"Crack… Sizzle…"
Genos, looking unsteady, emerged from the massive hole he had punched through the rock wall. Sparks sputtered from his joints, and the energy core in his chest flickered erratically—clear proof he had been through a brutal fight.
His one remaining arm was clamped tightly around a severed cockroach antenna, which twitched faintly at the tip.
"Teacher! Mr. King!" Genos's voice carried self-reproach. "I've failed you… That cockroach monster—it escaped in the end."
At that moment, Saitama was idly kicking a pebble along the tunnel floor. Hearing Genos, he turned, scratching his gleaming bald head, and replied casually:
"Oh, it ran away? That's fine, Genos. As long as you're in one piece."
His eyes drifted to the damage—Genos's missing right arm, dents and scorch marks scattered across his armor. "Though, uh, you do look kinda wrecked."
Genos lowered his head. First, he looked at his battered frame. Then his gaze shifted to the headless corpse at Saitama's feet, and the unrecognizable remains of the Insect God lying near Kaito. A flicker of shame burned in his mechanical eyes.
"No… Teacher, Mr. King! This was my failure! As your disciple, I couldn't complete the mission. I let the target escape—this is unacceptable!"
"Genos, don't be so hard on yourself."
Kaito stepped forward with the calm assurance of a veteran and placed a hand on Genos's shoulder.
"Cockroaches are slippery by nature. They don't fight to the death like the idiots we just crushed. Its escape isn't about your combat ability—it's just what cockroaches do. Isn't that right, Saitama?"
Saitama nodded sharply, his face suddenly sour.
"Exactly! I had one in my kitchen the other day. Stole my food! I even had my slipper ready, but the thing still got away! It pissed me off! Cockroaches are the worst."
Hearing both his teacher and King's reassurance, the heavy burden in Genos's heart eased. Determination rekindled in his golden pupils as he clenched his left fist.
"Teacher! Mr. King! I understand! Next time, I swear—I won't let any monster escape from me again!"
Kaito, seeing Genos all fired up like a model disciple, suddenly felt a mischievous urge.
"Genos, let me teach you a battle declaration. It'll boost your fighting spirit:
'Hate evil as a foe, only kill, never spare—evil purged wherever I go!'"
Genos froze as though struck by lightning. His golden eyes blazed brighter than ever.
He practically ripped out his notebook, clamping a grease pen in his teeth, and began scribbling furiously.
"…Concise! Efficient! Overflowing with willpower! It cuts to the core essence of heroism! Strips away hesitation, mercy, weakness! Mr. King, these sixteen words are profound! The supreme principle for annihilation efficiency! I must integrate them into my combat code immediately!"
Kaito stared at Genos's earnest, borderline worshipful expression. The corner of his mouth twitched.
Heh. So this is what Saitama feels like when Genos starts taking notes on his every word. Guess this counts as my version of "King's teachings."
Meanwhile, Saitama had wandered to the rim of the massive crater left when he punched Pochy away. He squatted down, cupped his hand over his eyes, and peered into the pitch-black depths, his bald head gleaming faintly.
"Whoa… that dog flew deep. Can't see a thing down there… Hey, King, Genos, should we keep going? Feels like something fun might be waiting below."
Kaito joined him at the edge. A damp, cold draft surged upward, carrying the stench of malice. Deep within his chest, the Emperor Engine rumbled uneasily.
"Of course we're going down. Judging by the situation, this might be the monsters' nest itself. Perfect opportunity to wipe them out at the source. Saves us the trouble of chasing them around topside."
His thoughts darkened, a grin tugging at the edge of his mouth.
Sykes… little brat. Big brother brought along the bald demon king just for you… heh heh heh…
But before he could take another step—
"Beep beep beep!"
Both his and Genos's communicators lit up at once, flashing urgently.
Issued only to S-Class heroes, these were reserved for crises beyond the reach of normal heroes.
Kaito pulled his out. A scarlet warning filled the screen:
[Emergency Aid! Demon-level disaster in City C! An aquatic monster calling itself "Deep Sea King" is attacking! Multiple A-Class heroes critically injured! Civilians trapped in central shelter! Immediate S-Class support required!]
Below the emergency message were several grainy but powerful satellite images.
A colossal, humanoid monster—muscular, covered in slimy scales and jagged dorsal fins—strode onto City C's shattered docks. Each step sent waves crashing, its wild aura radiating outward.
In the corners of the images, fallen A-Class heroes like Stinger and Lightning Max lay scattered, while terrified crowds fled in chaos.
Saitama leaned closer to the communicator, scratching his bald head.
"Deep Sea King? …Sounds like some kind of seafood market mascot."
Kaito exhaled in resignation and slipped his communicator back into his coat.
"Guess our little underground adventure ends here."
Genos immediately straightened, his golden eyes fierce despite his battered frame.
"Teacher, Mr. King—please allow me to accompany you! Even with one arm missing, I can still fight!"
Kaito nodded, his gaze lingering on the vast, bottomless pit below. A flicker of regret passed through his eyes.
Looks like dragging Sykes out of her hole will have to wait.
With that, the three launched upward—Genos flying point, Saitama and Kaito on either side—as they sped toward the surface.
Far below, hidden in the depths of the monster's cavern, a secret research facility thrummed with energy.
On a leather sofa reclined Sykes. Her long legs crossed lazily, blue hair cascading like a waterfall across her shoulders. Gold-rimmed glasses gleamed as they caught the cold glow of a surveillance feed.
Her white research suit clung tightly to her curves, rising and falling with her slow breath. She swirled a glass of red wine, the liquid mirroring her anticipation.
"Heh… King," she whispered with a smirk. "Let's see how you handle this."
On the monitor, Pochy's massive frame barreled toward the trio. A dangerous smile curved her lips—she was already picturing King's panicked retreat from the dog monster's heat blasts.
But then—
"Sit."
Just that single, plain word.
The wine glass slipped from her fingers and shattered against the floor. Crimson splashed across her pale thigh and chest, trickling down her cleavage unnoticed.
Her entire body froze.
"This… this is impossible!"
Sykes shot upright, glasses sliding crookedly down her nose as she stared at the screen.
Her ample chest heaved violently, disbelief written across her face as she watched—
The bald man's fist slamming Pochy into the ground with effortless finality.