There was someone in the darkness! Hansen's eyes sharpened like blades in an instant. He cleared his thoughts immediately and entered a heightened state of alert, his instincts fully activated.
"Sharp senses, my friend~," A cold and raspy voice echoed from the shadows. Accompanied by the subtle grind of shell plating, a tall and muscular green figure slowly stepped out from the gloom.
"So you're the promising rookie that Gyoro Gyoro kid mentioned. Seems like its judgment is as spot-on as ever."
[Monster: Bug God]
[Disaster Level: Demon (High)]
[Ability 1: "Insect Physique (SR)", Possesses an incredibly strong body with insect-like speed and strength, allowing high-speed movement and close combat.]
[Ability 2: "Iron Wall Armor (SR)", A tough body and exoskeleton provide nearly impenetrable defense.]
[Ability 3: "Molting Release (SR)", After molting, he grows six new arms, wings on the back, and his carapace is covered in spikes, turning his entire body into a deadly weapon.]
[Ability 4: "Six-Armed Combo (SR)", In the Molting Release state, unleashes rapid, devastating combos capable of destroying steel.]
The system panel appeared at the perfect moment, but Hansen would have recognized him even without it.
In the original story, Bug God had teamed up with "Gale Wind" to capture Garou, acting as one of the Monster Association's elite Demon-level combatants. His strength was exceptional, and he possessed a powerful second transformation.
Though in the end, even after transforming, he was swatted to death by Superalloy Darkshine, who ranked first among heroes relying purely on human strength, below Saitama. It had been a brutal and one-sided defeat. Still, there was no denying Bug God's position near the peak of Demon-level monsters.
"Bug God," Hansen said coldly, noting the lack of immediate hostility. "What are you doing on my turf?"
"Oh? So you know who I am. That saves me the intro."
Bug God casually tossed the sack slung over his shoulder to the ground at Hansen's feet. It landed with a solid thud, and whatever was inside gave a faint squirm.
"That Gyoro Gyoro kid asked me to bring you a little something. Also told me to pass along a message: 'I still need some of those lower-tier monsters. Don't go killing all of them so easily.' Something along those lines. And while I'm at it... as your senior, I'm here to teach you some necessary rules."
He cracked his neck and clenched his fists. The armor-covered arms, insect-like in form, swelled as the muscles beneath the exoskeleton bulged and flexed. His narrowed eyes locked onto Hansen like a predator stalking its prey, emanating unfiltered killing intent.
"Heh... no need to thank me~ This process might involve a bit of pain. Hope you survive it."
Glancing at the still-trembling sack at his feet, Hansen already knew what it contained.
Monster cells.
Judging by the timing, it had to be this week's allotment.
Looks like Psykos hadn't forgotten her promise. That made things easier.
"Tch... 'rules'?" Hansen sneered, and magma-like crimson lines suddenly ignited across his pitch-black spiked armor. A wave of searing heat exploded outward, scattering the dust around him. The monstrous aura usually concealed beneath his calm surface surged out violently, its intensity far surpassing that of a typical Demon-level monster.
"Here... my rules are the only rules!"
Bug God's expression tensed slightly. His scythe-like mandibles clicked together with a metallic spark as he let out a snort of disdain.
"Heh... interesting."
Fsssh!
The instant the words left his mouth, a shrill burst of sound cut through the air like a blade. A green afterimage erupted forward, slicing through the darkness on a violent gust that howled with power. Like a bolt of lightning, it shot toward Hansen with explosive speed.
Boom!
A jet-black flash streaked with crimson answered in kind. The two forces collided with a thunderous roar, their meeting point disappearing in a storm of force.
The next second, two armored fists, one black, one green, smashed into each other head-on. The impact unleashed a shockwave so powerful it cracked the thick stone walls of the nest.
In the billowing dust that followed, both combatants were blasted backward. Bug God staggered just two steps before regaining his footing. Hansen, meanwhile, was driven across the rugged ground, his armored boots carving out five shallow craters before he finally came to a stop.
From that single clash, the power difference seemed obvious.
Crack!
Bug God was just about to offer some mocking praise when his eyes froze. Out of the corner of his vision, he spotted a fracture running down the armor of his right arm, the same arm he had used to strike Hansen.
A second later, searing pain lanced through the limb.
His eyes widened, stunned. That armor had been certified by Gyoro Gyoro himself. Its defense was said to endure even strikes from a standard Dragon-level opponent.
And yet it had cracked from one exchange with a rookie?
"This can't be happening...!"
"You just embarrassed yourself, old man."
Hansen had already regained his stance. With a flick of his arm, he shook off the numbing impact. Behind the cold, brutal black helmet, the corner of his mouth lifted into a slight smirk.
"Ever heard of counter-damage armor?"
The jagged spikes along his armor gleamed with a steely glint. His entire suit expanded and cracked apart at the seams, releasing wave after wave of green cyclonic wind.
A torrent of vitality surged into every fiber of his muscle, and behind the jet-black figure, a monstrous, beastly phantom loomed faintly in the shadows.
"Overgrowth."
"Beastly Body."
"Swift Wind."
With each SSR-tier buff activating one after another, Hansen's already formidable aura exploded upward, climbing to even greater heights.
The numbers behind him were starting to edge past the Disaster level. His figure blurred instantly and vanished from sight.
In that moment, every shred of arrogance disappeared from Bug God's mind. His instincts as a high-tier Demon-level combatant took over completely, pushing his senses and reactions to the limit.
Bang!
He barely managed to raise an elbow in time to deflect a ghostlike high-speed strike from the left. His immediate counter, a powerful overhead roundhouse, met nothing but a fading black afterimage.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Jabs, knees, elbows, wrist locks, side kicks, headbutts, an overwhelming chain of basic strikes unleashed at blistering speed and brutal power hammered down like a relentless storm.
Inside the dark nest, the sharp crack of armor breaking, the meaty thud of flesh slamming into flesh, and the whistle of air being torn apart filled the space with chaotic violence.
There was no technique behind Hansen's assault, no rhythm or refined form. It was pure, unfiltered stat-based brutality. A speed-fueled, logic-defying onslaught that gave Bug God no chance to recover.
Within seconds, he shifted from holding his ground to being reduced to a living punching bag.
His arm armor splintered under repeated impacts. Fractures spread across his torso shell. A brutal knee strike collapsed the center of his chest plate inward, denting it deep.
Then came a vicious uppercut from the shadows. It smashed into his jaw with enough force to lift his entire frame off the ground. Before gravity could pull him back down, Hansen followed with a crushing forward dropkick.
The impact from Hansen's spiked shoulder was monstrous, like being hit by a freight train. Bug God's towering 2.3-meter frame was sent flying through the air like a green cannonball and slammed into the inner wall of the nest.
Rumble!
The impact shook the ground. Loose stones broke free and crumbled down.
Hansen's domain once again experienced what could only be described as a localized earthquake. Yet the monsters stationed nearby didn't even flinch.
They had long grown numb. Since the new boss took over, incidents like this have become a daily occurrence.
If a day passed without one, they'd start wondering if something had gone terribly wrong.
===
Please vote for Bonus Chapters.
500 Power Stones = 5 Bonus Chapters
1000 Power Stones = 10 Bonus Chapters