The sounds of construction. A sea of footsteps walking across concrete pathways. Vehicles of all sizes and shapes fill every street. Electronic billboards and screens on the sides of buildings are brought to life by talk shows, advertisements, and news stations.

This description could apply to any city in the modern world. A standard of normalcy that humanity strived to maintain. No matter where you come from, this is the life you'd have. It was good, simple, and peaceful.

However, such tranquility must be actively protected. There are forces in this world that would seek to disrupt it. It would only be natural disasters like earthquakes or tornados on better days. On worse ones, it'd be a sentient creature that sought to wreak havoc and bring death solely to do so.

The public deemed these entities as monsters. The powers that be, such as Governmental bodies, referred to them as "Mysterious Beings." Furthermore, they had a classification system in place. Depending on the severity, the "Mysterious Beings" would be labeled as one of the following: Wolf. Tiger. Demon. Dragon.

In response to these terrifyingly powerful organisms, an organization created by a man named Agoni was formed. "The Hero Association." An institution that employs the best Humanity offers to protect civilian life. These brave souls stand between the innocent and the evils of the world.

Similarly to the system that classifies the Mysterious Beings, another ranks heroes. C, B, A, and S. The distinctions for each Hero class are from weakest to strongest. Those placed in or promoted to the S class are considered gods among mortals.

Admittedly, for the most powerful of the S class, they very well might be. The power they wield is greater than anything ever witnessed before in history. Yet, above even them, at the number one spot, is a hero whose strength is forever without equal.

At least, that's the current assumption, anyway.


The sounds of construction. A sea of people walking across concrete pathways. Vehicles of all sizes and shapes fill every street. Electronic billboards and screens on the sides of buildings are brought to life by talk shows, advertisements, and news stations.

This description could apply to any city in the modern world. City A, a bustling metropolis, was one of them. A fine place to live, like any other. The perfect example to use for a thriving populace accustomed to peace.

But that wasn't the case on this day. A Mysterious Being had appeared, and with it, it brought destruction. The appearance of the creature was instantaneous. No warning or indication was given.

Upon arrival, a fair chunk of the city had been destroyed. Whether by choice or accident, it was at an in-progress building erection. The workers assigned to the project weren't on-site yet as they busied themselves at another location. Unfortunately, even with that good luck, there were still those caught in the chaos.

One of them, a little girl, had been forced to the ground. The responsible party approached her as she coughed from the dust created by the unfolding situation. She wouldn't notice their presence until their shadow cast itself over her.

"Mommy?..." The little girl questioned as she looked up. Her vision was slightly blurred.

Expecting her mother to pick her up in her arms, the little girl received a far different reaction. A purple hand, nearly bigger than herself, reached down and grabbed her. Immediately, she tried her best to scream. But the hand prevented this by applying pressure to her abdomen with its grip, forcing the girl to do nothing but breathe.

"Attention, humans!" The hand's owner called out. He was an intimidatingly tall and large humanoid with purple skin and antennae, with a muscular physique to match. "My name is Vaccine Man! The great Mother Earth has sent me as her apostle! I demand to see the one you call champion! He who stands above you! Should you ignore me or send another in his place, I will crush this human in my grasp! Do not dawdle!" He proclaimed.


A frenzy of footsteps raced through a command center. Countless individuals, all dressed in similar suits, hastily carried out their assigned positions.

"What's the girl's status?" "Has he made any more demands?" "Heroes are nearby and waiting for more orders." "The press is keeping their distance, but we need more people to keep the public in check!" "We're reaching out to S class, but we're still waiting for a response from each member!"

All of these statements were directed at one person, the senior member who was given command over the situation. He was a tall man with dark hair and an unshaven face. Among his peers, he was nicknamed "Bearded Worker." Most likely, it was conceived to be similar to how the Association named its heroes.

Others might find such a thing annoying, but Busho (his actual name) found it quite accurate. Due to this position within the organization, he rarely found time to keep a stubble from taking residency on his face. Plus, in the greater scope of everything, there were far greater things to be concerned about than a nickname his coworkers came up with.

Such as now. An entity calling itself "Vaccine Man" held a little girl hostage, and its demand was...interesting.

"Hey." A new voice spoke. It came from behind Busho and was different from the rest.

Turning around, Busho saw none other than his trusted partner, Jinzuren. A young man with glasses who had hazel eyes and hair. Like Busho and the rest of the Association's employees, he was dressed in a suit. Although, he carried himself more diligently than most, giving him an aura of calm composure and control.

