The screen brightens as the group watches in anticipation, having been left on a cliffhanger previously. Well the more excitable of the group really. Pig god is still eating, yes.
The rain falls as Genos stands, watching from above, in the hole made by the Deep Sea King. "You are one of the Seafolk, correct?"
"What if I am?" The Deep Sea King responds cockily.
Genos promptly blasts down into the battlefield.
"You must be another soldier…" The Deep Sea King babbles before he gets cut off by Genos.
"I am here to eliminate you." Genos blasts forwards and delivers a powerful punch before shooting a beam that cuts through the protective dome of the shelter and goes through multiple buildings, leaving a ginormous hole behind in the wake of Genos' destruction.
Metal Bat whistles out, impressed at the damage. "Damn. Those upgrades are really doing stuff huh?"
Genos nods. "Yes. I am lucky to have Dr. Kuseno guiding my path along with Master. I am even stronger than I was before."
"Note. Investigate Genos' creator, Dr. Kuseno." Metal Knight types a few things into his computer unbeknownst to the group.
"So much property damage." The bearded worker sighs, exasperated.
"At least they got the job done." Another associate pats the man on the back.
Genos promptly turns around. "Was that… the last of them?"
"Wow!"
"Awesome!"
"Amazing!"
The crowd cheers in excitement and relief.
"They must have been desperate."
Suddenly the Deep Sea King, now returned to his previous state, grabs onto Genos' arm and punches him into a wall, tearing said arm in the process.
The theater goers wince at the crater in the wall.
"Do you feel all of that?" Zombie Man questions in slightly morbid curiosity.
"I do have pain inhibitors, but yes I felt most of the damage I took in this fight." Genos answers.
"Man. I should've been there with Genos. I barely made it in time thanks to Mumen." Saitama ponders to himself while staring at his gloved hand.
"Now I'm angry. I will tear you to shreds." The Deep Sea King throws the arm away as his face is revealed to begin healing rapidly.
"I let my guard down again. I never learn." Genos mutters to himself.
The scene switches to the bearded worker reviewing Saitama's information.
"Saitama… You're Class C, rank 2. Are you sure?"
Tatsumaki scoffs at the screen as if the statement were an insult. "Unbelievable how the Baldy is still in Class C at this point."
Saitama turns around having overheard the short esper. "Heh it's not that bad. At least I'm here now." Saitama smiles softly as if thinking over other things.
Tatsumaki sighs out while holding her head. "Why does this bald idiot make me feel so irritated."
"I wonder if Mr. Screen can create some ice cream." Saitama ponders.
"Yeah. Hurry it up. It's raining." Saitama answers back through Mumen Rider's phone.
"He burst through every record during the fitness exam… And he worked with some Class S heroes to destroy that meteor. But because he came out of nowhere, people are saying he's a fraud. Any other class C hero I'd stop…"
"Still can't believe Saitama was called a fraud. I mean do they really think they'd let a cheater into our ranks?" Child Emperor sighs while shaking his head.
Meanwhile, King just covers his face with his hand. "Gomen Saitama!"
"I mean can you blame them though? No offense Baldy." Metal Bat chuckles as Saitama just exhales.
Drive Knight suddenly speaks. "I must admit, he does not at all look impressive at first glance."
"OI!" Saitama yells out.
"Only after witnessing his power can one fully come to understand this… Saitama." Drive Knight says in a somewhat ominous way.
The bearded worker looks over to his co-worker, the glasses worker, who nods. "This may be our chance to see how strong he truly is."
"Saitama, here's the location. Head there immediately." The bearded worker finally answers the waiting Saitama.
Meanwhile Mumen Rider is seen heading toward the half destroyed shelter, pedaling at full speed towards his destination.
"Is this guy stupid? He's gonna kill himself." Tatsumaki thinks to herself, not really caring, but merely questioning the stupidity.
"Do you think Mumen Rider will be ok?" Tareo asks his not so hero loving uncle.
"Uh. Yeah sure kid. I'm sure Rider will be fine." Garou sarcastically responds, though it goes unnoticed by the hero fanatic.
UNYIELDING JUSTICE
"Those who can walk, leave the shelter now! I cannot promise I will win. Run, while I keep him busy!" Genos struggles to stand, but arises and gets into a fighting stance.
"Hoho, kids got spunk ey?" Blast laughs to himself.
"A valiant stand Genos-kun. Admirable to continue fighting despite losing your arm." Bang compliments.
"Your praise is unfounded Bang-sama. I was foolish to let my guard down. I almost cost the lives of the citizens." Genos looks down at his arm, remembering the feeling of failing, only to be saved in the nick of time by his Master.
A hand pats the cyborg hero reassuringly on his back as Genos looks up at Saitama. "Nah. Bang is right. You did good. Don't worry about the mistakes, just keep learning from them." Saitama says before throwing a thumbs up.
Genos freezes before slowly pulling out his notebook. "SUCH WISDOM FROM SENSEI!" And begins writing furiously, to which Saitama simply sighs out with a soft smile. Mumen Rider just chuckles.
