Lexon returned to the apartment after locking the gorilla away.
The members of the Fubuki Group were still lying unconscious in the hallway.
Fubuki, however, was gone.
With a quick check of his perception, Lexon knew she had entered the room.
Stepping inside, he saw Saitama and Fubuki playing video games together.
Fubuki was clearly still in a daze; her playing was distracted, and her controls were absolute garbage.
"Oh, you're back, Lexon," Saitama greeted upon hearing the door open. He then explained why she was there. "This game is for two players, so I just grabbed this stranger from outside to play."
"Oh," Lexon replied nonchalantly.
"But she's terrible. Hurry up and take her place, or we're going to lose."
"Maybe later. I have things to do," Lexon said.
"What kind of things?" Saitama asked curiously.
"Taking care of some monsters," Lexon replied. "I might not make it back in time, so handle lunch yourself today."
Hearing this, Saitama suddenly jumped up and said seriously, "How about we go together? With both of us helping, we'll finish faster."
'He really is a glutton,' Lexon thought as he looked at Saitama's earnest, serious face.
"There's some food specifically left in the fridge for times like this. No need to come along; it's not a hassle," Lexon said.
"Let's go together anyway," Saitama insisted.
Compared to the cold food left behind, he preferred something hot.
Besides, even if it became mealtime on the way, Lexon could use that supernatural ability of his to pull things out of thin air and cook right there...
As for why Saitama was so proactive... it was because he believed he had contracted a terrifying disease: 'If I don't eat Lexon's cooking, I'll die.'
"Fine, let's go." Lexon didn't really care; if he wanted to come, he could come.
He would just need to adjust his plan of using 'gentle' means to get Dr. Genus, the founder of the House of Evolution, to work for him.
He would switch to direct control using Kotoamatsukami.
"Let's move." Saitama didn't dawdle; he quickly changed into his hero costume and spoke to Lexon.
"Yeah," Lexon replied.
"Could... could you... take me with you too...?" At that moment, Fubuki, who had been ignored, spoke up.
"You want to go too? Why?" Lexon asked flatly.
Faced with Lexon's question, Fubuki shook her head. "There's no particular reason... I just want to see."
'No reason... just wants to see...'
Lexon considered for a moment.
"She's not a bad person, is she?" Saitama looked at Lexon.
'A bad person...?'
Fubuki's personality was merely a bit paranoid due to her lack of power and the immense gap between her and her sister, Tornado.
Her methods for recruiting members might seem unscrupulous, but her threats of 'making sure they can't be heroes' were just tough talk; she didn't actually intend to destroy anyone's body or spirit.
So, she couldn't really be called bad.
After all, when people needed saving, she would do her absolute best.
"She's not a bad person," Lexon answered.
"Then why think so much about it? Just bring her. It's not like anything will happen," Saitama said with a bored expression.
He was much more concerned about Lexon's food.
True.
Some things really don't require much thought.
Lexon nodded.
"Suit yourself. Follow along," he allowed.
"Really? Thank you." Fubuki was a bit delighted.
In truth, the 'no reason' bit was a lie. Her actual goal was to observe the true strength of this 'Mist Swordsman,' Lexon, and see if she could find an opportunity to talk him into joining the Fubuki Group...
Yes, she had not given up on the idea of recruiting Lexon.
If Lexon hadn't suppressed his heightened sense of smell, he might have been able to sniff out Fubuki's true intent.
But since he had switched from relying on smell to relying on perception, it was inevitable that he wouldn't notice.
Not that it was important; even if he knew her true intentions, Lexon wouldn't care.
Either way, he was never going to join that damn Fubuki Group.
Lexon's current thought about Fubuki coming to the House of Evolution was that she could serve as an errand girl since Genos wasn't around.
But just as that thought surfaced, the sound of fire thrusters echoed from outside the window.
Speak of the devil.
A figure landed on the balcony, slid open the door, and walked inside.
It was the fully repaired Genos.
"Are you heading somewhere? Master Saitama, Mr. Lexon..." Genos asked, seeing the two of them looking ready to depart.
"Oh... going to fight monsters," Saitama replied.
"Ah... fighting monsters? Can I come along?" Genos sounded very interested.
