Turned Into Gacha?! - 531
--+--
"Targeting Alice?"
The young girl, who had been looking perplexed, didn't show any sign of disappointment upon hearing this. She simply tilted her head and continued, "Why would you target Alice?"
"Exactly. What is the meaning of all this?"
Genos stood up from his chair. Beside him, Saitama remained seated, though the look on his face had shifted from his usual blank, egg-like expression.
Knowing that Metal Knight wasn't the type to answer his questions, and taking into account Alice’s social circle and her own accounts, Genos turned his gaze toward Tatsumaki, who was sitting at the head of the table.
However, Tatsumaki simply turned her back to them, remaining characteristically silent. It was clear she had no intention of involving herself in this affair.
"Let me explain..."
Bang, sitting opposite Tatsumaki, spoke up.
Metal Knight did not attempt to interrupt.
Tatsumaki’s stance was already quite obvious; if even Silver Fang and Atomic Samurai were unwilling to participate in this plan, the chances of the operation failing would be nearly 100%.
Though he personally felt that this sort of naive sense of justice would only ruin everything, he had no other choice now.
Seeing that no one objected, Bang turned his gaze toward the puzzled Alice.
"I am truly sorry that something like this had to happen during your first S-Class meeting." He scratched the back of his head, his tone not exactly intimate, yet possessing his usual gentleness and composure.
"If you really want to know who proposed this plan, I can tell you afterward. But for now, let us explain why this plan even exists."
This, without a doubt, was the question shared by all four newcomers.
"You should all be familiar with that great diviner, Madame Shibabawa, right?"
"Of course. She is the one who predicted countless disasters, all of which came to pass," Genos replied, his vast knowledge reserves clearly serving him well.
"She passed away, not long ago."
Bang’s words caused Genos to knit his brows.
He couldn't help but interrupt, "With all due respect! If you are trying to find a culprit, I suggest you find a team with higher intelligence to handle the task. No matter how you look at it, Alice could not possibly be the killer!"
"Don't be so impatient, young man."
Bang sighed helplessly. "We aren't looking for a killer... No, rather, the 'culprit' we are looking for isn't a person. The truth is, Madame Shibabawa’s death wasn't a murder or an accident. She died while choking on a throat lozenge after seeing something truly terrifying during a divination..."
Genos: ...
Saitama: ...
It should have been a grave and sorrowful matter, but their emotions were struggling to keep up with the absurdity of the situation.
"Since this has nothing to do with Alice, what is the meaning of all this?" Genos demanded.
His hot-headedness made Bang shake his head. "I am not trying to be mysterious. This plan is, in fact, directly related to that incident."
"The issue lies in the final prophecy Madame Shibabawa wrote down before she died—the last vision she ever saw." Bang’s expression turned solemn.
"The disasters Madame Shibabawa predicted were only a fraction of what is to come, but her accuracy rate was 100%."
"And this prophecy, which she used her final moments of strength to scrawl down, simply stated: 'The Earth is in danger.'"
"The Earth is in danger?"
Genos didn't find his answer in that phrase; if anything, he was even more confused about how this involved Alice.
His already furrowed brows tightened further. "So, what exactly is the connection between this prophecy and Alice?"
"It is less about the young girl herself... and more about that 'Madam Herta' she serves."
Bang focused his gaze on Alice.
Madam Herta?
Genos finally recalled the name, but how did "the Earth being in danger" relate to Madam Herta? Did they really believe she was going to destroy the planet?
"The only one among us who has met Madam Herta is Tatsumaki," Bang continued. "Tatsumaki’s description of Madam Herta comes partly from personal experience, and partly from what she gathered from Alice."
"And whether it’s from her own words or Alice’s descriptions, one thing is clear: that Madam Herta possesses a power that the Earth cannot fathom, perhaps even power beyond our imagination."
Genos didn't know much about this, as he rarely paid attention to Association gossip, having joined solely because Saitama had.
"The chair the young girl is sitting in is specially crafted," Atomic Samurai said, not wanting to leave the psychological pressure solely on Bang’s shoulders. "It is designed to restrain whoever sits in it, though it won't hold for long."
He was someone who hadn't wanted any part of this from the start, so he felt no burden.
He shot a playful glance at Metal Knight before continuing, "And according to the 'plan,' we were to wait until 'Herta' was absent, combine our efforts to subdue the girl, and extract information about Herta from her memory banks."
Alice couldn't help but glance at Tatsumaki, who still had her back turned to everyone. No wonder her behavior earlier had been so sudden and strange.
"So you think Madam Herta is the mastermind behind the 'Earth being in danger'? With all due respect, that is laughable."
Genos could not accept this. "Even if you had such a suspicion, how can you call yourselves heroes and still commit such an act? Do you have no shame!?"
His speech was stern and righteous. No one in the room made a move to respond.
Some believed this was a "necessary evil" and didn't care to explain; others were just there to go through the motions; some felt genuine guilt; and a few were simply waiting for the moment things became truly irredeemable to turn against the plan.
Everyone had their own reasons, and the end result was silence in the face of Genos's interrogation.
High-ranking officials of the Hero Association, watching the situation through monitors, felt their hearts leap into their throats.
It wasn't because they feared retribution—the truth was, this plan had little to do with them.
As members of the "pure-blood" faction responsible for disaster countermeasures, they cared deeply about the "purity of heroes."
They would never have dreamed up a plan that involved burning bridges like this.
Of course, they didn't consider themselves saints. They hadn't proposed it, but they had authorized it under the request of S-Class heroes, which effectively made them accomplices.
What truly terrified them was that, regardless of the plan's success, the image of the S-Class heroes—and the Association itself—would be deeply tarnished. The scene playing out before them made that perfectly clear.
"This farce is, indeed, the fault of us seniors," Bang admitted bluntly. He had been part of the group that never intended to act, and he was ready to intervene if things went too far.
He hadn't left simply to see what the other S-Class heroes would choose. As it stood, it seemed most of them had chosen not to walk the wrong path.
He then looked toward Tatsumaki.
Bang knew that even this self-willed, headstrong girl was finally showing a change, a sign of maturity for her age.
"I apologize to you once again, Alice the Hero."
--+--
Turned Into Gacha?! - 532
--+--
"It’s alright. The path of a hero is never smooth sailing; setbacks and skepticism are part of the journey."
Even after hearing Bang explain the circumstances, the girl didn’t show a hint of anger, though she did look a little dejected.
But once she finished speaking, her expression turned serious.
"Although Alice doesn't mind, Alice does not want everyone to have misunderstandings about Auntie Herta. Auntie Herta is a truly wonderful and great scientist!"
Was she not upset for her own sake, but because of this Ms. Herta?
Silver Fang didn’t view this as some pre-programmed sense of "loyalty."
Whether it was mere code or genuine sincerity—perhaps others couldn't tell, but could a martial arts master, one hyper-sensitive to aura and presence, fail to see the truth?
He had long since stopped looking at people only with his physical eyes. Therefore, even if the person before him was a machine, he could still sense that distinct, human-like emotion.
Atomic Samurai probably felt the same way.
Even though he had never intended to go through with the plan in the first place, Silver Fang spoke up on behalf of everyone.
"Of course. Not just to you, but our decision to cast Ms. Herta as an antagonist without any prior understanding was, without a doubt, a sign of disrespect toward you both. Please convey our apologies to her when you see her next."
"Okay!" The girl nodded, a smile finally returning to her face.
Off to the side, Metal Knight remained silent.
Not to cast someone as an antagonist without understanding? It is precisely because we don't understand them that we must prepare for the worst!
Wasn't our plan created for the very purpose of understanding them? And yet, at a critical moment like this, they’re all...!
If things truly reached a point of no return, they would be defeated without a shred of resistance, having zero knowledge of this Herta. Metal Knight was absolutely certain of that.
