Chapter 112: An Unattainable Sword Path, and Saitama's First Clash!

Chu Yang set up an arena, and the news that he would accept challenges from his squad members quickly spread throughout Jingling Ting.

"The simplest, and also the most effective method."

Jing Le Chunshui, who was drinking tea with his friend Fu Zhu Shisilang, laughed and commented.

"The premise is that it must be built on one's own great strength," Fu Zhu Shisilang nodded, his expression somewhat complicated; he has never had any good feeling toward this newcomer Soul Reaper.

From certain angles, the other party looks too similar to Lan Ran…

"With his strength, earning the squad's respect is only a matter of time, but I think today there may be an unexpected disruptor."

Jing Le Chunshui suddenly stood up, seeming to intend to leave.

"Where are you going?"

Fu Zhu Shisilang asked in surprise.

"Going to watch the excitement!"

Jing Le Chunshui's mouth curved upward as he, wearing a conical hat, hurried away.

"A disruptor? Could it be…"

A figure suddenly flashed through Fu Zhu Shisilang's mind, and he left together with Jing Le Chunshui's footsteps.

Other captains who learned the news, except those with urgent duties, basically all chose to go watch Chu Yang's arena match.

Curiosity was at work.

Compared with ordinary squad members, they also knew little about Chu Yang.

After a while.

The arena match gradually entered its final stage.

The gap in strength was too large.

Most of them couldn't even break through Armament Haki.

Not all Soul Reaper members are brutes.

Seeing that Chu Yang did not wield his Zanpakuto yet could still easily defeat challengers, these people's enthusiasm was quickly extinguished.

By the end, only the Soul Reapers in the squad's top five seats still dared to challenge Chu Yang.

The result was much the same.

They didn't even know what Chu Yang's Zanpakuto looked like, and were knocked down by a few of Chu Yang's punches.

Until now.

Only now have the Soul Reapers under Chu Yang's command truly submitted both in heart and mouth.

Just as everything was winding down, an uninvited guest suddenly appeared at the arena match.

He walked confidently to stand directly opposite Chu Yang.

The meaning was clear.

"I want to challenge you."

Gasps rose one after another.

The Soul Reapers of the Fifth Squad widened their eyes.

Because the newcomer…

It was the captain of the Eleventh Squad! Geng Mu Jianba!

"Why is the captain of the Eleventh Squad here?"

"From his look, it seems he wants to challenge our captain."

"Why do this?"

"Could there be some conflict between the two of them?"

The crowd was shocked and confused; Geng Mu Jianba, already a captain, had no reason to challenge Chu Yang.

Geng Mu Jianba stared coldly at Chu Yang and said, "I heard you're very skilled in swordsmanship? I missed seeing you last night, which is a pity; can I get a glimpse today?"

At those words, the crowd immediately showed relieved expressions.

This person came here just to fight!

The Soul Society's number one battle maniac truly lives up to the reputation!

"Among captains, it seems only you and I can't use Bankai; in that sense, it's indeed quite fair."

Chu Yang actually also considered using Geng Mu Jianba as a whetstone, so he accepted the challenge without hesitation.

"Very well."

Geng Mu Jianba set aside the Grass Deer Eight-Thousand Flow on his shoulder, grasped his Zanpakuto, and his aura suddenly changed.

Chu Yang didn't hold back either, gripping Fengdu in his hand.

The two stared at each other.

Tension was ready to snap.

"Unauthorized duels between captains violate the regulations; do you two want to be expelled together?"

A white-haired youth walked up from not far away.

Ri Ban Gu Dong Shilang suddenly appeared, speaking to halt Chu Yang and Geng Mu Jianba's fight.

As the Tenth Squad serves as a patrol guard unit, preventing Soul Reaper brawls is also part of their daily duties.

Chu Yang and Geng Mu Jianba simultaneously fixed their gaze on Ri Ban Gu Dong Shilang, frowning.

This little thing shows up at a completely inopportune time.

"Captain Ri Ban Gu, this isn't a personal feud but an arena challenge; just look the other way!"

Jing Le Chunshui arrived fashionably late, and upon seeing the drama about to begin, couldn't help but speak up.

Fu Zhu Shisilang followed closely behind, remaining silent.

Before long, more and more captains and vice‑captains arrived, and everyone waited with interest for Chu Yang and Gengmu Jianba to fight.

Even the usually aloof Xiumu Baizai appeared here.

