Chapter 154: A Wise Man Knows When to Retreat
Z-City, Uninhabited Area, Saitama's home.
After a failed attempt at tracking and investigating, Genos finally came to the door to formally become a disciple.
Saitama casually asked, "I don't think I know who you are yet?"
"Me? Master, would you be willing to hear my story? Four years ago, I was fifteen, and I was still human back then... My family and I were living a happy and stable life, but one day, a rampaging cyborg attacked our city. It destroyed everything—parks, schools, skyscrapers, and... my home. It took the lives of my family. I miraculously survived and struggled alone in the ruins. Just as I was about to reach the end of my life, I was coincidentally discovered by the passing Dr. Kuseno. Dr. Kuseno is a scientist of justice, searching the world over to track down that rampaging cyborg. I begged Dr. Kuseno to perform modification surgery on me. I was reborn as a cyborg for justice and promised the doctor that I would personally destroy that rampaging cyborg. Four years have passed. Now nineteen, I have been to many cities, eradicating numerous evil forces in the process of hunting for the rampaging cyborg. The monsters and evil organizations I have defeated are countless..."
Veins started throbbing on Saitama's forehead, his face had already darkened. This is endless! Are you a cyborg or some kind of nagging monk? Oh, wait, who is Tang Monk anyway?
"I've been searching for four years, but there still isn't a single clue about that cyborg. I feel more anxious and frustrated with each passing day..."
Saitama's crossed legs kept shaking. I'm also feeling extremely anxious and frustrated! Can you please hurry up and finish your rambling? Was your mouth modified too? Into a megaphone?
"I don't know when it started, but I found myself fighting evil forces just to chase the phantom of that cyborg. A week ago, when that Mosquito Girl appeared, I had completely let my guard down... I confronted the enemy head-on without analyzing it... If you hadn't coincidentally passed by, Master Saitama, I would have been smashed to pieces... This life, saved by Dr. Kuseno, was saved once again by you, Master Saitama... As a cyborg for justice, I must continue to fight evil... I must become stronger... This is not a battle I fight alone... I know I'm not mature enough, but no matter what, I want to obtain the immense power to utterly crush all evil..."
Finally, under Genos's incessant, grandmotherly nagging, Saitama exploded. He slammed his hand on the table and roared, "Dammit, are you annoying or what? Summarize it for me in twenty words or less!"
Genos was taken aback. He fell silent for a moment, then his expression turned solemn. "Master, please tell me how I can become as strong as you."
Saitama looked at Genos seriously and said, "You want to get stronger? The training is incredibly painful. Can you handle it?"
"Yes!"
A flash of joy crossed Genos's face as he answered loudly. However, the moment the word left his lips, the biological monitoring components in his body suddenly blared an alarm. He shot to his feet. "Master, something is approaching at high speed... It's here."
Bang!
The ceiling of Saitama's apartment instantly exploded as a humanoid praying mantis monster leaped in. It began to introduce itself with a chatter, "Hehe, I am... huh?"
In its line of sight... a fist was rapidly growing larger.
Bang!
Gore splattered everywhere. The Mantis Man's head instantly burst like a smashed watermelon, splattering into a pulpy mess.
"How dare you destroy my ceiling! Can you even afford to pay for it?"
Saitama glared furiously at the dead Mantis Man, grinding his teeth.
"Master, there are two more downstairs..."
Bang! Bang!
...
In the end, King didn't buy an induction cooker. The induction cookers in the supermarket had limited functions and poor quality; he couldn't bring himself to gift one. He decided he would ask Metal Knight or Child Emperor to help build a state-of-the-art induction cooker to give to Saitama later.
Metal Knight: "..."
Child Emperor: "..."
After a lap around the supermarket, King opted to bring some conventional gifts for his visit... He set off with a bag of apples.
"The Uninhabited Area is still the most comfortable. I can stroll around openly."
As soon as he entered the Uninhabited Area, King immediately took off his baseball cap. The weather was hot, and wearing the cap had left him drenched in sweat.
"Huh? Is Saitama's place on fire?"
Before he even reached Saitama's apartment, he could see thick black smoke rising in the distance.
"No, that's the result of Genos's Incineration Cannon. The House of Evolution has already attacked? Damn, I'm late."
With a quick thought, he understood the whole situation. Cursing his luck, he quickened his pace and jogged toward Saitama's home.
He was, in the end, too late. He had missed Saitama's display of divine might. A pile of monster corpses lay downstairs from Saitama's apartment.
