My great thanks to TodaBruh, who kindly chose to use some of his free time to be my beta reader!
Saitama looked around him, as he took in the massive booth that the Hero Association had created for today's event.
Though to call this a booth was an understatement if he ever heard one. From a very posh looking 19th century's bar stationed at the front, to the elegantly designed pieces of furniture scattered around, this entire place screamed that the creator had an immense amount of wealth and wasn't shy about showing it. The booth's ceiling was at least 20 feet high, almost taking the appearance of an entire hall, rather than a single V.I.P's booth in any regular sports stadium. Saitama began to feel a little anxious as he began to go through the massive area, trying to find where he needed to go. At one point, he went by a huge limestone-carved waterfall, which made the water take on patterns that symbolized the Hero Association's logo, that being a massive bird.
He shook his head as he passed by what had to be the eighth complimentary wine tasting service. Seriously, just how much wealth was spent in making this place?!
Thankfully, after a few more moments he found Genos and Aeon talking outside of the entrance of a large patio space, and Saitama walked faster, smiling at the sight of some familiar faces… and hopeful that they both knew where exactly he was supposed to go once things were meant to start.
"Hey, Genos, Aeon, I was starting to wonder if I was ever going to find you both in this place." he remarked as he came closer.
"Master." smiled Genos in greeting, while Aeon merely grinned in amusement.
"Let me guess, trying to find your way in this place was a pain?" his friend said with humor.
Saitama gave him a dry look. "Why is this place so fancy? I mean, I'm pretty sure that none of this was here before, and yet the sheer wealth in this place is just…" he shook his head.
Aeon nodded. "Part of that is just the Association wanting to show off. Part of that is me wanting to show off." He said with a wink. "And part of that is that once this day is over, this place will be used for a number of things, not all of them having to do with the Hero Association. It will also be used for sports, for concerts, and more. Occasionally, it will also be used to train heroes, or let them demonstrate their power. We have some plans to start some tournaments for the heroes, amongst other things. Still, that's all for later. What matters right now is you and Genos."
Aeon glanced from him to Genos, and smiled.
"As mentioned, the goal of the spar between you is to show off what you both can do, and bring to the Association. So don't hesitate to go all out… Well, for you at least, Genos. Saitama going all out would be pretty bad for this reality." he finished with a wry smirk.
"I look forward to fighting you, Master." said Genos, and Saitama noticed that it was entirely genuine.
Even if Genos didn't expect to win, he was still eager to test himself against him.
Saitama smiled slightly. "I look forward to seeing what you can do, Genos." he replied just as honestly.
"There is one other thing, however." added Aeon, hesitating slightly, causing both Saitama and Genos to turn towards him curiously.
"Your power might intrigue the S-class heroes enough that one of them might ask for a spar against you as well. Would you be willing to accept that, if they do so?" questioned Aeon.
"Do you suspect anyone in particular will challenge Master Saitama?" asked Genos.
Again, Aeon hesitated, before nodding. "There are some more likely than others… Tatsumaki is one of them, but I also suspect that Blast himself might show up and ask for a spar."
"Blast?!" exclaimed Genos, visibly surprised, and Saitama looked at him curiously.
"Who is he?" he inquired.
Genos paused, visibly dumbfounded by the question, before he quickly answered.
"S-class Rank 1 Blast is the recognized strongest human in the world… at least as far as the public knows. There are those who think that the S-class Hero King is actually the strongest. Either way, Blast is something of a mystery to many because he's almost never seen. Despite the fact that no one really knows where he is, or what he does, the Association has kept him as the Rank 1 of the S-class ever since there was an S-class to begin with. In fact-" Genos turned towards Aeon. "There are many who think that Aeon is the one who should take Blast's place, but every time the subject was brought up, he had always very firmly made it clear that he would not take Blast's place."
"That's correct." acknowledged Aeon. "I won't say what exactly Blast got up to outside of the public's eye, but I will say that he has been constantly protecting Humanity from a powerful threat. That being said-" Aeon smirked at Saitama. "He certainly could use some back up from a sufficiently powerful hero, one who can be trusted with the knowledge of what's actually going on."
Genos' eyes widened. "Blast wouldn't challenge Master Saitama just to test his strength… but to see if he can help him against a powerful threat?"
"How powerful are we talking about, here?" questioned Saitama, his hopes rising a bit at fighting a good fight against a powerful monster.
"Not anywhere near as strong as either of us." Aeon replied, which made Saitama slump slightly at the news. "But powerful enough that only one of us could hope to take him on by ourself and win."
Genos' eyes widened, before a look of recognition flashed through his face as glanced at Aeon.
"You're talking about…" he trailed off, but Aeon nodded. "Correct."
"About what?" asked Saitama, confused.
Aeon grinned at him. "Impress Blast, and he will tell you."
… Well. In that case…
"Fine then. If he does ask for a fight, I'll agree." said Saitama.
Besides, fighting against what is apparently one of the strongest heroes in the world ought to be fun, right?
Hopefully.
Both Genos and Aeon smiled, before the latter perked up. "Right, it's getting closer to the time for the fight, so please, follow me."
He and Genos did as requested, following behind Aeon as he took them outside, and Saitama got his first good look at the Arena.
The place looked to have once been a ravine, before it was widely extended and terraformed to show off different terrains. From rocky mountain sides, to large bodies of water, to grassy fields and snowy plains, and even a number of forests, the sheer extent of it all left Saitama very impressed at the sight. On top of all of that, there was a barely visible force-field surrounding the entire place, and around the force field were the rather massive buildings where thousands upon thousands of people could sit and look down upon the entire arena.
"There is technology in place to ensure that everyone seated in the stands will be able to follow the action down below at all times, and with as perfect a view as possible. So despite the size of the arena, no matter how far from the stands you are, everyone will be able to easily see you." explained Aeon.
"That's impressive." remarked Genos.
Aeon shrugged. "Metal Knight does good work, and was paid handsomely for his part in creating this place. Though I did help here and there, and if Blast does challenge Saitama, I'll have to personally act to ensure the two of them can fight it out without worrying about collateral damage. Even Blast alone would be powerful enough to easily overwhelm the force-fields."