Xiumu Luqia received a mission, went to the living world, and is not in the Soul Society.

Dong Shilang, his expression displeased, tossed out a line, "Don't go too far," and silently stood aside without speaking, yet he also began to think about watching the battle.

The sudden appearance of the captains made the atmosphere on the spot turn strangely eerie.

Hundreds of Death God members whispered among themselves off‑stage.

Gengmu Jianba, who enjoys the thrill of combat more than anyone, could not restrain his inner restlessness, and was the first to launch an attack on Chu Yang, swinging his sword to unleash a golden slash.

It was a slash formed by a high concentration of spiritual pressure, extremely scorching, even capable of burning the spiritual particles in the air.

On the other side, Chu Yang also swung a slash, but unlike Gengmu Jianba's, his slash was blue and showed no fluctuation of spiritual particles.

Pure power and technique! The blue slash directly shattered the golden slash, the spiritual pressure suddenly dissipated, a gust of wind rose, and the nearest Death God member was lifted into the air.

The others, frightened, quickly moved away.

"Why didn't you use last night's ability?"

Gengmu Jianba seemed somewhat displeased, and his spiritual pressure grew even more terrifying.

"I'm waiting for you to take off the blindfold."

Chu Yang yawned.

Gengmu Jianba grinned, red light flared in his eyes, and the stone slabs beneath his feet gradually fell apart.

His blindfold is a product of the Technology Development Bureau.

The only function is to suppress his own spiritual pressure, allowing him to lower it to a level comparable with his opponent's, and enjoy the pleasure of combat.

If he didn't do that, many interesting opponents, unable to withstand even Gengmu Jianba's spiritual pressure, would be defeated outright.

It was clear that Chu Yang was not that kind of opponent.

"Ha ha!"

Gengmu Jianba laughed loudly and removed the blindfold.

A humming sound rang out in the air.

It meant the spiritual pressure had risen to a certain level.

Dong Shilang's face darkened, and he shouted, "Everyone, retreat immediately!"

Hearing this, the Death Gods who were watching withdrew at top speed.

But they were still a step too late.

The powerful spiritual pressure raised a storm, sweeping the front‑line Death Gods up.

Ahhh!!!

The Death God members shouted in panic.

Chu Yang muttered an incantation, activated the levitation technique, extended his hand, and mana poured out, causing those people to float in the air and descend slowly.

"Th… thank you, Captain!"

The still‑shaken members left a few words of thanks and bolted away.

Chu Yang smiled, paid it little mind, turned back, and Gengmu Jianba's spiritual pressure had already built up to a terrifying level.

His whole body was covered with golden spiritual pressure.

"You can suppress the old man's flowing blade like fire, but that doesn't mean you can suppress me; if you're careless, you might die."

In his excited state, Gengmu Jianba's voice was extremely loud, and even the Death God members who had already left the battlefield heard him.

Everyone looked at Chu Yang with stunned faces.

"That reckless fool!"

Jingle Chushui covered his forehead and cursed helplessly.

Everyone kept silent about last night's incident, not wanting it to spread, but they didn't expect that, when they turned around, Gengmu Jianba spilled everything.

"Now are you still watching the spectacle? If the teacher finds out, none of us can escape." Fuzhu Shisilang helplessly glanced at Jingle Chushui and said.

"The old man probably wouldn't be that extreme."

Jingle Chushui forced a dry laugh.

"What bad luck! Should have known that Gengmu Jianba's brain isn't good!"

The last to arrive, Nie Jianli, happened to witness the scene.

"Stay here honestly and watch."

Xiumu Baizai spoke indifferently.

As soon as his words ended,

Gengmu Jianba, wielding swords in both hands, instantly stepped forward to Chu Yang's front, and a terrifying slash wrapped in spiritual pressure rushed toward him!

"Sword Path: Two Cuts!"

The powerful spiritual pressure even caused the air to solidify.

Chu Yang also held swords in both hands, but each hand wielded a single sword, with Fengdu and Heavenly Gate simultaneously in his grasp.

Source Breathing – Form One – Sun and Moon Unified Light

The Fengdu sword's jet‑black blade seeped moonlight, while the Heavenly Gate sword's pure white blade radiated sunlight.

The sunlight and moonlight alternated continuously, and each alternation increased the power.

The golden slash and the torrent of spiritual pressure collided with the alternating light of sun and moon, and the brilliance formed a massive grinding wheel that shredded them.

"He blocked it!"

