Boom—boom—boom—!
The surging water pressure burst the roadside fire hydrants one after another!
Powerful jets of water shot straight up, turning into a fine mist at the top.
The massive members of the Deep Sea Tribe walked down the street.
The wide road was completely packed with them.
The fire hydrants spraying water were like a celebratory salute welcoming them.
They burst one by one as the terrifying procession advanced.
The citizens in this area had long since fled, leaving the streets and surrounding buildings deserted.
"King, the Psychic Power to control water is truly a perfect fit for our Deep Sea Tribe!" the Octopus Deep Sea Being said excitedly.
He waved his tentacles.
The spraying water jets and drifting mist gathered together.
Forming a large floating sphere of water.
"With this ability, even on land, we can unleash our tribe's full strength!"
"Enough, shut up!!"
The Deep Sea King roared, swinging his arm to burst the water sphere!
It turned back into mist and dispersed in the air.
The group of Deep Sea Tribe members fell silent instantly.
"What is there to be excited about in an ability forcibly transplanted by humans! This is a humiliation!!"
The Deep Sea King's face was contorted, his mouth full of sharp teeth exposed.
He scanned the Deep Sea Tribe members coldly.
"Have you all forgotten our kin who died in failed experiments? How can you be happy about power obtained through such shame?!"
"But, King..." the Octopus Deep Sea Being spoke gloomily.
"No matter how angry we are, as long as those humans give an order, we can't help but obey."
After being defeated and captured by [Tsukuyomi].
The experimental modifications they underwent...
...didn't just give them the Psychic Power to control water.
Their subconscious was also brainwashed and controlled.
No matter how much hatred they felt, their bodies would remain loyal to the orders of [Tsukuyomi].
Furthermore, the effects of the brainwashing would become increasingly intense.
Gradually.
Not just subconscious loyalty, but even their thoughts would be completely assimilated.
At least the Deep Sea Tribe of the past...
...would never have spoken even a single word of dissent to the Deep Sea King.
And this was exactly what enraged the Deep Sea King!
Even he was subject to the subconscious brainwashing.
He was resisting with willpower for now, but in the future, his mind would inevitably be assimilated, becoming completely loyal to the humans he loathed.
"Ughhh-aaaaah—!!!"
The Deep Sea King let out a hideous roar, causing ripples in the air.
The mist, like an explosive shockwave, rapidly pushed outwards in all directions!
The buildings on both sides of the road were directly collapsed by this mist shockwave!!
The shattered architectural structures crashed to the ground one after another.
But this destruction was not enough to vent the resentment in the Deep Sea King's heart!
[Tsukuyomi] ordered them to attack the Hero Recruitment site and cause a significant enough disturbance.
The Deep Sea King didn't know the goal of those people.
But he was impatiently looking forward to...
...using slaughter to vent his emotions!
Inside the shelter serving as the testing ground.
An executive from the Hero Association stood at the entrance.
Loudly advising the crowd pouring in:
"Everyone, don't push! The shelter is very spacious and can accommodate everyone! Our staff is packing up the testing equipment to make more room, so don't panic!"
The executive's words had some effect.
The crowd stopped pushing and shoving as much as before.
Some helpful citizens took the initiative to help maintain order.
"That's right, the Hero Association must have considered the city's population. Everyone, be careful to avoid a stampede."
"Those with children, pay more attention and don't get separated from them!"
The care and reassurance from within the crowd finally made the line stable and orderly.
With Monsters attacking,
everyone wanted to enter the shelter built by the Hero Association.
At that moment, a staff member ran up to the executive.
And whispered into his ear.
The executive frowned: "What did you say?"
Although the crowd had settled down,
the various sounds mixed together were chaotic.
The executive couldn't hear the staff member's words at all and shouted:
"It's too noisy! Say it again, louder!"
"Yes!" The staff member took a deep breath.
"The Monsters are coming straight for the shelter—!!!"
...An instant of absolute silence.
All eyes turned toward them.
"Waaaaah—!! Everyone get out of the way and let me out!!"
"Since the Monsters' target is here, I'd rather go home and hide in my basement!"
"Don't push back! If you want to leave, then leave, but don't get in our way! A shelter built by the Hero Association has to be sturdier than a house anyway!"
"You bastard! What do you mean by blocking me this whole time!!"
"Huh?? Do you want to go out and die, you idiot!!"
The crowd instantly fell into extreme chaos.
The news quickly spread through everyone's cursing and grumbling.
At the very end of the line.
Some people left immediately upon hearing the news, anxiously looking for other hiding places.
Others pushed inside even more desperately and frantically.
Among those already in the shelter, some wanted to hide there properly, while others wanted to run out.
Not to mention those squeezed in the middle, caught in a dilemma.
People were all tangled together like a knot.
"Wow, it's even more crowded than a supermarket sale day," Saitama remarked.
"I totally get that comparison, Saitama-kun!" Mumen Rider said, putting on his cycling helmet.
"But right now we need to find a way to get out and protect the safety of the citizens outside!"
The recruitment test was only halfway through.
A large number of citizens had poured into the shelter.
By the time Saitama and the others learned of the situation from the staff...
...and changed back into their hero costumes...
...the entrance was already hopelessly blocked.
And there was only this one entrance and exit.
"Hey, you two."
A middle-aged man in shorts, also participating in the Hero Recruitment, called out to Saitama and the other.
"You've put on those clothes—don't tell me you're planning to go out and face the Monsters?!"
"Don't get it wrong! The Hero Association already said it's at least a Demon Level threat! Depending on how things develop, it might even be upgraded to a 'Dragon' level threat!"
He advised against it:
"Anyway, our recruitment test isn't over yet, right? Let the official heroes handle it."
Saitama loosened up his limbs.
His triangular dead-fish eyes hadn't yet become the semi-circular dead-fish eyes of the future.
His hair was also quite thick; he hadn't yet entered the Realm of being semi-bald.
Demon Level... Saitama thought to himself.
It seems like a few Monsters I had a particularly hard time fighting before were Demon Level.
I can handle Demon Level.
If it's Dragon level, I'll probably lose.
Well, no matter how strong a hero is, they can't win every single battle.
Saitama walked calmly toward the crowd.
With his cape fluttering, his ridiculous-looking suit took on an indescribable air of coolness.
Mumen Rider followed closely behind, whispering 'Justice' to encourage himself.
The middle-aged man who had tried to reason with them saw that they were ignoring him and still stubbornly heading out.
He wanted to try and stop them again, but his mouth twitched and no sound came out.
His attempts to stop them were merely...
...the envy of a coward toward the non-conformity of the brave.
Light spilled in from the entrance.
The two who initially looked ridiculous appeared exceptionally grand from behind... "Hey! Who are you! Why are you stepping on my head?!"
"Hey! You stepped on my wig and it fell off!!"
"Are you two guys crazy!!"
Saitama apologized repeatedly as he stepped on heads and shoulders:
"Sorry, excuse me, I need to get out, sorry..."
Mumen Rider was too embarrassed to step down.
He had just subconsciously followed Saitama-kun's lead, thinking he had a way out.
When he came to his senses, he was already standing on top of the crowd's heads.
The middle-aged man in the back: "..."
These two guys are definitely going out to their deaths.
...
(Throw some stones)