Chapter 025 - Battle and Hunts

With no other choice, I continue to pick monsters from the swamp. Zombieman starts to be useful as well. He finds a way to get a good footing on the green monster while it's hovering over the swamp. I also become used to the feeling of violent wind that petrifies the monster mid-air.

However, like all living creatures, when their numbers are threatened, they start to fight back. Previously, they don't care if one or two are being killed, but now, their tentacles elongate towards our helicopter. We become unstable, my stamina continues to be depleted, and Zombieman is getting more and more exhausted as time passes.

The systematic mission becomes a chaotic all-out battle. With my energy being used up, instead of being the main attacker, I've become the support and cleanup crew. In contrast, Zombieman is getting stronger at each of his kills. Although, I stop counting the number of his deaths as a result, not to mention that he's getting tired as well.

Then, one green monster below us somehow understands how to reach us on air. Using its green tentacles, it jumps from the murky water and into the chopper. Its belly is still swaying when it attaches itself to our vehicle.

In both horror and disgust, my psychic energy spikes, and instead of making another monster hover, my energy focuses on the monster holding on to us. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to control my psychic output. With a massive application, the monster implodes, drenching everything inside the chopper with its nasty, warm, green blood.

Worse, when I dropped the other green monster, it splashes on the water, causing the green water to douse us. And since I am the closest to the chopper's entrance, I am completely drenched in it, from head to toe. I can feel it seeping through my clothes. The green blood is already nasty and the smelly water is just adding to my rising irritation!

Without meaning to, something bursts within me. I snap. Not the implosion-type, but an outward force. All the green monsters below us become the targets. My energy expands and soon, I am killing every monster within my radius.

Now that I am contaminated and grimy, I don't care anymore how much of the fetid water will spatter on me. I even stop caring about the nasty smell from both the murky water and the green monsters' blood!

After the entire ordeal, I am left panting, very drained, and grungy. I am in a worse mood than when I arrived.

"Return!" I snap at the pilot.

"But—"

Zombieman starts, but I cut him off, "I said we are going to return to City Z!"

Seeing my mood, the pilot obeys, but Zombieman and other Heroes Association employees stay to clean up the aftermath of the battle.

When we passed through a river, I order the pilot to hover over it so I can lessen the filth on me. I jump on it and wash away most of the green water and blood. The pilots wait patiently, or rather, they have no choice. I am in no mood to argue.

Wet and drenched, I return to the chopper. I am freezing and my clothes are sticking to my body. My energy has become so depleted that hovering is the only thing I can do now. My muscles are sore as well, so I might spend the rest of the day in bed. That is, after a much needed bath.

Arriving at City Z, I warn the pilot. "Ensure that Zombieman will place part of the credit under my name. For all the trouble and this putrid…" I groan. "… whatever this is! Also, don't call me! I need to rest the entire day!"

I stomp from the chopper and walk to the apartment unit. Even after that quick dip in the river, I still smell terrible! I enter the apartment and go directly into the bath. Thankfully, no one is at the apartment. I remove my clothes and brush my skin while in the shower. And once I am clean, and the smell is gone from my body, I submerge myself into the bath. I moan in contentment. Thankfully, this tiny apartment has a bath.

I might have fallen asleep because the next I become aware of is that the bath has turned cold. Groggy from sleep, I dry myself up and take a bathrobe to cover myself. To remove excess water from my hair, I twist a towel around my head. I can dry it properly later. Besides, I know I've brought a hairdryer here.

Going outside the bathroom, the lights are already turned off. It's late in the afternoon and light is streaming through the curtains. The futons are out and it looks so warm. Saitama is lying on it, sprawled and sound asleep.

I take the towel from my head and drop it on the floor. I walk towards him, crawl inside the covers and lay my head on his arms. As expected, it's warm and cozy. I close my eyes and smile as I finally drift off to sleep.