"ALL HAIL THE SUBTERRANEAN QUEEN!"

"ALL HAIL THE SUBTERRANEAN QUEEN!"

"ALL HAIL THE SUBTERRANEAN QUEEN!"

The recipient of these cheers, if you somehow couldn't tell, was the Subterranean Queen. She was a thirteen-foot-tall non-human entity who presented the flawless image of a Goddess. Her beautifully smooth stone-like body was covered in carefully woven clothing that gave her a priestess aesthetic. Interestingly, the attire wasn't made with any normal material. Using techniques only known by the Subterranean race, these articles were crafted from ground crystals, giving them a shimmering appearance that elevated the deity image.

As for the rest of the Subterranean Queen's visage, she was athleticism incarnate. Her body was sculpted (literally) to be as optimal for combat as possible. If compared to a more traditionally fleshy creature, the Subterranean Queen would have musculature that was equal to, if not greater than, an Olympic-level athlete, be they man or woman. This physical prowess added to her intimidating presence, making her a force to be reckoned with. Of course, it wasn't sports that her expertly carved physique was intended for, even though she'd effortlessly be the MVP if she ever engaged with them.

The Subterranean Queen sought to conquer the world for herself and her people. For far too long, the Subterraneans had been denied their birthright! They were obviously the original dominant species of this world! It was time that everyone else knew that, starting with the other non-human races who dared to defy her!

Beneath the Subterranean Queen's posterior was a pile of her former adversaries. The Deep Sea, Sky, and Ancient Queens served as a comfortable throne. Their armies were scattered about, having lost the great battle for the planet. Now, with the Subterraneans standing tall and proud, they chanted in celebration and reverence for their Queen. Alongside them, the surface dwellers known as humanity participated, knowing that their era had come to its end.

"Yes! Cheer for me, my kingdom! No, my empire!" The Subterranean Queen encouraged the masses, throwing up all of her four arms. "Recognize my superiority! Know that I am the only one destined to rule over everything! There shall never be anyone who comes close to my greatness!" She exclaimed as her body glowed brighter.

The neon blue energy within the Subterranean Queen surged from her excitement. It was a special substance unique to her kind. As her body brightened, so too did her people. The area was soon bathed in a blinding deep blue as the Subterraneans carried on.

"ALL HAIL THE SUBTERRANEAN QUEEN!"

"ALL HAIL THE SUBTERRANEAN QUEEN!"

"ALL HAIL THE SUBTERRANEAN QUEEN!"

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"Mmm...yes..." The Subterranean Queen muttered in her sleep as her head dangled forward. "I...am...your Goddess..." She continued, lost in her dream.

Snapping back to reality, the Subterranean Queen was restrained. Multiple poles and signs that weren't being used for anything had been removed from the ground and wrapped around her body. The self-proclaimed "Goddess" was like a big non-human burrito with an all-metal tortilla. The culinary genius behind this serving was a scarily silent bald man.

Saitama wasn't a thief. Even though he lived in the abandoned Ghost Town district of City Z, he NEVER attempted to loot any of the buildings in the area. However, desperate times call for desperate measures. Saitama searched for ANYTHING that could suitably conceal his naked form. Eventually, he found an option, but it wasn't ideal.

Not too far from the apartment building, which was now a big black stain on the ground, there was an abandoned fast-food restaurant. Inside, far in the back, there was a never-used outfit. The likeliest explanation for what had happened is that the fast-food chain, like so many other businesses and franchises, attempted to set up shop in Ghost Town due to the real estate prices being so damn cheap. Unfortunately, the high frequency of monster attacks quickly chased them off, which meant no one bothered to retrieve the stuff that was left behind.

Thus, here we are. In the middle of the street, you had a slumbering Subterranean Queen who was wrapped in makeshift metal bindings. Sitting on the sidewalk next to her was an anthropomorphic dog with floppy ears that was wearing a classic chef's attire. Together, this odd couple of characters would wait for Boros and the others to get back. If the Subterranean Queen started waking up, she'd receive a swift slap to her temple from the dog to keep her unconscious.


Meanwhile, At The Hero Association HQ...


Beneath the Hero Association's central command were multiple facilities dedicated to the imprisonment and research of monsters. Despite how dangerous such a thing may sound, please be mindful that the truly dangerous creatures were ALWAYS killed on sight. That isn't to imply that heroes were bloodthirsty battlers or anything else within that wheelhouse. It was an unavoidable outcome when the "victims" were relentless savages who wouldn't stop their rampages until they were deceased.