"Not only did he not use the Zanpakutō's ability, he couldn't even sense any spiritual pressure!"

"This is pure swordsmanship!"

Gengmu Jianba suddenly realized!

The swordsmanship level of this person before him was far superior to his own! Including Captain Jingle Chunshui, the captains also realized this, their pupils contracting sharply.

"Why not use yesterday's ability?"

"In your eyes, am I not worthy?"

Gengmu Jianba's excitement on his face slowly turned into anger.

"I heard your Soul-Cutting Sword was picked up on the battlefield; because your spiritual pressure was too strong, that sword has remained in a half-initial-release state, you don't know its true name and cannot use its power."

Chu Yang gave the answer.

"You seek a fair duel?"

"Too naive!"

"On the battlefield, this kind of thinking will get you killed."

Gengmu Jianba snorted at Chu Yang's idea.

"Well then, I'll speak frankly—you truly are not worthy." Chu Yang laughed teasingly.

Gengmu Jianba froze for a moment, not angry, but instead burst out laughing; the more he looked at Chu Yang, the more he felt they shared the same temper.

"From now on, I won't hold back; you embarrassing yourself in front of your subordinates isn't my fault."

Having said that, Gengmu Jianba's spiritual pressure surged like a tsunami, sweeping wildly around, unleashed without restraint.

The terrifying spiritual pressure even caused the skies over the Pure Spirit Court to gather a mass of dark clouds.

The dark clouds roiled, blotting out the sky and sun, extremely eerie.

Chu Yang knew this wasn't Gengmu Jianba's limit, because his subconscious was still suppressing his power; it couldn't be fully released just by taking off his eye patch.

Even so, Gengmu Jianba's spiritual pressure at this moment already ranked among the foremost of the captains.

"At least, this is already his strongest state at present."

Chu Yang took a deep breath; Gengmu Jianba was strong, but still fell short of his demands.

He hoped the opponent could be stronger! As strong as Shanben Yuanliuzhai Zhongguo! After a brief silence.

Two powerful spiritual pressures split the ground into two halves.

Clear distinction.

No deceptive ability showdown, no scheming of trickery against each other.

Only the mutual grinding of spiritual pressure and swordsmanship!

Collision of primal power! Moving the heart and soul!

Hot blood boiling!

The watching Soul Reaper team members felt dazzled and entranced, their hearts yearning, fantasizing that one day they would become one of those on the field.

However.

As the battle's intensity kept rising, the affected area quickly exceeded the territory of the Fifth Division.

The captains' expressions were solemn.

The two fought without restraint, their intensity exceeding their expectations.

Even Jingle Chunshui, who was watching with a gleeful attitude, had a solemn expression.

If they kept fighting like this, one of them might actually die.

"Get ready, separate them."

"Flower wind in disorder, flower god's wailing, heavenly wind in chaos, heavenly demon's sneer, flower heaven mad bones."

Jingle Chunshui lowly chanted the release command, completing the initial release of 【Flower Heaven Mad Bones】, ready at any moment to disrupt the two's battle.

"You always find excuses to meddle in others' battles!"

"Can this habit be changed?"

Fuzhu Shisi Lang complained on one side, but also always ready to release his own 【Twin Fish Reason】 Soul-Cutting Sword.

Dongshi Lang coldly stared at the two; if looks could kill, he would have already sliced them to pieces.

From the very start, he had intended to stop Chu Yang and Gengmu Jianba's battle.

They just loved watching the excitement, never thinking it a big deal! Just as all the captains were on high alert, the battle situation underwent another change.

Chu Yang changed his fighting style.

He was performing a swordsmanship never seen before in the Soul Society.

Beneath Chu Yang's feet suddenly appeared a Taiji Yin-Yang Diagram.

He and Gengmu Jianba each stood in the black and white eyes of the formation.

Chu Yang's sword draw was extremely slow, yet carried a strange aura, as if everything around had almost come to a standstill.

Taiji Sword! The supreme art of Zhang Sanfeng of Wudang Mountain, crossing countless worlds, blossoming with dazzling splendor in the Soul Society.

Gengmu Jianba felt greatly suppressed, as if many bonds had suddenly appeared on his body.

He wanted to break out of this strange formation, but was pulled by Chu Yang's sword momentum, his speed slowing accordingly.

Like falling into a mire.

Gengmu Jianba's arms bulged with muscle, spiritual pressure exploded, he desperately swung his Soul-Cutting Sword, yet his speed visibly slowed.

