Disclaimer: I do not own One Punch Man or any of the characters associated with the title. All rights belong to their respective owners.

(boom...!)

With a gasp, Tatsumaki's stirred awake at the sound of a distant blast. She was barely clinging to her last bit of consciousness, and she still couldn't see a thing with the blood covering her eyes. Every inch of her body was in excruciating pain. She could barely even curl her fingers.

'... Did I... did I lose...?' She tried to turn her head one way or the other, but a shooting pain down her neck convinced her it was useless. Her head was spinning uncontrollably. It was only when a bit of focus returned did she finally start to remember a little bit of what happened before she blacked out.

She remembered that the alien was about to kill her... then, she remembered the sound of a blast... and vaguely, the feeling of being lifted off her feet...

'... Did someone save me...?'

(BOOM!)

Boros's lone eye was as wide as it could possibly be at the sight of the sudden crater blasted into the surface of his ship. '... What power...' Conflicting feelings overcame him as he watched his yellow-clad opponent casually come marching out of the destruction.

"Oh... I made it," Saitama said with a plain smile.

"... You...!" Boros started toward him in a slow trot that began picking up speed until he was deadset in a rage-fueled sprint. "You really make me... want to GO ALL OUT!"

Saitama jumped away and again began ducking and dodging the wild strikes that were gashing the surface of the ship in all directions. His gaze was growing less and less interested as the moments passed. The strikes seemed powerful, but he took a few just to see how hard they would land and it wasn't much to be impressed about. The only aspect of the fight that was keeping him interested was this animalistic ferocity and the sheer endurance this alien boss had. Even after a few punches completely disintegrated it, it somehow managed to survive... but still... if it couldn't really hurt him, then what good was that...?

"w-.. what...?" Tatsumaki's meek voice croaked when she heard the voice of the creature that almost killed her. "wh-... who...?" She could feel the might of the blows through the tremble of the surface around her. It was like nothing she had ever felt before. Like thousands of bombs cracking almost in unison.

(In the distance)

"Consecutive normal punches..."

(BOOM!)

"w-who... is... that...?" She somehow fought through the shooting pain in her neck and managed to turn her head enough for it to fall the other way. There was debris blocking her view of the action, but just over the top, she caught a glimpse of what looked like a splatter of blood that quickly pulled back into itself in the form of the alien creature she knew to be called Boros, the captain of this ship and presumably the strongest monster in the attack. Only, it looked a bit different than her hazy memory recalled. Still, she couldn't see who it was fighting.

Her eyes locked onto the destruction in her path with a frustrated scowl. "t-... Tch...!" With a shaking hand, she tried to use her power to clear her line of sight, but nothing was budging. She was completely spent of every ounce of her psychic energy.

Regardless of how tired she was, she knew that that monster was far from weak. He was unaffected by Geryuganshoop's gravity technique as well as her own. He easily defeated Demon Cyborg without taking a single scratch. She wasn't too impressed with the cyborg herself, but that was definitely no small feat. Yet, from his outburst a moment ago, it seemed he was being pushed to his limits by someone...

Perhaps, the same someone that defeated the Sea King...?

It was a long shot, but... she had to know.

(BOOM!)

A huge blast of energy caught her hazy vision as she saw a very bright light emanate from Boros's airborne body. It was an unbelievable amount of energy build-up.

(In the distance)

"I WILL DEFEAT YOU! All of my energy will be released! Blasting you and this planet to HELL!"

The sheer force of the wind emanating from the rising energy quickly ended her venture of trying to clear her view. There was so much power being exerted that she couldn't help but shut her eyes and turn away. It was simply overwhelming... but, by the grace of god, that wind was strong enough to do something useful. She flinched slightly when the rubble that was previously blocking her path skipped right over her, crushing a robot that she hadn't seen lying next to her. It continued on, taking the hunk of metal with it. This was it... her chance to see who it was. She forced her head to turn again, groaning through the pain.

(In the distance)

"COLLAPSING STAR, ROARING PLANEEEEET!"

Too late, it seemed... A huge blast of energy was heading her way. Not that she cared much. She couldn't do anything about it. What she did care about was seeing who this mysterious hero was... and she couldn't even have that...

