Baldy and The Wars Between

2.

The carriage creaked along the uneven path, rattling over rocks and dips in the dirt road. Saitama leaned his head against the back of his seat, his eyes half-lidded as he stared blankly at the forest canopy passing overhead.

His mind was already wandering elsewhere, mostly towards food. His stomach let out a small growl, but he barely reacted, lazily rubbing it as if to soothe the beast within.

I wonder what kind of food they have here... I'm getting pretty hungry. Saitama thought.

Zenvi, seated across from him, smiled slyly, leaning forward just enough for her hair to fall dramatically over her shoulder.

Her eyes lingered on him, catching every idle movement with interest. She chuckled softly, a playful smirk curling her lips.

"Hungry? Oh, don't worry, I'll make sure you're... satisfied. Of course, everything comes at a price," she teased, her voice dripping with suggestion.

Saitama blinked slowly, turning his head to her with an expression that could only be described as blank confusion.

His gaze drifted past her, and his attention shifted to the man sitting beside Zenvi with a bag over his head. He frowned, already forgetting what she'd said.

"Uh... you said we were close, but it's been like... ten minutes. So, how close are we?" Saitama asked, utterly ignoring her tone.

Zenvi, momentarily thrown by his complete disinterest in her flirting, crossed her arms and pouted slightly.

"We're close enough. That's all you need to know," she responded, her voice a bit sharper now.

Saitama shrugged and shifted in his seat, leaning his head back again. Without another word, he let his eyes drift closed, and within seconds, he was out like a light.

The gentle sway of the carriage rocked him into a peaceful nap, completely ignoring the tension between them.

Ten minutes later, a sudden jolt from the carriage woke him up. He blinked, his head lifting groggily as the carriage came to a stop. Zenvi was already looking out the window, her lips curled into a satisfied smile.

"We've made it—Umbravale," she announced with a flourish, stepping out of the carriage with the grace and poise of someone who expected to be admired.

Saitama stretched, popping his joints as he yawned. He stepped out of the carriage and stood there for a moment, blinking in the sunlight.

His eyes lazily trailed back to the carriage, waiting for the man with the bag over his head to step out, but he just sat there, motionless.

"Uh... is he coming out or...?" Saitama asked, scratching the back of his head.

Zenvi glanced at the man, rolling her eyes before muttering something under her breath. Instantly, the man sprang to life, casually sitting up and maneuvering out of the carriage with surprising ease.

Saitama turned away from Zenvi, squinting at a distant stone tower that loomed over the trees.

"What's that?" he asked, pointing at it with mild interest.

Zenvi sauntered up next to him, her presence commanding as always. "That's one of our military outposts. And look, my men have arrived," she said, gesturing toward the horizon where hundreds of armored soldiers on horseback were approaching.

Saitama didn't seem impressed. His gaze wandered from the soldiers back to the tower. "Looks more like a monster-hunting spot," he muttered to himself, already losing interest. Without waiting for Zenvi's reply, he started walking toward the stone structure.