Dimensional Invasion: I Can Fish for All Heavens

Chapter 518 The Emperor's Engine! The Desire to "Become" a True Hero!
But at the very moment King nodded.

"Boom!!!"

A deep, resonant roar, as if from an ancient war drum, suddenly exploded from King's chest!
The sound was so loud that it seemed not to be a human heartbeat, but the roar of a super-giant engine running at full power at its limit!
Emperor Engine!

It is said to be the unique sound King makes when he enters battle mode.

But in reality, this was just a physiological anomaly caused by his heart racing uncontrollably under extreme tension and fear!
"Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!!!"

The roar of the Emperor's engine echoed over the ruins, carrying an indescribable, soul-stirring sense of oppression.

As King listened to the completely uncontrollable pounding of his heart, his tension and fear grew like a snowball!
He tried desperately to control it, but the more he did, the faster and louder his heart beat!
The "Emperor Engine" not only did not subside, but intensified, with the roar growing louder and louder!
"It's over, it's over, it's over! I can't stop! I just can't stop!"

"They won't think I'm excited, will they?"

"This hero wouldn't want to give me that weirdo, would he?"

"Ah! That weirdo is looking over here too! Help!"

King was somewhat devastated; he had even noticed that the hammer-wielding hero in front of him was looking at him differently.

Do you think he's excited, so you want to give him the weirdo? Don't do that!

At that moment, the Asura Rhinoceros Beetle, which was about to pounce on Ivan Reznov and tear him to shreds, suddenly froze as it heard the "Emperor Engine" pulsating in the air. Its body, which was completely dominated by its fighting instincts, was suddenly frozen!
Its blood-red pupils suddenly contracted to dangerous pinpoints, and it abruptly turned its head in surprise and uncertainty, staring intently at the source of the sound.

The scarred man who stood quietly, expressionless!

An indescribable vigilance and a barely perceptible fear, originating from the deepest, oldest instincts of life, quietly entangled the mind of the Asura Rhinoceros Beetle, which was filled with madness!
why?
It didn't understand! In its perception, the human who suddenly appeared did not exude any powerful energy; in fact, he seemed incredibly fragile!
Logically speaking, it could easily crush a whole bunch of these ants with its bare hands, and they shouldn't have attracted its attention at all!
But that heartbeat!

The heartbeat, like a war drum, an engine, or the premonition of the awakening of some ancient beast, carried a kind of oppressive force that it could not understand, yet pierced the soul!
The sound seemed to pierce through its frenzied consciousness, awakening a primal fear of unknown danger that lay dormant deep within its genes!
Its body, its fighting instincts, were frantically warning it! Warning it that the seemingly ordinary man was extremely dangerous!
Driven by this contradictory yet intense instinct, the Asura Rhinoceros Beetle's massive body involuntarily stopped. Its scarlet pupils, still mad, were now mixed with an unprecedented sense of solemnity and vigilance.

It stared intently at King, letting out a low, threatening growl, but dared not launch another attack for the time being.

Meanwhile, when Ivan Reznov heard the continuous roar of the Emperor's engine, even though he knew it was probably just King's physiological reaction due to extreme tension, his hand holding Thor's hammer still involuntarily and subconsciously tightened its grip a little more!

A strange sense of tension crept into my heart.

Upon realizing that his body was producing this instinctive reaction, Ivan Reznov's lips twitched slightly.

"No wonder. No wonder that in the world of 'One-Punch Man,' both heroes and monsters have unwavering faith in King's strength."

"The sound of that heartbeat is inhuman! The sense of oppression it carries is too strong!"

"Even I, who know the 'inside story,' felt my heart pound and my muscles tense up upon hearing this in this environment. Let alone those who are unaware of the truth and can only judge strength based on aura and intuition!"

Ivan Reznov shook his head, suppressing the instinctive tension that arose in his heart from the roar of the Emperor's engines.

He glanced at the Asura rhinoceros beetle, whose attack had stalled due to the shock of the "Emperor Engine," then looked at King, who appeared calm on the surface but was probably inwardly turmoil, and quickly said:
"Hide well."

Then, without giving King any time to react or ask questions, lightning suddenly erupted around him again, and he transformed into a blue lightning bolt that tore through the sky, fiercely pouncing towards the Asura Rhinoceros Beetle who was still watching in astonishment!
"Boom!!!"

Thor's hammer unleashed a torrent of lightning, striking directly at the body of the Asura Rhinoceros Beetle!

The ferocity of the attack instantly drew the attention of the Asura Rhinoceros Beetle back to the present!

"Roar!"