There was only a silhouette of a man standing between that ungodly blast and herself. All she could note was that he was more so on the slim side, and he had a head full of flowing hair... or was that a tattered cape...? The man was just standing there, staring into the eye of the attack as if he were frozen in shock.

'... Get out of there... You're gonna die,' she thought tiredly. There was no urgency to the tone of the voice, even in her mind.

She couldn't really hear anything over the roar of the impending blast, but she thought she caught a glimpse of his voice, but... probably not good enough to hear what he actually said...

It sounded far too ridiculous...

(In the distance)

"Serious series... Serious Punch..."

She watched on with a glazed-over look in her eyes, barely clinging to her conscious state. She watched the man cock his fist back in a normal punching stance. Not any martial artsy stance or even a trained boxers form. It looked like just a regular guy out on the street getting ready to punch something. "... Tch... Idiot..."

(... KA-BOOOM!)

Her blood-covered eyes widened in shock when the beam of energy seemingly split down the middle by a punch...

A single punch...

'... w... What the hell...!?' It was too much for her already confused mind. Her vision grew blurrier and blurrier, and despite the unbelievably loud sound that their colliding attacks made, or the ship around them disintegrating, she couldn't hold on anymore. The violent trembling of the surface around her couldn't even shake her awake. She had far exceeded her stamina limit. The last thing she saw before her world faded to black was that silhouette. A silhouette that reminded her of one scene in particular...

The first time she was ever saved all those years ago...

"... b-... blast...?"

(1 week later)

"... Ah," Saitama muttered with a deadpanned look. "I see... So, you've figured it out..."

"... mmm... I don't know..." An elderly woman stood on the other side of his clerk counter. She had two different water bottles in her hands and was apparently trying incredibly hard to decide which one she wanted. "... Hmm... Sparkling... or spring...?"

Saitama scratched his nose and glanced at the clock on the wall behind his head. She had now been there for two minutes, struggling with this very pressing decision...

"w-Well, see... this one says it's voted as the best water you can drink, more trustworthy than other brands, but... this one says it is a taste that people have reliably enjoyed," she explained to him for no real reason. "I... I don't know... What do you think, young man?"

"Hm...?" Saitama raised a confused brow. "Uh... spring, I guess...? I don't really like the aftertaste of sparkling..."

"Ah... okay..." She adjusted her glasses until they were sitting on the tip of her nose and read the labels again, and Saitama just kept watching her with the patience of a stone.

'... Geez, is it really that hard?' he wondered.

"Dah-!" she suddenly exclaimed, shaking her head. "I'll just get em' both." She sat them both on the counter and rummaged through her bag for the money. "My husband's the picky type. He's not as adventurous as he used to be. Normally I get him the mineral water, which he loves, but you seem to be out of that. Truthfully, I don't want to walk to another store to look for it just for them to be out as well. I'm already so close to home and all... Besides, I think it'll be good to switch things up every now and then. Keeps things interesting, don't ya think...?"

Saitama watched her fumble through her bag, wondering if she were talking to him or just thinking aloud. "... uh-.."

"He may not even notice as preoccupied as he's been," she continued, cutting him off. "I mean, he's retired, but he still seems to be so busy with the way he follows the news and the hero organization. He's been following coverage of the aftermath at City-A all week. Did you know they already added to the HQ? Built an entirely new facility there. Truly amazing how fast that Metal Knight works, isn't it?"

She continued her one-sided conversation as Saitama finished bagging the rest of her items with a confused look on his face, having zoned out long ago. 'Is she monologuing...?' Eventually, he got her set and sent her off to the door with a very confused wave.

"Okay, you have a nice day, young man!" she called out along the way. The door swung open before she reached for it and whoever it was held it open. "Oh, thank you, sir. You're very kind."

"Oh," Saitama said, spotting his disciple. " Genos, you're early."

"Yes, Master. I apologize, but I did not have much to do today. Things have been relatively quiet regarding monster sightings. I assumed if you were busy, I would assist you until your shift is over."

Saitama glanced back at the clock. "Oh... Well, I don't think there's much more I need to do. I clock out in five minutes."

"I see... Then, I shall wait," he replied with a bow.

"... Okay."

