However, standing at the center of the illusion vortex, Saitama's expression never changed from beginning to end. He scratched his shiny head, staring at the constantly shifting scenes, his eyes filled with…
…boredom?
"Genos isn't that easy to break."
"King would never be a supermarket manager."
"Sitch is annoying, but he wouldn't just fire people for no reason."
"And most importantly…" Saitama looked at the discounted beef that had turned to ash again and clicked his tongue. "…I bought discounted beef yesterday. There's still some in the fridge. This illusion is so fake."
His will was like an ancient, unshakable rock. These illusions, trying to dig up his "weakness," looked clumsy and laughable in front of a mind that was simple and pure to the extreme. He didn't even produce the slightest emotional ripple.
"Hey, are you done playing?" Saitama shouted at the ever-changing illusion space. "I'm in a hurry to grab the crystal."
The moment he said that, the entire illusion realm trembled violently! Countless mirror-like cracks spread across it! The vivid ruins, monsters, supermarket, Hero Association headquarters… all froze in place—then shattered with a loud crash!
The darkness receded like a tide. Saitama's vision cleared, and he found himself still standing before the stone pedestal. His right hand had already slipped easily through the now-thinning, translucent black shield and firmly grasped the Heart of Pure Light, which radiated a warm white glow.
The shield melted away in silence, like snow under sunlight.
The instant the Heart of Pure Light settled into his grip, a gentle yet vast stream of pure energy flowed up his arm into his body, driving away the relic's ever-present chill and dark miasma. It left him feeling warm all over—comfortable, like holding a glowing hand-warmer. The crystal's light spread outward from him, sweeping the Echoing Hall clean of lingering darkness.
"It worked!" Kmaal the Guardian cried out in excitement. Staring at the radiant crystal in Saitama's hand, his eyes brimmed with hope.
Doctor Strange also let out a breath and looked at Saitama with open admiration. "That is… an astonishing level of willpower." He knew how terrifying a mental illusion like that could be—if it were him, he'd need magic and unwavering faith to withstand it.
"Oh. It was fine." Saitama weighed the crystal in his hand. "So where to next?"
"The sealing core! It's at the very bottom of the relic, where the ley lines converge!" Kmaal pointed toward a spiral staircase at the back of the hall, descending downward and reeking of an even denser dark aura. "The Dark Corrosion power has already sensed the Heart of Pure Light. It will counterattack like mad! We have to race the clock!"
The three didn't waste another second. With Kmaal leading, Saitama moved up front with the Heart of Pure Light in hand—its pure radiance cutting through the darkness like a blade—while Doctor Strange guarded the rear, staying alert to every direction.
The staircase down was long and steep. Along both walls, black runes flickered as if breathing, radiating intense malice. The deeper they went, the thicker the air became, the colder the temperature dropped, and the clearer—and more frequent—the howls in the darkness grew.
Sure enough, before long, the counterattack began!
It wasn't shadow demons or Corroders anymore, but even more twisted, shapeless conglomerates of dark energy! Like a surging black tide, they poured out from below the stairs, from cracks in the walls, and even from the darkness overhead!
(End of Chapter)
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