Enraged by the sudden attack, the Asura Rhinoceros Beetle once again engaged in battle with Ivan Reznov!
While launching a fierce attack, Ivan Reznov moved skillfully, fighting and retreating, consciously directing the aftershocks of the battle and the pursuit route of the Asura Rhinoceros Beetle in another direction away from King's location!
Coincidentally, deep within the consciousness of the Asura Rhinoceros Beetle, dominated by its killing instinct, there was also a subconscious resistance and unwillingness to approach the source of the "heartbeat" that made it inexplicably uneasy.

Therefore, Ivan Reznov's "traction" went exceptionally smoothly!

The figures of the man and the monster quickly transformed into two streaks of light, one blue and one purple, moving as they fought and gradually disappearing into the distance.

Even as the deafening roar faded into the distance, and the two terrifying figures disappeared from sight, King remained frozen in place, clutching the shopping bag with the game store's logo tightly in his hand, as if petrified. Should we hide?
These two words echoed repeatedly in his mind, carrying a strange yet distant warmth.

I don't know when it started, maybe it was when he "coincidentally" appeared next to the monster's remains and was mistaken for the one who destroyed the monster, maybe it was when the Hero Association ranked him as the 7th in S-class, or maybe it was when the title of "the strongest man on Earth" spread throughout the world.
No one ever spoke to him again in that protective, even somewhat "taken-for-granted" tone.

In everyone's eyes, he is a pinnacle to be looked up to, a pillar of strength in times of disaster, and the "strongest hero" who should protect others.

The gazes people cast upon him were filled with awe, reliance, and expectation, but no longer with worry or reminders.

It was as if he was born to stand at the forefront, facing all dangers, without needing anyone's protection.

But in fact?
A bitter feeling welled up in King's heart.

He knew better than anyone else how ordinary, even somewhat timid, his soul lay beneath his "strongest man on earth" exterior.

All he longed for was a simple, peaceful daily life where he could play games without worry.

King never truly felt honored or proud of the "strongest man on earth" aura and unrealistic expectations bestowed upon him by the Hero Association through repeated "coincidences" and publicity. Instead, he was often shrouded in exhaustion and fear.

He is unworthy of those earth-shattering legends, nor does he deserve the title of "the strongest man on earth".

But reality has already elevated him to a god-like status.

When he saw ordinary people who had survived the disaster, their eyes shining with an almost religious light, calling out his name and regarding him as a symbol of hope;
When he saw those young heroes, who were truly fighting and shedding blood, looking at him with awe and admiration, he could neither speak nor deny it.

How could he so easily burst this beautiful "bubble" woven from countless coincidences, misunderstandings, and people's eager hopes?

Once the truth comes out, how disappointed and devastated will those who regard him as their pillar of support be?
What will he be like then?

The consequences were too heavy, too heavy for him, an "ordinary person," to bear.

Therefore, he could only maintain a facade in front of others, living on a pedestal built of countless lies, and alone chewing on the loneliness and pressure that no one understood.

But this time...
After recognizing him as "King," the man did not see him as a hero like himself, but rather as a member of the public who needed protection.

why?
He clearly knew that he was the "King"! When faced with such a terrifying enemy, why didn't he ask for help or expect him to take action, but instead told him to "hide well"?
Was it because he saw through him? Did he see through him and realize that he was just an ordinary person?

King's feelings were somewhat complicated.

There was a hint of panic and embarrassment at being seen through, but more than that, there was an indescribable sense of relief.

It's like someone who has been carrying heavy shackles for too long finally seeing someone not looking up at the burden on his shoulders, but at his weary legs.

Although this way of "seeing" may not have been what he wanted, and even carried a bit of awkwardness, it alleviated the loneliness of having no one to talk to.

He didn't speak, but silently and more carefully moved back, completely hiding himself in the deepest shadow cast by the broken wall.

Then he looked toward the collision of the two figures in the distant sky, listening to the deafening roar that seemed to tear the heavens and earth apart.

However, watching the figure fighting desperately to draw the battlefield away from his own position, King felt not only his original emotions, but also a trace of longing and resentment that he himself was almost unaware of.

After being regarded as a hero by countless people, and after living so long wearing the mask of "the strongest,"
A quiet desire to "become" a true hero had quietly arisen within him.

He longed to be worthy of the glory and expectations that had been forcibly imposed upon him.

He longed to possess the real power to protect others, rather than relying on luck and acting skills.

He longed that when disaster struck, he wouldn't just cower in the shadows, praying for another "coincidence," but could stand tall and proud like the man with the hammer in the distance, blocking the danger from reaching the people.

just
(End of this chapter)