Because of that, the non-human prisoners that were kept underground, while still dangerous, were not such a grave liability that the risk outweighed the reward. Plus, as a bonus, many A-Class heroes worked regular shifts in this section of HQ because the pay was VERY good. So, if any of these fiends tried to stir up trouble, they'd be put in their place before the first attack was issued.

Yet, there was a recent batch of arrivals that made everyone feel uneasy. It was a group known as the "House of Evolution". The leader was a human being named Genus, while the rest were his non-human creations. Each one was an animal hybrid, except for a cyborg gorilla.

Individually, most of the group unsettled the Association staff. But, like with most groups, there was one member that stood above the rest. His name was Carnage Kabuto. He was a MASSIVE half-beetle half-man lifeform. Without doing ANYTHING, you could tell this thing was capable of horrifying destruction.

...So, if that's true, then why was Carnage Kabuto unresponsive? He could walk and be guided to places, but beyond that, he wasn't mentally present. Carnage Kabuto stared into nothingness as his eyes never blinked. Within the sizable cell that the House of Evolution shared, he sat with his back against the farthest wall and was motionless.

To those who were uninformed, this behavior was a mystery. To the House of Evolution, this behavior made perfect sense. All of them witnessed it. Furthermore, a specific sound was embedded into their minds, and it would NEVER leave.

BAM

It was so hard to describe. The noise simultaneously did and didn't resemble an explosion. It was almost as if the air surrounding the point of contact had imploded or something. Such an outlandish explanation still made far more sense than the actual truth. The source of that accursed sound was...a punch.

One man. A single human being. Carnage Kabuto flew at him in the combat training room with everything he had, and that guy killed him like it was nothing. There were no flinches. There wasn't any fear or hesitation. Like shooting a rubber band off the tip of your thumb, that man's fist flew forward at a blinding speed. With it, the House of Evolution existed no more.

Everyone sat in silence. Mosquito Girl's face was buried in her knees. Beast King and Kamakyuri were next to each other, trying their best to recall the deaths they experienced at the hands of that monster, only to be left with blanks. The mole, the frog, and the slug were among the few who were still functional on a mental level, but they didn't feel like saying or doing anything. The cyborg gorilla sat beside his creator, who aimed his gaze at the floor. Carnage Kabuto, as stated, looked at the entrance to the cell with not a thought in his head. As for Genus's clones, they were being kept in a different cell.

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"...Why...am I...alive?..." Carnage Kabuto whispered, speaking to himself.

"Because I revived you. It was my only demand," Genus replied, having heard the mutterance due to the silence in the room.

"...Why?..." Carnage Kabuto repeated, now looking at his maker. "I...was supposed...to be the strongest...but...I'm not..." He said.

"Yes, I know." Genus responded, lightly gripping his sleeves due to frustration.

"...It...has to be a trick..." Carnage Kabuto began. "Yeah...that's it...a trick...that's all it was...a dirty, lousy trick..." He continued.

"..." Genus became quiet again, not wanting to indulge that insanity. The man felt despair right now, but he wouldn't ignore the truth.

...

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...

Suddenly, Carnage Kabuto rose from the floor. That got everyone, except for Mosquito Girl, to look at him.

"H-Hey! What're you doing?" The mole asked.

"I'm gonna find him..." Carnage Kabuto answered, but not in a direct way. He was still speaking to himself, possibly not perceiving anyone else. "That bastard...he won't do it again...I know there's a trick now..." He went on.

"Uh, dude, you need to calm down," The frog advised.

"Where is he?..." Carnage Kabuto questioned, slowly advancing. "Where is that asshole?..." He pressed.

"You're going to get us in trouble! Stop!" The slug ordered.

"WHERE IS HE?!" Carnage Kabuto unexpectedly erupted into a shout. Most of the group flinched, whereas Mosquito Girl tightened her curl. "SHOW ME THAT SON OF A BITCH! I'LL KILL HIM! I'LL MAKE HIM REGRET TRICKING ME!" He roared.

"Doctor!" The cyborg gorilla exclaimed, looking at his creator. "You need to stop this! Please!" He begged.

