Chapter 168: The Abstract Monster
The memory refused to leave Satoru Suzuki's mind.
When he had lost consciousness, in that hazy world between waking and dreaming, he had seen a girl.
A beautiful figure with crimson eyes.
Her name seemed to be Asuramaru.
If he wanted power, he had to give everything he had to earn his recognition.
And he was still watching.
The thought made Satoru's grip tighten around the handlebars.
Then he shook his head.
No.
He was probably overthinking it.
Something like that could not possibly happen to an ordinary person like him.
He dismissed the unrealistic idea and kept riding.
At that moment, the pager issued by the Hero Association suddenly buzzed at his waist.
Satoru Suzuki immediately pulled over and took it out.
A mission notice appeared on the small screen.
[City F. Disaster Level Wolf Monster sighted on Shuihu Street. Nearby heroes, please proceed to suppress it.]
Disaster levels were divided from lowest to highest as Wolf, Tiger, Demon, Dragon, and God.
Even the weakest Wolf level disaster was still beyond what an ordinary person could handle.
Seeing that the location was not far from him, Mumen Rider got back on his bicycle without hesitation.
He even tore off the bandages wrapped around his hands.
Then he pedaled toward Shuihu Street as fast as he could.
By the time he arrived at the edge of the street, a large number of civilians were already fleeing in panic. The moment they saw a hero arrive, relief appeared on their faces.
"Great, a hero is here!"
"It's Mumen Rider! We're saved!"
"Mumen Rider, the Monster is inside the lingerie shop in the middle of the street!"
Hearing the crowd, Mumen Rider immediately locked onto the key information.
He rushed toward the center of the street on his bicycle.
After parking and locking it by the roadside, he ran toward the lingerie shop on the left side of the street.
The storefront had been smashed open.
Broken glass glittered across the ground.
Mumen Rider stepped through the damaged entrance and looked inside.
There, he saw a strange pink Monster.
Its entire body was a disturbing shade of pink. A pair of underwear was stretched over its head, and lingerie covered its face as if fused directly into its flesh.
Inside the shop, it was roaring at a terrified female clerk.
"Why?"
The Monster's voice cracked with rage.
"Why would you wear lingerie? Lingerie is meant to be appreciated! It is art!"
Its eyes trembled beneath the cloth covering its face.
"You people who trample on art all deserve to die!"
It raised one hand toward the clerk.
"Quickly, give me yours too, lowly creature!"
Inside the sword, Asuramaru watched this scene in stunned silence.
Even the Cursed Spirits from the previous world had not been this abstract.
If only he could get out.
I would kill this thing myself.
The female clerk was already pale with fear. When she saw Mumen Rider enter, she immediately cried out for help.
"Please... please save me!"
The Monster turned around.
When it saw Mumen Rider behind it, the eyes beneath the lingerie filled with hatred.
"Anyone who interferes with me saving lingerie deserves to die!"
It charged forward.
A fist swung straight toward Satoru Suzuki's face.
Fortunately, Satoru raised his right arm in time and blocked it.
Even so, the force made him stagger back a step.
What incredible strength.
He looked past the Monster and saw that the female clerk had taken the opportunity to escape.
Only then did Satoru breathe a little easier.
He took a stance and prepared to face the Monster head on.
To Asuramaru inside the sword, the whole thing looked absurd.
A complete farce.
Until Satoru Suzuki failed to block in time because of the injury on his arm.
The Monster's punch knocked him to the ground.
It stepped forward, looming over him, and shouted.
"Hand over your underwear too!"
The moment Asuramaru imagined that scene, he could no longer tolerate it.
Seriously.
Just die already.
Black Demon Power surged out from the sword.
It flowed into Satoru Suzuki's limbs and bones, even healing the injury on his arm.
At the same time, a pleasant voice rang in his mind.
"Hurry up and take that thing out!"
The voice made Satoru's body tremble.
That brief opening allowed the Monster to punch him directly in the face.
But this time, when the fist landed, Satoru did not feel pain.
His injured left arm had also completely recovered.
It was not a dream.
Then that girl was real too.
That voice just now...
He really is watching me.
With that thought, Satoru Suzuki felt his heart surge with motivation.
After being weak for so long, he had finally seen hope that belonged to him.
This time, it was his turn to punch.
His fist struck the Monster and sent it flying.
The pink figure crashed through several display racks before finally stopping.
Satoru stared down at his own hands, disbelief written across his face.
"Is this... still me?"
Was this still the same weak person he had always been?
While he was dazed, the Monster stood again.
Dragging its heavily injured body, it raised its head and roared.
"I carry the mission of saving lingerie! I absolutely cannot lose!"
With another roar, it charged.
If it were the old him, Satoru might have dodged.
But now, he wanted to try blocking it.
He planted both feet, gathered strength in his hands, and rushed forward as well.
He collided head on with the Monster.
With only a little effort, the Monster was forced backward uncontrollably.
Joy flashed through Satoru's heart, but he quickly calmed himself.
He shoved the Monster away, stepped forward, gathered his strength, and punched it directly in the head.
Under that punch, the Monster's head exploded.
Dark green blood splattered across Satoru's fist.
He stood there in a daze.
Only when the power filling his body vanished again did he finally snap back to himself.
Suppressing the excitement in his chest, he asked tentatively, "Are you the Asuramaru I saw in my dream?"
His voice trembled slightly.
"Was that power just now also lent to me by you?"
Inside the sword, Asuramaru replied.
"Lending you power this time does not mean I have recognized you."
His tone was impatient.
"It was only because that Monster disgusted me."
Hearing that voice in his mind again, Satoru Suzuki was immersed in joy.
He could not help asking curiously, "Then who are you? Why did you lend me power? And that dream..."
Before he could finish, Asuramaru interrupted him impatiently.
"Why do you have so many questions?"
His voice sharpened.
"I've already said everything that needs to be said. All you need to know is that I am the sword you carry on your back."
After a pause, he added bluntly, "Do not bother me unless it is important."
Even after being rebuffed, Satoru still could not suppress his excitement.
Only he knew how much effort he had put in.
Training his body.
Learning how to fight.
He had even gone to various martial arts dojos, hoping to learn from them, only to be rejected again and again because he lacked talent.
From the very beginning, he could only rely on himself.
Now, for the first time, there was a real possibility that he could become stronger.
How could he not be excited?
Beneath his goggles, tears welled up and spilled out uncontrollably.
"Finally..."
His voice was almost a whisper.
"Finally, I can become stronger too."
And beyond that, the hazy figure appeared again in his mind.
To him, that figure with crimson eyes was like an angel who had come to save him.
At that moment, some brave civilians finally approached the store entrance.
When they saw the dead Monster inside, they erupted into cheers.
A while later, reporters rushed to the scene.
By then, all they found was the Monster's corpse.
Mumen Rider had already quietly ridden away on his bicycle.
.....
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