"How strong is Blast, exactly?" questioned Genos.
Aeon smirked.
"Strong enough that if no one kept things under control, the entire solar system would be utterly wrecked in moments."
Genos froze, and Saitama blinked.
"Huh. Strong." he muttered with interest.
Sure, not anywhere near as strong as Aeon and himself, but still, the guy really earned his spot as number 1, it seemed.
Genos got moving again, eyes still a little too wide. "That's… how are you going to keep things under control if Master Saitama and him fight?"
"I'll connect the space within the force-field to another reality's solar system, while I'll personally empower the barrier to handle anything those two will throw at each other. Saitama shouldn't need to use anywhere near his full power to impress Blast, so it shouldn't be too hard to keep things in check." answered Aeon.
Genos fell silent, and soon enough Aeon came to a stop and pointed to two specific spots up ahead. "See those markers? Step on them, and they'll teleport you on the Arena. Just wait a bit for the announcer to do his job first." He declared with a grin.
"So we wait for now?" asked Saitama.
"Yup. It won't take long now, and you'll be warned when you need to get on the teleporters. As for me, if you'll excuse me, I need to go- the rest of the S-class have already arrived, and they all eagerly look forward to seeing what their new brothers in arms are capable of."
Aeon grinned, told them to have fun in the fight, and then opened a portal and left.
Saitama and Genos exchanged a look.
"I have a request, master." said Genos.
Saitama raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
"Please don't hold back too much." Genos asked firmly. "I want to see what you're capable of, please."
Saitama paused, pursed his lips, but nodded slowly.
If both Aeon and Genos asked for it, and if he needed to impress that Bl… Blasto? That hero guy, then he supposed he could try to show off a bit.
Well, at least after Genos had the chance to do so too. Otherwise this spar would end way too quickly.
"Alright."
Genos smiled. "Thank you, Master."
Master.
Having a student… That was going to take some getting used to.
But Genos was a good kid, and Aeon did tell him that he needed to learn how to be a better hero, so hopefully helping him out to become a great hero in his own right might help them both, in the end.
… Even if Saitama still had no fucking clue how he was supposed to teach him anything.
Or what to teach him.
Well… Hopefully he'll come up with something eventually.
For now, Saitama smiled slightly.
He was about to become a professional hero, and hopefully get a fun fight or two out of it as well.
Today was going to be a good day.
*********************************************
I went through the portal, coming to where each of the S-class heroes were waiting.
Well, most of them. Blast wasn't here, though I knew the man was keeping an eye on things all the same.
Still, it made the place feel pretty crowded, considering how many S-class there were nowadays.
There were several rows of beautifully hand-crafted chairs, each with a holographic screen that read the name of the owner of the chair, and picture of the person for extra effect. Each chair cost quite a lot, but of course no price was too great for S-class heroes.
The added bars, waiters and more in the background just showed off more of how much money the Association was willing to use up for the sake of its most prestigious members.
Though considering the personalities of some of the people present, it was rather wise of them to go so far.
"So, are they ready?" questioned Atomic Samurai, visibly eager to see what the two new S-class heroes could do.
"They are." I confirmed. "They're just waiting for the signal to get down there and start."
"Good." grumbled Tatsumaki. "I want to see this baldy's strength in person."
"You're not the only one." mused Sherry, looking with eager anticipation at the empty arena.
At my right, Oedon smiled slightly, a knowing look flashing through her eyes.
I glanced at my wife, then at Sherry, then sighed, before mentally shrugging.
She was a big girl, she could take care of herself.
Even if this was the first case where I couldn't see the outcome of a developing situation. Saitama's Bullshit level of power made sure of that. My foresight just… couldn't path him.
Still, I trusted both of them in their own way.
I took a moment to feel some amusement at the thought of the reaction of every "omniscient" being out there whenever they came across someone or something which they couldn't foresee.
I suspected that the vast majority of them would be far less willing to hang around someone like that, much less trust their daughter to such a man.
Fools, the lot of them. Foresight was all well and good, but if Yharnam taught me anything, it was to always be ready for the unexpected, and the "impossible" coming to pass anyway.
As Gerhman once put it, weapons were only tools for a Hunter, and they should never become a crutch.
The same was true for foresight and Divine omniscience.
Everything had limits. Exceptions always existed.
Which is why using one's brain remained the best tool for decision-making I knew of.
Why fear Saitama, when I could make him a friend and ally? Why warn Sherry away from him, when I trusted both to ensure that, even if things didn't work out between them, they would still be able to get along?
Fear. It was funny that so many powerful beings always gave in to it.
It was even more ironic that it was me, someone so utterly paranoid that I always planned for the worst, who would also be willing to gamble on people actually not acting like idiots.
That wasn't to say that I didn't have plans if things really didn't work out, but seriously, I wasn't going to lose it just because someone was beyond my power to control.
Hell, not being an idiot was literally part of my religion. Written in the holy books and everything, too.
Not that I expected people to actually follow that order successfully, mind you. People will be people.
Still, I'd rather follow my own damn advice on this one.
Also, my own long term plan was to elevate people into beings as powerful as I could make them, so fearing people with power equal to mine was just silly.
"You do understand that Saitama can't go all-out here, right?" I pointed out.
"Like you can't go all-out?" asked Summer, the silver-eyed twin.
"Yup." I agreed. "That little energy bubble Metal Knight created is all well and good, even with my support, but Saitama is… well. Way too powerful at full strength for that shield to hold a single second with a strong punch from him."
Tatsumaki grunted, crossing her arms. "Still feels weird that someone actually managed to become your equal." she said, and I felt a spike of envy from her, at the fact that someone else managed that feat before her.
"Besides me, you mean?" asked Oedon.
There was a pause, as more than a few glances were sent towards her.
I smirked. It was funny to see people being reminded of how powerful my wife was in truth. Her regular demeanor was just so opposite of mine that most tended to see her as "weaker" for some reason.
And yes, she technically was, but that was only because she didn't train as extensively as I did.
In practice however, most beings just weren't strong enough for the difference to be noticeable… or for it to really matter.
They would end up dead either way.
"Hmm… yes." Tatsumaki muttered, blinking slowly.
