Geryuganshoop realized he had been played, and his purple skin instantly flushed into a deep reddish-brown.
"This is your doing, Earthling!" he roared, his tentacles whipping in furious arcs. "I'll make you pay for offending the great Lord Geryuganshoop!"
The other monsters in the command room sensed danger immediately and scrambled for the exits.
But it was already too late.
"Super Gravitational Wave!!!"
A crushing field of gravity exploded outward, swallowing the entire command room.
"Ahhhh!!!"
The fleeing monsters let out strangled cries before their bodies collapsed into grotesque puddles of blood. The floor buckled, twisted metal shrieked, and the massive command console caved in under the pressure.
The ground beneath Saitama cracked and sagged, but he stood firm, unfazed—not even the corner of his cape stirred.
Kaito's mech wasn't so fortunate. Its frame groaned under the overwhelming pressure, metal warping with a piercing screech. The mimicry system fizzled out, exposing its raw mechanical core.
Geryuganshoop's single eye glowed with cruel satisfaction. His tentacles waved as he laughed."My psychokinesis can bend gravity itself. Do you know about black holes? Not even light can escape before me—"
He froze mid-boast.
Saitama hadn't flinched. He hadn't even blinked. He just stood there, relaxed, like he was waiting in line at the supermarket.
The bald hero tilted his head and glanced at his companion."Hey, King, you alright?"
The mech's display flickered, its digital face twisting into a strained smile."I… I'm fine… but the mech's too damaged. This body… won't last much longer."
Kaito's voice grew cold."When you fight this big octopus later… don't kill him outright. Leave him breathing. I want to personally make him pay for breaking my toy."
Saitama nodded simply."Got it. I'll go easy."
That casual remark lit Geryuganshoop's fury."Arrogant fool!!!"
The debris scattered across the wrecked chamber suddenly floated, swirling into a storm of metal shards.
"Psychic Stream of Stones!!!"
Countless fragments accelerated to near-light speed, tearing through the spaceship's alloy walls as they rained down like a celestial barrage.
"Clink, clink, clink—"
The storm slammed into Saitama, producing nothing but a series of dull metallic taps.
The bald hero looked down at his untouched yellow jumpsuit, then casually caught a shard mid-air."I say, is this all you can do? Just throw rocks?"
He sighed in disappointment."What a waste of powers. Anyone can chuck junk like this."
With a lazy flick, he hurled the fragment back.
This time, unlike the original tale, Saitama remembered Kaito's request. Instead of aiming for the head, he tossed it at Geryuganshoop's chest.
Pfft!
The shard tore through his torso, leaving a gaping, bowl-sized hole.
"Ughhh!"
Purple blood gushed as Geryuganshoop toppled, shrieking in pain. Yet his monstrous vitality kept him clinging to life.
Trembling, he quickly rolled his eye back and played dead, hoping his torment would end there.
Saitama didn't spare him a glance. He turned toward Kaito."Can you still walk?"
The mech creaked as its damaged limbs shifted. The combat system was fried, but basic movement still worked."Walk… yes… go find Boros…"
Saitama nodded, grabbing two surviving minions from the wreckage."You. Take me to your boss."
With that, Saitama and Kaito left the command chamber.
Only then did Geryuganshoop dare crack open his eye, relief flooding him at the thought of survival. He tried to rise—
—but footsteps echoed from the shattered doorway.
Panic seized him. He flopped back to the floor, resuming his act.
"King! Is that 'Universe's Number One Psychic Master' you mentioned here?"
The sharp voice belonged to Tatsumaki. The petite esper floated in, emerald hair swirling with psychic energy. Behind her came Kaito's true body along with the other S-Class heroes.
Geryuganshoop clenched his eye shut, praying desperately: Don't notice me. Don't notice me…
"Huh?"
Tatsumaki drifted into the room, scanning the chaos with a pout."So this is supposed to be the self-proclaimed 'number one'? What a disappointment."
Her gaze landed on the 'unconscious' octopus, her small face twisting in annoyance."It couldn't seriously be this useless blob, could it?"
"Don't worry."
Kaito stepped forward, hands in his pockets. His gaze was ice-cold as he loomed over Geryuganshoop. A dangerous smile tugged at his lips.
"Hey… 'Universe's Number One' Psychic Master."
He raised his foot—
—and stomped directly onto Geryuganshoop's chest wound.
"AAAHHHHHHH!!!"
The octopus shrieked, tentacles flailing uncontrollably.
Kaito leaned down, his voice like a blade."Stop pretending. You destroyed my mech. Now we settle this properly."
Geryuganshoop's single eye narrowed, flashing with ruthless intent.
He thought bitterly that since death was inevitable, he might as well drag others into the grave with him!
"Despicable Earthling worm! I, Geryuganshoop, have traversed the stars for centuries—how dare you humiliate me?!"
With that roar, his entire body ignited in a frenzy of power. A blinding purple surge of psychic energy exploded outward, shaking the ruined command chamber.
"Let's go to hell together! Super Psychic Self-Destruction!!!"
His psychic core flared like a dying star. He intended to burn the last embers of his life to erase the shame of defeat. The chaotic energy spiraled, on the brink of bursting into an uncontrollable explosion—
And then, at that exact moment, a sharp, displeased voice cut through the storm.
"Hmm?"
The sound carried both irritation and a strange excitement, like someone who had just found a long-awaited toy.
It was Tatsumaki.
The violent psychic turbulence rolling off Geryuganshoop finally stirred the curiosity of Earth's strongest esper.
"Oh? This sloppy mess of energy… that's you, Takoyaki? And you dare call yourself 'Universe's Number One'?"
Before she even finished speaking, Tatsumaki raised a slender, jade-like hand and casually clenched her fingers in the air.
"Psychic Twist!!!"
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