Hero For Lust

Caspian had entered the ship with ease. Unsure how Saitama did it in the series, he simply punched a hole into the ship, then punched the air behind him to propel himself forward. The force of his entry sent debris flying in all directions and once they settle he was able to survey his surroundings.

He found himself in a tunnel made of flat, twisting purple alloys of an unknown material covering the ship's walls like a complex root system. In front of him were long, winding, never-ending hallways illuminated by crystals sticking out of the wall without a pattern. The faint hum of an unknown origin vibrated through the floor, and the air carried a pure, metallic scent.

Guess I should start running. After today, I need to figure out what was with that change in Lady Shibabawa's prophecy. Am I the 'Outsider' or is there another major change to the original timeline besides my arrival? Or maybe I could stop worrying so much and let the cards fall where ever they may...

Caspian pushed those thoughts aside and directed his mind toward how absurdly complicated he remembered this ship's labyrinthian maze was before he started running forward blindly.

In under a minute, he encountered a swarm of alien monsters. One by one, they charged, and one by one, they fell to a single backhand slap. They all blurred together, though he recognized two of them: a four-armed, four-eyed red alien and a fly-like quadruped.

Fortunately, his aimless running led him to a familiar area.

"Well done making it this far, intruder! But this is the end. You see, there's no way you can defeat me—"

"Groribas! Man, what a sight for sore eyes." Caspian rested his hands on his hips, staring up at a large, rounded rectangular opening in the wall. Behind Groribas, a cluster of pinkish-red lights illuminated his silhouette.

"H-How do you know my name, intruder? It matters not." Groribas lept down. "My 'Acid Breath' will melt you away!"

Finally, I get to see Groribas' full potential. Caspian waited with bated breath.

Woefully, Groribas' full potential would remain a mystery. Mid-descent, an emerald-green aura enveloped him, freezing him in place.

"Hmph! You finally stopped running."

Caspian turned just in time to see Tatsumaki close her hand.

No!

With a sickening crunch, Groribas was crushed into a tiny, pulpy green ball. Blood, entrails, and viscous fluids exploded outward, splattering the floor in front of Caspian.

"Why did you do that?! You're not supposed to be here, Tats."

Tatsumaki descended, arms crossed. "Don't give me that attitude. And when did I give you permission to call me that?"

Caspian smiled wryly. "Well, it seems you stopped running as well."

"Don't spout nonsense. I won't tolerate it." Tatsumaki flicked her hand, sending the ball-shaped Groribas hurtling into a distant wall. "Now, tell me what you're doing here. Trying to play the big hero? And why are you carrying that around?"

At least she's talking to me again. But… How am I to read her ever-shifting mood?

He wanted to give her a proper response, but his eyes widened as a thought flashed through him.

"Dammit! Without you down below, there's no one to stop the bombardment. We have to find the artillery crew!"

Caspian immediately looked up and leaped toward the opening Groribas had emerged from. As he ascended, his movement slowed, thanks to Tatsumaki's psychic energy enveloping him.

"Wait! You're not making any sense. What 'bombardment?'"

For the first time since meeting Tatsumaki, Caspian focused his will to resist her powers. As expected, their effect vanished.

"How?!"

The moment he landed above, Tatsumaki appeared, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"We need to split up. Look for a circular, spiraling door. Inside, there will be a pink alien with big blue spots covering its body and three tentacles on its head that each contain an eye."

If Tatsumaki responded, Caspian didn't hear it. He was already sprinting forward, unleashing a flurry of kicks and punches, tearing through the ship in a desperate search for the pink alien before it was too late.

¤ ¤ ¤

In a vast, cavernous room within the Dark Matter Thieves' spaceship rested the pinkish-purple Power Core, the vital energy source sustaining the entire ship and enabling it to hover effortlessly above this planet's surface.

Below the Power Core, atop a throne, sat Boros.

It seems two inhabitants from this planet has boarded the ship. Could one of them be from the prophecy?

With his acute senses, he detected the unnatural vibrations battering the ship's lower interior.

Boros stood and crossed the vast room toward a pair of towering doors.

After passing through, he continued down several dark hallways until he reached the entrance to the ship's control room.

As the doors slid open, Geryuganshoop, one of the Dark Matter Thieves' generals, filled the room with his enraged voice.

"I bet he's just mucking about… I need him now! Curse the bastard!"

"Geryuganshoop, what is the problem?"

"Lord Boros! I-I'm terribly sorry. I've allowed two of the natives to infiltrate the ship. In the mere four minutes since coming aboard, they've damaged 30% of the ship. They seem to be working separately, but they've managed to instantly kill every warrior sent to intercept them."

Boros stared at the red screen displaying the ship's status. "Do not panic. As long as the power sphere is safe, the ship will not go down. The damage so far is limited to the crew's living quarters. But minnows will not be enough. Geryuganshoop… you, Groribas and Melzargard, my top combatants, will go eliminate these intruders."

As Boros turned away, Geryuganshoop's nervous voice followed. "Groribas has fallen, sir…"

"What?"

This was a first. Across countless planets, not one of his top three combatants had ever sustained more than a minor injury. Yet, within ten minutes of arriving here, one had already perished.

Boros felt a flicker of something close to excitement. Could the prophecy be coming true so soon?

"Let me get Melzargard back here! He and I will wipe out the intruders without fail!"

Turning back once again, Boros observed the four side-by-side screens. The two left screens displayed an image of a green-haired female inhabitant floating in the air—on the right was a hairless male inhabitant.

Which one of you shall reach me first?