"Why are you here?" Tornado suddenly raised her voice, then widened her eyes and exclaimed, "And your hand?!"
Fubuki immediately let go of Kaito's arm as if she had been electrocuted, subconsciously taking half a step back.
In front of her sister, the elegant, confident, and imposing "Big Sister" of the Fubuki Group instantly became a helpless little girl.
"I... I..."
Fubuki's voice was as thin as a mosquito's hum, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her skirt.
Just as the atmosphere grew tense, Kaito stepped forward half a step, placing himself between the two sisters.
"It was I who specifically invited Miss Fubuki to attend as my companion. After all, it is my honor to be accompanied by the sister of the S-Class Rank 2 hero."
His words not only gave Fubuki a graceful way out but also subtly credited Tornado.
Sure enough, Tornado's small face immediately relaxed, the corners of her mouth curling into a proud little smile.
"Moreover," Kaito continued, meeting Tornado's gaze with sincerity, "at the Cloud Restaurant last time, Miss Tornado's demeanor and strength left a deep impression on me. It's a pleasant surprise to see you again today."
The flattery clearly pleased her. Tornado deliberately raised her chin, a smug look on her face. "Hmph! At least you have some taste!"
Chiba Reina quickly stepped forward to smooth things over. "Lady Tornado, the party's about to begin. Shall we go in first?"
Her graceful figure swayed with each step, drawing lingering glances from several male guests nearby.
Tornado caught on to the cue and gave a dismissive snort. She floated over to Kaito's left side and, without warning, linked her arm through his.
"Since that's the case, I'll come along too!"
Kaito instantly found himself in a dilemma—on his left was the petite, adorable Tornado; on his right, the sexy, charming Fubuki. Two beauties of entirely different styles, both holding onto him, creating a scene others could only envy.
"Lord King is truly popular~" Chiba Reina followed behind, covering her mouth with a soft chuckle.
At that moment, a man in a crisp suit approached through the crowd.
Kaito recognized him instantly from the mechanical prosthetic eye on the right side of his face—Sai Jin, Special Operations Group Officer. One of the rare high-ranking officials in the Hero Association untainted by corruption.
"Mr. King," Sai Jin bowed slightly, his voice low. "Can I speak with you for a moment? It's about the attitude of the Association's high-ranking officials toward you."
He stopped there, his eyes flicking warily toward Kaito's three female companions.
Tornado's expression instantly darkened.
"Hey!" She floated forward, her emerald-green eyes narrowing dangerously. "Is there anything I can't hear?"
A bead of cold sweat formed on Sai Jin's temple. Everyone in the Association dreaded dealing with this little powerhouse—unable to fight her, unable to scold her, all they could do was appease her.
"Mr. Sai Jin must have his reasons for wanting to speak privately," Kaito said smoothly, stepping in to diffuse the tension. "However, Miss Tornado is one of us, so it doesn't matter if she knows."
That line made Tornado visibly glow with pride. She raised her chin, gave a soft snort, and—using her psychokinesis—wrapped Fubuki and Chiba Reina, carrying them toward the dessert area.
"Come on! Let's eat cake! I don't care about these boring things!"
Kaito couldn't help a small chuckle. The tsundere little Tornado was as easy to coax as ever.
He turned back to Sai Jin. "You can speak now, right?"
Sai Jin nodded, leading Kaito to an unoccupied corner. His prosthetic eye projected a holographic image—
A high-level Association meeting. The screen showed multiple executives verbally attacking Kaito.
"Mr. King," Sai Jin said solemnly after closing the projection, "at this party, those high-ranking officials might take the opportunity to make things difficult for you, maybe even try to limit some of your rights."
He hesitated, then added, "However, Chairman Xi Qi and I will stand by you. We won't let their schemes succeed."
Kaito's lips curved into an indifferent smile, a flicker of disdain in his eyes. "They're just clowns. Nothing to worry about."
If this had been King from the original story—powerless and surviving only on reputation—he might have been rattled by the Association's hostility.
But the current Kaito was different. Not only did he possess strength comparable to a Demon-Level monster, he had forged strong ties with Tornado, the S-Class Rank 2 hero, and Bang, the S-Class Rank 3 hero. Most importantly, he had Saitama—an existence beyond all reason—as his ally.
The Hero Association? Merely a convenient platform. If they made him unhappy, he could simply walk away and form his own organization.
He patted Sai Jin's shoulder. "I appreciate your concern, but these trivial matters aren't worth my time."
After bidding Sai Jin farewell, Kaito was about to rejoin Tornado and the others when he spotted Saitama, Genos, Bang, and Charanko entering together.
