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The Mosquito Monster fled, leaving behind a cyborg with a missing arm. The wounded Genos glared after her, ready to give chase.
"Wait!"
"Huh? What are you doing just standing there? Hide, quick! You saw what those mosquitoes can do!" Genos shouted to Ethan.
"Uh… I don't really have anywhere to hide."
"There's a shelter!"
"I don't think that's a good idea," Ethan sighed. "If I go to a shelter, it'll stop being a shelter and start being a mass grave. Monsters just… find me, wherever I go."
Genos frowned, not quite understanding, but the man's tone was serious. Still, he couldn't spare time to argue — the Mosquito Monster needed to be stopped.
"You're going after her, right?"
"Yes!"
"Then you might as well wait here. She'll be back soon."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, if she's a monster, she won't let me go. Wherever I am, monsters follow. That's why I don't bother hiding. Ugh, what a pain… cursed physique." Ethan grumbled in self-pity.
Genos didn't get it, but somehow it sounded believable. Even that Mosquito Monster seemed oddly fixated on Ethan before.
Just then—
"I'm back! Got some super-effective bug spray! The extra strong kind! Should take care of mosquitoes no problem!"
Saitama came jogging up in his tank top and shorts, waving a can of insecticide.
"Baldy! Took you long enough!"
"Hey! I told you not to call me that!"
"Okay, baldy!"
…
Genos silently watched them bicker, wondering how these two could be so relaxed when a deadly monster capable of draining humans dry was still on the loose. Neither of them seemed the slightest bit afraid.
"You should still hide," Genos urged. "These mosquitoes have minds of their own. That spray won't cut it."
Right then, a deep buzzing filled the air. The sky darkened as a black cloud of mosquitoes swarmed toward them.
"She's back," Genos said grimly, glancing at Ethan, who looked more impatient than scared.
"Saitama! Hurry up, give me that bug spray! They're here!"
"Mosquitoes? Wait, that many?! Nope, I'm out!" Saitama actually turned to run — after all, a single mosquito had already driven him half mad earlier.
"Hahahahaha!" A shrill laugh echoed from the swarm — the Mosquito Monster. The cloud of insects poured down like a living tide, blanketing the street.
"So gross…" Ethan gagged.
Genos' voice cut through the chaos — cold and focused. "Incinerate."
Flames erupted instantly, searing the air. In less than a second, the entire swarm turned to ash.
And there she was — the Mosquito Monster herself, emerging from the smoke. Her skin was blood-red, her limbs insect-like and grotesque, her power far greater than before.
Within moments, she had Genos completely overwhelmed. He barely managed a defense before she smashed him into the ground, wrecking half his body.
"Yikes. Brutal. Totally brutal," Ethan muttered. "But I gotta admit, she's strong. Creepy, sure, but that face? Kinda gorgeous. And that figure…" He nodded to himself. "Yeah. I've decided — she's gonna be my first maid. Even if she's a monster, pretty's pretty. Totally qualifies."
By the time he snapped out of his fantasy, Genos was already wrecked, and the Mosquito Monster was swooping in to finish the job.
"NO! STOP!!!" Ethan yelled and dashed forward.
Not because he cared about Genos — hell no, the guy was just another dude. What he cared about was her. His future maid. And more importantly, he'd just noticed Saitama stepping in.
With that guy's ridiculous strength, his "maid" didn't stand a chance.
Smack!
In an instant, it was over. Saitama blinked, still smiling like nothing happened. Ethan fell to his knees in despair. So close. Just one second too late.
The Mosquito Monster was gone — splattered by one casual slap.
"Uh… you okay, Ethan?" Saitama asked, scratching his shiny head.
"Baldy! Give her back! Give me back my first maid, you monster!" Ethan lunged and grabbed Saitama by the neck, shaking him furiously.
"Your… maid? I've been your neighbor for almost a year and I've never seen a maid."
"It was her! The Mosquito Woman!"
"But she was a monster! And she literally tried to kill you!"
"So what? As long as she's pretty, it's fine! And did you see her figure?!" Ethan clutched at the air, as if reminiscing about her curves.
"Eh? I didn't notice."
"Saitama, you damn baldy! I curse you to stay single for life!"
"..."
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