"We have the remains?" Chulz asked. The alien was seated in a high chair and ensured the ship's door was open. "We must place the remains in the main chair. I do hope I have a place to relax? My ship is only designed for one occupant, so I cannot go in once the process starts."
"We have plenty of rooms to choose," Inichi chuckled from where he stood with Fubuki next to him. He looked at her when she frowned.
"Didn't Chulz want to record how we killed a Secret Skins monster?" she asked. "How can that happen if a resurrection is taking place?"
"My ship can still record. I can work on that outside of it," Chulz nodded. "It can record many things via remote when the situation calls for it. And, as you have seen, it can even take my memories from what I've seen. We will be fine."
"Good to know. Lady Mitsumi did want to see how the body would be set in, so she kindly asks for us to wait a bit for her. As for something to do now...ah! Tacki is busy setting up a new place in her blacksmith shop for silk refining. She wanted to help Naito with his silkworm production.
"We should set up a small spot on the dojo's third floor for this lucrative fabric. Possibly set up a mulberry plot with Tangled Vine's guidance, too. Hmm. Maybe we can also set up a building to store fragile things, come to think of it," Inichi mused. Fubuki chuckled at the idea.
"I'm sure we can find a spot near the dojo and away from the heat of that blacksmith forge. Let's go look," Fubuki agreed. They joined up with Genos to start going over areas around the new dojo and made note of some choice spots for a storage building. Then Inichi paused at a thought that raced through his mind. His red eyes with black cat pupils went wide, and he sent out a family call for alarm to show an emergency situation.
"We need to go to the restaurant! Now!" Inichi said when he ran over from the dojo's area. Fubuki and Genos were with him to show their complete concern.
"What?!" Zenchu asked with alarm.
"We're about to be under attack! I just told Lady Mitsumi and Mr. Saitama! Hurry!" Inichi grimaced. "We'll have to work with Miss Honda's body when we return. This is too important!"
"It is fine. I shall be with my ship," Chulz nodded. Now that they were quickly heading to the restaurant, Mitsumi was fuming in her penthouse suite with Saitama. They had dressed in civilian clothes with shirts and shorts, but all of her fans were on the alert. Even the pets moved with them to the specialized elevator, and Cold Snap had Fumio and Tareo stay in their room for now. Black Sperm refused to leave them and did have clones ready to help around the restaurant on standby for emergency need.
"Mom, it's a guy that thinks all monsters have to die. No matter what they do," Cold Snap frowned. "He's defeated a lot of lesser monsters, but nothing compared to us. Inichi is also getting Sweet Mask. He just finished up with the coroner's building, too. Ah! Tsuruga!"
"What?!" Mitsumi gasped. Saitama narrowed his eyes and rushed the small group into the restaurant from the hotel hallway. His eyes saw a scene with mild destruction to show an attack was clearly done by a man with brute force. A table was smashed down, various dishes were shattered and another table with a chair set was overturned with mild damage so far. The civilians there were shouting at the unknown man to stop, but he was completely focused on his task. Saitama saw how the serving staff was hiding behind various things when Inichi warned them all to take cover.
"Hah! I got you now!" the man in a dark purplish-black, elaborate owl costume said to the bull monster. Tsuruga was growling from where he knelt on the ground from a punishing kick to his gut. Tanktop Girl was kept behind him protectively to keep her safe. Even Orotsu had to withdraw for safety to keep from being seen to only show Anno working with Takeda. Tsuruga was clearly bearing the brunt of the attack to protect them and the restaurant guests. "I'll rescue everyone here from your tyranny, monster!"
"STOP!" Mitsumi shouted and let her voice reverberate through the room. A set of Blue Ripple's fans, Cold Snap's fans and Tangled Vine's fans now barred the way between the man and Tsuruga. "How dare you!"
"What...?!" the man asked with confusion on looking over.
"You idiot! He is FAMILY!" she screeched with protective rage. "This is Neutral Grounds! A restaurant owned by myself, Saitama and partnered with the Hero Association! Tsuruga is part of the Heroic Monster Association and registered as an ally! I'm going to shred you alive!"
"Mitsumi. No. I'll handle it," Saitama said calmly.
"But...my brother...!" she whimpered.