For once, the Caped Baldy wasn't wearing his iconic yellow suit. Instead, he sported a somewhat ill-fitting black suit. But paired with his rugged face, it had its own kind of charm.
"Yo! King!" Saitama waved from across the room. "This place is really fancy! Where's the buffet?"
Genos respectfully bowed.
"Mr. King, your attire today is very appropriate."
Bang stroked his beard and smiled warmly.
"My young friend King, this old man brought some homemade sake. How about we taste it together later?"
Kaito smiled and went to greet them. Being among these true powerhouses—that was his real foundation in this world.
As for those scheming figures in the Association? They were nothing more than fleeting clouds.
Kaito called Tornado, Fubuki, and Chiba Reina over, forming a table with Saitama and the others. He completely ignored the Association's task of mingling with business magnates.
Everyone raised their glasses and chatted, the atmosphere lively and relaxed.
"Lord King, try this~" Fubuki picked up a piece of translucent sea bream sashimi, dipped it into a special sauce, and held it up to Kaito's lips.
She had carefully applied a shimmering hydrating lip gloss tonight, the light catching on her lips in a subtle, alluring way.
Tornado noticed and immediately felt a twinge of jealousy. Without hesitation, she used her psychokinesis to float a piece of fatty tuna straight into Kaito's mouth.
"This one's even better!"
"Hey! Sister! You'll make Lord King choke!" Fubuki shot Tornado a glare.
Tornado only gave a soft, dismissive snort. Fubuki's momentum faltered instantly.
Meanwhile, Saitama was happily devouring Wagyu beef, cheeks puffed out like a hamster.
"Mmm… mmm… This buffet is awesome!"
Genos diligently placed more grilled Wagyu beef onto his teacher's plate.
Bang sipped his sake with an easy smile, while Charanko sat stiffly in the corner, looking utterly overwhelmed by the lavish surroundings.
Just as everyone was enjoying themselves, Kaito suddenly felt a shadow fall across him.
He looked up to see a middle-aged man in a dark blue ronin outfit, chewing on a wooden stick as he looked down.
Two ancient katanas rested at the man's waist, the sharp aura around him unmistakable.
"Atomic Samurai?" Kaito recognized the S-Class Rank 4 hero immediately.
"King, I knew you'd be here." Atomic Samurai stepped aside, revealing three swordsmen behind him, each wearing a different style of clothing.
"I specifically brought my disciples to see the world."
Juhe'an, Okama Itachi, and Bushidrill bowed in unison, their movements crisp and precise. The katanas at their waists gleamed under the lights.
Saitama swallowed his food and greeted them cheerfully.
"Uncle, want to eat something together? The buffet's all-you-can-eat, you know."
He even pushed over a plate of freshly grilled steak.
"Un… Uncle?!" A vein popped on Atomic Samurai's forehead, and with a sharp crack, the wooden stick in his mouth snapped.
"I'm only thirty-seven!"
Saitama blinked.
"Isn't thirty-seven an uncle?"
"You—!"
Kaito stepped in before things escalated.
"What do you want from me?"
Atomic Samurai took a deep breath, placing a fresh wooden stick between his teeth.
"I request a duel."
His gaze turned razor-sharp.
"Only by crossing blades with strong opponents can I hone my swordsmanship."
The atmosphere instantly grew tense.
Tornado floated to Kaito's side, hands on her hips.
"Hey! If you're looking for a fight, fight me!"
Atomic Samurai let out a bitter smile and shook his head.
"Miss Tornado is joking."
Of course he didn't want to face the esper who could casually level cities.
Kaito quickly assessed the situation. With his current strength, he wasn't confident he could match Atomic Samurai just yet.
An idea sparked, and he gestured toward Bang.
"This is a martial arts master. Why not spar with him instead? That would sharpen your swordsmanship even more."
"The old man should rest." Atomic Samurai's eyes flickered.
He had once challenged Bang, three years ago when the Hero Association was founded—and had been utterly thrashed.
Bang merely smiled and continued sipping his sake without a word.
Seeing that Atomic Samurai was set on challenging him, Kaito could only decline politely.
"A party isn't the right place for a martial arts match. How about we arrange it another day?"
Inwardly, Kaito thought: Give me a little more time. With the system, I'll surpass you soon enough. Then it'll be the perfect time to fight.
"No need for such trouble." Atomic Samurai suddenly produced a red apple from inside his robe.
"Just cut this with my sword."
He unfastened one of the katanas from his waist and held it out with one hand.
"By watching the way you cut the apple, I can judge your martial arts realm."
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