In the distance, some sharp-eyed tourists recognized Sweet Mask. Their desperate cries instantly turned into screams of surprise, as if they had seen a savior descend.
Sweet Mask's speed was incredible. In the blink of an eye, he had already rushed before the Monster. A hint of undisguised, extreme disgust flashed across his flawless, handsome face—as if even a single glance more at this filthy creature would be a desecration of himself.
His right fist, knuckles clearly defined, was tightly clenched. Muscles bulged as he pulled back to full extension. A faint sonic boom could be heard in the air, as if he intended to use his proud thunderous strike to completely purify this eye-polluting trash.
But just as he was about to throw his punch—
Sudden change.
The moment Sweet Mask's icy blue, sharp eyes met those of the Ocean Garbage Monster, his expression froze. His pupils sharply contracted to pinprick size. His stomach violently churned. A strong sense of nausea rushed to his throat. The surging power within him seemed instantly frozen, rapidly draining away.
—No. This isn't good!!
Alarm bells rang in Sweet Mask's heart. An indescribable chill—and a sense of revulsion from the very source of his power—instantly swept over his entire body like a tide.
This guy… this guy is actually… a very rare—'Ugly Monster'!!
An Ugly Monster was a special type of Monster that occasionally appeared, born from the influence of certain twisted dark aspects of society—the collective unconscious hatred of humanity and other negative emotions—due to its own extreme ugliness. The combat power of such Monsters was often directly linked to the degree of their inner ugliness and the amount of resentment they carried. For example, this Ocean Garbage Monster, who deeply hated hedonism and littering, had clearly reached Demon-level strength.
For most S-Class Heroes, such strength might be negligible. But this type of Monster was Sweet Mask's only—and most fatal—weakness, even though he himself possessed S-Class combat power.
Due to some undisclosed secret, Sweet Mask had an almost obsessive pursuit of beautiful things, and an extreme, heartfelt disgust and revulsion for ugliness. This revulsion was not merely psychological—it directly affected his physiology and combat abilities. Once he encountered an Ugly Monster of extreme ugliness, his power, speed, and superhuman recovery abilities would be directly sealed. His body would even stiffen and become sluggish due to an instinctive stress response, making him unable to move.
"Damn it! Why… why is it precisely this kind of thing!"
Sweet Mask's clenched teeth rattled with a clacking sound. Fine cold sweat instantly seeped from his forehead. He could clearly feel the power within him rapidly dissipating. The strong, instinctive nausea made him almost vomit on the spot, making it difficult even to stand upright.
What was worse, he noticed that there were still a few tourists—Jack and the others—who hadn't run far.
I can't… I can't transform here… absolutely not!
Sweet Mask was extremely anxious. If his unknown side were exposed in front of the public… the consequences would be unimaginable.
"You dare to be distracted while fighting me, the great one? You're the coolest hero, aren't you? Die, die, DIE!!!"
The moment he was distracted, the Ocean Garbage Monster's huge arm—covered in viscous liquid—already brought a suffocating stench as it smashed down fiercely toward his head.
*BANG—!! *
Sweet Mask awkwardly rolled, getting covered in dirty fine grit and foul-smelling mucus, narrowly avoiding the powerful blow. However, his extraordinary speed and terrifying strength—which he usually prided himself on—were now greatly diminished. His movements appeared sluggish and clumsy, completely lacking his usual composure and elegance.
"Hehehehehe… what are you dodging, famous idol?"
The Ocean Garbage Monster let out a harsh, shrill, grotesque laugh. Its attacks became even more ferocious and violent. Though it didn't know why this handsome human, whom it envied, had suddenly become so vulnerable, this did not prevent it from enjoying the perverse pleasure of abusing a strong opponent.
For a time, punches and kicks rained down. Putrid liquid mixed with sand and stones splattered everywhere. The A-Class Hero Rank 1—once dazzling on stage and graceful in battle—could only awkwardly roll and dodge, struggling under the Ocean Garbage Monster's stormy attacks. Covered in all sorts of vile garbage residue, where was his usual flawless, handsome idol appearance?
*WARNING *
"Emergency evacuation warning! A Demon-level Monster, 'Ocean Trash,' is suspected to have appeared in J City's Golden Coast Scenic Area!! Nearby citizens and tourists, please evacuate as quickly as possible. Do not approach! Do not approach!!"
"Repeat: Emergency evacuation warning…"
*WARNING *
The piercing alarm broadcast echoed over the coastline. On the beach, Sweet Mask was hit in the abdomen by the Monster 'Ocean Trash.' His eyes bulged immediately. His body was thrown far backward.
*PUWAH—!! *
After landing, Sweet Mask rolled a few times in a sorry state, then spat out a large mouthful of blood. His handsome face contorted in pain. His heart filled with humiliation and unwillingness.
"Damn it…! My body… I can't exert any strength at all… this disgusting thing…"
But the Monster's attacks came one after another, giving him no chance to catch his breath.
"Hehehehehe… you're not convinced, are you? Then let me give that handsome face of yours one last strike!!" The Ocean Garbage Monster's grin widened. "Watch me smash you flat!!"
Just as it leaped high with a sinister grin, aiming a fatal blow at Sweet Mask's head—
A strange, oppressive sound suddenly began to play.
*BOOM! *
*BOOM. BOOM—! *
*BOOM. BOOM. BOOM!—!! *
*BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM!—!!! *
The rhythmic roar—like a battle drum—rapidly rose from low to high, from far to near, resounding through the sky.
The calm sea surface also seemed affected by this invisible pressure, with surging waves responding as if welcoming the arrival of some terrifying entity.
"…This is!!!"
Both combatants paused in their fierce battle. The Ocean Garbage Monster, mid-air, sharply turned toward the direction of the roar. The ugly face—piled from rotten matter—instantly changed color.
It immediately abandoned Sweet Mask, who was already within reach, twisted its body forcefully in mid-air, and landed on the other side of the beach as if fleeing. The moment it landed, it was on high alert. Discarded fishing nets, plastic bottles, mutated Radiation Fish corpses—all the filth wrapped around its body—danced wildly with its nervous emotions. It adopted its strongest defensive stance, eyes exceptionally vigilant.
As far as the eye could see, a burly blonde man had appeared at some point not far away. A terrifying aura—that made the Monster instinctively tremble—permeated the air with the earth-shattering drumbeats.
His eyes—bearing three ferocious scars—stared over with the cold, indifferent gaze of a strong individual. The kind that said: You are already a dead man.
Ocean Garbage Monster: Marula!!
Σ(°△°|||)
King: Marula!!
┌(.Д.)┐