(Thirty minutes later)

Saitama and Genos walked down the busy street with grocery bags in their hands. "I believe that was everything on the list, Master."

"Yeah, I think so," the bald man replied.

"If you happen to think of anything else, I can retrieve it."

"Nah," he waved him off. "I think I've got every-..." Saitama stopped when the crowd around them suddenly began scrambling away in a panic. "Hm...?"

"Master, there is trouble!" Genos said urgently, looking at the threat that wasn't all that hard to spot. It was a huge metallic robot, standing in the middle of their path, looking down on a blonde-haired man in casual streetwear.

"What's all this about?" Saitama questioned curiously.

Genos took a moment to survey the scene before coming to a possible conclusion. "I see... That man over there is former S-Class, Rank 7 member, King, who has recently revealed he is in fact not a hero, at all. Only a normal man who just so happens to be around when monsters are near. It appears that this news has not yet reached all of the villains quite yet. This robot seems to have challenged him."

"... Ah..." Saitama stared at the brewing altercation with little interest. "... Maybe you should go and help him, then."

"Very well, Master. I will not fail..."

"FOR EVERY MINUTE AFTER, I SHALL KILL ONE HUMAN!" The robot announced as King walked away for some reason.

Genos took off into battle as Saitama watched the blonde man leave with a curious gaze.

(click-clack-clickity-clickity-clack)

With a lollipop in his mouth and a plain look on his face, Child Emperor typed rapid fire on his keyboard with his eyes glued to the screen before him. A robotic arm stretched out from the opening of his backpack and pulled his lollipop from his mouth. "I don't know, Tornado. We never get a clear shot of the guy. It's either he's really good at hiding everything above his shoulders, or it's just... dumb luck..."

Tatsumaki floated up by the big screen he was projecting his work on. Her head was still wrapped in bandages from her most pressing battle to date. "There's no way! There has to be at least one shot of him somewhere...!"

"I'm not seeing anything clear enough for me to analyze," the kid said.

"Well, how useless are you!? You can't cross-check what we DO know about him with the association heroes?"

"I've done that," he said. "It's no good... Too broad."

"Too broad? What do you mean too broad?" she demanded.

Child Emperor shrugged his shoulders. "All we know is that it's a man in a yellow suit with red gloves. There are 127 registered heroes who match that description."

"Well, how many are upper B-class or higher?" she asked.

"Why cut out the low B's and C's?"

She gave him a look that said all it needed to. "He just took down a creature that I couldn't beat. Of course, it's not gonna be some no-name loser in C-class."

"Well... you never know," he muttered under his breath. He continued typing until he could cut it down to 46 possibilities. Then, he took it a step further by cross-referencing facial recognition of the bunker cameras to see who all was accounted for. That cut the list down considerably to 23.

Tatsumaki could see everything he was doing and was desperately watching, hoping to find her mystery hero. She wasn't a foolish little girl anymore. This venture was not some damsel in distress trying to find her savior to express her undying love...

Absolutely not...

That would be far beneath her. This was about finding the one person who was worthy enough to take that number 1 hero spot. The one person who could stand above all, no matter the threat. Losing for a second time made her realize more so than before that she could not do that. She'd end up dead if she tried...

That was why she was so invested in this search. Her desperate eyes watched the list of heroes on the screen dwindle little by little when Child Emperor ruled them out. Eventually, there were only about 4 left. Of the 4, she just couldn't believe they were possibilities. All mid-B-class with special weapons. She was sure she hadn't seen that man use any weapons. '... I mean, he punched a freaking world-ending technique...! He'd have no use for a gun or a hammer or... a sword...'

[0 out of 0]

"... Whelp," Child Emperor groaned as he sat back with a stretch. "Looks like we're at another dead end..."

"Well..." She huffed with an irritated look. "Is that all you can do!?"

"What? It's not like we have much to go off of... I mean, did you honestly think we were gonna find this guy based only on the color of his outfit?"

"No! I just thought that someone renowned for his intelligence wouldn't be a complete waste of time. Guess that's too much to ask from a brat like you."

"You're the brat," he muttered a little too quickly. Immediately, his blood ran cold when he realized what he said. "eh-..!" He slowly looked up at her in fear. She was still looking at the screen, but she seemed a lot stiffer. "t-... Tornado, uh... i-I mean, maybe when he reappears I can come back and help you! Or... i-I can keep looking for you! It's no problem at all!"

