While the New Dark Matter Thieves were busy recruiting a new member, Caspian was making his way through the sprawling Y-City — or, more accurately, he was leaving it. As he walked, his mind was firing on all cylinders, trying to recall every detail of the timeline. He remembered that several key events would occur soon, with even more following in quick succession.
Reflecting further, he realized there wasn't much time to work with at all. From the moment Genos became his disciple to the moment he eventually would ask to spar again, only a little over two months would have passed…
Before a vague sense of urgency could take hold, Caspian reached the periphery of the city, bringing his thoughts back to the present. Today, Metal Knight would finish rebuilding A-City, transforming it into a massive fortress. This detail was part of the reason he had come here, but it wasn't the main one. The true reason lay high in the tree-laden mountain range, far off in the distance.
¤ ¤ ¤
Suiko stood at the main entrance door of her dojo, her breath heavy after a grueling training session. In one hand, she carried a white towel, in the other, a stainless steel water bottle.
As she slid open the door, the earthy aroma of the mountainous forest enveloped her. The air was rich with the scent of damp soil and decaying leaves mingling with the sharp resinous tang of pine needles. Hints of wildflowers added a subtle sweetness, blending into a fragrance she had known since childhood — this was where she and her older brother had grown up.
In front of her stretched a large dirt clearing, one she remembered helping carve out of the forest that rested before her.
Turning left, she made her way to the side of the dojo, its dark wood walls old but sturdy. Patting the sweat from her face with the towel, she gazed into the distance at Y-City far below. "I miss you, Grandfather," she whispered into the wind before taking a long drink of water.
At 16, Suiko had thrown herself into her training while finishing school. Now, two years later, she had shifted her focus to running the dojo. Thanks to her tireless efforts, the dojo remained well kept and in excellent condition. But it was a solitary effort because Suiryu hadn't returned since their grandfather's passing.
Unfortunately, all her hard work didn't change the fact that there were no students, unlike when her grandfather was alive. Just Suiko, alone. Her name carried no weight, so why would anyone trek through this harsh region in order to become a student and train here?
But now there stood a chance to change that. She had climbed past several heroes, reaching A-Class Rank 35. She believed that, in time, her name would grow famous enough to breathe life back into the dojo.
Two other matters gnawed at her these days: Caspian and Yuta. Caspian was supposed to give her pointers, and Yuta was supposed to come and challenge her to a fight.
When was this supposed to happen? Suiko may have found a new sense of purpose through her hero work, but even that couldn't stave off the loneliness that had settled in over the past two years. The only people she had spoken to since leaving Caspian's apartment were Hero Association staff members. As for Suiryu? He never answered his phone, leaving her alone with her thoughts, training day after day until a call about a monster attack would pull her away. This cycle repeated, highlighting her current dilemma.
"I guess today's a good day to head down to the city and pick up some supplies," Suiko muttered, glancing down at the beads of sweat trailing down her cleavage into her midnight-blue sports bra. "Maybe I should take a dip in the hot springs first…"
As she lifted her foot in order to turn around, a vibration rippled through the ground beneath her.
"Wha—"
The vibration came again, and this time, she spotted the cause far below.
Suiko dropped her bottle and towel, her eyes widening as the giant monster's full form came into view. It trudged toward Y-City, each step crushing vast swathes of forest beneath its feet. It wouldn't be long before it reached the city.
Even from this distance, she could tell that the city's tallest buildings didn't even approach it in scale. The monster was a gigantic pig-like beast with glowing red eyes and tubes running from its nose and neck to its shoulders. Its dark skin was mottled with gray and red patches, as if crudely stitched together. While pig skulls adorned its shoulders, and in its massive hands, it gripped a pitchfork and a machete.
Not good! With Great Philosopher still in recovery and the high chance that Child Emperor isn't in the city, I'm the only one who can hopefully buy enough time until an S-Class Hero arrives!
Suiko didn't hesitate. She dashed toward the forest, her movements swift and precise as she used her expert knowledge of the mountainous terrain to descend. Every step calculated, every leap deliberate, as she raced to intercept the monster before it could reach the city. She didn't know how she would stop it, but she had to try!
¤ ¤ ¤
As with most cities Caspian had come across, flat landscapes usually surrounded them before branching off into either forests or mountains and, in this case, both.
I swear, monsters always seem to come right to me... Is King in Y-City again?
The earth shook around Caspian as Pluton, King of the Underworld approached, his voice booming out.
"You humans waste your existence in gluttony, littering the earth with worthless objects. Now shall you boil and rot in the depths of the underworld that spreads below my mighty spout!"
Isn't that dialogue starting too soon? Did I trigger it?
Pluton looked down. "Who do we have here?"
"Sorry Pluton. Not only do I want to make up for not preventing A-City's destruction, even more so I came here to see a special someone. You understand, right?"
"What drivel are you spewing down there?" Pluton pulled back his massive arm, preparing to attack with his pitchfork. "The surface world is mine! Nothing can stop the underworld's ascent!"
"Okay…"