Even Madam Perus's tone took on a new level of respect. Mr. Darkman was just a notch below the tycoon Agni in terms of influence. If not for her role as Agni's representative, she would never outrank Darkman, even in seating.
"You all know Swift Flash's training camp is based in B-City…"
Darkman didn't hold back—he explained everything, including how he'd sent people to infiltrate the camp.
He had known from the start that Borsalino wasn't someone to be trifled with, which was why he had gone out of his way—offending colleagues if needed—to push the responsibility onto William.
"Impossible! You're saying just three days of training increased someone's physical strength by nearly four hundred points?"
"If that's true, then even an average B-Class hero could reach S-Class thresholds after going through the camp?"
"That's insane! How did he pull this off?! That kind of technology needs to be in the Association's hands!"
Their reactions were understandable. The thing that had long plagued the Association's leadership was the unruly, unmanageable nature of heroes.
Especially this newly-minted S-Class hero, Borsalino, who completely ignored the Association's authority. To the high-ranking officials who wanted everything under their control, he was like a ticking time bomb.
The stronger a hero was, the less they cared about rules. Trying to control them was harder than climbing to the moon.
Some had even begun thinking outside the box: if existing heroes couldn't be controlled, why not create their own?
But reality had smacked them hard.
Breeding their own A- or S-Class level warriors cost even more than the entire Association's annual budget.
And that wasn't even the worst part—many of their experiments had turned into monsters before they could even be fully developed.
Some of the monsters heroes had taken down were, in fact, failed creations painstakingly cultivated by the Association.
Just as they were about to give up on this approach, hope appeared from the most unlikely source—Swift Flash, the most wild and uncooperative one of them all.
"Mr. Darkman, have your people uncovered the secret behind Swift Flash's training camp?" Madam Perus abandoned all pretense of composure, her tone urgent.
If they could use that kind of training to create their own heroes, why bother relying on the unruly masses of the Association?
Some of the younger executives had stars in their eyes.
They weren't just thinking about building an army—they were dreaming of becoming superhuman themselves.
"Unfortunately, no. My people haven't figured it out. All we know is that the training is extremely intense—seems to be about pushing the body past its absolute limits…"
Darkman shook his head. If he had figured it out, he wouldn't be sharing any of this now.
He'd rather keep it all to himself.
If it weren't for the looming threat of world-ending catastrophe, he probably would've kept it secret—at least until he fully understood it.
Some of the executives, calming down after the initial excitement, were starting to realize this as well. The looks they gave Darkman weren't exactly friendly.
"Isn't there any way to force Swift Flash to give up the secret?" a young executive blurted out impatiently.
Until now, he hadn't paid much attention to Association matters. He'd even skipped previous emergency meetings. If not for the apocalyptic news, he'd probably have continued delegating his duties or stayed on leave.
That's why he didn't realize Borsalino wasn't just another S-Class hero.
"Forget it. Swift Flash is completely unrestrained. Even if you pressured him, he wouldn't give a damn."
William couldn't help but sneer as many of the executives turned their attention toward him.
Honestly, he'd love for these arrogant suits to run headfirst into Borsalino and get burned.
But he also knew the truth: if they failed to get what they wanted from Borsalino, he was the one they'd blame next.
With a sigh, William offered a warning—Borsalino wasn't someone you could just push around.
"Then think of something! He's just a hero. Doesn't he want something?"
The impatient young exec slammed his hand on the table, voice loud with frustration.
Even though he was easily the youngest person in the conference room—even the Association staff were several years older—authority wasn't something decided by age.
His seat was on par with Darkman's, which meant his wealth and influence were about the same. Compared to him, William—just a local boss scraping by off J-City's tourism industry—felt like he could barely lift his head in this young executive's presence.
"I've already tried multiple times! I even promised him a huge payout, but that guy just won't budge—what else am I supposed to do?!"
William lashed out, nearly on the verge of breaking down. Before meeting Kizaru, he wouldn't have dared raise his voice to someone this high up—not in a hundred lifetimes.
But after setback after setback, even William was reaching his limit.
"William's already done everything he can. There's no need to be too harsh on him…"
It was Lady Perus who finally stepped in to defuse the situation, and the young executive had no choice but to let it go for now.
Still, the matter of how to force Swift Flash to give up his secret remained at a standstill once again.
While the higher-ups wracked their brains, Kizaru had already arrived in A-City with Tatsumaki and Fubuki in tow.
"We got here… that fast?"
Tatsumaki reluctantly hopped down from Kizaru's shoulder, silently complaining that they'd arrived too quickly. She hadn't even gotten to properly enjoy the feeling of riding up there before they were already in A-City.
"How about we head back and do it all over again?"
Kizaru laughed as he set Fubuki down, one arm casually wrapped around each sister's soft waist.
Luckily, Tatsumaki could float in the air—otherwise, with their height difference, this pose wouldn't have even been physically possible.
"I'm not that bored… Are we going to HQ now?"
Tatsumaki clicked her tongue, annoyed, but stole a sideways glance at Kizaru, clearly hoping he'd say the answer she wanted to hear.
"Hmm, no need to rush. How about we find a place to stay first?"
Kizaru stroked his chin thoughtfully.
According to rumors, the universal overlord Boros would be arriving soon—but who knew how long "soon" actually meant?
It wasn't that Kizaru was too impatient to wait—it was just that, if he could relax in comfort while waiting for the enemy to come knocking, why not?
"Then… how about coming to my place?"
