The moment Chu Yang set up an arena and openly accepted challenges from his squad members, the news spread throughout Seireitei.
"The simplest method—and also the most effective,"Shunsui Kyōraku said with a smile as he sipped tea with his old friend Jūshirō Ukitake.
"That only works when it's backed by overwhelming strength," Ukitake nodded, his expression complicated. He still couldn't bring himself to feel any goodwill toward this newly promoted Shinigami.
From certain angles… Chu Yang reminded him far too much of Aizen.
"With his strength, earning the respect of his subordinates is only a matter of time," Kyōraku continued casually. "But I have a feeling today might attract an unexpected troublemaker."
With that, Kyōraku suddenly stood up, as if ready to leave.
"Where are you going?" Ukitake asked in surprise.
"To watch the show."
Kyōraku grinned, adjusted his straw hat, and hurried off.
"A troublemaker… don't tell me it's—"
A figure flashed through Ukitake's mind. He quickly followed after Kyōraku.
Before long, nearly all the captains who heard the news—aside from those tied up with urgent duties—headed toward Chu Yang's arena.
Curiosity was at work.
Compared to ordinary squad members, even the captains didn't know much about this newcomer.
—
By the time they arrived, the arena matches were already nearing their end.
The gap in strength was simply too great.
Most challengers couldn't even break through Chu Yang's Armament Haki.
Not all Shinigami were reckless fools.
Once they realized that Chu Yang could defeat challengers with ease without even drawing his Zanpakutō, the remaining enthusiasm was quickly doused.
By the end, only the top five seated officers of the squad still dared to challenge him.
The results were all the same.
They didn't even get a clear look at Chu Yang's Zanpakutō before being knocked flat by a few punches.
At last, the Shinigami under Chu Yang's command were truly convinced.
Just as everything seemed finished—
An uninvited guest appeared on the arena.
He walked straight up and stopped opposite Chu Yang.
The message was obvious.
I challenge you.
Gasps erupted all around.
The Fifth Division Shinigami stared in disbelief.
Because the newcomer was—
The captain of the Eleventh Division.
Kenpachi Zaraki.
"Why is the Eleventh Division captain here?"
"Is he… challenging our captain?"
"Why would he do that?"
"Do they have some kind of grudge?"
Shock and confusion spread together. As a fellow captain, Zaraki had no formal reason to challenge Chu Yang.
Kenpachi looked at Chu Yang indifferently and said,"I heard you're good with the sword. I didn't get to see it last night. Mind letting me have a look today?"
At once, realization dawned on everyone.
This guy was here purely to fight.
The battle maniac of the Soul Society truly lived up to his reputation.
"Among the captains, it seems only you and I can't use Bankai," Chu Yang said calmly. "By that logic, this is pretty fair."
Chu Yang had already intended to use Kenpachi as a whetstone, so he accepted without hesitation.
"Good."
Kenpachi set Yachiru Kusajishi down from his shoulder and gripped his Zanpakutō. His aura changed instantly.
Chu Yang didn't underestimate him either and drew Fengdu.
The two locked eyes.
A battle on the brink.
"Captains engaging in unauthorized combat violates regulations,"a white-haired boy called out as he walked over."Are you two trying to get yourselves expelled?"
Tōshirō Hitsugaya had arrived, stepping in to stop the fight.
As the patrol and security division, the Tenth Division routinely handled disputes between Shinigami.
Chu Yang and Kenpachi glanced at Hitsugaya in unison, both frowning.
This kid has terrible timing.
"Captain Hitsugaya, this isn't a private grudge—it's an arena challenge,"Kyōraku said as he arrived at last, unable to resist nudging things along now that the show was about to start."Just turn a blind eye."
Ukitake followed silently behind him.
Soon, more and more captains and vice-captains gathered, all waiting with interest to see Chu Yang and Kenpachi clash.
Even the usually aloof Byakuya Kuchiki appeared.
Rukia Kuchiki was away in the Human World on assignment and wasn't present.
