"So it's settled. Any objections to renaming S-Class Rank 14's Caped Baldy as One-Punch Man?"
"None here. A new name works for me, though Caped Baldy did have flair."
"I'm fine with it. One-Punch Man suits him—every monster goes down in a single punch."
"Hoho, if that's the consensus, I'll agree. Maybe One-Punch Man can moonlight as a bodyguard now and then."
"By the way, One-Punch Man is currently S-Class Rank 14. After stopping that massive disaster, should we bump him higher?"
"Hoho, let's raise him two spots—to S-Class Rank 12."
"One-Punch Man still doesn't own a house, right? Let's gift him a mansion in the rich district; you guys can invest in the property and rake it in."
"Haha, always the shrewd one. Great idea—I'm in on that project!"
Listening to the Hero Association's top brass drift off-topic, Sitch scratched his head in irritation and slumped in his chair like a deflated balloon.
Forget it. Let everything burn… Moments later the Association's official announcement blasted across every media outlet.
Hero name [Caped Baldy] officially changed to [One-Punch Man].
Meanwhile, S-Class Rank 14 [One-Punch Man] climbs to S-Class Rank 12.
The internet exploded.
"Whoa, One-Punch Man sounds epic—does he really one-shot every monster?"
"Not so fast. A name isn't everything. Take S-Class Rank 3 Silver Fang—does old Bang actually have Silver Fangs?"
"Still, One-Punch Man delivers. In just days he's jumped five ranks to S-Class 12."
"Exactly—every fight ends with a single punch. Feels stronger than half the S-Class."
Online chatter about Saitama surged: fans praising his new name, his power, his meteoric rise.
A few detractors surfaced, but the wave of praise drowned them out.
Some thrill-seekers even pitted [One-Punch Man] against The Strongest Man on Earth [KING].
One boasted legendary feats as Earth's mightiest; the other erased monsters with a single blow.
Yet the consensus remained: the throne of the Strongest Man on the Surface stood unshaken… Meanwhile, the star of the debate, Bald Demon King Saitama, lay on his bed lazily devouring a manga.
His eyes widened at a panel and he bolted upright, snacks forgotten.
"Huh? Reiner and Bertholt were titans all along? No buildup at all?"
Just then his custom phone vibrated violently, the screen flaring crimson.
Saitama clicked his tongue in annoyance, closed "Attack on Titan," and grabbed the phone.
Reading the alert aloud, he enunciated every word:
"Major announcement: all S-Class Heroes report to A-City HQ immediately for an emergency assembly.""
"Ugh, another meeting—hope they reimburse travel costs."
A pain, sure, but as a celebrated S-Class Hero he'd shoulder the responsibility.
He zipped into his yellow suit, glanced at the map, and launched out the window in a streak of gold.
Across every city, S-Class Heroes received the same summons.
Every one of them set out for HQ—even the Q-City guardian Police Dog Man.
Prison.
A concrete wall exploded as a pink-sweatered muscle-bound hunk leapt through the rubble, striking a sultry pose.
"Bye-bye, sweethearts! Off to a meeting—when I'm back, two kisses each!"
Angel Style!
Puri-Puri Prisoner roared; his muscles ballooned, spectral white wings unfurled, and he sprinted faster than most cars.
Watching him vanish, the inmates wept in each other's arms.
"Ahhh, the monster's finally gone! I can't take it anymore!"
"He's a freak! Last time I stabbed his neck while he slept—the blade snapped!"
"Had I known this pervert was here, I'd never have broken the law. Anything's better than this!"
…Z-City.
King lowered his phone, eyes sharpening.
Looks like the storm is coming.
He knew exactly what the summons meant: when every S-Class Hero is called, humanity teeters on the brink.
Sure enough, the prophet Shibabawa must have uttered "The human race is finished."
Which signified the arrival of the Cosmic Emperor Boros.
This time, King intended to face the so-called ruler of the universe himself.
He'd see whether Boros's Ultra-Regeneration outclassed his own.