She was still staring at the screen, but he could see her psychic hue increasing by the second. Slowly, he inched his way out of his seat and began creeping to the door.

"i-I normally charge for these types of sessions, but for you, it's on the house! i-I mean, it's ALWAYS on the house! Heh-! w-Whenever you need me, just call! Heh-heh... I'm really sorry..."

The door suddenly swung open before he could make it. He turned back to see his saving grace. "a-.. Atomic Samurai! Thank god you're here! Tatsumaki needs your help! Everything you need is already up on the screen! I mean, as much as we know anyways, heh heh!" He glanced back to Tatsumaki to see her staring at him with a dangerous look in her eyes. "h-He was there when the ship came down! So, m-maybe he saw something strange, or... someone!" The kid turned tail and took off running down the hall, calling back to the man he led to the slaughter in his place. "Please, do your best!

Atomic Samurai watched him dart down the hall with a confused look. "Whoa, kid. What the hell's this all about...? Man, Tornado. You're as ruthless as e-.." Suddenly, the Esper was right in his face with an intense look in her eyes.

"You were there!?"

"Hey, back up, will ya?" He stepped around her to look at the screen to see what the fuss was all about. "I was where...? Oh, you mean at the ship... Yeah, I stayed behind. Just wanted to make sure the job got handled before I took off."

"So, did you see who this was!? The man wearing this suit did you see him!?" she yelled, poking at the screen. This was the verge of a breakthrough.

Atomic Samurai squinted and rubbed his chin a bit in thought. "Uhhh... I'm not... Oh, wait!" he said loudly as if he had a big revelation come to mind. "That's our supposed hero, huh...? Man, I was expecting someone with a little more... style."

Tatsumaki gave him a dumbfounded look before shaking his comment away and asking again. "Pay attention, you idiot! I said, did you see-.."

"Yeah, yeah," he waved her off. "I heard ya... and no, I didn't see the guy..." He could see her disappointment almost immediately. "He was gone long before that ship reached the ground. Just took off somewhere, I guess..."

"... damn it," she muttered under her breath. With a deep sigh, she hovered by the screen, wondering what her next move was.

"Lookin' for your savior huh?" Atomic Samurai asked with a teasing tone to his voice.

"It doesn't concern you... Get out of here..."

The samurai paid her no mind as he walked around the table and took a seat. "Heh, no worries Tornado. Your secret's safe with me."

"w-.. What secret...!? Shut up!" she yelled. "... I just want to find him."

"Hey, I get it. He didn't just save you. He saved all of us in a way. So... I guess that means I sorta owe him one. I wouldn't mind findin' him myself."

She eyed him with an untrusting gaze. Regardless, having another person searching wouldn't change much at a dead end. "Doesn't matter, now... We've got no way to find him."

"Ah, I wouldn't say that... I mean, you could probably just ask..."

Shock overtook Tatsumaki like a shot of adrenaline and her gaze shot over to him like a bullet. "Ask...!? What do you mean ask!?"

Her gaze was unreadable to him at that moment. She seemed ready to hit him with all she had. "u-.. Uh, Bang. Apparently, the old man knows who this guy is."

The name took a moment to register in her busy mind as she muttered it under her breath.

"I doubt it'll be that easy though. I mean, I've already tr-..."

(Thoom!)

She jetted out of the room faster than he was prepared for. The samurai watched her trail of green aura travel down the hall and around the corner with an interested look. "Heh... Dumb brat..." He sat back in his chair and set his sheathed sword in his lap, shutting his eyes for a nap. "Didn't let me finish..."

King made it to his new apartment, completely out of breath, with his new game in hand, and his heart still pounding as audibly as possible. He hunched over in exhaustion and tried to keep the tears brimming in his eyes from falling. 'Why...!? Why is this still happening to me!?'

This should have stopped when he outed himself, yet he was still being harassed by monsters. It was a problem he'd had for years. It was why all this mess started happening in the first place. He was just always conveniently in the vicinity of powerful creatures that end up getting destroyed before they kill him. The heroes never stuck around, so it seemed to the people who witnessed it that he himself was the hero who saved them.

