"Are you Ishihara Shin?" Saitama looked down at the distinguished old man.
He recognized him—the old man from the tavern that night who had urged him to go home early. He had guessed the man was no ordinary person, but never expected him to be the commander of the Hidden Stone camp.
"Indeed. It seems this old man truly is blind with age. I failed to see through you."
Ishihara Shin recognized the young man he had met before as well.
"It's not too late to surrender." Seeing Saitama glance around, the old man warned in a deep voice.
"Is that so?"
Saitama slowly raised his blade. Lightning flared around him, his battle intent blazing.
"Answer me—was the Hidden Stone squad that was attacked in the wilderness a few days ago killed by you? Or by your companions?"
Ishihara Shin clenched his fists but did not attack immediately. There was still something he needed to confirm.
"I've killed quite a few. I don't know which one you mean."
Saitama spread his left hand and admitted it openly.
"Then... pay with your life!"
Before his words had even faded, a fist wrapped in stone was already hurtling toward Saitama's face. Ishihara Shin shot forward like an arrow loosed from its bow, crossing several meters in an instant.
His speed far exceeded what his appearance suggested. Even Saitama could not evade in time.
Clang! Blade and stone fist collided, and Saitama was sent flying backward. Though he had been prepared, the blow still caught him off guard.
Not only was he fast, he was terrifyingly powerful!
The fist crushed through the lightning dancing along the blade and blasted Saitama, sword and all, more than ten meters away.
"For public and private reasons alike, you won't be leaving today!"
Standing atop the stone