The world seemed to have been muted.
Bang, Bomb, and Genos, three battle-hardened powerhouses, simultaneously felt a shiver originating from the very essence of their lives.
They perceived an indescribable, utterly pure force emanating from Saitama, brutally unleashed forward.
This shockwave, with devastating power, surged along Elder Centipede's mountain-like body.
Wherever it passed, Elder Centipede, who had only shed a layer of skin even after the combined secret technique of the Bang brothers, was completely reduced to dust.
"From Elder Centipede's astonishment and fear, energy points +10000!"
One second.
It only took one second.
As the gale swept past the three, almost blinding them, the once arrogant Monster Elder Centipede, who had brought endless despair, had completely vanished from this world.
Not even a speck of flesh and blood remained.
The wind stopped.
The world regained its sound.
"This... is..."
Bang's voice was dry and hoarse; he turned his head with difficulty to look at his elder brother beside him.
Bomb also maintained the same posture, mouth agape, his usually resolute face filled with shock and disbelief.
Genos, semi-crouching not far away, had an even more direct reaction.
In that instant, all his detectors pointed to the same source—the bald man in the yellow jumpsuit.
The gazes of the three, in unison, swept across the scarred ruins and converged in the distance.
There, two figures stood silently.
One was the man with the golden hair and three scars, Mr. KING, whose mere presence was enough to suppress everything.
His Emperor Engine was now emitting a drum-like heartbeat, proclaiming his unrivaled majesty.
The other was the bald hero, Saitama, who had just unleashed a "divine punch."
He was slowly retracting his fist, his expression looking much more relaxed.
As the strong wind gradually subsided, the dust in the sky began to slowly settle.
Bang's mind, after a brief blank, gradually began to comprehend the reality before him.
He knew Saitama-kun was strong, evident from the previous meteor incident and the alien spaceship invasion.
However, this was no longer something that could be described as merely "strong."
Their brothers' ultimate secret technique, "Roaring Air Shredding Fist," only managed to knock off a layer of Elder Centipede's shell.
Genos's most powerful attack, reaching the realm of "Resonance," also only managed to knock off a layer of Elder Centipede's shell.
But Saitama... just one punch.
And then, the calamity they considered unconquerable was gone.
Not even a remnant was left.
However, Bang was a grandmaster after all, and his composure was beyond ordinary people's reach, so he quickly adjusted his mindset.
"Oni-chan..."
Bang nudged Bomb beside him with his elbow.
"Ah..."
Bomb awoke as if from a dream; he gave a wry smile and shook his head.
"Truly... a complete lesson learned. What we old folks have been proud of our entire lives, in the face of absolute power, turns out to be so insignificant."
There was no jealousy in his tone, only a heartfelt sigh.
Genos, meanwhile, struggled to sit up.
His heart was also filled with immense shock.
But unlike the Bang brothers, beyond the shock, there was more of a fervent yearning.
Is this... my teacher's true power!
Then, what kind of unimaginable realm can the true endpoint of the KING Style Secret Technique: Martial Way - Mechanical Combat, which I pursue, reach... The goal is still very distant!
As the three were lost in their own thoughts, the two figures had already passed through the dust and slowly walked towards them.
Lin Mo still maintained the profound and unfathomable demeanor of a powerhouse, and the Emperor Engine roaring like a war drum beside him made him the center of attention.
Saitama, on the other hand, yawned with a bored expression; the world-destroying punch just now was merely him being a little more serious.
"Mr. KING, Saitama-kun."
Bang composed himself and stepped forward to greet them.
He first nodded slightly to Mr. KING, then, with an extremely solemn attitude, bowed deeply to Saitama.
"This time, thank you, Saitama-kun, for coming to our aid. If you hadn't arrived in time, the three of us would probably be nothing but bones."
He adopted a very humble posture; a life-saving grace was beyond words to repay.
"Huh? Oh, it's nothing."
Saitama scratched his bald head, a little unaccustomed to the praise, "Anyway, I also had a lot of pent-up anger with nowhere to vent."
His honest words, however, caused a secondary impact when heard by Bang and Bomb.
So... that attack just now, for Saitama-kun, was merely... venting anger?
The two grandmasters exchanged glances, both somewhat exasperated.
"But speaking of which," Bomb stepped forward, looking at Mr. KING, who showed no change in expression, and then at Saitama, who looked nonchalant, he couldn't help but ask:
"Mr. KING, you and Saitama-kun, what exactly are..."
Bomb clearly hadn't had as much contact with Saitama and the others as Bang, so his tone was extremely respectful, yet also full of inquiry.
In his opinion, one of these two possessed absolute power that could destroy the world, while the other possessed an supreme aura that lorded over all.
Why would these two extraordinary Monsters come together?
And what kind of relationship did they have?
Were they master and disciple? Opponents? Or... Lin Mo looked at the old man in confusion, wasn't it obvious?
"He is my friend."
His voice was not loud, but coupled with the roaring Emperor Engine, it carried an undeniable persuasiveness.
The simple five words, however, seemed to contain infinite information.
Friend?
Bomb understood instantly.
So that's it!
No wonder Saitama-kun, despite his immense strength, was content to be at the bottom of the hero rankings, acting so low-key and indifferent to fame.
Because he didn't care about those empty titles at all!
What he cared about was his friendship with Mr. KING, The Strongest Man on Earth!
This was a higher level of pursuit! A mutual appreciation between powerhouses!
Perhaps, for beings of their caliber, all worldly matters had long become fleeting.
Only "peers" who could stand shoulder to shoulder with them were the most precious.
In Bomb's mind, a picture of powerhouses standing together in lofty solitude instantly formed; his gaze towards Mr. KING and Saitama was immediately filled with admiration and understanding.
"Alright, alright," Saitama waved his hand, interrupting the old men's imaginings. He pointed in the direction not far away and invited:
"You all seem pretty injured. Why don't you come to my place to rest for a while? The apartment building just got repaired not long ago."
This simple and unpretentious invitation instantly pulled Bomb back to reality from his fantasy of divine friendship.
He and Bang exchanged glances, both seeing a hint of warmth in each other's eyes.
They nodded, saying in unison, "Then... we'll impose."