuki didn't return to reality by herself, someone, likely her sister, would need to do it. Truthfully, that would be the outcome. She had no intention of leaving this state until she got results or someone did it for her.
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"...Hello?" Fubuki called out, hoping to gain the entity's attention. "If you're able to hear me, I want to tell you how sorry I am that this happened. Everything I told you on the rooftop was genuine. The person who scared you away is a moron that does NOT represent me at ALL. I really wanted to form a friendly relationship with you. If you can't believe that, I understand. Even so, I wouldn't be comfortable if you assumed I was a deceiver who wanted to hurt you. It wasn't solely about my image but the image of all heroes, including One Punch Man. We're not liars who would trick non-humans into letting their guards down so we could then harm or take advantage of them." She stated.
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"...Did...One Punch Man...meet the Deep Sea King?..."
Hearing that voice caused a surge of joy within Fubuki. Funnily enough, because of the connection, the entity absolutely noticed. But she wouldn't let that disrupt this monumental progress!
"Yes! He did. And One Punch Man thwarted the Deep Sea King's plan with the aid of non-humans!" Fubuki confirmed. She wouldn't make the entity uncomfortable by hounding them with questions right away. This interaction NEEDED to be slow and gentle.
"...Good...the bastard deserved it..." The voice replied. Within this mental space, it didn't sound as weak and exhausted as it did before. Also, it came across much clearer, allowing Fubuki to discern that the tone sounded male.
"Is the Deep Sea King involved with what happened to your people?" Fubuki guessed.
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Crap! Why did Fubuki say that?! Wasn't she supposed to be taking things slow?! That was like a head-first dive into an empty swimming pool!
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"...Yes..." The voice confirmed. Oh, thank GOD. "That bastard is the one who reached out to me and my people...he's responsible for EVERYTHING..." It revealed.
"Well, if it's comforting to know, the Deep Sea King has lost it all," Fubuki began. "Whatever stupid scheme he had to try and defeat One Punch Man and take the surface from humanity failed SPECTACULARLY. The only thing the Deep Sea King held onto was his life since he fled like a coward. All of his loyalists are currently dead, while the rest of the Seafolk have sworn their allegiance to One Punch Man and are now peacefully co-existing with humanity." She shared.
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Suddenly, from all angles, Fubuki heard a hefty howling come from the void. The sound of such joyous laughter made her smile.
"It serves him right!" The voice proclaimed amidst its chortles. "That arrogant prick has always had such lofty ambitions for the world. The Deep Sea King was OBSESSED with the superiority of the Seafolk. It never ceased to annoy me and the other kings." It said.
"Other kings?" Fubuki questioned.
"Yes, there were four of us in total," The voice started. "The Ancient King. The Sky King. The Deep Sea King. The Subterranean King. Of the four, I am the last. To my knowledge, only three of us remain. I'm not sure what became of the Ancient King. The last any of us saw or heard from him and his kind was before the Ice Age." It explained.
"Huh, good to know..." Fubuki remarked, planning to tell Saitama when she got the chance. "But let's not focus on that right now. I want to learn more about you, and I don't mean in an interrogative way. I just want to know who you are. I'm not trying to make you discuss anything sensitive or private." She told them, ensuring to be clear about her motivations.
"Thank you; I appreciate that." The voice responded. "I'm sorry for how I behaved before. You were the first friendly face I've seen in days, maybe longer. It's gotten hard for me to keep track of time recently." It apologized.
"There's no need. Honest. An idiot attacked you. Anyone would've been frightened." Fubuki assured them.
"...Was that person not one of your comrades?" The voice asked, finding her hostility toward that person to be odd.
"It's...complicated..." Fubuki sighed. "The ditz who divebombed you IS an ally, but she's got a LOT to learn..." She answered.
"Understood," The voice replied. "Returning to our conversation, what would you like to learn about me?" They inquired.
"Whatever is most comfortable for you. Again, I'm not hoping to gain anything from this interaction between us. Also, I will be happy to tell you whatever you need and want to hear to help you feel safe. I may not know what's happened to you, but it's obvious that it was an ordeal. So, I will do all I can to make your recovery as easy as possible. You only need to tell me, and I'll make it happen to the best of my ability." Fubuki said, ending with a promise.
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Unexpectedly, a new form manifested in the foggy void. It stood at thirteen feet, well above Fubuki's height. The entity's appearance resembled that of Mayan culture. Or, maybe, it was Aztec? She couldn't determine which it was.
Regardless, Fubuki was amazed and excited by this development. The entity slowly approached her, only to then bow as a gesture of politeness.
"To start, I'd like to introduce myself to you, Miss. I am the Subterranean King. It is a pleasure." The entity stated.
"I am Fubuki. Officially, my hero name is Hellish Blizzard, but there won't be any formalities between us." Fubuki responded, bowing as well. "It is an honor to meet you, your majesty." She said.
"Please, if we are to be casual, I do not want any titles or references to nobility. For your convenience, please just call me Sub for now." The Subterranean King requested.
"Very well," Fubuki agreed as they each straightened their postures. "So, Sub, where were we?" She asked with a smile, eager to get things going.