"Knock, knock."
"Someone is at the door. Beast King, go open it."
Inside the apartment, Mosquito Girl was in the kitchen preparing dinner ingredients. Beside her, Beast King squatted on the floor with a large bowl, slowly peeling potatoes.
When Lucien first brought Beast King back to the apartment, Mosquito Girl had reacted strongly.
It was the kind of excitement people showed when they unexpectedly met someone familiar in a terrifying place.
Beast King had the same reaction. At first he was nervous and cautious, but the moment he saw Mosquito Girl calmly cooking in the kitchen while wearing an apron, he almost cried with relief.
No one could understand how comforting it was to meet a familiar face inside what was basically a demon's den. It gave both of them a strange sense of safety.
As for Saitama, he only glanced at Beast King once.
When Lucien explained that Beast King was here to help with chores like carrying rice bags and lifting vegetables, Saitama did not object.
For example, the wall that the Mantis Monster destroyed earlier had already been repaired perfectly by Beast King. The bricks were neatly placed and the plaster looked brand new.
After seeing that, Saitama had no complaints.
"It is Boss."
Beast King quickly placed the potato down, wiped his furry claws on his apron, and hurried toward the door.
The title "Boss" was what Lucien preferred to be called. He had already changed the previous title of "Master".
In the living room, loud arguing could be heard.
"Saitama, you idiot, do you even know how to play? You already died twice on the first level. If you die again, I am not reviving you."
Lucien's voice was filled with irritation.
The sounds of gunfire and explosions from the game echoed from the television.
"Damn it, that thing is too annoying."
Saitama's frustrated voice followed.
The two of them were playing a two player shooting game that looked very similar to Contra.
While Lucien and Saitama were arguing loudly, Mosquito Girl hummed softly in the kitchen. Her red lips curved slightly as she prepared the stew.
She looked exactly like a gentle housewife cooking dinner for her family.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere at the door had become tense.
Beast King opened it.
Outside stood Fubuki and several members of the Blizzard Group.
For a moment, everyone froze.
"What the hell?"
"Why is there a Monster here?"
Fubuki's group immediately reacted.
Anyone who opened a door and suddenly saw a massive lion headed creature standing there with sharp fangs, huge muscles, and a body larger than the doorway would naturally panic.
Eyelashes and Mountain Ape instantly raised their pistols and took combat stances.
Beast King frowned slightly.
"Who are you looking for?"
If it were not for Lucien's orders, he would have slapped them into pieces already just for pointing weapons at him.
Eyelashes and Mountain Ape felt cold sweat running down their backs.
Even though Beast King was not releasing any killing intent, they could clearly feel the immense pressure coming from him.
This was definitely a Demon level Monster.
Yet something felt strange.
They looked at him carefully again.
The once terrifying Beast King now wore a cooking apron and held a half peeled potato in one hand.
The mighty Monster looked oddly harmless.
Was he cooking?
"Hmph."
Fubuki stepped forward.
"Since there is a Monster here, we cannot ignore it."
Psychic energy began to ripple around her body. Invisible waves stirred the air around her.
Her esper ability could manipulate powerful telekinetic forces.
She prepared to attack.
Beast King sighed.
"I do not want to fight you. If you have something to say, just say it. I still have potatoes to peel."
His mane moved slightly in the breeze from Fubuki's psychic energy.
Right now his biggest concern was finishing the kitchen work.
Fighting was simply a waste of time.
He had already decided to become a new lion.
"Oh."
The psychic energy around Fubuki slowly faded.
Eyelashes and the others looked at each other awkwardly.
The Monster in front of them had not attacked anyone and was speaking politely.
Starting a fight immediately felt slightly unreasonable.
Damn it.
This Monster did not behave like any Monster they had ever encountered.
Suddenly a voice came from the kitchen.
"Beast King, who is it? Hurry up and come back to peel the potatoes."
Mosquito Girl sounded slightly impatient.
Beast King turned around and walked back toward the kitchen.
"You can come in first."
Then he remembered something and added politely.
"Please close the door after you enter."
Mountain Ape hesitated.
"Fubuki sama, should we go inside?"
From inside the apartment they could hear the sounds of video games and constant arguing. The smell of food drifted through the hallway.