"Well, that just means that you know it can be done." I declared, before perking up when the announcer began his speech, the thunderous booms of several mega speakers coming online to bring his words to all present.
The stands filled with people here both to see the exhibition match between the two new S-class heroes and the ensuing try-outs to enter the Association's ranks cheered as the day officially began, with the name of the two new heroes coming up on a massive screen.
Demon Cyborg vs One Punch Man.
I smiled.
Time for the show to get started.
"-and on those words, I announce the start of the exhibition match between our two new heroes, brought to the Association with the backing of the Good Hunter himself! Heroes, please enter the Arena!"
At the announcer's words, there were two flashes of lights, and then both Saitama and Genos stood opposite each other in the middle of the Arena.
"Do you have anything to say before the fight begins, heroes?" questioned the announcer.
Genos spoke up, his voice easily caught by the technology of the Arena.
"Any reason for those names for either of us?"
"Indeed!" exclaimed the announcer with enthusiasm. "Hero names can be taken up either by the heroes themselves, by the public, or by a committee of the Association's executives. In this case however, those names were forwarded by none other than the Good Hunter, and approved by the Executives of the Association. His words were 'Those are names appropriate for them, and the world will need but a few moments of seeing them fight to understand the truth they hold. Though in the case of One Punch Man, it is also a challenge to a friend.'"
"I see. Then I have no objection." replied Genos a moment later.
Saitama stayed silent, though my eyes caught the way his right fist tightened at the words, and a slight smirk spread across his lips.
After all, Saitama defeated all of his enemies with one punch.
Until he met me.
He glanced towards where I was, our eyes meeting despite the distance, and mutual smirks crossed our lips.
Grow stronger, hero… Because I am waiting for our rematch.
That was the underlying challenge in his name.
I was the one he failed to One Punch.
I was the living embodiment that he could follow his dream and not be alone at the top.
And I would be there, always, to remind him that there were always greater heights to reach for… and vice versa.
"Are both combatants ready?" shouted the announcer.
"I am." declared Genos.
Saitama turned to look at him, expression focused. "Same here."
"Good! Then at 3, you may begin! 1! 2!... 3!" screamed the announcer.
And then Genos moved.
Flying through the air thanks to twin reactors on his back, the blonde cyborg turned into a blur to most people's eyes, his right leg extended towards Saitama's face.
The man in question didn't even blink. In an instant, he bent backwards, almost at 90°, letting Genos pass right above him.
A hush fell upon the crowd at the sight.
I could feel that, while many were looking forward to Genos fighting, the rather… bland looks of Saitama had confused many.
Combined with my known personal interest in the hero's strength, and there had been many wondering how he could be truly that strong.
All those doubters fell silent in an instant at the sight of that dodge, however.
Genos wasted no time, turning in a blink of an eye while in mid-air and trying to once again kick Saitama in the face with a sweeping kick, only for Saitama, who had turned to look at him, to calmly bow his head underneath the strike.
Genos did not let his failure to hit his master slow him down, running around Saitama before jumping, raising his right leg high-
And then slamming it violently down upon the ground where Saitama was.
*KA-BOOOM!*
A shockwave bloomed from the point of impact, the earth exploding out towards the sky as the crowd stared in shock at the giant hole in the ground, and I heard a few hums of appreciation from the other S-class heroes around me.
Of course, Saitama had easily avoided the strike, jumping in the air an instant before Genos' foot hit the ground.
Even as he began falling down however, Genos did not let up. The cloud of dust spreading in the sky from his kick did not even have time to settle before Genos aimed his left hand towards Saitama, a giant beam of fire coming out of it towards Saitama, crossing the space between them in a blink of an eye.
Seen only by a few of us, Saitama jumped from flying rock to flying rock to dodge the beam, which harmlessly dissipated against the energy shield protecting the crowds.
An extended trail was left in the ground from the heat of the beam, soil a bright, burning red while smoke came out of the superheated ground, though Saitama merely fell back on the ground without so much as breaking a sweat.
"Oh man, I was almost worried about my costume for a second." the hero declared, glancing at the large smoking trail from Genos' attack.
Genos cursed, then growled, eyes narrowing as he muttered to himself that he was being too slow.
Slamming his hands into the ground, he began flying upwards thanks to the reactors on his body, his eyes glowing as he stared with determination at his bald master.
And then he vanished, or at least that's how the public saw it. One second he was hovering in the air, the next he flickered out of existence as he went too fast for regular human eyes to follow, leaving a trail of dust in his wake as the sole sign of his passage.
Saitama replied in kind, both of them flickering in and out of existence as again and again Genos tried to catch and attack Saitama, while the hero kept running and dodging.
Shockwaves bloomed all over the arena as both men kept running, each and every missed hit from Genos causing the ground or nearby rock walls to explode violently.
"Damn, he's really going at it." Muttered Metal Bat, a single eyebrow raised approvingly.
"Yeah, but did you notice?" spoke up Atomic Samurai, eyes narrowed with interest towards Saitama.
"Noticed what?" replied Metal Bat with a frown.
"Demon Cyborg is trying to hit the afterimages of the bald guy. Not the guy himself." Atomic Samurai answered, eyes jumping around as he tried to keep sight of the real Saitama.
Metal Bat blinked, squinted at the arena, then cursed.
"Damn! Didn't see it before… Just how fast is this guy?"
"Fast." replied Flashy Flash, frowning heavily.
A few heroes glanced at him. If he said that, then…
Meanwhile, down in the Arena Genos had stopped, eyes widening as he finally registered the fact that he was targeting nothing but after-images.
He glanced around, seeking where his master truly was, before his eyes narrowed when he spotted the man running elsewhere in the arena.
"Ohoh, Genos is getting angry." I grinned, even as the blonde cyborg snarled and flew down in front of his master, slamming his arms together to create some kind of massive cannon-
*FFFFFFFFWWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSHHHHH!*
The crowd went wild with cheers when a gigantic beam of fire exploded from Genos towards Saitama, engulfing his position in an instant and continuing forward, burning everything on its path and melting an entire hill to molten earth before eventually hitting the energy shields.
