As luck would have it, less than two minutes after he started picking through the rubble, Dr. Dr. Genus heard the King Engine roar like thunder.
He looked up and was met by a face brimming with majesty and dominance; its stern expression weighed on him like a mountain. The trio of scars over the left eye made the visage every bit as terrifying as any grotesque monster.
In the end, it was Dr. Genus who broke the ice, forcing a laugh and extending his hand.
"What a coincidence. You must be the legendary strongest man on the surface of the Earth—KING, right? I've long looked forward to meeting you."
King hooked the corner of his mouth, gripped the offered hand just as firmly, and smiled.
"And I've heard your name a few times—mastermind behind the House of Evolution, the man who cracked gene-tech and turned back his own aging, creator of Carnage Kabuto and countless other modified monsters. Dr.. Genus—did I get that right?"
The smile on Dr. Genus's face froze; beads of cold sweat rolled down his forehead.
What the hell… Hearing his résumé listed off like that left him numb, as if someone had just read out his entire bank balance.
Realizing KING clearly had every scrap of intel on him, Dr. Genus's plan to play the part of some harmless hiker evaporated on the spot.
He tried to pull his hand back, only to discover King's grip was an iron shackle—once clamped, impossible to escape.
After a few seconds of futile struggle, Dr. Genus gave up.
"I surrender. Do what you want—beat me, kill me, whatever. If you intend to kill me, fine, but please don't wipe out everything at the House of Evolution. Take my data and leave the rest."
Dr. Genus adjusted his glasses, a cold smirk hiding behind the lenses.
So what if you destroy this body? I'll just swap to another and vanish. You'll never find me again.
King nodded, slowly raising one palm, the chill in his eyes as sharp as a drawn blade.
"In that case, I'll grant your wish and deliver you death."
"Oh, and not just this body—I'll also destroy the three other copies you've got stashed in different regions, freeing your soul for good."
With that, King prepared to slam his palm down.
"Wait—wait—wait! I was joking—don't kill me!"
Hearing King rattle off every detail of his body-resurrection plan, Dr. Genus was speechless.
He'd been willing to die only because other bodies could revive him—yet now the man planned to erase them all. What was the point of asking for death then?
King gave a cold snort and said nothing, merely fixing Dr. Genus with that awe-inspiring stare while a vast, searing aura surged out like an ocean.
His heart pounded in his chest, each beat rolling like thunder tearing through the night sky; the King Engine's rumble even set the surrounding air quivering.
Feeling that mounting power and unmistakable killing intent, Dr. Genus was drenched in sweat.
Am I going to die here…?
Just as he closed his eyes and waited for the end, the crushing pressure vanished in an instant.
Huh?
Dr. Genus blinked in confusion to see King step past him, patting his shoulder on the way.
"Look how scared you are. I have no reason to kill you. Go run a Takoyaki stand like a good boy—maybe I'll drop by for a snack."
Watching King walk away, Dr. Genus's glasses sat askew on his nose; he was too stunned to adjust them, his gaze a storm of emotions.
So this is the bearing of the so-called strongest man on Earth—the demeanor of a true powerhouse?
No wonder he spared me; in his eyes I'm probably just a pitiful clown.
Not knowing where he found the courage, Dr. Genus lifted his head, resolve hardening in his eyes.
"Hold on a moment, please!"
King paused and glanced back, puzzled.
He really hadn't expected that Dr. Genus, scared out of his wits moments ago, would still have the guts to call him back.
Now, facing King's gaze, Dr. Genus couldn't stop trembling.
Yet to him, the answers to certain questions mattered more than mere life and limb.
"Was Carnage Kabuto killed by you? Before he died, had he activated 'Ashura Mode'—the one where his whole body changes color?"
King gave a slight shrug and answered offhandedly.
"Frankly, your genetic overhaul was a failure. Your strongest monster turned out to be a loser, and that so-called 'Ashura Mode' only worked by trading away its brain."
"If I were you—after years of gene research that amounted to nothing, the final product toppled by some 'outdated' human—I'd have gone to sell octopus balls long ago."
With that string of criticisms toward his life's work, King turned and left.
All that remained was Dr. Genus, slumped in the dust-choked ruins of the House of Evolution, his pristine white coat now filthy gray.
So even outsiders think the same… Maybe I really should buy a Takoyaki stand…
Inside the Hero Association, a tall, straight-backed old man in black long sleeves and silver hair sat in the lounge, sipping tea with unhurried grace.
A moment later, Sitch, finished with his paperwork, ambled over with a chuckle.
"Well, well, Silver Fang—what brings you to the Hero Association in person today?"
Rank 3 S-Class Hero, Silver Fang—Bang.
Bang raised an eyebrow; though aged, his voice carried the poise of a grand master.
"Haven't dropped by in a while, so I thought I'd check in. I hear we've added a new S-Class Hero. Did Sweet Mask approve?"
Sweet Mask, whom Bang mentioned, currently occupies the top spot of A-Class.
It isn't that Sweet Mask can't rise to S-Class—he deliberately stays at A-Class Rank 1 to vet those who come after him.
Because of that, the S-Class roster hadn't grown for ages, but this time the precedent was broken.
Sitch rubbed his large nose. "Mr. Sweet Mask objected at first, but when he heard Mr. KING recommended the candidate, he changed his tune immediately."
"Oh?" Bang's eyes widened in surprise, his white mustache twitching.
"A personal recommendation from KING? Then this 'Caped Baldy' must be a promising young talent."
Though the code-name is downright awful… Speaking of King, Bang's gaze turned grave.
He remained at S-Class Rank 3 not only because he lacked the desire to climb higher, but also because he truly couldn't beat Tatsumaki.
As a martial-arts grandmaster, Bang specialized in humanoid foes; his Flowing Water Rock Shattering Fist had reached the pinnacle.
Against humanoids of roughly similar size, he could hold his own.
Yet against Rank 2 S-Class Tatsumaki, he admitted defeat before the match even began.
Her overwhelming Psychic Power placed her in a league of her own among S-Class heroes.
He had always heard the myriad legendary feats attributed to KING, yet retained a sliver of doubt—after all, no one had ever actually seen them; they were only rumors.
But a few days earlier, members of the Hero Association had watched King bring back an unconscious Tatsumaki virtually unscathed.
From that moment onward, the last trace of skepticism in Bang's heart vanished.
He had to admit that the title 'The Strongest Man on Earth' was no empty boast.
Anyone capable of defeating Tatsumaki with barely a scratch—apart from KING—would probably have to be S-Class Rank 1 Blast.
...
(End of Chapter)
[Throw some stones]