A week later, in Y-City, at the Hero Association's affiliated Child Emperor Technology Research and Development Center.
The evening sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the gravity training room, bathing the space in a reddish glow. Heavy breathing mixed with the hum of machinery, echoing within the chamber.
"Hoo—"
Kaito, stripped to the waist, exhaled a sharp breath and slowly sheathed the sword Atomic Samurai had gifted him. Sweat trickled down his defined abs, splashing onto the specialized training floor.
This high-tech gravity room, designed by Child Emperor, was lined with precision pressure-regulating devices. Dozens of miniature gravity generators hung from the ceiling, capable of cranking the gravity up to a hundred times normal with a single command.
"Tenth set, ten thousand swings completed."
Kaito wiped his face with the back of his hand, glancing at the holographic timer on the wall.
For the past week, his daily routine had been unwavering. Mornings, he strolled the city—slaying the occasional unlucky monster for deterrence points. Afternoons, he came here to hammer out one hundred thousand sword swings under crushing gravity.
The brutal regimen pushed his body and willpower beyond normal limits.
Strength: 58 (+1)
Agility: 55 (+1)
Spirit: 47 (+1)
In just seven days, every attribute had climbed by one point.
Kaito stretched, his joints popping crisply. The progress was tangible, and that alone filled him with satisfaction.
"Deactivate gravity system."
The oppressive weight vanished instantly. His body felt feather-light, every cell buzzing with relief.
"King!"
The door burst open, and Fubuki jogged in, carrying a snow-white towel. She wore a sleek sports vest and shorts that accentuated her figure.
"You're training late again…" she said softly, stepping closer. She dabbed the towel against his chest, her fingertips brushing across hard muscle. A blush flared across her cheeks.
Kaito glanced down at her. Ever since their long talk that night, she had been clinging to him like caramel—sweet and inescapable. Not that he minded.
"Had enough staring?" he murmured, leaning toward her ear.
"Ah!"
Fubuki jumped back like a startled rabbit, dropping the towel. She stood flustered, emerald eyes flickering away from his face.
"I—I just…"
Amused, Kaito pinched her cheek. "Why so shy all of a sudden? Where's the boldness you show sneaking into my bed every night?"
"Hmph! You're insufferable!" she huffed, stomping her foot. The movement sent her chest swaying, and for a moment, Kaito's composure slipped.
Just as the tension thickened, the door opened again.
"Cough, cough. Am I interrupting?"
Child Emperor walked in, holding a datapad and adjusting his glasses with a mischievous grin. His trademark yellow hoodie and charm-covered backpack made him look every bit the elementary-school genius.
Fubuki gasped, covered her face, and bolted from the room, leaving the towel behind.
"Young people these days…" Child Emperor muttered in a mock-old voice, stepping inside.
Kaito bent down, picked up the towel, and casually wiped his hair. "What's up, Child Emp—uh…"
He caught himself, remembering the boy's rant from earlier that week about changing his name.
"I told you, I'm not going by 'Child Emperor' anymore!" the kid huffed, cheeks red. "Do you know how badly the kids at school tease me about it?"
Even a prodigy like him couldn't escape the trials of grade school.
Kaito smirked. "Alright then, what should I call you? Little… Yu?"
"That works," the boy said quickly, puffing up again. "Anyway! Mr. King! The Model-2 you commissioned is finally complete! I've upgraded everything using the combat data from the first-gen mechanical dog!"
His eyes gleamed as he held up the datapad like it contained the future itself.
Kaito then remembered—he had indeed commissioned Child Emperor to design a remote-controlled mechanical armor for emergencies.
But with his rapid growth in strength, plus mastering the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist from Bang, the first-generation mechanical dog had been left to gather dust in a corner.
"Take me to see it."
The two made their way through several futuristic corridors until they arrived at a spacious laboratory.
In the center, on a raised assembly platform, stood two humanoid mechs gleaming under the overhead lights.
"Wow…" Kaito whistled, unable to hold back.
The mech on the left was pitch-black, a bold KING emblazoned across its chest. Intricate energy-conducting patterns ran along its shoulder plates and armguards. Its imposing design radiated dominance—perfectly embodying the aura of "the strongest man on Earth."
The one on the right, however…
Kaito's mouth twitched.
It had a bare, round head. A painfully simple yellow paint job. And those unmistakable dead-fish eyes.
This was clearly a mechanical version of Saitama.
"Looks like you didn't forget Saitama's request," Kaito remarked dryly.
Child Emperor puffed out his chest proudly. "Of course! Even though Mr. Saitama is only a B-Class hero, he's your friend. That means I have to take him seriously!"
He grabbed a sleek pair of holographic glasses from the lab table and handed them over.
"This is the neural link controller. It uses brainwave sensing for zero-latency control. The Model-2's performance is a hundred times greater than the first prototype—strong enough to rival Demon-level monsters!"
Kaito accepted the glasses with interest. The ultralight alloy frame felt weightless in his hands. The lenses shimmered with adaptive smart material, changing hues as he tilted them.
"Want to give it a try?" Child Emperor asked eagerly.
"Just what I was thinking."
Kaito slid the glasses on. At once, a holographic interface flared to life before his eyes.
A faint tingling spread from his temples as the neural link engaged.
System initializing…
User identity confirmed…
Welcome, King, to the 'Emperor's Shadow' mech.
The electronic voice resonated in his mind. His consciousness split—one part still grounded in his own body, the other flowing seamlessly into the towering black mech.
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