As Genos's words fell, the entire living room plunged into a dead silence.
Everyone's gaze focused uniformly on Genos's handsome face, which was practically screaming, "Praise me."
Their eyes held astonishment, sympathy, and an obvious sense of concern.
"Pfft—"
The first to break the stillness was Hellish Blizzard.
She initially covered her mouth with her hand, trying to suppress her laughter, but her trembling shoulders and beet-red cheeks had already betrayed her.
Finally, she could no longer hold it in, and a clear peal of laughter burst forth, as if a switch had been flipped.
"Angel of... The End? Genos-kun, isn't that name a bit too chuunibyou?"
She laughed so hard she swayed back and forth, her body trembling slightly, and even a tear squeezed out from the corner of her eye.
The laughter seemed contagious.
Beside them, Bang and Bomb, two Martial Arts Grandmasters, who had been sitting upright, also couldn't maintain their composure.
Bang, the battle-hardened master of Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, now wore a helpless expression of both crying and laughing.
He exchanged glances with his brother Bomb, both seeing the same expression in the other's eyes.
"Ahem," Bang cleared his throat to cover his amusement, "This name... is indeed... magnificent."
He spoke with great difficulty, as if each word weighed a thousand pounds.
Saitama's face, meanwhile, darkened instantly.
He felt his toes were so embarrassed they had dug out a three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment in the floor.
"Genos..." he said weakly.
"Yes, Sensei!"
Genos was completely unaware of the subtle change in his teacher's mood.
He stood at attention with a "snap," his face full of anticipation, as if waiting for his teacher's commendation.
"This name," Saitama said expressionlessly, "is too long, I can't remember it. And when you say it out loud, don't you feel embarrassed?"
"Not at all!" Genos retorted righteously.
"This name perfectly encapsulates Sensei's essence! To enemies, you are the end that brings destruction; to the people you save, you are the angel that brings hope!"
"In my opinion, nothing is more suitable than this!"
"No, it only contains the kind of embarrassment that makes people curl their toes."
Saitama ruthlessly retorted, then completely threw the suggestion into the trash, "Next one."
Genos looked as if he had suffered a huge blow, his entire being turning monochrome.
He silently sat down, took out his notebook, seemingly reflecting on where he failed to grasp his teacher's profound meaning, and preparing to conceive an even more magnificent hero name.
"Haha, Genos-kun is really... full of enthusiasm."
Lin Mo, who had been quietly drinking tea and watching the show, finally couldn't help but laugh at the amusing scene.
He put down his teacup, which made a crisp sound as it hit the table, successfully drawing everyone's attention.
As soon as he spoke, the atmosphere in the living room instantly changed again.
Mr. KING's opinion!
That was The Strongest Man on Earth's opinion! Its value was absolutely the highest!
Even Saitama, who had just been sulking, couldn't help but cast an inquiring gaze.
"Mr. KING, do you have any brilliant ideas?" Hellish Blizzard immediately straightened up, her eyes shining, and asked with anticipation.
She felt that with Mr. KING's realm and strength, any name he came up with would undoubtedly be extraordinary, both powerful and stylish.
Lin Mo's gaze swept around the living room, finally landing on Saitama's bald head, which was exceptionally dazzling under the light.
He also recalled his iconic yellow jumpsuit and white cape.
A name, both mischievous and strangely fitting, suddenly appeared in his mind.
He cleared his throat, a meaningful smile on his face, and slowly said:
"I think, how about..."
"[Bald Super Powerhouse]."
"..."
One second.
Two seconds.
"Pfft— Hahahahahahahahaha!"
This time, the source of the uproarious laughter was Bang.
He could no longer maintain his image, clutching his stomach and laughing so hard he swayed back and forth, almost rolling off his cushion.
"Su... Super Powerhouse? Hahahaha! This old man can't take it, I can't..."
Bomb also couldn't help but laugh, and although he didn't lose his composure like his younger brother, his violently shaking shoulders and irrepressibly upturned mouth showed that he was suffering from great "internal injuries."
Hellish Blizzard was laughing so hard she was shaking like a flower, collapsing onto the sofa, gently pounding the cushion with her fists, tears almost streaming from her eyes from laughter.
Only Genos was still seriously analyzing the deeper meaning of the name.
"Bald... Super Powerhouse? Does it mean that Sensei's bald form contains power that surpasses everything, a symbol of a Overlord? Hmm... Although a bit direct, it seems quite reasonable!"
"Reasonable my foot!"
Saitama finally exploded, suddenly standing up and pointing at Lin Mo, who was laughing the hardest, roaring in grief and indignation:
"KING! You bastard! This name is a hundred times worse than 'Caped Baldy,' you idiot!"
"What's a Super Powerhouse?! It sounds like some cannon fodder character from a children's tokusatsu show, okay?!"
"Really?" Lin Mo suppressed his laughter, shrugging his hands with an innocent expression.
"I think it's quite fitting. Simple and clear, highlighting your two main characteristics—baldness and super strength."
"I'll kill you—!!!"
Looking at Saitama, who had once again entered a "red-hot" state, and the others who were roaring with laughter, Hellish Blizzard suddenly had a flash of inspiration.
She remembered the rumors about Saitama online.
Destroying a meteor with one punch, destroying an alien spaceship and alien enemies with one punch... A simple, direct, yet incredibly fitting name surfaced in her mind.
"Um..." She raised her hand, tentatively speaking, "I... I have an idea."
Everyone's gaze turned to her.
Hellish Blizzard took a deep breath, looked at Saitama, and said seriously:
"Saitama-san, your strength lies in the fact that... no matter how powerful the enemy, you only need one punch to defeat them."
"So..."
"How about... 'One-Punch Man'?"
One-Punch Man.
The moment these four words were uttered, the entire room fell silent once again.
The previous names, whether chuunibyou, archaic, or comical, all paled in comparison to this title.
"One-Punch... Man?"
Saitama savored the name, and his eyes slowly lit up.
One Punch.
Man.
Simple, direct, powerful.
It wasn't as chuunibyou and embarrassing as "Angel of The End," nor as ridiculous and comical as "Bald Super Powerhouse."
It even better reflected his core essence than "Caped Baldy."
Although it still sounded a little like a background character from a children's show, it... was exceptionally fitting for his image!
"Oh oh oh! This is good!" He clapped his hands suddenly, the gloom on his face vanishing, replaced by a deep sense of satisfaction.
"This is it! It sounds super cool! One-Punch Man! Hahahahaha!"
"Hmm, it's indeed good." Bang stroked his beard, nodding approvingly.
"It not only intuitively reflects Saitama-kun's overwhelming strength but also maintains the demeanor of a hero."
"One punch to settle everything, a great name!" Bomb also gave a thumbs-up, showing his approval.
Genos immediately crossed out "Angel of The End Saitama" in his notebook and solemnly wrote down the four large characters for "One-Punch Man."
"It's decided!" Saitama excitedly announced, "I'll go to the Hero Association right away and change my hero name to 'One-Punch Man'!"
Lin Mo looked at this joyous scene, his heart filled with emotion.
After going in a circle, they ultimately returned to this most classic and resonant name.
He looked at the bald man who was beaming with pride over his new name, and then at his companions around him, who were genuinely smiling.
Outside the window, the night had deepened at some point, and the city's hustle and bustle gradually faded away.
Warm light emanated from the apartment windows, enveloping the laughter and joy within.
Lin Mo picked up the tea, which had grown somewhat cool, and took a small sip, feeling that the tranquil night seemed to have become especially gentle.