"HA HA HA HA HA!" A massive humanoid octopus bellowed as he stomped from the beach towards the city, all nearby civilians screaming in terror as they ran away from him "Humans! if you wished to be spared from annihilation take heed! I bring a message from the depths!" It proclaimed.

However not too far from this location was there a hero already responding to the threat and while his means of transportation might not be the first thing one would think of it still was serving him well in traversing the distance with haste.

" *HUFF* *HUFF* *HUFF* " Mumen Rider breathed as he pedaled hoping he would make it to the creature before anyone could be hurt.

"HA HA HA!" The creature bellowed once more his laughter while still fairly distant now a bit louder telling him he was getting closer "You will surrender the surface to us! the clan of the sea folk!" It ordered as it cast it's hand out in front of it.

Upon hearing it's intention for the people and their city Mumen Rider as it usually happened felt a surge of energy suddenly hit him as he somehow pedaled even harder increasing his speed nearly tenfold.

"There you shall become our nourishment, bipedal human scum." It stated just before the sound of it's footsteps stopped.

Unknown to the cyclist for justice as he raced towards the creature hoping to keep it from harming others already was there a hero present.

"Hm?" The creature sounded as it leaned forward hoping to get a better look at the human who had caught it's eye "What a head! are you related to an octopus by any chance?" It asked as it pointed towards the human before it erupted in another bout of laughter.

.

.

.

Silence?

Unsure as to why it had suddenly gone quiet when it was just laughing aloud Mumen Rider turned the corner to the street where he believed the monster would be only to be met with a shocking sight. While he had been correct in that this was the monster's location and in truth PART of it was still standing from the waist up it had been completely destroyed only bits and pieces which lay scattered everywhere as proof it did have an upper half.

"Man that was awesome!" A nearby civilian shouted as people began to gather around it's corpse.

"Yeah it was like a water balloon bursting!" Another added.

"Well what do you expect? it picked a fight with One Punch Man!" Yet another replied.

It was at this point that Mumen Rider began to lose track of what they were saying for some began to cheer whilst others simply chanted. But even as his ears became flood with the overjoyed and excited sounds of the crowd one thought managed to take place in his mind.

"Saved the day once again." He thought as a small smile came to his face "If only I could be like you..." He wished as he turned his bike around.

Not wanting to somehow gain credit for this feat when he had done nothing Mumen Rider simply resumed his pedaling as he headed back home.

"What's with all the sea stuff lately?" Saitama asked himself as he walked down the street "First there was that seaweed guy now a giant octopus." He continued.

After having dealt away with his most recent encounter with evil Saitama feeling a bit depressed that as usual it only took a single punch to win the day decided to take a nice leisurely stroll back to his apartment. Though if there was ONE saving grace about his overwhelming strength is that any time he ever displayed it such as when dealing with a monster or villain people regardless of what city they're in loved to flock to the scene as to somehow relish in his feat. Which in turn meant while there would be of course a few people he'd have to dodge through ally ways or something similar for the most part after every act of heroism he did he could have a nice quite reprieve as he went back home. However as he eventually made it back to his street before he got close to his building he could already see someone sitting out in front of it and if he hadn't had just dealt with them the day before he would've never guessed who it was.

"Oh hey." He greeted it being just loud enough to get the other's attention.

Upon hearing his voice the being who was once covered in seaweed though now only had one sticking from it's head looked towards him, and where Saitama expected to see the somewhat sanity lacking gaze he had seen the previous day instead he saw the look of someone who seemed down on their luck. A bit surprised to see such a drastic change as he had never really had something like this happen before once he had closed the distance between them and now found himself standing in front of them he struggled to think of how he might be able to break the ice. Thankfully he wouldn't need to think for too long as the being once he had stopped before him moved it's gaze to the ground and spoke.

"...Why didn't you kill me?..." It asked it's tone matching the look in it's eyes "I heard you end every fight in one punch...so why didn't you kill me?..." It added.

Continuing to be surprised more and more as this went on Saitama was truly at a loss for words on how to respond to a question like that but he knew he couldn't just stand there and keep silent so he tried to give an answer that would be sufficient.

"I...didn't think you deserved to die." He answered as he rubbed the back of his head "I mean yeah you attacked me but it didn't seem like you were really all that bad." He continued "It's not like you were saying stuff like you wanted to kill me or anything you just wanted me to show you how strong I was right?" He asked.