The citizens all begin running to escape as quickly as possible.
"None of you monkeys will escape me!" The Deep Sea King begins rushing at the escapees before Genos halts his rush with a quick kick that gets reciprocated by the Deep Sea King with a heavy punch.
The two fighters begin trading blow after blow and kick after kick until Genos lands a blow, devastating the Deep Sea King's face before uppercutting him through the shelter and blasting him with a huge billow of flames.
Genos then flies above the Deep Sea King as his eye begins to light up. "Lightning Eye!"
Genos releases a blinding light that temporarily blinds the Deep Sea King. "I can't see…"
"AGH MY EYES!" A dramatic association employee yells out.
"Man that's bright." Saitama covers his eyes while wincing slightly.
"Wait. Master is affected by my Lighting Eye? Could this be one of his weaknesses?" Genos quickly jots down his thoughts into his notebook.
"Well he certainly is a bag full of tricks." Atomic Samurai mutters out.
"Tricks won't help if you get taken down so damn quickly." Tatsumaki scoffs though not as degradingly as she usually would.
Genos delivers a heavy downward heel kick, implanting the Deep Sea King into the heavily damaged roof.
"Machine Gun Blows!" Genos proceeds to punch the Deep Sea King through what's left of the shelter's ceiling, continuously delivering blows as they fall to the ground.
"Do our shelters need revision?" A random associate questions while tiredly rubbing his eyes.
"Perhaps Metal Knight could assist us?" Another associate answers back.
"Very well. I will look into strengthening the designs." Metal Knight calls out much to the shock of the two associates.
"I can also help. I never realized how poor the structures were." Child Emperor adds on while typing a bunch of stuff into his computer.
"You do like combo attacks, don't you?"
The two land and hit a stalemate as the Deep Sea King throws a punch that Genos blocks with all his might.
A little girl running away with her father shouts out to the valiant hero. "You can do it!"
"Quiet!" The Deep Sea King proceeds to spit up some sort of mucus as Genos watches in shock.
"Now you melt, girl." The horrid monster from below smiles in glee.
"Shit." Garou mutters quietly while covering Tareo's eyes just in case.
Saitama's eyes widen as he doesn't know how he'll feel if he finds out a little girl died because he was too slow.
"With Genos' speed he could easily dodge that… but I'm assuming he didn't." Flashy Flash thinks to himself as he analyzes the ongoing battle.
"Oh no!" Mosquito Girl covers her mouth in surprise, though this sort of confuses the heroes since she herself destroyed an entire city block before.
The viewers grimace as they watch in hope that somehow the small child would come out ok.
The girl watches in terror as the slime ball, most likely acid, comes closer and closer before suddenly, Genos appears and shields the little girl with his body.
A breath of relief comes from the whole room, some silent and others loudly.
But the damage to the Demon Cyborg doesn't go unnoticed as everyone continues to watch.
The corrosive acid quickly makes work of Genos' body as he melts down, his enhanced combat arms now falling to the ground. The girl watches in horror as Genos can only sit in pain.
The Deep Sea King laughs as he grabs Genos by what's left of his hair and throws him into a nearby wall before tackling him through into the outside rain.
The menacing Deep Sea King walks up to the downed cyborg while monologuing. "If you'd focused on me, you could have easily dodged my little ball of acid. Instead, you chose to sacrifice yourself to save a runt. You're a fool, but I give you credit for giving me a few scratches. Of course, they've already healed."
"Now, die."
Suddenly out of nowhere a familiar pedaling sound is heard as Mumen Rider arrives, throwing his bicycle into the monster. "Justice Crash!"
"This idiot." Tatsumaki briefly glances at the Mumen Rider in front of her before scowling in distaste. "Well if he's alive he must've backed out and ran away somehow."
"Oh man. I don't think I can watch this." Metal Bad mumbles out.
"His chances of success are negligible. Why did he go in like that?" Child Emperor questions in confusion.
"Your method of fighting is neither efficient nor intelligent. You should prepare beforehand. But I assume your resources were limited and time was of the essence." Drive Knight mentions the bicycle hero.
"Ah. You are right, Drive Knight-san. At that moment, I felt that what I had to do was protect Genos-kun. My body simply moved before I could think." Mumen Rider answers back in a slightly somber tone to which Drive Knight simply nods with no expression.
"Hah?"
"The Cyclist for Justice, Mumen Rider is here!"
"The top hero in Class C?"
"D-Don't…" Genos weakly calls out in warning.
Saitama grimaces at seeing his friend in such a weakened state.
Meanwhile Mumen just watches silently. Not regretting a single action he had taken that day.
"It's Mumen Rider!
"Mumen Rider came for us."
"But he…"
Mumen Rider bravely charges the Deep Sea KIng.
"I'm bored already." The Deep Sea King mutters.
Mumen Rider throws a punch that gets caught easily before the Deep Sea King begins manhandling the hero, pounding him multiple times into the pavement before the glove rips and Mumen Rider lands a few feet away.
The theater goers watch, not really surprised at how effortlessly Mumen gets done in.
