As Abigail, I caused trouble in infinite space.

boom............

Suddenly, a tremendous roar erupted, and Bakuzan froze in shock. Behind him, the once intact stadium had been blasted open by Haojie's punch, leaving a huge hole.

"Alright, listen to me. Right now, there are many of our other monsters causing trouble everywhere. The Hero Association should be in a state of panic right now, but this situation won't last long because today is just a promotional event before the main course."

The Monster Association operates primarily as an organization, because no matter how strong a monster is, it's easy to deal with if it's alone. The monsters outside will gradually retreat to their base when things look good, and then the heroes will head to where the remaining monsters are. Although you have some strength, you alone are not enough to resist the entire Hero Association.

You and that kid seem to be having a lot of fun, but I've already warned you. I'm leaving now. We'll meet at the ruins at the end of Z City.

With Gouketsu gone, only Suiryu and Bakuzan, who had just turned into a monster, remained in the venue.

"You who listened to me about Bakuzan, there's no reason for us to become enemies. I've lost all interest in fighting..."

The water dragon was now powerless to resist, and he tried to use words to gain a chance to live.

"Suiryu, do you know what? After I became a monster, I discovered my true pursuit. And me...?"

As he spoke, Bakuzan grabbed Shuilong by the hair and lifted him up, causing Shuilong to scream in pain.

"I enjoy toying with those weaker than myself, using that as a benchmark to grow stronger, and this moment of liberation is the happiest of all..."

Chapter 109 Only then will one yearn for hope

Just then, the water dragon's hair suddenly broke, and the water dragon fell to the ground, struggling to escape.

"Huh, you can still walk..." Bakuzan was somewhat surprised: "Now is the perfect time to observe the most vulnerable humans who are about to be killed. I won't let you escape. I'll cripple one of your legs first." After saying that, Bakuzan kicked and broke the thigh of the water dragon.

"Oh, there's one more!"

"Aaaaaaahh ...

"Oh, they've started adding water! That water dragon is howling in pain! It's such a rare sight, but there's no audience. What a pity."

Bakuzan stood behind, mocking and sarcastically enjoying the feeling of this massacre.

There's no way to escape... There's absolutely no way to escape like this... My body is completely immobile... It's terrifying... When people are afraid... can they become so unable to move?

"I've always disliked you. You're young, talented, popular, rich, and free—you've got it all. You're so lucky! I'll let you taste the hell that will erase all your good memories... before you die! Hahaha!"

At this moment, Shuilong was panting heavily, the threat of death and the will to survive driving him to make a final struggle.

"Bakuzan... I... I no longer have the strength to resist you. Forgive me... You are truly powerful. I have lost, so..."

"It's futile, champion. Lick the soles of my feet, and maybe I'll let you go."

"I'm so arrogant," said Baoshan.

Water Dragon then slowly supported his trembling body and crawled towards the foot of the mountain. However, at this moment, Water Dragon suddenly used force to break off one of Bakuzan's toes.

"Ah!...Bastard!"

Suiryu had already seen through Bakuzan's intentions; begging for mercy was useless, as the opponent had no intention of letting him go. Therefore, his only hope now lay in...

"Ha..." Shui Long took a deep breath during this time.

"Who!!! Someone save me!!! A weirdo! There's a weirdo here! A really vicious guy, who? Is anyone there!!!"

"I've been attacked by a monster! Please, someone save me! I'm going to be killed, can you help me? Hero, if you hear me, come here!! Anyone can save me!! Hero!!!! Please, hero!! Please come!!"

The water dragon roared hoarsely, his last desperate struggle. But hope did not arrive immediately; gradually his voice grew weak and feeble.

"There's a strange person... a hero..."

Behind him, Bakuzan laughed mockingly and said:

“You listened to Gouketsu’s words, didn’t you? If all places are ravaged by monsters, the situation outside has not yet calmed down. There are no heroes who can come here! Your voice can’t be heard anywhere. Heroes won’t come, and no one will help you. Now you… will die here.”

Nobody will help me... I'll be overwhelmed by this weirdo... Aren't there many more like him elsewhere? Does that mean nobody can handle him? Even the strongest hero is useless...

At this moment, Suiryu's face was filled with terror, and tears streamed down his face as he looked at the two heroes who were already unconscious in front of him. As if to break Suiryu's will, Bakuzan walked towards the two heroes and raised his foot.

"Please... accept it as a lie... let me endure it and stand up again... Now I finally understand, when people fall into darkness, society desperately seeks that glimmer of light, however hypocritical, however weak, it is there... hope remains..."

"This is... despair." A look of pleasure appeared on Bakuzan's face, and then he stomped the hero on the ground.

However, at that moment, Bakuzan felt something was strange. He lifted his foot, but the hero who had been trampled into mincemeat was not in the large footprint as he had expected.

Just then, Saitama's voice came from the side.

"I was just thinking I couldn't come here because the police were chasing me, and then this happened, making such a loud noise. I can't believe I didn't even notice; I was changing my clothes at my own pace..."

Bakuzan looked at Saitama with some surprise.