"Damn!" cursed Metal Bat. "I wouldn't want to be hit by that!"
"I could take it." huffed Tatsumaki.
"All of us could." pointed out Sherry. "The blast was powerful, but unfocused. A sufficiently powerful strike at a specific point could open a safe path through the fire. The heat of it all would still be a problem, but it could be done by pretty much all of us in various ways."
I nodded. Good of Sherry to see the problem with such wide-scale attacks- they lacked focus, which opened up weaknesses.
Mind you, it would still take a pretty strong attack to cut through that continuous wall of fire, but it could be done.
"Or you could avoid it entirely with speed… like that bald guy did." declared Flashy flash, lips pursed.
"What…?" Metal Bat exclaimed in confusion, before falling silent at the sight of Saitama standing calmly behind Genos, without so much as a speck of dirt upon him. "When the hell did he move?!"
"In the split second the cannon was charging up." answered Oedon.
That earned a few blinks and looks of shock.
"Sis, you think you could pull that off?" asked the blue-eyed Summer to her silver-eyed Twin.
"... Maybe." replied said twin a moment later. "But I really wouldn't want to try it."
Meanwhile, the crowd of people in the stands, which had reacted with shock at the fact it looked like Saitama had been consumed by the blast, suddenly fell silent when they finally noticed the man standing behind Genos, poking him in the left side of the jaw with a grin.
"I win!" the bald hero said cheerfully.
Genos did not take this lying down, whirling around to try and punch his master, who jumped out and over Genos, stumbling around for a moment and frantically waving his arms to get back on his feet (earning some laughter from the youngest members of the crowd at the rather amusing sight) before finally getting both feet firmly on the ground and sighing in relief.
"Sensei…" declared Genos, turning to once more stare at his master.
"Eh?" questioned the bald hero, blinking at the frustrated glare in Genos' eyes.
"Did you forget what I asked?" the blonde cyborg questioned. "You keep dodging my attacks. You don't fight seriously. You hold yourself back. Enough!"
Genos growled. "Show no mercy!"
Saitama stared in silence at Genos for a long moment.
Then, ever so slightly, he bent his legs forward.
"Oh, here we go!" I laughed, eyes sparkling in anticipation.
The S-class heroes leaned forward.
The crowd fell silent, feeling an instinctive desire to be quiet and as unnoticeable as possible.
Sherry's eyes widened, her instincts, sharper than most present possessed after training with me for so long, sending a chill down her spine, warming her that danger was coming.
I waved my right hand, reinforcing the energy shields, just in case.
And then Saitama moved.
Every S-class heroes except me and Oedon cursed in shock as suddenly, the bald hero stood right in front of Genos, who reacted near-instantly by trying to kick Saitama away-
And then Saitama moved again.
Seemingly instantly, he stood behind Genos, right fist cocked back for a punch.
The S-class heroes fell silent.
The crowd became deadly quiet.
The world suddenly did not make a sound.
Genos turned, freezing at the sight of the red fist cocked back-
A chill went through everyone present except me and Oedon, a chill that all knew but not all recognized.
DEATH
The punch was thrown.
Faster than anyone not a god could see, the red fist flew forward, stopping just shy of Genos' face.
A humongous shockwave of dust and wind hid half the arena instantly, the energy shields of the place suddenly glowing a bright, blinding white.
The ground shook. The sky was split open. Everyone stayed frozen, not even breathing, their instincts screaming that to move was to die.
And I smiled, eyes glowing brightly as I used my power to prevent the shields from shattering into a thousand motes of light.
Then Saitama gently tapped Genos in the forehead, smiled, and declared that he could use a snack, before walking away.
Everybody stayed silent, staring at the arena as slowly, the humongous cloud of dust dissipated, showing a clear canyon stretching from the spot that Genos was standing on all the way to the energy shields far, far behind him.
"What." spoke all S-class heroes as one.
"WWWWWHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTT?!" screamed the crowd in the stands, when the people there finally finally picking up their jaws from the floor.
"Bwahahahaha!"
I laughed, even as around me a lot of people began shouting.
Oh, to some of us S-class heroes, that punch was by no means the strongest show of power we had seen.
But it came as such a shock that even S-class heroes were caught off guard.
"That was-"
"A single punch-"
"His first attack of the fight-"
"Holding back-"
I glanced around in amusement at the storm of comments flying around.
Down in the arena, Genos stared for a moment longer at the sight of destruction left behind him, before smiling and rejoining the side of his master.
Naturally, things were pretty chaotic for a while as every civilian lost their minds over the display of power… along with a good chunk of the lower-class heroes.
The S-class heroes quickly calmed down, acknowledging that it still didn't come close to the fight I had with Tatsumaki when we all first met.
Though they were definitely taking my words about him being my equal a lot more seriously than before, and I could see that a few were genuinely thinking of challenging him to a fight as well.
Tatsumaki especially was looking like she dearly wanted to put my claim about his power to the test.
Heh. It was almost cute how her pride made her wish that she was the "closest" to me in raw power amongst the heroes… Blast excluded, because Blast.
Then, as the two heroes were teleported back out of the Arena, and the Announcer loudly proclaimed the winner of the fight to be Saitama, to much cheering from the crowd, the surprise I had expected came to pass.
Both Saitama and Genos were staring back at all the cameras broadcasting across the world, and I could see that Saitama was getting bored already while being paraded around.
The Announcer, meanwhile, was working the crowd-
"And I would like you all to cheer our new heroes, who have demonstrated their power in full before us today-"
-only to suddenly fall silent.
The crowd followed a moment later, and even the S-class heroes froze.
Because there, by the side of Saitama, a black hole appeared.
And a man, a hero, a legend of this world appeared.
Blast, S-class rank 1, came out of the black hole, his eyes fixed upon Saitama, who blinked back at him in surprise.
"So. You're Saitama, huh. Aeon told me a lot about you." declared the man, his words picked up by all the audio recording equipment present and shared for the entire crowd to hear.
"Wait, is that-?!" exclaimed Child Emperor, eyes going wide at the sight of the man.
He wasn't alone. Tatsumaki had stiffened, and Fubuki was glancing from her to Blast repeatedly.
