Caspian sat at the table in his living room, notebook in hand. Genos sat across from him, his unwavering gaze fixed on Caspian, waiting in silence.
This notebook detailed the extensive fruits of Genos’ ‘training’ over the past week.
“I’m impressed,” said Caspian as he pced the notebook oable.
“Master, I entered a couple of issues. But I held off oing them right away because I didn’t want to spoil the good mood you have been in.”
“I may be your master. But, even more so, I’m your friend, Genos. You don’t o keep apologizing or calling me master.”
“Uood master!”
Caspian sighed. “Alright, what issues did you face?”
“Regarding Wavygyaza, I haven’t been able to track her location. As far as I tell, she’s disappeared.”
“Right. She’s currently undergoing cyberid physical enhas. We’ll o expand the search to a certain newly established anization, but that wait for now.” He paused, his tone shifting to something more serious. “That leads me to a question I o ask. Do you think Doctor Kuseno would help her wheime es?”
“While I ’t answer for the Doctor. I’m fident he will agree. He is a very kind and selfless man who I am forever ied to.”
“I look forward to meeting him. Regardless, even if he agrees, until Wavygyaza pletes her enhas and reemerges, a firm answer won’t make a difference. What about the other issue?”
Genos leaned forward and pnted his elbows oable. “The note you gave me is goolen.”
“Stolen?”
“Yes. Two nights ago, I assing by our sparring area and spotted a duplicate of the aftermath of your punch.”
Duplicate? What’s going on?
Genos tinued. “I analyzed both samples. The duplicate exceeds the inal in every measurable way.”
“My first thought was that you had returned, but before I could duy further tests in the area, an unseen force seized my body and dragged me into the sky.”
“Could it be…?”
“You’re correct, Master. Tatsumaki, the 2nd Rank S-Css Hero, was in the area—likely iigating the aftermath of our sparring session.”
That was definitely what I was going to say.
“I would oss out a note you gave to me, so when Tatsumaki saw it in my hand, she seized it.”
“Genos, just summarize the importaails instead, please.”
“Certainly. She questioned if I knew anything about the battle that transpired there.”
Caspian's palms turned sweaty. “And the note? Did you mention me?”
“On no at. I told her I was hunting monsters in the area and that the list was of individuals I was a fan of.”
“And she bought it?”
“Presumably. However, her obsession with your attad the duplicates seemed off. She kept asking if I could dis how superior the duplicate was.”
“She actually called it a duplicate?”
“No. She called it an ‘evolution.‘”
“R-Right.“ Caspian stifled a chuckle. “And after that, she just let you go?”
“Not before acg me ing down the S-Css Heroes’ reputation by ag like a creep with that list of hough, it mostly boiled down to her younger sister, Fubuki, being on the list. She threateo turo scrap if I ever got near her sister.”
Senos... But dammit! If she ever finds out the true meaning of that list…
“My bad, Genos. But this brings us to your sed lesson as my apprentice.”
Ruffle
Genos withdrew a notebook and pen by the time Caspian finished his sentence.
Caspian held out his hand and said, “Willpower.”
“Willpower?”
“Correct.” Caspian’s tone sharpened. “Suffit willpreatly minimizes an Esper’s hold. Master it, and you will bee their worst nightmare.”
Genos scribbled notes, grip tightening on his pen. “How do I train it?”
What do I say? Telling him to abstain from A the summer won’t cut it.
“Unfortable. Do what makes you unfortable.”
Genos sprang to his feet and said, “Simple, yet profound. Thank you Master! I must begin my training now.”
SLAM!
Genos blurred out of the apartment.
“He’s going to break that door someday. Well, he’ll fix it so it’s not really an issue.”
BzZzz
“Hmm?”
Caspian looked toward a jar that sat on the ter that rested below the kit’s pass-through window. “Little M, you’ve been quiet tely. Still not hungry?”
He discovered, to his surprise, that Little M required no food and grew more eic each day. It defied logic — but then again, this mosquito had been an anomaly from the start.
Caspian arrived beside the jar. “Don’t worry, one of those ‘great things’ I mentioned will take pce soon. I know so, for this ‘great thing’ has been prophesied.”
BZzZz Little M frolicked in the air.
“When Mosquito Girl es here, maybe we have an actual versation with her as the interpreter.
Anyhow, I o my C-Css Hero obligations today.”
¤ ¤ ¤
How many cities must I scour through? Where are you hiding Caspian?
Sonic had traveled from city to city, scrutinizing every square inch, a he still couldn’t find Caspian.
He didn’t care. He would search the entire p if he had to. But that wouldn’t be necessary today.
For when Soered the business district of Z-City, he spotted the eye-catg refle off his target’s head.
Your days of hiding are over! Huh, what is he up to?
Sonic observed as Caspian stood on a crosswalk, stationary, p over some unknowail.
As my fated rival, I’ll teach you why you should never let yuard down.
Soniched a kunai toward Caspian.
k
“What?!” Sonic’s voice slipped out.
Instead of pierg through his fated rival, it passed through him before losing momentum and boung off a building.
How could I miss? He didn’t move at all.
Sonic reassessed the situation. Caspian remained in pce, unaware of his impending doom. If that was the case, he would hold bao longer.
He grasped the hilt of his ninjato and bzed forward at a speed beyond sound.
My speed has grown even more! You ’t keep up!
The moment before his bde ected with Caspian’s neck—it vanished from his hands.
I swung into his neck, but my ninjato vanished instead of slig through him!
Sonic, baffled, came to a stop near Caspian, who by now had noticed him.
“Hey! You’re that guy… ‘Seed-on-the-Ground!’”
“It’s ‘Speed-o’-Sound Sonic...’”
A woman’s cry rang out in the distance. “Ahhh! Help! Somebody is dropping swords from the sky!”
Sonic frowned. Z-City has really gone downhill. Once I defeat Caspian, I’ll depart immediately.
