A faint glow emanated from Kaito's palm, and the surrounding air began to twist and deform, as if invisible bubbles were condensing.
Carbonated Gas Bomb!
A Carbonated Gas Bomb, enshrouded in high-pressure bubbles, shot out from Kaito's hand!
The gas bomb sliced through the air with a sharp whistle, slamming into the Lizard Man's chest.
"Boom!"
The immense impact sent the Lizard Man flying. His body, like a kite with a broken string, soared backward over ten meters, crashing into a load-bearing pillar of the station and carving a two-meter-diameter crater into the concrete wall.
"Wah ah!"
The Lizard Man coughed up a large mouthful of green blood, slid down from the wall, and collapsed.
A tense silence fell. Everyone held their breath, watching the outcome.
After a moment, the Lizard Man stirred—then slowly, unbelievably, struggled to his feet.
The clothing on his chest had been completely corroded by the carbonation, revealing dark green scales beneath. Though they bore some burn marks, the damage wasn't severe.
"Gle gle gle gle!"
The Lizard Man let out a piercing laugh.
"I actually survived a blow from King and didn't die! Gle gle! That means I'm destined to become a powerful monster!"
He waved his thick arms excitedly, his long tongue flicking through the air.
"I'm going to rule this city! From today on, all the pretty girls will become my slaves and lay little reptile eggs for me! Gle gle gle gle!"
Kaito frowned slightly.
It seemed the initial stage of the [Carbonated Gas Bomb] was still lacking in both power and corrosiveness.
With a thought, a translucent system interface appeared before his eyes:
[Deterrence Points: 425]
Without hesitation, he spent 50 Deterrence Points to upgrade the skill to the proficient stage.
[Ding! Skill "Carbonated Gas Bomb" proficiency has increased to Proficient (0/200)]
[Effect Update: Carbonation concentration increased by 50%, corrosiveness enhanced, controllable bubble burst time.]
The Lizard Man was still boasting:
"Gle gle! Even King can't kill me! Who else in this city could possibly stop me—"
Kaito, holding the sweet girl in his arms, raised his hand once more.
This time, an even more radiant glow burst from his palm. The air twisted violently around it, producing faint hissing sounds.
Carbonated Gas Bomb · Delayed Detonation.
A more solid, focused gas bomb streaked through the air, shooting straight into the Lizard Man's wide-open mouth.
It didn't explode on impact.
Instead, it slid down his throat and into his body.
The Lizard Man froze.
"Gle? Why don't I feel anything—"
"Bang!"
A muffled explosion echoed from within his chest.
The Lizard Man's body stiffened, his eyes wide with shock.
Then his abdomen began to swell—fast. The scales beneath his skin bulged, stretched taut like a balloon.
"Im... impossible... gle..."
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three muffled pops from inside his body. Then—
"Pfft!"
He burst apart from the inside.
High-concentration carbonated liquid, mixed with chunks of his internal organs, splattered across the concrete. The sizzling fluid corroded the ground wherever it landed.
When the smoke cleared, only a bubbling green slime remained. Even his bones had been dissolved.
Kaito gave a satisfied nod.
That felt good.
The scattered crowd, now realizing the monster was dead, gathered in relief and erupted into cheers.
"King! It was King who saved us!"
"So amazing! He took care of that disgusting monster in just two moves!"
"Mr. King, can I get your autograph?!"
Kaito gently released the sweet girl from his arms and politely dealt with the frantic fans. Once he confirmed there were no other threats, he boarded the maglev train bound for Z City.
The train sped along its dedicated track, the scenery outside blurring into streaks of color.
Kaito leaned back into the plush seat and closed his eyes to rest.
Two hours later, the train arrived smoothly in Z City.
Compared to other cities, Z City had an abnormally high number of monster incidents. Some suburban areas had effectively become no-man's-lands.
There were many theories about this phenomenon. According to intel from the Hero Association, there were three main hypotheses:Monsters actively communicated and gathered here.The region naturally produced monsters through some unknown factor.A "Queen" resided here—capable of spawning many kinds of monsters.Kaito, with his knowledge of the original plot, knew the real answer: the Monster Association hidden deep underground.
Ironically, all three guesses were correct.
Some monsters did gather of their own accord, others were born of the environment—or were created by Sykes using Orochi's monster cells.
After leaving the high-speed rail station, Kaito's journey was surprisingly smooth. He didn't encounter any of the usual monsters that would typically be drawn to King's presence.
That struck him as odd.
Given Z City's condition and King's monster-attracting physique, he should have run into one or two of them by now.
Before long, Kaito arrived at the dilapidated apartment where Saitama lived.
He was just about to go upstairs when he noticed something odd.
Two men in suits were stuck headfirst in the greenbelt in front of the apartment, their legs poking out like upturned carrots. They seemed to be fast asleep—in a very baby-like pose.
Judging by their attire, they were likely members of the Fubuki Group.
"Strange..."
Kaito raised an eyebrow.
"According to the original plot, Fubuki showing up to fight Saitama should be a bit too early..."
After a moment's thought, he understood.
In the original timeline, Fubuki only came to recruit Saitama after he'd been promoted to B-Class. But thanks to Kaito's earlier interference, Saitama had reached that rank ahead of schedule. Naturally, Fubuki's timeline had accelerated as well.
Shrugging, Kaito ignored the unconscious henchmen and headed upstairs.
He knocked on Saitama's apartment door.
"Coming."
The door opened, revealing the househusband-like figure of Genos.
Upon seeing Kaito, a flicker of surprise flashed in the cyborg's golden mechanical eyes.
"Mr. King?"
"I brought some souvenirs."
Kaito lifted the food box in his hand with a casual smile.
Inside the modest living room, sure enough, Fubuki was seated on the couch like she belonged there.
She wore a dark green, high-slit dress styled like a nun's robe, one that accentuated her voluptuous figure. Her full chest strained slightly against the fabric, creating a breathtaking curve, while her slender waist and shapely hips formed a flawless S-shaped silhouette. Long, elegant legs peeked through the slit of her skirt, and her black high heels added a refined, mature allure.
Her beauty was undeniable: fair porcelain skin, dark green medium-length hair, piercing emerald eyes, and lips painted a soft crimson—pursed now in frustration and stubborn pride.
Meanwhile, Saitama sat cross-legged to the side, flipping through a manga with a helpless expression. He looked mildly annoyed by the guest who had seemingly invited herself in.
"Saitama, I brought you some souvenirs," Kaito said, setting the gift box on the coffee table. "Carefully prepared by my maid. You and Genos should try them."
"Aw, you didn't need to bring anything!"
Despite the modest protest, Saitama's hands moved quickly. He popped open the box, grabbed a takoyaki ball, and tossed it into his mouth.
His eyes immediately lit up.
"Mmm! Delicious! Genos, try one!"
Genos picked one up with practiced grace, placed it into his mouth, and nodded.
"It is indeed delicious. Mr. King's culinary standards are exceptional."
"I didn't make them—my maid did."
Kaito chuckled modestly.
At that moment, Fubuki, who had been frozen in shock since he entered, finally jolted back to life.
She shot to her feet, pointed directly at him, and exclaimed:
"K—K—King?! King?!"