And the other heroes were definitely leaning forward in surprise and interest at the unexpected arrival.
Saitama blinked, then tilted his head.
"Wait, are you that Blasto guy Aeon told me about?"
"Blast, Sensei." corrected Genos, while close to me Tatsumaki choked slightly at Saitama calling him "Blasto"
"Right, Blast."
"Indeed I am." Blast replied, not perturbed in the least by Saitama's… issues with names. "And I have a question for you, Saitama." the hero leaned forward, a slight, challenging smirk on his lips.
"Are you up for another spar? With me, this time around?"
The world fell silent again, as if holding its breath in anticipation.
I spared a thought for the Announcer, who looked as if Christmas had come early.
"Okay."
A single word, but Saitama's agreement opened the floodgates.
The crowd erupted, the Announcer started screaming and hyping up the next fight (not that it was very hard with how eager the crowd was for it), and the S-class heroes began all talking at once, eyes fixed on the highest ranked hero in the Association.
And I kept smiling, satisfied that everything was going just as planned.
Which could have not happened, considering my inability to "path" Saitama's future.
I did wonder at the long-term consequences of that fight. Blast wasn't going to win it, and as a result a lot of people were going to wonder if perhaps Saitama ought to take the number 1 spot of the Association.
I did say in the past that it belonged to a human, after all, not a god.
And Saitama was human enough for it to count.
Combine that with Blast's hands-off approach to his spot in the Association, and I could see many people wanting a very visible symbol over a constantly absent one.
Still, that would take time, since Saitama needed to build up a proper reputation first.
And today was going to do a wonderful job of doing exactly that.
It took a few minutes to calm down the crowd and let both men enter within the Arena.
However, considering that the shields of the Arena simply couldn't hold up to either men's strength, I stepped forward and called on my powers to shift the insides of the arena with a lifeless universe.
From the point of view of us all still outside the Arena, it merely looked as if the Arena had changed to a sand-covered land.
However, the truth was that neither men were in the same universe any longer, letting them be free to go all-out.
But we all still could see the fight without issues.
I nodded, satisfied, and stepped back to sit down on my very comfortable chair.
"The S-class Rank 1 of the Association, against a man who you call your equal… that's going to be one hell of a fight." mused Atomic Samurai, eyes bright with eager anticipation.
"I don't even think that anyone except the gods among us know what Blast is capable of." said Child Emperor. "Any information about Blast is extremely hard to find."
"Then it appears all of that is going to change after today." declared Zombieman.
"Indeed. So make sure that you don't miss this, because this is going to be a fight long remembered." I replied, smiling.
"Way ahead of you, Good Hunter." said Child Emperor, who had a number of cameras pointed at the two men he pulled out from… somewhere.
"Then let the fight begin."
*******************************************************
Blast stared at the bald hero before him, expression firm.
He and Agoni, thanks to the three gods, have all kept an eye on Saitama's growth over the last few years.
To say that what they had seen had been shocking was an understatement. The man before him fought as if a god was in his body.
But no, there truly was no god- only a man.
A man who, apparently, managed to fight Aeon to a draw… a feat that Blast had come nowhere close to achieving, even after the last few years of training.
If this was true, then Blast was going to lose this fight, while being watched by the entire world.
But that was fine. Blast did not care for the recognition of being number 1, nor did he care about being number 1.
If someone younger could take his place, someone both stronger and who could be trusted… then Blast was more than happy to let Saitama take the spot.
Still, that all depended on this fight. Blast expected to lose, Aeon wasn't one for lies or exaggeration, but… Blast needed to find out the truth by himself.
He's been dealing with God for several years now. If Saitama was truly the solution to the evil deity, Blast wanted to confirm that in person.
"Don't hesitate to show me your strength, Saitama." Blast said to the bald hero. "It's very important that you show me how strong you are."
"Yeah, yeah. Aeon said something similar." replied the man, an apathetic expression on his face.
Blast smirked slightly. That expression wasn't going to stay for long.
"Good. Ready, then?"
"Ready."
Blast smiled.
And then he moved, leaving a ten-foot large crater where he stood.
Saitama's eyes widened slightly at his speed, and Blast wasted no time, delivering a flurry of blows to the hero.
Each punch sent the man flying back faster than a speeding bullet, but Blast did not let up, striking at the bald hero over and over again, shockwaves blooming around them from every impact.
Then Blast slammed Saitama into hill after hill, shattering each one as he went through them, before kicking Saitama hard enough that the man broke through the sound barrier several times over.
Saitama finally came to a halt inside a massive crater in a hill standing in his way, but he barely had the time to blink before Blast was there, punching him through it yet again.
Then Blast jumped, and dropped-kicked Saitama straight down upon the ground, a mushroom cloud of dust and dirt exploding around them from the power behind Blast's attack and the speed at which Saitama's body hit the ground.
For a few seconds, there was silence, as Blast stood above Saitama.
Then he scowled.
"Get up. We both know you aren't harmed, not even a-"
He was cut off when Saitama moved, getting back on his feet and slamming his right forearm into Blast's body hard enough to send him flying back with a gasp.
*KA-BOOM!*
Blast blinked, staring at the rocks falling around him from where he was embedded into a rock cliff.
Frowning thoughtfully, he looked down at his armor, seeing a few cracks where Saitama's arm hit him.
I see… even the weakest of attacks carry such power, huh… Even when he doesn't intend to cause harm, he still…
He smiled. I'm glad I came to see this myself.
Jumping out of the crater he was in, Blast ran towards Saitama, a fist cocked back into a punch meeting the bald hero's right red gloved fist, the man not even blinking as he took the punch from Blast, who repeated his attack over and over again without managing to make Saitama's limb budge a single inch.
Firm defense, he thought as shockwaves erupted at every blow.
He finally managed to push the man back with a kick, before Blast lunged forward, trying to grab Saitama who tilted his body towards the right to avoid him.
Blast twisted on his heels, beginning to chase after Saitama who was now running backwards without any difficulty.
Blast kept punching him, trying to break through his defense, but every punch was blocked by Saitama's right forearm, the limb refusing to budge even slightly.
They paused, Blast frowning at the bald hero.
