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from my treasury," Gilgamesh added, a hint of frustration in her typically confident voice. "Even weapons that can sever fate itself merely passed through the threads as if they were illusions."
"I tried eating mine," Arcueid mumbled sleepily from the floor, finally sitting up and rubbing her eyes. Her short blonde hair stood in wild directions. "Thought maybe I could just consume the magic. Got a weird tummy ache instead."
"You... tried to eat magical binding threads?" Uesugi asked, clearly disturbed by this approach.
Arcueid shrugged, stretching like a cat. "I eat weird stuff all the time. Magic, life force, conceptual existence... it usually works."
"I attempted to overwrite the ritual matrix using fae enchantments," Morgan contributed, her staff glowing faintly as she spoke. "The magic resisted my alterations as if it possessed... consciousness."
Saitama scratched his head, looking unimpressed by these revelations. "So basically, nobody knows anything useful."
"I know I'm hungry," Quetzalcoatl announced, bouncing to her feet with enough force to make the floorboards creak alarmingly. "Warriors need fuel! What's for breakfast, metal man?" She clapped Genos on the shoulder, nearly buckling his reinforced frame.
"I have acquired eggs, rice, fish, and various vegetables," Genos replied, recovering his balance with mechanical precision. "I can prepare a nutritionally optimal meal within 15.4 minutes."
"Allow me," Durga offered, moving gracefully toward the kitchen area. Her arms multiplied as she approached, each limb readying for a different cooking task. "Divine nourishment will strengthen us as we seek answers."
As the goddess of war began preparing breakfast with practiced efficiency, Ishtar floated closer to Saitama, who was attempting to fold his futon despite Arcueid still sitting on one corner.
"So, baldy," she began, ignoring his slight wince at the term, "what's on the agenda today? More monster punching? Hero business? Perhaps investigating the summoning circle that brought us here?"
"Actually," Saitama replied, finally giving up on the futon and leaving it half-folded, "it's Wednesday, so the supermarket has a special on chicken."
The divine beings stared at him.
"You're prioritizing discounted poultry over resolving a metaphysical crisis that has bound nine divine entities to your mortal form?" Morgan asked incredulously, frost forming around her feet.
"The chicken sale ends at noon," Saitama explained, as if this clarified everything.
"Sensei values efficiency in all things," Genos interjected loyally. "Including household economy."
"Besides," Saitama continued, pulling a hero schedule from his pocket and consulting it, "I don't have patrol duty until this afternoon. We can check out that playground circle after we get the chicken."
Artoria, who had been silent during this exchange, nodded solemnly. "A wise strategy. Provisions first, then investigation. A proper knight—or king—understands that logistics precede battle."
"Umu! The Emperor approves of this plan!" Nero declared, striking a pose that caused her makeshift toga to slip precariously. She adjusted it with practiced dignity. "Rome was built on proper resource management! And glorious conquest, of course."
"Speaking of resources," Uesugi observed quietly, "this dwelling seems insufficient for long-term habitation by ten individuals, regardless of our metaphysical nature."
"Yeah, it's pretty cramped," Saitama agreed, looking around at his overcrowded apartment. "But rent's cheap, and I'm not moving unless I have to."
"Perhaps I could assist," Gilgamesh offered unexpectedly, drawing surprised looks from the others. "What? The King of Heroes can be generous when it suits her. I find these accommodations beneath my dignity, and thus it serves my interests to improve them."
"What are you suggesting?" Durga asked from the kitchen, where multiple arms were simultaneously cooking rice, grilling fish, and chopping vegetables.
Gilgamesh smiled, a hint of her usual arrogance returning. "I possess treasures beyond mortal comprehension, including artifacts that can manipulate space itself. I could... expand this dwelling without altering its external appearance."
"You mean like... make it bigger on the inside?" Saitama asked, suddenly showing interest.
"Precisely," Gilgamesh nodded. "Though it would require proper tribute, of course."
"Here we go," Ishtar rolled her eyes. "Always a catch with this one."
"What kind of tribute?" Saitama asked warily.
Gilgamesh considered for a moment, then declared: "First choice of protein at all meals for one month, and exemption from any cleaning duties that might be established."
The others waited for more, but apparently that was the extent of her demands.
"That's... actually pretty reasonable," Arcueid commented, sounding surprised.
"Deal," Saitama agreed quickly before the King of Heroes could reconsider. "How does it work?"
Gilgamesh's smile widened as she raised her hand, golden portals opening around the apartment. "Stand back and observe the generosity of your king."
From the portals emerged what appeared to be golden architectural tools—measuring devices, strange instruments, and finally, a small ornate box that glowed with inner light. Gilgamesh took the box and placed it carefully in the center of the room.
"Behold, the Hypercube of Babylon," she announced proudly. "A treasure I acquired from a dimension of pure mathematics."
"Is it safe?" Artoria asked, hand instinctively moving to her sword.
"Of course not," Gilgamesh scoffed. "It could potentially collapse this entire reality if misused. But I am not some fumbling apprentice—I am the King of Heroes."