Hitsugaya scowled, muttered, "Don't go too far," and stepped aside—apparently deciding to watch as well.
With so many captains present, the atmosphere grew strangely tense.
Hundreds of Shinigami murmured among themselves below the arena.
Unable to restrain his excitement any longer, Kenpachi made the first move.
He swung his blade, sending out a golden slash.
It was an attack formed from highly condensed spiritual pressure—searing hot, capable of burning the reishi in the air itself.
Chu Yang answered with a slash of his own.
But unlike Kenpachi's, Chu Yang's slash was blue—utterly devoid of spiritual pressure.
Pure power.Pure technique.
The blue slash crushed the golden one outright. The spiritual pressure scattered violently, kicking up a gale that sent nearby Shinigami flying.
Everyone scrambled backward in panic.
"Why aren't you using last night's power?" Kenpachi asked, sounding displeased as his aura intensified.
"I'm waiting for you to take off the eyepatch," Chu Yang yawned.
Kenpachi grinned savagely. Red light flared in his eyes as the stone tiles beneath his feet began to crumble.
The eyepatch was a product of the Research and Development Institute.
Its sole purpose was to suppress his spiritual pressure, lowering it to match his opponent so he could savor the fight.
Otherwise, many promising opponents would collapse under his pressure alone.
Chu Yang was clearly not one of those.
"Hahaha!"
Kenpachi tore off the eyepatch.
A deep hum filled the air.
His spiritual pressure had reached a terrifying level.
Hitsugaya's expression darkened."Everyone—retreat immediately!"
The watching Shinigami fled at top speed.
But they were still too slow.
A storm of spiritual pressure erupted, sweeping up the front ranks and flinging them into the air.
"S-Save us!"
Chu Yang quickly chanted a spell and cast Levitation, releasing a wave of magic to slow their fall and set them down safely.
"Th-thank you, Captain!"
Shaken, the Shinigami shouted their thanks and ran for their lives.
Chu Yang smiled faintly and turned back.
Kenpachi's spiritual pressure had already surged to a terrifying peak, coating his body in golden light.
"You might be able to suppress the old man's Ryūjin Jakka," Kenpachi boomed,"but that doesn't mean you can suppress me. Get careless, and you'll die."
His voice echoed across the arena, reaching even those who had fled far away.
Everyone stared at Chu Yang in disbelief.
"That idiot!"Kyōraku clutched his head in frustration.
They'd all deliberately kept quiet about last night's events—only for Kenpachi to blurt it out so casually.
"Are you still in the mood to watch?" Ukitake sighed."If the old man finds out, none of us will escape punishment."
"He probably won't go that far," Kyōraku laughed weakly.
"Tch, damn it. I should've known Kenpachi was brainless,"Mayuri Kurotsuchi muttered as he arrived on the scene.
"Stay and watch," Byakuya said coolly.
The next instant—
Kenpachi gripped his sword with both hands and used Shunpo, appearing before Chu Yang in a flash.A terrifying slash wrapped in spiritual pressure came crashing down!
"Sword Art: Twofold Severance!"
The sheer pressure froze the air itself.
Chu Yang also held his blades with both hands—one sword in each.
Fengdu and Tianque.
Source Breathing — First Form: Sun and Moon in Unity
Moonlight seeped from Fengdu's jet-black blade.Sunlight bloomed from Tianque's pure white edge.
Light and shadow alternated, and with every exchange, their power grew.
Kenpachi's golden slash and the roaring tide of spiritual pressure slammed into the revolving sun-and-moon radiance—
Only to be ground apart by the massive disc of light.
"He blocked it!"
"Not only did he refrain from using any Zanpakutō abilities—there isn't even the slightest trace of spiritual pressure!"
"This is pure swordsmanship!"
Kenpachi Zaraki suddenly understood.
The man before him stood on a level of sword mastery far beyond his own.
Including Shunsui Kyōraku, the captains present all realized it at the same time, their pupils shrinking sharply.