It happened three times before he realized people were mistaking him for the one responsible. Hell, he didn't know until a letter from the Hero Association came to his mailbox, decreeing him KING, the S-Class rank 7 member, Strongest Man Alive. Before he knew it, there were toys popping up for him, comic books, he was sitting in on S-Class meetings, getting calls to face creatures that would kill him in seconds, etc. It was something he should have denied the very moment they sent that letter, but... truthfully, he was behind on his rent by more than a few months.

It's not like he was planning on exploiting the misunderstanding, but one of the Hero Association representatives ambushed him as he was speaking with his landlord seeking an extension. The rep told the manager not to worry about the issue. He paid his past-due rents and had King's stuff moved to a high-class suite before he could even deny it. He was so shocked he couldn't speak until he was dragged to his first S-Class meeting to be introduced to the others. How could he fess up in the face of people he's admired for years now? In the end, he just couldn't do it. He accepted the title and played along for as long as possible.

Just as terrible as his luck was when it came to running into unbelievably strong villains, his luck with avoiding the battles was equally amazing. Normally, the tales alone of his deeds warded off the monsters. They feared the story of his King Engine. Simply hearing it made them turn tale and run. On the off chance that he was met with an overconfident foe who wanted to test King's power, there always seemed to be someone else there he could pass it off to. A simple, 'Tch... this creature is not worth my time. I leave this to you,' and he was out of there.

'Heh... how stupid... I stole that line from a video game boss...'

Being outed as a fraud was a bittersweet feeling for him. On the one hand, he avoided a lot more confrontations as he wasn't being dragged to them by the Association, but... now, everybody hated him. He couldn't show his face anywhere without getting glares and hateful murmurs calling him a cowardly fool. That wasn't his only problem. He was also ignored by the heroes... Literally... No matter if he were in trouble or not. He was being chased just the other day by a low-level wolf villain. In his mad sprint for his life, he witnessed countless heroes from C to A class ignore his pleas and walk on by, only stepping in when the creature took interest in someone else.

Since then, he's been more or less a hermit. He stays at home, only leaving to gather food. He still had his last check from the Hero Association he was living off of. They, for whatever reason, chose to let him keep it. Likely out of pity. With calculations, this new apartment of his, nestled just on the border of City Y, could house him for at least 6 months. Hopefully, his notoriety will dissipate enough by then to find work. Despite his tight money situation, he couldn't help but allow one impulsive buy. Just for today at least...

"Ah... finally," he muttered as he sat down on his couch, looking at his screen. There was a flashy-looking intro with beautiful, somewhat girly, artwork appearing with a flourish. "Heh, the Heartbeat Hottie Sisters series always aces their intros..."

(On the television)

"Hey, big guy! Welcome to Heartbeat Hotties 6! Why don't you tell me your name, so we can get started? I hope it's as cute as you!"

"Hmm... my name... Using my real name would be kinda sad..." He thought about it for a moment. "What should I name my character...?"

"How bout King...?"

"Heh... Nah... It'd feel kind of weird using my hero na-.. eh...?" He spun around, realizing that that voice was not in his head. "Huh...!? wh-... Who are you!?" he yelled in a panic, staring at the bald man standing behind his couch. "You're not supposed to just barge into other people's houses!"

"Huh...? But, the door was open," he said, nodding over to his open balcony.

'... This is the 6th floor...' King swallowed down the lump in his throat and looked back to the stranger in his house. "l-Look... if you're here t-... to teach me a lesson or something..." He dropped to the ground with his forehead pressed against the wooden floor in a low bow. "Please, don't...! I'm sorry for deceiving everyone...! I'm sorry!"

"... Hm...?" Saitama watched him with a curious look. 'Teach him a lesson...?' He glanced over to his television and stared at the oddly flamboyant graphics. "Who would've thought someone like you plays games like that."

King stopped his groveling when his stomach dropped. "t- ah! n-No! I don't! i-I just left the game store! I think I got the wrong game! I don't even know what that is! i-It's for my niece! I swear!" he spewed out in a panic. He was already a disgrace. He didn't need something like this getting out too.

Saitama ignored him and walked around to the entertainment system. He searched around a pile of game cases before he found something. "This one seems fun..."

