"So, you just put on this suit and came straight here?"
Aokiji asked while picking through the wine cabinet.
Saitama, who wasn't quite used to the cape yet, sat on the sofa and adjusted his posture.
"Yeah, people were staring at me like I was a pervert the whole way here. I'll be too embarrassed to wear it again in the future."
Saitama complained weakly.
If it weren't for the old man's constant expectations, he wouldn't have wanted to put on such an embarrassing suit.
Aokiji walked over with the wine, looking thoughtful.
It seemed to be the plot from the OVA.
It was after this that Saitama got his permanent hero attire and moved to the Uninhabited Zone.
However, due to his interference, things had changed.
"Stay as long as you want. In a villa this big, the place I spend the most time is the backyard for training anyway."
Aokiji took out two wine glasses.
He poured a drink for each of them and froze some ice spheres to put inside.
It was Sherry, Aokiji's favorite wine.
Aokiji had originally bought it to try, and it was perfect for welcoming Saitama.
Ah~ Sherry~
Gulp, gulp, gulp... "Hmm, this is actually pretty good."
Saitama remarked after taking a drink.
He hadn't drunk much alcohol before and thought it would taste strange.
But it was very refreshing and crisp.
There was also a faint citrus aroma.
Aokiji also thought it was good; he could understand why Aokiji liked this wine the most.
"Hey Aokiji, do you think I should wear a tracksuit over this suit when I go out?"
Saitama tightened his red gloves.
Because he often went to have his tracksuits repaired,
The old man knew his measurements very well.
This suit fit quite well.
But... it was just inexplicably embarrassing.
Aokiji sized him up seriously.
To be honest, it really did look strange.
Maybe it was because he had seen the bald Saitama look too many times.
Seeing Saitama with hair wearing this familiar suit felt inherently jarring.
"You'll get used to it the more you wear it. There are plenty of people with hero costumes stranger than this suit."
"But you don't wear a fixed outfit either," Saitama said gloomily.
"Everyone has different ideas. I just like to dress casually. If I really had to have a fixed outfit..."
Aokiji imagined it in his mind.
Something like the black tight-fitting Martial Arts Uniform worn by Bang or Garou would be good.
Lightweight and suitable for combat, with a simple and low-key design.
Or like the three Admirals, with a suit and a Justice Cape, that would also look great.
But I've only obtained the templates of righteous characters; I'm not exactly an ally of justice myself.
Donning a Justice Cape... wouldn't be appropriate.
Aokiji poured another glass of wine and drank it.
"Forget it, I'll stick to dressing casually for now."
"Hey, how cunning! It's so unfair that I'm the only one who has to wear an embarrassing suit!"
"You can change it. I can help you find someone to design and make one."
"...No, never mind."
Saitama looked down and examined the suit.
A yellow main color, crimson gloves and boots, and a white cape on the back.
It looked like a childish and innocent hero image from a kid's drawing.
"Although I didn't become a hero for a reward, receiving gratitude from others will become my driving force to keep going."
"It's decided. This suit will be my hero costume from now on!"
Saitama made his decision and stood up from the sofa.
The pure white cape fluttered behind him.
Then he silently sat back down.
"I'm still not used to it... I'll wear it for a few more days to get accustomed before participating in the hero recruitment."
"It's easy to pick up bad habits but hard to learn good ones. You'll definitely get used to wearing such strange clothes quickly," Aokiji said.
"Hey, hey! That's no way to encourage someone!"
"Haha, isn't it logical? Forget it, keep drinking!"
————
During the period that followed.
No special events occurred.
By running out to train every day, Saitama gradually got used to the suit.
Tatsumaki seemed to have been too traumatized that night and hadn't shown up again.
Fubuki, who was extremely curious, contacted Aokiji via online chat to find out what happened.
Aokiji only gave her a brief summary.
This instead made Fubuki even more concerned.
He thought Mosquito Girl would come to harass him again.
But she never showed up either.
When Aokiji went to the House of Evolution again to harvest his progress bar,
Genus told him that Mosquito Girl had just finished replacing her new limbs and was soaking in a tank to get through the adaptation period.
Time passed just like that.
The day of the hero recruitment held in City Z arrived.
"I'm off to the recruitment test."
Saitama put on the cape and suit he had grown accustomed to.
Aokiji, who was currently cultivating, waved at him.
It wasn't until Saitama walked out the door,
That Aokiji remembered:
"I forgot to tell Saitama that the test only leaves you in your underwear. Going there in a hero costume will actually make people stare at him strangely."
The phone placed to the side rang with a unique and quirky ringtone.
"Buru buru buru——"
Caller: Sitch from the Hero Association.
————
Hero Association Headquarters, City A.
Inside the Operations Room.
Numerous staff members were busy handling the work at hand.
Intelligence on suspected Monster sightings, settlements after heroes defeated Monsters, requests to mobilize heroes to handle surrounding situations... Sitch sat in the center at the very front.
He handled the work that his subordinates found difficult to decide on,
As well as tasks that required his approval.
Suddenly.
A special mission application caught all of Sitch's attention.
He read it out word by word:
"Plant-type Monsters have been appearing frequently in City Y recently. The disaster Rank is 'Tiger'. After sending heroes to subjugate them multiple times, the problem still hasn't been eradicated..."
"Application to mobilize [Aokiji] for support?"
"Who submitted this task!? Shouldn't it have been rejected immediately?"
Sitch frowned,
Loudly questioning his subordinates.
"For a 'Tiger' Rank Monster, can't we just arrange for some other heroes to form a team and solve it?"
"They actually applied for Mr. Aokiji's support?"
"His precious combat power should be used for handling more dangerous and extreme situations!"
"Letting him waste time on this mission—what if a Monster that other heroes can't defeat appears in another city?"
Sitch was still reprimanding them.
The door to the operations room was pushed open.
A chubby high-ranking official walked in.
"Now, now~ Minister Sitch, don't be so angry~"
The chubby official who suddenly entered had a very kind smile.
He walked to Sitch's side and explained politely:
"This is a mission I applied for. Your subordinates probably took my status into account, so they handed it to you to handle."
"So that's how it is," Sitch's attitude was neither humble nor arrogant.
"But based on the reasons I just stated, I'm sure you understand that I cannot approve this application."
Sitch also knew a bit about this chubby official.
The man had properties in City Y.
He was probably worried that the plant Monsters, which hadn't been eradicated, would affect his own industries.
That's why he applied for this mission.
"Minister Sitch, this mission is definitely not the waste of resources you think it is."
The chubby official said, the fat on his face shaking.
"The police department in City Y has never recognized the Hero Association, and they even interfere with our heroes' activities."
"They are also trying to handle the plant Monster incident, attempting to use this event to strike at our Association."
"If our Association handles it first, combined with Mr. Aokiji's fame and my connections in City Y,"
"I'm sure that in the future, heroes will no longer be interfered with by the police department in City Y."
"The other high-ranking officials have all agreed as well."
Sitch remained silent for a long time.
He analyzed the pros and cons of the matter in his mind.
Finally, he nodded slowly:
"I will contact Mr. Aokiji. Whether it is ultimately executed depends on his personal will."
...
(Throw some stones)