"That was foolish, stupid hero." Sonic mutters under his breath.
"Just run away. Don't be so damn stupid." Tatsumaki angrily thinks to herself. She doesn't really know why she feels so heated, but she doesn't really care.
"Do you think this will amount to anything Doctor?" Armored Gorilla surprisingly asks.
"I believe we'll have to see to truly know." He answers while staring at the screen.
"Kinda feel bad for the guy." Mosquito Girl whispers.
The Deep Sea King then turns to Genos with a grin. "Oh, my apologies. I nearly forgot to kill you."
Mumen Rider rises up and faces the monster. "Justice Tackle…"
The Deep Sea King begins transforming again as the rain continues to fall.
Music begins to play.
"No one expects much—" Mumen Rider gets cut off as he is punched away by the annoyed Deep Sea King, falling to the ground harshly.
"…from me. They think a Class C hero won't be much help. I know that better than anyone! I'm not good enough for Class B. I'm weak. I know that much. No one has to tell me I have no chance of beating you. I already…know that!" Mumen Rider continues talking while getting up and facing the monster before him.
Hearts swell as Mumen Rider continues to stand despite his injuries.
"Guys got a death wish or a hero complex… Or maybe both." Garou thinks to himself as he watches.
The Deep Sea King finally turns back to Mumen Rider, his attention momentarily taken away from Genos and the citizens. "What are you babbling about? Begging for your life?"
"And yet, I must try. It's not about winning or losing! It's about me taking you on right here, right now!"
Mumen Rider's speech wills Genos to attempt to rise, but he fails. The citizens within the shelter watch on, tears forming in their eyes as the valiant hero makes his last stand to protect them.
The members of the audience can't help but feel this emotion rising up within them. Some try to beat it down while others watch on in something similar to respect and admiration for the C Class hero. A few even shed a tear at the amazing display of spirit. Saitama watches on. His face shows no emotion though he can tell he feels thankful. That despite Mumen having no power, he stalled. He stalled long enough that he could arrive on time and save them. All of them.
"Enough of your rambling. Time to finish you off."
"You can do it! Mumen Rider, you can do it!" A little child yells out to the despaired hero. "You're the Cyclist for Justice! Beat that weird monster, beat him! You can do it!"
Mumen Rider begins grinning.
"Yeah, get him!"
"Beat him up!"
"We're counting on you, Mumen Rider!"
"You can do it!"
"Beat him!"
"Good luck!"
The crowd continues to motivate the hero with their shouts as he stands tall against the final threat.
The theater remains silent. Watching. Waiting.
With a courageous yell Mumen Rider rushes forward to deliver his strongest punch, filled with the conviction of the citizens and the strength of his willpower. He fails.
"I think not!" The Deep Sea King grins as he punches the hero away like a fly.
The music cuts off leaving the audience members unsurprised, but still saddened.
Mumen Rider gets caught by a red gloved hand as he falls to the ground. A familiar face has finally arrived.
"You did fine. Nice fight." Saitama congratulates the hero before setting him down gently.
Tatsumaki's eyes widened slightly. "No fucking way. The stupid C Class stalled for just enough time for the Baldy to get there? You've got to be kidding me."
Garou just grimaces in something akin to annoyance as he doesn't really know what to feel. "What kind of sappy bullshit is this? He really got just enough time for the op main character to arrive? This shit is straight out of an anime."
"It seems our overly powerful hero has arrived on time thanks to Rider's stalling. I assumed this was where it was going after seeing the news." Dr. Genus reveals to his creations.
"So none of them would've survived if this Mumen guy didn't do all that stuff?" Mosquito Girl asks.
"Correct." Dr. Genus nods.
Mumen Rider turns to give Saitama a smile along with a fist raised for a fist bump. "Thanks for coming right on time."
Saitama winces while shaking his head, but still giving the fist bump. "You kidding? I barely made it. Thanks for stalling."
Genos just silently watches the interaction. "Sensei is definitely different. He seems more interactive and has more emotions than usual. Perhaps… it was a good thing we came here." Genos simply smiles while turning back to watch the scene unfold.
"Yet another piece of garbage washed up on my shore?"
Saitama looks over and finds Genos in his state of disrepair. "H-Hey, Genos! Are you still alive?!"
"Mas…ter…" Genos gasps out painfully.
A few members of the theater wince slightly.
"Did you feel that shit too? Cause damn." Metal Bat questions.
"Do not worry, by that point I did not feel much. It was just… harder to breathe." Genos replies in slight apathy.
"I didn't realize he still had that much flesh under all that metal. How much of him is still human?" Fubuki wonders to herself as she glances at the back of the cyborg.
"Even when downed he acknowledges his teacher. Impressive is it not? He has quite the willpower." Bang comments.
"He's got spunk. I'll give him that." Atomic Samurai responds.
"He's like you brother. When you were younger." Bomb chuckles.
"Hang on for a second. I've gotta pound this Seafreak or whatever it's called." Saitama stands as lightning strikes in the background.
