Garou spun around. "Huh—"
There were no trajectories to be calculated, no weak points to be discovered, no counters to be made. Only an overwhelming force colliding with his gut causing his vision to darken.
Bile and blood sprayed out of his mouth. He couldn't even make out the appearance of his attacker before a metal hand clasped over his face and lifted him into the air.
Shit! This jump in strength is too much! Garou's legs kicked in the air as he tried to pry himself free, but failed to even budge his attacker's arm.
"Gunner, what are you waiting for? Help Kombu up before he drowns in his own blood."
"H-He's not dead!? Right away Lord…"
Garou's consciousness evaporated as another powerful blow smashed into his gut.
¤ ¤ ¤
While Genos attended to his task, Caspian paced back and forth on the dark street outside of his apartment.
"I'm not crazy. Not about this, at least. I've focused too much on my own perceived flaws since the start, unable to comprehend the oddities in this world.
It isn't just the new monsters appearing when they shouldn't either.
There's the Written Exam and Lord Great White, for example. Why did I fail? Why did he appear there? Coincidence? Or was it to allow the timeline to continue down a destined path? Could 'God' be pulling the strings? Is he course correcting certain changes I've made? Am I overestimating his capabilities?
I don't think I'm in the original universe of 'One-Punch Man.' Obviously, by me being here, it's already an alternative universe, but I had assumed everything else would've remained the same.
Maybe I'm in one of the countless scrapped 'redraw' timelines? Or maybe there are universal constants in every alternate 'One Punch Man' timeline?
How to prove this?
I'm humble enough to admit I'm surrounded by people whose intelligence eclipses mine. Should I share this information with them and hear their theories…?"
Caspian sighed and stopped pacing. "No matter my decision, there's nothing I can do right now."
From the corner of his eye, he spotted a mail delivery crate resting between the right side of his apartment building and the other building beside it, barely visible beneath an overgrown bush and a bent street sign.
"I wonder how much fan mail Genos will get today?" Caspian opened the crate. "More than last time. Hmm?"
At the top of the mail pile was a letter addressed to him. He grabbed the white envelope and tore it open. Upon reading the letter's contents, a laugh escaped his lips.
"My friend. How could I deny your request? After all, I owe you one. Though, I better wait a few days until your stomach ache clears up."
¤ ¤ ¤
Boros tossed the man's limp body aside like discarded trash. It slammed into the earth, tumbled down the grassy decline, and came to a brutal stop against a tree.
I did not kill him. I have in truth changed since arriving on this planet. He glanced at each body here and then down at his clenched fist. Is this anger? I have witnessed an untold number of my subordinates perish without care. And now the mere sight of them being injured brought about such an unpleasant emotion from within me.
"Is Suppon going to make it?" Gunner asked, as he tried and failed to sling Kombu Infinity over his shoulders. "What about that Tanktop Master guy? Without him, we wouldn't have held out until you arrived."
Boros stepped forward and took Kombu Infinity from Gunner and slung him over his shoulders. "Their life auras are in a weakened state, but they will survive."
"Great! And thank you. He's heavier than he looks."
"You should be able to handle Suppon."
"Of course." Gunner ran over to him.
Boros turned his sights back on the unconscious Tanktop Master. Interesting. I have never seen an aura of that kind.
Gunner wobbled side to side as he carried Suppon. "I-I got him."
"Do not worry, you will not have to carry him far. Grizzly Nyah is waiting outside the city."
"That's good. They can be healed, right?"
Boros nodded. "I met someone today who can help us."
¤ ¤ ¤
Genos set down the last box, atop a stack of others, which contained the duo's most important items. Thankfully, Doctor Kuseno agreed to his request over the phone to send several drones to transport these boxes to his laboratory.
Master still hasn't returned.
He glanced over at the unconscious Charanko on the floor and shook his head. "Passing out as soon as he re-awoke. How exhausted could he be?"
His gaze snapped to the kitchen's pass-through window before he stepped closer to inspect what lay on the counter.
A white test tube rack stood to the left, holding twelve empty glass tubes arranged in two precise rows of six. Black caps sealed each one, their clear glass glinting under the light.
Is Master planning on developing a hair-regrowth serum?
Genos reminded himself not to voice this thought around Caspian.
"What's this?" He parted the black plastic bag and his eyes widened when he saw the outfit within. "No… this can't be true…"
Genos' world came crashing down, his grand willpower unable to overcome the revelation he had arrived at.
The hair-regrowth serum and the outfit in the bag. Now that he had connected the dots, he realized his master seemed to be heading down a dark path. Its implications shook him more than Gravitic Maiden had.
I won't allow him to go through with this, but I can't dispose of these items or it might tip him off. After I complete my task tomorrow in C-City. I will need to shadow him for however long it takes.
"Huh, what's going on? Why di—"
Genos, still overcome with disbelief, stumbled backward, unknowingly stepping on the back of Charanko's head, silencing him once more.
Looking down in disdain, he scoffed. "No wonder Bang expelled you. How can he train you if you pass out repeatedly from exhaustion?"
-- -- -- -- --
Thanks for everything and have a good weekend.
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