"Glad you could join us." Busho greeted him. "How's it like everywhere else?" He asked.

"Hectic, to say the least," Jinzuren answered. "Everyone everywhere is going crazy over this. And they've all got one thing in common." He said.

"I bet I can guess what that one thing is," Busho replied with a sigh as both men looked at the monitors in the room. "We're trying desperately to find him, but we've had no luck so far." He informed.

"What? He's not at his apartment?" Jinzuren asked with astonishment.

"He's been sneaking out more and more. Honestly, I can't blame him. If you had a bunch of psychotic fans screaming your name daily, you'd want to get somewhere you could be alone." Busho answered.

"Have you tried his cellphone?" Jinzuren inquired.

"He has it turned off," Busho responded with a sigh. "At this point, all we can do is hope he hears about this wherever he is. Otherwise, we'll need to consider our other options." He told him.

"Are there any? I'm not sure our other heroes, S class or otherwise, would be able to remove the girl from Vaccine Man's hand before he could crush her. We also don't know his durability or if he has an accelerated regenerative factor." Jinzuren pointed out.

"I think Tornado could. She'd be able to separate the two before he could react." Busho suggested, earning him a doubtful look from his partner. "Yes, I know, the likelihood of her even accepting to help with this is next to none. But it IS still possible." He said in his defense.

"We could always contact her sister if need be. Although not as powerful as Tornado, Blizzard is still a renowned Esper. Plus, she's always looking for opportunities to improve her and her group's standing." Jinzuren proposed.

"True. We'll ready ourselves to contact her if the need arises. For now, let's hope it won't come to that." Busho replied, receiving a nod in agreement.


KO!

"Aw, come on!" A bald man exclaimed as he was handed his defeat.

High above City M, in a rather nice apartment, two men sat next to each other, playing a fighting game. This wasn't a particularly interesting scenario. Many people, alone or with others, play games of every genre daily. At first glance, there was nothing of note to be found here.

Yet with a few seconds spent studying the faces of the two men, anyone (less they were not of this world) would recognize them. Upon doing so, they might begin screaming or shouting from overwhelming excitement. Because these two men, casually sitting and playing games, were heroes.

The first of the pair was a man known as King. He stood at six foot one, possessed blonde hair, blue eyes, and three scars that lay vertically over the left side of his face. Personality-wise, most people would describe King as immensely stoic and unexpressive, with an aura so commanding it brought anyone in his vicinity to a halt. As for his hero status, he resided in S class and was known as the "Second Strongest Man" in the world.

...Hold on. The SECOND strongest man? A bit of an odd hero name, isn't it? Usually, those who come second aren't put into such a high position in any ranking system. So, how can the world's second-strongest man reside in S class? The premium standard of all heroes?

Well, if one were to look at the man who sat next to him, the same who had just lost the current match of the fighting game they were playing, they'd receive their answer. Standing at five-nine, the man's other features and characteristics were...um...hard to put into words. There...was his hairless head, as previously mentioned. Then...there was...uh...hm...

Ah! Wait! There IS a way to describe him! Impressively plain! Remarkably simple! Astonishingly easy to overlook! All of these descriptors and many more like them fit this man perfectly.

However, hidden behind this incredibly unimpressive visage was something that eluded human comprehension. Within the body of this shiny-domed man was a strength that could make gods falter. This is how King could be the second strongest man in the world and be in S class. For it was Saitama, the strongest hero, who was his mentor.

But, more importantly, he was his best friend. This is why they were currently inside King's apartment, playing games together and doing their best to ignore the rest of the world. It is also why Saitama was beginning to bubble over with frustration from losing his sixth match in a row in their current game.

"I don't know why you do this to yourself," King said while looking at him. "Every time we play a fighting game, I beat you." He reminded.

"Yeah, because you cheat," Saitama replied.

"Dude. You constantly crouch at the edge of the stage and do nothing but uppercut. That works on AI, not players." King countered.

"Well, it should! It's a viable strategy!" Saitama defiantly exclaimed.

Jingle Jingle Jingle

That pleasing melodic tune was coming from a cellphone. It was from King's phone in his hoodie's pocket. Yet neither he nor Saitama needed him to pull it out to know who was calling.

"No." Saitama immediately said, knowing well what his friend would tell him.

"Saitama, they're not giving up," King responded. "This is the third time in ten minutes. It must be important." He added.