He exerted all his strength, slashing out several strikes with all his might.

Only see Chu Yang standing in the Taiji Yin-Yang Diagram, the tip of the 【City of the Dead】 sword tracing a mysterious arc, carrying Gengmu Jianba's slashes, turning several circles in the air.

Then…… the slashes gradually faded away.

Gengmu Jianba stared at Chu Yang in shock and despair; this swordsmanship he had never seen nor heard of.

"Is this swordsmanship truly real?"

"Can I reach this level?"

First time! The first time in his life! Gengmu Jianba began to doubt himself; his eyes were no longer bright as before.

He set down his Zanpō Blade, muttering to himself continuously.

He looked somewhat like a mad demon.

Chu Yang sheathed his sword, the Tai Chi Yin‑Yang diagram vanished, and the captains watching from the side finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"I didn't expect him to win in this way."

Jingyue Chunshui sighed, "This is absolute power crushing Gengmu Jianba's swordsmanship."

Fuzhu Shisilang frowned, "The sword technique just now, its style is nothing like the Shinigami's Zan techniques…"

Xiumu Baizai said lightly, "It must be his own creation; not only the sword art, his Zanpō Blade also feels out of place in this world."

Mao Zhi Hualie stared at Chu Yang, a smile blooming like a flower, "What an interesting newcomer; the days ahead should no longer be boring."

Dongshilang squinted, "Just don't become a second Aizen…"

…………

A One‑Punch World.

D City, a high‑end apartment on Central Street.

"Teacher, the sea bream is very fresh today; how about sashimi for lunch?"

Just after putting the ingredients into the sink, Suoni Ke donned an apron, ready to wash and prep.

He's already quite used to taking on Chu Yang's chores.

Laundry, cooking, cleaning—he's proficient at everything, truly a household whiz.

He does all this only to become a real ninja.

In the middle of the living room.

Chu Yang, lying on the sofa, seemed lazy but was actually pondering the issue.

How can the shackles of the rules be broken so Suoni Ke can learn ninjutsu? The principle of gathering chakra isn't complicated.

It's simply a matter of combining bodily energy with spiritual energy.

With Suoni Ke's strength, a little effort would suffice.

The problem is, it can't be done.

Because this world has no "chakra" setting.

How to bypass this limit… or how to create chakra from nothing—just thinking about it nearly burns Chu Yang's CPU.

At that moment, Suoni Ke's off‑hand remark enlightened Chu Yang.

"I've heard that ninja come from noble and special bloodlines…"

"Is my inability to learn ninjutsu because I lack such a bloodline?"

Suoni Ke, while slicing sashimi, muttered softly, his mood looking a bit downcast.

Chu Yang couldn't tell him it was the rule's effect, so Suoni Ke began to entertain strange fantasies.

But that reminded Chu Yang.

He possesses Bloodline Factor Technology in his hand.

In the One‑Punch Man world, human special abilities and monster origins have many external causes, but ultimately they're tied to genetics.

Gene mutations…

This is actually akin to Bloodline Factor Technology.

And breaking the limiter seems to require this direction.

Chu Yang recalled that early in the story there was an organization called Evolution House conducting similar research and creating some powerful monsters.

The armored gorilla and the Asura rhinoceros beetle aren't weak; it's just that the protagonist, Teacher Qi Yu, is so strong that those two monsters seem underwhelming.

From a side view, Evolution House's founder Dr. Ji Nuo Si is the pinnacle of bio‑modification technology, yet his genetic research remains shallow, far less refined than Bloodline Factor Technology.

"We can use Bloodline Factor Technology to grant Suoni Ke a Bloodline Limit; my own Ootsutsuki bloodline can be split into several bloodline powers."

Senju clan, Uchiha clan, Hyuga clan, Uzumaki clan, Bamboo‑Cutter clan (Kaguya clan), Gold Horn and Silver Horn, and so on.

These Bloodline Limits can all be re‑created by Chu Yang.

First obtain the Bloodline Limit, then attempt to gather chakra; it's uncertain whether reversing the order still counts as completing the 'from nothing to something' process.

"I don't know if Suoni Ke can withstand it; even in the Hokage world, inheriting a Bloodline Limit isn't simple and carries high risk."

"But humans in this world already have abnormal genes; perhaps that's an advantage."

"Rashly using Bloodline Factor Technology is risky; better to first consult this world's research."

