CH. 517-518: Mosquito Army

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.

Thick red liquid fell down the left side of his vision. He wiped it with his hands. "Blood?"

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. The scales looked about the ones found on Asahi's gauntlet.

"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.

'Asahi Marikawa. 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.

'The hell? I can't kill a mosquito…'

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.

***

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—"

An inferno pillar spiraled toward the sky, incinerating a chunk of her mosquito swarm. Her skin crawled with goosebumps despite her distance from the flame pillar.

"Quite a few just died. Who is it?"

Mosquito Girl flew in the direction of the flame pillar. Rika and Shizuka wore biohazard suits that protected them from mosquito bites. Without the constant mosquitoes crawling on their bodies, the women rampaged about. Rika crushed mosquitoes with telekinesis while Shizuka shot beams of light.

Ddraig, on the other side, released jets of vicious flame through her hand. Wave after wave of high endless mosquitoes was burned to cinders.

She chose to remain in her dress. The mosquito couldn't penetrate her skin even if they tried.

Their strength stunned Mosquito Girl. She'd swoop in if she were facing one opponent. Not that she wouldn't do it with three opponents.

"I have the flight advantage."

She flapped her single pair of wings until they became invisible to normal eyes, releasing the buzzing sound every human associated with insects. She descended toward the blonde girl like a missile. Shizuka was the weakest link by her observation.

"As if I'd let you touch my Shizu."

Rika got to her knees and aimed her rifle at Mosquito Girl. The mosquito and human hybrid didn't even blink an eye. She had tanked missiles. A mere sniper rifle couldn't stop her. So, she continued her charge as her proboscis extended like a sharpened lance.

"Idiot." Rika raised a telekinesis barrier in front of Shizuka. "Get destroyed."

Mosquito Girl crashed into the solid wall made up of Rika's willpower. The horrendous impact couldn't hurt her or her pointy horn. Rika's follow-up attack, however, changed her body structure. A flash and horrendous noise tore through the air, and a red energy beam blasted through the mass of mosquitoes surrounding Mosquito Girl. Rika's energy bullet ripped an arm clean from Mosquito Girl.

"Oops, I missed. I'm so rusty," Rika said with a sigh. "Shizu, ask Aa-kun to punish me later."

Shizuka stared at Rika. "You did it on purpose. Why are you so eager to get punished?"

"I want a red butt like Ddraig."

Ddraig choked on the furtive criticism on her butt. Rika laughed, and Shizuka couldn't help but join her friend.

Mosquito Girl looked annoyed at the trio laughing and joking about her suffering. They didn't take her seriously. "You are dangerous. I might die if I don't do something."

So, she called for her horde to return and supply her with more blood. The more blood she consumed, the stronger and faster she became.

Rika glanced at the mosquitoes pouring from all directions. "It's happening."

"What's happening?" Shizuka inquired. "Rika, you're being mysterious."

"Number one rule of the shounen genre, Shizu. Characters get power-ups when their lives are in danger. It goes for the villains too!"

Shizuka was about to retort when Mosquito Girl spread her arms, and mosquitoes enveloped her as if forming a barrier. The blood supply from millions of loaded mosquitoes filled her veins.

The horde split and charged at the trio.

Ddraig turned her attention to incinerate the mosquitoes swarming toward Rika and Shizuka. A frown took over her face. Her human form severely limited her fire output.

"Rika, protect Shizuka."

Rika hugged Shizuka and formed her strongest telekinesis barrier around them. Ddraig stopped relying on her flames and simply punched the air. The generated shockwave devastated the entire horde, cutting through the houses as well.

A strong life presence made Ddraig look up. Mosquito Girl had turned blood red, and her lost limb regenerated. Her body looked streamlined, with fewer exoskeleton-like protrusions and longer hair. Two big compound eyes blinked above her head.

"Hahaha, behold my final form. I'll show you how weak you truly are."

"You are still gross." Ddraig snorted. "Asahi wouldn't want you even with that face."

Looking into Ddraig's eyes, primal fear enveloped Mosquito Girl. She felt instinctive fear despite her transformation as if she was prey looking at her predator.