"I heard that!" The Deep Sea King delivers a heavy punch, dispersing the rain slightly.
"Impressive. You're still on your feet after one of my punches. Clearly you're different from the rest of this trash."
"Oh lord he's gonna monologue." Metal Bat sighs out.
"Damn you got a radar for that stuff?" Zombie Man grins, though inside, he too feels the monologue incoming.
"Huh? Your punch was too weak, that's all."
"Hey, someone else is over there. Who is that? A hero?"
"That head… I remember it from the Hero Registry."
"I know him! He's a Class C rookie. I think he's Rank 2."
"Class C?"
"So we're still gonna get killed…"
"But that punch didn't hurt him at all."
"That's your imagination. You saw how many heroes were blown away by that thing's punches, right?"
"Man if only they knew who they were comparing those heroes with. I almost feel bad." Child Emperor shakes his head at the ignorance despite him not knowing who Saitama was like, 9 episodes ago.
"I am the King of the Deep, Lord of the Seas. All life on Earth comes from the sea, as if she were our mother. In other words, as ruler of the seas, I am the pinnacle of a pyramid that includes every living organism on this world! To defy me, means—" The Deep Sea King gets cut off by the nonchalant Saitama.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it. It's raining out, so let's do this." Saitama states while picking at his ear.
A few of the members laugh at this. Monologuing monsters were more common than they would like to admit.
"Man, thanks Saitama. It's always a pain hearing those things talk." Metal Bat groans out as Saitama simply gives him a thumbs up.
The infuriated Deep Sea King throws a massive punch, intending to destroy the disrespectful insect in front of him.
Before Saitama suddenly throws his own punch, causing a massive hole to instantly appear in the now dead Deep Sea King's chest and making the rain in the area disappear.
The silence and hope is powerful as the onlookers cannot believe what they had just witnessed. Genos smiles slightly as he watches on.
'WOW! THAT WAS SO COOL! HE WENT POW AND THE MONSTER WENT BANG!" Tareo playfully reenacts the very short fight in childlike wonder.
"Yeah. That's gonna be a problem." Garou comically sweat drops.
Child Emperor facepalms while typing in some calculations into his computer. "Of course he changed the weather. He makes it look so damn easy what the hell!"
"Do you think you could do that if you tried Darkshine?" Tank Top Master questions.
"That monster couldn't even scratch these muscles." Darkshine flexes with a grin. "But I don't think I could change the weather like that." Darkshine replies, slightly unsure as he had never really tried.
"I don't think I could survive that." Pig god mutters while stuffing his face.
"Oi! Wait! How the hell did we not hear about this!" Tatsumaki yells out in frustration. "If he killed the stupid Seafreak or whatever then he should've gone up to A Class at the very least!"
"Uh I think you'll have to wait for the next part to see that Tats." Saitama answers back as the associates looked too terrified to say anything.
"Hah? Ugh fine whatever. Not like it matters anyways." Tatsumaki huffs out.
"Sis, would you even care if someone told you about the fight? At best, It's just a random nobody ranking up to A Class. At worst? Well I don't know. You see anyone other than Bang and Blast underneath you. And I guess Saitama now." Fubuki answers back, the only other person brave enough to talk to her sister.
"Huh? Well I-I… I don't know! Shut up!" Tatsumaki hmphs in usual fashion while Fubuki just sighs.
The Deep Sea King finally falls, as Saitama's fist is revealed to be smoking.
"Whaattt!" The whole crowd questions and cheers in unison.
"Awesome!"
"That was amazing!"
"Thank goodness!"
"He did it!"
"Well… that was lame. I kinda had my hopes up, too." Saitama sighs.
"Really Baldy? You actually thought that thing was gonna do anything after the first punch?" Tatsumaki raises an eyebrow in question.
"Eh. I like to keep things hopeful just in case." Saitama responds.
The screen swaps to the now empty sky, the sun shining on a certain sonic ninja.
"I'm back with my weapons. But damn you, Deep Sea King. You got away."
"Pfh. Sure sure." Flashy Flash covers his mouth while uncharacteristically snickering much to Sonic's chagrin.
"Shut up." Sonic grunts out.
The scene pans to Genos and Saitama presumably walking home with groceries as Saitama spots something in the distance.
"Hey, what's that?" Saitama questions.
"It is the mail." Genos responds.
"The post office cannot come here, so the drone now delivers the mail."
"The post office's drone?"
"No, it belongs to the Hero Association."
"I see."
Genos opens the lid. "The public sends these to the heroes, much like fan letters."
Tatsumaki fake barfs. "Ugh fan letters. A bunch of weirdos and their love confessions."
Fubuki nods in agreement. "They send them far too often."
Genos' face just darkens as he sighs silently.
"Are they really that bad? Maybe it's better that I don't get letters." Saitama sweat drops at the various hero's reactions.
"Seriously? Are there any for me?"
TO C CLASS HERO SAITAMA
"There are." Genos answers.
"Oh! Let's go in and open them!" Saitama somewhat excitedly responds.
Genos is seen reading one of the letters addressed to him.