Before anyone could protest further, Gilgamesh opened the box. A sound like reality itself being folded emanated from within—not loud, but somehow felt in the bones rather than heard by the ears. Golden light spilled out, flowing across the floor, up the walls, and across the ceiling, outlining the apartment's dimensions.
Then, with a sensation that made everyone's inner ears tingle uncomfortably, the apartment... shifted. The walls didn't move, exactly, but the space between them seemed to stretch, creating an optical illusion that was physically real.
When the golden light faded, Saitama's apartment had transformed. The external dimensions remained identical, but inside, it had expanded to roughly triple its original size. The main room was now spacious enough to comfortably accommodate everyone, with defined areas for dining, relaxation, and sleeping. A hallway had appeared where none existed before, suggesting additional rooms beyond.
"Holy crap," Saitama said, his perpetually bored expression momentarily replaced by genuine surprise. "That's... actually pretty cool."
"Of course it is," Gilgamesh replied, closing the box and returning it to a portal. "I do not possess subpar treasures."
Genos was scanning the modified apartment with visible confusion. "Sensei, my spatial analysis systems indicate contradictory dimensional readings. The interior volume exceeds the exterior boundaries by approximately 214%."
"It's bigger on the inside," Arcueid explained helpfully, bouncing on her toes as she explored the expanded space. "Neat trick! I've seen vampires do something similar with their coffins, but not this clean."
"The Emperor approves of these new imperial quarters!" Nero declared, striding toward the hallway. "What chambers lie beyond?"
"Investigate later," Durga called from the now-expanded kitchen area, where she was putting the finishing touches on breakfast. "First, we nourish ourselves."
The meal was served on Saitama's mismatched dishes, supplemented by golden plates that Gilgamesh reluctantly contributed from her treasury. Despite the odd collection of tableware, the food itself was divine in the most literal sense—simple ingredients transformed by Durga's multiple-handed expertise into something that radiated subtle power.
"This rice..." Saitama commented between bites, "tastes different."
"I infused it with a fraction of divine essence," Durga explained. "It will grant increased vitality and clarity of thought."
"Is that safe for mortals?" Uesugi asked, examining her own portion carefully.
"He destroyed a mountain-sized monster with one punch," Morgan pointed out dryly. "I think his constitution can handle blessed rice."
As they ate, Arcueid suddenly perked up, her crimson eyes widening. "Oh! I just remembered something important from last night!"
"Your defeat at Fatal Fury X?" Quetzalcoatl teased, reaching for seconds with enthusiasm.
"No, not that," Arcueid waved dismissively. "While I was dream-walking—which I do sometimes when I sleep in new places—I sensed something weird about this city."
This caught everyone's attention, even Saitama pausing mid-bite.
"Weird how?" he asked.
"There's something underneath the city," Arcueid explained, gesturing vaguely downward. "Something big and... old. Really old. Like, older-than-me old, which is saying something."
"Could it be related to our summoning?" Artoria asked, her expression serious.
"Maybe?" Arcueid shrugged. "It felt... dormant, mostly. But there was this pulse every now and then, like a really slow heartbeat. And each time it pulsed, I could feel the summoning threads sort of... tighten."
Morgan and Durga exchanged concerned glances.
"A subterranean entity with connection to interdimensional summoning magic," Morgan mused. "That suggests a being of considerable power."
"Or considerable trouble," Ishtar added, floating cross-legged above her seat rather than sitting in it properly. "Underworld entities are rarely benevolent in any pantheon."
"But why would it summon us?" Uesugi asked the logical question. "And why bind us to him?" She gestured toward Saitama, who was calmly finishing his meal as if they weren't discussing potentially apocalyptic revelations.
"Perhaps," Gilgamesh suggested thoughtfully, "it requires something that only he can provide."
"Like what?" Nero asked. "What could a mortal—even an extraordinarily strong one—offer to a being capable of summoning goddesses?"
"Entertainment," Saitama said suddenly, drawing surprised looks from everyone. He shrugged at their expressions. "What? If it's really old and stuck underground, maybe it's just bored. I get bored all the time, and I can go wherever I want."
A moment of silence followed as the divine beings considered this unexpectedly insightful suggestion.
"The simplest explanations are often correct," Durga nodded approvingly. "Ancient beings do indeed suffer from cosmic ennui."
"Great," Saitama sighed. "So we're all here because some underground monster wants a reality show."
"Speaking of entertainment," Quetzalcoatl interjected, finishing her third helping, "what's the wrestling scene like in this city? Any good arenas? Worthy opponents?"
"There's the Super Fight Tournament," Genos offered, who had been silently observing while updating his internal databases with information about the expanded apartment. "It occurs annually and attracts martial artists from across the region."
Quetzalcoatl's eyes lit up. "A tournament! Perfect! When is the next one?"
"Three months away," Genos replied precisely. "Registration begins in two weeks."
"Excellent! I shall enter and claim victory for the glory of lucha libre!" the goddess declared, flexing impressively. "Will you enter too, bald one? I would welcome the challenge!"
