"King, why are you at the Association today? Do you have an important mission?"
Child Emperor bounced in place excitedly, the little yellow duck charm on his backpack swaying with each hop.
Kaito's gaze was unconsciously drawn to the handheld ga console in Child Emperor's hands. It looked like a regular device, but its casing was etched with intricate circuit patterns, and several miniature probes slowly rotated around the screen's edges.
"Just bringing two friends to take the test," Kaito replied casually, gesturing toward the written exam room. "They should be out soon."
"Oh?" Child Emperor's big eyes lit up instantly. "Soone King personally recomnds must be incredibly strong!"
"Hmm. One can punch any enemy into oblivion, and the other is a walking black-tech arsenal of a funded warrior," Kaito said truthfully.
Although, he added ntally, that One-Punch Man's strength is always criminally underestimated.
Child Emperor beca even more animated. His fingers flew across the buttons of his handheld. "I need to record this! King's comrade file!"
Kaito leaned over, curious. "What's this new toy?"
"Ah, this!" Child Emperor held up the device proudly. "This is the core collection terminal for my latest project: the 'Ugly Mask Initiative'!"
"Ugly Mask?" Kaito raised an eyebrow. That na... it had to be Child Emperor's quirky humor at work.
"Yes!" Child Emperor's voice sped up with excitent. "It's an experintal system that uses high-precision bio-field scanning to quantify and digitize core trics like physical strength and neural response ti.
With it, we can better assess a hero's true combat capability and refine the ranking system. During monster attacks, it could help evaluate their disaster levels with greater accuracy, avoiding mistakes that cause unnecessary casualties!
I'm here today to collect basic model data from heroes across the ranks for calibration."
Kaito nodded, piecing it together.
He rembered Child Emperor working on sothing similar in the original tiline, though that version had serious limitations. It couldn't accurately read beings who were too powerful or too weak—Saitama and King were pri examples.
And when it ca to psychic users, results were often way off. He recalled Hellish Blizzard getting a rating of only 19... which had shattered her morale even further after King already dented her pride.
"Sounds like an impressive project," Kaito offered with a nod, keeping his tone objective.
Just then, a blaring alarm echoed through the Association halls.
Warning! Warning!
Tiger-Level disaster detected in F-City's East District!
All available heroes nearby, proceed to engage imdiately!
The corridor's electronic displays flipped red, showing footage of a massive mantis-like monster tearing through a comrcial street. It towered three stories tall, its scythe-like forearms slicing through vehicles like paper.
"It's the Tiger-Level monster—Mantis!" Child Emperor quickly pulled up a profile. "High-end Tiger threat. Multiple buildings already damaged!"
Kaito's eyes narrowed.
A Tiger-Level threat?
Saitama was just nearby. This was the perfect chance to farm so deterrence points.
"I'll handle it," he said calmly and turned to find Saitama.
"Wait for !" Child Emperor jogged after him, holding up the handheld. "I want to record King's combat data—this is invaluable research material!"
Kaito considered declining but then thought better of it. Having the number one King fan tagging along might actually boost the deterrence effect.
So he nodded and headed toward the exam hall.
Just as they entered the main lobby, Saitama and Genos erged from the written exam room.
"King!" Saitama waved cheerfully. "We're done! That test was tough... all those hero regulations and junk..."
Genos, as always, looked intense. "Sensei got all the combat strategy questions correct but... scored lower in the moral conduct section."
Kaito stifled a laugh.
In the original tiline, Saitama had been stuck in C-class because of his atrocious written scores—despite his unimaginable strength. Looked like history was repeating itself.
"A Tiger-Level monster's been spotted in East District," Kaito said succinctly. "I'm heading out to handle it. You two want in?"
"Tiger-Level?" Saitama's eyes lit up. "Is there a reward?"
Genos had already pulled up the mission briefing. "According to Association regulations, resolving a Tiger-Level incident earns a bounty between 500,000 and 1,000,000 yen."
"Then what are we waiting for?!" Saitama sprang to life. "Let's go!"
The four-person squad quickly exited the Association and made their way toward the scene of the attack.
Along the way, Child Emperor eyed Saitama curiously.
"So this is one of King's friends? He seems... really unique."
Saitama rubbed his shiny bald head.
"Right? Everyone says that."
Kaito held back a laugh.
Just wait until you see this guy punch a monster into oblivion... then you'll know how "unique" he really is.
When they arrived at the comrcial street, the scene was already in chaos.
Buildings were cracked and scorched, shop signs twisted like paper, and smoke curled through shattered windows. The mantis monster raged down the avenue, its compound eyes glowing with violent red light. Each swing of its massive scythe-like forearms sliced clean through reinforced concrete, sending debris flying.
Over a dozen police cars were stationed at the periter, their lights flashing urgently—but no one dared approach.
"According to my analysis," Genos reported, data scrolling across his HUD, "this monster's exoskeleton is as tough as a 30-centiter-thick steel plate. I recomnd initiating a two-phase assault—I'll lead with high-energy blasts, with Teacher providing close support."
Saitama yawned.
"Let's finish this up fast. I still want to get back for the special al deal."
But Kaito raised a hand to stop them.
"Let go first."
He stepped forward slowly, drawing in a deep breath. A glint flashed in his eye.
This was the perfect chance to field-test the practical effects of the Emperor Engine.
Boom—! Boom—! Boom—!
A low, thunderous heartbeat suddenly echoed through the comrcial street.
From around Kaito, a dark red killing aura erupted, distorting the air like a shimring heatwave. The very street beneath him trembled; gravel and glass shards vibrated in the air, dancing in sync with the heartbeat's rhythm.
The Mantis—mid-charge—froze in place.
Its compound eyes locked onto the source: the man surrounded by the ominous red aura… and, just behind him, a bald man with a blank expression, casually picking his nose.
"T-That's... King!" a distant police officer gasped. "That sound—it's the Emperor Engine!"
The Mantis's instincts scread in panic.
Its primitive brain couldn't process what it was seeing, but its survival reflex kicked in full force:
DANGER.
Extre danger.
"HISSSS—!!"
The monster let out a shriek, its massive forelimbs visibly trembling.
Ding!
Tiger-Level Monster [Mantis] has been intimidated by the Emperor Engine and an unidentified deterrent presence.
Deterrence Points 50!
Kaito glanced at the system notification with satisfaction.
Once again, he had skillfully ridden the coattails of a certain bald demon-lord.
But there was no sha in this—not to Kaito.
He was proud. After all, how many others even had the chance to piggyback off this kind of monster?
He stepped forward slowly. With each step, the heartbeat grew heavier, the air more suffocating. The killing intent rolled off him in waves.
Behind him, Child Emperor was wide-eyed, furiously working his handheld scanner.
"Incredible...! He's suppressing a Tiger-Level threat just by standing there! Is this the strength of the strongest man on Earth?!"
Saitama tilted his head.
"Huh. Is King's heartbeat louder than yesterday?"
Genos narrowed his eyes, scanning the aura's signature.
"Based on my sensor data, Mr. King is emitting sonic vibrations at a frequency capable of rupturing eardrums in unshielded humans. There's also... an unknown energy field accompanying it."
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