"Why aren't you using the power you showed yesterday?"Kenpachi demanded.
"In your eyes… am I not worthy?"
The excitement on Kenpachi's face slowly twisted into anger.
"I heard your Zanpakutō was something you picked up on the battlefield," Chu Yang said calmly."Because your spiritual pressure is too strong, that blade has been stuck in a half–Shikai state all this time. You don't know its true name, and you can't use its abilities."
"That's my answer."
"You're chasing a 'fair' duel?"Chu Yang shook his head."How naive."
"On the battlefield, that kind of thinking gets you killed."
Kenpachi scoffed at Chu Yang's outlook.
"Alright then, I'll be honest," Chu Yang continued with a teasing smile."You really aren't qualified."
Kenpachi froze for a moment—then burst into loud laughter.Instead of getting angry, he found Chu Yang more and more to his liking.
"Then I won't hold back anymore," Kenpachi said, grinning."If you embarrass yourself in front of your subordinates, don't blame me."
The next instant, Kenpachi's spiritual pressure exploded outward like a tsunami, pouring out without restraint.
The sheer pressure was so immense that dark clouds began to gather above Seireitei.
The clouds churned violently, blotting out the sky—an ominous sight.
Chu Yang knew this still wasn't Kenpachi's true limit.Even without the eyepatch, his subconscious was still suppressing his own power.
Even so, Kenpachi's current spiritual pressure already ranked near the very top among the captains.
"At the very least, this is his strongest state right now," Chu Yang thought.
He took a deep breath.
Kenpachi was strong—but still not strong enough.
Chu Yang wanted more.
He wanted someone as strong as Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni.
After a brief silence—
Two overwhelming spiritual pressures split the ground cleanly down the middle.
Clear and distinct.
No bizarre abilities.No scheming or trickery.
Only the crushing clash of spiritual pressure and swordsmanship!
A collision of raw, primal power!
Heart-pounding.Blood-boiling.
The watching Shinigami were dazzled, their minds racing as they imagined that one day, they too might stand where those two stood.
But—
As the intensity of the battle continued to rise, the affected area began pushing beyond the Fifth Division's territory.
The captains' expressions turned grim.
The sheer scale of the fight had exceeded their expectations.
Even Kyōraku, who had come purely to watch the spectacle, grew serious.
If this continued, one of them might actually die.
"Get ready. We may need to separate them," Kyōraku said quietly.
"Petals scatter, flower gods cry.Heaven's wind rages, the heavenly demon laughs—Katen Kyōkotsu."
He softly recited the release command, completing his Shikai and preparing to intervene at any moment.
"You always manage to find excuses to interfere in other people's fights,"Ukitake muttered, even as he readied his own Sōgyo no Kotowari.
Hitsugaya stared at the two of them coldly.
If looks could kill, they'd already be corpses.
From the very beginning, he'd wanted to stop this fight.
All of you just love watching chaos unfold…
Just as the captains braced themselves—
The battle took an unexpected turn.
Chu Yang changed his fighting style.
He began using a sword art that Seireitei had never seen before.
A Taiji yin-yang diagram suddenly appeared beneath his feet.
Chu Yang and Kenpachi stood at opposite poles—black and white.
Chu Yang's sword movements were slow, yet carried an indescribable momentum, as if the world itself were slipping toward stillness.
Taiji Sword.
Zhang Sanfeng's ultimate art from Mount Wudang—crossing countless worlds to bloom brilliantly in the Soul Society.
Kenpachi felt an intense pressure, as though invisible restraints had wrapped around his body.
He tried to leap out of the strange diagram, but Chu Yang's sword intent pulled him back, his speed steadily slowing.
Like sinking into a mire.
Kenpachi's muscles bulged, spiritual pressure surging as he forced his Zanpakutō to swing—
Yet his movements visibly slowed.
He pushed himself to the limit, unleashing several desperate slashes.
