Chapter the Seventh

"Alright. Use your power on three… two… one…"

From my heart, through my palm and into the spear, the power flows with practiced ease.

I never even considered it before. My power mixed with Angel's? His weapons could become even more powerful!

In an instant, the lifespan spear burst into fire. When it subsides, it is left covered in bronze.

"It failed… Again. I can't even make it silver and I've put as much power as possible in that thing!"

Angel turned towards Makima and sighed.

"Can I go now?"

We'd been at this for like thirty minutes. I understand him.

"Fine." 

Said Makima. I fell to the floor with a loud thud. Finally I can rest.

We've been testing my powers on so many weapons related to devils of all sorts. Every time, the results are the same. I can't go above bronze. Makima also had me turn corpses to gold, to see if I could bring them back to life. 

Obviously, it failed. I don't have the power to revert back but to improve things.

She still had a hard time accepting my nature as a monster though. And I understand her. But at the same time, my power makes no sense for a devil. What fear would I even represent? Of things getting better? Yeah, I don't think so.

Plus, she is one hundred percent certain that I don't even smell like a fiend and I remember her having an amazing sense of smell.

We also tried to use them on Johnson's thunder gloves and, let me tell you, the golden version is absolutely… nothing special. They're just a lot more resistant and comfortable, apparently. The lightning is now golden and a bit faster too, I guess, nothing special.

John repainted his gloves black anyways to have them fit better with his uniform.

Today was Makima's birth day. I was invited, we had lots of fun and… Yeah right. As if, I only knew the date because she told me back when still under the effects of the Love devil.

Then she didn't care about having a party but for some reason, she decided this year was the one. That spiteful devil.

And she had the gall to come up to me while I was playing Minecraft on my newly acquired computer and say: "It's nothing personal, Roach. It's simply that a monster would make the other guests uncomfortable."

And she was smiling while saying. Sardonically. When she eventually turns against us, I'll be there to best the shit outta her.

Now, I can't even look at her and her pretty. Her true personality just never leaves my mind, everything else she had going for her seems invisible.

But unto less frustrating matters. I'm legally a property but I've been re ranked from A class to S. If you wanted to use threat levels for monsters still, I'd basically be a mid tier dragon level threat. And only because of my abilities too!

I mean, with my new power that allows me to potentially kill anyone who doesn't have the proper hacks by just a touch… 

But there are limits. The more powerful monsters seem to at most get affected by rust but they never actually get turned to ash. I guess I can't be One Touch Man. It doesn't really matter because dragon level threats aren't common so the average monster can get one shot with fist or power.

The average devil can get one shot with a few attacks or incapacitated with lead or rust.

For the more powerful ones? I work for Makima and she's the top of the Public Safety S classes so, unless they are as powerful as Dinosaur God, we'll be safe.

Even better, the heroes sometimes show up to help!

But clearly, the ROB that made this world didn't want to make things too easy. The world has already nearly been blown up a dozen times now. Power levels this early frighten me for what's coming. Garou might actually be immeasurably worse here…

And the others too! Orochi could summon magma from the earth's core, what will he be able to do in this world?!

On other more bad news, King's name has begun to spread among the masses, meaning that Saitama is finally here… He should still have his hair by this point.

With my new computer, I took a look at Bang's dojo. I doubt he would ever accept to teach me but for now, he is still a badass.

Finally, Denji still hasn't shown up…

At least for now, things have been relatively calm. No major city has been destroyed in the past year, reconstruction here in Japan is going well. All in all, things are gonna get worse for a while but eventually, we'll be fine.

"So you're saying you were born from an egg?" Makima asked.

"I'm telling you I can't be a devil."

"What about your parents?"

Yeah… what about them? I haven't even thought of my parents in this world. Is there just some other guy running around looking like me?

"Never knew them."

"... How do you feel about humans?"

"I love them. Epic games, movies, great entertainment. All in all imperfect but aren't we all?"

"Have you ever eaten a human or tasted their blood?"

"I'd rather not."

She pulls out a red plastic bag.

"I want you to try. I'm not asking, I'm ordering."

"..."

I took the pouch and poured some on my tongue.

"Tastes like shit."

Oh god it tastes good!

"Really?"

"I don't know how you guys drink that stuff."

What if I turned it gold? Is this a freaking drug?!

I throw the bag out the window.

"That was just wasteful."

"I'm a monster but I sure as hell am not much into protecting mother nature or whatever."

A thing many monsters share, probably because of God…

"You are a terrible liar."

"Many monsters eat people. I don't think it proves anything."

"You're right. You can leave my office now."

"... You called me just for that?! Seriously?"

"And what exactly did you expect?"

"... Yeah, I expected a promotion or something."

"You aren't getting paid."

"What about subordinates? Someone to train under me? I'm getting really fucking bored ever since you basically made this office your home."

When was the last time we went on a mission together? Two months ago? That's a new record or something.

"Are you saying you miss me?"

…

"Playing games all day when I can destroy buildings is so boring."

"... So you miss me."

"What I miss is breaking skulls."

"You miss what I bring to you so by cause and effect, you miss me."

"... What the hell? Why am I even asking? I can just take the building hostage again!"

She chuckled.

"Not this time. What you've told me about humans leads me to believe you wouldn't sacrifice even a single one for something like the right to go outside. Besides, I could just force you not to."

You see what I'm talking about?! She's getting off to this, someone stops her!

"Alright. What do you want. And why not just make me give it to you?"

"Because I don't want anything. There is nothing you can offer me that I don't already have."

And this is why you don't play games with Machiavellians. I'm just a roach guy. How am I supposed to compete? I miss my first days, when I could just intimidate new monsters into leaving me alone.