"You still refuse to fight back…" he muttered, displeased. "Is it the fact that every monster that you fought died in one punch that holds you back? I want to see your power, Saitama, and so far you have shown me nothing I did not already know."
Blast sighed, then smiled.
"Very well then. If it is my power you seek to determine first before you allow yourself to fight back, then let me show more of my true strength!"
And then Blast brought his fist back, called on his Gravity Knuckles- Saitama's eyes widening at the sight, a flash of eagerness going through his expression- before Blast punched.
*KA-BOOOOOOOOM!*
The entire continent they were on shattered, but Blast did not let up.
The second punch shattered the majority of the hemisphere of the planet they were on.
The third caused the planet to explode entirely.
Then Blast stopped, and held Saitama by his hero costume.
"Is that enough," he asked, as they floated in the void of space, surrounded by the floating remnants of a broken world. "for you to start fighting back? Or do you need more?"
Saitama stared back, not even having blinked once despite the blows he took head-on.
"... I see. So be it, then."
A portal opened behind Saitama, and Blast let go of him-
And then punched him hard enough that he not only flew through the portal and into the local star, but said star instantly exploded from the power of the punch hitting it.
Then Blast opened another portal, and a blast of energy went through and slammed right where Saitama was, the portal letting the Gamma Ray Burst from elsewhere in the universe hit the hero head-on.
The entire solar system was ravaged by the attacks, but Blast merely focused on Saitrama, eager to see how the hero handled the latest strike at-
A flicker of movement at the edge of his perception made him begin to turn around, before he saw from the corner of his right eye a red gloved fist aimed straight at him.
DEATH
I… can't move…! Gaagh!
The punch was thrown forward.
And Blast flickered out of the way, before stopping, staring at the giant blast of power traveling through the void of space and into the light of distant stars.
For a long moment, there was silence.
Then Blast clenched his fists.
"What was that?" he questioned.
Turning, he glared at Saitama. "You held back. I shouldn't have been able to dodge that punch. You let me escape."
Saitama blinked, before answering. "I am here to impress you, right? Not kill you. I don't want to hurt you." he paused, a shadow passing through his expression. "Things I punch don't tend to survive it." Then the shadow disappeared, a slight grin on his lips and joy in his eyes. "Well, almost all."
Blast stared at him.
Then he grinned.
"Very well then. I truly can't hold back, can I?"
He cocked a fist back.
"Then I will stop holding back entirely."
Reality began breaking down around his clenched fist.
"Here I come, Saitama!"
Blast ran.
Saitama blin-
"Reversal of causality!"
*KA-BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*
Space-time broke.
The local galaxy exploded.
And Saitama did not have time to blink before a hundred more punches slammed into him.
For a time, the void of space was filled with light as explosions brighter than galaxies bloomed in the interstellar darkness.
Then Blast saw Saitama ready a punch, and waved his right hand.
"Serious Series: Serious consecutive punches!"
Blast's sight was filled with red gloves-
And then his mirror portal opened up, absorbing all attacks, before closing.
Saitama paused in confusion-
And then the portal opened again, and unleashed the full might of Saitama's punches upon him.
The bald hero flew back into the void faster than galaxies, a slight hint of a wince showing the only sign that he felt the power behind the strikes.
Blast blinked at the sight. After all that has happened, this is what got to him?
His own attacks reflected?
"Ok. Guess I should be a little more serious."
Blast looked up-
"Omnidirectional serious punches!"
And his vision was filled with red gloves.
Red gloves EVERYWHERE.
His instincts screaming at him, he opened a portal beneath him to escape-
And looked down to see yet another red glove, and the man it belonged to, staring up at him with a serious face.
Then that red glove hit, and everything went dark.
**************************************************
There was a deep silence upon the crowd as the fight went on.
At first, there was cheering. Both heroes were showing off impressive levels of power, at least by civilian standards, and thus everyone watched wide eyes as hills exploded and massive craters bloomed upon an alien world.
But that was the start.
Then the heroes escalated.
And the people fell silent in awe and shock as they witnessed a world die in but a few punches.
The fact that Saitama didn't so much as flinch, didn't even blink, did not show the slightest hint of pain… well.
The civilians were silent.
The Announcer was silent.
The heroes, S-class included too, were silent.
All watched with bated breath, awe clear in their wide eyes, as the fight went on.
As worlds died, as stars exploded.
As galaxies ended.
This was the power of those who stood as mightiest among men.
This was the power held by those who challenged the gods themselves.
And now, more than ever, that fact was made clear.
The only ones not shocked were me and Oedon, as even my Hunters didn't expect this much power being thrown around.
It was one thing to hear of a man equalling me.
It was another to see two men bring the end of galaxies like they were nothing.
Nothing but specks of dust, easily swept away before their might.
And while all of that was going on, I smiled.
I smiled so very, very brightly.
One day, I wanted this for more than just a handful of men.
I wanted this for all of Humanity.
For them to become as gods in their own right.
And this was a perfect preview of things to come.
Then Saitama unleashed his latest attack, Blast was sent spiraling away into the void unconscious, and I barely resisted the urge to laugh as I basked in the shock and awe of Humanity.
This!
This was my dream come true!
Heroes having power enough to match the gods!
Humanity mighty enough to no longer fear the monsters in the dark!
And, just as importantly…
The complete annihilation of Evil.
After all, what hope did monsters have when a hero like Saitama existed?
When an unbreakable symbol of Good stood for all to see above the world?
Thanks to the existence of me, Oedon and Lucy, mankind no longer needed to worry about the fate of their souls after death. They knew that Paradise awaited those worthy of it.
And because of the existence of Saitama, Humanity would now know that its future was assured, because none could stand against their protectors.
A new Age was beginning before my eyes. An Age of hope, where it was the monsters that trembled in fear of humanity, and not the opposite.
And the best part was, that future would mostly be born from human hands, for Human dreams and hopes.
I clapped my hands, bringing both heroes back into this universe and healing Blast.
And as Saitama helped Blast stand, I stood up as well and spoke, my voice carrying far and wide.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Your heroes! Blast and One Punch Man, protectors of Humanity! Give them both a warm applause for a showing that was literally out of this world!"