Chu Yang stood calmly within the Taiji diagram.The tip of Fengdu traced an arcane trajectory, guiding Kenpachi's slashes into wide circles in midair.
Then—
They slowly vanished.
Kenpachi stared at Chu Yang in utter shock.
He had never seen—nor even heard of—such swordsmanship.
"Is this kind of sword path… truly real?"
"Could I ever reach this level?"
For the first time in his life—
The first time ever—
Kenpachi Zaraki doubted himself.
The fierce light in his eyes dimmed.
He lowered his Zanpakutō, murmuring to himself, teetering on the edge of madness.
Chu Yang sheathed his sword.
The Taiji diagram faded away.
The captains watching nearby finally let out the breath they'd been holding.
"I never expected him to win like this,"Kyōraku said softly."This was absolute domination—his swordsmanship crushed Kenpachi's completely."
"That sword style just now…"Ukitake frowned."It doesn't resemble any known Shinigami technique."
"It's probably self-created," Byakuya said calmly."Not just his swordsmanship—his Zanpakutō doesn't quite belong to this world either."
Unohana Retsu watched Chu Yang with a gentle smile."What an interesting newcomer. Life in Seireitei won't be boring anymore."
Hitsugaya narrowed his eyes."Just don't become the second Aizen…"
...
One Punch World.
City D, Central District—High-End Apartments.
"Sensei, today's sea bream is really fresh. How about sashimi for lunch?"
After placing the ingredients into the sink, Sonic tied on an apron and began preparing the fish.
He was already accustomed to handling Chu Yang's household chores.
Laundry, cooking, cleaning—he did it all flawlessly.
A true domestic expert.
All of it was for one goal:to become a real ninja.
In the center of the living room—
Chu Yang lay sprawled on the sofa, looking lazy, yet his mind was hard at work.
How could he break the shackles of the world's rules and allow Sonic to learn ninjutsu?
The principle behind chakra wasn't complicated.
It was simply the fusion of physical energy and spiritual energy.
With Sonic's strength, that should have been easy.
Yet it wasn't possible.
Because this world had no concept of chakra.
How to bypass that restriction…or rather, how to create chakra from nothing—
Just thinking about it was enough to nearly overheat Chu Yang's brain.
At that moment, Sonic's offhand comment struck him like lightning.
"I heard that ninjas all come from noble, special bloodlines…"
"Is it because I don't have that kind of bloodline… that I can't learn ninjutsu?"
Sonic muttered quietly as he sliced the sashimi, his mood clearly low.
Chu Yang couldn't explain the concept of world-level rules to him, and Sonic had started forming his own assumptions.
But those words sparked something.
Chu Yang possessed Lineage Factor technology.
In the One Punch world, the origins of superhuman abilities and monsters varied wildly—but at their core, they were all tied to genetics.
Genetic mutation…
This was, in fact, conceptually very similar to Lineage Factor technology.
And breaking the limiter might also have to start from this very direction.
Chu Yang still remembered an organization from the early storyline—the House of Evolution—which had been conducting similar research and had even created several powerful monsters.
Armored Gorilla and Asura Kabuto were actually quite strong.It was only because Saitama was absurdly powerful that those monsters ended up looking weak by comparison.
From another angle, the founder of the House of Evolution—Dr. Genus—was essentially at the ceiling when it came to biological modification technology.However, his understanding of genetics was still fairly shallow, far inferior to Lineage Factor–level refinement.
"I could use Lineage Factor technology to grant Sonic a bloodline limit," Chu Yang murmured."My own Ōtsutsuki bloodline can be dismantled into several separate bloodline abilities."
The Senju clan.The Uchiha clan.The Hyūga clan.The Uzumaki clan.The Kaguya (Kaguya Clan).Even the powers of Kinkaku and Ginkaku.
All of these bloodline limits could be recreated by Chu Yang.
First obtain a bloodline limit, then attempt to condense chakra.The only question was whether reversing the usual order would still count as completing the process of "creating something from nothing."