"I got this. Pets, protect her. Everyone else, please remain calm," Saitama said to the small crowd of outraged guests. He pressed a kiss to Mitsumi's temple and rubbed her belly. "Five minutes. Bring her to me if it goes past that. Of course, that's if I have to walk away from her."
"Should we...change...?" Stable Rock asked.
"Not yet," Saitama chuckled. Then he turned his neutral stare to the odd man to watch him cringe with a form of complete terror. "Who are you? Why did you attack my restaurant?"
"Please. Answer him," Zenchu growled out from where he barred the exit with the others.
"Tsuruga?" Tanktop Girl whispered and helped him stand.
"I'll be well...after I gore him open!" Tsuruga started to seethe with rage. A Wind Crane fan set darted over to reveal the flower image in front of him. Now he focused on it and calmed down. "I shall request to kick the fool after he slaps him. If that is fine?"
"We'll see if that happens," Saitama nodded. Then he glared at the man again. "This was supposed to be a solid day off for me and my wife. We are S class heroes in the Hero Association. I'm rank 3. She's rank 4. And we are Wind Crane Clan leaders. Yes, the clan is being revitalized. All of these fans are alive. They're ready to rip you apart."
"The Hero Association has become weak and stupid! Why would I join them?!" the man growled.
"I never said for you to join them. I'm telling you that I am a hero with my wife. That you are attacking a place that is well known by other heroes. You don't like to pay much attention, do you?" Saitama asked in a blank way. Mitsumi kept her gaze locked on the intruding man at all times. Then he mused and said, "Then again, I don't pay much attention to anything unless it's my wife..."
"I would hope so," she smiled and got squeezed.
"And you call yourself 'Owl Man'. Interesting concept," Inichi muttered. Fubuki stood behind him, and Tatsumaki was hovering behind Rendor.
"I'm gonna pretzel him!" Tatsumaki hissed.
"Not yet," Rendor grunted. "Just stay behind me."
"I'm going to eradicate every monster in here!" Owl Man gloated.
"Eh...no...?" Saitama said with a blank, neutral stare. "A lot of them are my pets. And GOD monsters. You'll be smashed flat."
"You will not hurt my snuggling pets!" Mitsumi colored up. Overgrown Rover whined and pressed into her legs. Scritch cocked its head at the man and sniffed with a bit of confusion. The other pets snickered at the empty threat. Now the man was puzzled at why there weren't attacking anyone. That made him blink that what he was told might be true, but his pride kicked in to do whatever it took no matter the cost.
"Excuse me," Blue Ripple huffed when he trotted in from the door. He moved right up to Mitsumi to get an affectionate snuggle. "We looked at that yacht. We'll talk about it later."
"Okay," Mitsumi nodded. "Such a good scaled kitty!"
"No! They're monsters! Evil! Vile!" the man started and paused at the giggle Mitsumi gave out. Tangled Vine was on her shoulders and nuzzling into her affectionately with a heavy purr. Bright Bolt grew larger to let her sit on his back. Then he whinnied at the butt scratching she gave him with appreciation.
"To you, sure. They're bad. But to us? They are my pets. And they are her pets. And they help everyone. You see this, and you still can't believe it. Anyways, you can go now before I change my mind," Saitama said.
"Master Saitama!" Genos said when he strode in to stand behind him. "I told Kamiko to stay home. What do you need me to do?!"
"Do nothing," Saitama warned. "Keep the people here safe."
"Of course!" Genos nodded. Metal Knight was already set with the safety measures if it came down to it. Siren was also ready with the commands for the robots in the front of the main room to help defend the innocents there.
"Why don't they attack you?!" Owl Man asked.
"Eh...because I'm stupid strong. I can bend solid steel like cardboard," Saitama seemed to shrug with indifference.
"You can't be that strong! I'll fight you right now!" Owl Man scowled.
"Okay. Take the first shot," Saitama nodded at him. "I insist."
"Really?" Mitsumi sighed.
"Why not? I probably can't feel anything he does," Saitama shrugged at her. He turned to comfort her and blinked when a foot came out to tag him in the back of the head. All it did was lightly shake him up, and then he turned to look at Owl Man. "Oh. Did you hit me? Huh. I didn't feel it. Can you do that harder? I mean...seriously. I felt nothing. Just like I thought."
"What...?!" the man gaped. "I've done in many monsters with that kick!"