And at my words, Humanity stood up as one and screamed their joy and awe towards their saviors.
I laughed.
Well, I dare say that today was a triumph in every way!
Now then, only a few last matters to take care of, and I could consider Saitama's introduction to the world complete…
**************************************************
It took a bit of time after that for things to calm down. It wasn't everyday a spectacle like the one given to humanity happened, after all- in fact, it was the first time something like this happened.
Even the heroes were finding it hard to accept what they had seen… but their eyes did not lie.
Two new heroes joined up with the Association, and one of them held such power that even me, the most powerful god known to humanity, acknowledged him as my equal.
The implications were immense, and not just from the point of view of the Association.
From a religious point of view, this was the kind of thing that could break religions. After all, what was the place of gods in society, in human beings could equal the gods?
I wasn't worried, though. If anything, I could foresee this as a massive boost to my religion's numbers of faithful.
Because at the differences of other gods, I fully pushed mortals towards greater heights, and all but challenged them to equal me.
All over my holy books, the message was the same.
Gods were not inherently greater than mortal men.
We were, however, a perfect example to aspire towards. Living proof that it was possible to become… more.
And on this day, religious preaching had the weights of its words strengthened by hard evidence.
By the fact that two men were, while watched by all of humanity, able to shake the very heavens themselves, shatters the cosmos itself.
Where other religions would have floundered, mine would only grow.
My promises of greatness were proven real.
Were proven achievable.
Oh yes, that would light up the fires of ambitions amongst all mankind.
After all, if they could do it… why not others too?
Why not YOU, as well?
But for now, I watched as Agoni, the man behind the creation of the Hero Association, eagerly shook hands with Saitama, Genos by his side looking incredibly satisfied.
Anyone else might have been frustrated by someone upstaging them on a day like this, but Genos was instead perfectly happy with Saitama getting the recognition he was currently receiving.
In the canon timeline, the world's lack of recognition for his master's deeds would always frustrate him.
In this one, the young man was proud and gladdened to see his master get his just rewards for all his hard work.
Then Agoni began his speech, and as I expected, a few more surprises hit the world.
"-and I would once again like to thank One Punch Man, without whom none of this would have been possible, for the world, and myself personally, owe him a debt that we might never be able to repay." declared Agoni.
There was some shuffling from the crowd at his words, confusion spreading-
"For you see, this man, three years ago, chose to stand and fight against a monster threatening a little boy! Even when he had no power, no training, he still had the heart of a true hero, and he stood up, fighting, bleeding and eventually defeating the monster threatening the young boy!" Agoni took a deep breath, and unleashed the truth bomb upon the world. "The young boy… My grandson!"
Shock rippled through the crowd at that announcement, while Agoni smiled widely. "Yes, you heard me right! The story of how the Hero Association came to be is known the world over, but the identity of the man who saved my grandson's life was kept secret, until such time as One Punch Man could grow into his power, and become the symbol of Justice and Heroism the world needed to have hope against the monsters seeking to destroy us all!"
Agoni waved towards Saitama. "So please, I would like for you all to applaud the man, the HERO, without whom the world of today would not exist: Saitama, the One Punch Man, and Genos, the Demon Cyborg, his student!"
Thunderous applause erupted from the crowd, Genos somehow managing to stand up even straighter, while Saitama blinked and smiled hesitantly.
When it was clear he wanted to speak, Agoni quickly extended the microphone towards him, and Saitama leaned forward, still smiling hesitantly.
I discreetly casted a spell, ensuring that all who heard him would know his words as truth.
"Thank you, but I didn't do anything that someone else wouldn't have done in my place." he declared. "A kid was in danger, of course I was going to help."
A hush fell on the crowd at those words, as all could feel he meant it.
"Even if it meant putting your life on the line?" questioned Agoni.
Saitama smiled.
"I always dreamed of being a hero. When I saw that kid was in danger… My body moved before I could even think about it. I do not regret it. It was the right thing to do."
Then he shrugged. "As for the danger… Well, if heroes run and hide, who will stay and fight?" he pointed out calmly.
Genos twitched, looking like he desperately wanted to write that down.
Agoni, meanwhile, was smiling brightly.
"Very true, One Punch Man! Very true. And speaking of heroes, do you have anything to say to all of them currently watching us?" asked Agoni.
Saitama fell silent, before speaking up.
"From what I heard, a lot of heroes care a great deal about how people see them. I think that's silly. If you really want to become strong, stop caring about what others think about you. Living your life has nothing to do with what others think."
He smiled. "All you gotta do is train. Train like hell. It took me three years to become as strong as I am, and I never stopped to think about what my limits were. Who decides limits? And based on what? You said you worked hard? Well, maybe you need to work a little harder. Is that really the limit of your strength? Could the you of tomorrow beat you today? Instead of giving in, move forward. Human beings are strong because we have the ability to change ourselves. Make use of that. You can always become better. You just need to have the will to keep trying, no matter what stands in your way."
Agoni smiled warmly, and turned towards the crowd.
"And here you have it, everyone! The secrets of strength? To never give up, never give in to despair! To always follow your dreams, no matter what! And on those words, I proudly announce the start of the hero exams in order for you, too, to become a hero and become part of the Hero Association! With heroes like One Punch Man and Demon Cyborg joining us, the future looks brighter than ever! Do you have what it takes to join these titans amongst men? Let's find out today! Good day, and good luck everyone!"
And under renewed thunderous applause, Agoni ended his speech.
After that, the arena was changed into a place where the hero exams could take place, letting all the would-be heroes seeking to join the Association prove their worth.
Most of the S-class heroes left soon after that, considering that monsters wouldn't just not appear because they were busy elsewhere, but I remained behind for a time, looking thoughtfully at all the people seeking to become a professional hero.
And there were many, more than in any other day in the Association's history. A fact explained by all the work I did to emphasize the importance of this day for the world.
"So, that's who you were speaking about, that day."
I glanced to the side, towards the warmly smiling man who came to a stop at my side.
"Sweet Mask." I greeted with a smile of my own. "And yes, it was him. Saitama, the One Punch Man."
"A strong name." mused Sweet Mask, before nodding. "But an accurate one, it seems."
