A sharp voice cut off their chatter.
"Hmph. Boring small talk."
All eyes turned. S-Class Rank 4, "Atomic Samurai," lauded as the greatest swordsman of his era, slowly rose from his seat.
He wore a retro samurai outfit with dark patterns embroidered on black robes, something clenched between his teeth.
Most striking of all were his eyes—alive with a swordsman's pride and scrutiny.
"Numbers can't measure a true strongman."
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly to every hero present.
He paused and stepped out into the open.
As he moved, the air in the room grew heavier.
He stopped three paces from KING and stared into that impassive face with eyes like burning coals.
"KING," he said, "I've heard about you. Vaporizing a Demon-level monster with an energy wave… sounds like a decent trick. The name's flashy, too. 'Purgatory Unrivaled Exploding Heat Wave Cannon,' is it?"
"But as I see it, relying too much on gaudy, impractical techniques leads to neglecting the tempering of one's own martial path."
Lin Mo's heart tightened.
Atomic Samurai? What's he up to?
The King Engine grew faster with his quickening pulse.
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
Atomic Samurai clearly heard the rising roar, but only arched a brow, taking it as the resonance of a strongman—or fighting spirit.
He raised one finger and said to KING:
"We martial artists prize technique. Your so-called 'Purgatory Unrivaled Exploding Heat Wave Cannon' has too broad a range, too diffuse a force, and too many openings."
"I don't believe that's your strongest move."
His eyes turned deadly serious, fixing on KING.
"The real you should be stronger. People call you the strongest man on the surface—then how fast is your sword?"
Lin Mo's brow ticked up; cold sweat almost beaded at his temple.
A challenge? Here? In front of all the S-Class heroes? How was he supposed to refuse? He didn't know any swordsmanship!
The quieter Lin Mo was, the calmer his face stayed, and the louder the King Engine roared.
In Atomic Samurai's eyes, all of this became tacit approval—and unfathomable depth.
"Good." A sliver of a smile curved Atomic Samurai's lips. He slowly lowered his finger and drew a fruit knife with his left hand.
Then he pulled a plump, glossy apple from his pocket.
"I won't use my katana; that would be unfair to you."
His tone was even, steeped in absolute confidence.
He gently tossed the apple upward, the red fruit tracing a graceful arc.
As the apple reached its apex and began to fall, Atomic Samurai's eyes sharpened; his right hand tightened around the little knife.
"The moment it hits the floor, I'll cut it into one hundred even slices. And you,"
His gaze locked on KING, "need only leave a single mark—at the timing you deem best—with your fingertip."
"Let me see it—the reaction speed of the strongest man on the surface!"
The words barely left his mouth before the apple began to drop.
In that instant, the air in the conference room froze; every S-Class hero's eyes fixed on the two men—and the falling fruit—between them.
In the corner, Flashy Flash curved the faintest smile.
To him, this "contest" scarcely warranted the name; it was child's play.
He was already simulating how he could snatch the apple before the first slice landed.
At the hair's breadth before Atomic Samurai's wrist fired—another sudden change!
An old yet powerful hand settled lightly on Atomic Samurai's knife hand.
At the same time, another hand, moving later yet arriving sooner, caught the falling apple with an almost leisurely motion.
Fluid, seamless, one breath.
"That's enough, Atomic Samurai."
A warm, steady voice sounded.
S-Class Rank 3 "Silver Fang," Bang, stood between them, no one knew when he'd moved.
He was short, hair and beard white, but his eyes seemed to see through everything.
"Silver Fang?" Atomic Samurai frowned. "I only wanted to see Mr. KING's strength."
Bang shook his head, glanced at KING's placid face, and swept his gaze across the heroes. He sighed:
"This is not the time for a spar. Let's first hear why the Association has brought nearly all of us here in such force. An S-Class full muster is extremely rare."
Atomic Samurai blinked, peering into Bang's eyes. He seemed to understand—and not understand.
In the end, he snorted, sheathed the fruit knife, and said, "Then another time, I'll ask Mr. KING for instruction."
He returned to his seat, a wall of aloofness restored.
Bang smiled and greeted KING, Saitama, and Genos, then sat as well.
Just as the room's tension eased a fraction, the heavy door slammed open.
Sitch, a top executive of the Hero Association, entered with a team of staffers, faces grim.
He took the head of the table and looked around at the S-Class heroes, speaking with unprecedented gravity:
"Thank you all for coming."
"An hour ago, the Association's great seer—our pride, Lady Shibabawa… after leaving one last prophecy, became overly agitated, choked on a cough drop… and passed away."
Silence fell like a shroud.
Shibabawa's prophecies were almost one hundred percent accurate; she was a trump card in the Association's struggle against calamity.
Her death was a loss beyond measure.
Sitch switched on the projector. The screen filled with blood-red words—Shibabawa's last message before she died.
"Earth…" Sitch's voice trembled with fear. "Is doomed!!"
-------
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