"I don't know if Sonic can survive it. Even in the Naruto world, inheriting a bloodline limit isn't a simple matter—there's a very high risk."
"Still… humans in this world already have abnormal genetics. That might actually be an advantage."
"Using Lineage Factor recklessly is dangerous. I should first reference the research native to this world."
Chu Yang tilted his head, watching Sonic bustle about in the kitchen.Compared to death, this guy seemed far more afraid of never becoming a real ninja.
"Sonic," Chu Yang said suddenly,"I have a way for you to learn ninjutsu—but the price is that you might die. Are you willing to try?"
Before he could even finish speaking, Sonic flashed in front of him, still holding the kitchen knife, his entire body trembling with excitement.
"Sensei… can I really become a true ninja?"
He stared at Chu Yang in disbelief, completely ignoring the mention of the cost.
"You'll probably die," Chu Yang added flatly, sitting up and clicking his tongue.
Sonic grinned, utterly unconcerned with death.
"I figured you'd say that," Chu Yang said with satisfaction."Pack your things. We're going somewhere."
Sonic dashed straight out the door, leaving half-cut sea bream on the cutting board.
Two days later.
Through the Hero Association's connections, Chu Yang located the House of Evolution.
The organization had long been one of the Association's targets, yet for some reason, they had never acted.
Chu Yang suspected someone was coveting Dr. Genus's biotechnology.
After all, the ability to restore youth alone was enough to drive countless people insane.
A black sedan delivered Chu Yang and Sonic to a nameless primeval forest.
Deep in the mountains, an enormous building stood incongruously tall.
The car stopped in front of it.
As Chu Yang stepped out, the driver lowered his voice and said,"After you eliminate the House of Evolution, please bring out their research data. It's extremely valuable to the Hero Association. You'll be compensated accordingly."
Just as expected.
Chu Yang nodded, then led Sonic into the building.
As an aside—Sonic was technically a hero as well.Because he rarely took missions, he remained stuck at C-Class.
The entire building was just a decoy.The real facility lay deep underground beneath Chu Yang's feet.
Just as he was about to force open an entrance, the ground beside him began to tremble slightly.
Something was coming up from below.
"Sonic—watch your footing."
The instant he finished speaking, the floor beneath them exploded.
A massive brown figure burst upward, charging wildly.
Because of Chu Yang's warning, Sonic was already prepared.He dodged the attack and counterattacked in the very next moment.
His katana flashed silver through the air, precisely striking the creature's vital point.
Clang!
The blade snapped in two.
Sonic's arm went numb—as if he'd struck something impossibly hard.
Only then did he clearly see what had emerged from underground.
A humanoid rhinoceros beetle monster—seven or eight meters tall.
A monster.
And a very high-level one.
The beetle monster was holding a badly injured human in its hand.
Sonic glanced at him, then turned to Chu Yang."Sensei… is that Dr. Genus?"
Chu Yang nodded, slightly puzzled.Why had they run into Asura Kabuto right as he went berserk?
Well…It didn't really matter.
"Doctor, you released me because you were afraid of them?"Asura Kabuto asked coldly, staring Dr. Genus in the face.
Genus struggled to turn his head.When he saw Chu Yang and Sonic, surprise flashed across his face.
"Not… them…"
Not them?
So there was someone else?
Asura Kabuto frowned, tossed Genus aside, and waved dismissively."Doesn't matter. They're all going to die anyway."
At that moment—
A silver streak slashed toward Asura Kabuto at extreme speed.
He instinctively raised his arm to block—
And it was severed cleanly.
The armored limb spun slowly through the air.
In a daze, Asura Kabuto saw a young man in ordinary clothes, holding an ancient, exquisitely crafted sword.
Terror filled his eyes.
The scent of death closed in.
A Dragon-level monster was nothing compared to Chu Yang.
Asura Kabuto stared at his severed arm in disbelief.He hadn't even registered the attack.