He looked at the crowd below us, expression serene.
"You really pulled out all the stops for today. I couldn't have created a better introduction for him if I had tried. Between the size and opulence of this place, the fight between One Punch Man and Demon Cyborg, the fight between Blast and One Punch Man, and of course the revelation that the latter is the reason for the existence of the Association…"
He shook his head with a smile.
"I remember you telling me that the Hero would not care about being a symbol. And yet, you made him into one anyway. One Punch Man won't be a normal S-class after today. The show you created for the world has made sure of that."
I nodded, acknowledging the slight rebuke in his words.
"He was never going to 'just' be a normal S-class… if such a thing even exists, considering the nature of being a S-class hero. Better, then, to make his introduction one that would have the maximum effect possible."
I smiled. "Besides, have you listened to his words when Agoni asked him for his thoughts? Saitama will appreciate his newfound fame for all of a week, most likely less, and then cease to care about it. Recognition was never something he sought, after all. Not really. In the end, all that matters to him is doing what he thinks is right, whether that earns him the love or hatred of the world."
I glanced at Sweet Mask. "Mark my words, Saitama will start complaining about his fame sooner rather than later."
Sweet Mask chuckled. "Well, I do understand. As one of the most popular men in the world, I know all too well how stifling the weight of the world's attention can be."
He smiled wryly at me. "Not that I have to explain that to you."
"Indeed not."
We fell silent, watching the proceeding down in the Arena, before Sweet Mask spoke up.
"That was your plan all along, wasn't it? You, Oedon and Lucy as the spiritual guides of Humanity, ensuring that Mankind would not fall to corruption by both spreading your religion, and continuously stamping down on mundane corruption across the world and within the Association. Then, give the world an impossibly powerful hero to look up to, a beacon of Justice that could not be defeated, could not be broken, that would deal with the outside threats to humanity: the monsters."
I nodded, noting but not commenting on the awe and respect I felt in Sweet Mask's voice as he spoke.
"Indeed. Gods to safeguards minds and souls, and an unbeatable hero to defeat physical threats. Humanity and the Divine, working together for the good of all."
I smiled. "This is how it should be. This is how it WILL be. Evil might still exist, Sweet Mask, but I have done the best I could while respecting Free Will: I have ensured that, no matter by which means Evil seeks to spread, it will be stopped cold by beings capable of utterly defeating it at every turn."
Sweet Mask stared at the Arena, at the many soon-to-be heroes down below, all of whom would serve as the frontline of the eternal conflict between Good and Evil, a conflict that unknowingly to them had been all but won already, and laughed.
"A complete victory, secured for the world in a mere three years. All that's left is for One Punch Man to kill enough monsters to prove himself worthy once and for all of the S-class Rank 1 spot, and everything will be in place. And at this point, it's already too late to stop the inevitable. Blast's defeat at One Punch Man's hands already all but ensures the world expect him to take the seat in due time, after all."
I nodded, grinning.
"What can I say? I'm a god of Humanity. And Human beings know quite well that if you're not cheating, you're not trying to win. So I made sure that I would win it all long before anyone else had the slightest hope of disrupting my plans."
I turned away, satisfied.
My work was done, now all I had to do was sit back and enjoy the show as Saitama claimed his rightful place as the greatest hero of this world.
I fully acknowledged myself as one of the greatest manipulative bastards in all of existence.
Were it else, that would mean I would seek to break people down, piece by piece, until they were all but puppets in my hands.
I considered that a complete and utter waste.
Why break people, when you could pull them up, make them shine for all to see, and make them willingly bend the knee?
Sweet Mask, without the burden of being a monster, stood recognized as one of the kindest and most influential heroes in the world.
In other words, he was the man in charge of ensuring that Human society would keep moving forward in a way that I approved of.
Saitama, meanwhile, would be both hero and symbol, ensuring that all of Humanity would be free to look to the future with the relief of knowing that nothing can threaten it.
And Oedon, Lucy and myself would work in the background, ensuring that Human civilization would keep on prospering, that nothing from within itself could weaken its foundation and send it all tumbling down.
The same was true of all the other heroes, or people like Agoni. Each of them had their uses, and I was more than willing to wield them to ensure a secure, prosperous future for all.
I was a god of Humanity, after all. Ensuring that was literally in the job description… as far as I'm concerned.
But it was also important to remember the individual trees in a forest. That was one thing that far too many people in power forgot. And as a result, they inevitably paid the price.
I wasn't so blind. Gaining and keeping the loyalty of people was hardly hard when you had all the powers I had at my disposal.
And really, all I had to do was show off why people doing as I wanted them to was in their best interest.
I was actually a terrifying negotiator, because it was all too easy for me to convince people that following my ideas would be in their best interest.
All that being said, there was still a little problem…
The fact that Saitama gave no fuck about any of my plans!
Come on man, I had planned to show you off to the public for the remainder of the day, why the hell are you already back home playing video games?!
Think of all the work I put into giving you the perfect introduction! This was your day to shine damn it, at least enjoy your moment of fame for more than an hour before fucking off into the sunset!
Why did the greatest hero in existence have to be so damn lazy?!
/
A.N: Alright! Here is the next chapter in which we continue the One Punch Man Arc!
Saitama and Genos officially joined the Hero Association! Their fight is taken directly from the anime, though obviously in this case with a lot of people watching and reacting to it.
With the S-class heroes stronger however, that fight alone isn't enough to show off Saitama's utter BS level of power properly. Thus, Blast!
And yeah, Blast is powerful, and there are a lot of esoteric skills he had that he didn't make use of in the fight, but to be fair, he really hadn't seen that Omnidirectional Serious Punch coming!
Overall though, it did what Aeon wanted it to do: show off Saitama to the world, put into place the first part of the plan to have Saitama become Rank 1 of the S-class, and more.
Honestly, I could more or less stop the One Punch Man Arc there, but I'll keep going until Boros. Not only to show off some of the differences in the world compared to canon, but because I do want to give Mumen Rider his big moment!
Still, with all that being said, I hope you all enjoyed this update! Next time, we continue OPM, and show off the start of his achievements as a S-class hero!