The City Z recovery effort was in full swing. Very shortly after Sweet Mask's arrival, more Association helicopters came with additional staff and supplies. Any employees who had taken shelter alongside the first wave of civilians also returned with the S-Class heroes escorting them.
All of the S-Class heroes remained at the apartments rather than go to more shelters. The reason for that is because the Association staff took over the task. It was believed that having all of S-Class together would do a lot to put the people's minds at ease and raise morale. If nothing else, it allowed people to take pictures, get autographs, and speak with their favorite heroes in that class.
When the Association staff headed out to retrieve the second wave of civilians, that's when Doctor Genus, his clones, Mosquito Girl, and Kombu Infinity got there. As for the House of Evolution's members, the air surrounding them was uncertain but not hostile or fearful. A big contributing factor to their lack of uneasiness was how most of them had helped the S-Class heroes get everyone to safety. Also, the continued nonchalance toward the group as its members, Genus and clones included, began to assist the civilians supported the truth that they were allies.
Yet, there was one exception. Well, two. Mosquito Girl and Kombu Infinity were swiftly distracted when they were informed about what happened to Zombieman. By now, he was back to factory standard, but King insisted that he still take a small break. Just because Zombieman was unkillable didn't mean that he didn't feel pain. If you can believe it, having half your body obliterated in an instant isn't exactly fun.
"THAT BASTARD!" Mosquito Girl shouted, eyes filled with fury. Fortunately, these three were in Zombieman's apartment, so there was no risk of any children hearing such exclamations. "I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS! HOW COULD HE DO THAT?! WHY IS HE ALLOWED TO?!" She carried on. As she ranted, Zombieman smoked a cigarette, and Kombu Infinity watched in silence. "I SHOULD GO FIND THAT JERK AND DRAIN HIM DRY! PRUNE HIS ASS!" She declared.
"Prune his ass?..." Zombieman questioned, cigarette lazily dangling from the side of his mouth.
"I think she means that he'd be shriveled like a prune," Kombu Infinity suggested.
"YES!" Mosquito Girl confirmed.
"Huh, that would be funny..." Zombieman admitted, only to sigh afterward. "Sadly, Sweet Mask is on our side. He's also got a fanbase as ravenous as One Punch Man's. If he were found looking like jerky, then it'd cause problems." He said.
"Oh, so that blue-haired pretty boy gets to KILL you, and he doesn't face ANY punishment?!" Mosquito Girl challenged.
"The word kill can't really be used in relation to me..." Zombieman muttered, taking his cigarette out to blow a puff away from the group. "Regarding punishment, One Punch Man will handle it when he gets back." He told her.
"But that's not good enough!" Mosquito Girl exclaimed defiantly. "He should be dealt with now! And it needs to be something horrible! He cares about his image, right? We can humiliate Sweet Mask or something!" She proposed.
A brief pause occurred as Zombieman studied the angered woman standing before him.
"...You're really pissed, huh?" Zombieman asked. That question wasn't rhetorical or sarcastic. He hoped his curiosity would be heard clearly.
"Of course I am!" Mosquito Girl answered before pointing at him. "Even if you're not the most enthusiastic about it, we're a team right now! If someone hurts your teammate, especially when they're your leader, you can't take that lying down!" She explained.
"Is that how you feel?" Zombieman inquired, now looking at the Seafolk in their company.
"Well, I know what it's like when someone doesn't care about your well-being at all. Sure, Sweet Mask knew you'd heal from what he did, but that doesn't make it any less extreme. I think he's an ass for doing that. So, if we did try to get back at him, I'd be for it." Kombu Infinity replied.
Unfortunately, Zombieman's preferred stoicism was unable to keep him from smiling at that moment. Seeing and hearing that these two had his back to this degree was nice. Of course, he didn't want either of them to notice.
"Hmm..." Zombieman hummed as he tilted his head back to look at the ceiling. Simultaneously, he breathed in more of his cigarette. "You know, we ARE investigators. The worst thing that could happen to an idol is if some dirt was thrown onto that sparkly persona he obsesses over..." He mentioned.
"Oh...my...god..." Mosquito Girl whispered. Slowly, a massive grin overtook her face. "Zombieman, you're a genius!" She praised, earning a dry chuckle.
"Nah. There's too many of those around me to claim I'm the same," Zombieman remarked before getting to his feet. "Anyway, we should save this kind of talk for later. I appreciate King giving me a break, but we need to get out there and help." He said.
"Right!" Both non-humans responded in unison, raring to get downstairs.
Meanwhile, Outside...
Bunji was fearsome. After all, he was the mighty Beast King! His muscles could shatter the Earth. His claws could slice through the sturdiest of metals. All-in-all, Bunji was a primal force of nature that few could hope to fight against.