Lying in a pool of blood, Dr. Genus's pupils dilated violently.
So strong!
But—
Who was this man?
Where was that bald hero?And the cyborg?
Genus struggled to his feet just in time to see Chu Yang swing a second slash.
The dark floor was flooded with blinding light.
"Is that… the sun?"Genus raised his arm to shield his eyes.
Sonic immediately ducked into a corner, grinning with excitement."As expected of Sensei…"
From the brief exchange, Sonic could already tell—the monster was Dragon-level.
"And Sensei severed its arm with a single strike."
"If he'd used ninjutsu, it would've been perfect…"
Sonic felt a twinge of regret.
When the blinding light faded, Asura Kabuto was gone.
Genus stared at the empty space, his eyes hollow."Asura Kabuto… was destroyed just like that?"
"The monster you created was strong—very strong," Chu Yang said calmly."But its brain didn't keep up."
"If it had gone all out from the beginning, things might've been different."
Chu Yang walked over, grabbed Genus by the collar, and tossed him toward Sonic.
Sonic instinctively tried to kick him away—but froze under Chu Yang's murderous glare and caught him instead.
Chu Yang stretched lazily.To avoid complications, he hadn't allowed Asura Kabuto to enter Asura Mode.
Without stacking buffs, that strike had been Chu Yang's full power.
"Dr. Genus, I need some of your research data.Can you tell me where it is?"
Genus, eyes unfocused, pointed at the massive hole in the floor.
"Take him. We're going down."
Chu Yang descended into the dark passageway, Sonic hauling Genus behind him.
The underground facility beneath the building was the true House of Evolution.
The steel corridor stretched long and deep, its walls covered in craters—clear evidence of Asura Kabuto's brute-force rampage.
The structure wasn't complicated.With Genus now cooperating, they quickly found the data archive.
Next to it lay the bioengineering laboratory.
Containers and pipelines of all sizes filled the room.
Machines analyzing blood and cellular samples hummed continuously.
A familiar sensation washed over Chu Yang.
This place was almost identical to his own Lineage Factor lab.
"Dr. Genus, you really are a genius," Chu Yang said sincerely."If you'd kept going, you might've actually touched the realm of the limiter."
Chu Yang felt a spark of anticipation.
Unfortunately, Genus was in no state to appreciate the praise—his mind was still replaying Asura Kabuto being erased in a single strike.
Years of effort felt like a cruel joke.
Chu Yang patted Genus's shoulder and smiled.
"From today on, this place is requisitioned by me.You can continue your research—on one condition."
"You'll work as my assistant."
Genus remained dazed.
Sonic lost patience and smacked him hard on the back."My teacher's talking to you!"
Genus jolted awake, staring at Chu Yang in panic."I—I'm sorry! What did you just say?"
Sonic glared at him unhappily."This place will be our base from now on."
Genus hurriedly nodded. "Of course, no problem at all—as long as you don't kill me."
"I'm not finished yet. Why are you rushing?" Sonic said coldly."You're staying here to help my teacher with his research."
Genus's face turned ugly. "The strongest modified lifeforms of the House of Evolution are already dead. My research is garbage—it has no value at all."
Sonic grabbed Genus by the collar and warned him impatiently,"Whether it has value or not is for my teacher to decide. You just do as you're told. Do you understand?"
Genus nodded frantically in fear.
"Can you be a little more polite?" Chu Yang clicked his tongue and reminded him kindly."You're a properly registered hero now. Stop acting like a villain all the time. If you don't change, sooner or later you'll become a castrated ninja."
"Haha! Sensei, ninjas are supposed to be solitary!"Sonic thought Chu Yang was praising him and immediately put on a smug expression, loosening his grip.
Genus finally let out a breath of relief.
"As long as you're happy. Then I wish your dream comes true," Chu Yang said casually.
Thinking about Sonic's future fate, Chu Yang suddenly shuddered, feeling a chill in his lower body.