Water Dragon also looked at Saitama in shock.

"You are......?"

“You’re a hero. I heard your cries for help, Suiryu. It’s amazing that you managed to endure it all by yourself. Now, leave the rest to me.”

Saitama then walked past the water dragon toward Bakuzan.

"A hero? You're a hero?! Hahahaha, yeah, I'm a weirdo now. You don't even know how powerful I am. You're just a weak hero who's recklessly come here to increase your merits!"

Bakuzan suddenly burst into laughter, looking at Saitama with a mocking expression.

"Don't make me laugh. You're such a small fry who doesn't even know your own worth. You...you...who are you...?!"

Suddenly seeing Saitama's appearance, Bakuzan was horrified.

"Y-you, you, you are... ah...!"

As he spoke, Baoshan suddenly roared.

"Huh? Who? Have I met you before?" Saitama asked, puzzled, seeing Bakuzan's huge reaction.

"I don't remember how I lost back then. It must have been that despicable guy who used dirty tricks to ambush me. It's really lucky that I'm seeing you again. This time, I'm going to let you taste the full set of Bakuzan's ultimate moves after he's become a monster!"

Bakuzan roared in fury, but Saitama still couldn't remember who he was.

At that moment, Saitama turned his head and looked at the people lying on the ground to the side. At the same time, Bakuzan suddenly raised his foot and kicked Saitama.

With that kick, Saitama was sent flying sideways a short distance, but he felt nothing from the attack. His attention was solely focused on the unconscious fighters.

"Even you...are you still alive?"

Of course, these people couldn't answer; they could only slowly nod their heads.

At that moment, Bakuzan appeared behind Saitama.

"You're doing alright that you haven't fallen yet, hahaha, you've stopped? How about it? Do you feel fear now? The unimaginable gap in strength, are you starting to regret the things you did that you can't undo?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Bakuzan kicked Saitama again.

Watching the battle between the two sides, Suiryu was quite worried about Saitama.

Couldn't he avoid it because he had to protect the fallen fighter? Oh no, even if it was him... after taking so many attacks from the monsterized Bakuzan, there's no way he could be unharmed.

Then Saitama shouted loudly:

"Get out of the way! Save your own life first!"

However, Saitama seemed not to hear Suiryu's words and took another punch from Bakuzan.

"It's time to hear your lament, kid. To get back at you for what you did during the competition, even if I give you a reward now, I won't let you off the hook, hahahaha."

Bakuzan was extremely arrogant at this moment. His immense strength and Saitama's complete lack of resistance made him believe that victory was in his grasp.

"Tch, no reaction? Lost your mind because of fear? How boring."

Bakuzan, who had been hoping for a reaction from Saitama, raised his hand somewhat bored.

"Then let it end... Let's turn to dust together with the surrounding fodder!"

"Hellish Funeral Hand Chop!"

Facing Bakuzan's final attack, Saitama slowly uttered these words: "No... I can't remember..."

boom......

Then Bakuzan's attack hit Saitama, even smashing the area so badly that rocks flew everywhere.

The water dragon was shocked. Could it be that this wouldn't work either?

However, just as Suiryu was about to despair, he saw a scene that surprised him. When the smoke dissipated, Saitama was still standing, but Bakuzan's upper body had been mostly gone, and he was completely dead.

At that moment, Saitama slowly turned his head.

"Seriously, you've got bad luck. You finally won a championship, oh well, the weirdo's been defeated, keep it up..."

The sudden change caught the water dragon off guard.

"Um... thank you for saving me."

"Who are you, anyway? A hero?"

Saitama turned around in response to the water dragon's question.

"My name is Saitama, and I'm a hero, or at least a professional one."

“Saitama?” Suiryu secretly memorized the name.

"So... you participated in the martial arts tournament under a concealed identity?"

Upon hearing Suiryu's words, Saitama suddenly broke out in a cold sweat. He had thought Suiryu was going to pursue the matter further.

"What are you doing this for? And why are you even wearing a wig... Is it a secret operation by the Hero Association?" Suiryu asked, somewhat puzzled.

"No, I just want to experience martial arts," Saitama said, then added in his mind: "And there's a bonus too."

"The Hero Hunt has been making a lot of noise lately. That guy is supposedly a martial arts expert, and I don't know why I'm so interested in him."

"I see... In order to formulate a strategy, experience in sparring with martial artists is essential." Upon hearing Saitama say this, Suiryu immediately imagined a clear reason.

"No, there's no need for that. It's just that I happened to have a ticket, and to be honest, I do have some free time..."

“Yes…I have time…” Shuilong asked, looking surprised.

"Thanks to you, I escaped with my life. Your timing was just right."

"Huh? Should we have come earlier?"

"No... Before Bakuzan became a monster, there was another powerful monster. It was because you missed him that I was saved. You almost got killed too, Saitama. I was like a baby in front of him... That guy's strength was simply unfair!"

As he spoke, Shuilong recalled his battle with Haojie.

"Gouge's otherworldly presence is probably stronger than any monster I've ever fought before, and his unfathomable strength will leave a deep impression on Mr. Saitama."