The Fubuki Group had originally received a report from headquarters to pursue a Tiger-level Monster.
That Monster had a hostage, and it seemed there was also a Demon pushing things along, making it very dangerous.
Very dangerous meant generous rewards.
It was perfect for a team like the Fubuki Group, composed of many people, to apprehend.
However, as soon as they arrived, they saw Vaccine Man rise from the ground in the distance, attacking everything around him wildly.
The ground shook, and buildings collapsed.
If he started moving, he could quickly destroy a city.
The disaster level would then escalate from Tiger-level to Dragon-level.
Wolf, Tiger, Ghost, Dragon, God—the strength divisions for the five Monster levels were not overly strict.
They corresponded to the scope of disaster impact that the respective Monster could inflict on human society.
Dragon-level meant it could bring a city to a standstill, causing it to lose its basic functions.
This giant, about three hundred meters tall, clearly had that capability.
Moreover, from the metallic sheen on his body, one could tell how terrifying his muscle strength was.
But as the Fubuki Group approached the scene, they gathered more and more information.
They suddenly realized that the large brute couldn't even handle a high school student, which significantly reduced its threat level compared to its terrifying appearance.
The Fubuki Group members, who had initially considered retreating, regained their confidence.
"Big Sister, let's do it!"
"He's just a big oaf—there's nothing to be afraid of."
"If we leave now, other heroes will think our Fubuki Group is worse than a high school student."
"Trust my RPG—I'll make him explode magnificently!"
"If we can't inflict damage on that big guy, we'll withdraw immediately."
"Big Sister…"
The eyes of the Fubuki Group members gleamed with the desire to fight.
Fubuki put down the binoculars.
She was also somewhat moved.
Although they weren't as agile as that female high school student, they had strength in numbers.
They could distract that big brute.
Even if they couldn't defeat Vaccine Man head-on, they could at least tie him down until an A or S-class hero arrived.
Ultimately, if they couldn't win, they'd run. There shouldn't be any casualties.
"Alright! We'll join the fight, but remember to prioritize your own lives."
"Roar!"
The Fubuki Group, full of spirit, rushed to the battlefield under Fubuki's leadership, spreading their firepower in a fan shape.
On the other side, the police, having received the news, also arrived nearby.
They stopped their car a block away from the battlefield.
"The thing we're supposed to deal with—it can't be that, can it!"
Himeno scratched her eyepatch and glanced at Angel Devil Angel, who was sitting in the passenger seat.
"How about I put you on him and let you drain him?"
Angel lazily tossed her long hair.
"We're here to deal with Demons, not Monsters."
"You're right."
Himeno took out her binoculars.
"Hey, someone's having quite a fun time with that guy."
"Let me look! There—on the back of that Monster's neck."
"Muscle Demon is right there."
Angel Devil Angel sprawled in the passenger seat. "I don't want to go."
"I don't want to go either, but even a high school student is throwing herself in. If we just leave without even trying, I'd feel bad."
Himeno said calmly, putting on her police uniform and opening the car door to get out of the driver's seat.
"I'll go to the nearby rooftops and see if I can use my ability to tear off Muscle Demon."
"Suit yourself."
Angel got out of the car listlessly.
Then, she pulled out a katana from the halo above her head and handed it to Himeno.
"Use this."
"Don't you dislike creating weapons from other people's lifespans?"
"But I hate losing even more. If you don't want to waste my good intentions, then use it well."
"Oh my~! How touching. If you were a man, I'd be smitten."
Taking the katana, Himeno ran toward the nearby tall buildings.
Meanwhile, Angel Devil Angel stayed put, slacking off.
However, she looked at Vaccine Man, who had already started flapping his wings, ready to support Himeno at any moment.
"The combination of Monster and Demon tendencies truly makes it easy to create Monsters."
Taking the elevator straight to the top floor, Himeno kicked open the locked iron door to the rooftop, sending it crashing against the wall.
The next second, she saw two figures.
A handsome young man wearing the same school uniform as the girl currently fighting stood with a woman dressed in a servant's outfit—with horns on her head and a lizard tail beneath her skirt—at the edge of the rooftop.
Three pairs of eyes met.
Himeno was stunned.
What was happening?
The door was locked.
Where did they come from?
Could it be that they were companions of that girl?
[Character: Himeno]
[Potential: A]
[Affection: 55]
[Status: Confused]
Fifty-five?
That was not a good start.
And Himeno's potential was only an A.
However, Himeno's abilities were borrowed from the Devil she contracted with, not from herself, so this A rating seemed normal?
Under Akira's gaze, Himeno approached with a smile.
She wore a black uniform, an eye patch, and held a katana.
If Akira hadn't known she was Public Safety, he might have thought she was a member of the Gang.
"Hello, I am Officer Himeno from the Third Squad of Public Safety's Sixth Division."
Saying that, she pulled out her ID. "May I ask who you are?"
"Uh!"
