"'Dragon'... or above?"
Flashy Flash frowned.
This term signifies a threat that is unknown and beyond common sense.
"This is not the time for discussion."
King's voice interrupted everyone's train of thought.
"The culprit is up there."
"Come inside with me."
There was no need for any extra mobilization, nor was it necessary.
The S-Class Heroes exchanged glances and immediately followed.
"Ha! Just what I wanted!"
Metal Bat hoisted his bat onto his shoulder: "Let's tear this arrogant thing apart from the inside out!"
"Caution is paramount."
Bang said in a deep voice: "The enemies inside are likely no weaker than those outside."
"They're all small fry anyway!"
Tatsumaki huffed, though the contempt in her emerald eyes had subsided significantly.
The sky-obscuring spaceship before her told her that this was truly no small matter.
Saitama had already run toward the spaceship, his dull face expressionless: "Let's go, Genos. If we finish early, we might still make it to the supermarket sale."
Genos immediately followed: "Yes, Master! I will record all of your future combat data!"
King said nothing more and took the lead, walking toward the beast-like spaceship.
The low and steady throbbing of the emperor engine echoed over the deathly silent ruins.
Like war drums, it led this team of humanity's strongest into an unknown abyss.
...
The interior of the spaceship was far larger and more complex than imagined.
The corridors extended in all directions, and the walls were made of some kind of dull metal material.
Embedded with pipes that emitted a pale purple or sickly green light.
Silence.
Other than their own footsteps and breathing, there was not a single sound.
After walking for who knows how long, Drive Knight suddenly said in a deep voice:
"The spaceship is too large; it is equivalent to the entirety of City A."
"Proposal: disperse and explore, maintain communication."
No one objected.
Everyone was very confident in their own strength.
The S-Class Heroes each chose a corridor and disappeared into the intricate metal labyrinth.
King, Saitama, and Genos chose the widest main corridor in the middle.
Bang pondered for a moment and followed behind them.
Zombieman wiped his pistol and walked slowly at the very back.
Tatsumaki huffed and flew off alone in another direction.
The corridor seemed endless.
Along the way, some closed chambers could be seen.
Through the observation windows, one could see various strangely shaped instruments of unknown purpose placed inside.
Or some indescribable biological tissues soaking in nutrient solution.
"This place is really uncomfortable."
Saitama frowned and commented speechlessly.
"Master, please be careful. My sensors indicate that the energy here is very unstable; there may be an ambush."
Genos looked around vigilantly.
Bang nodded slightly: "There is indeed a faint killing intent... and not just one."
King did not speak, simply walking steadily forward.
After having ascended his limiter, his perception was sharper than others, and he could detect some malicious gazes moving quickly in the shadows.
Suddenly—
"Whoosh!"
A viscous, dark green liquid emitting a pungent, acidic odor burst out from a ventilation duct on the side without warning!
It was extremely fast, at a tricky angle, aiming straight for Bang, who appeared to be the least guarded at the side-rear of the team!
"Hmm?"
Bang raised his white eyebrows; his form seemed not to move, but he had already slid half a step to the side like flowing water.
The corrosive liquid grazed his clothes and landed on the metal wall, immediately emitting a violent "hissing" sound.
The hard alloy wall was actually melted into a large pit emitting white smoke!
"A sneak attack?"
Bang's eyes narrowed.
"Not bad reactions, old man."
A hoarse and unpleasant voice sounded.
A figure turned out from the corner of the corridor ahead.
It was a humanoid creature, but its entire body was covered in deep green, thick, shell-like exoskeleton.
Its head resembled an insect, but it had no eyes, and sharp teeth glinted with cold light.
Its arms were exceptionally thick, and instead of palms at the ends, there were two organs resembling nozzles that constantly dripped dark green liquid.
Dark Matter Thieves, one of the three top-tier combatants, Gloribas.
"It seems that idiot Melzargard was taken out outside, right?"
Gloribas's compound eyes swept over King and the others, lingering for a moment on Saitama's bald head, before sneering.
"But it doesn't matter; cleaning up trash is my specialty."
"Especially small trash like you who look so weak!"
His gaze passed over everyone and locked onto the man at the very back of the team, who was leaning against the wall, seemingly distracted, with dead fish eyes—
Zombieman.
"You look the weakest, so let's start with you."
Before his voice had even faded, the nozzles on Gloribas's arms suddenly expanded!
"Acid Rain!"
A dark green acid, ten times more violent and with a wider coverage than before, sprayed out like a high-pressure water gun, forming a deadly curtain of corrosive rain that covered Zombieman!
This attack far exceeded the previous one in speed, density, and corrosiveness.
It was clearly intended to kill in one hit!
"Watch out!"
Genos exclaimed, his palm cannon lighting up.
Bang moved his feet slightly.
Saitama blinked and looked at King.
King... did not move.
Zombieman finally reacted, a trace of helplessness flashing in his eyes as he muttered:
"Why is it me getting beaten up again..."
Although he complained, he didn't actually care at all, and didn't even make a proper dodging motion.
"Hiss——!!!"
The corrosive acid hit Zombieman squarely.
A teeth-gritting sound instantly rang out.
Zombieman's iconic trench coat, the shirt underneath, and even his flesh began to smoke the moment they touched the acid, rapidly dissolving and melting away!
"Ah, ah... that really hurts..."
Zombieman's voice came from amidst the sizzling sound of dissolving.
In just two or three seconds, only a skull was left on the spot, along with the scalp with a few strands of charred hair still clinging to the cranium, rolling onto the ground.
The jawbone opened and closed, and it could actually still make a sound:
"Tsk, I just bought this outfit, and it was expensive, a full twenty thousand yen..."
Gloribas was stunned for a moment and said in astonishment:
"You didn't die?"
But he immediately let out an even more excited hiss: "Interesting! Then I will dissolve you completely into gas!"
He aimed his arms again at the lonely skull on the ground, the nozzles brewing a richer green light.
Just then.
A foot wearing ordinary sneakers stepped in front of the skull, blocking the nozzle's line of aim.
King had appeared between Gloribas and Zombieman's skull before anyone knew it.
He tilted his head slightly and glanced at the skull on the ground that was still muttering, "Troublesome, my clothes are gone; after I recover later, I'll have to run naked again."
Then he turned his head back to look at Gloribas.
His eyes were as calm as if he were looking at a rock on the side of the road.
"You..."
"Why are you both ugly and smelly?"
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