When the lightning struck, Saitama finally blinked, his blank expression shifting into mild suspicion.
That bolt of thunder—perfectly accurate, perfectly timed—was far too coincidental.
"Huh? That's weird. Why'd it hit only me?" he murmured, rubbing his head. Then, as though a revelation dawned, his eyes widened slightly. "Ah! This must be the teacher's doing. A test!"
In Saitama's mind, everything made perfect sense. If Fenric was the one controlling the storm, then this must be another trial—a temptation, not an actual attack.
After all, if his teacher truly wanted to hurt him, there was no way he'd miss.
He had no idea that, at that very moment, Fenric was hidden beneath the waves, silently plotting to drown him.
…
Up above, thunderclouds continued to swirl, crackling with divine fury. Bolts of lightning arced through the sky, threatening to strike again at any moment.
Saitama squinted up at them, frowning. "Enough of that."
He clenched his fist.
"Haaa—!"
With a single upward punch, he unleashed a violent gust of air that shredded the thunderclouds apart. The shockwave ripped through the atmosphere, dispersing the storm in seconds.
The sunlight broke through again, washing the island in golden light.
…
Deep in the distance, Fenric surfaced from the sea just in time to see the impossible. His eyes twitched.
"…He actually broke my Thunder God Ring's lightning so easily…?"
Even divine magic was useless against this bald-headed anomaly.
Suppressing his frustration, Fenric rose into the air, floating high above the waves. His cloak fluttered in the sea breeze as he looked down at his overenthusiastic disciple.
"Saitama," he called, his tone calm but firm, "your strength has impressed the teacher. But my next attack won't be so easy to block."
Hearing that, Saitama's usual blank face straightened, his eyes sharp and focused for once. "Understood, teacher. I'm ready!"
That glimmer of excitement in his tone made Fenric's lips twitch.
He glanced at the island below—it was already on the verge of collapse—and smiled faintly.
Good. This is it.
He raised his left hand, and the Sea God's Ring on his finger began to glow faintly.
"WOOOOSH!"
The once-calm ocean roared to life.
The waves churned violently, crashing into each other as if the sea itself were being torn apart.
Far in the distance, a wall of water began to rise—higher and higher—until it became a colossal tsunami that blotted out the horizon.
Saitama's eyes widened slightly.
"Whoa… the teacher can control the sea too?" he muttered in awe. "That's so cool."
The tsunami loomed closer, towering hundreds of meters above the island.
But even as the monstrous wave descended, Saitama's expression remained calm.
He clenched his fist.
"Ordinary Punch."
BOOM!
A blast of wind exploded from his fist, carving a massive tunnel through the center of the tsunami. The raging wall of water split apart, parting cleanly to either side.
Not even a drop of seawater touched him.
No matter how overwhelming the force, he could shatter it all with one punch.
That was Saitama's way.
Fenric, however, had expected this.
The moment Saitama dispersed the first wave, Fenric willed the sea to rise again.
Dozens of tsunamis formed around the island, converging from every direction.
A rare hint of focus appeared on Saitama's face.
"Continuous Normal Punches!"
His fists blurred into a storm of motion. Each punch created a shockwave that collided with the incoming waves, flattening the ocean itself.
In seconds, the island was surrounded by a chaotic tempest of fist winds and exploding seawater.
Fenric observed silently, his face unreadable.
He had expected this outcome. His goal wasn't to overpower Saitama—it was to buy time.
The island beneath Saitama's feet was already at its breaking point.
Then—
"Crack!"
The ground split open with a deafening sound.
The earth beneath Saitama began to sink rapidly.
"Oh no…!"
Realization hit him a second too late.
"The island's collapsing!"
Panic flashed across his face as he looked around.
He couldn't fly. He couldn't swim.
In desperation, Saitama grabbed the thickest tree nearby, yanked it from the ground, and clung to it tightly.
"Alright! I'll just float!"
But when the last remnants of the island sank beneath the waves, a whirlpool formed around the wreckage. The pull of the current was too strong.
"Glub! Glub!"
Bubbles rose rapidly as both Saitama and his "lifeboat" were dragged into the depths.
His eyes bulged as he struggled to swim upward, pinching his nose with one hand while paddling frantically with the other.
Unfortunately for him, Fenric was waiting below.