MR. GENOS, I'VE BEEN A HUGE FAN OF YOURS SINCE I FIRST LAID EYES ON YOU! I THINK YOU ARE A TRUE HERO. I EVEN JOINED YOUR FAN CLUB! I'M JUST CRAZY ABOUT YOU!
"Pfhhh. Look at the tin-can's face! Haha!" Tatsumaki struggles to stifle her laughter at Genos' reaction to the letter.
"Well that's not that bad I guess. Could be worse." Fubuki mutters, much to Genos' shock and slight horror.
Genos simply throws the letter into his pile of countless others as Saitama opens his with anticipation. Genos turns to watch his Sensei as he pulls out a letter written in red.
NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOU, YOU COWARDLY, CHEATING BASTARD.
The room seems to chill a few degrees. Unbeknownst to everyone, it was caused by Tatsumaki, though she herself didn't realize until later as she was too busy keeping her mouth shut due to not knowing why she was so angry for the bald hero.
"W-why would they say stuff like that?" Child Emperor questions, trying to wrap his head around why someone would send such a foul statement to someone who had saved them.
"Those bastards. They need a head dent or two." Metal Bat pounds his fists together.
"Man, they really focus on the cheatin part huh." Zombie Man chuckles though not really amused.
"They are quite harsh with Saitama, no?" Puri Puri questions in disbelief.
"Poor Saitama. I feel bad for the guy." Tank Top Master mutters while shaking his head.
"I wonder what occurred for such hate filled words to be sent to a hero such as Saitama-kun." Bang wonders while stroking his mustache.
"Perhaps there is a missing piece of information." Bomb comments.
"Heh, maybe the Baldy finally loses it." Atomic Samurai grins.
"Damn it… I'll find out who sent it." Genos, enraged, gets up as his hand cannons heat up.
"Here's a guy with free time." Saitama says, halting his students' endeavor.
"Tch." Atomic Samurai looks away as Bang just smiles at him, almost smug.
Genos wears a slightly surprised expression before he flashbacks to when Saitama had defeated the Deep Sea King.
The citizens cheer at their beloved savior. His punch impressing the entire shelter of people. Genos just smiles as his Master can finally receive the recognition he deserves.
"All it took was one punch!"
"One punch! Just one!"
"Is he really Class C?"
"He's too strong!"
The crowd's celebrations are cut short as a stubby man instigates a nasty thought. "Or maybe… the monster wasn't really that tough?"
"Yeah, but so many heroes went down." A citizen points out.
"That just means those heroes were weaklings."
"Maybe… I suppose the monster didn't look all that tough when he killed it."
"After all, a Class C hero took it out with a single punch!"
"What's that say about the heroes it beat? They may call themselves Class A or Class S, but their titles don't mean a thing."
A bunch of the heroes glare at the screen, more specifically, the annoying pest on the screen.
"Hey, enough of that. They risked their lives for us."
"Risked their lives? Anyone can do that. But a 'hero' has to beat monsters. It all ended well this time, so whatever. But it's annoying when heroes who are really just average Joes show up and try to save you. If you're gonna call yourself a hero, then—"
The annoying man is silenced when a nearby citizen grabs him by the shirt with a raised fist. "Shut your fat mouth!"
"Why are you getting mad at me!? The Hero Association gets their funds from our donations, right? As long as we're paying for it, they'd better protect us. The fact of the matter is that bald guy pretty much took care of it all by himself. So all the other heroes died for nothing. Anyone can come up with a way to buy a little time. In the end, the other 'heroes' didn't do anything heroic.
"Can't believe people like that actually exist." Metal Bat sighs, his anger barely held.
Even Saitama appeared slightly irritated.
"I said shut up!"
"We were all saved. Just leave it at that."
"Exactly!"
Saitama begins chuckling loudly as the citizens stop to listen. "Today's my lucky day! The other heroes wore the monster down, so beating it was kid's play!"
"OH YOU HAVE GOT TO BE SHITTING ME! YOU DID THIS TO YOURSELF!?" Tatsumaki yells out at Saitama.
Saitama simply shrugs. "I just did the right thing. It wasn't fair to all those heroes."
Tatsumaki appears to want to yell back and argue, but struggles to find the words.
"You're so damn lucky the stupid screen brought everyone here to see your bullshit." Tatsumaki replies with a scoff before relenting.
"Aw, sounds like you're happy you came here to watch my story." Saitama gives a shit-eating grin.
"Pfh. As if Baldy. In your dreams!" Tatsumaki retorts while rolling her eyes.
Meanwhile everyone watches in pure shock at how tame the Tornado of Terror's response was to Saitama's insinuation.
"Whatever reality this is, I'm not sure if I want to stay or want to leave as quickly as possible." Metal Bat quietly whispers to his equally surprised seat partners.
"Same." Zombie Man replies.
Mumen Rider just chuckles at the two bickering in an oddly friendly manner. Fubuki just sits and holds her head as if in pain and agony while Genos is seen writing rapidly in his notebook again.
Genos raises his head in shock as he watches Saitama in disbelief.