"You say that EVERY time," Saitama argued.

"True, but you know they're not going to stop," King said.

"There ARE other heroes in the world they could call. Plenty in S class, too." Saitama replied.

"But none of them could handle it in one punch," King said.

"TECHNICALLY, Tatsumaki could. She'd punch using her psychic powers." Saitama mentioned.

"Yeah, but Tornado only comes out when something interesting is happening. Like a giant monster rampaging a city or a massive natural disaster that she can prevent. So, you know she's a no-show." King reminded.

Afterward, a moment of silence came between the two. Both men listened to the phone's continued ringing as Saitama considered what he would do.

"...Ugh...fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine." Saitama groaned as he begrudgingly got up from the floor. "But I'm not going back home for my suit. Too much effort." He said.

"I'm sure your adoring public will understand," King responded with an amused smirk at his friend's behavior. "Do you want me to tell them you're on your way?" He asked while taking out his cell phone.

"Nah. Might as well make it a surprise. Maybe it won't be so boring, then." Saitama answered with a hopeful tone.

After opening the sliding glass door leading to King's balcony, Saitama walked outside and jumped off the building. Yet...he didn't plummet. Instead, his arch went well beyond the clouds and into the sky. As for the distance he'd travel, not even King would be able to tell.


"This isn't good. I think the freak's losing patience."

On a rooftop in City A, a group of heroes was gathered. Their ranks were varied, but that didn't matter. Apart from their duty as heroes to arrive and lend any assistance they could, these people had come for the same reason. They all hoped they would get a chance to see and maybe even meet the top-ranking hero of the Association.

In total, there were six heroes present: Lightning Max. Smile Man. Captain Mizuki. Skunk Boy Gasmask. Gearsper. Swim.

Lightning Max and Smile Man had been nearby, whereas the others had gone out of their way to get here. It was no mystery as to why.

"How can you tell?" SBG asked while approaching Lightning Max.

"Take a look." Lightning Max responded while offering him a pair of binoculars. "It's in the expression. Before, he was purely stoic with a gaze of disgust. Now it's changed to irritation. And if you look at the girl, his grip has gotten slightly tighter. You can see how much her shirt's being pulled towards his hand." He described.

"...Yup. I think you're right." SBG agreed after staring at the purple humanoid for a good few seconds. "Should we get closer then? We can't do anything from so far away." He inquired.

"It'd be unwise to make a move without HQ's direction. They've got people on the scene. If we're needed, we'll be contacted." Gearsper replied, wanting to be cautious.

"It won't come to that." Captain Mizuki said with a confident smile. "One Punch Man will save the day." She assured.

"I'm not sure." Smile Man responded. "This seems beneath him. S-class heroes typically don't handle situations like this." He told them.

"That might apply to OTHER S class members, but not One Punch Man." Captain Mizuki stated matter-of-factly. "As the president of his fan club, I would know. He's a courageous man with a kind heart. He'd never sit back and leave people in danger." She asserted.

"As you said, you're the president of his fan club. So, of course, you'd say that." Smile Man argued.

"Are YOU suggesting that One Punch Man WOULDN'T show up? Especially when this big purple alien has DIRECTLY challenged him?" Captain Mizuki questioned.

"All I'm saying is that S class enjoys a fight. It's why you don't see any of them responding to purse snatchers, bank robberies, terrorist threats, etc. They only come in when the world's in jeopardy." Smile Man clarified.

"Hmph, I cannot wait to take a picture of your face when he arrives and proves you wrong." Captain Mizuki told him as she crossed her arms. On behalf of her role model, she was deeply offended by this attack on his character.

"Um...what camera?" Smile Man asked. Captain Mizuki's attire was that of an Olympic athlete, which made sense because she was one. So, there weren't any places where a camera could be hidden.

"I have it!" Swim exclaimed after opening one of the pockets on her utility belt.

The camera, which the scuba-themed hero now wielded, was a digital model. More precisely, it was the kind anyone could easily obtain if they walked into an electronics store.

"Huh. I figured the fan club would have better cameras." Smile Man commented.

"We do. But this situation happened so suddenly we couldn't waste time getting our equipment together." Captain Mizuki explained.

"...Right..." Smile Man replied before looking at every member of the group. "Are all of you part of his fan club?" He inquired, wanting to be sure.

Without hesitation, the suspects raised their hands. Captain Mizuki, the admitted president. Followed by Gearsper, Skunk Boy Gasmask, and Swim. However, to Smile Man's surprise, Lightning Max had also raised his hand.

