Chapter 168: Solved So Quickly?!
Metal Bat's strength suddenly surged as he shook off Zombieman, who was gripping his shoulder. His voice, which had been a dream-like murmur, turned into a shout:
"I'm going to... see my sister's piano competition!!"
Caught off guard and flung away, Zombieman's pale face showed a hint of helplessness:
"Calm down!"
He raised his specially-made massive handgun and slammed the heavy butt hard against the back of Metal Bat's neck.
Bang!
With the crisp sound of flesh colliding, Metal Bat fell to the ground, his faint breathing the only proof he was still alive.
Metal Bat's body had already reached its limit; it was only his obsession with seeing his sister's piano competition that had kept him moving forward.
Zombieman's strike was the straw that broke the camel's back, causing the nearly exhausted Metal Bat to collapse completely.
"Phew... looks like he's finally quieted down."
Zombieman leaned down, hoisted the unconscious Metal Bat onto his back, and ran swiftly toward the site of the previous battle.
Even carrying a person weighing over a hundred pounds, his speed easily surpassed any current world record, covering a hundred meters in just a few seconds.
Although Zombieman's physical prowess was considered inferior among S-Class Heroes, that was only in comparison to those with freakishly high physical strength.
In the original series, Zombieman could even bend steel bars with his bare hands. His physical strength was enough to put him at the top of the A-Class Heroes, and his stamina and endurance were even more terrifying.
Before long, he returned to the original spot and placed Metal Bat on the far right of the group of fallen S-Class Heroes, wiping away non-existent sweat from his forehead.
Scanning the ten S-Class Heroes lying on the ground, Zombieman couldn't help but feel a sense of oddity.
Why does this feel like I'm collecting Pokemon?
Just then, a streak of crimson light descended from the sky, landing gently on the ground without kicking up a speck of dust.
King's figure materialized from within the blood-red light. He had already exited the Gate of Death state and returned to Earth in his usual appearance.
He raised his hand to deactivate the Energy Shield. Garou, who had been tumbling around inside the shield, was finally liberated and hit the ground with a thud.
The moment he landed, Garou didn't even check his surroundings; he knelt on the ground and began to vomit uncontrollably.
"Blegh!! It felt like being tossed in a washing machine for hundreds of cycles... blegh!!"
Garou looked completely drained, his stomach feeling like it was being turned upside down.
Zombieman glanced at Garou, his eyes filled with suspicion.
Who is this guy? He looks a bit familiar.
His first instinct was to be on guard. After all, there were ten severely injured S-Class Heroes here; any sufficiently powerful being could easily kill them all right now.
But since King was the one who brought him back, there was no need for concern.
After all, if it hadn't been for King, they would likely have been wiped out the moment that man wreathed in flames appeared.
King would not harm them; this was the only certain fact in the hearts of all the heroes present.
Thinking of that being who radiated a terrifying aura, and the Sun Sperm who had previously wiped out the S-Class Heroes, Zombieman's heart tightened:
"King, those two Monsters..."
"Don't worry, they've been taken care of. One-Punch Man and I finished them off."
Solved so quickly?!
Zombieman had thought they had merely been driven away or temporarily escaped, considering those Monsters were capable of wiping out all the S-Class Heroes in an instant.
All things considered, from the moment King appeared to save them until he returned from the battle, only about half an hour had passed?!
In an instant, Zombieman's understanding of King's power was significantly updated once again.
"Let's not talk about that for now." Noticing that the life signs of the ten S-Class Heroes lying on the ground were extremely weak, King couldn't help but frown:
"They're all so heavily injured. It's been so long—why hasn't the Hero Association provided medical aid yet?"
...