"Them, sure. Me? Nope. Try again," Saitama nodded. He moved in front of Mitsumi now and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm not even dressed in my hero costume. Glad I'm not. I don't want it damaged. Good thing I'm not wearing a hat, too. Tacki would get mad if any clothing got damaged. I don't like seeing her pissed. Oh. You broke one of our tables. Yeah. She'll be pissed."
"Glad we showed up. And, eh, yeah...she's pissed..." Kamikaze growled and kept Tacki next to him. She was already fuming that she'd have to clean up the restaurant and repair a table or two. Zenchu was hiding his face from laughing outright at how pathetic the intruding man was.
"Dad?" Cold Snap frowned.
"Just stay with your mom," Saitama said. When Owl Man swung a punch at his face, he didn't even blink. Then the man shrieked with pain at how it felt like he struck a cement wall. Saitama just got shoved a couple feet back into Mitsumi's form with a sliding motion. She looked at him with a raised brow and he said, "Nope. Didn't feel that, either. I think it's my turn now? Pretty sure it is..."
"That...just...how?!" the man freaked out. Zenchu was all but dying with laughter. Garou was being shown everything mentally and was in tears with Lily in their apartment room. King and Kianna were also mentally informed of what happened. Everyone pitied the man and they were highly curious on what was going to happen next. Mitsumi looked at Inichi to have a cleared path to the door leading outside. When Owl Man stood up, he gaped at the red haze of power that resonated from Saitama's form.
"Yeah. My turn," Saitama said and narrowed his eyes. He was suddenly behind the offending man and slapping him straight out of the restaurant. The man was flung out of the opened doors and slammed into the wall of the building across the street. Sweet Mask had just arrived to witness it, and he found himself swallowing. Inichi gave him the entire encounter to get the A class hero sighing with complete pity and disbelief.
"Looks like we need to chat..." Sweet Mask started. Then he watched Owl Man pull himself out of the building and fly at Saitama with a punch ready to go. The scream of intense pain given next was done when the bald hero grabbed the man's fist and squeezed it.
"Do you give up?" Saitama asked calmly. Inichi raised a brow that the intruder appeared to be healing while moving. He has some intense healing properties. That is most curious. It may be why he was able to defeat a few lesser monsters, but the ones here? He may be slowed down, but he cannot touch them. Sweet Mask should see about speaking with him.
"How?! How are you this strong?!" the man wailed. He was on his knees and flailing about to get the monsters laughing even harder.
"I dunno. I just am. And I use my strength to protect others. Not outright hurt. And be glad you're dealing with me and not my pets. Now get out of here before I change my mind about that," Saitama said and flung him across the street again. The man wasn't done, though, and leapt over again. Then he smacked himself into a wall of solid stone and slid down it with stunned shock.
"I had to..." Stable Rock snickered after the wall crumbled down.
"Okay. That's funny," Saitama grinned and supported Mitsumi's intensely laughing frame. Cold Snap got nodded at, and he focused for the man's boots to get encased in solid blocks of ice. It was purposely done in a mild way just to irritate the man to no end.
"What the...?!" Owl Man blinked and tried to free his feet of the ice blocks.
"Sorry I'm late," Fire Flight growled when she landed in her true form. She let Shenjou out of her claws and turned to snuggle into Mitsumi with a smaller form. "Should I assist? Or do you have it from here?"
"I think he's done," Saitama shrugged. Cold Snap watched Owl Man free his feet and lunge again. Then he backpedaled at the wall of flame that greeted him. Saitama blinked and said, "Huh. Not done yet? Okay."
Fire Flight flicked a white, forked tongue and surrounded the man with the horrific flames. When they started to encroach in, Mitsumi reached over to gently pet along her scales. Then she whispered, "I know. You've done enough. Please draw back? For me?"
"I supposed..." Fire Flight sighed and pulled the flames away in full. The man was gasping that he was nearly roasted alive.
"That was our pet that did that. She's a GOD monster of fire. My wife asked her to let you live. Be grateful that she decided to spare you," Saitama said and tilted his bald head.
"If he's not done, I'll take him on," Zenchu grinned and moved in front of the restaurant entrance. He flicked his tail and readied himself.
"Please don't," Sweet Mask said when his security team arrived.