With a subtle gesture, Fenric activated the power of the Sea God's Ring.
Instantly, Saitama felt a crushing weight on his body. The water seemed to grow heavier around him, dragging him downward.
He kicked and thrashed, but the resistance was too strong. His movements slowed.
Slowly, his chest began to burn.
His lungs screamed for air.
His face turned red, then purple.
Finally—
He couldn't hold it anymore.
"Glub—!"
Saitama instinctively tried to inhale, but all he got was seawater. His body convulsed violently, his eyes going wide as panic set in.
"Glub! Glub!"
More bubbles escaped from his mouth as his limbs weakened.
In his delirium, he completely forgot about the white cloth Fenric had given him—the one he was supposed to wave in surrender.
The more he struggled, the deeper he sank.
His movements grew sluggish. His eyes dimmed.
Watching from the shadows, Fenric frowned.
He's not breathing anymore… still no system notification? What, do I really have to let him die first?!
For a brief moment, he almost swam forward to pull Saitama up.
Even if this bald fool had scared him half to death, Saitama was still his disciple.
And in their short time together, Fenric had come to respect the man's simple, genuine heart.
Then—
Saitama stopped moving. His body floated limply in the water, drifting downward.
Ding!
At that moment, a familiar voice echoed in Fenric's mind:
"Congratulations. You have completed the mission: Defeat the Strongest by Force."
Note: You may now return to the Samsara Space or remain in this world to continue your missions.
However, Fenric's face showed no joy, only anxiety—then immediately swam toward Saitama.
He grabbed him, and pulled him out of the sea.
At this moment, Saitama's face was pale, his lips were bluish-purple, and his heartbeat had stopped; he had clearly entered a state of shock...
The situation is extremely dangerous!!
Fenric looked anxious, but unfortunately he didn't know any first aid for drowning victims and couldn't help Saitama.
The next moment—
Indestructible Demon Body—activated!
Fenric's aura surged violently as the technique enhanced his speed severalfold. Without hesitation, he grabbed the unconscious Saitama and shot through the sky like a comet, breaking the sound barrier as he rushed toward the nearest city.
Five minutes later—
D City Hospital.
The corridors were bustling with doctors and patients when—
BOOM!
A figure crashed through the rooftop like a meteor, shattering concrete and scattering debris across the hall.
"AHHH!"
Nurses and patients screamed as dust filled the air. Amidst the chaos, Fenric stood amidst the rubble, his clothes torn but his expression calm—almost too calm.
He ignored the frightened crowd and strode straight to a woman in a white coat, her nametag reading Attending Physician. Without any preamble, he pointed to the limp figure in his arms.
"Save him. Immediately."
The doctor froze, wide-eyed, her hands trembling. "Y-Yes! But—may I ask, what's his condition? What are the symptoms?"
"Drowning."
"U-Understood!"
The doctor and several nurses sprang into action, moving Saitama onto a stretcher and performing emergency drainage and CPR. Fenric stood aside, his usual composure replaced by a rare look of anxiety.
Minutes passed.
The sound of chest compressions echoed through the room.
But Saitama remained motionless.
Fenric frowned deeply, his heart tightening with guilt.
I should have prepared better. I should've studied first aid before this mission.
Though Fenric was a samsara player—a traveler between worlds—he was still human. Watching his disciple lying lifeless made his chest ache.
He genuinely liked Saitama. The bald fool was simple-minded, loyal, and kindhearted. He didn't want anything bad to happen to him.
And beyond that sentiment, Fenric needed Saitama alive. He still played a crucial role in Fenric's upcoming plans.
The attending doctor pressed on Saitama's chest again and again, sweat dripping down her brow. Finally, she looked up, her expression grim.
"This patient has entered shock. We'll need to use a defibrillator immediately!"
"Then what are you waiting for? Do it!" Fenric barked.
"Yes!"
Saitama was wheeled into the emergency room. Fenric didn't follow. He simply stood outside, pacing anxiously.
Time crawled.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the doors swung open. The female doctor stepped out, her face weary but smiling faintly.
"Sir… your friend is out of danger."
Fenric's eyes brightened instantly. "Really? Thank you, doctor!"
She nodded but added seriously, "However, he'll need to stay under observation for a few days. There may still be some post-shock side effects."
"Of course. Whatever it takes," Fenric said quickly, relief washing over him.
