204. Black Bullet : War Against Scorpion and Tokyo Area Government. (5)

Seeing the task received by Saitama, all the chat group members immediately reacted and were shocked. Many of them were jealous because Saitama could get 100.000 points for free, as no one doubted that he would win against Scorpion.

=====

[Railgun Girl]: "Free 100,000 points?! I'm so jealous of Saitama-sensei!"

[God Tongue]: "Imagine how many food recipes I can get with that many points!"

[Necromancer]: "Me too. I still haven't paid off my debt to you guys."

[Mage of Exodus]: "Everyone, calm down! This task is for Saitama-sensei and should be easy for him to do... so there must be a reason why he asked for help."

[Caped Baldy]: "As expected of Aika. I do need help... especially that optional task." As a hero, I want to do it."

[Root Princess]: "Turning Scorpion back to human? Do we have to use points?"

[Necromancer]: "An optional task that even the world consciousness is willing to cooperate with."

[SAO Administrator]: "The reward is very attractive... locate all cursed children in the world. It seems like even this world agrees to have cursed children taken to another world."

[Railgun Girl]: "But how to achieve that? Does we need to spend point to change her back?"

[Mage of Exodus]: "Calm down. The chat group system is sometimes absurd, but it would never give an impossible task. Kaito, do you have any props that can do that?"

[Owner]: "No. But with the third method and system assist, I do have a method to change the form of a living being by manipulating its soul."

....??!!!??

Since Kaito learned this ability when he saved Anna before, he has experimented a lot on bastards or extremists who torture cursed children in the Tokyo Area. He has changed people into little girls with various attributes and even skin color, and later, Kaito also successfully changed people into literal animals, including their consciousness. Needless to say, Kaito's soul manipulation is now superior to Mahito's from Jujutsu Kaisen.

However, one of the drawbacks of this ability is also clear: if the manipulated soul wants to be changed into a creature that is much larger or smaller than the original, the energy and focus needed are much greater than for the same size. Same with the level of sanity, from rational to irrational, acting like an animal.

Fortunately, Kaito believes the system also knows the difficulty of this technique, so that's why world consciousness is also willing to help-- if he decides to do the optional task. The only confusing thing is why the world and chat group system wanted to turn Scorpion back into a human-- but Kaito and others could find the reason later on.

...

[God Tongue]: "Wow!"

[Uchiha Prodigy]: "That sounds terrifying ability, but it can help in this situation."

[Queen of Sekirei]: "It seems Kaito-kun is getting stronger again."

[Necromancer]: "I am a necromancer, but Kaito is better at manipulating souls than me."

[Mage of Exodus]: "You never told me you had such an ability!"

[Owner]: "You didn't ask. Besides, I only recently realized how terrifying the soul-based ability is, and I am still exploring it."

...

As Kaito learns to master the third method more deeply, Kaito realizes that this ability is far more terrifying than he thought-- even equal to or surpassing the "creation cheat". With his understanding of the soul, in addition to changing the shape of the soul, he can also freely release and attach the soul to an entity, both living and non-living things.

Although Kaito was previously able to create souls with the creation cheat, his creations can now create more mature souls that are capable of actual thinking, instead of just automaton souls like slime.

In addition, attacks that directly attack the soul are also the most fatal type of attack, because they are already in the category of concepts that can be combined with many things. Recently, one of his newest trump cards was a soul-based ability-- an ability that Kaito himself did not want to experience because he felt the victim would experience something worse than death.

Though with the recent nuclear attack on them, it seems Kaito finally has someone to test the ability on.

...

=====

[Mage of Exodus]: "We will talk about that later, but for now, you should be ready to assist Saitama-sensei."

[Owner]: "Ah, got it. But speaking of which, why does it take Saitama-sensei so long to beat Scorpion?"

[God Tongue]: "I mean that monster could regenerate instantly..."

[Necromancer]: "It's also enhanced by your curse... 4 times."

[Owner]: "No, no, you don't understand. If Saitama-sensei increases his damage input to the point that the regeneration can't keep up, wouldn't that easily complete the task?"

[Railgun Girl]: "But Saitama-sensei already did his best... I feel like both of their attack were now as strong as that nuclear bomb in Iwaki."

[Owner]: "Misaka, believe me, Saitama-sensei is holding back a lot. My curse is terrifying, but that's it. We are talking about Saitama-sensei here."

Although the curse also gives terrifying strength to Scorpion, it's clear that it's already reaching the upper limit and couldn't break through to 7* strength (aka planet/law/concept destroyer).

Meanwhile, Saitama's growing potential is much higher, if not infinite, and even Kaito doubts that 7* is his limit.

At least Kaito was sure that if Saitama were truly serious, Saitama could destroy this whole planet easily, as he had done with Jupiter's moon in his fight against cosmic Garou.

