Chapter 102: King is Held Hostage
"Finally, I wasn't late. I made the train."
King, still under the effect of the Velociraptor card, rushed from the Elementary School Student Research Institute all the way to the train station. He glanced up at the departure board and saw that there were less than ten minutes until his train departed. He hurriedly had his ticket validated and boarded.
"Welcome, passengers, to this train journey. This train will be traveling from City Y to Z City, passing through City B. The journey will take three hours and twenty-seven minutes. We wish you a pleasant trip."
The train announcer's voice rang out. The train shuddered slightly and then began to move.
King walked alone down the train's aisle, clutching his ticket as he looked for his seat. "36... 51... 71... Hmm, found it. Seat number 78."
His eyes lit up. He stopped by his seat and glanced at the other three passengers at the table. Sitting next to him was a man wearing a mask, currently lying on the table and soundly asleep. Across from him sat a couple, whispering intimately to each other.
"Haa~"
He sat down, sighing in relief. Luckily, he ran fast. Otherwise, he would have been trapped in a bitter fight with G1. He wondered if Child Emperor had dealt with G1 yet. He hoped the little genius wouldn't hold a grudge against him for running off!
He wasn't worried that Child Emperor would be defeated. After all, Child Emperor was an S-Class hero. Even if his strength ranked low among the S-Class, he was still an S-Class hero. G1 was strong, but not strong enough to defeat an S-Class hero.
At this thought, he immediately relaxed. His gaze swept over the scenery rapidly passing by outside the window. They would arrive in Z City soon. After meeting up with Saitama, where should he go next? Go home to sleep and play games?
He felt a little lost. In his previous life, his own abilities were too weak, so he could only drift along in a company, living each day in a muddle, without goals or dreams. Now, because his reputation was too great, he was similarly idle, living each day in a muddle. It was a life of getting by day by day. What a boring existence.
As he pondered, he drowsily drifted off to sleep.
"He's here."
"Give yourself up, B-Class wanted criminal, Short Blade Robber!"
"You're surrounded by our Fubuki Group. You can't escape, so surrender!"
In his sleep, King vaguely heard the sounds of shouting on the train.
"Don't come any closer! If you dare to, I'll kill this guy."
A savage voice suddenly roared out. King felt a chill on his neck, and then he was yanked up like a chick. He was instantly jolted awake.
"What the—?"
He opened his eyes, and his vision was filled with burly men in black and white suits. These men stared at him with stern faces, each one looking as fierce as a demon, as if they wanted to swallow him whole.
"Short Blade Robber, let him go immediately! You can't escape. This carriage has been completely surrounded by our Fubuki Group. You have no way out."
"Short Blade Robber? Fubuki Group? What's going on?"
King finally shook off his drowsiness and woke up completely. He stared at the burly men before him and saw that they were all dressed in suits, which was no different from the standard uniform of the Fubuki Group members in his memory.
"Gaga, you want me to release the hostage and surrender obediently? What kind of fantasy is your Fubuki Group living in? I am Short Blade Robber! I once robbed three ABC Banks with just a nail clipper, made a name for myself, and became a B-Class wanted criminal. I'm not far from becoming an A-Class wanted criminal either. Do you think I'll surrender? Hmph, if you've got the guts, then just watch this hostage in my hands die as you try to take me down by force!"
A vicious voice came from behind King, making the hairs on his skin stand up. It was only then that he realized a serious problem—he had been taken hostage by a thug. He had become the thug's shield to stay alive.
The Strongest Man on Earth—King—had been taken hostage?!
Now that was some explosive news!
King's gaze lowered slightly. He saw clearly that the weapon the thug held to his neck was actually a small nail clipper. However, the nail clipper had been specially sharpened, with one edge ground to be exceptionally sharp. The faint, cold glint of the blade made him not dare to move an inch, afraid that the slightest carelessness would result in the nail clipper slitting his throat.
"Short Blade Robber... my seatmate?"
His peripheral vision caught the thug behind him, and he was shocked to discover that it was the man in the mask who had been sleeping on the table just moments before.
"What are you looking at? Believe it or not, I'll slit your throat?"
Short Blade Robber keenly sensed King observing him from the corner of his eye and immediately shot him a vicious glare with his exposed, ferocious eyes.
"Short Blade Robber... B-Class wanted criminal... Fubuki Group..."
King retracted his gaze, muttering the key words under his breath. He now understood what had happened. The Fubuki Group was hunting the B-Class wanted criminal, Short Blade Robber. When the criminal realized he was surrounded, he was unwilling to be captured and grabbed King, who happened to be sleeping next to him, to use as a hostage.
"What rotten luck. I run into a wanted criminal just by taking a train. What's next, is a monster going to show up and join the fun?"
He was extremely frustrated. He had just escaped from G1's clutches, only to fall into the hands of a wanted criminal. His luck was truly one of a kind.
"Oh? You've taken a hostage?"
A mature and sensual voice suddenly came from behind the Fubuki Group.
"Lady Fubuki."
"Now we can rest easy. With Lady Fubuki taking action, catching Short Blade Robber will be a piece of cake."
"Lady Fubuki is mighty!"
The crowd of men in suits stirred slightly, then automatically parted down the middle to form a path. At the end of the path stood a tall, mature woman with short, dark green hair. She had fair skin and beautiful features, a slender waist, and a curvaceous figure. She wore a dark green dress and a matching dark green overcoat.
"Hellish Bli—pfft, I mean Terrible Torna— no, wait, it's Hellish Blizzard who's here!"
King glanced at Hellish Blizzard. The two had met once before. On the eve of the M-City riot, he had saved Hellish Blizzard. He didn't expect to meet her again after so long.
"Hellish Blizzard? I know you. You're a powerful esper. In a direct fight, I might not be your match. However, I have a hostage now. Do you dare to make a move on me? Hmph, the moment I see you make any move to use your psychic powers, I'll immediately kill this unlucky bastard in my hands."
Short Blade Robber was extremely wary of Hellish Blizzard. He used King as a shield, forcing her and her men not to attack.
"Living in a world where monsters run rampant, everyone should be prepared to make sacrifices. I believe this ordinary citizen in your hands is no different. Therefore, even if it means letting you kill the ordinary citizen in your hands, I will absolutely not let you escape to harm more innocent people."
Hellish Blizzard's beautiful eyes glanced at King as she slowly raised her fair, delicate hand, opening her palm and aiming it at Short Blade Robber.
"Let me end you, Short Blade Robber!"
King's eyes widened. "This... You're just going to abandon me?"
(end of chapter)