Illusion techniques (rewrite)

Bai Ye had only been acting on a sudden whim. He had never expected that he could actually use an illusion technique to control [Vaccine Man].

[Ding! In the world of "One-Punch Man," the host can use illusion techniques to control opponents he has defeated. Controlled targets retain their own consciousness but must obey the host absolutely. The host can currently control a maximum of three targets with illusion techniques, but this limit can be increased later.]

Just as Bai Ye was wondering about it, the system promptly offered an explanation.

So that was how it worked...

Bai Ye nodded slightly.

Vaccine Man was a Dragon-level monster, after all, and a relatively powerful one even among monsters of that level.

Controlling Vaccine Man had no downside for him. Not only would he gain a capable fighter, but he would also earn points as a reward.

In fact, if Vaccine Man had not been so careless and fallen prey to the unfamiliar Flying Thunder God Technique and Dual Kamui, Bai Ye would not have beaten him so easily.

One thing was clear: according to the official lore, Vaccine Man was the strongest monster before Boros appeared. His energy spheres were more powerful than Homeless Emperor's, his physical strength vastly surpassed Homeless Emperor's, and he also had multiple mutated forms.

No matter how you looked at it, he was a straight upgrade over Homeless Emperor. Perhaps only after Saitama had instantly killed Vaccine Man had "God" been forced to choose Homeless Emperor as his replacement...

A moment later, Vaccine Man came to his senses.

But he did not seem to realize that an illusion technique was controlling him yet. He instinctively tried to fire an energy sphere at Bai Ye, only to find that he could not release it no matter how hard he tried.

"???"

Vaccine Man could not make sense of what was happening.

Bai Ye understood, though. Since Vaccine Man had to obey him absolutely, he naturally could not do anything that would harm him.

He felt that the system had probably modified his illusion techniques, too. For example, controlled targets retained their own consciousness, which was rather nice.

Otherwise, he would not have found a mindless puppet very interesting.

"Stop struggling. You can't hurt me now. I'll come see you later."

With that, Bai Ye left the Kamui Dimension.

Only a bewildered Vaccine Man remained inside the Kamui Dimension.

"You're back. Where did you just go?"

Seeing Bai Ye suddenly appear out of thin air, Saitama immediately asked.

"I was taking care of something minor. Anyway, what's going on here?"

Bai Ye glanced around and discovered that a crowd of heroes and reporters had surrounded them.

"These guys showed up right after you left. They keep insisting I defeated the monster, even though you were clearly the one who did it."

Saitama sounded somewhat helpless.

"Mr. Saitama, you're far too modest. You're the only S-Class Hero here. Who else could have defeated the monster?"

"Exactly. You were the only person here just now, and the monster's body was lying right at your feet."

"We heard this was a Dragon-level disaster. Mr. Saitama, please let us interview you about your thoughts."

"..."

The reporters paid no attention to Saitama's explanation.

It was an unfortunate coincidence. Just as Bai Ye had entered the Kamui Dimension to control Vaccine Man, these reporters and heroes had arrived and seen the monster's body at Saitama's feet.

It was hardly surprising that they all mistakenly assumed Saitama had defeated the monster.

"I'm telling you, he's the one who actually defeated the monster!"

Saitama corrected them again, pointing at Bai Ye.

"Isn't he that B-Class Hero, [Kamui]? There's no way. The monster that appeared this time was Dragon-level."

"Just what you'd expect from a rising star who was placed straight into S-Class. He even defeated a Dragon-level monster with ease."

"He might be ranked last right now, but his actual fighting ability must put him in the top ten."

"..."

None of the heroes present believed Saitama, either.

After all, they had not personally witnessed Bai Ye defeating Vaccine Man. They simply refused to believe that a mere B-Class Hero could defeat the monster within a single minute of a Dragon-level disaster breaking out.

"..."

Bai Ye shook his head helplessly, then tossed Vaccine Man's head straight out of the Kamui Dimension.

An enormous head suddenly dropped out of thin air before them, frightening the surrounding reporters and heroes out of their wits.

"H-he's still alive?!"

"Did Saitama really not defeat him? What's going on here?!"

"He's moving! He's moving! Aaaaaah-!!"

"..."

Everyone was badly frightened, and some people's legs went weak as they nearly wet themselves. Vaccine Man's head still looked the way it had in his berserk form, making him especially terrifying. Besides, anyone who had witnessed his horrifying destructive power would have found it hard not to be afraid.

Vaccine Man instinctively tried to attack them. Even with only his head left, he could still move.

"Come back!"

But Bai Ye's cold shout immediately stopped him, since Vaccine Man could not disobey his orders.

The reporters and heroes stared at the scene, dumbfounded. A Dragon-level monster did not dare defy that B-Class Hero?!

Bai Ye said nothing more. He sucked Vaccine Man back into the Kamui Dimension, then said to Saitama, "Come on. Let's go home."

The reporters and heroes were left standing there with blank looks on their faces.

Saitama nodded. He could not be bothered to stay, either, and had even less interest in giving media interviews.

Before long, Bai Ye and Saitama returned home.

Sitting on the sofa, Saitama briefly sank into thought. "Somehow, this feels different from the kind of hero I wanted to become..."

The way those reporters and heroes had reacted earlier had struck him as wrong.

Why had they decided that Bai Ye could not possibly have defeated the monster just because of the difference in their ranks?

Why did heroes have to be divided into higher and lower ranks...?

Still, things had already come this far. He could hardly quit the Hero Association now.

"..."

Bai Ye smiled without saying anything.

The reason Saitama felt something was wrong was probably that the Hero Association's various systems were too rigidly hierarchical and focused on personal gain.

That would certainly feel strange to Saitama, who was only a hero for fun.

But there was no helping it. That was how human society worked. The Hero Association's system existed for a reason, and it had benefits as well as drawbacks.

The Hero Association's problem had never been its system, but those so-called big shots within it...

Soon afterward, Saitama put those matters out of his mind and went back to playing games in front of the television.

Bai Ye returned to the Kamui Dimension, where he saw that Vaccine Man, who had been reduced to a single head, was slowly regenerating his body.

"I was just wondering whether I should bring your body in here and give it back to you. Looks like there's no need now..."

Bai Ye spoke as soon as he arrived.

His sudden appearance nearly gave Vaccine Man a fright.

By now, Vaccine Man had at least regenerated one hand, which he used to turn his head around.

"What did you do to me? Why can't I attack you?!"

Veins bulged on Vaccine Man's face as he demanded an answer in an irritable tone.

"I know you're anxious, but calm down first."

Bai Ye said with a faint smile, "You could say you're my slave now. Does it make sense for a slave to be able to hurt his master?"