...

[Root Princess]: "I admit Kaito was right. This is the same guy who could obliterate a planet in one punch."

[God Tongue]: "Ah, that makes sense."

[Railgun Girl]: "Now you mentioned it, I feel like Saitama-sensei is playing with Scorpion instead of fighting."

[Mage of Exodus]: "@Caped Baldy, while Kaito is willing to help. It would be great if you could finish her up quickly.."

[Caped Baldy]: "I know that. I could put more strength into my fist, but I am afraid."

[Owner]: "Afraid?"

[Caped Baldy]: "I am afraid that if I put more strength, I would accidentally destroy the planet! Hence, why I am trying my best to focus on destroying her body, but her regeneration is too cheating!"

[Owner]: "..."

[Mage of Exodus]: "..."

[Uchiha Prodigy]: "..."

[Railgun Girl]: "..."

[Sekirei No.7]: "..."

[Elementary Grade Magical Girl]: "..."

Looking at Saitama's answer, everyone in the chat group became speechless and deadpan, since everyone, even the most silent Akitsu and Nanoha, could easily come up with the solution for his 'problem'. It's even more absurd when they think the reason they have been waiting here for hours is that Saitama is stuck with this problem.

...

[Owner]: "Uh... Saitama-sensei... why didn't you send Scorpion into space, if you were afraid of the destruction of this planet?"

[Caped Baldy]: "Space? I already thought that... but I can't breathe in space."

[Railgun Girl]: "I am genuinely shocked here, Sensei."

[Mage of Exodus]: "No, no, no, you definitely can. Even if you can't, you can hold your breath for a long time, right?"

[Railgun Girl]: "I wouldn't be surprised if Saitama-sensei doesn't even need to breathe."

[Musician of Red Hair Pirates]: "Um, in the original plot, Saitama managed to defeat Cosmic Garou in outer space. While Scorpion's strength is outrageous, Garou is much stronger, right?"

[Owner]: "You are right."

Kaito believes that the enhanced Scorpion upper limit is just continental, while Garou at one point managed to copy Saitama's strength-- which is capable of one-punching the planet. It's not even a question of who's stronger. Scorpion's only advantage over Cosmic Garou is her regeneration capability, thanks to the curse allowing energy to recover any damage she has suffered.

...

[Caped Baldy]: "Umm... maybe it could work."

[Mage of Exodus]: "It will work. Trust us."

[God Tongue]: "Saitama-sensei, the day soon becomes darker. If you keep insisting on fighting Scorpion, none of us will have dinner tonight."

...!!!

[Caped Baldy]: "I don't want to be late for dinner. I need to finish this asap!"

[Owner]: "Pffft... Erina knows how to control Saitama-sensei."

[Musician of Red Hair Pirates]: "Pffft... Saitama-sensei loves her dishes after all."

[Mage of Exodus]: "It's okay. We know you don't mean that, Saitama-sensei."

After all, even in his fight against Cosmic Garou, Saitama didn't realize how he could fight in space against Garou with a single hand the entire time-- while naked and in space!

...

[Caped Baldy]: "Alright then. I will punch her out to outer space real quick to finish the task. But how would you follow me, Kaito?"

[Owner]: "I can't move as fast as you, but I still can do teleport. Let me take the breathing and protective equipment real quick, and I will teleport to Saitama-sensei's location in outer space immediately. Remember to open the broadcast."

[Caped Baldy]: "Got it."

...

>>>>>

After getting the answer from Kaito in the chat group, Saitama, who barely paid attention to Scorpion during this time (he had already gotten used to her maximum speed), decided to implement Kaito's plan, which sent Scorpion to outer space so he could go all out to defeat Scorpion.

In fact, Saitama currently does have enough power to destroy all of Scorpion's cells in an instant, but he is very afraid that the impact of such an attack can cause massive destruction. Not to mention his optional task, indicating that Scorpion can be transformed back into a human.

As a hero, Saitama doesn't want to kill humans... for whatever reason, like what he did to Garou in the original plot.

...

Afraid of being late for dinner, Saitama decides to go all out for the first time. Bursting out with a speed far faster than Scorpion's speed or reaction time, Saitama then headed straight under Scorpion's giant body to launch his devastating attack.

In that instant, the world seemed to hold its breath. 

Saitama's right hand tightened into a fist... The air distorted as he charged his fist upward. Saitama punched Scorpion with tremendous destructive force, followed by an explosion and blinding light in the area.

"SERIOUS SERIES: SERIOUS UPPERCUT!"

...!!!

*BOOOOOOM*

The monster didn’t just fly back. It vanished from the area, launched at an unimaginable speed into the sky. Its massive body twisted in the air, burning from the sheer friction of reentry-like velocity... and rapidly losing its gargantuan mass in the process. In seconds, it broke through the upper atmosphere and arrived in the vast outer vacuum of space. 

