The Devil Within

As though she had touched a red-hot iron, Tanktop Girl hastily let go and scooted backward in embarrassed anger, trying to put some distance between herself and Baicang.

"Ah!"

Tanktop Girl was too worked up and moved too abruptly. She had not even settled into her seat yet, and her whole body tipped backward.

Noticing what was happening behind him, Baicang had to suppress his discomfort and reach back to support Tanktop Girl again, pulling her upright.

After Baicang saved her a second time, Tanktop Girl learned her lesson. She obediently wrapped her arms around his waist and stopped fidgeting.

Hmm... the right place this time.

Vroom! Vroom! The motorcycle kept accelerating.

"Senior! Is this fast enough?" Mizuki, who was speeding down the road, had no idea what had happened behind her.

"More than enough..."

Baicang and Tanktop Girl both tacitly kept quiet. Neither mentioned exactly what she had grabbed just now.

With one thing happening after another, Baicang felt a little glum.

Why did meeting both of them have to go so wrong? They really are two peas in a pod. Good thing my training made me tough enough that she didn't hurt me.

Noticing that Tanktop Girl's hands trembled slightly around his waist, Baicang knew she must be feeling unsettled. But it was fine. He had already forgiven her wandering hands.

After that little incident, however, Baicang felt as though he were sitting on pins and needles.

At first, he had not really felt anything.

Only after Tanktop Girl's little provocation did Baicang realize that he was sandwiched between two beautiful girls.

Mizuki was still wearing that familiar, enticing, form-fitting athletic outfit, and Baicang's arms happened to be wrapped around her slender waist.

His hands pressed firmly against the smooth, taut skin at Mizuki's waist, while something soft brushed the tops of his arms.

Tanktop Girl behind him was no better. She pressed so close that he could even feel the rough outline of her figure.

All Baicang could say was that they really were two peas in a pod.

Normally, Baicang would not have minded these girls getting handsy with him. It was only natural when he was this handsome, after all. His younger sister had always taken advantage of him like that.

What, that doesn't happen to you? Then maybe you should take a good look at yourself.

Unfortunately, Baicang could not handle it right now. Not that he couldn't perform-just not right now.

They were going too fast, especially with Mizuki driving at this speed. Baicang did not want to poke her, frighten her, and get thrown off the motorcycle as a pervert.

Whenever the motorcycle hit an uneven stretch of road, Baicang suffered even more. Assaulted from both sides, he trembled with apprehension...

My body is mine to control! Get out of here, you bastard!

Veins bulged on Baicang's forehead as he roared inwardly. With tremendous willpower, he was testing the limits of humanity's two primal urges, battling the devil within.

After crossing the Hero Association's cordon, Baicang and the others finally reached the devastated D City.

But with so many buildings destroyed or collapsed, the Association could not effectively enter the disaster zone to conduct rescue operations. It could only rely on the arriving heroes to clear the roads or head straight in to rescue people.

"Senior, the road ahead has been destroyed. We'll have to walk from here," Mizuki said to Baicang behind her as she stopped the motorcycle.

Free at last!

Whoosh! Baicang instantly leaped off the motorcycle, tracing a graceful arc through the air before landing atop the highest point of a collapsed building nearby, his back to Mizuki and Tanktop Girl.

"Wow!" Mizuki exclaimed admiringly at Baicang's smooth, stylish movements.

"So fast!" Tanktop Girl exclaimed in surprise as well.

She had not seen Baicang move at all. All she felt was her arms loosening, and then he was gone.

That speed definitely isn't C-Class. He must be near the top of B-Class... no! He's definitely got A-Class strength.

Tanktop Girl had been wondering why the B-Class Mizuki called the C-Class Baicang her senior. Now she finally understood.

"Senior, which way should we go now?" Mizuki shouted up at Baicang on the rubble.

"I'm going to find the monster responsible for this disaster. You two aren't strong enough, Mizuki, so go help the injured and trapped civilians first."

With that, Baicang was about to leave, but Tanktop Girl suddenly stopped him.

"Even if you've got A-Class strength, you still can't handle this! Destruction on this scale has to be at least Demon-level, if not higher. Only S-Class heroes can deal with it!"

Tanktop Girl thought Baicang was a "good guy." Even after learning that his true strength was at A-Class, she still did not believe he could resolve this disaster.

Baicang still did not turn to look at them. He simply said calmly, "That's what heroes are here for, isn't it?"

Before Tanktop Girl could speak again, Baicang jumped off the rubble and vanished in an instant.

"So this is what a mature hero is like!" Moved to tears by Baicang's words, Mizuki resolved to follow his example.

"Senior! I'm a hero too! Wait for me!" Wiping her tears, Mizuki started after Baicang.

"Mizuki, don't go making trouble," Tanktop Girl said, catching hold of Mizuki, whose face was a mess of tears.

"Huh? Why?"

Looking at her adorably clueless friend, Tanktop Girl said helplessly, "Even if Senior Baicang can't defeat the monster, he can still help out on the sidelines. B-Class heroes like us would only get in the way."

"But! But..."

Mizuki stood there agonizing over it, remembering how Baicang had told her to rescue the disaster victims first.

"All right..."

In the end, Mizuki accepted that she was not strong enough and decided to train harder from now on, so she could help Baicang next time.

Seeing that Mizuki was no longer clamoring to help, Tanktop Girl breathed a sigh of relief.

She knew that although Mizuki looked mature, her personality was still that of a little girl. She was impulsive and emotional, often causing trouble. This time, she had finally listened.

"Still, this senior of yours really is a hero worthy of respect," Tanktop Girl said, looking in the direction Baicang had gone.

She had initially been very displeased with Baicang's shameless attitude, but after everything that followed, and what he had just said...

Tanktop Girl felt that Baicang only acted like a scoundrel on the surface. Deep down, he was warmhearted and full of a sense of justice... well, a little lecherous too.

Belatedly, the girl's face flushed red.

Meanwhile.

Spotting an empty convenience store nearby, Baicang hurried over, grabbed some ice-cold water from a freezer, and poured it over his head, dousing the agitation within him.

"Ah... it's finally over."

Baicang leaned against a shelf and let out a long breath. He had been shuttling back and forth between heaven and hell just now, and he had nearly lost control. That devil was simply too strong-and too "big"!

He patted his cheeks, forcing himself to clear his head. He had not forgotten why he had come: to find the residue of the serum.

Only after leaving the convenience store did Baicang notice the horrifying scene around him.

Ruined walls were everywhere, along with flattened trucks. Collapsed buildings exposed the steel reinforcement inside their concrete pillars, and sparks occasionally flashed in the rubble nearby. It looked like an apocalyptic scene after an earthquake.

"This... this is a Dragon-level disaster?" Baicang was almost at a loss for words. The devastated city before him gave him a far more tangible sense of Dragon-level power.

A humanoid natural disaster, with utterly overwhelming strength!

But... when he remembered that Saitama had killed such a terrifying giant with a single ordinary punch, the oppressive feeling in Baicang's heart vanished at once.

Thinking about how Saitama had fought him over meat in the hot pot earlier that day, Baicang could not help laughing.

"So what if it's Dragon-level?"