Chapter 65: Tatsumaki: Are You the Main Villain? |
Yeruashi smoothly lowered his leg and dispersed the concentrated arcs of lightning, watching as Garou went sailing into the distance.
He certainly wanted to witness Garou's evolution, but that didn't give the boy the right to do whatever he pleased.
In the end, Yeruashi didn't hesitate to give Garou a one-way ticket to the intensive care unit and a prison cell with a single kick.
It was all quite simple.
Either Garou would evolve again and escape from prison, or he simply wasn't worth Yeruashi's attention, in which case Puri-Puri Prisoner would see to his rehabilitation.
"Thunder God!! Whoooo!"
After Yeruashi's figure flickered almost imperceptibly and Garou was sent reeling back, the surrounding crowd fell silent for a moment before erupting into ecstatic, high-pitched praise.
He offered a soft smile to the throng of girls gathering to take photos or ask for an autograph, then abruptly vanished, leaving only a few crackling arcs of lightning behind.
Yeruashi didn't mind the occasional autograph session, but judging by the behavior of these girls, they weren't looking for his signature on a piece of paper...
In any world, there was never a shortage of women eager to get their hands on him at any cost.
Just a few seconds later.
Fwooosh!
Enveloped in countless intertwining arcs of electricity, Yeruashi materialized in front of the Hero Association headquarters.
Thanks to Metal Knight and Child Emperor, whose design and engineering skills were second to none, it had taken only ten days to construct the new headquarters, which was at least five times the size of the previous one.
To build such a massive facility, nearby buildings had to be demolished, which required purchasing them beforehand.
All of this demanded significant investment, the largest share of which had been provided by Yeruashi.
He had supplied the Hero Association with a vast quantity of various precious metals, extracted using his Magnet Release, totaling twenty billion in value. Now, Yeruashi was more than just the most popular hero and the face of the organization; he was also its second-largest investor, trailing only its founder, Agoni.
"Mr. Thunder God."
The association staff on duty at the entrance immediately bowed with deep respect as Yeruashi appeared.
He was no longer just their top hero; he was effectively one of their bosses.
He calmly entered the elevator and rode it to the top floor of the headquarters, straight to his private residence.
Because Yeruashi had invested so heavily in the construction, his living quarters were completely separate from and far superior to those of the other heroes.
The high-tech door leading to his apartment featured no keyholes or fingerprint scanners. Instead, as he approached, the door automatically emitted a scanning beam and slid open upon identifying its master.
Just beyond the threshold lay a spacious, sun-drenched living room.
"Back already?"
As Yeruashi entered, a voice rang out from the living room.
Tatsumaki, lying on a plush sofa with her bright green hair splayed across the cushions, poked her head up and glanced toward the opening door.
"Hmph, if you keep this up, you're going to make every other S-Class hero redundant..."
Tatsumaki grumbled irritably.
Yeruashi strolled across the wide living room and sat on the soft sofa opposite her. He opened the laptop resting on the coffee table and chuckled. "Is that so? Well, you have nothing to worry about. With psychic powers like yours, you'd make a very sought-after maid."
"That! Will! Never! Happen!!"
Tatsumaki cried out in annoyance, glaring at him with eyes as green as emeralds.
Yeruashi turned his gaze back to the screen and waved a hand toward her. "Pour me a glass of water, would you?"
Tatsumaki puffed out her cheeks. "...Don't you have hands?"
Despite her protest, she had already telekinetically lifted a glass and filled it with boiling water from the dispenser.
Yeruashi caught the glass as it drifted toward him and breathed a puff of icy air onto it, instantly chilling the liquid.
He took a sip of the cool water and set the glass on the table, continuing to scroll through his laptop.
Tatsumaki rolled onto her side and propped her chin on her hand, watching Yeruashi from the opposite sofa. She still refused to acknowledge her feelings, but she couldn't deny that if she were to ever find a boyfriend, he would be the ideal candidate. Handsome, powerful, wealthy, and kind—plus he carried the weight of protecting the world on his shoulders. He was like a fictional character stepped straight out of an anime.
"I bet you're actually the main villain, aren't you?"
Tatsumaki said thoughtfully. "The most handsome, perfect, and powerful hero is actually the final boss who will reveal his true face at the very end."
Yeruashi turned to her, his fingers still tapping away at the keyboard. "Tsk... it seems you've figured it all out. In that case... I'll have to eliminate you..."
Tatsumaki smirked, swinging her small legs over the edge of the sofa. "I knew it."
Yeruashi took another sip of water and said calmly, his eyes remaining on the screen, "Why are you still here then?"
"Hmph! How could I run away?! It's my duty as a hero... to destroy you right here and now!!"
Tatsumaki grinned and struck a melodramatic pose.
It was nothing more than playful banter; the idea didn't make any sense, especially since the association's equipment for detecting monster cells had repeatedly confirmed that Yeruashi was entirely human.
As Yeruashi was browsing the latest news, he suddenly felt something lean against his back.
"What is it?"
Yeruashi turned his head to find Tatsumaki hanging onto his neck.
Flushing slightly, she let out a cold snort. "Hmph, finally decided to pay attention to me? You're always buried in that laptop..."
"It's all over! I've caught you, villain!!"
Silence filled the room.
Tatsumaki proudly tilted her chin up and closed her eyes.
"..."
When no answer came, she peeked one eye open to look at him, but at that exact moment, something swept her up and lifted her off the ground.
"Wait..."
"Wha—what are you doing?!"
Caught up in Yeruashi's arms, Tatsumaki's face turned beet red. She began to drum her small fists against his chest, her heart hammering so wildly she felt as if it might leap right out.
Yeruashi looked down at her face with a smirk and suddenly leaned forward.
"!"
Tatsumaki broke from his grip and shot backward, hovering in the air as she stared at him in shock.
"Ah... ah..."
Stuttering and flushed with embarrassment, she zipped out the window, vanishing high into the sky.
Yeruashi chuckled and whispered as he watched her fly away, "Heh, there's nothing wrong with acting a bit villainous since you've already decided I'm the final boss."
He suddenly felt like leaning into the persona.
He even began to wonder if he should try playing the role of a villain in the next world, provided the situation was right. After all, since leaving the Naruto world, he had mostly maintained a neutral stance.