"Fine. Get rid of him," Zenchu nodded. He turned and was quick to use his claws to swipe at a sudden attack. His claws ripped through clothing, armor and the sword-like weapon that was nearly used on him. Mitsumi was outraged once again. Owl Man was now shaking completely at the fact that he nearly died and had everything he used and owned sliced to pieces like soft butter.
"That was stupid," Zenchu hissed out. "I have a GOD monster of shadow living within me. If it wasn't for my vow to not kill humans, I would have ripped you to shreds. I should have my fans finish the job."
"Hmm..." Bright Bolt grunted and now put a layer of intense static cling over the rest of Owl Man's clothing.
"What the hell?!" the man hissed and winced at the punishing zaps now. His owl-like helmet was almost falling off his head, and he struggled to keep it on to hide his face.
"You are seriously one of the most reckless men I've ever seen," Mitsumi said when she approached him. Saitama had a hand pressed to her belly to keep their son calm. Owl Man looked up and paused in shock at the sight of all of the elemental fans splitting into their sets of three counterparts. Then the crescents filled the sky into a solid wall of blades, spikes and needle-sharp teeth. He swallowed when they all turned to aim the deadly weapons at him.
"Ah...!" Sweet Mask found himself in complete awe.
"I'm pretty sure you'd be done if I sent all of my fans down on you all at once," Mitsumi said with a stern gaze. "So, was this your plan? Charge into an area blindly only knowing that 'monsters' are there without studying the location? Ignoring in full that said 'monsters' were no longer vile and were actually helpful? Free of their killing instincts? Not even checking to see how strong these 'monsters' are?"
"Well..." Owl Man grumbled.
"It may have worked on truly vile monsters that attacked without reason. But the ones here know what they did. They regret what they've done. I freed them of their need to attack without reason. Many of them were changed by trickery! You would have killed innocents without even realizing it. And the ones here would have easily killed you to defend the innocents residing here.
"Tsuruga, the one you attacked, was defending the restaurant in full. He was luring you to him to keep the people inside safe from you. To me, you are the monster. You were the attacker. Tsuruga was the defender. You are in the wrong," Mitsumi said defiantly.
"What?!" Owl Man said with a form of rage.
"You come here wearing a costume like a hero would, but you are clearly no hero. You brazenly destroyed property with no regrets. You are no better than a common vagrant. And so you know, not only am I Fan Dancer to the Hero Association, but I am Mitsumi Takashi. The sole heiress to my family's vast fortune. You trespassed on my property with your attitude. I have every right to sue you with every lawyer out there to leave you with nothing," she growled.
"Eh...I wouldn't go that far," Saitama said. She gave him a heavy frown, and he smiled warmly to show that everything was going to be fine.
"Let me speak to this one," Stable Rock said when he walked over in his human form. Several people that hadn't seen him yet gasped with awe, and he smiled with a wave at them. Then he turned his glowing amber eyes to Owl Man and said, "I was the one that brought up the rock to keep you from attacking a bit ago. Do you still feel a need to attack?"
"You...smacked me with the rock...?!" Owl Man growled. Then he hissed at a sting of static with irritation. Bright Bolt snickered, but he remained silent.
"Yes. But answer my question," the earth monster said.
"Why? Why should I answer a monster?" Owl Man grunted.
"Because this monster is over five thousand years old and ready to confine you into a mountain to protect others from you," Stable Rock said evenly. The man actually gave a nervous tremble. "You are used to attacking newly formed monsters. Not ones as ancient as the ones that are here before you. Your pride and daring has overshadowed your sense of reason. That's a flaw that I can easily exploit. As can any other monster that has lived for centuries."
"He's right," Blue Ripple smirked and snuggled into Mitsumi. "We are experienced around ones like you. It's how we lived for so long. We know our limits and our weaknesses. Of course, we can still learn new things. And yet we prefer to stick to ourselves. At least, that was until we met Mitsumi. I'm her pet. I chose to do this, and I have no regrets."
"Yep. And I'm the only one that can break what they throw at me. So, they're my pets, too," Saitama nodded. "I can break down their armor. They can break down their own armor, but not each other's armor. I find that kinda weird, but they would rather be on the side I'm on."
"Exactly," Stable Rock chuckled. "Once again, we know our limits. We know it is best to join forces with one that can easily take us down."
"It would be a definite battle, but it would hurt Mitsumi. So, eh, I'm curious on how far I'd get, but I'd rather not," Saitama said.