...So...how was it that this imposing being found himself sitting on the ground as children surrounded him? Each child looked on in amazement, and those who were closest couldn't help but poke or even pet the lion man. It all started with one brave little girl who walked up to Bunji and asked if he was a kitty. Having absolutely no experience with children at all, he said yes and thought that'd be the end of it.
But, as revealed, that was NOT the end. One question became another, and eventually, they became requests. More children drew near as the seemingly ferocious lion was acting friendly. Seconds became minutes, and thus, Bunji was overwhelmed by the youngsters. He might've asked his comrades for assistance, but they weren't exempt from such treatment either.
Next on the petting zoo is Genjiro. To be fair, he only had himself to blame. It was per his request that he receive very few alterations, which included a small adjustment in height. Genjiro was the closest to a child's size. That made him a target with zero chance of escape. He COULD have chosen to hide underground, but that could've upset the children, so he reluctantly accepted his fate.
Atomu received a slightly different outcome. The children saw him as cool and awesome. Gorillas were already impressive creatures due to their natural musculature. So, if you combine that with advanced technology, the mere SUGGESTION of a cyborg gorilla was enough to ignite the neurons of children. Getting to see a REAL cyborg gorilla was the fulfillment of a wish none of these kids even knew they had.
Slugerous was the most nervous, given his very unusual appearance. But much like Atomu, the children were drawn to him for a unique set of reasons. The beautiful coloration of his body and spines were mesmerizing. The displays of his ESP left the kids awestruck. Then, when Slugerous spoke to them with telepathy, it threw them for a loop! In the eyes of the youthful crowd, Slugerous was an alien from outer space! Although that was incorrect, he was still relieved and appreciative of the reception.
Kamakyuri, Carnage Kabuto, and Fujiro were the ugly ducklings. At least, that's how they felt. None of the kids seemed to acknowledge them at all. There was never any sense of jealousy or something of the like among the House of Evolution's members. Yet, being left out of the swarm of children was a sharp arrow through the soul that invited such feelings.
Luckily, those three were kept busy. Carnage Kabuto's strength was a great help with moving equipment and other heavy things. Fujiro acted as Flashy Flash's right-hand man, which meant there was a lot to do since Genjiro was lost to the mob. Kamakyuri had been given an assignment by Silver Fang to fetch Charanko, knowing that he might already be on his way.
That brings us to Doctor Genus and his clones. Once everyone managed to get over the fact that they were all the same man, the army of brilliant geneticists became an unrivaled medical force. Neither Child Emperor nor the Association workers needed to do a thing. So long as these men were given the tools and supplies required for their aid, which they were, then there was nothing they couldn't treat.
Regarding S-Class, they were doing what suited them best. The strongest of the lot helped with getting everything ready. Those who were the easiest to approach handled the bulk of civilian interactions. The smartest ones focused on damage assessment throughout the City Z area and providing machines that could be useful.
Interestingly, even in S-Class, there was an odd one out. Genos didn't seem to be helping at all. He wasn't moving equipment around, interacting with civilians, or doing anything related to the machines' work. For whatever reason, the blonde-haired cyborg was out of everyone's way while fixated on a personal communication device that was provided to high-ranked heroes. Eventually, this behavior was noticed and confronted.
"Hey!" That was the voice of Captain Mizuki. She and Mumen Rider were still here and pitching in where they could. But since one of them was B-Class and the other C-Class, they didn't get as much attention from everybody as the others.
Upon hearing that call, Genos looked up from his device. Doing so allowed him to see the Olympic athlete jogging over. As for Mumen Rider, he was busy handing out bottled water and other such amenities to the people.
"Is something wrong?" Genos asked when she was closer to him.
"Yeah! You!" Mizuki answered before putting her hands on her hips. "What's up? Why're you not pitching in?" She inquired.
"...Oh," Genos plainly reacted after giving it some thought. "Apologies. There seems to be a misunderstanding. I'm busy communicating with several different people about the situation." He informed her.
"Really?" Mizuki questioned, now moving to stand beside him so she could view the screen.
"Metal Knight and Child Emperor need to prioritize the ruined city. The Association is overwhelmed with communicating with itself, media outlets, and anyone or anything else of significance. Although I was recently announced as sensei's newest disciple, my presence as a hero is still unestablished. As such, I wouldn't be that useful in keeping everyone distracted from the distress this tragedy has caused. For tasks such as physical labor, while my weight threshold is impressive, it does not compare to those who dedicate themselves to perfecting their physiques. All of this culminates in me being able to contribute but ultimately not providing much, as my strengths are not unique enough from what we already have. So, King thought that it would be a good idea if I acted as a coordinator and messenger to those who are not here yet. Watchdog Man is still en route, and the Blizzard Group was not among the first wave of arrivals, meaning they're still in shelters with more civilians. I've also contacted Doctor Kuseno, and he has decided to come here to help as well." Genos explained, showing her the astonishing amount of messages he's managed to amass so far.