Silence came between them for a moment or so as the being let his words sink in but just as Saitama began to think he might've screwed up they responded.

"Yeah..." It replied as it shifted a slight bit "I'd heard how you were the strongest person around so I wanted to see if it was true." It admitted before seeming to get sadder "But now that I know it was true you should've just killed me." They said.

Even though at many a time Saitama could be a bit dense or at the very least unaware of the full scope of things he was by no means an oblivious knucklehead nor was he a dimwit and so he before voicing the question that now formed in his mind took a seat next to the being.

"Why do you want to die?" He asked his tone while serious still possessed genuine concern which surprised the other.

"Why do you care?" They asked as they averted their gaze "I'm just some monster." They added.

"If that were true then you would be dead." Satiama answered "But the monsters I've seen and dealt with aren't capable of emotion, they're just mindless killing machines who only care about themselves." He explained before he looked to them "None of them seemed to be able to feel anything unlike you." He stated.

"I don't FEEL anything!" They spat back as they clutched their knees to their chest "I'm...just afraid..." They admitted.

"Of what?" He asked.

"...The Sea King." They answered "I told everyone I knew that I was gonna come to the surface and I was gonna take on their strongest hero and when they all started laughing at me that's when the sea king gave me a choice." They explained as their hold on their knees strengthened "Make a name for myself on the surface and prove them wrong or come back with nothing and be punished." They said.

"Why would you be punished?" He asked.

"Because sea folk are supposed to be the strongest creatures on the planet." They answered "The sea king is always saying how we are the top of the pyramid and all other life is beneath us, so if we ever lose to a surface dweller...then we deserve to die..." They explained as they buried their head into their knees "That's why you should've just killed me...because if I go back now...The Sea King will kill me...but first he'll make an example of me..." They began to say but were unable to continue as the words seem to be caught in their throat.

Looking to this being with a gaze of both concern and curiosity Saitama no longer saw a monster, a villain, or even just some cocky punk but instead what he saw was something like a child afraid of the dark or the monster under the bed, the only difference here being that the monster was real and so was the threat.

"...Hey." He began as he placed a comforting hand on the other's shoulder "If you want you can stay with me." He offered.

Unsure as to whether or not they had heard him right the being immediately turned their head to face him revealing that they had tears forming in their eyes.

"W-What?..." They asked.

"I said you can stay with me." He repeated though this time with a smile "It sounds like this sea king guy is a jerk I mean just because you lose a fight to someone doesn't mean you deserve to die." He explained "So since you can't go back to where you're from and you probably won't be able to live anywhere else or get a job cause of the way you look you can stay with me." He offered once more.

Staring at him as if they were a deer in the headlights the being completely at a loss for words could not keep their eyes from overflowing with tears though instead of shedding them out of sorrow they were now shedding them out of joy.

"Thank you!" They exclaimed as they out of just sheer happiness wrapped their arms around him hugging him as tightly as they could.

And while as anyone would be in response to such a sudden action Saitama after his brief shock left him felt his smile get a bit bigger before he patted their head.

"It's no big deal." He assured them "You're not that big so you shouldn't take up a lot of room." He reasoned.

Hearing them laugh a small bit at that which only caused his smile to grow a bit more still they remained as they were for a few seconds longer before the other broke the embrace.

"Sorry I got your suit wet." They apologized as they dragged an arm across their eyes.

"Eh it's nothing." He replied "I've had worse BELIEVE me." He told them causing them to laugh once more.

"You're funny." They said as a smile came to their face as well "What's your name by the way? other than One Punch Man." They asked.

"Saitama." He answered "What's yours?" He asked in return.

"The other sea folk just called me kombu on account of...well ya know." They answered as they pointed to their head.

"That's rude." He said "That'd be like calling me caped baldy." He admitted causing them once again to laugh "There's no way I'm gonna call you kombu just because it's your hair so you need an ACTUAL name." He told them as he began to think "Hmm...how about...Kaemon?" He suggested.

Taking a moment as to consider it, it only took a few seconds of contemplation before the other smiled and nodded their head.

"Alright then Kaemon it is." He said as he stood up "Let's go inside I'll give you a tour of the place though there's really not much to it." He admitted as they stood as well.

"Sounds good." They replied their smile seeming to get bigger.

And so with his new companion AND roommate in tow the duo went up the stairway and into his apartment.