"Pass," Saitama replied. "I did that once. Didn't end well."
"He wore a disguise and broke every record in the tournament's history," Genos explained with undisguised admiration. "The organizers changed the rules afterward specifically to prevent his participation in future events."
"They fear your power," Arcueid nodded understanding. "I get that a lot too. 'Please stop entering vampire-hunting contests, Miss Brunestud, it's unfair to the professional hunters.'" She mimicked a whiny voice with surprising accuracy.
As breakfast concluded, they settled into planning the day. Saitama remained firm on his chicken-acquisition priority, but conceded that investigating the summoning circle afterward made sense.
"I should report to the Hero Association as well," he noted, checking his phone. "They left like fifteen messages yesterday about 'unauthorized super-powered individuals' or something."
"We are hardly 'unauthorized,'" Gilgamesh sniffed disdainfully. "The King of Heroes requires no permission to exist in any realm."
"Try explaining that to Bureaucracy Man," Saitama replied dryly. "That guy's power is endless paperwork."
"Perhaps we should establish a rotation system," Artoria suggested practically. "Given the binding constraints, we must remain relatively close to Saitama, but not all of us need to accompany him to purchase poultry."
"True," Durga agreed. "Some of us could investigate other aspects of our situation simultaneously, while remaining within the bind's radius."
"How far can we go, anyway?" Ishtar wondered, floating toward the door. "Let's test it."
She drifted into the hallway, then down the stairs, reporting her status via shouts. At roughly 100 meters distance, she felt the binding thread grow painfully taut. At 150 meters, she was physically pulled back toward Saitama's location.
"A 150-meter tether," Morgan noted when Ishtar returned, looking slightly disheveled from her abrupt return journey. "Restrictive, but workable for urban investigation."
"I nominate myself, Durga, and Uesugi to accompany Saitama to acquire provisions," Artoria stated formally. "Our temperaments are best suited to public interaction without causing incidents."
"Are you implying I would cause an 'incident'?" Gilgamesh asked dangerously.
"Yes," chorused several voices without hesitation.
Before Gilgamesh could respond with appropriate indignation, a thunderous knocking rattled the apartment door.
"SAITAMA!" boomed a voice from outside. "IT IS I, BANG! THE HERO ASSOCIATION HAS SENT ME TO INVESTIGATE REPORTS OF UNPRECEDENTED ENERGY SIGNATURES AT YOUR RESIDENCE!"
"Oh great," Saitama muttered. "Silver Fang."
"A warrior of this realm?" Uesugi asked, hand moving to her sword.
"S-Class Rank 3 hero," Genos supplied. "Master of the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist martial art. Age 81. Combat capability: Significant."
"An elder warrior!" Quetzalcoatl's eyes lit up with interest. "Those are often the most challenging!"
"Nobody fight the old martial arts guy," Saitama instructed firmly, moving to open the door. "He's actually pretty cool."
When he opened the door, Silver Fang stood with fist raised for another knock. The legendary martial artist wore his usual casual attire—a simple Chinese-style shirt and pants—but his posture was anything but casual. Every muscle was tensed, ready for combat.
"Saitama," Bang's eyes narrowed as he took in the scene behind the bald hero—nine extraordinary women in an apartment that was clearly larger on the inside than the outside. "Explain."
"It's a long story," Saitama sighed. "Want some breakfast? Durga made enough for leftovers."
Bang's gaze shifted to the multi-armed goddess, who smiled serenely and inclined her head in respectful greeting.
"Perhaps I should hear this story," the old master conceded, stepping inside with the careful movements of someone entering potentially hostile territory. "The Association is... concerned."
"They're always concerned about something," Saitama shrugged, closing the door. "Last month it was my uniform not being 'regulation,' this month it's interdimensional visitors. Next month it'll probably be my haircut again."
"Your lack of haircut, you mean," Ishtar teased, floating overhead.
Saitama shot her a look that promised consequences, which she answered with a wink.
Bang observed this exchange with shrewd eyes, then turned his attention to Genos. "You permit this situation?"
"It was not a matter of permission," the cyborg replied. "These entities appeared through a dimensional breach. Sensei did not intentionally summon them."
"I see," Bang stroked his mustache thoughtfully, then executed a perfect formal bow toward the assembled divine beings. "I am Silver Fang, hero name Bang. I offer greetings to our... visitors."
"Ooh, he has manners!" Nero approved. "Unlike some other heroes we've encountered."
"I have manners," Saitama protested. "I just save them for when they're needed."
"A wise conservation of resources," Durga commented with just a hint of teasing in her otherwise serene voice.
Bang straightened from his bow, his keen eyes having assessed each visitor during the gesture. "The Association has detected nine distinct energy signatures of unprecedented magnitude. They are... concerned about potential threats."
"We mean no harm to this realm," Artoria stepped forward, recognizing a fellow warrior of honor. "We were summoned accidentally and are bound to Saitama until we discover how to return to our respective dimensions."
"Bound?" Bang raised an eyebrow. "In what manner?"
