"What just happened? Why did Noah suddenly leave?"
Outside the Hero Association, the packed crowd buzzed with confusion as Noah vanished without warning.
But a few people reacted differently.
Genos's mechanical eyes flickered upward.
Saitama tilted his head, following the same direction.
Blast narrowed his gaze, scanning the sky.
Nearby, Child Emperor had already pulled out a compact device, adjusting its lens and zooming in on the upper atmosphere.
A moment later, the image came into focus.
A massive alien warship hung in orbit.
Or rather—
What was left of it.
The ship looked like a broken toy, snapped clean in half.
Child Emperor's expression turned serious. "An extraterrestrial invasion. So the prophecy was real…"
Behind him, Metal Bat let out a low whistle. "Didn't expect it to hit this fast."
Child Emperor frowned. "The question is… can Noah handle this alone?"
Inside the shattered remains of the alien ship—
Boros roared.
His fists blurred as they tore through the air at impossible speeds, each strike carrying devastating force.
A storm of punches descended on Noah.
Every blow could have flattened entire city blocks. The sheer energy packed into each hit was overwhelming—like countless explosions compressed into a single point.
If this fight were happening on Earth, the damage would already be catastrophic.
But Noah didn't move.
Not even a step.
His long black hair whipped outward, moving with a life of its own.
In an instant, it expanded—tens of thousands of strands acting like independent limbs, intercepting every incoming strike.
Each collision detonated with explosive force.
Light flared.
Heat surged.
The entire chamber glowed as if miniature suns had ignited within it.
Boros's attacks were relentless.
Noah's defense didn't even look strained.
Boros laughed.
"Good! This is exactly what I've been searching for!"
His voice echoed with exhilaration.
"For years—centuries—I've wandered the cosmos looking for someone who could match me!"
Energy erupted from his body.
His armor shattered, revealing a transformed form beneath—leaner, more refined, pulsing with raw power.
Crimson markings spread across his skin, energy crackling like lightning.
"This is my full strength!" Boros shouted. "Let's see how you handle it!"
He launched forward.
The force of his movement crushed what remained of the ship beneath his feet, metal folding like paper.
His speed skyrocketed.
Thousands of times the speed of sound.
His fist shot toward Noah's face—
"This strike will tear through anything!"
But—
Noah moved first.
Too fast to track.
Boros's instincts screamed.
I can't dodge this—
Noah's hand rose.
One finger extended.
Then—
A flick.
That was all it took.
Boros's body exploded.
Not metaphorically.
Not figuratively.
It shattered into a cloud of blood and fragments, scattering in every direction with enough force to tear through the ship's remains.
For a moment, nothing remained of him.
Then—
The pieces began to pull back together.
Reforming.
Rebuilding.
Boros stood again, his body knitting itself back into shape.
But something had changed.
His expression.
The confidence was still there—
But now it was tempered with something else.
Shock.
"I… can't win," he admitted quietly.
He had wanted a worthy opponent.
He had found one.
But the gap between them?
It was overwhelming.
For the first time in centuries, Boros felt small.
Like everything he had done before this moment had been… trivial.
And yet—
He smiled.
Because now he understood.
The loneliness.
The emptiness of being unmatched.
He had endured it for centuries.
And now, standing before him—
Was someone who bore that weight even more heavily.
"So this is what it's like for you," Boros said, his voice steady.
Then his expression hardened.
"Then let me give you what you've been missing."
Energy gathered around him.
Massive. Blinding.
Enough to wipe out all life on a planet's surface.
"This is everything I have!"
The power condensed, spiraling into a single point.
"My ultimate attack—!"
Noah finally focused.
This one was different.
The energy alone told him that.
That could actually match a full-force punch…
"Was planning to save this for Saitama," Noah said calmly, drawing back his fist. "Guess you'll do."
But just as Boros reached the peak of his charge—
The energy collapsed.
Not outward.
Inward.
Then—
It dispersed.
Gone.
No attack.
No release.
No final strike.
Noah blinked.
"…What?"
Boros's body shrank slightly, the strain of wasted energy visible.
But his eyes were burning brighter than ever.
"You said something earlier," he said, stepping forward. "You have another opponent waiting for you?"
Noah lowered his fist slightly. "Yeah."
"Someone who can push you just as far as I can?"
Noah shook his head.
"Stronger."
For a moment—
Boros froze.
Then—
His single eye widened.
"Stronger…?"
The word echoed like a revelation.
His breathing quickened.
His entire body trembled—not from fear, but anticipation.
"There's… someone stronger than me?"
Noah didn't answer right away.
He simply raised his hand again, preparing to finish the fight.
But before he could—
Boros dropped to one knee.
Head lowered.
"Please," he said.
No arrogance.
No pride.
Just raw sincerity.
"Let me witness that battle."
Even if it costs me my life.
Noah stared at him.
For once—
He didn't immediately move.