Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Subjugation
"What?!"
Vaccine Man's expression twisted into one of shock and disbelief.
He couldn't accept what he'd just heard. To be forced into servitude by a human, no less, was beyond humiliating.
"I am Vaccine Man, born from Earth's will! I exist to purge humanity and its pollution from this planet! Earth is a living being, and your kind are nothing but parasites, corrupting it with your greed and filth!"
His voice grew more intense with every word, rage swelling behind his glowing eyes.
"My mission is to eradicate all of you, to tear down your civilizations and restore Earth to balance! And you dare to reduce me, an envoy of nature's wrath, to a tool?!"
But no matter how enraged he became, no matter how deeply the hatred boiled inside him, his body refused to move against Shinji. The anger was real but powerless, caged behind absolute obedience.
"I don't care if you're Earth's holy knight or a mutated tree-hugger or you fuck trees (Last one came out wrong). Right now, you're mine. And if you've got a problem with that, try resisting," Shinji said coolly, his tone as unshaken as his stance.
"Damn it…!"
Vaccine Man wanted to defy him, desperately. But the moment the thought crossed his mind, his limbs seized up. His core flared with resistance, but his muscles simply wouldn't respond. The system's restriction suppressed him with absolute control.
"I'm not wasting any more time on this," Shinji muttered. With a flick of his fingers, he dragged Vaccine Man out of the Kamui dimension and back into the real world.
Back at Shinji's apartment, Saitama was still lounging on the couch, game controller in hand. When he saw Shinji return with a tall, purple-skinned stranger in tow, he raised an eyebrow but didn't look away from the screen for long.
"Who's that? A friend of yours? Kinda looks like a monster," Saitama asked casually, fingers still moving across the buttons.
"That's Vaccine Man. The Dragon-level threat from earlier," Shinji replied. "I've got him under control now. He won't bother your game time."
"That will be better."
Saitama nodded and returned his focus to the game like it was no big deal. Monster, mutant, or Martian, it didn't matter. As long as the guy didn't mess with his TV, it was fine.
Shinji turned slightly toward Vaccine Man and added, "Alright, Temu Piccolo. I'd suggest you behave. I don't plan to hurt you, but that guy over there could end you with a flick of his finger."
Vaccine Man scoffed in response, unshaken by the warning. He didn't recognize Saitama in his current calm state. And despite being taken down by Shinji, he still believed he'd only lost because he was caught off guard, not because Shinji was stronger.
As far as he was concerned, humans were still inferior.
"Once you finish regenerating, I'll get you something to wear," Shinji said, already turning toward the bedroom.
Vaccine Man looked down at himself. He was still in his humanoid form, purple-skinned, muscular, and entirely naked. Though he lacked human anatomy in some respects, walking around unclothed was still a problem.
Since he was now Shinji's personal weapon, there would definitely be times when he'd need to be brought into public. And if that was going to happen, he needed to look at least somewhat presentable.
"Wait!"
Vaccine Man's voice rang out in alarm, a rare edge of panic breaking through his usual arrogance.
"No! I refuse to wear those ridiculous human garments! I will not become like you pathetic humans!"
But Shinji didn't even slow his pace. Without replying, he disappeared into the bedroom.
Inside, he rifled through his closet, grabbing whatever looked like it might stretch over a two-meter-tall purple monster. A pair of old track pants and an oversized black hoodie would have to do for now. It wasn't ideal, but at least it covered the essentials. Eventually, Shinji would need to find a tailor who could craft something durable and monster-sized.
By the time he came back out, Vaccine Man's regeneration was nearly complete.
Muscles flexed, purple skin shimmered faintly under the lights, and his grotesque form had returned to full strength. Yet despite that intimidating figure, the mighty Dragon-level threat stood paralyzed.
He wanted to run. His mind screamed for escape. But no matter how much he resisted, his body refused to obey.
"No! Let me go!!"
Vaccine Man's voice cracked with rage and humiliation, his eyes bloodshot with fury.
