Why is Big Sis with Aokiji?
Did they know each other before?
Well... they're both among the top Espers.
It's not strange that they'd know each other.
Big Sis must be here to take me back.
She must have seen my performance just now—she must be so disappointed... Fubuki hung her head and sat slumped on the ground, silent.
Waiting for her sister's scolding.
"You two catch up; I'm going to finish it off."
Aokiji said, walking toward where the Donut Monster had fallen.
Sure enough, a tiny donut was quietly crawling across the ground.
An ice spike extended from his fingertip, skewering the Donut Monster through its hole.
"Ahhh~~~"
Why are you moaning like that?
Aokiji's face darkened; he crushed it completely with Armament Haki.
Who knows if Saitama would just take a bite when facing food Monsters... probably not, since they used to be human.
Thinking about eating Monsters,
Aokiji suddenly recalled a small panel he'd once seen in a manga.
The story was short—just four panels.
It happened after the House of Evolution sent Beast King, Armored Gorilla, and other Monsters to capture Saitama.
After Saitama smashed Beast King into chunks,
a few ordinary Crows passing by ate the corpse pieces,
and those ordinary Crows turned into Monsters too.
Their disaster level didn't even reach 'Wolf'.
But it proved a fact.
Not only can Monster King Orochi's Monster cells transform living things.
Ordinary Monsters, or those strong enough, also have flesh and cells capable of monsterizing other creatures.
It's just that the power boost after monsterization is probably far inferior to Orochi's cells.
So... Aokiji rubbed his chin in thought.
Could I use some Monsters with strong regeneration to create even more Monsters?
First monsterize a few, then let them monsterize the rest.
They don't need to be strong—just enough to fill the progress bar.
Use quantity to replace quality.
I'm a freaking genius!
I have to test the feasibility.
As for how the Monsters feel...?
Monsters don't feel pain (M78-nebula dialect).
Meanwhile,
Fubuki didn't receive the scolding she expected.
"Fubuki..." Tatsumaki's tone was uncharacteristically gentle.
"Give it up. You can feel it yourself—your talent isn't enough to be a proper hero."
It wasn't the usual domineering command.
Tatsumaki's calm statement felt colder than any harsh order.
Fubuki's hands on the ground clenched involuntarily.
She bit her lower lip, refusing to make a sound.
"Silent, huh..." Tatsumaki brushed the dust from Fubuki's hair with a gentle motion.
"You must agree; come back with me."
Fubuki still hung her head.
A weight pressed inside her.
Like every child disappointed by a parent, she stayed silent, just wishing time would hurry past.
"Who talks like this? One of you lectures herself, the other won't open her mouth."
The coat he'd taken off earlier landed on Fubuki.
She slowly looked up; Aokiji stood beside her as listless as ever.
"Your clothes are torn—cover up or you'll get the runs."
"Don't spout disgusting nonsense, bastard!!" Tatsumaki snapped back to her irate self.
"So what?" Aokiji spread his hands innocently. "It's a normal bodily function. You telekinesis users can just teleport your □ out?"
"You're disgusting!!"
Tatsumaki, wrapped in Psychic Power, lashed out with a kick.
Aokiji stepped back twice, dodging, and kept talking:
"Did I guess right? Then keep your Psychic Power away from me; sounds filthy."
"Die, die, die!!"
Buildings and car wreckage, carried by Psychic Power, rained down.
Aokiji didn't even block; he weaved through the barrage without once touching the Psychic Power.
Fubuki stared blankly at the farce.
Big Sis... has this side to her?
She'd rarely seen Tatsumaki vent pure rage.
To Tatsumaki, Monsters, criminals, evil organizations—all were insects beneath contempt.
They barely stirred emotion.
Tatsumaki did have a bad temper, but usually she was just annoyed.
Not truly angry.
She just never suppressed her feelings;
if something bugged her, she let it out.
Combined with her power, that made her terrifying.
Never before had Fubuki felt
that her sister was mad... yet somehow different?
After thinking a long while, Fubuki recalled her high-school days.
Back then she'd founded the Esper Research Society.
As its president, she'd been the campus star.
Loads of members joined, idolizing and supporting her.
Yet no one treated her the way those little cliques of boys and girls did—
teasing and roasting each other, trading verbal jabs, the occasional friendly punch.
So... is this what friends are like?
Fubuki stood, draped in the coat,
watching what ordinary people would call a natural disaster.
"All right, I get it," Aokiji said, raising a hand for truce.
"You don't teleport it out; you haul it out yourself—happy?"
"You Ice Cube Bastard!!"
Tatsumaki ground her teeth; hair and hem floating upward.
Psychic Power surged skyward!
"Go back to the Arctic and stay out of human society!!"
"Hey now, summoning a meteor's overkill."
Aokiji looked up at the clear blue sky.
A huge meteor, faintly glowing red from friction, was growing larger.
It wasn't a big problem for him.
If he couldn't handle a meteor, he wouldn't qualify as Admiral-tier.
"We're still in the city, and your little sister's here—careful of the collateral."
"...Hmph! Don't dodge—let me hit you a few times!"
"Fine, fine." It wouldn't hurt anyway.
The meteor hadn't even warmed up before it was sent back.
A tiny figure pounding on Aokiji's head, he gestured toward Fubuki.
"Let's find a place to sit and talk things through between you two."
Fubuki's expression was complicated; after a moment she nodded.
...
(Throw some stones)