"... I could just break the window and fly away."

"But unlike you, I have no problems using human hostages to get people to do what I want them to."

True. She could kill anyone she wishes and force the rest to forget they ever existed.

I refuse to give up. Someday, I'll get back at her.

"Alright. I'll leave..."

I decided to talk about it to my only friend in this horrible world. Not all the parts about Makima's true nature though.

"You want my opinion? Shut up and do your own shit. Stop trying to get anything out of her. Unless she can find a use for you, she won't even look at you."

He doesn't know she's a devil but he was always suspicious of her so he thinks she's just a Machiavellian work obsessed woman.

"I realize. But I don't wanna spend the rest of my days waiting for her to send me on missions. I haven't been out of this building in TWO MONTHS. Worse, I never cared about going outside until…" 

Until I was reborn in this world…

"Until now…"

"I really pity you. The only people that can challenge you don't wanna and you're left to your own yet still without the freedom you want."

I nodded.

"It really seems hopeless. I'm sorry man."

"Wait! Wait no, it's not hopeless! I found the perfect fix for my problem!"

He looked at me surprised.

"If I can use my positive power to empower my physical attributes… I could use the negative to depower me!

I'm a genius.

"So that means we can fight without things being unfair?"

For the first time ever, the battle of the century! Human against Roach!

"Our spar will be legendary!"

"Shut up you weirdo. You still need to ask for… permission."

"Makika please! I'm literally begging you! I learned my lesson, I just want to fight!"

She wasn't even looking at me, just writing on her stupid sheets of paper.

"I'll do anything– Ah shit, you can already make me do anything."

She was still ignoring me.

"... You know what? Screw you too. We're gonna fight. You and me. Right here, right now."

She kept ignoring me.

"You think I'm bluffing? You realise fixing this place will cost you, right?"

She smirked. The AUDACITY.

I'm sorry. I lost my cool. I sent her flying through the roof. She deserved it.

I jumped right after her, only to see that she already had a force attack ready.

"Bang!"

I was sent flying yes but nowadays, I'm able to increase my resistance to such levels that it didn't tear me apart. Was still puking blood though.

Using my legs like springs, I dashed towards her, controlling enough my strength to not destroy the building wall I was on. My right fist was ready. I sent it forward at her jaw, she was already dodging… So I kicked her backwards through the ribs, I felt one or two of them break.

"I don't even have to go outside when I can just fight you whenever I want!"

I let my wings loose and empowered them to follow after her. It's finally time to say it.

"Golden Roach, UPERCU–"

ONE strike. One is all it took. Her palm hit my neck and I felt the world go black. No. I am not losing like this. NUH, HUH!

I powered through and still landed the hit, as hard as I could without destroying the surrounding area, just to be safe, I sent through her some of my power to make sure the blow wouldn't be lethal.

Imagine you're a random dude walking through the streets and then your jaw suddenly shatters.

As I fell to the ground, she flew up and up until gravity finally caught back with her. She disappeared mid air…

I turned around, expecting a surprise attack but there was nothing.

"You monster!" I heard above me.

I looked up and there was no Makima but… Tatsumaki? The hell?

The people in the streets Below were running and screaming in fear… From me? Wait… was this Makima's plan? Make me attack her so the heroes could deal with me?!

I felt a shadow cover me. That bitch was about to drop a fucking building on me!

"Listen. This isn't what you thin–"

I instinctively dodged as the building fell. I need to get out of here RIGHT NOW!

I was flying as fast as possible but whenever I looked back, she was STILL there! I don't wanna die now! Not after everything! How is she even here?

When's the last time I checked the rankings of the heroes, she wasn't there, I SWEAR IT.

"I tire of this game, monster."

And she began to throw more and more BUILDINGS at me! How do people cheer heroes like her so much? She's gotta be costing them millions in tax!

Or is everything cheaper in anime worlds?

I managed to dodge them all, actually had to catch one to stop it from blowing up a hospital. How reckless is she?!

I felt a grip all around my body. She immobilized me mid air. And she began to crush.

"These devil hunters are fools, thinking they can trust the likes of you. I'm glad to be the one to save them from their own mistakes!"

"Wait– we…" Never before have I felt such pressure. "... We… were just…!"

"Drop him."

I couldn't look anywhere but up, even still, I easily recognized Makima.

"And why would I do that, devil hunter?"

Did she just…?

"… I didn't need you to get involved. We weren't actually going to kill each other. This monster is legally my property. Drop him right now."

After a little bit of silence, I felt the pressure drop. By then, I was already too crushed to do much more than breathe. And listen.

"So you're saying he wasn't rebelling against you?"

"This is none of your business, Tornado."

I heard the bitch scoff as she flew away.

"... Why… is it that when I get a big win, things always go bad after?"

No. For real. It happens like, half the time! Against the fused twins I got captured, against the giant squid, Makima called me unworthy of respect, and now this.

"You didn't win."

Keep telling yourself that.

"... So tell me what your plan was. I only see two possibilities."

She chuckled as she came to crouch besides my still regenerating body.

"Two? I only see one."

"I think you wanted to make me understand that in the worst case possible, you could just ask the heroes to fight against me. They won't compromise with a monster so I'll be forced to kill them or let them kill me "

"Really? And what's the second option?"

"You can't control me, can you… Your power didn't work on Tatsumaki. So to prove that you still have control, you resign to manipulating my emotions…"

She smiled.

"Some people are too powerful to control… but you are on a level very close to mine… I don't understand myself."

So it's the second option. I got bated like an unstable teenager. At least there is one good news in all this.