"Magical threads," Arcueid supplied helpfully, pointing to her chest where the silvery connection to Saitama was faintly visible in the right light. "Can't go more than 150 meters from baldy here without getting yanked back like a yo-yo."
"I see," Bang said again, though his expression suggested he didn't entirely. "And your intentions while here?"
"Surviving with minimal disruption," Uesugi answered diplomatically.
"Discovering the purpose of our summoning," Durga added.
"Fighting worthy opponents!" Quetzalcoatl declared enthusiastically.
"Acquiring discounted chicken," Saitama concluded, checking his watch. "Which we should really get going for if we want to beat the crowds."
Bang stared at Saitama for a long moment, then unexpectedly chuckled, the sound warm and genuine. "Only you, Saitama, could accidently summon nine supernatural beings and be more concerned with grocery sales."
"Chicken is chicken," Saitama replied with complete seriousness. "Sales are temporary."
"The Association will require some form of explanation," Bang pointed out. "They've scheduled an emergency meeting this afternoon."
"After chicken and checking out the summoning circle," Saitama countered, already putting on his boots. "Priorities."
"I shall accompany you," Bang decided. "Both to observe our... guests... and to provide context to the Association afterward."
"Fine by me," Saitama shrugged. "Just don't get in the way of my chicken acquisition."
As they prepared to depart in their assigned groups—Saitama, Durga, Artoria, Uesugi, and now Bang heading for the supermarket; Genos, Morgan, and Arcueid planning to investigate the underground presence; Gilgamesh, Ishtar, Nero, and Quetzalcoatl staying to explore the expanded apartment—a new voice called from outside.
"Saitama-san? Are you home? I brought those manga volumes you asked about!"
Saitama froze. "Oh no."
"Another acquaintance?" Durga inquired.
"That's Mumen Rider," Saitama explained with unusual urgency. "He's C-Class Rank 1, but more importantly, he's really, really nice."
"And this is a problem because...?" Artoria asked.
"Because nice people tend to get overwhelmed when they meet goddesses and stuff!" Saitama replied, hurrying to the door. "Everyone try to act normal. Especially you," he pointed at Gilgamesh, "and you," he pointed at Quetzalcoatl, "and definitely you," he finished, pointing at Arcueid, who was currently hanging upside-down from the ceiling to test the apartment's new spatial properties.
"I am always perfectly normal," Gilgamesh declared haughtily, which did nothing to reassure Saitama.
He opened the door to reveal a young man in cycling gear, complete with helmet and goggles, holding a plastic bag containing what appeared to be comic books.
"Hey Mumen," Saitama greeted with forced casualness. "Thanks for the manga. Gotta run though, chicken sale."
Mumen Rider blinked behind his large glasses, taking in the crowded apartment behind Saitama. "Oh! You have guests. I didn't mean to interrupt."
"You're not interrupting," Nero declared before Saitama could respond, striding forward with imperial confidence. "Enter and be welcome in the presence of Emperor Nero Claudius!"
"Um, thank you?" Mumen replied politely, bowing slightly in confusion. "I'm Mumen Rider, C-Class hero."
"A humble introduction!" Quetzalcoatl approved loudly, bounding forward to shake his hand with enthusiasm that nearly dislocated his shoulder. "I like this one! The greatest warriors often have the least need to boast!"
"Thank you?" Mumen repeated, looking increasingly bewildered as he took in the gathering of extraordinary beings. "Saitama-san, are these... new heroes?"
"Something like that," Saitama hedged, taking the manga and trying to usher Mumen back toward the door. "Thanks again, gotta go, chicken waits for no man."
"Actually," Mumen said, regaining some composure, "I came about more than just the manga. There's been a alert from the Association—multiple monster sightings across the city, coordinated attacks. All heroes are being called to respond."
Saitama's shoulders slumped. "What about the chicken sale?"
"Sensei," Genos intervened, "perhaps we could divide our forces. Some could acquire provisions while others address the monster threat."
"The noble Mumen speaks truth," Artoria confirmed, having already pulled out her smartphone (provided by Genos the previous evening with minimal instruction required). "The Hero Association app shows multiple simultaneous attacks. This appears coordinated."
"Like yesterday," Morgan observed shrewdly. "Interesting timing."
"Couldn't just be coincidence?" Saitama asked hopefully, still clutching his grocery bags.
Nine divine beings and three heroes stared at him with varied expressions of disbelief.
"Fine," he sighed. "Guess chicken will have to wait." He looked genuinely disappointed, which several of the goddesses found oddly endearing. "Let's go punch some monsters."
"Wait," Mumen Rider held up a hand, his expression shifting from confusion to determination. "Before we rush off, maybe we should coordinate. These attacks seem strategic, not random."
"The bicycle hero speaks wisdom," Uesugi nodded appreciatively. "Proper battle strategy requires information."
Mumen glanced at Uesugi, clearly wondering about the "bicycle hero" comment but professional enough to stay focused. "The Hero Association has identified five simultaneous attack points across Z-City. Most available S-Class heroes are already engaged with the largest threat in the downtown district—some kind of enormous squid monster that's wrapped itself around the Association Tower."
