Just as Genos and Fubuki were reflecting, they suddenly noticed.
An out-of-place figure had quietly entered the edge of the surveillance footage.
It was a tall man in a combat suit with a futuristic feel.
He wasn't paying attention to the panicking crowd around him... his gaze was fixed on Setsuna.
"Th-that is?" Fubuki was the first to notice the figure, gasping in surprise.
Genos's electronic eyes immediately focused at high speed, magnified the image, and ran a silhouette comparison.
Data from his database flashed rapidly.
"Match rate 99.7%..." Genos's voice carried a hint of disbelief. "S-Class Rank 1 Hero... Blast."
"Blast-sama! Why is he here?" Fubuki was astonished. She knew her sister had been searching for Blast for over a decade.
"His target is Hades," Genos said solemnly. "It seems he intends to make contact with Hades."
"Contact Hades?" Fubuki's heart sank.
Although Blast was legendary, acknowledged by even her sister as the 'pinnacle of humanity',
In her eyes, Hades had already surpassed humans, even gods.
She had no doubt that on this planet, aside from Saitama, that freak who defied all logic, there was no one who could stand against these extraterrestrial visitors.
'Blast-sama... doesn't know Hades's true identity.'
'If he rashly makes contact, or worse, provokes a conflict...'
Frightening scenarios flashed through Fubuki's mind.
"No! We must stop him!" Fubuki shouted. "Genos! Let's go immediately! We have to stop Blast-sama before things become irreversible!"
Genos didn't hesitate, nodding firmly. "Let's go!"
Back at the edge of Rainbow Land.
Setsuna was leaving the chaotic scene along a secluded path.
Just as he was about to enter the woods ahead, a tall figure appeared before him: Blast.
He stood there, his eyes filled with admiration as he looked at Setsuna.
After sensing the sudden disappearance of God's presence, he had expended great effort to leave that other space and return to reality.
However, upon returning, he immediately sensed the battle fluctuations coming from the amusement park.
He quickly approached and happened to witness the entire scene: Sweet Mask revealing his true form, protecting the crowd, and being reviled in return.
Just as he was about to step forward to vindicate Sweet Mask, Hades appeared.
Hades's words had cut through the crowd's hypocrisy, affirmed Sweet Mask's Heroic core, and also gave Blast, a Hero meeting him for the first time, a great impression of him.
However, the subsequent global announcement by No.17 and No.18 shocked him.
'God hadn't lied? Earth truly faced an extinction crisis.'
Thus, he decided to reveal himself and contact Hades to inquire about the current situation.
But when he stood close to Setsuna, his expression changed slightly. He sensed God's aura emanating from the other man.
Blast's heart tightened, but his face remained impassive as he spoke in a deep voice: "I am Blast."
He asked directly, "Hades, have you been in contact with God?"
Setsuna stopped, looking at the newcomer with interest, and nodded. "Yes, I have."
"Indeed!" Blast's heart chilled. He quickly warned, "You must not be deceived by it. That so-called 'God' is not the will of Earth itself."
"It is an aggregate of negative consciousness accumulated over Earth's long history, the greatest 'parasite' feeding on the planet and all life! Its intentions are far from benevolent!"
Setsuna smiled faintly. "I know."
Blast breathed a sigh of relief and then pressed, "Then do you know where God is now?"
Setsuna's expression was rather peculiar. "You won't be able to find it. I ate it."
The expression on Blast's face froze instantly.
'Ate it? What did that mean?'
'Was it a metaphor? A special way of destroying something? Or...'
Blast's first reaction was disbelief. No one knew God's power better than him.
But looking at Setsuna's calm demeanor, he didn't seem to be joking, nor did he seem to be speaking nonsense under God's influence.
'But if it were true, just how powerful would this Hades be?'
After the shock, a surge of a martial artist's excitement and desire to explore welled up in Blast.
"In that case? Could we have a fight?"
Setsuna didn't seem surprised by Blast's suggestion and nodded. "Alright, right here."
The moment the words fell, Blast moved.
He didn't test the waters... he went all out from the start.
Against an opponent who might have 'eaten' God, holding back would be foolish.
Blast seemed to attack Setsuna simultaneously from multiple directions, at bizarre angles that defied the laws of physics.
This was a fighting style honed from years of battling 'God', capable of distorting space.
However, Setsuna merely lifted his gaze slightly.
An immensely powerful telekinesis spread out silently.
Time didn't stop, space didn't freeze, but Blast's furious assault was frozen in the void less than a foot from Setsuna's body.
Blast's mind could still function, but he couldn't move. "This is telekinesis? How is it possible!"
His heart was shaken. "This level of telekinesis is countless times stronger than even Tatsumaki's!"
And just then.
"Hades-sama! Please stop!"
"Blast-sama! Stop!"
Two urgent shouts came from nearby.
Fubuki and Genos had finally arrived.
They saw Blast frozen in mid-air like an insect in amber and were terrified.
Fubuki immediately dropped to her knees. "Hades-sama! Please calm down! Blast-sama doesn't know your identity! He didn't mean to offend! Please... please spare him!"
Blast, frozen, was filled with confusion.
'(Fubuki, Tatsumaki's sister?'
'Why is she so terrified of Hades?'
Setsuna's voice remained gentle. "Don't worry. I have no interest in him."
With those words,
The telekinesis restraining Blast dissipated as silently as it had appeared.
Plop!
Blast felt his body lighten, regained control, landed on the ground, and stumbled a step before steadying himself.
Setsuna didn't look at them again, as if what had just happened was a trivial incident.
He turned and continued deeper into the woods, his figure soon disappearing into the shadows.
Only when Setsuna was completely gone did Blast feel the suffocating pressure ease slightly.
He took a few deep breaths, unable to help asking, "Fubuki, who is he? Why are you so afraid of him?"
Fubuki's expression was bitter. "Blast-sama, Hades is actually the leader behind No.17. No.17 is merely carrying out his will."
Blast stood frozen, as if struck by lightning.
He felt his heart, which had just calmed, squeezed again by an invisible giant hand.
'The leader of No.17? The being that terrified God?'
'I just challenged such an existence? Asked if he wanted to fight?'
Blast couldn't help a bitter laugh, 'No wonder Fubuki and the others were so terrified.'
"God was eaten by him, and I'm far from his match. What hope does Earth have?" Blast sighed deeply.
Fubuki smiled bitterly. Many considered Blast their last hope, yet even Blast was in despair.
Genos spoke with firm conviction, "Earth's last hope is Sensei!"