Chu Yang tilted his head, observing Suoni Ke bustling in the kitchen, feeling that this guy fears not becoming a true ninja more than death.

"Suoni Ke, I have a method to teach you ninjutsu, but the price is you might die. Are you willing to try?"

As soon as Chu Yang finished speaking, Suoni Ke flashed, appearing before him, still holding a kitchen knife, trembling with excitement. "Teacher, can I really become a true ninja?"

Suoni Ke stared at Chu Yang in disbelief, completely ignoring the price Chu Yang mentioned.

"The odds are you'll die."

Chu Yang sat up, clenching his jaw, reminding again.

Suoni Ke chuckled, caring not at all about the so‑called death.

"I knew it…" Chu Yang smiled satisfactorily, "Pack your things; we'll go somewhere."

Suoni Ke burst out the door excitedly, leaving the half‑sliced sea bream on the cutting board.

Two days later.

Through the Heroes Association, Chu Yang located Evolution House.

Evolution House was originally one of the Heroes Association's targets, but for some reason they have yet to act.

Chu Yang thought perhaps someone covets Dr. Ji Nuo Si's biotechnology.

His biotechnology can reverse aging; just that alone is enough to drive many people crazy.

A black sedan took Chu Yang and Sonic to an unnamed primeval forest.

Deep in the mountains, a building actually stood there.

The sedan stopped in front of the building.

As soon as Chu Yang got out of the car, he heard the driver, who was seated at the wheel, say softly, "Please, after you eliminate the Evolution House, bring out the research data inside; that data is valuable to the Heroes Association, and we'll give you appropriate compensation."

Sure enough.

Chu Yang nodded, then led Sonic into the building.

By the way, Sonic is now also a hero, but because he rarely takes missions, he remains at C‑rank.

The whole building is a front for the Evolution House; the real part is hidden in a massive underground base beneath Chu Yang's feet.

Just as he was about to create a passage, a slight tremor began at Chu Yang's feet.

Something was coming up from below.

"Sonic, watch your step."

As soon as the words finished, the floor beneath them exploded with a roar, and a huge brown silhouette barreled through.

Having heard Chu Yang's warning, Sonic was already prepared; he not only dodged the attack a step early, but launched a counterattack the next second.

The samurai sword turned into a silver flash in the air, striking precisely at the brown figure's vital spot.

Clang!

The sword snapped in response, and Sonic's arm went numb, as if it had struck something extremely hard.

At that moment.

Sonic finally saw clearly what had burst up from underground.

A humanoid rhinoceros beetle standing seven or eight meters tall.

Monster!

And a very high‑rank monster!

The rhinoceros‑beetle monster was carrying a human whose whole body was covered in scars.

Sonic glanced, then turned to Chu Yang and asked, "Teacher, is he the Doctor Jinuosi you're looking for?"

Chu Yang nodded, a little puzzled—why did they happen to run into an Asura rhinoceros beetle going berserk? Never mind…

It makes no difference.

"Doctor Jinuosi, is it because you were afraid of them that they released me?"

An Asura rhinoceros beetle held Doctor Jinuosi, staring face‑to‑face.

Jinuosi turned his head with difficulty, and upon seeing Chu Yang and Sonic's faces, he suddenly showed a surprised expression, "It's not them…"

Not them?

So there are still people?

The Asura rhinoceros beetle paused, frowned, tossed Jinuosi into a corner, and waved indifferently, "Does it matter? They're all going to die anyway."

Just then,

A silver flash slashed toward the Asura rhinoceros beetle at breakneck speed.

It instinctively blocked, but the sword light cut its arm cleanly.

The arm, encased in a solid carapace, rotated slowly in the air.

In a daze, the Asura rhinoceros beetle saw a youth in casual clothes, holding a long sword of simple yet exquisite design.

Its eyes were terrified.

A breath of death was looming.

It's only a Dragon‑rank monster, far weaker than Chu Yang.

The Asura rhinoceros beetle stared in disbelief at the pair on the ground; when the enemy launched the attack, it didn't react at all.

Doctor Jinuosi, lying in a pool of blood, seemed triggered, his pupils suddenly dilating.

So strong!

But…

Who is this youth? And that bald head and half‑cyborg?

Doctor Jinuosi struggled to rise from the ground and happened to see Chu Yang draw a second sword.

The pitch‑black floor suddenly brightened.

"Is that… the Sun?"

Doctor Jinuosi instinctively shielded his eyes from the dazzling light.