"Actually, you may want to," Mitsumi said softly. Now Stable Rock looked at her with surprise. "If there is a GOD monster out there with various elements, then Saitama may need to know how to get past all of them."
"Ah! I get it!" Bright Bolt nickered. "Make a training ground for him to move through to give him a good idea on what to do!"
"I can actually understand that," Stable Rock grinned.
"And put me at the other end to show the time limit," Mitsumi said with a small wince. Now Saitama looked at her with a blank stare.
"No. I can't risk that," Saitama said.
"Do you think we'd really keep her away from you for five minutes?" Tangled Vine wheezed out. "It would also test how fast you would reach her. Think of it as your own testing chamber."
"Hmm..." Saitama frowned at the thought. "Not today. We're busy tomorrow, but maybe we can squeeze it in. If not tomorrow, then next day."
"We will plan for it," Stable Rock nodded. He let Mitsumi give him a sisterly hug before looking at Owl Man again. "So, I will ask a final time. Do you still want to attack me?"
"You said there was another one of you that was evil?" Owl Man asked.
"Don't!" Stable Rock growled. "That one will change you into a minion! And you may give away that we here are also trying to figure out our own method to get rid of it! If you want to help take it down, then you need to look at facts. And, as you are not an ally of the Hero Association, those facts are to be withheld from one like you."
"Ah...hmm..." Owl Man paused at this.
"Looks like you are finally realizing your faults," Inichi mused. "You do have intense potential to get ranked in as an A class hero. Even low S class depending on what you can prove. If you vow to leave this place alone, I would like Sweet Mask to speak with you. Along with the Hero Association board. As much as you say the association is weak, well...it possibly was. But that was before Lady Mitsumi and Mr. Saitama joined it."
"You were also mainly focused on the B and C class heroes. You did not pay attention to the A and S class," Blue Ripple smirked.
"Don't put him in S class," Kamikaze grunted. "Not until he proves he has the mindset of a true hero."
"I can see why that is suggested. I'll accept that," Sweet Mask nodded.
"I'd put him in B class and work up to A class," Fubuki said.
"Don't allow him in your faction," Inichi said cautiously. She blinked and nodded at that in full agreement.
"Okay. If things are done here, then I do have to go back to the apartment to check on Chulz. Then we'll be back here," Saitama said.
"Ah! For...ah, yes. Of course," Inichi started and blinked at Saitama's small glare to keep quiet. Owl Man frowned, but he found himself looking at Stable Rock. The humanoid earth monster was watching the human calmly.
"I guess...I won't hurt this place. For now," Owl Man said.
"You won't hurt it forever," Mitsumi said and signaled to her fans. Before Saitama could stop her, she had two hundred various crescents swirl around Owl Man and pull away after ten seconds. Now all of his clothes were shredded, his mask was in pieces on the ground, and he was covering his face with his hands with complete terror to hide his facial identity. "You have officially pissed me off. I'll apologize to you only after you fully see the error of your ways. As much as Neutral Grounds is allied with the Hero Association, I will not allow you to step fifty feet near my residence."
"Why did you do that?" Saitama asked her.
"Saitama, he attacked Tsuruga. He damaged our restaurant. He threatened guests. If I didn't give this warning, how would it make us look?" she asked and gestured to the people looking out from the restaurant windows. Saitama blinked at this and he found himself nodding.
"Okay. I get it now. Fine. But, eh...next time...let me slap him again. He looks like he heals fast like Zenchu. He should be around just to let me slap him all the time," Saitama mused. Zenchu coughed out laughter while others winced at this. Overgrown Rover grumbled and trotted over to Owl Man to study him. Then it trotted back to Saitama to leave the man swearing at the stench that clung to him.
"Such a good puppy!" Mitsumi beamed and scooped it up to cuddle it. Bright Bolt snorted and planned to keep the static cling around the man for an hour. Saitama watched the man finally get escorted away. Then he looked at Cold Snap to nod that it was time for Honda to start getting brought back to life. His son nodded back, but he helped fix the restaurant up first. Tacki was growling to herself the whole time and repairing any furniture that got damaged.
"Okay. That's the last of it," Tacki sighed.
"Good. Let's go," Saitama said. I want to see how this works. Or how it starts. Maybe we can set up a way to watch how it happens? I can ask. It never hurts to ask!