Chapter 97: Let's Go, Check Out the Antiques
Orochi's consciousness completely retook control of his body.
His deformed and twisted body also returned to its original form.
Three pairs of black-eyed pupils focused, staring at the unscathed Aokiji.
He then looked at the somber-faced Psykos and knew that their side had lost.
What should be done next?
Psykos's Psychic Power began to seep into his mind.
Orochi originally thought it was for mental communication via Psychic Power, but a strange sensation came from his mind.
It was like... a tightly locked collar?
It seemed to have always existed, binding him firmly, but it was so familiar and natural that he had subconsciously ignored it.
Now that the collar was being tugged and a key was being inserted to unlock it, Orochi finally noticed this "collar" of restraint.
There was no sound.
There was no explosion.
Everything appeared the same as before.
But Orochi inexplicably felt a sense of freedom and ease that made his Soul float.
"...The brainwashing has been lifted." Psykos's expression was complicated.
She looked at her best work, the one she had searched so hard for and successfully experimented on.
She reported to Aokiji in a low tone.
"Mm, follow me." Aokiji said casually while looking at the news on his phone.
His gaze swept over Orochi.
After the brainwashing was lifted, Orochi was still in a state of drifting confusion.
"Don't just stand there, I'm taking you somewhere. Don't think about escaping; you'll be able to judge for yourself once we get there."
Orochi was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.
In the current situation, his thoughts couldn't influence the outcome anyway.
Rather than being beaten again and dragged away,
it was better to comply for now and look for a turning point later.
Aokiji took his two new subordinates and left the devastated land.
He was still looking at the news on his phone.
Garou, after Puri-Puri Prisoner's sweet special training, seemed to have grown quite a bit stronger.
However, against a Demon Level Monster, it's still not enough.
——————
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Tentacles and flowing water clashed fiercely!
Rings of air waves generated by the collisions dispersed outwards!
Deflected tentacles lashed out powerfully against the surrounding ground and buildings.
Stone slabs shattered and cracks extended.
No matter the outcome of this battle, this entire street would surely become a high-risk building zone.
Three simultaneously swinging tentacles suddenly intertwined!
The changing movement and concentrated power caught Garou off guard, and he was sent flying!
A street lamp was snapped directly!
Garou's figure crashed heavily into a building beside the street!
From the edges of the large hole he created, cracks spread across the building's facade!
"Damn it..."
Garou lay on the collapsed wall Materials.
His bare upper body had a huge, blood-red whip mark!
But the reason for Garou's angry cursing wasn't the attack.
"That perverted Gay was slimy, and this damn Monster's tentacles are also slimy... It's disgusting!!"
With a few "swoosh" sounds, Garou rushed out of the hole!
In his hands, he gripped two steel rebars he had pulled from the wall.
In mid-air, he spread his arms back and threw them with sudden force!
The Monster's tentacles swung upward.
They easily batted the rebars away!
But because of this, a slight opening appeared in the Monster's overhead defense!
Garou, who had calculated everything, seized the battle opportunity and dropped straight toward the Monster!
"For slimy things, just stabbing them to death works best!"
He pressed his index and middle fingers together on both hands.
His face wore his habitual, wicked smile of Battle Intent.
He channeled all his body's strength into his finger strikes!
"Torrential Tooth Piercing Finger—!!"
The attack descending from the sky stabbed into the Monster's head!
The Monster cried out in pain and anger.
"Ugh-roar-aaaaah!!"
In the next instant, it launched a counterattack!
Numerous tentacles closed in from all sides, completely erasing any possibility of Garou dodging!
Garou didn't intend to dodge either!
It was just a trade of injuries.
The mental damage of having a pervert's saliva smeared on his face was far more terrifying than these soft tentacles!
Garou prepared to use the brief moment before the tentacles struck to gouge out the Monster's single eye!
But just as he gathered his strength,
Masked Hero, who was supposed to have left, suddenly appeared!
"Tempest Kick!"
Several tentacles were immediately disrupted by the attack, creating a gap for evasion!
However, the rest of the tentacles continued their assault!
They collided and intertwined upon the Monster's own head!
"Hey! Why did you come back, you nuisance?!"
Garou crouched on the ground, questioning him unhappily.
Except for some minor scrapes on his calves, he hadn't taken any other hits.
"Also, what kind of weird look is that?" Garou raised an eyebrow, looking at Masked Hero with disdain.
His crack-filled helmet was wrapped and knotted with black-and-white striped fabric; the lens area hadn't been treated, so one side was still cracked, revealing an eye.
The armor on his feet had long been damaged and was wrapped in cloth to stop bleeding, and he was wearing a pair of new shoes he'd just taken from some shop.
The strangest thing wasn't Masked Hero's outfit,
but his inexplicably bulging belly.
The curve was so prominent it felt like his stomach was about to burst.
"Gulp, ugh..."
Masked Hero covered his mouth, wearing a strained expression as he tried not to vomit.
His throat surged several times before he swallowed and spoke:
"...The Secret Technique I learned from Mr. Aokiji, it can achieve rapid digestion of food to restore physical strength... ugh... I wanted to try it out."
During the short time Masked Hero had left,
he had found a buffet restaurant and urgently stuffed himself with a large amount of food before rushing back.
Unfortunately, even though he tried his best to control the rapid digestion, he still couldn't do it.
Veins throbbed on Garou's forehead: "Get lost, it'll be disgusting if you get hit by the Monster and vomit later!"
Masked Hero covered his mouth: "It's fine, just a little..."
Boom————!!
Intertwined tentacles came crashing down!
They kicked up a large cloud of dust and debris!
Garou and Masked Hero shot out, launching their attacks together!
"Tooth Piercing Finger!"
"Finger Pistol!"
They once again engaged in a fierce clash with the Monster!
The battle scene was clearly filmed and reported by a helicopter circling in the sky.
Aokiji performed a simple analysis based on the filmed footage.
Finally, he determined that these two wouldn't die.
So he stopped paying attention.
Instead, he replied to the message Fubuki had sent.
He didn't tell her the specific details, only stating that he had captured Psykos.
However, the disposal of Psykos was still under consideration.
After it was all over, he would let Fubuki come and visit.
"Can't you just let me sit on top?!" Psykos, held within the Dragon's claws, said while suppressing her anger.
What would be wrong with letting her sit on Aokiji's Azure Dragon body?!
He just had to confine her in his claws like an eagle catching a fish!
Even Orochi was being treated better than her!
At least he was being carried by flame clouds!
Aokiji ignored her protest.
Newly recruited subordinates needed a certain amount of training; this was normal.
Orochi was being towed by flame clouds in the back like a kite.
His tall body remained in a lying position, his eyes vacant as if he had completely blanked out, wondering about who knows what.
After a period of flying,
Aokiji brought the two of them to the villa district base.
The mountain peak automatically opened a huge passage, allowing Aokiji to fly directly inside.
Aokiji casually tossed Psykos aside.
"Just find a clean spot and lie down to rest."
Then he turned and said to Orochi:
"Come, I'll take you to see some antique murals."