That was an existence that even he and Child Emperor combined couldn't get the upper hand against—a being who had even caused them significant losses in return.
Aside from the robots she threw out into the world, almost everything about her remained a mystery. How could Metal Knight not feel wary?
He was a firm believer in taking precautions; once Herta truly turned hostile, it would be too late.
However, no matter how much he worried, the outcome was set. Looking at the now-relaxed atmosphere, it was clear that the heroes were taking the "failure of the plan" very well.
"Bang shouldn't be the only one apologizing," Puri-Puri Prisoner added after Bang finished. "I’m sorry for not telling you about this right away, little Alice."
"I never had any intention of going along with such a foolish scheme," Atomic Samurai said with a lazy tone, devoid of any remorse.
As a swordsman, he would never let his heart be clouded by dust, so he wouldn't make a judgment based on confusion.
"I'm sorry... this plan was partly my doing..." Child Emperor bit his lip.
He was indeed the youngest S-Class hero, but he shouldered far more burdens than most, often harboring the secret fear that he was "the darkest of all heroes."
He hadn't been the main instigator, but he had been a firm executor of the plan, even though he knew in his heart it wasn't right.
Following the confessions of the three, Zombieman and Tanktop Master also voiced their apologies. Pig God didn't say a word, having been busy eating the entire time, but he silently pushed his burger toward Alice.
As expected, everyone here is a kind and firm hero. Superalloy Darkshine remained silent as well; he had no intention of taking action anyway, so he excluded himself from the list of people who needed to apologize.
The others felt much the same, mostly there to see what the other heroes would decide.
As for what kind of people his fellow S-Class heroes truly were, no number of meetings could reveal the truth as clearly as this plan had.
With the plan discarded, many heroes could now express their goodwill toward Alice in a straightforward way.
They weren't primitive people; they knew how to use smartphones, they read the news, and even the old-school types still kept up with the papers.
As long as they kept tabs on the outside world, it was impossible to be completely ignorant of Alice.
Furthermore, for the sake of this mission, they had received the files and combat footage on Alice compiled by Metal Knight and Child Emperor.
"I know this might be a bit shameless of me to say... but I actually really like the way you act as a hero."
Child Emperor's face flushed. It wasn't the shyness one feels toward the opposite sex, but the shame he felt for his own actions.
In fact, had it not been for this incident, he would have liked to get to know Alice and become friends with her.
He was also a young boy who held heroes in high regard. It was precisely because he admired the back of Blast—the hero who had saved him—that he joined the Association to become a hero himself.
But in this situation, he felt embarrassed to voice such thoughts.
"Alice is very happy that you like her!" The girl naturally wouldn't hold a grudge against a child. Even if his IQ and analytical skills surpassed those of an adult, he was still just a little boy.
Seeing that Alice held no hard feelings, Child Emperor felt even more ashamed. "Anyway... I still have to say I'm sorry. If you ever need help in the future, I'll do my best to assist you!"
He didn't add the usual caveat of "as long as it doesn't harm society."
It was impossible for him to be completely free of suspicion regarding the Herta behind Alice, but he was willing to believe that Alice wouldn't ask for something like that.
"Ho ho ho." Watching the interaction, Bang let out a chuckle filled with the wisdom of his years. Given his existing fondness for the girl, he naturally admired her ability to let go of past grievances.
"You're welcome to visit my dojo whenever you like. With your strength, if you could master martial arts, you'd surely become even stronger."
"Oh! Alice can learn new skills!"
Seeing the girl brighten up again, Genos's expression finally settled. He looked over at Saitama, only to find that he had somehow reverted to his usual dull, vacant expression.
"Is there any tea here?" Saitama muttered, sitting in a slouch.
Genos was just about to ask the staff outside when he was interrupted.
"However, we must all acknowledge one fact: we know almost nothing about Herta." Just as the atmosphere was becoming more peaceful, Metal Knight spoke up.
His cold, synthesized voice caused the warming atmosphere to freeze over again. Child Emperor understood the old man’s personality well enough, but surely this wasn't the time...
"The purpose of our gathering wasn't just for this 'plan.' More importantly, it was because of Madam Shibabawa's prophecy," Metal Knight continued.
"We cannot overlook any possibility that might lead to the fulfillment of that prophecy. That is why I want more information on Herta, or, perhaps, a meeting."
"Metal Knight..." Puri-Puri Prisoner frowned at him, his eyes filled with disapproval.
Genos narrowed his eyes as well.
But the voice that rang out next wasn't theirs—it was Alice's.
"There’s a spaceship coming! From outer space!"
--+--
Turned Into Gacha?! - 533
--+--
"Outer space?"
The heroes' gazes shifted to Alice in unison. Metal Knight and Child Emperor quickly grasped the implication.
"Did the [Ark] detect something out there!?" Child Emperor asked immediately.
A sense of alarm gripped him.
How vast was this mobile fortress called the Ark? Where was it even located?
These were all unknowns; they had never seen the Ark in person, knowing only that it possessed teleportation capabilities and could provide armaments and support.
But to suggest it could detect a spacecraft flying toward Earth from deep space? Even if the vessel was already relatively close to Earth, that level of detection was staggering.
Moreover...
Cold sweat beaded on Child Emperor’s temple.
This was bordering on a Type III encounter. Although, according to Tatsumaki, Herta seemed to fall into this category, actually hearing that an alien spaceship was closing in on Earth felt entirely different...
"Let me ask first—is this ship commanded by Ms. Herta?"
"It does not match the signal of any vessel under Auntie Herta’s fleet," Alice replied.
That wasn't entirely unexpected. According to Tatsumaki, that woman Herta had vanished right in front of her; perhaps at her level, she no longer had any need for something as primitive as a spaceship.
Humanity hadn't even managed to leave the atmosphere yet, so how did such a terrifying, mysterious power from behind the scenes suddenly emerge?
"Can we identify the ship? Who are they? Is there any way to communicate with the commander?" Child Emperor pressed.
"The [Ark] has already sent a handshake request, but there has been no response." The young girl’s expression shifted the moment she finished speaking, and she stood up from her seat.
"The ship is directly above A-City! The [Ark] has deployed its armaments!"
The situation had just escalated significantly. The heroes realized this instantly.
They had been speculating about the nature of this impending crisis. While it made sense to fear Herta as an extraterrestrial, they hadn't expected an alien attack to come from someone else entirely.
Still... the only extraterrestrial they knew was Herta. While this wasn't her, whether it was related to her remained an unknown.
Regardless, they had to deal with the disaster at hand.
"Everyone! We have monitored the situation on-site!" Just then, the voice of Sitch, the official in charge of the 'Earth is in trouble' prophecy, boomed through the room, and a screen projected onto the table.
On the display, a steel fortress resembling an inverted crown hung abruptly in mid-air.
Over a hundred cannons were locked onto the same target, while a dozen fighter jets, looking like Gundams, danced through the sky, pouring endless firepower and reinforcements into the fray.
Opposite the steel fortress sat an aerial warship nearly a third the size of A-City. While the fortress was by no means small, in terms of sheer scale, they were on entirely different levels.
Yet, despite such a massive disparity in size, they were somehow locked in an evenly matched battle.
"At that altitude..." Child Emperor’s face darkened.
He wasn't the only one; most of the heroes looked grim.
Few among them possessed anti-air capabilities; Tatsumaki was the only one truly suited for aerial combat. If the two sides kept fighting in the clouds, the rest of them would be of little help.
"That is not the [Ark]'s full power," Alice said. "But... if we shoot it down... the people in the city..."
If a warship of that size fell onto A-City, the destruction would be catastrophic. Even if it didn't wipe out everyone, the casualties would be unimaginable. That was a cost they could not accept.
"Issue an evacuation notice to the citizens of A-City immediately!" Bang shouted.