"If you want to go, then come." Lexon didn't mind having one more person.
"Understood, Mr. Lexon!" Compared to Master Saitama, whose power was an enigma, Genos was clearly much more enthusiastic toward the unfathomable Mr. Lexon.
"By the way, who is this?" Genos looked at Fubuki.
"Now that you mention it, I don't know who she is either," Saitama said, scratching his smooth head.
"My name is Fubuki. I am an esper." Likely wanting to enter Lexon's circle, Fubuki used her real name when introducing herself.
'Why does this line feel so strangely familiar?' Lexon thought.
*Beep, beep, beep...*
Suddenly, the communicator in Lexon's pocket began to ring.
He stepped away from the others in the room, pulled out the device, and answered.
[L-Lord...]
As soon as he answered, Crane Lady's voice came through, trembling and tinged with a hint of terror...
"What is it?" Lexon asked.
[A side quest was triggered... a giant... has appeared...]
"Oh," Lexon's response was lukewarm.
The higher-ups of the Blood Rain Alliance who had come to this world were all killed by him, but the Reincarnators in Crane Lady's group still had items given by those higher-ups, so dealing with a Giant Brother shouldn't be a problem.
At worst... Crane Lady also had a clone of his that he had specifically placed within her psyche.
Though the original purpose of that clone was just to ensure his insurance for revival wouldn't be easily destroyed.
[But besides the giant...]
Crane Lady's voice on the other end trembled more and more, her terror becoming increasingly obvious.
[There is... there is also—! Beep, beep, beep...]
Before she could finish, the communicator was forced into a disconnect, emitting the sound of a terminated call.
'Did something unexpected happen?' Lexon looked at the communicator, wondering.
But it wasn't anything to worry about; he had the clone...
Before that thought even finished, a flood of new information suddenly rushed into Lexon's mind.
His lips curled into a slight smirk.
An interested look appeared on his face.
As for the reason...
It was because Lexon sensed that the Wood Clone residing within Crane Lady's spirit... was dead.
...
The outskirts of R-City.
This entire area seemed to have been dyed red by a rain of blood, with chunks of flesh paving the ground.
Only a massive head remained at the center of the area.
It was extremely prominent.
The identity of the head was clear.
It was their target.
The Dragon-level Giant Brother.
Clearly, it had been slain.
Standing atop the head was a man with long black hair and a black robe. He looked cold, holding a black blade... his entire being radiated an aura of darkness and danger.
The man's pitch-black, indifferent eyes cast a chilling gaze down at the woman lying on the ground before him.
The woman's identity was also clear: she was Lexon's controlled subordinate, Crane Lady.
Her condition was currently dire.
No, it was worse than dire.
Her limbs had been cleanly severed, the smooth cuts still oozing blood.
Her once seductive and beautiful face was gone, now covered in blood and filth...
"The thing inside your spirit was terrifying... it was not something you should have possessed..." The man leaned halfway down, speaking to the dying Crane Lady in an extremely cold, indifferent voice.
"Furthermore... your spirit seems to have been modified by something..." the man continued to murmur.
However... in the face of the man's words, Crane Lady no longer had the strength to utter a single sound.
"Blade Demon..." A third person's voice echoed in the empty environment. The air beside the man rippled, and a burly man stepped out of thin air.
"Hmm?" The man known as Blade Demon shifted his gaze slightly toward the burly man.
"We paid a high price for you to help deal with the people from the Blood Rain Alliance... do not waste time here," the burly man said, his tone carrying a hint of reproach.
Just as he finished speaking, a thick premonition of death suddenly flooded the burly man's heart.
Before his mind could even register a thought, he saw a vertical pitch-black slash.
*Slash.*
The black slash passed through the burly man's body, instantly cleaving his thick frame in half.
Blood sprayed as the two halves of his body collapsed.
"They are all the same... unable to withstand a single strike." The black blade in Blade Demon's hand dropped back to his side. His expression remained cold, as if the burly man's death was completely inconsequential.
He turned his gaze back to Crane Lady, his bone-chilling voice ringing out again. "Tell me... who was it that placed that thing inside you? Perhaps... he can withstand more than one strike."
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]