"Wait, really?" Smile Man asked, directing it towards the blond-haired hero.

"Well...only recently..." Lightning Max confessed with a nervous smile. "The idea of a hero being in another hero's fan club was weird at first. But it's steadily grown, and now most of our colleagues and peers are in it. So, I figured it can't be THAT strange, right?" He said.

"Of course not! One Punch Man is the model hero! The premium standard all of us should aspire to be!" Captain Mizuki proclaimed with fiery passion and conviction.

"Gee, that's nice of you to say. Thanks."

Everything came to a stop. That voice belonged to someone who wasn't there. Yet, when the group slowly turned their heads in the direction it came from, they discovered that the voice's owner WAS there. Standing but a mere few feet away on the rooftop.

"One...Punch...Man..." Captain Mizuki stuttered out. Quite possibly, this was the widest her eyes had EVER been.

"When...did...you get here?..." SBG asked, voicing the question all of them had in their minds alongside shock.

"Just now," Saitama answered as he pointed behind himself with his thumb. "I was hopping across the rooftops when I saw you guys standing here. You looked like heroes, so I figured I'd stop by and see how things are going." He explained.

"We...We didn't even see you...or HEAR you..." Gearsper said in disbelief.

"Yeah. I tend to do that. But I promise it's not intentional." Saitama replied before turning to look at Vaccine Man. "So, is that purple guy the one I'm supposed to fight?" He inquired.

"...OH! Yes, sir! That's the target!" Lightning Max confirmed with a nod once he realized who One Punch Man was talking about. "I'm impressed you could see him without binoculars from here." He complimented him.

"I mean, the dude's pretty tall. Plus, he's purple. Not many purple people around." Saitama said. However, he did so in a monotone voice, meaning he didn't come across as demeaning or sarcastic. He was only stating obvious facts.

"Heh, right..." Lightning Max responded, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Anyway, the monster, who's called itself Vaccine Man, has a little girl hostage. He's threatened to crush her if you don't go and see him." He stated.

"Ah. So that's why I'm needed." Saitama said, now understanding the situation. "Okay. I'll deal with this. I'm sorry you guys had to get dragged out here." He told them while heading for the roof's edge.

"W-Wait!" Swim exclaimed, making him stop. "C...Could we...come with you? Just in case you might need help?..." She requested.

For most of the group, excluding Saitama, that question seemed absurd. One Punch Man needing help? What reality would that be? However, Captain Mizuki looked at Swim with pride, for she had taken the initiative to give them a chance to see their idol up close.

"...Sure." Saitama approved with a shrug, surprising everyone. "But if you're coming, we should take the stairs. So I don't get ahead of you guys." He suggested.

"Y-Yes, Sir!" All of the heroes exclaimed. Excited and overjoyed about this opportunity.


Humans. Such disgusting creatures. No matter their abilities, they would always be inferior to Earth. None of them could ever hope to rival her majesty.

That is why he was created. Vaccine Man is the pinnacle of what Earth can produce. All of her power was within him. None of these abhorrent parasites could rival him.

Yet, they believed they could. These so-called "heroes" assumed themselves the authority over what is just. They dared to put themselves higher than the world that gave them life. Once their champion is defeated, they'll know their place once more.

That is if he ever showed. Vaccine Man knew nothing about this human. Well, that's not entirely true. He knew this human was considered the best of the species and the strongest.

Vaccine Man imagined him as an intimidating human. Not to him, of course. But compared to his fellow failures of evolution, he'd undoubtedly be impressive. So, the rough image in the Earth's Apostle's mind was tall, muscular, and had an aura that carried the stench of death with it.

Surely, he'd know when the champion arrived. Then again, because humans are so hilariously pathetic, he might not. Their strongest individual could very well go undetected until he announced-

"Hey."

That voice came from Vaccine Man's right side. He turned in that direction and discovered a human who hadn't been there before. Standing at a distance of about ten feet was a bald man wearing shorts, flip-flops, and a hoodie with a rather questionable logo. As for the other humans that'd been nearby up until now, they retreated to a farther position and seemed to be observing them.

"A sneaky one, aren't you?" Vaccine Man commented while sizing up this human. "Credit where it's due; I didn't detect you." He admitted.

"Yeah, I asked everyone to stay quiet. Honestly, it hurts my ears when they're all screaming." Saitama said.