"Good thing I was late. I barely did a thing and now I get all the credit."
Saitama turns around and points at the crowd. "Hey, spread the word, all of you! I'm the one who finished the monster off! I'll beat the snot out of anyone who says it's only 'cause I got here late!"
"What's he mean?"
"The monster was already weak?"
"Huh…?"
"It seems people are swayed very easily once doubt is embedded." Bomb comments to which Bang simply nods in agreement.
"Not sure why you're surprised. People have always been like that." Atomic Samurai replies bluntly.
"Hang on a sec. That's Saitama!"
"Saitama?"
"He's the hero from City Z that everyone calls a cheat."
"What? A cheat?"
"He appeared out of nowhere and climbed the ranks super-fast."
"Yeah, pretty fishy."
"Hey, you guys!" Saitama calls out with a soft grin. "Look after the fallen heroes, okay? If they die on me, how am I gonna cash in on their work?"
"You are one horrible actor, Baldy. Not even Amai Mask could make you appealing to watch." Tatsumaki snickers.
"Oi. I tried my best! Besides, it worked, didn't it?" Saitama answers back with slight annoyance.
"I'm surprised you gave up the chance to gain recognition to be honest." Fubuki mutters just loudly enough for those close to her to hear. "Didn't it annoy you that you never got any credit after all these years?"
Saitama turns slightly as he listens. His head droops down as he takes on a somewhat sad expression before looking back up to answer the esper. "Well. I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me. But like I said before, what I do isn't for fame or glory. It's so I can save people and get a good fight out of it. That's a good enough reward for me."
Fubuki's eyes widen, though Tatsumaki just grimaces in some mix of reluctance and irritation.
"Master…" Genos starts, causing Saitama to look back at him.
"Huh what's up Genos?" Saitama questions.
Genos takes a brief pause. "If that's true, why do you always look forward to getting mail from the association?" Genos bluntly asks as Tatsumaki just begins to laugh and Fubuki covers her mouth in an attempt not to laugh.
"O-Oi! No I don't!" Saitama, slightly flustered, tries to amend the whole scenario but fails miserably as the esper duo plus Mumen continue to laugh. Genos just watches on with a hint of amusement.
"It appears Sensei can now become embarrassed though only very slightly. However, his heart rate has not changed." Genos notes, as he writes his observations down quickly.
"He is a cheat!"
"Man, that's no fair."
"So he's just taking the credit?"
"Compared to him, the other heroes seem a little more heroic. Where would we be now… if the other heroes hadn't fought?" The camera pans to show all the defeated heroes who risked their lives to protect the shelter.
"Yeah, I feel so grateful to them all…"
"Master Saitama… Is this really what you want?"
"Hey, it stopped raining." Saitama gazes into the sky with a tiny smile.
"Why the hell does he always look so content. And what the hell are these damn feelings rising within me?" Tatsumaki questions in irritation.
"You seem to have some emotions occasionally, no?" Tank Top Master questions the bald hero.
"Uh yeah. I was thinking about dinner because of the clouds." Saitama answers back.
The theater proceeds to burst into laughter while a few let out tired sighs.
"If this is the path you choose to walk, I will not interfere. But in the future, if you are ever forced into a corner by this, at that moment, I will—"
The scene switches back to the present as Saitama pulls out one last letter addressed to him. "Hey, there's one more."
Genos watches, heat cannon ready, as Saitama pulls out the letter.
"Man, talk about being devoted. Though I'd feel the same not gonna lie. Tired of hate mail." Metal Bat comments while snickering at the intense display from the cyborg.
"I don't get much of it luckily. Maybe they understand not to mess with a genius." Child Emperor grins evilly.
TO THE HERO SAITAMA: THANKS!
"Someone's thanking me."
"It must be someone you saved."
"I see. Any left?"
"There is one from the Hero Association."
Genos hands Saitama the letter. "The Association? Are they firing me? Well, whatever."
"Oh lord so help me if they're actually firing you." Tatsumaki grumbles out as her form begins to glow, her stare making its way to the Associates.
"Ms. Tornado I promise you we did no such thing!" Stitch tries to calm down the esper.
Saitama just turns around and pokes the esper in the back of the head, causing the glow to fade. "Oi just watch the episode. Stop jumping to conclusions."
Fubuki just gains a look of horror as her sister appears comatose before she just turns back around to face Saitama with an annoyed expression.
"Hmph, you're so annoying you dumb Baldy." The esper proceeds to sit down and not argue even a little bit.
The theater members just stare in awe, not knowing whether to be surprised or just get used to it at this point.
Saitama opens the letter to find something interesting. "What's this? I'm Class C…rank 1?"
The camera pans to the City Z Hero Association Office.
CITY Z - HERO ASSOCIATION OFFICE
"So, why'd you call me in?"
"When you registered with the Hero Registry, you were given the Association handbook."
"Haven't you read it? It lists all our rules and regulations."
"Yeah, I guess I've got it somewhere."
"Well that's not surprising in the slightest." Zombie Man chuckles out.
