The kind of strength that could instantly crush an ordinary demon-level monster was, for Pochi, just right.
The massive dog's six eyes narrowed in bliss as Hans continued grooming it. Pochi obediently sat down, letting Hans's claws run through its fur while a deep, rumbling gurgle-gurgle vibrated from its throat.
After a full hour of diligent grooming, Hans finally spoke.
"Here's the thing, Lord Pochi."
"I'll need to leave for a while to carry out a mission from Lord Evil Eye. It should only take a few days."
"Woof…?" (Huh…?)
Hearing that Hans was leaving, Pochi tilted its head, its massive gaze flickering with hesitation.
Its great strength had been a gift from Evil Eye, and since Hans was departing on that guys orders, Pochi couldn't exactly stop him.
"Woof, woof?" (If you leave… who's gonna feed me?)
Hans gently patted Pochi's side. The big dog, long used to his touch, didn't resist in the slightest.
"Don't worry, you won't miss a meal. I've already arranged for my subordinates to deliver your food every day on time."
Pochi gave a soft whine to show it understood, but then rubbed its enormous head against Hans again, letting out a series of low, drawn-out whine.
Hans braced himself and took a deep breath.
Good thing his body was sturdy, any other demon-level creature getting affection like that would've been flattened into paste on the spot.
And as for what Pochi meant, well… with Hans's level-ten fluency in Dog-speak, he understood perfectly.
Sure, the dog wouldn't be lacking in food, but without his personal touch in cooking, the taste would never be the same.
After all…
Once you've had the good stuff, who'd ever want to go back to chewing cold, raw meat again?
Looking into Pochi's slightly pleading eyes, Hans realized that this dragon-level dog's affection for him was probably maxed out by now.
He gave the giant head a final pat, his tone softening.
"Of course, I'll be back soon."
"And when I do, I'll bring you some new flavors from the surface to try."
At the words new flavors, Pochi's eyes lit up instantly. Its tail began wagging with such force that the flat stone floor cracked apart, blasting open several deep craters like artillery impacts.
"Woof? Woof woof wooof~!" (New flavors? That sounds amazing~!)
After saying goodbye to Pochi, Hans didn't return to his territory. Instead, he made his way upward.
Through twisting, layered tunnels he went, past low-level monsters who immediately backed away as they sensed the aura of a demon-level being.
At last, ahead a faint shimmer of light and the long-forgotten taste of fresh air.
The surface.
As Hans climbed the final steps, the black carapace covering his body melted away.
Bathed in bright sunlight stood a handsome young man, smiling gently.
"The human world… I'm back."
…
Stepping out of the damp, shadowy underground tunnel, the sunlight above stung his eyes.
Hans squinted slightly, inhaling deeply the air of the surface, thick with dust and industrial smog.
It was nothing like the stinking, blood-reeking atmosphere of the Monster Association's underworld. Not exactly fresh, but it carried a vibrant, unmistakably human scent.
He had surfaced on the outskirts of Z-City, once a bustling metropolis, now showing clear signs of decay.
Far off, a few scattered pedestrians and the occasional car could still be seen. But the commercial street where Hans stood was completely abandoned.
Some stores still had their doors open, shelves toppled, goods crushed underfoot, and their owners long gone without a trace.
Desolation. Emptiness. Silence.
Together, they painted a picture of ruin.
At this point, the Hero Association still had no idea the Monster Association even existed. But the cancer had already taken root underground, spreading fear toward the surface.
High-level monsters were appearing more and more frequently, and the citizens, like startled birds, had begun fleeing toward the city center in search of safety.
Both humans and monsters whispered of a certain urban legend:
That a terrifying entity lived somewhere in these ruins.
Any monster or human who wandered too close would vanish without a trace leaving behind only horrifying remains.
Hans, of course, knew exactly who that "terrifying being" was.
The hero who fought for fun.
Saitama, the Caped Baldy.
The dead humans were obviously victims of monsters. But any monster unlucky enough to meet Saitama… well, they only had one ending.
And since ordinary citizens only ever found mangled corpses afterward, fear had begun to fester in the unknown.
Now, Z-City was just one step away from becoming a true ghost town.
"Saitama, huh…"
Hans muttered the invincible name under his breath, without much worry.
He knew that Saitama had his own way of judging monsters.
And deep down, Hans's soul was still human. Even as a monster, he had never killed innocent people.
As long as he held that line and didn't act like a monster, even if he did bump into Saitama, the guy would probably just see him as another buff background character.
Of course, no need to draw attention to himself either.
That said, Hans was now facing a very Saitama-like dilemma
No money.
And… no clothes.
He looked down at his muscular, well-defined body and sighed, hands on hips.
"Priority number one: find something to wear."
In this world, monsterization could transform along with your clothes, but only if you were wearing something to begin with.
Otherwise, you ended up like Hans, resetting to factory default every time you changed form.
Sure, with his body and looks, showing off a bit wouldn't hurt his pride
But still, a man's gotta protect his dignity when he's out in public!
"There must be a few stores around here that haven't been completely picked clean."
Muttering to himself, Hans scanned the ruined commercial street. His eyes landed on a clothing shop with a half-collapsed sign and a door hanging open. He walked over and slipped inside.
When he emerged again, his look had completely changed.
A black turtleneck beneath a fitted charcoal-gray wool coat. The tailored cut hugged his waist just right, the smooth hem brushing just past his hips, accentuating his lean frame.
Slim work pants followed the lines of his powerful legs, the fabric stretching slightly over coiled muscle.
With his youth and sharp features, he looked effortlessly stylish
a walking, breathing magnet of charm.
Of course, with Hans's face and physique, he probably attracted everyone, not just the opposite sex.
Seeing that there wasn't a soul in sight, Hans bent his knees, kicked off the wall, and leapt gracefully to the top of a nearby office building.
From there, the whole of Z-City stretched out before him.
His figure blurred and in the next instant, he reappeared on a distant street.
Hands in his coat pockets, Hans began walking toward the city center at an easy pace.