"Grab something random and hand it to the driver outside to send him away," Chu Yang instructed, then lowered his head to read through Genus's experiment logs.
With Genus's help, Sonic gathered some unimportant research data and returned to the surface.
The moment he exited the building, he saw a bald man in a strange cape and a half-mechanical man arguing loudly with the driver by the car.
"The monsters inside are already being handled by another hero. Please wait outside for now."
"Huh? What are you talking about?! Those guys inside sent people to attack us!"
"Please restrain your emotions. If you cause trouble, I'll report it to Hero Association headquarters."
"Damn it…"
So these were the ones originally meant to come to the House of Evolution?
Was Asura Kabuto released because of them?
Sonic's interest was piqued. He walked over and handed the data to the driver.
The driver looked visibly relieved.
"Who are you two?" Sonic asked, turning toward them.
"My name's Saitama, and he's Genos," Saitama said automatically, scratching his head."By the way… who are you?"
"My name is Sonic. I'm a ninja—well, still training, so not a real ninja yet."
He paused, then added,"If you came for the monsters from the House of Evolution, you can leave. They've already been taken care of by my teacher."
"What? Already dealt with?" Saitama complained."I came all the way out here for nothing…"
Genos hesitated.
He had just fought other modified monsters earlier, and none of them were weak.Especially since that gorilla had claimed the House of Evolution possessed an even stronger creation.
Ordinary heroes shouldn't have been able to clear this place.
Thinking that, Genos asked, "May I ask what rank you are?"
Sonic lifted his chin proudly."I'm the famous C-Class hero—Speed-o'-Sound Sonic!"
Genos and Saitama stared at each other.
After a long silence, they spoke in unison.
"You'd better let us go inside and check.""This kid looks kind of stupid—maybe the monsters tricked him?""Sensei, that's possible. We should confirm whether the monsters are really gone.""He even has a teacher?""If he's C-Class, his teacher is probably B-Class at best.""The more we talk, the less reassured I feel. Genos, let's go take a look."
As they spoke, the two started to force their way inside.
Sonic stepped in front of them, displeased."If you two take another step forward, I'm going to attack."
After spending time with Chu Yang, Sonic's personality had changed slightly.In the past, he wouldn't have wasted words—he would've gone straight for the kill.
"Then do it, Genos," Saitama said.
"Yes, Sensei."
Genos's metal body heated rapidly. His arms lifted slightly as flames gathered in his palms.Only on close inspection could one see a glowing red cannon barrel inside his hands.
Sensing danger, Sonic vanished from where he stood.
In the next instant, a scorching beam pierced the spot he had just occupied, the air warping from the heat.
"Huh?""He dodged it…"
Genos realized the so-called C-Class ninja wasn't ordinary at all.
Even with the output greatly reduced, the laser's speed wasn't something most people could evade.
"He's definitely above C-Class."
A flicker of blades flashed before his eyes.Genos activated his thrusters and retreated at full power, narrowly avoiding the strike.
The sword tip scraped across his steel-forged chest, sparks bursting out.
After barely escaping, Genos fully deployed the cannons in both arms and unleashed his firepower!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Explosions thundered as the ground shook violently, scaring the driver into fleeing in his car.
Genos's firepower was overwhelming—but it was precisely the type most vulnerable to fast melee specialists.
No matter how strong the attack, if it couldn't hit, it meant nothing.
And Sonic's speed was top-tier.
In the One Punch Man world, there were people who could keep up with Sonic—but Genos wasn't one of them.
Cannons and lasers interwove into a terrifying barrage, trying to cage Sonic in.
A ghostlike figure darted through the storm of fire.Sonic brushed past searing beams again and again, unscathed.
Watching from the side, Saitama tilted his head."He's really fast. If this keeps up, Genos might lose."
Under the relentless bombardment, the ground around the building turned to scorched earth, gradually spreading to the structure itself.
Realizing Sonic's strength, Genos felt embarrassed about underestimating him earlier.
