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"Wait—are you serious?"
"Of course I am! After all that training, if I didn't get stronger, wouldn't that mean I suffered for nothing?"
"Training… yeah, you really worked hard, huh?"
"Mm-hmm! Super hard!"
Ethan stared blankly at Saitama's dull, vacant face.If he hadn't spent enough time with him to understand what kind of guy Saitama was, he probably would've thought the man was lying through his teeth.
Even now, after asking again and again, the truth was clear: that really was all of Saitama's training. Nothing secret. No hidden techniques. Just that.
"Sigh… you really are a monster," Ethan said, patting Saitama's shiny head. The smooth surface actually felt kind of nice, so he gave it another couple of pats.
"Hey! Cut it out already! You do that again and I'm gonna lose it!" Saitama shouted, slapping his hand away.
BOOM!
The ground shook violently as a thunderous explosion tore through the air. Not far from where they lived, a massive crater appeared—and from it crawled out a terrifying-looking monster radiating power. Its aura alone screamed Dragon-level threat, maybe even worse.
The creature immediately went berserk, smashing buildings apart with casual swings of its arms. When it spotted a little girl crying on the street, a twisted grin spread across its face—bloodthirsty, cruel.
In the next instant, two figures appeared before the monster.The little girl was already safe in Saitama's arms.The other figure—of course—was Ethan.
He hadn't planned to show up. Monsters weren't exactly his thing. But when he got a look at this one… well, his curiosity got the better of him.
"Huh? A Namekian? Piccolo? Or maybe Nail?" Ethan asked, eyeing the creature with interest.
He wasn't imagining it—the thing looked exactly like a Namekian straight out of Dragon Ball. The resemblance was so perfect that he couldn't resist checking it out in person. Otherwise, there's no way Ethan would have bothered approaching a monster.
"Namekian? Piccolo? What the hell are you talking about?"The monster sniffed the air, then licked its lips. "Mmm… delicious. You smell sweet. I can't wait to swallow you whole. Who are you? And you—baldy—what are you two?"
The monster's gaze lingered hungrily on Ethan, as if he were already a meal.
"Tch. Not a real Namekian, huh? What a letdown. I thought you might be an old acquaintance or something. Turns out you're just a cheap knockoff." Ethan yawned and waved dismissively. "Saitama, he's all yours. I'm out."
"Bastard! What's with that attitude? You think you can just walk away?"Furious, the monster lunged at Ethan, unable to ignore the irresistible scent of his prey.
Just as its claws were about to close around him, a yellow blur flashed in front of Ethan. Saitama raised one hand—and stopped the monster cold.
"Huh?"The monster blinked in shock. Even though it hadn't used its full strength, that strike should've flattened a tank. Yet this bald human had blocked it like it was nothing. It jumped back, snarling. "Who the hell are you, baldy?!"
"Damn it, don't call me baldy!" Saitama snapped. "I'm just a guy who's a hero for fun, that's all."
His face darkened. Seriously, why did everyone have to call him baldy? Every. Single. Time.
"What kind of dumb setup is that?!" the monster roared. "I am Vaccine Man! Born from the Earth itself! You humans are the virus infecting this planet, destroying nature, corrupting life! I am the antibody, the savior who will cleanse this world! And you—fighting me just for fun? Humanity truly deserves extinction!"
As he shouted, his body began to twist and expand, morphing into something even uglier, more monstrous, more powerful.
Ethan raised an eyebrow at the transformation."Well, even a knockoff can earn some points for effort," he muttered. "If only there were seven Dragon Balls and a wish-granting dragon too, that'd really complete the set."
Then, before Vaccine Man could finish his dramatic speech, Saitama lifted his fist.
It looked lazy. Effortless. Like a joke.
And then—boom.
In a split second, the monster was obliterated. Torn to bits. Blue blood splattered everywhere. Not even an S-Class hero could've managed that, and yet Saitama did it with one casual punch.
Ethan sighed, rolling his eyes.Yep, no mistake about it. Saitama really was a monster in human skin. Honestly, calling him a "hero" almost felt wrong—he was the real creature here.
"Ughhh, not again! Another one-shot!" Saitama groaned, collapsing to his knees, crushed by despair. "Damn it, why can't I ever find someone who can take a second punch?!"
In a flash, the yellow blur appeared in front of Ethan again.
"Ethan! Fight me! I know you're strong—really strong! You're the only one who might actually get my blood pumping again!"
"…Baldy."
"HEY! I told you—don't call me that!"
"Then change your outfit, man. All yellow? Seriously? Don't you know what that color means? Just trying to describe you is exhausting."
"What are you even talking about?!"
"Exactly. You wouldn't get it. Go home, baldy."
"DAMN IT! STOP CALLING ME THAT!"
"Alright, alright, no more. I swear I won't call you baldy again, baldy."
"..."
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