Akira looked at the school emblem on his uniform. "My name is Akira, a first-year high school student."
"Her name is Kitagawa Marin, and she is my classmate."
Himeno looked at Kitagawa Marin, and the more she looked, the more she found it eerie.
Because her horns, pupils, and tail did not look fake.
However, Kitagawa Marin was smiling sweetly, just standing still, which made Himeno breathe a sigh of relief.
"This classmate Kitagawa, you're cosplaying, right? Your costume is really good—it looks so real."
"Mm-hmm, it's cosplay."
Kitagawa Marin looked at Akira, her eyes filled with sweetness. "It's a character Akira specially created for me."
Uh, truly the strange XP of young people.
However, Himeno could clearly feel Kitagawa Marin's overflowing emotions.
She then shifted her gaze to Akira, who held more sway in the conversation.
"Then may I ask, do you know the girl who is fighting the Monsters? What is your relationship with her?"
"Her name is Saeko Busujima, and she is our classmate."
Classmate?
A classmate who can contend with this Monster?
Everyone in this class is a talent.
"Oh, oh, I'm here to help deal with that bad guy. There are some scenes that are not very suitable for you to see, so could I please ask you to leave this rooftop first and go to a safe place?"
"Officer Himeno, you don't need to worry about us. Just do what you need to do."
Himeno was a bit awkward.
She was uneasy about the two of them, but they showed no hostility.
She was truly in a dilemma, stuck in the middle.
Boom!
A violent explosion suddenly occurred on Vaccine Man's body.
The commotion immediately attracted the three people on the rooftop.
Akira looked up, his gaze instantly locking onto one person.
[Character: Hell's Fubuki]
[Potential: S]
[Affection: ???]
[Status: Full of determination]
Fubuki Group.
Fubuki's potential was also just S.
The same as Saeko Busujima.
"The Hero Association is here!"
Himeno, who had moved to the edge of the rooftop, was overjoyed.
Now the job could be easily handled.
Seeing the Fubuki Group launch an attack on Vaccine Man in a semi-encirclement, Himeno was also ready to act.
She planned to use the Ghost Devil's ability to tear off the Muscle Demon while it wasn't paying attention to her.
But in the next second,
Vaccine Man actually abandoned Saeko Busujima and punched toward a member of the Fubuki Group who was firing a rocket launcher at him.
And that direction happened to be the residential area where Akira and the others were.
"Damn it, I can't hit that woman, but I can catch you rats."
"Die for me!"
With a bang, the ground shook.
Vaccine Man punched the ground, causing soil to churn for a kilometer around, completely paralyzing traffic.
The foundations of many buildings shook, tilting precariously.
The building where Akira and the others were located was among them, but fortunately, the tilt was not much, and the impact was not significant.
Himeno was startled, but seeing Vaccine Man exposing the Muscle Demon, she couldn't care too much at the moment.
She directly summoned the Ghost Devil's right hand and, from a distance, reached toward the Muscle Demon on Vaccine Man's back of the neck.
At the same time, Saeko Busujima also found an opportunity.
She infused all her strength into the wooden sword in her hand and thrust it toward Vaccine Man's exposed eyeball.
Crack!
The wooden sword was snapped into just a hilt by a suddenly bulging muscle, and Saeko Busujima lost her sword.
"Hahahaha, you stupid woman, you fell for it, didn't you!"
The Muscle Demon mocked, controlling Vaccine Man to make a sound. Saeko Busujima hadn't realized it was already very close.
No sword—how could she cut?
For a moment, Saeko Busujima was somewhat frozen in place.
The Muscle Demon seized the opportunity, controlling the muscles around Vaccine Man to vibrate, and one hand was already reaching out to grab her.
But in the next second, a dazzling streak of light flashed—Vaccine Man's large hand was severed, and a katana was precisely delivered into Saeko Busujima's hand.
"Cut! Just cut!"
Akira's words echoed in Saeko Busujima's ears.
The next second, Saeko Busujima went completely berserk, drawing the katana and beginning to slash madly.
At the same time, the Ghost Devil's right hand, manipulated by Himeno, grabbed the Muscle Demon and pulled it hard outward.
Damn it!
Public Safety had arrived too.
They were on that rooftop.
The Muscle Demon glanced at Saeko Busujima, then abandoned her, controlling Vaccine Man to swing his still-intact right hand directly toward Akira's direction.
It did not fear the Ghost Devil.
Now its muscle strength was like steel, and it possessed powerful regenerative abilities, so even if the Ghost Devil wanted to tear it apart, it would take a lot of effort.
But the person who threw the sword could easily cut it open.
That was the biggest threat!
But just then, Muscle Demon suddenly lost the shared vision with Vaccine Man.
Its true face was revealed, and it discovered in horror:
The woman who looked like an ant had actually sliced off Vaccine Man's face.
Although it wasn't completely severed—some flesh remained connected—
yet this combat power was countless times higher than before.
What's going on!