"Yes, Mr. Bang!" In truth, the Hero Association had already taken action the moment the threat appeared; every hero currently in A-City was assisting with the evacuation and crowd control.
"How long can the [Ark] sustain its power?" Metal Knight asked, looking at Alice.
It was a blatant attempt to fish for intel, but it was information he genuinely needed.
"Hmm..." The question stumped Alice. She instinctively looked at her Sword of Light.
After Herta's modifications, the sword—made of nanotechnology—was no longer just a weapon; it functioned as a communication device and could even assemble into armor.
The girl naturally passed the question on to the Ark's AI.
"Kei?"
Since it was the AI assisting Alice, it was named Kei.
Following her query, a voice that was clear, calm, and slightly indifferent emanated from the Sword of Light: "The [Ark] possesses the 'State Superposition' property. Its dimension, time, and existence are indeterminate. It cannot be destroyed from the outside, and it will never run out of energy."
"..."
Those who understood were silent. Those who didn't understand were also silent.
The former didn't understand how such a thing could be created or how the technology was achieved; the latter simply had no idea what that meant.
If what this voice says is true... then this [Ark] is much more than just an aerial fortress. If its dimension, time, and existence are indeterminate, doesn't that mean it could exist in any dimension, at any time, in any location?
Metal Knight’s real body felt his hands tremble. If this were true, it could even function as a time machine. Returning to the past or venturing into the future would theoretically be possible!
Facing Herta, who possessed such technology, did Earth ever have a chance of resisting?
It was likely that she hadn't paid them the slightest bit of attention from the very beginning.
"In other words, it can keep going indefinitely? That's good enough." The others didn't have much of a concept of what was just said, only taking away that they didn't need to worry about the Ark running out of steam.
"Anyway, let's head up there first," Saitama said, his tone flat and unruffled.
"...?"
Only then did everyone notice the bald man who had appeared from out of nowhere.
It wasn't that they hadn't seen him—they had—but no one had bothered to bring him up, and he hadn't said anything. Combined with the tense atmosphere, no one had spared him much attention.
Only Silver Fang, who had seen Saitama in action, had been keeping an eye on him.
"Right you are. While we may not be able to do much as we are, we can still help evacuate the citizens."
The sooner the citizens were out, the sooner they could resolve the issue.
Even though they all knew the battle in the sky was a lopsided war of attrition and the alien ship would eventually be shot down, the longer it dragged on, the higher the risk of something going wrong.
Bang’s words were clearly more effective than Saitama’s.
With him leading the way, everyone exited to the Association's grounds. By now, most of the staff and all the heroes were already on the move, offering their strength to face this sudden catastrophe.
As S-Class heroes, they were, naturally, no exception.
--+--
Turned Into Gacha?! - 534
--+--
With the addition of the S-Class heroes, the efficiency of the civilian evacuation improved significantly, even if not every hero was focused solely on that task.
Tatsumaki, in particular, was an absolute powerhouse; she could effortlessly lift and evacuate tens of thousands of people in the blink of an eye.
Even though she had to recite words of reverence for Madam Herta under the gaze of those thousands every single time she used her psychic powers, the sheer repetition had turned her praises into something akin to a "slogan."
By now, it was so well-known that Tatsumaki had actually grown accustomed to it.
However, this battle—which appeared to be a fairly balanced exchange of offense and defense—was not unfolding according to the script everyone had expected.
"What is that!?"
The S-Class heroes, who had been keeping a watchful eye on the alien warship, suddenly noticed something amiss.
It seemed that after failing to make headway in the standoff against the ship, the aliens had chosen a different way to "compete" with Earth.
Countless aerial units burst from the ship's hatches, and many ground units were dropped from the sky as well.
Those ground units were enveloped in a blue-black glow, signaling to everyone that the enemy had psychic users of their own.
Tatsumaki’s brow furrowed slightly. Without hesitation, she reached a hand out toward the incoming ground units.
The power she wielded—enough to easily crush a Dragon-level monster—struck the ground units instantly. However, that intangible blue-black light acted like a barrier, dampening her force to a negligible level.
The enemy’s psychic power was not half bad.
"They're touching down!"
"All S-Class heroes! Cease the evacuation missions! Intercept the enemy combat troops immediately!" The Hero Association’s broadcast echoed through every corner of A-City.
"Can't break through, so you've decided to try boarding tactics with us, huh?" Standing on the roof of the Hero Association building, Atomic Samurai curled his lips into a battle-hungry smirk.
His weathered, sharp features were filled with disdain for the enemy's chosen tactic.
A few heroes had remained behind, as not everyone was suited for the evacuation work.
"The aerial units are mine."
Metal Knight, who stood alongside them, spoke as his entire mechanical frame took flight into the sky.
"I'll assist him." Drive Knight followed suit, stepping forward before leaping off the building, transforming into a jet to intercept the alien air force.
The remaining heroes had no effective way to engage the aerial units, so they followed the Association’s orders and headed out to deal with the enemy's ground forces.
Tatsumaki was growing anxious. She knew how much of an impact a powerful psychic could have on the battlefield, but the evacuation task couldn't function without her.
The sooner the city was empty, the sooner they could let loose.
"Let’s go too, Genos."
Saitama looked toward Genos and said, "Alice seems to be over there evacuating civilians. Let's help her clear out the enemies early."
"Understood!"
Alice was unaware of their intentions. She knew she wasn't particularly outstanding at evacuation duty, so once she spotted the enemies descending from the sky, she handed the task over to a nearby B-Class hero.
The air battle was not going well, and Alice knew that everything happening so far was just a small scuffle.
The true threat was singular: Boros, still aboard the ship.
No one could be certain how long he intended to stay on that vessel. The current situation had already tipped Alice off—if even Boros grew tired of this endless standoff, he might decide to descend to Earth himself.
That would be the most troublesome scenario of all.
With that thought in mind, Alice tossed her Sword of Light in front of her. As the nanomachines whirred to life, the blade transformed into a hovering board capable of carrying her.
It felt a bit like a certain "Judas" flight mode, but that didn't matter.
"Alice is going to launch a direct assault on the interior of the ship!"
Though it wasn't strictly necessary, Alice, now perched on her board, notified everyone via her phone.
Without waiting for a response, the girl shot straight toward the warship.
The flight speed of the Sword of Light's board mode was no slower than a fighter jet. The thousands of meters of altitude were nothing more than a few seconds of travel for her.
As a blue light flared, the front of the board unleashed a railgun blast powerful enough to pierce the ship's hull. Following the hole she had blown open, she dove inside without a second's hesitation.
Ignoring the pressure differential between the inside and outside, the moment she entered the ship, Alice reverted the sword to its original form and activated its energy detection feature.
There were three powerful energy signatures within the ship, and the distance between them wasn't great.
If Alice’s guess was correct, one was the ship’s power source, another was Boros, and the third was that octopus psychic alien—whose name she couldn't quite remember.
Without a moment of indecision, Alice headed toward the strongest energy signature.
After all, she had come here precisely because she feared Boros would get impatient and leave the ship; naturally, she had to get there as fast as possible.
GeRyuuganshoop, currently in the ship's command center, naturally noticed the little mouse that had snuck in after breaking through the hull. He was just about to make things difficult for her when he heard Boros’s voice.
"She is coming straight toward me."
Seated in the empty, vast hall, Boros looked into the dark distance, as if seeing the intruder through countless obstacles.
"Whether she is a fool who arrived before me out of mere brute courage upon sensing my strength, or a true master with power and a spirit equal to my own... let me taste it myself."
His voice was calm and indifferent, yet it faintly stirred a long-dormant expectation.
No... expectation was fine, wasn't it?
The warrior from the prophecy, the opponent who could actually give him a fight, was on this very planet. That was exactly why he had come.