"I don't believe I can't take you down in this form."

Overconfidence of new transformation blinded her to cruel reality. She left afterimages behind and appeared on Ddraig's flank. Before her opponent reacted, her twin hooks slashed Ddraig's back. The next instance nearly traumatized Mosquito Girl. Her twin hooks could tear any metal in the world, yet they only cut Ddraig's dress. No blood poured out.

"You—"

Her words got glued to her throat as fear consumed her mind.

Ddraig slowly turned around and swung her arm. The slap blew Mosquito Girl to kingdom come. The final boss of the mosquito's army died in one slap.

Rika threw off her body suit and hugged Ddraig from behind. "You casually slapped a Level 286 monster to death. Good stuff, Ddraig."

"Levels." Ddraig gently removed Rika's arm from her waist and turned around. "Asahi and Klyscha mentioned levels time and time again. I know it's related to some system planted in Asahi's soul. Can you tell me my current level?"

"You can ask Klyscha-sama." Shizuka walked over and unzipped the biohazard suit. "She keeps track of all of our levels and our skills. She is the best thing to ever happen to us."

"I know, right? Without Klyscha, we would be stranded in that hellhole of undead and famine."

The undead in their previous world became stronger with every day. Rika doubted they'd survive even with ‌mana and superpowers.

Shizuka scratched her cheek with a finger. "I wish Klyscha-sama took some days off for rest."

"Well, you can't use common sense on a dere dere yan goddess. She does everything to keep Aa-kun happy. And she wouldn't have it any other way."

Ddraig felt a little sorry for Klyscha now. The goddess must be frustrated and stressed after handling so much alone. She took some of it out on Ddraig. Without her, Klyscha would be alone all day, awaiting Asahi's return every night. In contrast, she made new friends like Rika and Shizuka and had some laughs.

Ddraig didn't think she could have this level of empathy for anyone. Yet here she was, feeling sorry for someone who bullied her daily.

"Why do you look so down?" Shizuka asked, seeing Ddraig's troubled look. Being the owner of the Shizuka comfort house, her perception of others' emotions was second only to Asahi. "Is anything bothering you?"

Ddraig shook her head. "Let's return to Asahi."

(My love is spending some time in Heaven. You all can do your own thing until he returns.)

"He should be cuddling with Gabriel after making those time shenanigans." Rika giggled as she imagined the scene in her head. "Guess we three are on our own. What do you wanna do, Ddraig?"

"I…" Ddraig frowned at her incapacity to find an answer. She had seen the world through Asahi's eyes, yet she knew almost nothing about it. "I want to do something new. You decide for me."

"Hah. Come on, then. Let's invite Yuriko and explore other cities!"

"Not a terrible idea." Shizuka gave her approval. "Don't involve any insects… my skin is still crawling."

She shuddered at the thought of seeing another mosquito.

"Stop right there, you little shit!" A series of slaps echoed as a bald man dashed down the street. "Aaaaaa, you make me mad."

He passed by them without even looking at the three women.

Ddraig's eyes widened as she sensed his aura. "Unbelievable… he is on Ruby's level or stronger."

It was simply hard to fathom the ordinary man chasing after a mosquito would be crazy powerful. She'd bug him for a battle if she had met him before. She wasn't as thirsty for a fight as she was in the past.

"You're joking, right?" Rika stared at Saitama's back. "It's fucking crazy."

(She isn't. Whatever you do, don't fight Saitama. Even my love will have trouble defeating him.)

"A man Asahi will struggle against…"

Ddraig couldn't help but sigh. Saitama wouldn't be the only hidden master in this world. There will be more masters hiding in plain sight like him. And this wasn't the only world Asahi could visit. Her arrogant and prideful run in her previous world somehow embarrassed her. She used to believe she was only weak before Dragon Gods. Asahi opened her eyes to new horizons again and again.

'I'd be a dead soul without accepting his offer.'

She felt more grateful to her mate.

Rika and Shizuka shared a glance and chuckled. Ddraig's gratifying thoughts were written all over her face.

"Aa-kun never fails to amaze me."

"He is my little brother, y'know."

***

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