"A squid?" Quetzalcoatl's eyes lit up. "I love wrestling tentacled creatures! So many limbs to grapple with!"
Mumen's eyes widened slightly behind his glasses, but he pressed on. "The other attack sites have limited hero response. There's a swarm of flying creatures over the commercial district, a tunneling monster creating sinkholes in the residential area, something that's turning people to stone in the park, and a water-based entity flooding the subway system."
"Five simultaneous attacks, strategically distributed," Bang stroked his mustache thoughtfully. "This is not random monster behavior."
"No," Artoria agreed, her expression grim. "This is military tactics. Someone—or something—is coordinating these attacks."
Saitama sighed deeply. "So much for discount chicken."
"I suggest we divide our forces," Genos proposed, entering battle-planning mode. "Each attack site should have at least one of our... divine guests... along with conventional hero support."
"Agreed," Durga nodded, her multiple arms materializing various divine weapons. "We must maintain the 150-meter tether to Saitama, however, which limits our deployment range."
"Then Saitama should position himself centrally," Bang suggested. "Perhaps atop a tall building, allowing the rest of you to reach the attack sites while remaining within your... tether constraints."
"Standing on a roof while everyone else fights?" Saitama frowned. "That sounds boring."
"Or," Ishtar suggested with a mischievous smile, "you could let me carry you. I can fly, after all."
"Pass," Saitama replied immediately. "I've seen how you fly. All flashy and attention-grabbing."
"He's not wrong," Gilgamesh commented dryly.
"I'll address the stone-turning entity," Morgan declared, frost forming around her staff. "Petrification magic falls within my area of expertise."
"I call the squid!" Quetzalcoatl bounced enthusiastically. "Tentacles versus muscles! The ultimate showdown!"
"The flying swarm requires aerial combat capabilities," Artoria observed. "Ishtar would be best suited for that threat."
"I'll take the tunneling monster," Arcueid offered. "I'm good with earth-based entities. Plus, tunnels are kind of like really long coffins when you think about it."
"That's... not how anyone thinks about it," Uesugi murmured, looking disturbed.
"The flooding subway falls to me," Durga stated calmly. "Water is within my domain."
Mumen Rider had been following this exchange with increasing amazement. "Um, excuse me, but... who exactly are all of you? Your power classifications seem... unusual."
"We are divine beings accidentally summoned from other dimensions and bound to your bald friend through metaphysical threads created by an ancient ritual he unknowingly triggered by walking barefoot across a magical circle," Nero explained dramatically, striking a pose. "I am Emperor Nero Claudius of Rome! These are my fellow divinities, temporarily stranded in your realm."
There was a moment of silence as Mumen processed this.
"Ah," he finally said with admirable composure. "That explains the energy readings the Association detected yesterday."
"You're... taking this remarkably well," Saitama observed.
Mumen shrugged. "After three years as a hero, interdimensional visitors hardly register on my weird-o-meter anymore. Last month I fought a sentient traffic cone that quoted philosophy."
"That was you?" Saitama perked up. "I punched one of those yesterday morning!"
"They're multiplying," Mumen nodded gravely. "The Philosophy Department at Z-City University has a theory about collective consciousness manifesting through urban infrastructure, but that's beside the point."
"Focus," Bang interjected firmly. "We have citizens in danger."
"Right," Saitama nodded, suddenly serious. "Let's do this. Mumen, you should stick with me. No offense, but these monsters sound out of your weight class."
Rather than being offended, Mumen nodded gratefully. "Appreciated. I can help coordinate and assist with evacuations."
"I shall accompany Saitama as well," Gilgamesh declared unexpectedly. "My treasury contains artifacts that may prove useful for extending our range of operation."
"And I," Nero added, "shall provide imperial leadership to this campaign!"
Genos quickly outlined a battle plan, using his built-in projection system to display a map of Z-City with the attack sites marked. The gathering broke into their assigned teams, each heading toward their designated target.
As they exited the apartment building, the chaos across Z-City became immediately apparent. Distant explosions punctuated the skyline. Sirens wailed. Emergency broadcasts blared from public address systems, directing civilians to shelter locations.
"Just another Wednesday," Saitama muttered, starting a light jog toward the center of the disturbance.
"Is your realm always this chaotic?" Uesugi asked, keeping pace easily despite her traditional attire.
"Pretty much," Saitama confirmed. "Monsters show up, heroes punch them, rinse and repeat."
"Yet you seem discontented with this arrangement," the samurai observed perceptively.
Saitama glanced at her, surprised by the insight. "It's just... boring. They go down in one punch. Every time."
"The burden of overwhelming strength," Uesugi nodded understanding. "In my time, I faced similar challenges. When one's blade is too sharp, battles end before they truly begin."
"Exactly!" Saitama exclaimed with rare enthusiasm. "That's exactly it! Everyone thinks being super strong would be awesome, but they don't get how... empty it feels."