"Wow! That's incredible! I get overwhelmed when two or more people try to talk to me at once. But you're handling all these conversations like it's no big deal!" Mizuki exclaimed before patting him on the back. "Sorry for what I said. You're doing just as much as the rest." She apologized.
"Thank you, but that's unnecessary. I can understand how you would think I was slacking." Genos assured her. "Is that all?" He asked.
"Hmm..." Mizuki hummed. "Are you talking to anyone else? Like, more heroes or something." She answered.
"Yes, I am. I received permission from the others to contact certain individuals. Atomic Samurai's students. Tanktop Master's army. Additional support from high-ranked A-Class heroes." Genos listed, returning his focus to the device's screen. "However, as I've been taking care of all that, I was met with a surprise." He shared.
"Oh? What is it?" Mizuki inquired.
"I received a notification that someone in the S-Class chat room had sent a message. Since most of us are here, I assumed it would be Blast, the hero who is always absent. Yet, the messages I've received in response do not give that impression. To be blunt, I'm not sure how I'd describe them." Genos explained.
"Huh. Well, how about you show me? Maybe I can help." Mizuki suggested.
Having no issues with that, Genos showed her the chat room. All of the recent messages that hadn't been from him came from a user by the name of...
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...
...
"Boy Toy Collector..." Mizuki read slowly. As she did, a sickening shiver went through her body.
"Suspicious, right?" Genos said.
"Absolutely." Mizuki agreed, now checking out the messages. "Even how these replies are written is weird..." She noted.
For convenience's sake, only the messages from Boy Toy Collector shall be shown:
"HELLO! EVERYONE! ARE YOU THERE? PLEASE! SOMEONE SAY SOMETHING! I WAS IN THE YARD DOING MY SQUATS WHEN MY BEAUTIFUL BOYFRIEND RUSHED OVER AND TOLD ME WHAT HAD HAPPENED!"
"Oh! Genos, right? The newest face in S-Class AND the second disciple of our glorious leader. Please, you need to tell me everything you know! I can't stand being in the dark any longer!"
"Who am I? Wait...did...the others not tell you about me? Surely not! I know they can be cruel sometimes, but Saitama must've said something! We have a special bond!"
"Know him personally? Sweetie, Saitama's my pen pal! That man has the kindest soul in the WORLD! Even though I've been gone for a while, he still hasn't forgotten me! Saitama's the greatest man I've ever known! If only he'd let me help him with his looks..."
"Oh! Sorry. I didn't mean to ramble, dear. Anywho, I am an S-Class hero. If you don't believe me, you can check with the rest. I've been absent due to some misunderstandings with law enforcement. As sad as it is to share, my passionate love is just too much for the general populace."
"Thank you. I appreciate the trust, Genos. I promise that when I see you, I'll be sure to get a good measurement of your torso so I can give you a PERFECT sweater. My boyfriend has been teaching me how to knit, and I'm making wonderful progress~"
After that message, Genos replied with a polite decline and a fully detailed debriefing on what had transpired earlier. So far, there's been no sign of Boy Toy Collector reacting to the information. It was sent fifteen minutes ago. Sure, there was a lot to read, especially since it came from Genos, but this mysterious S-Class hero should be done by now.
"I'm surprised you didn't go to King," Mizuki confessed.
"Child Emperor created this chat room. The only way someone outside of S-Class could have access to it is if they managed to breach all of his security checks and digital defenses. The likelihood of that is so low that it would be a waste of time to humor the possibility. So, whoever Boy Toy Collector is, they must be an actual S-Class hero." Genos reasoned.
"I mean, that does make sense," Mizuki acknowledged, now holding her chin. "But still, I've only ever heard of Blast being the mysterious hero of S-Class. Either Boy Toy Collector is SUPER secret, or they haven't been around that much. I don't keep up to date with the hero registry as frequently as Satoru, so I'm probably just blanking on their identity." She told him.
Before this conversation could continue, the duo heard a noise in the distance. Everyone else also heard this sound, causing all heads to turn in the same direction. There, on the horizon, was a legion of vehicles. Cars, trucks, vans, etc.
However, there was no cause for alarm. These were not opportunistic media vultures hoping for immediate coverage and interviews. As the vehicles got closer, the outfits of those riding in or on these vehicles were noticed. It was a vast variety of attires that could easily be described as costumes.
Eventually, after a minute and a half, the full scope of these individuals was realized. A-Class, B-Class, and C-Class. This wasn't just a handful of heroes from each ranking. Most, if not all, of the heroes in the Association had arrived.
"Hey!" Watchdog Man, who was sitting on top of a van in the front, called out to his peers. Swiftly, the S-Class heroes who were present hurried over.