"Ding! There is a convertible Monster nearby. Host, please proceed with the conversion."
As he entered a certain range, the system's cold, robotic prompt sounded.
"Oh well. I missed the fight, but at least I'm in time to collect the cards."
After jogging all the way, King was slightly out of breath. He looked at the monster corpses littering the ground, feeling regretful that he had missed Saitama's battle, but also secretly delighted that he could collect several decent Monster Cards.
He walked over to a short monster that looked like a gopher, squatting down to look at the creature, which had been smashed into a bloody pulp. He muttered, "This guy must be Ground Dragon, right?"
He reached out and touched it.
"Ding! Congratulations, Host, for obtaining a two-star Monster Card: Ground Dragon."
It really was!
A hint of a smile appeared at the corner of his eye as he turned his gaze to two other monsters not far away, which had been sliced into several pieces.
"Ding! Congratulations, Host, for obtaining a two-star Monster Card: Frog Man."
"Ding! Congratulations, Host, for obtaining a two-star Monster Card: Remora Man."
King retracted his hand with satisfaction, his eyes suddenly landing on the short blade at Frog Man's waist. "The House of Evolution is located deep in a large forest, teeming with wild beasts. Hmm, I'll take this short blade for safety."
He reached out, took the short blade from Frog Man's waist, and fastened it to his own belt. He patted it, nodding in satisfaction.
"This guy with the missing upper body must be Beast King! What a miserable death, even worse than some random extra. But, I seem to remember he died to Saitama's Consecutive Normal Punches. Hmm, I guess that's a glorious death. Many Dragon-level monsters don't even get the chance to experience Saitama's Consecutive Normal Punches!"
There were four dead monsters at the scene. He had already searched the other three, leaving only the last one—a monster wearing a leather skirt, covered in golden fur, with its entire upper body missing.
According to his memory, there were six elite monsters from the House of Evolution that had attacked Saitama. One was Mantis Man, who was probably dead inside Saitama's apartment. Another was Armored Gorilla, who had luckily survived. The other four were Frog Man, Remora Man, Ground Dragon, and Beast King.
"Ding! Congratulations, Host, for obtaining a three-star Monster Card: Beast King."
"As expected, a three-star Monster Card."
King's face lit up with joy. When he was reluctant to use his four-star Monster Cards and his own max-level, starless card, the three-star Monster Cards were, in a way, his trump cards.
"Hey, mortal! What do you think you're doing to my brothers' bodies? If you don't explain yourself, you can go down and accompany them in death!"
Just as King was reveling in acquiring the Beast King card, the heavy sound of clanking footsteps echoed behind him. At the same time, a majestic and cold voice called out.
"Hmm? There's still one left?"
King's heart tightened. He turned to look at the newcomer: a cyborg gorilla standing over three meters tall, clad in steel armor. Its rock-hard muscles were enough to make it a cold, unfeeling killing machine.
"Armored Gorilla?"
A strange glint flashed through King's eyes.
"Hmm? This person looks extraordinary. His fearless courage, that calm and grim face, plus those three scars on his left cheek... Wait a second, three scars on his left cheek? He's..."
"The Strongest Man on Earth—King!"
Armored Gorilla's heart leaped. The cold expression on its face instantly morphed into one of fawning flattery. It bowed low to King and said, "So it is Mr. King! I've admired you for so long! My name is Little King Kong, and I'm your biggest fan. I've always worshipped you, you're just too amazing! Oh, right, my mom's calling me home for dinner. Maybe we'll meet again if fate allows. Oh, no, no, let's hope we never meet again."
After spouting a stream of nonsense, its massive body had already greased its soles, vanishing in a puff of smoke before the stunned King could react.
"That guy... as sturdy as a gorilla, yet as agile as a monkey..."
King didn't know whether to laugh or cry as he watched the fleeing Armored Gorilla. "Hey! You're just going to leave your brothers behind?"
Armored Gorilla had no time to reply. It was running for its life, using every last ounce of strength. Today was just too unlucky. He ran into an iron wall during a mission, and all his companions who came with him were wiped out. He had barely managed to survive, only to run into the master monster-killer, King. Heavens, please protect me and let me be safe.
"Ding! Congratulations, Host, for obtaining a two-star Monster Card: Mantis Man!"
King ignored the fleeing Armored Gorilla, slipped into Saitama's apartment to collect the last Monster Card, and then immediately set off for the House of Evolution's base.
He had already learned the specific location of the base from Sitch, so he wasn't worried about getting lost.
(end of chapter)