"The mightiest warrior craves not victory, but worthy challenge," Uesugi quoted softly. "An old saying from my realm, but it seems applicable here."
Their philosophical discussion was interrupted as they reached downtown. The giant squid monster had indeed wrapped its massive tentacles around the Hero Association Tower, its bulbous head pulsating at the top of the building. Several S-Class heroes were already engaged in battle, attacking the tentacles with varying degrees of success.
"Atomic Samurai is slicing tentacles on the west side," Genos reported, his enhanced vision scanning the battlefield. "Metal Bat is engaging on the east. Tornado of Terror is attempting to psychically restrain the creature's movement, but appears to be struggling with its size."
"Perfect!" Quetzalcoatl cracked her knuckles gleefully. "Saitama, get to that roof over there!" She pointed to a neighboring skyscraper. "That should put you in range of most attack sites while keeping you central."
"This is so weird," Saitama muttered, but complied, easily leaping to the indicated rooftop with Mumen Rider holding on for dear life.
Once positioned, the divine beings fanned out to their assigned targets, each careful to remain within the 150-meter tether to Saitama.
Quetzalcoatl launched herself toward the squid monster with a war cry that echoed across downtown. "COME TO MAMA, TENTACLE BOY! LUCHA LIBRE AWAITS YOU!"
She collided with one massive tentacle, grappling it with expert technique. To the amazement of the watching S-Class heroes, she actually managed to suplex the appendage, slamming it into the pavement with earth-shaking force.
"WHO IS THAT?" Atomic Samurai could be heard shouting as he sliced through another tentacle, only to watch it regenerate almost instantly.
"PROBABLY ANOTHER WEIRD FRIEND OF CAPED BALDY!" Metal Bat yelled back, swinging his weapon at a tentacle that was trying to crush a group of office workers. "HE'S BEEN COLLECTING THEM LATELY!"
From his rooftop vantage point, Saitama watched as his divine guests engaged their respective targets. Ishtar soared through the air, her bow firing energy blasts that decimated the flying swarm. Morgan's staff glowed with eldritch power as she systematically reversed petrification effects in the park. Arcueid had disappeared underground, but occasional tremors suggested she was enthusiastically engaging the tunneling monster. Durga's serene battle cries echoed from the subway entrance as water periodically geysered upward.
"They're... incredible," Mumen Rider murmured beside him. "Are they really gods?"
"So they keep saying," Saitama shrugged. "They eat a lot for divine beings though."
Gilgamesh stood at the edge of the rooftop, golden portals opening around her as she surveyed the battlefield with regal disdain.
"These monsters are beneath my direct attention," she declared haughtily. "However..." She gestured, and artifacts began emerging from her portals—strange devices and weapons that floated out toward each battle site. "My treasury contains tools suited for even minor annoyances."
"That's actually helpful," Saitama commented, sounding surprised. "Thanks."
Gilgamesh looked momentarily taken aback by the simple gratitude, then recovered her composure with a "hmph" and slight head toss.
Nero, meanwhile, had appointed herself battlefield coordinator, dramatically issuing orders that nobody was following but with such imperial confidence that it hardly seemed to matter.
"Flank the aquatic beast! Encircle the stone-maker! Victory awaits those who follow the Emperor's brilliant strategy!"
"She's really into this," Mumen observed.
"Yeah, she's like that about everything," Saitama replied. "Should have seen her playing video games last night."
As they watched, something unexpected happened. The squid monster, despite Quetzalcoatl's enthusiastic wrestling moves, suddenly released its grip on the Association Tower. The flying swarm abruptly changed formation. The flooding stopped. The stone creature vanished. The tunneling monster fell silent.
"They're... retreating?" Genos sounded confused as he scanned the battlefield.
"No," Artoria called out, her invisible sword raised in warning. "They're converging!"
All five monsters—or what remained of them—began moving in the same direction, flowing through streets, skies, and underground tunnels toward a single destination: the abandoned playground where the summoning circle had first appeared.
"That can't be a coincidence," Bang observed grimly.
"It's not," Morgan agreed, appearing beside them in a swirl of shadow, frost still clinging to her staff. "These creatures were never acting independently. They're aspects of a single entity—a five-fold manifestation."
"And now they're reuniting," Durga added, materializing on the rooftop, water streaming from her multiple arms. "Likely to assume their true form."
"Great," Saitama sighed. "So instead of five medium-sized monsters, we get one big one. That's just lazy monster design."
The divine beings regrouped around Saitama as they all made their way toward the playground. The convergence of the monster aspects had created an eerie silence across the city—the calm before an inevitable storm.
"I'm detecting massive energy fluctuations," Genos reported as they approached. "Whatever is forming at the playground exceeds any monster energy signature in my database."
"It's the summoning circle," Arcueid observed, brushing dirt from her clothes after her underground battle. "It's active again."
Indeed, as they reached the playground, they found the magical circle glowing with intensifying power. The five monster aspects swirled around it—water, stone, earth, air, and flesh—gradually merging into a single amorphous mass that pulsated with malevolent purpose.