"We really need to digitize that stuff so they don't need to carry an entire book." Child Emperor mutters.
"I still wouldn't read it to be honest." Metal Bat responds while chuckling.
"No matter. Congratulations on attaining rank in Class C."
"Hm? Oh, I see. So you guys are the ones who decide the hero rankings."
"There are more members on the review board, but the four of us here today will be handling your interview."
"Interview?" Saitama questions in slight confusion.
"The top ranking Class C hero is given the option to be promoted to Class B. However, if you wish to remain in Class C, that's fine too."
"How about it, Mr. Saitama? Do you want to move up? Although if you do, you'll be ranked at the very bottom again."
"Either way's fine, but I guess I'll try moving up. There'll be no more weekly quotas that way."
"Besides, I can't stick to Class C forever with Genos in Class S."
"Sensei thinks of me this greatly? I must fulfill his image of myself to not pollute his teachings." Genos valiantly looks toward the screen.
"He's doing it again." Saitama exhales.
"I see, so you want a promotion."
"First, we'll need you to answer some questions and undergo a psychiatric analysis."
Up above in another area of the same room, a group of association members can be seen watching.
"This Saitama… He's the one who finished off the Deep Sea King."
"What do you think? Some say he's a fraud…"
"He set new overall records in the fitness exam, so his physical ability is solid."
"Well, according to rumors, he cheated on the exams, too."
"Where the hell did you get that idea?" Metal Bat questions in absolute confusion.
"Yeah he's right. You had instructors literally watching him do all that shit." Zombie Man points out in uncharacteristic surprise.
"Are you questioning my measuring devices?" Metal Knight asks in an extremely cold and judgmental tone.
"Lord help us all." The associates in unison pray.
"Rumors are just rumors. No sense in doubting him now. The bottom line is, he wants to move up. Why not let him go for now? If he's for real, he'll make it in Class B."
"But if he's a fake, he'll soon regret it. He is entering a cruel and callous world."
"We'll cross that bridge when we must."
The scene swaps again, this time to Amai Mask watching the promotion of C Class Hero Saitama on a display.
"Promotion to Class B? You interrupted my filming for this? It's not something that needs my attention."
"This is a decision for the executive committee."
"Listen. I only want input on managing heroes Class A and above, since they have a strong impact on society. As a hero in the same class, if they're inadequate, it hurts my image too. Especially this last incident…" Amai Mask picks up a newspaper.
"It was beyond inadequate— it was appalling. Don't you agree?"
"Tch. Arrogant prick." Tatsumaki scowls.
Everyone simply stares much to Tatsumaki's notice and annoyance. "You are seriously not comparing Amai Mask to me."
Everyone thinks for a second before nodding in agreement.
"Fair." Metal Bat responds.
"A logical argument." Child Emperor replies.
"Speaking of social impact, the hero now wanting to move up is the one who finished off the Deep Sea King."
The bearded worker shows Amai Mask an extremely slowed down recording of Saitama's fight with the Deep Sea King.
On the screen it shows the Deep Sea King throwing his punch before Saitama's fist turns into a blur and suddenly the Deep Sea King has a hole in his chest.
Child Emperor turns to look behind him in pure confusion. "How the hell did you get that recording?"
"A citizen handed it in and we simply slowed it?" An associate says, though it sounds more like they're trying to convince themselves.
At a hospital somewhere in City A, Lightning Max and Stinger are seen reading the newspaper as well.
UNKNOWN HEROES SNATCH VICTORY
"Why the sour pusses?" A scarily familiar voice calls out. "That's no way to show off those cute faces!"
"You?!"
"I thought you were in prison!"
"I escaped just to see you! Now…it's time for your Angel shots!"
The two terrified heroes proceed to jump out of their beds and run for their lives.
"You guys! You need your meds!"
Puri Puri Prisoner looks at the fallen newspaper with a grimace.
A "CLASS S" FAILURE!
The two other muscle heads give consolidating pats to the back of their fellow hero. Trying to ignore the previous display from before.
The camera fades away to reveal a certificate Saitama is holding for his promotion.
"So I'm Class B now… Those tests took long enough. Meh, not like I had to be somewhere." Saitama rolls up the paper and shoves it into his back pocket.
"Still cannot believe you were Class B when you came here." Tatsumaki mutters.
"You're really hung up about that, you know." Saitama answers back.
"It's annoying as shit that no one found you before any of this." The short esper scowls.
"I mean. No one knew to really look for me to be fair." The bald hero replies.
"He has a point sis." Fubuki nods in agreement.
"Saitama always leaves before anyone can see!" Mumen Rider chuckles.
Tatsumaki rolls her eyes before huffing. "Doesn't make it not annoying."
"Master, perhaps we should begin logging your kills instead of putting it off for later." Genos suggests.
"Of course you don't log your kills." Metal Bat laughs.
"Do any of us?" Child Emperor questions with an eyebrow raised, quieting the punk teen.
Saitama pauses as he spots a Yatai and sniffs the air. "Something smells good…"
Saitama enters the small area as he gets welcomed by the owner. "Welcome."