To say King was confused was an understatement. He was absolutely baffled. What the heck was this guy doing here if it wasn't to hurt him? "... o-Oh, yeah... That's an action game..."

"Ah... can we play...?"

"Charanko... You must remember to always remain focused," Bang said, pacing behind his top student who was struggling with his daily exercises. "A fight is not all about raw strength. Any battle can be won on the premise of the mind. One mistake can be your downfall, and your goal is to force those mistakes from your enemy while maintaining your own composure."

"Yes, Master Bang!" the awkward man yelled in reply. They were standing out on the cliff where his dojo rested, enjoying the warm weather and slight breeze.

"It is important to always remain vigilant, no matter the situation. If you are ever pressured into a situation that does not suit you, then change it. It is a simple philosophy, but true nonetheless."

"Yes, Master Bang!"

With a sigh, Bang took a seat next to a small table where his tea sat, still fairly warm. He watched his student for a moment more.

"... That is enough for today, Charanko. Be sure to keep up your training on your own as well..."

"Yes, Master Bang!" With a bow, he jogged inside.

Bang took a sip of his tea and admired the view of the barren City Z. "... Would you care for some tea, Tatsumaki...?"

The number one hero came floating down into his line of sight as if she had been there the whole time. She stared him down with an unreadable expression on her face before posing the question he knew she was there to ask. "Bang... the man in the yellow suit, who is he?"

"Ah," he uttered. "So, you also seek to know..."

She narrowed her gaze suspiciously. "... Who else asked?"

With a sigh, he leaned back in his seat and thought about it. "Hm... Atomic Samurai, Metal Bat, Zombie Man, and Flashy Flash have all come seeking an answer... I have sent them all away, just as I must regretfully do to you."

"Tch, why!?" she demanded. "What, is it a student of yours or something...!? Your grandson!?"

"Hoh-hoh-hoh!" Bang laughed out in his jolly way. "No, no. It is nothing like that, I assure you."

"Then, what is it...!?"

Bang sighed and turned away from her intense glare. He figured he knew what her business was, but to clarify, he had to ask. "... Why do you wish to know?"

"It's none of your business... I just need to know who it is! That's all you need to know about it!"

Bang rubbed his chin with a thoughtful glare. "I can't imagine..." he muttered lowly, but loud enough for her to hear. "... It has been quite a while since you've had to be saved... hasn't it, Tatsumaki...?"

Her gaze hardened considerably, but she held her tongue for the moment.

"Not since, Blast, I presume... and, now, this man has done so twice... I wonder what you will do when yo-.."

"So, it was him?" she suddenly asked with an urgent tone. "He's also the one who defeated the Sea King...! I knew it!"

Bang awkwardly coughed into his fist. "w-.. Well, that is the popular opinion anyways. I... read about it online."

"Oh, don't give me that crap!" she yelled. "You don't even HAVE a computer! Now, tell me his name, or I'm not leaving!"

With a sigh, Bang turned away from her and almost seemed to consider caving to her demand. "... I understand what being put in such a situation can feel like... I understand you likely feel some amount of gratitude, bu-.."

"You don't understand anything!" she cut him off. "I just...! I have something to talk to him about... that's all..."

"Tatsumaki... the man you are searching for is someone who has chosen to live his life, not as a hero, but as a normal man. He has no desire to be a hero. I feel there is only one thing he ever dreams of... a challenge. If there is ever a time in which the world is in peril, he will be there... Likely, not for any... heroic purposes, but for the opportunity of the challenge itself... Knowing him or not knowing him makes no difference. As far as I know, he has no desire to rejoin the Hero Association, and it is not my place to expose him to the world if he wishes to remain anonymous..."

"Rejoin...?" she asked, sharply picking that bit out of his lengthy runaround. "So, he was once a member!? th-... there's no way... unless..."

"Hoh-hoh-hoh-!" Bang laughed. "y-You must excuse my elderly tongue. It would seem I am not all there these days."