"Okay, so what's the plan?" Saitama asked, cracking his knuckles. "Hit it really hard? Because that's kind of my whole thing."
"Wait," Durga cautioned, studying the forming entity with ancient eyes. "This creature... it's attempting to use the same ritual that summoned us."
"For what purpose?" Uesugi asked, hand on her sword hilt.
"To break free," Morgan answered, frost spreading from her feet across the ground. "This entity has been imprisoned beneath this city for centuries, perhaps millennia. It's using the summoning circle as an escape route."
"And it needed us because...?" Ishtar prompted, floating above the group.
"Power," Gilgamesh stated simply. "It needed divine energy to complete the ritual."
"So it deliberately manipulated events to make Saitama trigger the initial summoning," Artoria concluded, her expression darkening. "We were never the target—we were the catalyst."
"Umu! The Emperor does not appreciate being used as a magical battery!" Nero declared indignantly.
The amorphous mass continued to grow, gradually taking shape above the glowing circle. It resembled nothing so much as a massive eye—lidless, pulsating, with a pupil that seemed to contain swirling galaxies.
"FREEDOM," it spoke, its voice a discordant chorus that vibrated through reality itself. "AT LAST, THE BINDING WEAKENS. THE SEAL FADES. I SHALL EMERGE."
"Yeah, about that," Saitama stepped forward, utterly unimpressed by the cosmic horror forming before him. "You made me miss a chicken sale. So I'm kind of annoyed right now."
"MORTAL," the entity's attention focused on Saitama, its massive pupil contracting. "YOU HAVE SERVED YOUR PURPOSE AS THE ANCHOR. YOUR RELEVANCE ENDS."
A tendril of pure force lashed out from the eye, striking toward Saitama with incomprehensible speed.
It never reached him.
Moving with his characteristic casualness, Saitama simply raised a hand and flicked the tendril away. The force of that tiny motion created a shockwave that cracked the pavement beneath their feet.
"Rude," Saitama commented.
The eye creature seemed to pause, reassessing. "IMPOSSIBLE. NO MORTAL COULD—"
"Yeah, yeah, heard it all before," Saitama interrupted. "Look, are you going to be a problem for the city? Because if you're just going to leave and do your cosmic horror thing somewhere else, maybe we can work something out."
"WORK... SOMETHING OUT?" The entity sounded genuinely confused, its swirling form momentarily destabilizing. "I AM YOGG-NAGOROTH, THE WORLD-BENEATH-WORLDS, THE HUNGER-IN-DARKNESS. I DO NOT 'WORK THINGS OUT' WITH INSIGNIFICANT SPECKS OF MATTER."
"So that's a yes on being a problem then," Saitama sighed. "Fine."
Before anyone could react—divine beings included—Saitama launched himself toward the cosmic entity. His movement created a vacuum in his wake, the air unable to fill the space he vacated quickly enough.
"SERIOUS SERIES: SERIOUS PUNCH."
His fist connected with the center of the massive eye.
For a moment, nothing happened. Reality seemed to hold its breath.
Then came the aftermath.
The shockwave from the impact radiated outward in a perfect circle, the air itself visibly distorting as it expanded. The entity—Yogg-Nagoroth—didn't explode so much as... unravel. Its form collapsed in on itself, folding into impossible geometries before vanishing entirely with a sound like reality tearing and mending in the same instant.
The summoning circle flared blindingly bright, then went dark, its intricate patterns fading from the playground asphalt as if they had never been.
Saitama landed lightly back among the group, adjusting his glove with a look of mild disappointment.
"One punch. Again."
The divine beings stared at him in various states of shock, awe, and disbelief.
"You just... obliterated an interdimensional cosmic entity..." Ishtar managed, her usual mischievous confidence temporarily abandoned. "With a single punch."
"Yeah," Saitama shrugged. "That's kind of my whole deal."
"But that was YOGG-NAGOROTH!" Arcueid exclaimed, bouncing on her toes with excitement rather than fear. "It's old enough to have witnessed the formation of multiple universes! Even True Ancestors speak of it in whispers!"
"Did I mention I'm really disappointed about missing that chicken sale?" Saitama replied, completely missing the point.
Genos, who had been scanning the area continuously, suddenly looked up with surprise. "Sensei, the metaphysical threads... they're fading."
Indeed, the silvery connections that had bound the nine divine beings to Saitama were growing fainter by the second, dissolving like morning mist under sunshine.
"The binding spell was dependent on Yogg-Nagoroth's continued existence," Morgan observed, watching the threads dissipate. "When you destroyed it, you broke the summoning ritual."
"So... you can all go home now?" Saitama asked, his expression unreadable.
A moment of awkward silence fell over the group.
"Theoretically, yes," Durga confirmed gently. "The barriers between dimensions have thinned here. We could return to our respective realms if we chose to."
"Cool," Saitama nodded, his face betraying nothing. "So I guess that's it then."
"HOWEVER," Nero declared dramatically, stepping forward with imperial confidence, "the Emperor has not yet experienced all this realm has to offer! My review of your 'video games' remains incomplete! Your cultural education has barely begun!"
