The next day, at noon.
The ruins of A-City. The massive rock arena still stood.
The blazing sun overhead did nothing to dispel the heavy gloom hanging over the ruins.
Around the arena, it was livelier than ever before.
On one side was the Monster Association's camp.
The colossal form of Orochi coiled in the back, behind him stood several Dragon-level executives with formidable auras, along with a large number of oddly shaped low-to-mid-level monsters.
They occupied a large area, exuding a chaotic and dangerous presence.
On the other side were the Heroes of the Hero Association.
A group of S-Class Heroes, along with a few high-ranking A-Class members.
They stood on a relatively safe, crumbling high-rise, watching the arena with grave expressions.
Further away, countless media and civilians who had heard the news but dared not approach crowded together, various telephoto lenses and drones aimed at the arena.
In the center of the arena, No.17 was as usual, hands in his black jacket pockets, eyes closed in meditation, ignoring the tense atmosphere surrounding him.
"We can begin." Gyoro Gyoro's voice, amplified somehow, rang out across the scene.
Boom!
A purple beam of energy shot into the sky, blasting a massive hole in the clouds above.
Within the beam, a tall, muscular figure exuding a sense of destructive power slowly rose, wreathed in suffocating arcs of energy.
It was Boros, fully revived, his condition perhaps even surpassing his former peak.
"Hahaha!" Boros laughed wildly, his voice like a storm sweeping across the land. "Is this the arena? Where is this guy who dares claim he can destroy a planet?"
"Let me see if you're worthy to be the first sacrifice after my rebirth, Boros!"
His gaze instantly locked onto No.17 in the center of the arena.
"So strong! This is that space pirate leader from before?" Atomic Samurai's expression was grave.
Tanktop Master said solemnly, "Let's hope Metal Knight's restraints work. Otherwise, after he defeats No.17, his aim will turn to us."
'Defeat No.17?' Genos shook his head slightly, feeling that ignorance was sometimes bliss.
Unlike him, he had no hope whatsoever for this operation.
"Hmm?" No.17 slowly opened his eyes, his gaze blandly sweeping over Boros in the air. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes, but then they returned to indifference.
"An alien? Energy response... mediocre."
"Mediocre?" Boros's single eye blazed with anger. "Arrogant insect! You'll pay for your ignorance!"
He dived down like a meteor, tearing through the atmosphere with a shriek and an aura of utter destruction, throwing a punch at No.17.
Before the fist even landed, the terrifying pressure had already formed a web of cracks on the arena's surface.
The power of this strike far exceeded his normal state during his original fight with Saitama.
Clearly, the energy infused by the [God's Altar] had significantly enhanced his base strength.
Facing this punch, capable of sinking a continent, No.17 finally pulled his hands out of his pockets.
He shifted his right foot back half a step, drawing his right fist to his side.
Then, facing the descending meteor, he threw a punch.
Thud!
An indescribably terrifying impact.
Centered on the point where their fists collided, a visible circular shockwave expanded outward.
Wherever it passed, the ground for hundreds of meters around the arena was completely overturned as if by an invisible giant plow. Rubble and steel rebars shot out like bullets in all directions.
Some low-level monsters near the arena's edge were shattered by the shockwave alone.
Even some powerful Dragon-level monsters were blasted back, spitting blood.
"What?" The observing Heroes of the Association were stunned. The mere aftershock possessed such power?
The dust slowly settled.
On the arena, the two figures remained in their striking pose.
The arrogant smile on Boros's face froze, his single eye filled with disbelief.
His full-power attack had been blocked just like that.
Moreover, his arm was trembling slightly.
"Warm-up over?" No.17's tone remained bland. "If the Dominator of the Universe is only this strong, it's quite disappointing."
"Damn you!" Boros's ferocity was fully ignited. His energy erupted like a volcano.
"Meteoric Burst!"
His speed and power increased exponentially. His figure completely vanished from sight, leaving only sonic boom clouds tearing through the air.
The arena became the center of a storm, thousands of devastating strikes per second raining down on No.17's position like a downpour.
This was a destruction mode capable of devastating the planet's surface in a short time.
Yet, at the storm's center, No.17 stood like a rock in a raging river, unmoving.
"Impossible! Impossible!" The more Boros fought, the more alarmed and enraged he became.
He felt like he was facing an insurmountable, primordial mountain.
"Collapsing Star Roaring Cannon!"
Pushed to his limit, Boros finally unleashed his strongest attack.
He gathered all his energy, firing a beam of pure destruction over ten meters in diameter from his mouth.
At that moment, even the monsters held their breath. The Heroes' hearts were in their throats.
However, No.17 simply and calmly slapped the energy beam away, sending it flying into the sky.
Boros froze in mid-air, his single eye wide with collapse and despair.
His strongest attack had been casually slapped aside. In that instant, the despair of his previous death came flooding back, and this time was even worse.
"You're far inferior to a certain Emperor of the Universe," No.17 shook his head slightly. "Even the Emperor of the Universe is outdated. Dominator of the Universe, you can rest in peace."
No.17's figure, for the first time, actively disappeared from its spot.
Boros couldn't even react.
A fist, wreathed in white light, gently pressed against his chest.
With a soft sound, Boros's tall frame shuddered violently.
He looked down at his chest.
No blood. Only a rapidly expanding void.
Wherever the void passed, his body tissue silently annihilated.
"Dominator of the Universe?" Boros thought of being crushed twice and couldn't help but laugh mockingly. "Haha, Dominator of the Universe!"
The pure white void spread across his entire body.
Watching Boros die like this, his body completely vanished, Psykos was utterly numb.
That was Boros, the Dominator of the Universe! After being strengthened by the God's Altar, his power definitely surpassed the former 'Above Dragon' level.
According to her calculations, even if Boros couldn't defeat No.17, he should at least force out most of his strength, cause considerable consumption, and maybe even reveal a weakness.
That's why she had made the agreement with the Hero Association to launch a sneak attack if Boros lost.
But now, even if they all joined forces, what would be the use?
Just then, thousands upon thousands of scorching beams of light, like a sudden torrential rain, erupted simultaneously from all directions.
They varied in color and energy type.
There were high-temperature particle beams, high-voltage plasma, kinetic armor-piercing rounds, even distorted gravity wave attacks.
Each was powerful enough to easily destroy a building, now converging into a torrent of destruction that instantly engulfed No.17 in the center of the arena.
Gyoro Gyoro, controlled by Psykos, widened its eyes.
'Someone had actually acted?'
'Whose subordinate was this? So brave!'