On a hill in Z-City's semi-rural zone, an elegant dojo stood proudly on the peak. Though deserted, it radiated the aura of a Martial Arts holy land.
Inside the main hall, a white-haired yet sturdy old man sat quietly on the floor. Beside him, a thin, long-blond-haired youth served tea and performed chores.
This old-and-young pair was none other than Bang and his only current disciple, the talent-less Charanko.
Bang was waiting; in one hour, it would be the appointed time with Saitama, and he could only hope the man would show up for the wagyu.
Freshly brewed tea sat on the table. Bang, serene, lifted the cup, ready to savor the aroma.
The next second—
Boom-boom-boom!!
An invisible tempest of wild energy rolled in; the entire peak quaked, and the grand dojo swayed on its foundations.
Charanko, carrying tea, lost her footing; the pot crashed, scalding tea spilling everywhere.
"What's going on—an earthquake?"
While Charanko stood bewildered, Bang's aged body trembled, his eyes locked on the distant suburbs, soul nearly scared out of him.
Such terrifying power… and this is just the aftershock?
Hailed as a Martial Arts Grandmaster, Bang now felt no more than a helpless child.
So-called martial arts techniques, honed for decades, seemed feeble and minuscule against the residual waves of this battle.
As a Great Master, Bang had a crystal-clear gauge of his own strength.
He knew that if he entered a fight of this level, he'd be obliterated instantly.
Yet he wondered: just how mighty must one be to clash so fiercely?
A tall figure with golden hair flashed through his mind; the old body shuddered.
One of the combatants was likely that man… then could the one battling Mr. King be a legendary God-level Disaster?!
…Ten thousand meters above ground.
Saitama was having a blast, forgetting he couldn't fly, standing mid-air and exchanging blows.
Scorching blood steamed off his skin. King shouted, and countless crimson fists rained like meteors.
Each punch made the air quake; Saitama's eyes flicked, every time catching King's fist and countering.
Their fists collided: Saitama's red-gloved hand unharmed, King's twisted and shattered.
Not caring about the minor wound, King raised his intact right arm and smashed again.
Saitama's gaze sharpened; a Normal Punch at its limit blew King's right arm to bloody shreds.
Yet in that instant, King's ruined left fist had already healed, and the cycle restarted.
Shrieking sonic booms rang as they spun through the sky; every clash loosed boundless gales.
Above Z-City, a massive storm cloud gathered, thick gray layers churning, lightning snaking within. The forecast said thunderstorms today—heavy rain brewed high above.
The next instant, a scarlet figure shot backward like a shell, a red meteor plunging into the clouds.
A yellow streak followed, diving into the storm right after.
Inside the dense clouds, King tumbled, trying to bleed off momentum. Blood trickled from his mouth, only to be vaporized by his blazing aura; his organs felt knotted.
Hurts like hell… just now, one slip let Saitama land three Normal Punches in a row. Had I not been in Death Gate, vastly tougher, those three strikes would've turned me to mist.
While thoughts raced, the clouds ahead burst open; a bald head in a tattered yellow bodysuit descended, fist enlarging fast.
A surge of lethal danger swept him—Saitama's punch was aimed at his head!
The Bald Demon King clearly now saw King as a near-equal; a headshot should be survivable.
To King, though, it looked like plain murder.
After all, Ultra-Speed Regeneration Healing only worked while he was conscious; if his head burst, recovery was unlikely.
With that in mind, he crossed both arms, blocking the incoming fist. Bones cracked, yet he held the blow.
As King braced to counter, Saitama raised his other hand and punched again.
A titanic shockwave erupted amid the clouds, shredding the storm to pieces; the forecast switched from downpour to clear skies in a blink.
Wind howled past his ears high above.
King stared at the blood-mist that had been his arms, eyelids twitching.
The guy's attack power just jumped again?!
He was sure Saitama still hadn't used Serious Punch, staying within the limit of Normal Punch the whole time.
Which meant Saitama was still growing stronger mid-fight.
King was finding it harder and harder; from barely holding his own to bones shattering with one punch had taken under five minutes.
Only now did he realize why the show's title was One-Punch Man.
Maybe not literally one punch, but this guy… is a pure Superman.
...
(End of Chapter)
[Throw some stones]