"How?" Genus casually inquired, looking at his creation. "Just because that man killed him in one punch doesn't mean-"

Before Genus could finish his sentence, Carnage Kabuto grabbed him. Then, Genus was lifted into the air as Carnage Kabuto squeezed.

"SHUT UP!" Carnage Kabuto barked, looking into the eyes of his maker. "THIS IS YOUR FAULT! YOU'RE TOO STUPID! I SHOULD'VE BEEN LEADING THE HOUSE OF EVOLUTION! IF I WAS, THEN THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED!" He yelled.

"..." Genus silently looked at his captor with an apathetic expression.

"WHAT'S WRONG?! YOU DON'T WANT TO ADMIT THAT I'M RIGHT?!" Carnage Kabuto asked, shaking Genus in his grasp. "YOU WERE A LOUSY LEADER! YOU CLAIM YOU'RE A GENIUS, AND YET YOU GOT TRICKED BY THAT PIECE OF SHIT! AFTER I FIND HIM AND MAKE HIM PAY, I'LL BE SURE TO PUT YOU IN YOUR-"

thwick

Carnage Kabuto felt something puncture his neck. It was incredibly small and thin. He tried to move his eyes downward to discover what it was, but by then, his mind stopped working. Carnage Kabuto collapsed to the floor, fully comatose.

"Impressive!" Genos exclaimed in amazement. He was standing outside the cell with several others. During Carnage Kabuto's beratement of his creator, the cell's door had opened, which was only noticed when the young cyborg spoke.

"Eh, not really," Groribas said with a shrug. "That's legitimately my weakest paralysis toxin. I intended to make the guy relax, not pass out. But I guess his so-called super genes aren't that great." He explained.

"Huh, I guess we should expect no less from someone who earned the status of an elite from Lady Boros," Busho commented, sticking his hands into his pockets.

"Aww, thank you. That's very kind." Groribas replied, lightly snapping the mouths on his arms as a sign of appreciation.

Afterward, the new arrivals entered the cell. At the front of them was Kuseno, who approached Genus.

"Are you alright?" Kuseno inquired, looking down at the geneticist.

"..." Genus didn't feel like having a conversation.

Surprisingly, Kuseno lowered himself so that both men would be at each other's eye level. He didn't want to bruise Genus' ego any more than it already had been.

"I'm not here to offer a deal. I'm not trying to get any information from you. I'm here to ask you for your assistance in proving to the Association's executives that Saitama's strength is genuine. If you refuse, then we will leave. It is also not my intention to humiliate or bother you." Kuseno stated.

"..." Genus looked off to the side, his eyes becoming a glare. "Why are you doing this? Why would you even waste your time?" He questioned.

"Because I know the kind of man that you are," Kuseno started. "Yes, you allowed yourself to travel an unsavory path to achieve your goals. However, that doesn't invalidate your accomplishments or what you can give to the world. It also doesn't discredit you or your research. No matter what, you are still Doctor Genus, the greatest mind in the field of genetic science that the world has ever known. Although we're only meeting properly now, I have always respected your dedication to your passions and what your breakthroughs have done for humanity. Maybe you think that there's no coming back from what has happened, but I know from experience that such a mindset is never true. Just look at Genos, the young man behind me. His life was ruined as swiftly as yours. Yet, instead of wallowing in despair, he's risen from the ashes and works every day to be something greater. You can do the same, Genus, and I'll gladly help if you let me." He told him.

When he finished speaking, Kuseno extended a hand. Genus, who still averted his gaze, seemed set in his decision to remain where he was. But then, a sigh was heard. Following that, the men's eyes finally met.

"It'd be wise to keep Carnage Kabuto subdued for now. He's always been psychotic, but his recent death has only worsened that." Genus said while accepting Kuseno's hand.

"Oh, don't worry!" Groribas interjected as both men stood. "That beetle guy isn't moving for a week at minimum. By then, all of you will be on the ship." He said.

Upon hearing that, the room fell silent. Everyone's eyes, including Mosquito Girl's, locked onto the bipedal plant.

"...Oh..." Groribas whispered. "I...revealed that too soon..." He realized.

"Yes, you did." "Good job, Groribas." "Our lady is going to be displeased." "It was meant to be a surprise." "This is bad." All five of Melzargard's heads responded. The collective consciousness of this lifeform had to restrain itself from growing enough arms so that each face could smack itself.