His excuses flew right by her as she mentally recapped everything he said. 'Seeks a challenge...? If the world's at stake...? Rejoin...!?' All of that sounded very familiar to her, but, '... It couldn't be... That sounds like...' She couldn't even finish that thought without it sounding like misguided hope. 'They said he's... dead...' Perhaps it was just her mind trying to fit her own narrative, but when she thought back to the image of the man that split that beam in half... she couldn't help but envision Blast. He seemed skinnier, and the voice wasn't as deep, but... could it really be?

"-and for that reason, I believe speaking with him, is pointless," Bang said, finishing a longwinded excuse that she didn't even hear. "I apologize... if this inconveniences you, but should he ever return to the Association, I shall inform you of his name..." That was more or less the same shtick he gave to the others.

Tatsumaki shook herself from that daze and heard the tail end of whatever he was saying. "Fine! Whatever! I'll find him, myself! I don't need you!" With a soft boom, she blasted off into the clouds.

Bang watched her trail slowly fade away with a sigh. '... Even now that you've quit, you are still plenty exciting, Young Saitama.'

"I see," Saitama muttered, staring at the game that he was currently getting destroyed in. King had just finished explaining his tale to him. Starting at where the whole misunderstanding began and telling him how it's been since he confessed.

"So... I just kind of stay inside as much as possible... I don't go out unless I need something. Even now, when I do, there always seems to be some monster lurking around..."

"Did you enjoy it?" Saitama asked. "... Being a hero, I mean..."

King shrugged his shoulders, mindlessly thrashing Saitama, in the game they were playing, with absolutely no effort. "... I don't know. I guess it paid well, even without me doing anything, but... honestly, it was way too terrifying. I'd rather have a normal job from now on... If I could find one, that is... Kinda got an ugly stain on my resume, now..."

Saitama peeked at him for only a moment, and when he turned back to the screen, he had already lost... again. "Tch...!"

(The next day)

"w-Wow!" King exclaimed, holding up a shirt in front of him to show it off. "i-I can't believe it! They actually hired me!"

Saitama gave him a small, bland, smile as they walked down the street.

"Oh, man! I almost forgot how great I was at interviews! It was actually one of the few things I was good at."

Saitama didn't want to diminish the moment for him, but the truth was, 'It's only because I vouched for him...'

They continued down the road in the direction of City-Z's gate, chatting about the mechanics of their latest game. It was rather peaceful, really... Until a mysterious voice called out to one of them.

"... King..."

"... Hm?" They both turned to the voice, and to their surprise, there were two men in suits standing in the middle of the road, eyeing King down with menacing stances.

One of them was a man with a rather large build and an unsightly butt chin that was hard to look at. The other was smaller and much thinner with a bit of chin hair. His most striking feature was a set of well-groomed eyelashes.

King and Saitama shared a confused look before the bigger man spoke up. "u-.. uh... Can I help you?"

They began to approach the two at a slow pace, explaining their reasoning along the way. "We are representatives of the Blizzard Group underneath Fubuki, the Hell Blizzard," the big man said.

"We have been sent here to teach you a lesson, in a sense." The smaller one suddenly pulled out two eyelash curlers.

King immediately tensed up and took a timid step back.

"You must understand that your actions in penetrating the S-Class rank so shamefully cannot be forgiven," the bigger one said.

"As Hell Blizzard's top men, we've been sent to ensure you understand the full extent of your crime. The S and A rank members may overlook you for your foolishness, but we are not that merciful. You will not escape unscathed!"

(Bang!)

The sounds of their fading scream was almost comical as the two were sent flying into the distance. King's jaw dropped like a stone at seeing the display of power that such a lackluster punch had. Before he could even fully process the situation, Saitama had already turned around and continued walking.

"Who the hell were those guys...?"

Eventually, King snapped out of his daze and jogged to catch up with him, peeking back every now and then to ensure they were down.

"Anyways," Saitama said, drawing his attention, " I was just saying that if we share loot, we have a better chance at accomplishing goals and defeating the bigger bosses together."

(Hours later)

"We're sorry, Miss Fubuki!" The two suited men yelled their apologies from their bowed positions. They had just explained that their mission was interrupted as King was being accompanied by a formidable opponent. One who took them both out before they knew what happened.

"... hmm... Very well." She said as they picked their heads up. "We cannot have two of our best taken out by a mere civilian. We'd better give this man a visit and correct the issue. Find out where he lives..."