But before he could breathe easy—
The doctor frowned and crossed her arms. "And one more thing. You fell from the sky, destroyed part of the hospital roof, and injured several patients. You'll need to pay for the damages—or I'll have to report this to the authorities."
Fenric paused, then smiled helplessly. "No problem. I'll compensate fully."
Hearing that, the doctor's expression softened. "Good. Your friend needs rest—please don't disturb him. Go settle the bill."
As she turned to leave, Fenric couldn't help but glance at her. She wasn't particularly pretty, but she had a surprisingly good figure.
Then he thought about her performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on Saitama…
"…Was this guy blessed in disguise?" he muttered under his breath.
Shaking off the ridiculous thought, Fenric sighed and headed toward the billing office.
Luckily, he still had tens of millions stored in his current account—plenty to cover the hospital and the roof repairs.
After all, his money could always be renewed when he enter a new world.
…
7:00 PM.
In a private high-grade ward, Saitama slowly opened his eyes.
He blinked in confusion, staring at the sterile white ceiling.
"…Huh? Where am I? Why does this look like a hospital?"
The door opened.
Fenric walked in, carrying a large shopping bag.
"Teacher?" Saitama blinked.
"Saitama, you're awake." Fenric smiled warmly and raised the bag. "Perfect timing. I brought you dinner—your favorite takoyaki."
At the mention of food, Saitama's face lit up. "Oh! Really?"
But his expression quickly turned puzzled again. "Uh… teacher, why am I in a hospital?"
Fenric froze mid-step. "You don't remember?"
Saitama rubbed his bald head and frowned. "Hmm… I remember you said you wanted to test my three years of training… then we went somewhere. After that, everything's… kinda blank."
"Memory loss?" Fenric muttered. "Could it be post-shock amnesia?"
He crouched beside the bed. "Try to think, Saitama. Anything else?"
Saitama squinted hard, then shook his head. "Nope! Nothing."
Fenric sighed. Great. The bald head really does have amnesia.
At least it wasn't full amnesia—just memory loss of the fight. That was good enough.
He smiled reassuringly. "It's fine, Saitama. Forgetting isn't a bad thing. That was… an unpleasant memory anyway."
Saitama looked guilty. "Teacher… did I perform poorly?"
Fenric chuckled and patted his shoulder. "No, you did great."
Before Saitama could smile in relief, Fenric continued dramatically, "It's my fault. I used too much power and accidentally knocked you out. You were hospitalized for three days… and, well, lost a bit of memory."
"Ehh?! You knocked me out?!" Saitama's jaw dropped.
Fenric nodded solemnly. "Afraid so."
Saitama sat there, stunned.
He knew how strong he was. No monster had ever been able to hurt him. His body was practically indestructible.
And yet—his teacher had managed to knock him unconscious.
"Teacher… you're incredible!" Saitama exclaimed in awe. "I still have a long way to go!"
Fenric smiled faintly, hiding his relief behind pride. "You don't blame me, right?"
"Of course not!" Saitama said quickly. "It's my fault for being weak and letting the teacher down."
Fenric shook his head. "No, Saitama. You've done more than enough. In this world, aside from me—" he paused for effect, "—you're the strongest."
Saitama's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Really? That's awesome!"
"Now eat," Fenric said, handing him the bag. "Then get some rest. You'll need it."
…
Three days later.
Fenric and Saitama returned to the villa.
Inside, Genos was already waiting, sitting politely in the living room.
When he saw them walk in, he immediately stood. "Teacher! Master! You've finally returned."
Fenric immediately noticed something odd—the cyborg's movements were stiff, his steps slightly unsteady, as if his internal systems were malfunctioning.
"Oh, Genos!" Saitama greeted cheerfully. "Did you eat lunch yet?"
"Teacher," Genos said seriously, "as a cyborg, I no longer need food." Then, with a mechanical blink, he added bluntly, "But may I ask… what happened with your battle against the Master? Why did it take three days before you returned?"
Saitama scratched his head sheepishly. "Ah… about that…"
He chuckled awkwardly. "My strength wasn't enough. I accidentally got knocked out by the teacher and ended up in the hospital for three days."
Genos froze.
His artificial pupils contracted sharply.
"...NANI?!"
The sound echoed through the villa as if reality itself had cracked.