Saitama yawned, rubbed his eyes, and wondered if the supermarket's discount cabbage was still in stock.
He turned to leave when a whistle sliced the air.
Swoosh—
A kunai, black and gleaming, arrowed for the back of his skull.
Still far, far too slow.
He didn't even look. He simply reached back with two gloved fingers and pinched.
The missile hung between fingertips, shy of his skin by a breath.
"Hey," Saitama sighed, waggling the kunai, then pointed at the heap of Paradisers. "I'm not with them. Those guys are."
Sonic didn't answer. He'd watched everything—he knew Saitama wasn't a Paradiser.
"Decent reflexes," Sonic admitted inwardly, hands still moving.
He stepped off a power pole and landed without a sound.
Someone who erased the Paradisers that fast could serve as a warm-up—to test the speed he'd just honed further.
His figure vanished.
A black blur flashed to Saitama, ninja blade lancing for his throat.
And then shock.
Saitama merely tilted his head, and the blade—lightning-fast—kissed air. Not a hair so much as grazed.
A red-gloved hand, faster than Sonic could track, closed lazily on the blade.
A crisp snap.
The special alloy sword broke like a chocolate bar.
Sonic's mind went white—then lit with a feverish thrill. It had been so long since he'd found a worthy foe.
"I get it," Saitama said, seeing Sonic's shock melt into a naive, almost childlike grin. "You just wanted to spar."
As Sonic re-composed himself, ready to unleash a real offensive on this unfathomable opponent, slow, heavy steps approached from around the corner.
With them, a low, oppressive rumble rolled through the air.
Vmm—vmm—vmm—
Lin Mo, fashionably late. And the King Engine.
Sonic recoiled, springing back a dozen meters, putting space between himself and Saitama.
He stared at the newcomer, a storm in his chest.
S-Class Rank 6. The Strongest Man Alive—King.
Of course he knew the name.
He'd once considered challenging King to measure himself, but King was hard to find.
He hadn't expected to run into him here.
"The Strongest Man Alive… King?" Sonic murmured, eyes narrowing under the suffocating pressure.
That man, by simply standing there, felt more dangerous than the bald one.
Lin Mo ignored Sonic's wary glare. His eyes were on the pale-blue HUD only he could see.
[Eligible target detected: Speed-o'-Sound Sonic]
[Threat Level: Demon]
[Copyable Skills: Wind Blade Kick (Demon), Explosive Shuriken (Tiger), Supersonic Movement (Demon)…]
"Knew it. That's the one." Joy flared. He ordered without hesitation:
"System, use Skill Copy Card (Demon) on 'Speed-o'-Sound Sonic.' Copy skill: 'Supersonic Movement.'"
The card in his inventory flared and burst into motes.
[Command confirmed. Skill Copy Card (Demon) used. Copying 'Supersonic Movement'… Copy complete!]
[You have permanently learned: Supersonic Movement (Demon-class)]
"Two nuisances," Sonic snorted, smothering his shock.
Pride wouldn't let a ninja retreat.
He'd use his true speed to clear the bald man, then sample the legend.
"Watch closely. This is my real speed!"
He vanished into a streak, circling Saitama at blistering pace. Wind whipped debris into a tight cyclone.
"How about speed beyond sound?" Sonic's voice came from everywhere at once, brimming with confidence.
He cut the circle, launched skyward, flipped, and unleashed his signature—Wind Blade Kick—straight down.
Saitama just turned a little, letting the strike pass.
Too fast to correct, Sonic could only watch, horror dawning, as his most precious parts met Saitama's conveniently rising fist.
"Ah—sorry!" Saitama pulled back, genuinely apologetic.
Sonic curled on the ground, hands between his legs, beautiful face contorted.
"Tell me… your name," he gasped. "I'll remember this humiliation forever! I'll train until I defeat you!"
"Saitama," Saitama said honestly.
"You should spend some time in jail," Lin Mo added, finally speaking.
He stepped forward. The King Engine thundered louder.
"Intimidation—activate."
A tidal wave of invisible menace crashed out and drowned the writhing ninja.
Sonic felt a giant hand close around his spirit. Darkness fell.
"Im… possible…" was his last thought.
"Don't look at me," Lin Mo told the puzzled Saitama with a shrug. "He's already a wanted suspect. Handing him to the police is only right."
Saitama scratched his smooth scalp, eyed the fallen ninja, and nodded. Fair enough.
-------
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