"I haven't had a chance to enter that tournament yet," Quetzalcoatl added, flexing meaningfully. "The goddess of lucha libre cannot leave without claiming championship gold!"
"The mystery of your power warrants further investigation," Uesugi observed quietly. "Such strength carries both burden and purpose. I would learn more of your warrior's path."
"Plus," Arcueid chimed in cheerfully, "I want to try that fried chicken you keep talking about! Is it really worth missing a cosmic apocalypse for?"
One by one, the divine beings offered reasons—some profound, others utterly trivial—for extending their stay in Saitama's world. Only Gilgamesh remained silent, arms crossed, expression inscrutable behind her golden armor.
"What about you?" Saitama finally asked her directly. "Heading back to your treasury or whatever?"
The King of Heroes studied him for a long moment, crimson eyes narrowed in assessment. Finally, she spoke with uncharacteristic sincerity.
"In all my collection of treasures, gathered across the breadth of human history and beyond, I have encountered nothing quite like you, Saitama. You are... an anomaly. The King of Heroes does not leave puzzles unsolved."
"So... you're staying too?" Saitama clarified.
Gilgamesh inclined her head slightly, the barest acknowledgment. "For now. Consider it a royal favor."
A small smile—genuine, not his usual bland expression—tugged at Saitama's lips. "Cool. But we're still getting that discount chicken before the sale ends."
"Umu! The Emperor seconds this motion!" Nero declared. "To the poultry vendors, post-haste!"
As they walked away from the playground, leaving bewildered Hero Association personnel and S-Class heroes to handle the aftermath, Bang fell into step beside Saitama.
"You realize," the old master observed quietly, "that the Association will demand explanations. Reports. Probably meetings."
"Yeah," Saitama sighed. "Bureaucracy Man strikes again."
"I could assist with that," Morgan offered unexpectedly. "Administrative manipulation falls well within my magical capabilities. A simple confusion spell on the relevant paperwork..."
"That would be wrong," Artoria interjected firmly. "We must respect the institutions of this realm, even if they are... tedious."
"Says the 'king' who never had to file quarterly tax documentation," Morgan muttered.
"Actually," Mumen Rider spoke up, having been quietly observing the entire cosmic confrontation with remarkable composure, "I might be able to help. The Association respects my reports for their thoroughness. I could file the documentation on your behalf, Saitama."
"You'd do that?" Saitama looked genuinely moved by the offer.
"Of course," Mumen nodded. "That's what heroes do—help each other."
"The bicycle warrior has honor," Uesugi approved with a formal nod. "A valuable ally indeed."
As they continued toward the supermarket—nine divine beings, three heroes, and one cyborg disciple on a quest for discounted chicken—the city around them slowly returned to normal. Emergency services managed the aftermath. Civilians emerged from shelters. The Hero Association issued all-clear notifications.
Just another Wednesday in Z-City.
"So," Arcueid asked brightly as they walked, "what are the plans for dinner? Because I'm thinking we could try cooking that chicken thing you keep talking about."
"I shall prepare a feast worthy of the gods," Durga offered. "Since, technically, that is what we are."
"I call dibs on the video game system after dinner," Quetzalcoatl announced. "I still need to master that combo technique King was showing me."
"The Emperor requires a bath after such exertions," Nero declared. "That expanded bathroom Gilgamesh created will serve nicely."
As the divine beings continued planning their evening with surprising domesticity, Saitama found himself walking slightly apart, listening to their chatter with that same small smile playing at his lips.
Genos noticed, falling into step beside his master. "Sensei, you seem... different."
"Do I?" Saitama asked, genuinely curious.
"Yes," the cyborg confirmed. "Your expression registers increased dopamine and serotonin levels. You appear to be experiencing... contentment."
Saitama considered this as he watched Ishtar and Gilgamesh arguing about something ahead of them, while Morgan and Artoria maintained their careful distance from each other, and Arcueid literally skipped alongside a bemused Bang.
"Huh," he finally said. "Guess I am."
It wasn't the challenge he'd been seeking. These divine beings, for all their power, couldn't give him the fight that would make him feel alive again. But somehow, in their chaotic presence, he'd found something unexpected.
Interest. Amusement. Maybe even friendship.
It wasn't what he'd been looking for. But as he quickened his pace to catch up with the others, Saitama thought that maybe—just maybe—it might be exactly what he needed.
"Hey," he called ahead to the group. "If we hurry, we can still make the two-for-one udon special after we get the chicken!"
The resulting cheer from nine divine beings echoed across Z-City, marking the beginning of what would surely be the strangest household arrangement in the history of any dimension.
"By the way," Saitama asked as they approached the supermarket, "does anyone know how to cook for ten people? Because I usually just make enough for me and sometimes Genos."
The look of horror on Durga's face suggested that Saitama's culinary skills—or lack thereof—might be the greatest challenge these divine beings had faced yet.
Some threats, it seemed, transcended dimensional boundaries.