Sonic also ducked into a corner, flashing an excited grin, "Truly worthy of the teacher…"

From the brief clash earlier, Sonic could almost be sure the opponent was a Dragon‑rank monster.

"That powerful Dragon‑rank monster was actually cut off its arm by the teacher's single sword."

"If we had defeated it with ninjutsu, it would have been even more perfect!"

Sonic felt a bit regretful.

After the blinding light dimmed, the Asura rhinoceros beetle's figure vanished.

Jinuosi stared at the empty floor, his eyes seemingly void of light, "The Asura rhinoceros beetle was eliminated so easily?"

"The monster you created is strong and full of potential, but its brain isn't very functional."

"It should have given its all from the start."

Chu Yang walked to Jinuosi's side, bent down, lifted him, and flung him straight at Sonic.

Sonic instinctively tried to kick it away, but upon seeing Chu Yang's murderous gaze, he immediately caught it with his hands.

Chu Yang stretched lazily; to avoid trouble, he didn't give the Ashura Unicorn Beetle a chance to enter Ashura mode.

Without stacking a massive amount of buffs, that sword just now was Chu Yang's full‑power strike.

"Dr. Kinosa, I need some of your research data; can you tell me where the data are?"

Kinosa, his gaze vacant, pointed at the large hole broken in the ground.

"Take him with us; we go down."

Chu Yang followed the opening, entered the pitch‑black, lengthy tunnel, and Sonic, carrying Kinosa, trailed closely behind.

The underground base hidden beneath the building is the real "Evolution Home".

The long tunnel was built of steel, its walls scarred with pits and dents, clearly hammered out by the Ashura Unicorn Beetle's brute force.

The basement's construction was simple, and with Kinosa now clear‑headed and speaking freely, they quickly found the archive room storing the research data.

Next to the archive was the laboratory researching bio‑engineering technology.

Various vessels and conduits of all sizes were scattered everywhere.

The instruments analyzing blood and cellular tissue kept running, and a sense of familiarity rose in Chu Yang's mind.

This place was exactly identical to the lab where he studied lineage‑factor technology.

"Dr. Kinosa, you really are a talent; if we keep going down, we might actually reach the realm of the limiter."

Chu Yang couldn't help feeling a bit hopeful.

Unfortunately, the current Kinosa had no interest in hearing Chu Yang's praise; his mind was filled with the image of the Ashura Unicorn Beetle being instantly slain by Chu Yang's sword.

All his years of effort seemed like a joke.

Chu Yang reached out, patted the vacant‑eyed Kinosa, and laughed, "From today onward, this place is requisitioned by me; you may continue your research, provided you serve as my assistant."

Kinosa remained with his vacant stare.

Sonic couldn't stand it, gave the other a hard pat on the back, and shouted, "My teacher is talking to you!"

Kinosa jolted awake, his face pale with panic, and looked at Chu Yang, "Sorry, what did you just say?"

Sonic glared at him dissatisfied, "From now on, this place is our base."

Kinosa hurriedly nodded, "Of course, no problem, as long as you don't kill me."

Sonic said coldly, "I haven't finished speaking; why are you in such a hurry? You must stay and help my teacher with research."

Kinosa's face turned sour, "The strongest augmentations of Evolution Home have been eliminated; my research is trash, it has no value at all."

Sonic seized Kinosa's collar, warning impatiently, "Whether it's valuable or not is decided by the teacher; you just have to obey. Don't you understand?"

Kinosa, frightened, nodded hastily.

"Could you be a bit more polite? You're at least a formally registered hero; stop acting like a villain. If you don't change, you'll eventually become a solitary‑testicle ninja."

Chu Yang clicked his tongue, kindly reminding him.

"Ha ha, teacher, a ninja should be aloof!"

Sonic thought Chu Yang was praising him, immediately wore a smug expression, and his hand movements lightened considerably.

Kinosa instantly breathed a sigh of relief.

"As long as you're happy, I wish your dream comes true!"

Thinking of Sonic's future fate, Chu Yang suddenly shivered violently, feeling a cold chill down his lower body.

"Take whatever you like and hand it to the driver outside to send him away," Chu Yang instructed, then lowered his head to review Kinosa's experimental log.

With Kinosa's help, Sonic took some insignificant experimental data and returned to the surface.

Just after exiting the building, Sonic saw a bald man in a strange cloak and a half‑cyborg standing by the car, arguing nonstop with the driver.

"The monsters inside are already being dealt with by a hero; you wait outside for a moment."