Her aura has changed.
So terrifying!
Muscle Demon felt a threat at this moment.
But the force of that punch was so great that even it couldn't retract to save itself.
However, Saeko Busujima was in a state of breakthrough and enlightenment, completely unaware of this scoundrel.
From Proficient to Great Accomplishment—two words apart, yet the realms were vastly different.
In this instant, she felt the world broaden, and the movements of all things became clear.
The profound mysteries she had always been unable to glimpse revealed a tip of the iceberg before her eyes.
It turned out that Akira's Swordsmanship was at an even higher level.
However, it was enough for now.
The clarity returned to her eyes, and even the desire for slaughter in her blood was controlled, calming down.
At this moment—
draw the sword.
Slash!
With the enhancement of Angel's life weapon, Vaccine Man's head was instantly sliced into hundreds of pieces.
Muscle Demon was stunned.
Terrifying!
Too terrifying!
It almost got sliced.
I must find an opportunity to possess her.
Just as Muscle Demon had this thought,
a shockwave shot into the sky, seemingly splitting the heavens.
What?
There are still masters?
Where did this Monster come from?
Muscle Demon quickly retracted its facial features and lay down, playing dead.
As Saeko Busujima broke through and entered the enlightened state of Great Accomplishment in Swordsmanship, the insights from this moment immediately surged into Akira's mind with five times the intensity.
Innumerable profound meanings poured in, and he naturally understood how to unleash long-range slashes, grasping more of the true essence of Swordsmanship.
Perfect Swordsmanship soared from 30% to 68%.
Combat is indeed the fastest way to improve… Saeko Busujima, S-Class potential—well done!
One second ago.
Himeno saw Muscle Demon's actions and immediately prepared to protect herself, giving up on tearing at Muscle Demon.
But Vaccine Man's punch, condensed with all its muscle power, almost instantly arrived before her eyes.
At this moment, time seemed to slow down, everything appearing to freeze.
Only Himeno's thoughts raced rapidly.
This!
Is this the 'life flashing before one's eyes' phenomenon?
I'm going to die now!
It's all Angel's fault for setting up that flag.
Oh right, I still have my sword.
Angel's sword isn't an ordinary blade; perhaps it can save my life.
But when Himeno's consciousness focused on the katana, she found her hands were empty.
Where's my sword?
Where's my sword?
In this instant, the paused time returned to normal.
Boom!
A violent impact, stirring up layers of air currents.
And in Himeno's vision—
as that enormous fist came before her—
Akira, who had been standing quietly beside her, suddenly took a step sideways, using his finger as a sword to block in front of her.
Then, with a casual flick of his finger forward,
that enormous fist was sliced open down the middle.
From near to far, it was as smooth as a mirror.
At the end of the spreading flesh and blood, the middle of a large building showed the same condition as the arm.
Behind the building, and behind that, the bizarre cut presented a ray-like shape, continuing until it penetrated into a blind spot beyond Himeno's sight before finally stopping.
What!
This high school student named Akira actually…
Himeno's legs gave out, and she sat on the ground, almost losing the ability to think.
Terrifying!
Too terrifying!
Everyone who witnessed that slash stood frozen in place, mouths agape, lost in thought.
What kind of person could unleash such an attack?
Atomic Samurai was very powerful, but he absolutely could not achieve this level.
Not far away, an A-Class Hero rushing to the scene broke out in a cold sweat.
What's going on over there!
Was this caused by that Monster?
Or an S-Class Hero?
It's too scary.
Should I still go over?
Headquarters radio, say something!
And because she learned that her sister was involved in the capture of a Dragon-level Monster,
Tatsumaki, who had flown from thousands of miles away, expending a large amount of Psychokinesis, also paused in the air for a second.
Then her speed surged again.
She arrived at the scene in the blink of an eye.
After glancing at the unharmed Fubuki,
her gaze fell upon the starting point of that gash.
A young man in a uniform stood on the rooftop, with a strange creature standing beside him.
A Public Safety officer sat collapsed behind him.
Is he from Public Safety?
Then he's not an enemy.
At this moment, Tatsumaki also noticed Saeko Busujima—Vaccine Man's head was clearly her masterpiece.
Huh! Is there something dirty?
The Muscle Demon, attempting to play dead, was discovered by Tatsumaki.
With a single thought from her,
the Muscle Demon was torn to shreds by her psychokinetic vortex and sent to hell to play the game of rebirth.
At that very moment, Vaccine Man's body collapsed with a thunderous crash.
But the next second, the corpse was twisted into a pretzel by Tatsumaki—
meeting the same fate as the Muscle Demon, except he had no means of being reborn in hell.
Saeko Busujima, wrapped in Tatsumaki's Psychokinesis, landed on the ground.
Akira also emerged from his profound state.
He looked up.
[Character: Tatsumaki, the Trembling Tornado]
[Potential: SSS]
[Affection: 55]
[Status: At Ease]