Chapter 25

That morning Saitama screamed and flipped his blanket. "Huh?"

A sense of dread filled him, but he found nothing wrong. Amidst his confusion, he didn't register the giant red hand that smashed the wall and grabbed his hairless head. He immediately punched back with an appropriate strength. The hand just twitched, unbothered by his punch.

The hand's retaliation came just as quickly as the first attack. The cold, metallic scales spanning across the hand made contact with Saitama's face.

He flew through the window like a bullet. The air screamed as if splitting apart, and far down the streets, windows shattered. All Saitama could sense was confusion as the world around him tipped over and spun — until a rush of adrenaline flooded his veins. He dug his fingers into the concrete and put a brake on his unintentional flight.

He was bleeding. He hadn't bled a drop for years. Raising his head, he observed the entity responsible for penetrating his otherwise impenetrable defense — a giant towering over ten feet covered in an armor of crimson scales.

"What are you…?"

A massive fist responded to his confusion, throwing him through the abandoned houses of the City-Z Ghost Town. The shockwave trailed milliseconds behind and destroyed more structures.

Saitama could sense another attack coming from his back. The giant boasted agility similar if not superior to his own. He mustered the strength and countered the giant with an explosive punch. The remnants of the unimaginable trailed outward in a radius, and the shockwave twisted through a row of houses.

"Greatly admirable strength," came a deep, commanding voice as the giant floated over the scraps of the Ghost Town. "Saitama, you're the only guardian this planet has. After your death, we'll conquer this planet."

Saitama closed his left red eye and clenched his fist. "I will fight you. You're not destroying anything."

His intense fighting spirit couldn't be stopped even when the shockwave shredded his clothes.

"About time you got serious." The giant cocked his head. "Give me a worthy battle, Saitama."

"I will kill you."

So, a battle with life and death stakes started.

What many would consider a nightmare was a thrilling ride for Saitama. A ride that lasted about five minutes before he woke up to reality.

It was just a dream.

Saitama stared at the ceiling, seemingly unable to accept the blood-boiling fight as a mere dream. The pain transmitted with each blow, the bleeding, and the disastrous aftermath — everything felt like the real world.

Saitama got up in a daze and began preparing his breakfast. The dream made him realize his pent-up desires. Fighting had become stale to the point he dreamt about stronger and more vicious opponents who could give him a tough challenge. After ending every fight with one punch, it was natural to feel unfulfilled.

'Kai. Is he as strong as the giant in my dream?'

A buzzing noise distracted his mind as a mosquito landed on his face. He slapped his face, but the mosquito buzzed away, untouched. He rolled the newspaper and waved it around. The damned mosquito evaded every slap with a strange flight pattern and drifted out of the window.

He had slayed countless monsters with one punch. It made no sense he failed to deliver punishment upon a mere mosquito.

Saitama made a disgusted face and chased after the mosquito in full force.

Little did he realize he walked into a swarm of mosquitoes roaming the streets of the Ghost Town and his soon-to-be-friend.

As he swung his rolled-up newspaper, mosquitoes seemed to dodge and weave in perfect coordination, evading his every strike. It was as if they were playing a game with him, taunting him with their agility and speed. Saitama's frustration grew with each missed slap, and soon he was flailing around like a man possessed, desperately trying to squash the tiny nuisances.

"Damn it, stay still!" he shouted, his hair flopping around in sync with his wild swings.

It was a sight to behold, the mighty Caped Baldy reduced to a comical figure, battling a swarm of mosquitoes. Passersby would have laughed if they had seen the legendary hero's struggle.

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Meanwhile, on the other side of the town, a black sandstorm of bloodsucking mosquitoes swirled in the sky. The leader of these mosquitoes, Mosquito Girl, floated in the center of this horde. She was a tall human with nearly the entirety of her body covered in exoskeleton and bristles, much like a mosquito — a mosquito and human hybrid created in the House of Evolution.

Her commanding army sucked blood and injected her, granting her strength to rival any Demon-class threat.

Gaining blood was a side objective today. Her main goal was to find strong fighters for Dr. Genus.

"Spread out more, my little ones. Suck every drop of blood for me."

A loud bang echoed in the distance, and she lost connection with hundreds of her army.

"Heh." Mosquito Girl smiled. "Get the intruder."

One of her larger mosquitoes flew back, its body smoldering with burns. It crashed into the ground, revealing the caped figure responsible for its downfall. Genos, the Demon Cyborg, stood with smoke still rising from his arms, ready for battle.

"Impressive," Mosquito Girl mused, her compound eyes narrowing as she assessed her opponent. "But you won't stand a chance against my swarm."

Genos raised an eyebrow, his mechanical eyes glowing with determination. "I've faced tougher foes than a bunch of mosquitoes."

Without wasting a second, Mosquito Girl launched herself at Genos with incredible speed, her wings buzzing furiously. Her elongated proboscis lunged forward, aiming to pierce through his armor and draw blood. Genos met her attack head-on, his arm transforming into a powerful blaster. The resulting explosion created a shockwave that dispersed the surrounding mosquitoes.

As the smoke cleared, Mosquito Girl emerged unscathed, her exoskeleton protecting her from the blast. She unleashed a barrage of needle-like appendages from her body, each aimed with deadly precision. Genos maneuvered skillfully, using his speed and firepower to deflect or destroy the incoming projectiles.

Engulfed in battle, Genos faced an unforeseen struggle against Mosquito Girl. Her agility and bloodsucking swarm presented an unexpected challenge, pushing his advanced tech and combat skills to the limit. The tide seemed against him until a sudden presence manifested – Kai, exuding an aura of profound power and self-assuredness. His arrival caught both Genos and Mosquito Girl off-guard, shifting the dynamic entirely.

Amidst the swarm, Mosquito Girl's eyes widened as she sensed a force even more formidable than Genos. Kai's gaze locked onto her, his eyes shimmering with an enigmatic energy. A single heartbeat resonated, obliterating the horde in a heartbeat.

Genos watched in awe, admiring Kai's might that had swiftly turned the tables.

Mosquito Girl's exoskeleton bristled, her expression a mix of surprise and fury. "Who... are you?"

Kai's smirk infused his words. "Just someone who can't stand mosquitoes."

Mosquito vanquished by a single heartbeat

Turning to Genos, Kai's demeanor remained casual. "You good, Cyborg?"

Genos nodded, still processing the astonishing spectacle before him. "Thank you... for your aid."

Kai waved it off. "No biggie. Happened to be passing by."

Saitama's voice cut in from the sidelines. "Guess I missed the action again."

Kai's playful grin found Saitama. "Don't fret, Caped Baldy. Left a few mosquitoes for you."

Saitama's eyes widened as he looked at the man who had just helped out with the mosquitoes. Recognition dawned on him, and he pointed a finger accusingly. "Hey, you're that guy from the other day!"

Saitama's expression shifted, his bored demeanor replaced by a spark of interest. "You're pretty strong, aren't you?"

Kai chuckled. "Strong enough, I suppose. But hey, speaking of strength..."

Saitama's eyes lit up, his excitement evident. "Yeah?"

A playful glint danced in Kai's eyes. "How about a friendly sparring match, i'm pretty bored right now?"

Saitama's grin mirrored Kai's. "You read my mind."