Caspian’s gamble had paid off. By waiting until the st day before his removal from the Heristry for failing to meet his quota, all he had to do was show up in Z-City and stand around. B, but a guaranteed way to fulfill his quota without being mistaken for a vilin by running around like a madman.

  As expected Sonic found him and Caspian had to admit it was fun to mess with him. Nearly bursting into ughter when he snatched the ninjato from Sonid tossed it away. Though he had almost ended a dy’s life with that careless act—but holy, she shouldn’t have been standing there.

  Caspiahe crowds of people scattered throughout the business district. Already, some of them had turheir attention to the pair.

  While Sonic's eyes darted around, searg for his missing on, a nagging woman’s voice tore apart the silence.

  “That’s him! He’s very, very dangerous. Please stop him.”

  What? I refuse to believe anyone here could see me fling away his bde.

  “So you’re the offender, eh?!” the huge muscur man beside the woman flexed his arms. “Well, the hero Tanktop Tiger is here now!”

  Caspian grinned and said, “Sonic, let’s see how you hahis. I wonder how fast you escape your cell w—”

  A rge hand csped down on his head. “She means you, cue ball.”

  “Huh?”

  The nagging woman yapped once more. “I’ve watched the news. This man is a lingering remnant of the ‘Paradise Group.’”

  “A btant lie!” Caspian raised his hands in protest. “I’m a hero too!”

  “I’ve never heard of a hero like you.”

  “Who cares whether you know of me or not? I’m new!”

  “In any case, you’re causing problems for everyone. If you’re really a hero, then don’t go around looking like a member of a known terrorist group.

  You’re hurting all the other heroes’ reputation.”

  What kind of trash reasoning is that? Sonic you better deal with ‘Stripes’ here real quick.

  “Hey, isn’t that Tanktop Tiger?”

  “Oh yeah, it is Tanktop Tiger.”

  “No way!”

  “Awesome. He’s the real deal!”

  The onlooker’s voices cried out.

  Tanktop Tiger, t above Caspian, smugly looked around. “Even C-Css Heroes get reized if they’re iop 10.” He the over his face a bit too close to Caspian’s. “Wanna go a little wild here and make me look good?”

  Now Sonic! Teach him a lesson!

  Unfortunately, no ‘Exploding Shuriken’ arrived to save the day.

  Tanktop Tiger’s smug expression widened. “I’ll make it painless for you. You even take the first swing.”

  Caspian gnced baly to find that Sonic had run off. Damn ninja!

  Before he had to resort to anything rash, a beautiful voice shouted from the heavens.

  “‘Hail of age!’”

  Several explosions thundered from multiple buildings.

  “It’s your lucky day, cue ball. Let me show you how real heroes act.”

  The plethora of people cried for Tanktop Tiger’s help.

  It’s unfortuhen that before he could even reach Sonic, a stray shuriken exploded in his face, rendering him unscious.

  Following that, everyone one fled g for another hero to save them.

  Caspian wished he could fly up and give Sonic a high-five for his heroic act, but he had a quota to fill.

  “Haha! Caspian, with him out of the way, you’re the st hero standing. Now that I have my on back, you’ve got no ce.”

  Sonic remained airborne, raining down mayhem oy.

  Caspian surveyed the area until he saw a g young boy. In a fsh, he stood behind the boy and smacked away the car that was about to crush him.

  Several seds ter.

  “If you’re not ing, I’ll go to you!”

  Caspian vanished from the street and reappeared the airborne Sonic. “That’s my signal!”

  A swift karate chop and one Sonic-shaped crater were all it took for him to meet his quota.

  Caspian nded beside the crater, looking downward. “Later Sonic, I’ll see you the ime it rains, probably.”

  ¤ ¤ ¤

  The following day…

  Busho sat in a rge room, lit only by the tless eleic lights, his eyes sing the replowing on his puter s.

  “The man apprehended in Z-City by the C-Css Hero is suspected of being involved in several heinous crimes, including assassination.”

  Busho pondered his co-workers’ words before pulling up a different s on his puter. “This C-Css Hero Caspian matches the reports witnesses gave regarding Heavy Kong’s assaint in W-City. Have we firmed this information?”

  After a moment of silehe co-worker from across the dark room answered. “Yes. Though, several anonymous reports came in stating Heavy Kong was the instigator”

  “How so?”

  “The reports cimed Heavy Kong accused the duo of being monster apologists.”

  Busho’s eyes narrowed. “More monster apologist accusations? W-City is getting out of hand. There’s o iigate Caspian any further regarding this matter.”

  “Should we cease the oing iigation you requested about him?”

  “No...” Busho pulled up Caspian’s records. “…instead we o dig deeper. For him to defeat an A-Css Hero… We must uncover his true depths.

  Moving on. What’s the status of the other iigation I requested?”

  A young woman, Z Branch Operator, typed away. “The one for Z-City Ghost Town?”

  “Yes.”

  “Let’s see… We’ve submitted an official request. Tornado is also on the assig.”

  Busho leaned ba his chair. “I’m aware. ing this iigation, Tornado showed a level of stubborhe Association hadn’t seen before.

  What exactly is happening in Z-City Ghost Town?”

  ¤ ¤ ¤

  “If it means running into monsters like this all the time, I wouldn’t want to live here either.” The hero said before colpsing onto the crete.

  “Man, b. This is b me! I finally kick a hero’s butt and I don’t get even a single scream.

  Now that I think about it, even if I start living here, I’ll never be famous if there’s no people. Guess I’ll keep going. Gotta find where they live.”

  Kombu Infinity had traveled all this way seeking a rumored powerful foe, yet the first oppos he entered were a pair of weakling heroes whht him no enjoyment. Was this erip destio be a pointless endeavor?

  As Kombu Infinity walked away, a voice called out from above.

  “Where do you think yoing?”

  “How?!” Kombu Infinity lost trol of his body and flew upward before stopping in front of the speaker. “The rumors weren’t a plete lie, but I hadn’t guessed the ‘Tornado of Terror‘ would be ‘The Ghost Town Monster.‘“

  “What did you call me seaweed?”

  Kombu Infinity’s body trembled uhe invisible force as Tornado slowly closed her open hand, the pressure tightening around him like a vice.

  Is this it? I wouldn’t have made my way here if I knew she was the rumored ‘Monster.’

  “Hey! What are y to do with my soup stock?”

  Kombu Infinity regained trol of his body and dropped onto the narrow street, his bloodshot eye log onto the man who had just spoke.

  A normal guy. I guess there’s no reason for humans to clear out with the ‘Tornado of Terror’ here. And did he just call me his ‘soup stock...?’

  The man stood in a pin blue tracksuit, bald, and carrying a single grocery bag in his left hand. He was the embodiment of ordinary, yet his following words were anything but.

  “Good girl.”

  Why is this guy antagonizing her?

  Up in the sky, Tornado ched her little fists. “Say that again, Caspian.”

  She knows him?!

  Caspian held out his arms. “Good girl. Now e here a daddy have a little squeeze.”

  The moment Kombu Infinity decided to flee from this suicidal maniac, the ground quaked. crete and buildings tore free from the earth, lifting him along with the rising debris.

  Kombu Infinity gnced away from Tornado toward the bald moron who still wore a stupid look on his face as he floated in the air.

  Apologize to her! I just want to leave. I find enjoyment anywhere.

  Kombu Infinity’s wish for an apology would never e true.

  “Tatsumaki, I’ll be stealing your lips today, I promise.”

  Despair filled Kombu Infinity. We’re dead.