But it didn't matter.
His body reached forward and took the clothes from Shinji with trembling hands. Piece by piece, he dressed himself. A hoodie went over his hulking upper body. The track pants stretched tight against his massive legs. The waistband rode a bit high, but it held.
Only his head remained under his control.
And that face, twisted, snarling, anguished, was a portrait of sheer, spiritual collapse. He howled like a caged animal, veins bulging across his forehead as he resisted an order he could not defy.
Across the room, Saitama flinched.
He'd been right in the middle of chaining a clean combo, and Vaccine Man's wailing had distracted him at the worst moment. The AI opponent seized the chance and punished him with a brutal reversal.
Saitama's eyebrow twitched. His grip on the controller tightened. But he didn't say anything. This wasn't his apartment, after all. He just sat there silently, fists clenched, trying to focus through the screeching. Had it been Saitama's home, there would be a massive hole in his apartment, and Vaccine Man would have become a history.
If this had been his place, maybe he would've said something. Maybe. But punching Vaccine Man into orbit over noise felt like too much effort. And besides, it looked like the monster was one of theirs now.
...
When the last bit of cloth was in place, Vaccine Man stood there motionless.
His shoulders sagged. His hands hung limp at his sides. His eyes stared blankly at the floor.
All the fire and venom from earlier had vanished. He looked like a man who had just walked out of a funeral, his own.
"Seriously, you act like putting on some clothes is a death sentence," Shinji muttered, utterly unimpressed.
Not even decapitation had earned this level of emotional breakdown.
Vaccine Man clenched his fists slowly, his voice low and quivering with defiance and shame.
"I am Earth's chosen avatar. I will never be assimilated by you filthy, disease-ridden humans..."
"You say that," Shinji replied flatly, "but you're wearing sweatpants."
Right now, Vaccine Man looked just like a hot-blooded shounen protagonist, full of fire and unshakable resolve.
"...Isn't that a bit dramatic?" Shinji sighed. "Fine, I'm not interested in converting you. Just do your job when I need you, and that's it."
"I will never serve humans!" Vaccine Man's eyes burned with fierce resistance, entirely unwilling to compromise.
"That's not your choice to make." Shinji remained calm.
"Vaccine Man. Go clean the entire apartment. Top to bottom."
After all, tools weren't just for combat. They could help with chores too.
"No! Stop! I won't!"
Vaccine Man's left hand seized his right, trying to hold it back, but his legs betrayed him. They moved on their own, walking straight toward the broom in the corner.
And so, consumed by humiliation, Vaccine Man completed a deep clean of Shinji's entire apartment.
Of course, he wasn't exactly suited for the task. Though he looked humanoid, Vaccine Man wasn't evolved from humans, he lacked the fine motor skills and instincts needed for mundane chores.
He nearly shattered a side table just from lifting it, bent the vacuum handle by gripping it too tightly, and almost cracked a chair leg when adjusting it. Each time, he panicked and hurried to fix what he could before Shinji said anything.
Shinji watched the disaster unfold with mild amusement.
"Not bad. A bit clumsy, but decent overall."
"Damn you, human! Just kill me already!!"
Vaccine Man roared, his voice thick with despair.
For a being born from Earth's hatred of mankind, being forced to perform menial domestic labor was beyond torture. It was existential degradation.
"Why would I kill you? Isn't it better to live?"
Shinji spoke offhandedly as he reclined on the couch. "Now go play video games with him."
Vaccine Man's body obeyed immediately. Without hesitation, it carried him to the seat beside Saitama.
His fingers gripped a controller. On the screen was a chaotic display of flashing colors, characters flying across the battlefield in a fast-paced fighting game he didn't understand in the slightest.
Saitama didn't even look over at first. But once Vaccine Man picked up the controller, Saitama's eyes narrowed.
His posture shifted. His gaze turned sharp. "Oh? You want to challenge me too?"
His voice was low and serious. "I won't go easy on you."
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