Tatsumaki hesitated for a moment before blurting it out.
As the No. 2 S-Class hero and the Association's ultimate trump card, she enjoyed top-tier treatment—the Association had even provided her with ultra-luxury apartments in every major city.
Still, it wasn't exactly a bad deal for the Association either—placing those apartments in upscale neighborhoods was like paying for their own insurance policy.
"Your place, sis?"
Fubuki was always curious about anything involving her sister. Ever since the two had fallen together, her more possessive, controlling side had fully come to light.
She didn't want to do anything unless Tatsumaki was involved—sometimes Kizaru even wondered if he was just a third wheel in their relationship.
"Then let's check out Tatsumaki's place. I'm actually kind of look—hmm?"
Kizaru was smiling as he spoke, but before he could finish, his brows lifted slightly as he looked toward the sky.
Though it only lasted for a moment, Kizaru definitely felt like someone was watching him—much like when he first sensed Metal Knight's covert surveillance.
But this time, the observer didn't seem nearly as hostile. Or rather, maybe it was because the malice wasn't directed at Kizaru that his "Malice Sense" wasn't fully triggered.
If it weren't for the improvements in his Observation Haki after awakening that ability, he might not have even noticed such a subtle disturbance.
"Something wrong?"
Tatsumaki noticed immediately—her senses were sharp. She caught the faint change in Kizaru's expression the moment it flickered.
But when she followed his gaze into the sky, she saw nothing.
"It's nothing. Probably a recon unit or advance scout. Doesn't seem like they're here for us—just scanning the area, maybe?"
Kizaru shrugged. He tried pushing his Observation Haki to the limit but still couldn't detect Boros's ship.
Still, considering Boros attacked Earth by going straight for City A and the Hero Association HQ, it was likely he had sent scouts in advance.
"So they're already this close, huh…"
Fubuki looked uneasy. While people tended to talk about Boros like he wasn't a big deal, anyone with a brain could tell—a God-level threat that could endanger Earth? That was no ordinary enemy.
"What are you two talking about?"
Tatsumaki frowned. Unlike Kizaru and Fubuki, she didn't have access to the dimensional chat group and its advance intel on Boros.
"Oh, just that prophecy by that weird old fart—you know, the one about an alien enemy who could wipe out the planet."
Kizaru explained casually. Boros had spent twenty years traveling just to find a worthy opponent, only to get obliterated by the Bald Demon King in a single punch. From Boros's point of view, it was downright tragic.
Still, if he had to do it all over again, Boros would've made the same choice without hesitation.
"WHAT?!"
Now Tatsumaki reacted. She flared up like a cat with ruffled fur, eyes darting around like she expected to catch the alien peeking out from behind a building.
She hadn't earned her S-Class Rank 2 spot just by brute strength.
Take Flashy Flash for example—he was strong too, yet ranked all the way down at #14. The real difference was that Tatsumaki actually did her job, both in fighting monsters and protecting civilians.
Even knowing Boros could be more than she could handle, her first instinct was still to prepare for a fight.
"Don't worry, the main guy hasn't arrived yet."
Kizaru remained perfectly calm. If it weren't for his Observation Haki getting a faint ping, he wouldn't have sensed anything at all.
This kind of mild, non-malicious probing was almost certainly one of Boros's underlings scanning the surface. Kizaru must've gotten caught in the sweep by accident.
Whoever was scanning had no clue about the kind of threat Kizaru posed—if they had, his senses would've been screaming.
And as Kizaru predicted, far away on the edge of the solar system, a massive spaceship over 15,000 meters long was making its approach toward Earth.
Even for the Dark Matter Thieves' mothership, after a 20-year voyage, a bit of maintenance time was still needed.
"Lord Boros, the probe has returned from the target planet. Presence of advanced lifeforms confirmed!"
A slightly robotic voice echoed in the previously pitch-black command chamber. As the lights slowly brightened, the armored man on the throne stirred, his lone eye cracking open.
His eye—singular—took up the space where a human would have two, making it look like he was wearing some kind of sci-fi sunglasses.
"At long last… the planet where the prophesied warrior dwells…"
His voice was a mix of solemnity and reverence, like a chant long rehearsed.
Boros had waited twenty long years for this moment. The once-vast Dark Matter Thieves had been pared down over the years, until only ten thousand warriors remained aboard the mothership.
"Lord Boros, here is the latest video data. We've pinpointed the planet's key region of advanced life. Once the warp engines finish cooling, we'll launch our first strike!"
The robotic voice continued as a virtual screen unfolded before Boros, displaying the footage the probe had just recorded.
As countless small, "short" lifeforms flickered across the screen, Boros remained indifferent.
To the galactic tyrant Boros, such fragile beings were like candles in the wind—one breath, and they'd be snuffed out of existence.
There was no need to care about them. But then, the screen shifted…
A tall figure appeared—one who towered several heads higher than even Boros.
The moment he laid eyes on the man, Boros's single eye widened in shock.
"Stop."
His voice was filled with command, absolute and irrefutable. In an instant, the entire mothership froze as if time itself had halted.
Even the aliens piloting the ship from the bridge went stiff, not daring to twitch.
"Y-Yes, Lord Boros. Your command?"
The robotic voice now sounded shaken. After all, Boros wasn't known for mercy. The only reason this band of space pirates had followed him across the stars for two decades was his absolute might.
It wasn't just power that held them in line—it was fear. His brutality made rebellion unthinkable.
°°°
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