"Huh? What are you saying! The guys inside sent people to attack us!"

"Please restrain your emotions; if you cause trouble, I will report to the Heroes Association Headquarters."

"Damn it."

They were the people originally headed for Evolution Home?

"The Ashura Unicorn Beetle was released because of them?" Seeing the two suddenly appearing people, Sonic felt something stir in his heart, walked over, and handed the data to the driver.

The driver showed a relieved expression.

"Who are you?"

Sonic turned and asked the two, "Who are you?"

"My name is Saitama, and this is Jienosu… By the way, who are you?" Saitama, who instinctively introduced himself, scratched his head and asked.

"I'm Sonic, a ninja… actually still in training, not a true ninja yet."

Sonic paused, then said, "If you came for the monsters of Evolution Home, you may leave, because those monsters have already been dealt with by my teacher."

"What! Already dealt with?" Saitama complained, "Made me travel all this way to this place..."

Jienosu, upon hearing that Evolution Home had been wiped out, hesitated.

He had only recently fought other augmented monsters, and their strength was not weak.

Especially that ape said Evolution Home had a modified lifeform stronger than it.

Ordinary heroes probably couldn't handle the monsters here; thinking that, Jienosu asked, "May I ask, what rank of hero are you?"

Sonic proudly lifted his head and said, "I am the famed C‑rank hero, Flash ninja!"

Jienosu and Saitama stared at each other, silent for a while, then spoke in unison.

"You should still let us go in and take a look!"

"This kid looks not very smart; he probably got tricked by the monsters, right?"

"Teacher, that's possible; we need to go in and confirm whether the monsters have been eliminated."

"He seems to have a teacher as well?"

If he's a C‑rank, the teacher should be around B‑rank.

The more we talk, the more uneasy I feel, Jie Nuo Si, we should go in and take a look.

As they kept talking, the two of them suddenly wanted to force their way inside.

Suo Ni Ke blocked them, his expression displeased, "If you two move any further forward, I'm going to act."

After spending a long time with Chu Yang, Suo Ni Ke's own temperament underwent a slight change.

In the past, he wouldn't have wasted words; he would have already taken lethal action.

"Then let's act, Jie Nuo Si."

"Alright, teacher."

Jie Nuo Si's metal‑built body began to heat up rapidly; he lifted his arms slightly, and flames gathered between his palms.

Only upon close inspection could one see a blazing red cannon barrel embedded in Jie Nuo Si's palm.

Sensing danger, Suo Ni Ke's figure flickered and vanished from his spot in an instant.

The next second, a scorching beam shot through the spot where he had been, the air warping from the intense heat.

"Huh?"

"He actually dodged it…"

Jie Nuo Si realized that the C‑rank hero across who called himself a ninja really seemed to have some skill.

Even though he had lowered the power considerably, the laser's firing rate was still beyond what an ordinary person could evade.

"He must be more than just a C‑rank hero in strength."

In a daze, a flash of blade light appeared before his eyes; Jie Nuo Si activated his thrusters, and with the aid of powerful thrust, he quickly retreated, evading the strike.

The blade tip sliced across Jie Nuo Si's steel‑reinforced chest, erupting a dazzling blaze.

After narrowly dodging the attack, Jie Nuo Si's arm cannons fully opened, unleashing firepower! Boom—! Explosions kept ringing, the ground trembled, and the driver, terrified, drove away.

Jie Nuo Si's offensive firepower was immense, yet he was most afraid of agile melee specialists.

No matter how strong the firepower, if it can't hit, it's as good as nothing, and Suo Ni Ke's speed was top‑tier.

In the One‑Punch Man world, there are people who can keep up with Suo Ni Ke's speed, but Jie Nuo Si is not among them.

Cannons and lasers interlaced, weaving a terrifying barrage, attempting to envelop Suo Ni Ke.

A ghost‑like figure darted through the hail of gunfire, Suo Ni Ke repeatedly brushed past scorching beams, unscathed.

Qi Yu watched from the side, tilting his head, "What a fast speed—if Jie Nuo Si keeps fighting, he might lose."

Under the baptism of massive firepower, the entire building's exterior turned to scorched earth, gradually spreading to the building itself.

Jie Nuo Si felt Suo Ni Ke's formidable strength; his earlier dismissive attitude now made him feel embarrassed.

But Suo Ni Ke had already unleashed his fury; even if he wanted to stop, the opponent wouldn't cease the assault.