"What hell is all this?!" Fittingly, Baddo was the first one to react to this insane display.
"I was running here when I ran into everyone else," Watchdog Man revealed, looking around at the swarm of automobiles. "When news got out that City Z had been destroyed, every hero dropped what they were doing and rushed to get here." He explained.
"Seriously? That's crazy!" Superalloy exclaimed, expressing everyone's feelings about that.
"Yeah, I thought so, too." Watchdog Man admitted as the heroes started exiting the vehicles. "But I could tell there was no point in arguing against it. These guys were beyond determined." He said.
A moment of silence occurred as all of the heroes presented themselves. Each person was steadfast in their resolve. Even if they were ordered to leave, these people would dig their heels in and fight for their right to remain.
"Excuse me!" King called out. Since he was the temporary leader, he felt compelled to take control. "Could one of you please explain what's going on?" He requested.
"It's simple, boss man," Needle Star, a Class-B hero, was the quickest to react. "All of us were minding our business when suddenly, our phones, radios, computers, and TVs started going nuts. Everyone everywhere was losing their minds that City Z got wiped off the face of the Earth. When each of us confirmed that was true, we hauled ass to come this way to help." He stated.
"But what about your cities? They could be attacked, too." King proposed.
"While that is true, we couldn't ignore something so unprecedented!" Spring Mustachio, an A-Class hero, was the next to speak. "City Z is One Punch Man's home! Furthermore, it has become the base of operations for all of S-Class! Any hero worth their merit would come here to offer support and help the civilians!" He exclaimed, accompanied by several nods and verbal agreements.
"While that is appreciated, it's not smart for ALL of us to be-"
"Please, sir!" Mohican, a C-Class hero, couldn't help but interrupt. "We know S-Class can handle this, but we need to be here! We're heroes! If we're not supposed to show up when something of this magnitude happens, then when do we?" He challenged.
All of the heroes looked at King with intensity and anticipation. Under normal circumstances, the man's body would turn to gelatin. But with everything that's happened and how important it was to serve his role, the man reached DEEP in himself to be courageous.
"Alright!" King shouted with his arms behind his back, hoping to be seen as authoritative. "If you want to help, then that's what you'll do. But there will be NO time for breaks. City Z has been reduced to nothing. If you're going to leave your cities without any heroes for now, then you're going to make it count! I expect everything you have and then extra! No complaints! No backing out! If you were willing to come all the way here, then you're going to stay until we're done!" He declared.
"Yes, sir!" A resounding cry of acceptance filled the air. Watchdog Man wasn't wrong. Like the public, these men and women were inspired by One Punch Man. Even though they didn't know this tragedy was an attack yet, they still felt affected by it despite having not been involved. Together, as one, they were going to fix this unfortunate day before One Punch Man returned! They were going to make him proud!
Meanwhile, In The Middle Of The Ocean...
Saitama was yawning. He hadn't considered the activity of sunbathing before, but he was glad he gave it a go. The warmth, combined with the gentle sea breeze, was divine. After an unexpected delay caused by the mutated Deep Sea King, the vacation was finally underway.
Saitama was dressed in a pair of swimming trunks, one of a few, and a floral patterned shirt that was unbuttoned. He didn't know if he'd swim today or not, but regardless, swimming trunks were comfy. Sure, this was a pretty standard way to relax on a remote island, but so what? Just because it was a tried and true option didn't make it any less enjoyable.
However, there was another important factor at play. Per Tatsumaki's insistence, Saitama was going to ignore the world to the best of his ability for the next two weeks. Very little TV or radio usage. These fourteen days existed in a separate dimension. The vacation reality.
Another yawn escaped Saitama's mouth. Man, it'd been a while since a midday nap was possible. The muscles were loose. The bones were resting. The mind was...slowly...slipping...away...
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FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH
A loud noise filled the air. Saitama, startled by the sound, frantically looked in all directions. What the hell was that?!
"SAITAMA!"
...A...voice? It could barely be heard over that noise. Yet, it provided Saitama with a direction. Cautiously, he turned to look to the left and-
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There...was something...approaching the island...it was...a few miles off...it...looked like a man...who was...swimming so fast...he was parting the ocean...like a human-shaped torpedo.
"SAITAMA! I'M COMING!" A masculine voice was heard."DON'T WORRY, DARLING! YOU DON'T NEED TO CRY ALONE! MY ARMS ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO HOLD YOU AND YOUR SORROW!" The voice carried on.
Saitama could only stare in silence. He'd seen and been through a lot in his life. Heck, his transformation into One Punch Man was meant to be the wildest thing ever to happen. But somehow, the universe managed to one-up it. A big, burly, hairy man was jetting toward the island. What's worse is that Saitama recognized him.