May There Be No Bald Heads in Heaven

When Hammerhead fell, one ear landed against the ground, letting him hear every sound that came from below.

A faint rustling rose from underground.

It sounded like a python slithering through the underbrush, brushing against grass and branches as it went.

Hammerhead had a vague feeling that something strange was down there.

The sound drew closer, sending vibrations into his eardrum.

Only then was Hammerhead certain: some kind of living creature was moving at high speed beneath the surface.

At its closest, it flashed past almost directly beneath his body.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, Hammerhead saw a pair of beastlike claws burst through the soil.

That strange Baldy’s body suddenly sank, leaving only his shiny head aboveground.

Then a bizarre humanoid creature climbed out of the earth.

Its basic build resembled a human's, but its features were another matter.

His face was remarkably human, though long and narrow, with thick black whiskers growing from either side of his mouth.

If he were human, he would have looked like a boy of sixteen or seventeen.

The Young Man’s limbs were short and sturdy. A pair of beastlike claws grew from his forearms, their tips razor-sharp.

With limbs and claws like those, he must have been able to dig fast.

No wonder he could move so freely underground.

The Young Man dusted himself off, then looked at Luke, whom he had trapped in the earth.

He found it strange. There wasn't a trace of panic on Baldy’s face.

Kelp Man was puzzled too.

He knew a trick like this couldn't restrain Luke. The bald man could burst out of the ground at any moment.

But Luke made no move to escape.

Luke was absorbed in an experience unlike anything he had felt before.

So this was what it was like underground. It was wonderfully cool, and the pressure all around felt like a firm embrace.

No wonder people liked burying themselves in the sand at the beach.

No wonder people liked hugging each other.

Even being embraced by the earth felt this comforting to Luke.

Then what would it feel like to be hugged by someone I liked?

For some reason, Luke suddenly thought of the Girl who had stood ahead of him in line at the hero selection that day.

The Girl named Mitarai Fubuki.

Luke suddenly wanted her to hug him.

He wanted her to hold him close, to bury his head against her chest and feel her warm little hand gently stroking his head.

Luke abruptly realized that, deep down, he was terribly lonely.

He snapped out of his impossible fantasy.

Because someone really was touching his head.

It wasn't Mitarai Fubuki, though. It was a strange-looking Young Man.

Earth Dragon was crouched beside him, watching him curiously as one oddly shaped hand stroked his head back and forth.

Reality and fantasy often stood miles apart.

This time, the gap was more than Luke could bear.

"Get your claws off me," Luke said coldly.

Earth Dragon jumped.

The bald man couldn't move. He was at Earth Dragon's mercy, meat on a chopping block. So how could he still speak with such brazen defiance?

A moment ago, Earth Dragon had thought Baldy’s head felt wonderfully smooth.

Now he just wanted to take out his anger on it.

He raked Luke's Baldy twice with his claws.

Keep talking like that. I'll tear you to shreds.

But the bloody scene Earth Dragon imagined never came. His claws struck Luke's head with a shrill ring, sending sparks flying everywhere.

A numbing ache shot through Earth Dragon's arms. When he raised his hands, he found signs of wear on his razor-sharp claws.

He took another close look at Baldy sticking out of the ground.

Baldy still gleamed without so much as a scratch.

The ground exploded, and Luke broke free.

As Earth Dragon watched the bald man stand before him, a terrible feeling crept over him.

The tables had turned. Moments ago, he'd seen the bald man as meat on a chopping block. Now he began to realize that he might be the one at Luke's mercy.

But the first thing Luke did after returning to the surface wasn't settle the score with the Young Man.

He turned toward Kelp Man, who was preparing to slip away.

"Don't move."

"If you try to run, I'll take care of you first."

Kelp Man froze, caught in an awkward dilemma.

He couldn't run, but he couldn't stay either.

If he ran, he might be killed on the spot. If he stayed, he might end up as Baldy’s personal kelp supplier.

After careful consideration, Kelp Man gave up resisting.

Better to live miserably than die.

Only after hearing Luke did Earth Dragon notice that Kelp Man had tried to flee.

In other words, his partner had realized how powerful the bald man was before he had.

Earth Dragon trusted that Kelp Man had weighed the difference in their strength before deciding to run.

If there had been even the slightest hope of winning, Kelp Man surely wouldn't have abandoned him and tried to sneak away alone.

Earth Dragon didn't consider Kelp Man's abandonment a betrayal.

After all, he intended to do the same thing.

Anyone who wanted to be a member of Fear Nova needed to know when to cut their losses.

His Psychic Powers were good for more than sneak attacks. They made him an excellent escape artist too.

Earth Dragon fled swiftly underground.

He had absolute confidence in his Psychic Powers. He might not have an advantage on the surface, but beneath it, no one could outrun him.

He was clawing his way forward at a frantic pace when he suddenly sensed something moving behind him.

Had the bald man already caught up?

For the first time, Earth Dragon doubted his speed. He looked back but saw no sign of the bald man.

Relieved, Earth Dragon turned forward again.

Luke was right in front of him, staring at him without expression.

Earth Dragon was scared out of his wits.

Luke grabbed him and hauled him out of the ground.

Luke was still deciding how to punish the Young Man who had dared put his claws on Baldy when he noticed the Young Man hanging limp in his grip.

To his surprise, Young Man was already dead.

Luke shook his head. He might not even have killed Young Man, but the poor guy had frightened himself to death.

The sight stirred a trace of pity in Kelp Man.

Earth Dragon had been a fellow member of Fear Nova, one of the lucky few to emerge from a field of over a hundred competitors. Yet he'd died in such an absurd way.

Kelp Man offered a heartfelt prayer for his partner.

May your soul rest in peace.

And may there be no Baldy in heaven.