Given the current situation, the best course is to grit his teeth and keep fighting, find a way to suppress the opponent, and end this meaningless battle.

On the battlefield, the situation changes in an instant.

While distracted, a brilliant flash surged in front of Jie Nuo Si.

The half‑robot's normally indifferent face unexpectedly showed a hint of panic.

The two were within arm's length; Jie Nuo Si could even clearly sense Suo Ni Ke's breathing and heartbeat.

The cold‑glowing katana was thrust by Suo Ni Ke into Jie Nuo Si's chest energy reactor.

He intended to cut off the opponent's energy supply pipe.

Sensing Suo Ni Ke's intent, Jie Nuo Si immediately overloaded his internal energy, generating terrifying heat.

The katana that entered his body melted instantly, failing to damage Jie Nuo Si's energy conduit.

But.

The energy overload also temporarily rendered Jie Nuo Si immobile.

"You can't move now, can you?"

Suo Ni Ke's sneer made Jie Nuo Si's pupils flicker; he realized perhaps the opponent had planned this from the start.

The next second, Suo Ni Ke hurled a shuriken at Jie Nuo Si's vital point.

"Damn!"

Jie Nuo Si instinctively closed his eyes, awaiting death.

The bald hero in a yellow cloak wouldn't let Jie Nuo Si die so easily; with a flash, he appeared before Jie Nuo Si and blocked the strike.

Suo Ni Ke's smile froze, his expression solemn as he stared at Qi Yu.

As a hero renowned for speed, Suo Ni Ke's dynamic vision was strong, yet he still couldn't discern the opponent's movement.

"Handling two opponents at once is a bit tough; should we retreat first?"

"But the teacher is still down there…"

After thinking, Suo Ni Ke steadfastly guarded the entrance, insisting they couldn't let the two go down to disturb the teacher.

Jie Nuo Si had already realized Suo Ni Ke could handle the monsters here; he wasn't lying.

But Qi Yu was rather simple‑minded and hadn't considered that.

He still wanted to get Suo Ni Ke out of the way.

Thus, after blocking the shuriken, Qi Yu's figure suddenly vanished, then reappeared in front of Suo Ni Ke, delivering a punch.

Just an ordinary punch.

Yet it carried an indescribable terrifying momentum.

Suo Ni Ke was stunned by this aura, standing motionless.

"Teacher!"

Jie Nuo Si shouted from behind Qi Yu.

I know.

Saitama muttered a reply, the fist he threw turned into a palm, wanting to push Sonic away.

Although his movement was already light, this palm striking Sonic's body was enough to slap the opponent several hundred meters away.

Just the palm wind blew so hard people couldn't open their eyes.

At the critical moment.

A figure also appeared in front of Sonic.

The newcomer's whole body was entwined with lightning.

Boom—

Deafening thunder rang out.

He reached out and blocked Saitama's palm.

The terrifying shockwave spread centered on the two, the building behind Sonic shuddered violently, windows exploded at the same time!

Teacher...

Sonic looked at the newcomer, feeling moved yet also a bit ashamed.

Chu Yang slightly frowned; just now Saitama's palm almost broke his arm, the crack in his bone was instantly healed by immense vitality.

If it weren't for Wood Release plus Lightning Release Armor, I really couldn't have withstood that strike just now.

As expected of the invincible protagonist in the setting, in terms of physical attack power, he's the strongest I've ever seen.

Speaking from the heart, Chu Yang currently does not want to face Saitama.

But life always has surprises.

Chu Yang is not afraid of the near-invincible Saitama in the setting, because he himself is an existence outside this world's setting, and he has some means to counter him.

For example...

The blood-colored magatama appeared again, slowly rotating in Chu Yang's pupils.

Saitama merely glanced at it by accident, his gaze turned dazed, and he stood there, lost in spirit.

Meanwhile.

In the illusion space, Saitama had already been chained to a huge cross.

The ground was like a mirror, reflecting his current self.

Saitama lowered his head, and what came into view was familiar and nostalgic black hair.

That was his ordinary-person appearance from a few years ago.

Saitama stared blankly for a moment.

A black shadow appeared before his eyes.

Saitama saw a strange young man approaching him, holding a weapon.

His smile was very kind and approachable.

Like a neighbor's youth.

I'm starting to understand why Itachi Uchiha likes using this move.

It's really interesting...

After a moment.

Miserable screams echoed in the illusion space.

(End of chapter)