So, it was alright to be expectant, wasn't it?
BOOM—!!!
A blue beam of light swept across Boros’s cheek, leaving behind a scorch mark and lingering heat that thrilled him.
Though a wound of that magnitude would heal within two seconds, the anticipation rising in his heart could no longer be contained.
His lips pulled back, revealing sharp, menacing teeth that hinted at his nature as a predator. His massive, solitary eye—which dominated a third of his face—looked toward the source of the blast.
The grand door of the hall now had a jagged hole in it; orange-yellow molten metal still clung to the edges, dripping as the high heat caused the ship’s frame to liquefy.
Walking through the breach was a petite figure, different from what Boros had imagined, but... it didn't matter!
He could feel it—the immense energy radiating from her.
"Come before me, warrior!"
--+--
Turned Into Gacha?! - 535
--+--
Alice kept a wary eye on Boros. Although Herta had claimed to have upgraded her, her actual combat effectiveness remained an unknown variable.
However, she did not reject Boros’s invitation.
After all, her only worry was the potential inability to protect more people; she wasn't concerned for her own safety. No matter how powerful Boros might be, she was confident he couldn't truly do her in.
This inner conviction radiated from her, exuding a sense of self-assurance that did not go unnoticed by Boros, who only seemed more pleased by it.
"Before we start, state your name."
As if to etch this moment deep into his memory, Boros treated the ritual of battle with the utmost gravity. "I am the leader of the Dark Matter Thieves, and the dominator of the entire universe: Boros."
"Alice Tendou, professional hero, and the brave hero here to vanquish evil!" Alice replied.
"Vanquishing evil, is it?" Boros let out a laugh.
Across countless planets, he had always been viewed as the embodiment of evil, a label he had long since embraced. He was also intimately familiar with those who styled themselves as heroes.
"Very well. It seems we don't need any more meaningless chatter. I am evil, and you are justice. That is all there is to it, yes?"
Alice did not respond. The Sword of Light in her hands shifted back into its greatsword mode. Though its weight was staggering, it was at least less unwieldy than the cannon form, making it far easier to swing.
In this world of caped heroes, for anyone other than an esper, being lackluster in close-quarters combat was a fatal flaw.
The battle ignited in an instant.
Moving at speeds far beyond the sound barrier—in less time than it takes to blink—Alice was sent flying backward. A thunderous, heavy boom erupted behind her as a massive support pillar collapsed into rubble.
Yet, the girl showed no signs of distress. Having blocked the attack with the greatsword held before her, she had merely been caught off guard, preventing her from properly countering the force.
Under such momentum, the girl’s physical weight—even combined with the Sword of Light—wasn't enough to stop her from being easily sent airborne.
"Blocked it, did you?" Boros was satisfied, naturally, but... that was all it was: satisfaction. It was still a far cry from actual fulfillment.
With a wide grin and his cape billowing, he appeared before Alice once more.
But this time, Alice would not let him have his way.
There is a qualitative difference between simply carrying hundreds of pounds and using those same hundreds of pounds to strike someone.
The heavy, momentum-filled greatsword collided with his indestructible fist.
As they made contact, the alloy floor beneath them buckled and cracked for dozens of meters, and the remaining support pillars behind the girl were shattered by the shockwave and blown into the distance.
Crack!
A fracturing sound echoed from Boros’s gauntlet.
His muscles surged, swelling until the armor shattered into pieces. Meanwhile, his power and speed having increased significantly, he quickly retracted his fist, adjusted his stance, and swept out with a leg.
"It’s not over yet!"
"Urgh!"
His leg, which had shifted from its original hue to a deep, dark blue, slammed heavily into the girl's flank.
The immense impact and the sudden surge of pain forced a muffled grunt from Alice, and she went flying sideways, her body folding like a bent straw.
The sound of collapsing structures confirmed the sheer power of that kick, yet Boros’s assault did not stop there.
Clearly witnessing that the girl’s body had not been pulverized into meat or twisted metal, nor did she appear to have suffered any broken bones, Boros pushed off like a spring, his legs coiling to pursue her once again.
His fist tore through the air with a piercing whistle, driving straight for Alice’s face. Though she hadn't fully regained her footing, she twisted her torso with sheer force, bringing the greatsword up to block.
Clang!
It was a fist of flesh and blood, yet it rang out like metal striking metal.
The spine of the Sword of Light vibrated intensely. Alice felt a numbing jolt run through her hands, and the sheer force pushed her sliding backward once more.
Boros realized that this sword seemed to reflect a portion of the impact he dealt, but that did nothing to dampen his desire to continue the assault.
Defend more! Counter again! Give me more reason to be thrilled!
Following the relentless pursuit and desperate defense, the two had long since left the main hall.
The soles of the girl’s boots plowed two deep furrows into the alloy floor. Along the way, she smashed through three support pipes, and scalding steam erupted from the ruptures, clouding half the battlefield.
Boros would not give his opponent a moment to catch her breath or adjust.
Especially not when she was a powerhouse capable of shattering his armor and still showing no signs of collapse despite his full-force assault.
It was obvious—even as she was forced to retreat, the force behind each of her blocks was growing stronger.
The girl was evolving at an astonishing rate! Knowing this alone made Boros determined to end the battle as quickly as possible.
A deep blue knee burst through the smoke, driving toward her chest like a siege engine.
Beneath the dark blue skin, muscles were coiled and knotted, each inch bulging with terrifying power capable of altering the very terrain.
"Ungh!"
Alice controlled her momentum, whipping the greatsword up in an arc to barely catch his knee. The moment the blade met his skin, faint blue sparks flew. She could clearly feel that the tremor coming from his leg was more intense than any attack before.
But... she was gradually getting used to this level of force. Or perhaps, fueled by her own determination, she was becoming stronger.
"That's it! Alice Tendou!" Boros’s voice was filled with a near-fanatical excitement. He planted his left leg and suddenly exerted force with his right, pressing his knee down against the blade.
Alice’s halo suddenly erupted in a blinding radiance. Gritting her teeth, she gripped the hilt with both hands and heaved upward, actually managing to force Boros’s knee back by half an inch.
She then used that leverage to leap backward, creating a few meters of distance.
But Boros wouldn't let it end there. With lightning speed, he became a purple blur, his fingertips coalescing with a bright purple halo of energy as he lunged for the girl’s head.
Alice gritted her teeth, drawing a circular arc with the Sword of Light; a silver-white flash of light stood before her like a shield.
The moment the energy halo collided with the sword's light, a surge of brilliant purple energy rippled outward like a tide, nearly pulverizing the entire corridor.
In that fleeting moment of stalemate, Boros suddenly shifted his strategy. His left hand darted out like lightning, bypassing the light to clamp firmly onto Alice’s wrist.
An intense heat radiated from his palm; even with the protection of her halo, Alice could feel the warmth.
"Caught you!" Boros wore an excited grin. He put sudden, violent force into his arm, tossing the girl toward the ground as if she were a discarded toy, the vast difference in their physical stature laid bare.
Boom! The already beleaguered alloy floor instantly buckled into a crater dozens of meters wide. Debris and sparks flew in every direction, and the electrical conduits at the bottom of the pit burst, sending blue arcs crackling through the ruins.
Boros landed at the edge of the pit and peered down.
That last strike had landed true, and yet...
"Is your turn already over?"
The girl at the bottom of the pit, while looking disheveled from the dust, appeared entirely uninjured.
On the contrary, she was radiating an even greater amount of energy than before, as if she, too, possessed a second stage, just like him.
"Then, it is Alice's turn next!"
--+--
Turned Into Gacha?! - 536
--+--
With Tatsumaki giving her all, the evacuation of A-City was essentially complete. Aside from a small handful of people still scrambling to exit the city outskirts, the entire battlefield had been cleared out.
