Just less than one mile from their position, there was another team also moving forward. They jumped from tree to tree like monkeys at very high speed.
"Someone's coming!" Hiruzen suddenly raised his hand, signaling the team to stop.
Everyone simultaneously turned toward the distance, staring at a passenger plane hovering in the air with investigative gazes.
"Those are people from the One Punch Man World!" Jiraiya had once visited the One Punch Man World, so he recognized such things.
Hiruzen's expression became heavy: "So quickly we meet them... The One Punch Man World, has Rank Three of the Golden List also come?"
"Definitely came!" Kakashi answered, his heart sinking.
They had all witnessed the very terrifying power of Rank Three of the Golden List, could even be said to be an invincible entity.
Although they had suspected that the One Punch Man World would intervene and Rank Three would most likely be present, they didn't expect to meet this quickly.
"Hide!" Hiruzen chose not to act rashly.
Since everyone aimed to seek profit, why not let others become the first bait?
Others might not know how terrifying Madara was, but Konoha Village knew very well. In the past, he together with Hashirama was called a legendary ninja who together founded Konoha; his strength was very extraordinary.
Since Rank Three had already come, let him test Madara's strength first. Let's see if the current Madara was capable of matching Rank Three of the Golden List.
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
Meanwhile, the One Punch Man World people were completely unaware of the Konoha group's trail.
They came using a plane whose target was very large and thus easy to find, while ninjas were very skilled at disguising and hiding their presence. With a one-mile distance and the ninjas' hidden position, it was natural that the heroes didn't notice them.
Currently time was everything.
The item left by Rank One might not be too attractive to Saitama, but for any faction in the three worlds, it was very important.
Whoever managed to steal the start, they would have the chance to get it first. That's why the Hero Association didn't hesitate to expose themselves by sending a team using a plane so they could arrive as quickly as possible. Although some heroes like Saitama, Tatsumaki, and Genos could fly, the majority of other members couldn't.
"Sensei, the location isn't far from here!" Genos' body had been modified again, his mechanical body was now more perfect.
From his laser eyes, he projected a light screen displaying their destination map. A red dot blinked showing that their distance was indeed very close.
"Don't know if we're late or not. Senju Hashirama and others are natives of this world, they might have arrived earlier than us. Everyone, hurry!" Bang released his hands that were previously clasped behind his back.
He shot ahead first like a monkey jumping high, gripping tree branches and swinging quickly forward.
"This old fox is still impatient!" Metal Bat grinned, he lowered his body, his leg muscles suddenly swelled, then he stomped the ground hard. The ground beneath him caved in quite deep as his body shot forward at a speed no less than Bang's.
The other heroes also brought out their respective abilities. Among them, Tatsumaki and Saitama were the most conspicuous.
Tatsumaki as an esper flew in the air using her telekinetic power. While Saitama again sat on Genos' back, letting his disciple carry him flying without using his own flying wings.
Not long after, they approached the target location.
"Up ahead there!" Shouted Genos, his eyes emitting red light to analyze geographical coordinates.
However, when they landed, everyone looked confused. The forest here was very dense and didn't look at all like living creatures had lived there for long.
"Did we get the wrong address?" Metal Bat stared at Genos doubtfully.
Genos shook his head: "Impossible to be wrong. At that time the rewards from the Golden List that fell here weren't just one, the position was already locked accurately with a margin of error no more than 500 meters."
"Then why is it like this?" Metal Bat tapped the tree trunk beside him with his bat, feeling annoyed.
King's gaze swept around, then suddenly fixed on the ground beneath their feet. He spoke: "Could it be... they're underground?"
Hearing that, everyone was startled and simultaneously stared downward.
"Genos, I leave it to you!" Bang signaled.
Genos nodded slowly.
Everyone dispersed away, while Genos hovered in the air with fire spewing from his soles. Both his hands opened like lotus petals, showing cannon holes that began gathering bright golden light waves.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
Genos' weaponry had been upgraded; the laser cannons he fired had destructive power many times stronger than before. He began bombarding the ground surface indiscriminately.
Soil and rocks scattered, the earth's surface was torn apart, and the impact force uprooted ancient trees until they were thrown. Even some trees began to burn; if not stopped, this would trigger a great forest fire.
Seeing this, the heroes immediately extinguished the growing fire. They didn't come to destroy the environment; One Punch Man World heroes actually cared very much about ecology. The majority of them evolved from ordinary humans and understood very well how important a good living environment was.
Under Genos' bombardment, the ground surface formed holes of various sizes that got deeper and deeper. However, there were still no signs of enemy presence.
"Enough, stop it!" Tatsumaki who had been watching all along began to lose patience.
Why does this machine boy only make loud noises but zero results? After all this time there's still no effect.
"Let me do it!" Tatsumaki brushed aside her curly green hair, extended her slender finger, and slightly raised her hand.
*RUMBLE... RUMBLE...*
Giant chunks of earth and stone were lifted into the air by invisible force, then thrown far away.
Underground, as if there was a giant earth dragon continuously moving and ransacking the earth's contents. The ground cracked everywhere like a natural disaster.
"This girl..." Bang's pupils slightly contracted, he too was shocked by Tatsumaki's power.
Metal Bat also swallowed saliva while muttering: "This little girl is really terrifying. Although she looks small, her power is very frightening. Who knows what she eats to grow like that..."
King stood with hands in pockets, his face remained flat without expression, but the Emperor Engine in his chest faintly began to thud loudly again, making people around him turn their heads.
Seeing Tatsumaki move, does this man also can't hold back wanting to act?
With Tatsumaki's intervention, soil and rocks kept flying thrown to the side. The cave hole got deeper until everyone could no longer see its pitch-dark bottom.
Suddenly, Tatsumaki's brow furrowed. She shouted loudly: "Dodge!"
Instantly, she herself shot away to the side.
Everyone was startled and instinctively jumped back. From inside that cave hole, an extremely powerful energy stream suddenly spurted out like a volcanic eruption.