Fortunately, unlike last time, Manaka this time managed to contain Saitama's impactful attack with a magic barrier that is enhanced with infinity magic from the root, to minimize the destruction it caused on Earth.

Meanwhile, confirmed that Scorpion is already in outer space now, Saitama opened the broadcast feature and informed Kaito to get ready to teleport to him.

Kaito, who had already prepared, directly gave him confirmation while also urging Saitama to do it immediately, because it seems that Saitama's punch on Scorpion was way too stronger than he expected.

"..."

Looking at Scorpion seems to be getting farther and farther from Earth, and Saitama is getting anxious with sweat on his forehead. While his purpose was to launch Scorpion to outer space so he could go all out, at this point, Scorpion was going on her way out of Earth orbit and getting exiled into outer space forever!

Realizing this dangerous situation, Saitama determined to stop it from going too far by intercepting it in outer space.  He then took a deep breath, crouched, putting all of his strength into his leg, and then launched himself into space.

...!!! 

*WOOOSH*

With more unimaginable speed, Saitama quickly vanished from Earth with tremendous force that split the sky, so fast that gravity and air resistance had no way to slow him down at all.

"Gotcha!"

In no time, Saitama managed to reach Scorpion's location in outer space, getting behind it and then catching it with both hands to stop its momentum!

*BAMM*

...!!!

The confrontation between Scorpion's inertia speed and Saitama's blockade creates massive friction between them, creating blinding light that makes people on Earth mistake it there's a second sun at the moment.

However, such confrontations only last a very short time. Saitama, being an absolute force, quickly shut down Scorpion and kept it in place, perfectly preventing her from going too far from Earth.

While on it, Scorpion frantically generates countless tentacle arms toward Saitama in anger and fear, realizing what her hatred has done to her in a very short time. 

*BAMM* *BAMM* *BAMM*

...!!

However, Saitama manages to hold on to her just fine, completely ignoring her attack just fine with his invincible durability. After a flat minutes enduring such an attack, until Saitama realized Kaito had teleported beside him, not far away, floating while wearing a space suit and bunches of props.

=====

[Caped Baldy]: "Take you too long, Kaito! This monster has managed to shred all my enhanced uniform into pieces, and now I am naked!"

[God Tongue]: "Pffft!"

[Mage of Exodus]: "Pffft!"

[Musician of Red Hair Pirates]: "Pffft!"

[Owner]: "I am sorry! But I can't breathe in space like you, sensei, so I need to be prepared! Not to mention, I also need no anticipation to not get harmed by your serious punch!"

[Caped Baldy]: "It's okay. Just pay me back with points to enhance my hero uniform later."

[Owner]: "Sure! Now, Saitama-sensei, please finish this monster off!"

[Caped Baldy]: "Yeah, be careful not to get thrown off!"

=====

...

After saying that in the chat group, Saitama's right hand tightened into a fist, ready to release his all-out attack in the space. Kaito quickly activated all of his protective props while asking the system to protect him using point, making sure he wouldn't accidentally get killed by the impact.

*DING*

[20000 points have been deducted.]

Kaito then also asked the system to assist him in catching Est's soul fragment and Scorpion's human soul after Saitama finished his job, but surprisingly, while the system agreed, it also didn't ask any point since the world's consciousness was also helping him in that regard.

However, the same couldn't be applied to Scorpion itself, the target of extermination.

Scorpion, being a monster with no rationality-- quickly feeling dread to her soul-- knew the person in front of her would annihilate her existence to nothing with absolute power.

For the first time, Scorpion, after getting enhanced by multiple Est's soul fragment curses, now felt absolute fear toward Saitama and Kaito, and her instinct to survive kicked in hard!

Both of the curses reside in the Est soul fragment, and Scorpion consciousness desperately wanted to escape from Saitama, but in space, their mobility is limited!

For the last attempt to save their existence, the curses release an unimaginable amount of energy to launch themselves away from Saitama-- but she forgot that attempting to outrun Saitama is a futile action!

Despite her attempt, in less than a split second, Saitama appeared on her face and released his all-out attack.

"SERIOUS SERIES: SERIOUS PUNCH!"

...!!!

*BOOOOOOM*

Instantly, the sky of planet Earth was filled with a very dazzling light, accompanied by a very powerful explosion. The effect is so great that it caused a massive earthquake that affected the whole planet.

In fact, if not because of system considerations, the effect of such an explosion close to planet orbit would be much worse... and may even cause an apocalypse on the planet. 

There's no single spec of Scorpion biology material that survives from such direct attack, not even an atom. Fortunately, the soul is largely unaffected by Saitama's attack, and she was quickly retrieved by Kaito, which means they completed the optional task for Saitama's task.