With plenty of energy left and ample room to operate, Tatsumaki could finally cut loose.
The high-rises and rubble on the ground all became weapons for her to hurl at the warship in the sky—and that wasn't even the limit of her reach.
Stretching her psychic powers to the absolute limit, she dragged several massive meteorites, each a hundred meters in diameter, down from space.
Although their size had been significantly reduced by the friction of the atmosphere, an object of such mass would undoubtedly inflict devastating damage upon the ship if it struck home.
GeRyuuganshoop could no longer just sit and watch.
Whirrr—!
"Huh?" A formless blue light rapidly smothered the green glow surrounding the plummeting meteorites. Tatsumaki, who was in the middle of controlling other objects to pelt the warship, cast a glance upward.
"Pure telekinesis?"
Her expression remained stoic as she reached out a hand toward the now-stalled meteorites.
A sharp, searing pain instantly surged through GeRyuuganshoop’s entire being.
Had he been human, he would have been bleeding from all seven orifices due to the sudden psychic shock, but his non-human physiology allowed him to regain his composure quickly.
The speed of the falling meteorites suddenly accelerated.
"This planet actually possesses such a powerful psychic?!"
As the self-proclaimed greatest telekinetic master, even though he hadn’t been using his full strength, being countered so easily left GeRyuuganshoop feeling as though his dignity had been challenged.
Multicolorous lights began to rise from his blue-black tentacles, and even his golden eyes flickered with a chaotic spectrum of intersecting rays.
The second round of their tug-of-war had begun. Yet, GeRyuuganshoop, who had been full of confidence just moments ago, found himself breaking out in a cold sweat.
"Hmph."
Though Tatsumaki couldn't see the expression of the ability user, she could easily imagine his frustrated panic.
Admittedly, this was the strongest telekinetic she had encountered so far, but... he was still too weak.
After a brief clash, the meteorites not only failed to slow down by even an inch, but they began to descend even more violently.
Drenched in sweat, GeRyuuganshoop scrambled to find a breakthrough, eventually discovering the key to turning the situation around.
He stopped trying to brute-force his telekinesis against Tatsumaki’s. Instead, he slipped through the gaps in her psychic hold and destroyed the meteorites directly from the inside.
Even this brief skirmish allowed him to grasp the strengths and weaknesses of both sides: that unknown telekinetic’s raw power was even greater than his own, the self-proclaimed strongest in the universe.
But... that person's application of telekinesis was abysmal, akin to a backward caveman with zero technique.
Take the current situation—if it were him, he would have simply neutralized the friction, allowing the meteorites to land without losing a single fragment, rather than burning away half their mass for the sake of raw acceleration like this girl did.
"Trying to be clever, are you?" Tatsumaki remarked.
If her telekinesis had formed a net to drag the meteorites down, the opponent had simply found a way to slip through the gaps in the mesh and shatter the payload from within.
A crafty little pest.
"Fine, I'll play with you for real..."
Tatsumaki fixed her gaze on the warship above, preparing to crush it with sheer gravity, when she noticed the vessel tilting inexplicably.
"Did Tatsumaki's attack actually work?!" Puri-Puri Prisoner exclaimed in surprise, though he immediately added with concern, "But little Alice is still on that ship... if it crashes..."
"Huh!?"
Tatsumaki looked at Puri-Puri Prisoner in stunned disbelief. "Why didn't you say so sooner, you idiot!?"
"Eh...? But little Alice mentioned it over the comms earlier..."
She had been busy as all hell at the time; when would she have had the time to listen to that?
Her mood soured instantly.
Tatsumaki really wanted to vent her frustrations on that warship, but remembering what Puri-Puri Prisoner had said, she restrained her urge to yank it out of the sky and twist it into a pile of scrap metal.
Bang, who had been observing the situation from the side, offered a faint smile, only to be interrupted by Atomic Samurai in front of him. "Silver Fang, if you've got nothing to do, go take care of that guy."
He pointed to the monster in the distance, who was locked in a back-and-forth battle with Metal Bat.
It was a three-meter-tall monster with mud-colored skin. The most striking thing about it was that it possessed several heads, and its entire body could shift into any form while constantly self-regenerating.
With no technique or rhythm, just a giant punching bag that was impossible to kill, it was the worst possible matchup for a swordsman like him. Atomic Samurai simply couldn't muster any interest in such an opponent.
"You annoying flies! Die!"
The monster’s arm transformed into a heavy mallet, slamming down into the ground from above. Melzargald glared with a ferocious face at Metal Bat, who had narrowly dodged the blow.
"All you do is scurry around!"
"What did you say, you bastard?!"
Hearing this, the already impatient Metal Bat flared with rage. "Don't get cocky! If I didn't have to pick up my sister later without being covered in wounds, I'd have finished a piece of trash like you already!"
"Don't let him provoke you, Metal Bat. This monster is extremely strong," Zombie Man warned from the sidelines.
Melzargald's blood pressure was through the roof. Between one guy who couldn't be killed and another who kept dodging everywhere, he hadn't been able to secure a single decisive blow. As one of the three major executives, it was an utter disgrace.
"Alright, alright. This old man’s warm-up is about done."
Bang said as he walked toward the three. "Sorry for making you stall him for so long. The other ground forces have already been taken care of."
"My jacket is covered in dust now..." Metal Bat looked at his school uniform with a headache. Should he tell her he tripped by accident later?
"Let me help you clean that off." Bang smiled, reached out, and patted the boy on the back. A formless burst of internal energy radiated from his palm across the boy’s entire body, and the countless specks of dust simply scattered to the ground.
"Are you serious? Is this what martial arts can do?"
Metal Bat stared at his clothes in disbelief.
"Hahaha, it’s just a little trick for focusing energy. If you're interested, you're welcome to come to my dojo..."
"Ah, that won't be necessary. I have to pick my sister up from school every day, I don't really have the time."
"You bunch of inferior species!!" Seeing them suddenly chatting in such a friendly atmosphere, Melzargald’s rage became unbearable. "GeRyuuganshoop! Forget the things in the sky! For now, direct your fire at the ground—"
BOOM—!
What was that this time!?
--+--
Turned Into Gacha?! - 537
--+--
A pillar of blue-white light suddenly tore through the underbelly of the massive warship, plunging toward the ground at a sharp angle.
The glare forced the heroes below to squint, and even the dust particles in the air were illuminated with piercing clarity.
As the beam tore through, a shrill, metallic screech erupted from the warship’s hull, and sparks hissed from the jagged edges of the puncture wound.
Debris on the ground was sent swirling into the sky by the shockwaves of the light.
The heroes with the sharpest eyesight narrowed their gazes toward the heavens, spotting a slender silhouette plummeting from the hole in the ship, tracing the path of the beam.
Alice’s clothes whipped violently in the high-altitude slipstream.
The Sword of Light in her hand hissed, venting a plume of searing gas as she descended like a falling star toward the battlefield where Bang and Tatsumaki stood.
“Little Alice! How are you holding up?” Puri-Puri Prisoner ran over, his heavy footsteps echoing.
“What on earth happened to you!?” Tatsumaki’s voice and movements, however, were far faster than his.
She frowned deeply as she took in the girl’s current state. Her expression was less one of anxiety and more of raw anger.
She had never seen Alice look this ragged or battered.
While she didn’t understand the mechanics behind it, most attacks aimed at the girl were mitigated to an extreme degree; yet, mundane trifles like bumping into a table corner would often cause the girl to shed involuntary tears.
But now, her clothes were caked in dust. Her jacket was riddled with charred, gaping holes, and her hair, which appeared singed and curled by intense heat, was a chaotic mess.
Even her face was smeared with grime, making her look like she had just been dragged out of a house fire.
“Mmm—!”