Unfortunately, Sonic was already fired up.Even if Genos wanted to stop, Sonic wouldn't.
At this point, the only choice was to grit his teeth and keep fighting—find a way to suppress him and end this pointless battle.
Battlefields change in an instant.
In a moment of distraction, a dazzling flash surged right in front of Genos.
For the first time ever, panic appeared on the cyborg's cold face.
They were inches apart.Genos could clearly sense Sonic's breathing—and heartbeat.
The cold gleam of Sonic's katana plunged toward the energy reactor in Genos's chest.
He aimed to sever the power supply.
Sensing Sonic's intent, Genos immediately overloaded his internal energy, generating extreme heat.
The katana melted instantly, failing to damage the energy conduits.
However—
The overload also temporarily immobilized Genos.
"You can't move right now, can you?" Sonic sneered.
Genos's pupils shrank.Only then did he realize—this might have been Sonic's plan all along.
In the next second, Sonic hurled a shuriken straight at Genos's vital point.
"Damn it!"
Genos shut his eyes, waiting for death.
But the bald hero in the yellow cape wouldn't let Genos die so easily.
He flashed in front of Genos and blocked the attack.
Sonic's smile froze. His expression turned grave as he stared at Saitama.
As a speed-type fighter, Sonic's dynamic vision was exceptional—yet he hadn't seen Saitama move at all.
"Fighting two people at once is tough… should I retreat first?"
"But Sensei is still down there…"
After a moment's thought, Sonic firmly guarded the entrance.No matter what, he couldn't let these two go down and disturb his teacher.
Genos had already realized Sonic truly could handle the monsters here.He hadn't been lying.
But Saitama was more straightforward—he hadn't considered that.
He still wanted to move Sonic aside.
After blocking the shuriken, Saitama vanished and reappeared right in front of Sonic, throwing a punch.
A completely ordinary punch.
Yet it carried an indescribably terrifying presence.
Sonic was frozen in place, overwhelmed by the pressure.
"SENSEI!" Genos shouted from behind.
"I know," Saitama replied flatly.
The punching fist turned into an open palm—he only intended to push Sonic away.
Even so, that slap alone would've sent Sonic flying hundreds of meters.
The sheer wind pressure made it impossible to open one's eyes.
At the critical moment—
Another figure appeared in front of Sonic.
Lightning wrapped around his entire body.
Boom—boom—boom!
Deafening thunder roared.
He raised his hand and blocked Saitama's palm.
The terrifying shockwave rippled outward.Behind Sonic, the building shuddered violently—every window shattered at once!
"S-Sensei…"Sonic stared at the newcomer, moved yet ashamed.
Chu Yang frowned slightly.That slap had nearly broken his arm—cracks in the bone were instantly healed by massive life force.
"If not for Wood Release plus Lightning Release Armor, that would've been hard to take."
"As expected of an invincible protagonist by setting alone—purely in terms of physical power, he's the strongest I've ever seen."
To be honest, Chu Yang didn't want to fight Saitama right now.
But life was full of accidents.
Chu Yang wasn't afraid of an almost invincible character defined by the world's rules—because he himself existed outside those rules and possessed means to counter him.
For example—
Blood-red tomoe appeared once more, slowly rotating in Chu Yang's pupils.
Saitama merely glanced at them.
His gaze instantly went blank.
His body stood motionless, soul seemingly lost.
At the same time—
Inside the illusionary space, Saitama was bound to a massive cross by chains.
The ground beneath him was like a mirror, reflecting his current self.
Looking down, he saw familiar, nostalgic black hair.
It was himself—years ago, when he was still an ordinary man.
Saitama froze.
A shadow appeared before him.
He saw a strange young man approaching, weapon in hand.
The smile on his face was gentle and friendly.
Like the boy next door.
"I'm starting to understand why Uchiha Itachi liked using this technique," the young man said softly.
"It's really… interesting."
Moments later—
Screams echoed through the illusionary space.
(End of Chapter)