"Screaming? At what?" Vaccine Man inquired.

"Me. I'm a hero. A pretty popular one at that." Saitama told him.

"Oh?" Vaccine Man sounded intrigued. "So, does this mean your champion isn't coming? Have they decided to send someone else?" He asked before holding up the terrified girl in his hand. "I warned them what would happen if they did that. I will break this small human if your greatest warrior doesn't arrive soon." He warned.

"I am here," Saitama replied.

"..."

"..."

"...What?" Vaccine Man questioned.

"Me. It's me. I'm the guy you're looking for." Saitama stated. However, there was no emotion in his voice. He couldn't sound more bored if he actively tried.

"..."

"..."

"...I am not in the mood for jokes." Vaccine Man told him with a glare. "If you humans think you can deceive me, I will cover the ground in this one's blood!" He exclaimed as he held up the little girl again.

"Dude, I don't know what to tell you. You wanted the strongest human in the world to show up. It's not my problem if you don't believe me." Saitama responded.

Oh, that did it. Vaccine Man was through dealing with this human's nonsense.

"Fine. Do you wish to waste my time with lies, human? So be it." Vaccine Man said. "I will show you precisely what happens when you challenge the Earth's Apostle! Starting with this-"

BAM

A bright blue sky. Radiant sunlight. White fluffy clouds. These were the last things Vaccine Man's eyes saw as his head flew through the air.

After a few seconds, the disembodied head would hit the ground. At the same time, a downpour of viscera fell from the sky. What remained of Vaccine Man, his legs, stayed upright as the rest of his body fell around them. Yet while the "Earth's Apostle" was now in countless pieces, the little girl he'd taken hostage was unharmed.

Slowly opening her eyes, the child expected to see herself still in her captor's grasp. But as her vision cleared, the little girl saw she was in a new embrace.

"Hey, kiddo, you okay?" Saitama asked while looking down at her. He was unfazed by the blood and organs falling from above.

For a few seconds, the little girl only stared in awe. But then, almost instantaneously, her face beamed with an ear-to-ear smile.

"One Punch Man!" The girl exclaimed in delight before hugging him.

"Whoa," Saitama said, not expecting the hug.

"One Punch Man!" His hero name was shouted again, only this time not from the little girl.

Saitama turned around with the girl in his arms and saw a HORDE rush over. Leading the charge were Captain Mizuki and the other heroes, who'd been watching the scene unfold with the Association employees and civilians.

"That was incredible!" Captain Mizuki praised him. If her eyes sparkled more, they'd be mistaken for shiny gems. "None of us even saw you move! Then all of a sudden, the monster exploded!" She carried on.

"But I got it! We can go frame-by-frame!" Swim informed everyone while holding up the camera.

"Try as I might; I could never rival your speed." Lightning Max admitted with a sigh. "You're probably faster than the speed of light. To move that quickly is insane." He commented.

"Uh...thanks," Saitama replied, unsure how to respond. "Hey, can one of you guys take her?" He requested while offering the little girl.

"No problem, sir." SBG accepted while taking her into his arms.

"Aww, One Punch Man, are you leaving?" The little girl asked. Her disappointment at his departure erased any fear or despair she felt from having been a captive.

"Yeah, sorry. I need to go before-"

"ONE PUNCH MAN!" "ONE PUNCH MAN, OVER HERE!" "ONE PUNCH MAN!"

There they were. THEM. Reporters, journalists, and tabloid writers. They were, unjokingly, the BANE of Saitama's existence.

For this reason, Saitama quickly vacated the premises. With the same speed, perhaps even greater, that he used to kill Vaccine Man. Much to the disappointment of everyone present.


Alone. Good. No one was around, and none had managed to follow after him. Saitama was able to relax.

Being the world's strongest hero offered a LOT of perks, but it gave as many burdens. Such as the swarm of cameras and microphones constantly clamoring for interviews and attention. However, as he stopped in an alleyway, pressing his back against the wall, Saitama wasn't thinking about such things. Instead, he looked down at his right hand, which he had used to punch Vaccine Man, and pondered a thought that filled him with dread.

"The Earth's Apostle...that's what the purple guy said...does that mean the Earth itself created him?..." Saitama wondered as he slowly clenched his fist. "So...not even the Earth can create something that can survive one of my punches..." He continued to contemplate.

Tighter and tighter, Saitama's fist was clenched. Frustration was building inside him, and there was only one way it could come out.

"GODDAMN IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!"