Before Alice could speak, a surge of power swept over her, neatly pressing her hair back into place and brushing the dust away as if by invisible hands.
Though her clothes couldn't be replaced on the spot, she undoubtedly looked far cleaner than she had moments ago.
“Don’t you dare let Fubuki see you in such a state!” Tatsumaki huffed, turning her head away. “She’d think I couldn’t even protect someone like you.”
“Thank you, Tatsumaki!”
Now refreshed, Alice beamed a smile at her.
Even without looking back, Tatsumaki knew the girl was likely sporting that same goofy grin. “Now that you’re out, I can finally get serious. You meddlesome brat.”
With that, she took flight, ascending into the sky.
“What happened on the ship…” Zombieman held a soft spot for Alice.
He had a fondness for children—especially those who took the heavy burden of protecting others upon their shoulders at such a young age.
Whether it was Child Emperor or Alice, he felt a natural urge to look after them.
Even knowing Alice was a robot, he still recognized her personhood, and he understood that mental exhaustion was just as valid a concern—not to mention that a robot’s combat effectiveness relied on energy levels.
But this wasn't the time to fuss over whether she was a child or not. Even knowing she had just been fighting inside the enemy’s warship and was likely drained, he needed to know the situation.
However, before he could finish his sentence, a lethal chill, coupled with a sudden, surging wave of heat, bore down upon them from afar.
It wasn't just Zombieman; everyone present felt the crushing weight of impending death.
A beam of white-violet light, a full two meters in radius, streaked from the distance. In the blink of an eye, it had punched through countless buildings and ruins, closing in on them.
It didn't even need direct contact; the unparalleled heat instantly liquefied the asphalt road within an eight-meter radius and everything else it brushed against.
I'm going to die!
The realization dawned on several of the heroes. Silver Fang and Atomic Samurai, even wishing to intervene, found themselves powerless.
The strike was too sudden; they had no time to mount a counter-effort, and barely dodging was the limit of their capability.
Just a second before the light was to consume them, a white silhouette intercepted them like a teleporting blur!
A massive blade of light crashed into the ground in front of her. As the spine of the blade collided with the light stream, a deafening ring of steel echoed out.
The white-violet current, which should have melted everything in its path, was split by an invisible force.
It flowed along the sides of the blade, transforming into two Y-shaped beams that soared past the heroes and tore through the building complex in the distance.
The sensation of brushing shoulders with the Reaper still lingered in the air, but more than the relief of survival, they were struck by a singular, overwhelming shock… They had actually blocked it?
Blocked by that girl who looked so incredibly petite?
“Blocked it!? They blocked Lord Boros’s attack!?”
Yet, Melzargard was even more shocked than they were. “That was Lord Boros’s attack! Small fry like you should have been reduced to nothing but ash by the mere shockwave! How is this even possible!?”
“Boros?”
It was the first time any of them had heard the name, but a heavy, oppressive atmosphere began to quietly permeate the scene.
Was that attack a one-time thing? Or was it merely a trivial strike from the opponent’s perspective?
Just what kind of strength did this adversary possess? Even though this alien was clearly formidable in his own right, he displayed a near-fanatical faith in Boros’s power.
“Blocked again, eh? I meant to return your strike, but it seems I failed.” As everyone pondered this, they realized that a deep-blue-skinned, one-eyed alien had appeared before them.
Even Bang and Atomic Samurai felt a chill run down their spines.
As martial artists, they were hypersensitive to the suffocating pressure of such an abrupt arrival.
The entity had already closed in on them, appearing right before their eyes, yet they only realized the presence of his "energy" when he finally spoke.
Could he be a robot like Alice? That seemed impossible from every angle!
Then there was only one conclusion.
He was simply too strong.
“Is that the kind of enemy Little Alice was just fighting…?” Puri-Puri Prisoner felt his entire body seize up. He couldn't move, let alone breathe or speak.
What kind of monster is this!?
Zombieman racked his brain, desperate for a way to fight back.
Even with his high-speed regeneration, he would surely perish under an attack capable of vaporizing him entirely. And if he had to rely solely on his weapons…
In the sky, Tatsumaki also noted the situation below. Despite her abrasive personality, she held a strong sense of responsibility as one of the elite.
Since the strongest enemy on the battlefield had appeared, it was only natural that she be the one to face him first.
Yet, as if reading her intentions, a telekinetic force far surpassing the previous one surged toward her from all sides.
Her protective barrier, which always surrounded her, shrank significantly under the pressure, forcing her to divert her focus to contest the power.
What’s going on? Its telekinesis suddenly strengthened this much? Does that ship have some kind of booster? No… it would be standard for it to have one. Tatsumaki’s face tightened.
But this kind of device can't be used for long, or there’s no reason it would have held back until now.
The image of the black-haired girl’s goofy grin surfaced in her mind, and Tatsumaki gritted her teeth.
--+--
Turned Into Gacha?! - 538
--+--
On the battlefield below, Boros stood before the gathered heroes, yet his gaze held only one person.
The prophecy was no empty threat, nor was it a lie crafted to lure them away.
At this very moment, he was savoring the joy of battle! He was reveling in the thrill of an enemy he could not easily crush!
He was intoxicated by the crisis of being at a total disadvantage, where he alone had to overcome his opponent’s greatest champion to turn the tide!
"Magnificent! Alice! It seems the fate of this battlefield is entirely in our hands. Only when you fall, or I fall, will the scales of this war truly tip!"
Such arrogant words made every hero’s expression darken, but the tension and crushing pressure radiating from their opponent left no doubt about the alien’s terrifying power.
But... does power mean one simply retreats?
"You sure talk big... you bastard." Atomic Samurai’s nerves were taut as never before. The sense of life-or-death peril he hadn't experienced in years made his aura sharp and aggressive.
He knew that if he and Bang fought seriously, that many-headed monster wouldn't last three turns against them. That was the confidence Atomic Samurai had gained after assessing the situation.
So, what level of power did this 'Lord Boros' truly possess?
"I have no interest in wasting time on small fry."
The deep blue fist appearing inches from his nose caused Atomic Samurai’s pupils to constrict. Once again, he hadn't seen a thing!
He hadn't even caught how the enemy moved—was he trapped in another death sentence just like that?
BOOM!
Yet, in the split second before the fist made contact, Boros—who had been swinging the blow—suddenly twisted his body and kicked off the ground to retreat.
In his place stood a silver-white greatsword pulsating with high-tech energy.
"Don't you dare hurt Alice's companions in front of Alice!"
The girl's steady, earnest voice pulled Atomic Samurai back to his senses. As he regained his footing, he realized his back was drenched in cold sweat.
Could he have been killed in a single instant? What kind of monster was this alien? And who was this girl who could hold her own against such a being? Was it ever really necessary for them to help with Metal Knight’s original plan?
Perhaps they hadn't come to help Alice—perhaps they had saved Metal Knight instead.
He had thought he’d reached the pinnacle of this world, yet to think...
Atomic Samurai’s heart was heavy with complex emotions, but as a swordsman, his soul had been tempered a thousand times over. Even a setback like this wouldn't break him. Adjusting his mindset, he even managed a smile.
"Looks like I owe you one, Hero."
"Uncle Samurai is Alice’s companion. Protecting companions is a matter of course!"
It was her way of saying not to take it to heart.
If anyone else had said something so patronizing—implying the natural roles of protector and protected, the strong and the weak—Atomic Samurai would surely have been enraged.
But it was Alice who said it.
Even if the girl hadn't yet displayed power far beyond his understanding, her pure and fervent sincerity only made Atomic Samurai want to chuckle and offer some mentorship from the perspective of a senior.
Though it was a lecture, his smile held not a hint of disdain.
"If you say so." He didn't intend to argue with the girl; after all, he would definitely pay this debt back later.
He turned his gaze back to Boros.