It smelled like beef stew.
Fubuki hesitated for a second, but she quickly stepped forward with confidence.
"Hmph. What are you afraid of?"
Her black high heels clicked against the floor as she walked inside.
Behind her, Mountain Ape, Eyelashes, and the others followed carefully while keeping their weapons ready.
Inside the apartment they immediately saw two men sitting on the floor in the living room playing a game with their backs facing the entrance.
Next to the living room was the kitchen.
Mosquito Girl stood at the stove wearing comfortable home clothes and an apron while stirring a pot of soup.
Beside her, Beast King continued peeling potatoes.
The apartment was small, only two bedrooms and one living room. The space felt slightly cramped.
"Lucien, lend me one of your lives."
Saitama spoke while focusing on the game.
"You idiot Saitama. I already gave you both of my extra lives. I do not have any left."
Lucien sounded annoyed.
A second later the game character died again.
Game Over.
"One more round," Saitama said.
"No way."
Lucien angrily threw the controller onto the floor.
Then he suddenly turned his head toward the group standing behind him.
Fubuki and the others instinctively shivered.
They had not expected him to turn around so suddenly.
Lucien's amethyst colored eyes calmly scanned them.
"I thought it was someone else."
His gaze moved slowly upward.
From the long black stockings to the curved hips, then to the slender waist and full chest, and finally to the beautiful face.
Fubuki was one of the few well known female heroes in the Hero Association.
Behind her stood an even more famous hero.
S Class Rank 2.
Tatsumaki, the Terrible Tornado.
Saitama turned around while picking his nose.
"Huh, what is going on?"
"When did so many people enter the house?"
Lucien stood up and stretched his arms.
"They are acquaintances. They came to see me."
He glanced at Saitama.
"You keep playing. I will handle it outside."
Then Lucien looked at Fubuki and the others.
His voice became calm and absolute.
"Come outside with me."
Law Following Speech activated.
In the next second, the pupils of Fubuki and her group shrank violently.
Their bodies began moving on their own.
No matter how hard they tried to resist, they could not stop themselves from following Lucien.
Saitama simply turned back to the television.
He believed they knew each other.
Outside the apartment building, Lucien calmly walked toward the elevator with a cigarette between his fingers.
Fubuki and the others followed helplessly.
They rode the elevator to the first floor.
The moment the doors opened, Lucien spoke again.
"You will drive thirty kilometers away and commit suicide."
Then he pointed at one remaining member.
"You will go inform Terrible Tornado about this and tell her to come seek revenge."
Lucien lit the cigarette slowly.
He had no interest in wasting time talking.
Fubuki's face turned pale.
"What did you do to us?"
Her voice trembled with fear.
They had completely lost control of their own bodies.
One by one they got into their vehicle.
The car started automatically and drove away toward the highway.
Thirty kilometers later, their lives would end.
Meanwhile, the remaining Blizzard Group member drove toward the Hero Association headquarters.
His only task was to inform Tatsumaki.
Lucien watched the car disappear before flicking the cigarette away.
Earlier he had intentionally taken Mosquito Girl outside while she still maintained her Monster appearance.
He had also killed that C Class hero openly.
There was only one reason.
He wanted heroes to come looking for him.
All he had to do was sit back and harvest them when they arrived.
In this world, the only person who could truly threaten him was Saitama.
Every other hero or Monster could be crushed easily.
During this period, Lucien had secretly tested several abilities on Saitama.
He had used Demon blood.
He had used spinal fluid.
He had even mixed it into hotpot.
None of it worked.
Abilities like Giant Power, Hardening, spinal fluid infection, and Demon blood all grew stronger as Lucien became stronger.
Anyone weaker than him would be affected.
Saitama was completely immune.
Which clearly meant one thing.
Saitama was stronger than him.
It was honestly a very depressing discovery.
Lucien sighed.
"So the only solution left is blowing up the Earth."
He casually walked back upstairs.
Inside the apartment he opened the door.
"I am back."
He sat down cross legged beside Saitama and grabbed the game controller.
"Alright, let's continue."
"This time we are clearing the level."
Saitama nodded seriously.
"You must listen to my commands."
Lucien narrowed his eyes.
"And stop rushing forward like an idiot."
The peaceful daily life resumed.