"Assorted oden, please." Saitama requests happily.
"You are literally only pleased by food and discounts." Tatsumaki facepalms in hidden amusement.
"Glad you know me so well." Saitama gives a small grin causing Tatsumaki to sigh in annoyance.
"All right." The kind old man replies.
"Want a drink?" An unknown man questions the surprised Saitama.
"If you're not drinking, let me buy you a plate." Mumen Rider without his helmet shows his gratitude.
"Why?" Saitama questions.
"That." Mumen Rider points at the certificate. "You were at the Association? Let's celebrate your promotion."
Mumen Rider briefly reminisces about his meeting with Saitama.
"Thanks for giving me a ride. Should I walk?"
"N-No… I can handle it…"
"I must admit, Mumen Rider-kun, it is impressive how you stand bravely against foes so much greater than yourself." Bang comments in a praising tone.
"Y-you give me too much credit Silver Fang-sama!" Mumen Rider bashfully waves his hands in denial.
"He has more guts than most of the other C Class heroes, that's for sure." Atomic Samurai grunts.
"Hey, are you scared? You got separated from the Class S hero, Genos, right? The enemy is threat level Demon. A monster so formidable that even if the Class S and Class B heroes all ganged up on him, they'd never win."
"So if you wanna run…"
"Are you Class S too?"
"No, I'm Class C. Laugh if you want to."
"I'm not laughing. It sure is tough making those weekly quotas for us Class C's…" Saitama responds.
"You're a funny guy. I'm Mumen Rider. A hero, just like you." Mumen Rider turns back while biking and smiles at Saitama.
Saitama briefly smiles before looking ahead. "Huh? Hey! Watch it!" An abandoned truck appears before them as Mumen Rider swerves.
"Pfh. Literally invincible and a truck scares you." Metal Bat laughs out loud.
"I think he was just worried for Mumen to be honest." Zombie Man responds to which.
"I still cannot believe he chose to tandem ride with Mumen instead of just running. It's so inefficient." Child Emperor shakes his head in something akin to disappointment.
"Wait, the kid has a point. Why did you just take the ride? You could've easily just carried him and his bike to the damn shelter!" Tatsumaki questions in realization.
Saitama simply shrugs his shoulders. "I dunno. Who am I to deny a free ride?"
Tatsumaki just facepalms while groaning.
"That would be like if sis took a bus ride because someone offered her a free ticket instead of flying. Pfh." Fubuki covers her mouth to stifle a laugh as Tatsumaki just glares at her.
The flashback ends as Saitama gains a look of recognition. "Oh! You're that guy!"
"I've been looking for you. I couldn't say everything in my letter." Mumen Rider and Saitama share a moment of silence.
"Oh yeah. Maybe some mozuku then?"
Mumen Rider smiles. "Hey! Give us your best mozuku!"
"Comin' right up." The old man cheerfully responds.
The screen cuts to black.
"Huh wait! That's it? That felt really short, or is that just me?" Metal Bat questions aloud.
"No you're right. That felt shorter for me too." Zombie Man replies.
"I dunno, it felt the same to me." Saitama yawns while leaning back and waiting for Mr. Screen to talk.
"Perhaps you are all simply 'having a good time' as they say, watching Saitama's story."
Many shouts of surprise are heard at the sudden arrival of the loud voice.
"Damn you haven't spoken at all during this episode! Give a warning before you scare a guy!" Metal Bat shouts at the air.
"I haven't needed to since you all behaved yourselves. Let's keep it that way. If you want, we can skip the break and head straight to the next episode."
A bunch of people let out sounds of agreement.
"Very well. Let us move on."
Characters in the Theater:
All S-Class Heroes, Saitama, Bomb, Garou, Fubuki, Mumen Rider, Sonic, Dr. Genus, Mosquito Girl, Armored Gorilla, A bunch of Association Employees, Stitch, Bearded Worker, Glasses Worker.
Seating Arrangements (If you are facing the front of the theater):
Saitama, Genos, and Mumen Rider are sitting at the front in the middle. Garou and Tareo are seated at the front, a few seats away from the iconic duo plus Rider. Tatsumaki along with Fubuki are just behind Saitama, Genos, and Rider. Bang, Bomb, and Atomic Samurai are seated behind The two Espers. On the far left is Metal Knight, Drive Knight, and Pig god, Pig god being the furthest. On the far right is Puri Puri, Tank Top Master, Darkshine, and King. King being the farthest to the right and a few seats separate the muscle group from the strongest. Sonic and Flashy Flash are seated together in the back right of the theater behind the muscle heads. WatchDog Man is a little to the left of the ninja duo. Zombie Man, Metal Bat, and Child Emperor are seated together on the far left side behind the robotic duo and Pig god. The Genus Group are seated behind the group of Zombie Man, MB, and CE. Blast is in a special room unseen by everyone except Saitama. Pretend he has like a little computer screen he watches from where he can see everyone in the theater and the screen itself. The Association Employees are all sitting in the far back of the theater. The higher ups are seated the furthest from the screen.