The sturdy-bodied alien had a massive gash across his waist, with purple blood spilling from the wound. To any human, it would have been a fatal injury, yet the alien didn't seem to care at all—in fact, his grin only widened.
Boros was not surprised by the injury. He had been fighting on par with the girl; the moment he forced his way past her to attack, he knew he’d leave himself open.
In truth, he could have shrugged off the injury to kill that blustering weakling on the spot, but he was facing an opponent of equal stature. Even if he could heal, he didn't want to waste too much energy on a risky move.
After all, his enemy was constantly growing stronger, and while his energy reserves were vast, they were not infinite.
This battle allowed for no waste and no errors.
As energy surged, the jagged wound began to knit itself back together. Boros wore a smile brimming with battle lust.
Alice, knowing that if she didn't strike, the opponent would seize the initiative, did not hesitate. She rushed forward, sword in hand.
Boros met her, one hand clawing toward her greatsword while the other smashed toward her head.
From their previous exchange, he had realized the difference between them: he couldn't be killed, and she couldn't be moved.
The girl's attacks were certainly effective, dealing massive damage with every strike, but his regenerative abilities allowed him to repair even that in an instant.
As for her, that shocking defense was likely tied to the halo above her head. That energy helped her mitigate damage while constantly bolstering her strength, making her grow fiercer the longer the fight lasted.
However, nothing was without a limit. Boros knew this better than anyone. Even though many of his enemies believed his energy was boundless, he was acutely aware that he, too, had a breaking point.
And conversely, the same must be true for her.
Thus, Boros decided on a battle of attrition. Since neither could break the other's defense or healing factor, he would bet on his energy reserves. He was confident he would win.
More importantly... in terms of combat technique, he certainly had the upper hand!
CRASH!
What is a battle between two top-tier powerhouses who only attack and never defend?
In just a few breaths, the two figures had streaked across A-City.
The intense heat generated by their energy and the aftershocks of their clashing blades turned everything in their path into a sea of fire and ruin.
Every collision of fist and blade generated shockwaves capable of shattering and blowing away everything within a hundred meters, with massive pressure waves rippling out for a kilometer before dissipating. A storm was ravaging everything on the battlefield.
The heroes had long since noticed the situation.
It wasn't just Bang's group; those clearing out ground troops, those in the sky, and even those fighting other cadre members—anyone in the city could not ignore the battle.
"It’s like they're in a different dimension..." Tanktop Master watched from afar, his skin stinging from the sheer pressure. The conflict could only be described as a natural disaster.
"So strong...!" Genos funneled almost all his processing power into his sensors, staring at the battle with laser focus.
"How will this end...?" Child Emperor’s face was filled with worry.
He wanted to help, or at least provide support, but from what he could see, he or his machines would be pulverized by the mere shockwaves of their clash the moment they entered that 'storm.'
Not just him—everyone watching the battle felt the same.
This sense of powerlessness, where life and death were entirely out of their control... how long had it been since they had felt this?
Among the crowd, only Saitama’s face remained void of worry or anxiety. It was unnervingly calm.
Yet, in those seemingly vacant, dead-fish eyes, there was a glimmer of longing and envy.
--+--
Turned Into Gacha?! - 539
--+--
It’s impossible not to feel a twinge of envy.
Watching the expression on the alien’s face—a creature whose name remained a mystery—it was clear just how satisfied and overjoyed he felt in this very moment.
The city had long been cleared out; not a single civilian remained on the ground.
The landscape was nothing but broken buildings and ruins.
Would anyone really be this happy just smashing stuff up? If that were the case, why come all the way here to do it? You could wreck things anywhere.
In truth, Saitama didn’t need to analyze the situation to feel it.
That alien wasn't wearing that expression because of the slaughter or the destruction; he was simply happy because he was fighting.
The tension of battle, the thrill, the sense of fulfillment—these weren't absolute necessities for Saitama. Even without them, he would continue to fight monsters.
But he knew all too well the hollow, lingering taste left behind when those sensations were stripped away.
If I had an opponent evenly matched with me, would I make that same face?
To pour everything you have into a fight, to risk your life in the heat of battle...
The other heroes didn't have the luxury of Saitama’s detachment. That earth-shattering duel had turned nearly half of A-City into a graveyard of rubble.
Even among the S-Class heroes, most could only watch as the city was incessantly pulverized; those capable of keeping pace with the duo’s speed and comprehending the reality of their clash could be counted on one hand.
Even I... am barely able to track them? Flashy Flash stared, his face a mask of shock and grim concentration.
He had always taken immense pride in his speed, convinced that no other hero, not even within the S-Class, could outrun him.
And yet... what was this?
These two weren't just faster than him; they were stronger, more destructive, and far more durable than anything he had ever seen.
One was seemingly unkillable no matter how many times he was slashed, and the other was immovable, no matter the force of the blow.
If I were the one up there...
Wait!? What is going on!?
A sudden shift on the battlefield made Flashy Flash’s eyes widen.
As the ground split open once more, Alice was forced to break off her assault. After parrying a strike, she retreated a significant distance, her expression clouded with distress.
This abrupt pause in the rhythm of the fight didn't prompt Boros to press his advantage. Instead, he felt a strange, jarring stagnation—like being splashed with cold water just as the heat of battle was peaking.
Watching the unsightly, conflicted look on her face, Boros realized the reason behind her hesitation.
True, it meant nothing to him, but for her, this was her home, her planet.
It was only natural that she would feel heartache and be held back by such concerns.
But...
"It seems if we continue like this, our battle will never reach its conclusion." Boros narrowed his eyes.
He felt displeased, perhaps even angry.
Just as he was savoring the fight to its fullest, she had revealed an attitude that suggested she cared more about other things than their duel.
This gave Boros the distinct feeling of unrequited love—a one-sided obsession—and made him feel looked down upon.
Do you truly consider me an opponent who can be treated as a secondary concern during a fight?
I am giving you my absolute, undivided focus!
The anger didn't rob Boros of his composure, but it was enough to drive him toward a more extreme method of engagement.
Fine. Since you insist on being so timid and distracted, I will provide you with enough peril to ensure your eyes are locked onto nothing but me!
"It appears my subordinates have been all but wiped out. In that case, I shall finish you off before they are all dead!" As Boros spoke, white-purple energy erupted violently from his chest.
The space around them was already barren, but the crushing wind pressure and the sky-choking dust billowed up, a testament to the raw intensity of his power.
She can cause this much destruction just by letting the excess energy leak from her body?
High above, Tatsumaki couldn't help but cast a glance downward.
The telekinetic aboard the ship was clearly struggling. Under Tatsumaki’s all-out offensive, the enemy had taken a few hits, though it wasn't enough to cause her real trouble.
And yet, only three short minutes had passed since the fight began.
She wanted to divert some of her focus to support Alice on the ground, but as if sensing her intent and refusing to let her interfere, the waning power within the ship surged once more, as if in a desperate, final struggle, burning brighter than it had at the start.
GeRyuuganshoop had never imagined it would be pushed to the point of giving everything it had just to pin an opponent in place.
It was truly giving its all. To contest Tatsumaki, it had linked its own body to the ship’s power core, gaining immense, surging strength while its physical form endured the agonizing shock of that energy.
Even so, it could only manage to inflict minor, stinging wounds.
Lord Boros is completely serious now. I must hold on until he settles the score with that enemy, to create the perfect battlefield for him!
"That power! It’s absolutely catastrophic!"
Child Emperor, clutching his custom-made device, broke into a cold sweat as he stared at the data. "If this energy explodes, the entire Earth will be reduced to cosmic dust!"
His words grabbed everyone’s attention—Saitama included.
Strong enough to turn the Earth to dust? Is that guy really that powerful? Saitama looked back toward the girl, Alice, who still stood tall and unwavering across from Boros.
If this keeps up, Alice might be in danger.
With that thought, Saitama leaped from the rooftop. The only one to notice his movement was Genos.
Even Master couldn't resist going to provide support?
Could it be that the talk of destroying the Earth wasn't just empty words? Genos clearly didn't have much faith in Child Emperor—after all, the brat was one of those who had plotted against Alice.
Child Emperor didn't know he was being doubted. He turned toward King, who was standing near the Hero Association building.
With a whir, four mechanical legs, mimicking the limbs of an arthropod, extended from his backpack, launching him toward King with a few precise hops.
The other heroes, catching sight of King, felt a glimmer of hope and converged around him.
"King! If it’s you, can you join a battle of that magnitude!?" Child Emperor asked immediately.
The Strongest Man on Earth—King.
Whether among the general public or the heroes of the Association, King possessed immense prestige.
After all, every battle he was involved in left behind terrifying, landscape-altering scars, and judging by the angles, the structural integrity of the ruins, and the nature of the destruction, most were the result of a single strike.
It was simply not something a biological entity should be capable of.
If it were King, perhaps he could intervene!
Me?
Thump—thump—thump—thump-thump-thump!
King’s heart hammered against his ribs; he desperately wished he could simply vanish.
He had absolutely no idea what was happening, but even from this distance, he could see the ground and the skyscrapers being pulverized into dust.
They want me to join a fight like that? Are they trying to see how fast I can die?
--+--
Turned Into Gacha?! - 540
--+--
"I can't step in."
Under the expectant and focused gazes of everyone present, King maintained his stoic expression.
"If I were to act, things would take a turn for the truly disastrous. As long as the Hero is still able to fight, there is no need for me to intervene."
The moment I actually jump in, I’m getting one-shot. Unless there’s absolutely no one else left to hold the line, there’s no point in me throwing myself into the fray.
Not that there’d be any point even if I did. When even these S-Class heroes feel they’re out of their depth in that kind of fight, what is a regular guy like me supposed to do?
None of the onlookers believed he was saying this out of fear. That steady tone of voice, accompanied by the increasingly rapid and heavy thrumming of the "King Engine," signaled that he was not only devoid of fear but, in fact, possessed a fighting spirit that was surging with intensity.
To witness a battle of that magnitude and remain so composed—perhaps even eager to test his mettle?
"I see." Child Emperor understood as well. They were all keeping a close eye on the state of A-City, and King’s destructive power was common knowledge.
Such an attack, capable of massive collateral damage, would undoubtedly be the final nail in the coffin for A-City.
If it were just him, that would be one thing, but given that the enemy likely wouldn't be finished off in a single strike, it would mean that level of destruction would be unleashed on A-City time and time again.
In that case, there wouldn't be much left of A-City to save.
Energy reserves do not perfectly equate to combat prowess.
Child Emperor realized this a bit late; although the alien's energy, according to calculations, was enough to destroy the Earth in one go, that didn't mean he could release it all at once.
With King acting as the ultimate safety net behind the heroes, their confidence was undeniably bolstered.
They didn't think King would fail to grasp the extent of the enemy's strength. Since he could perceive it and still make that claim, he must be brimming with confidence.
He truly lives up to the title of the strongest man on Earth.
Genos also threw a few extra glances at King. He had assumed that only his teacher and Alice could participate in a battle of that caliber, yet here was King, displaying such self-assurance.
Most importantly, Genos still couldn't detect any high-level energy readings coming from him.
Then again, that might be normal. His teacher was the same way; had it not been for that one incident, he would have continued to assume his teacher was just an ordinary citizen.
Alice was also a master at concealing her energy.
It seemed to be related to that halo-like thing floating above her head; Alice’s energy fluctuations were highly unstable—usually very low, but spiking dramatically during combat.
Watching the young girl hold her own against an enemy with no visible limit, it seemed Alice was the type to grow stronger the tougher her opponent became.
The heroes returned their focus to the battlefield in the distance.
"METEORIC BURST!"
As the pale violet beam faded, Boros, whose skin had been deep blue, was now completely bathed in that same pale violet hue. The eye that had remained closed on his chest now snapped open.
Two eyes, paired with thick, dense black-purple veins, snaked across his entire body, lending a sense of ferocity to his already bizarre physique.
The greatest hurdle yet!
Boros was now on an entirely different level than he had been just moments ago. If Tatsumaki had been able to maneuver or even gain the upper hand before, she now stood absolutely no chance.
Alice focused all her attention on Boros’s movements, but when she regained her senses, she realized she had already been blasted high into the sky.
What followed was an attack as relentless as a storm.
"Utilizing the energy within my body as fuel, I unleash my power at a speed that transcends biological limits!"
The extreme heat generated by that veloA-Citynd energy stained the earth in shades of gold and red, as the streak of pink light tearing through A-City practically ignited everything in its path.
"What is that!?"
Even though they had steeled themselves, the sheer terror of such destruction placed immense psychological pressure on the heroes.
High above, Tatsumaki, determined to end the fight quickly, abandoned all thought of coming out unscathed.
With minimal defensive measures, she weathered the enemy's telekinetic onslaught, focusing entirely on utterly destroying the opponent’s brain while dragging the massive starship down to the ground, pinning it firmly in place.
With her head and body aching, Tatsumaki gritted her teeth and stared at the distant struggle.
Unlike the others, she didn't rely solely on her eyes to track targets. As long as her psychic powers covered the battlefield, she could perceive every minute movement.
The superhuman speed and power left even Tatsumaki feeling a jolt of alarm.
Because the two were currently locked in a fierce, chaotic brawl, intervening recklessly risked pulling Alice into the fray or, worse, causing a friendly fire incident.
It wasn't a matter of her psychic precision lacking; it was simply that she couldn't keep up.
Even if she could sense them, reacting took time—and she wasn't confident her reaction speed could match the pace of the battle.
It made her furious.
She trained her abilities day and night, yet when a crisis finally struck, she was so hamstrung that she couldn't even participate?
'Don't expect anyone to save you when you're in danger.'
At this very moment, this feeling of having to pin her hopes on someone else brought back that familiar sense of childhood helplessness.
The rage and frustration at her own lack of strength made her clench her fists, yet she remained powerless to act.
The bombardment in mid-air continued.
If the previous exchange had been merely a dull sensation, Alice now felt sharp, biting pain.
Every one of Boros's punches was capable of leveling a mountain. Even though Alice’s power continued to climb, she couldn't match this level of explosive intensity in a heartbeat.
However... Boros was even more anxious.
'I intended to end this fight as quickly as possible! But she is far more durable than I imagined!'
Boros could feel the girl’s body being tossed about like a ragdoll under his strikes, and the resistance he felt was far less than it had been moments ago.
But... it still wasn't enough! He still couldn't land a fatal blow! Forget a fatal wound—he couldn't even hamper her combat effectiveness. They were nothing more than flesh wounds that hurt for a second!
And her movements were already beginning to change!
From being unable to block or react at the start, she had gradually learned to keep pace, execute a degree of defense, and now, she was even capable of targeted parries and counters!
And all of this had happened in a mere five seconds!
This monstrous ability to grow... this speed of evolution that seemed to have no horizon...
She was the perfect opponent!
A massive blade cleaved through the air.
One entire arm, even half of her torso, was reduced to a spray of mist by that tremendous force. To call it a "cut" would be inaccurate—it was more like being shattered by a heavy blow.
'Hasn't she completely adapted already?!' Instead of dismay, a look of excitement and fanaticism bloomed on Boros's face as he saw her speed match his own.
His shattered body healed even as it was being pulverized; the thrill of dancing on the edge of death, the realization that he was the weaker party, and the satisfaction of overcoming the strong—this was the peak.
"ALICE! I WILL BE THE ONE TO DEFEAT YOU!"
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