A month and a half later, in the One-Punch Man world.
In this month and a half, Aomori's subordinate forces grew rapidly.
The security robot project was also proceeding smoothly. More and more security robots were being sent from the Purple Shield company into the streets and alleys of 26 cities, becoming Aomori's "eyes." Under Kayaba Akihiko's control, they were collecting all kinds of information.
As for Aomori himself, he only entered one dungeon during this time: the world of Baki.
In the Baki world, he transformed into a combat maniac, hammering his way from the maximum-security prison all the way to the tournament ring. He fought and defeated every named, recognized master. Under their tutelage and feeding of moves, Aomori's fighting techniques improved rapidly.
Skills like the Aiki technique of Un-Touching were absorbed into the Thunder-Light Duality Fist, becoming nourishment for its growth.
After the dungeon ended, Aomori felt he was just one last step away from truly creating the Thunder-Light Duality Fist.
…
B-City.
After being rejected for a job, a down-and-out young man with a full head of hair encountered a Crab Monster, a mutated being resulting from eating too many crabs, in a back alley.
After a series of struggles, and in a bid to protect a small child with a butt-shaped chin, he fought the Crab Monster and eventually killed it by his own hand.
All of these events were captured by a camera hidden inside a seemingly inconspicuous trash can on the side of the road and transmitted to the Purple Shield company in Z-City, where Aomori watched the entire thing.
"The catalyst I've been waiting for has arrived."
Aomori made a phone call and only said one sentence: "Begin the operation."
Establishing the Hero Association was his first small goal upon arriving in the One-Punch Man world, and the time to achieve this small goal was finally at hand.
The catalyst he was waiting for was the exact event from the original story where Saitama defeated the Crab Monster, thus embarking on the path of a hero.
However, the main focus was not Saitama, but the small child with the butt-shaped chin he saved. After confirmation, the child was none other than the grandson of the world's richest man, Agoni.
In the original work, the reason the Hero Association was founded was the Monster attack on Agoni's grandson.
If Aomori's Hero Association was founded too late, Agoni might beat him to it; if it was too early, it might give Agoni the impression that the Hero Association was unreliable and couldn't even protect a child, possibly prompting him to start his own, separate organization.
Therefore, to avoid complications and secure Agoni's massive donation, Aomori made the decision to wait for this specific catalyst.
Tomorrow would be the day he officially announced the establishment of the Hero Association to the entire world.
…
The next day, A-City, International Silver Glow Hotel, outdoor convention center.
Early in the morning, the venue was already packed with news agencies from various cities.
"Hey, Old Loww, you're here too. It must have taken quite some time to get here from J-City."
"Tell me about it," replied Old Loww, a veteran journalist with sparse hair, well-known in the industry for his speed in reporting and always being present at breaking news events.
Old Loww observed the venue's setup while chatting with a colleague: "I set off last night and arrived here at six."
"Same here," another reporter chimed in. "My chief editor warned me early on: anything related to Aomori is the absolute top priority. We're expected to find a rocket if we need to interview him in outer space."
"You're exaggerating, you're exaggerating."
"Not necessarily, not necessarily."
"Say, why did Aomori suddenly call this press conference?"
"Launching a new album, promoting a new movie, announcing a marriage, retirement—there are too many possibilities."
"That's true. Old Loww, have you received any inside information?"
"No. Aomori is always very good at keeping secrets." Old Loww shook his head. Though he didn't know what it would be about, years of experience told him this was an epoch-making event.
His heart was pounding violently. The usually steady man felt a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.
People continued to arrive, filling the entire venue to capacity.
Precisely at 10 a.m., Aomori appeared, and the press conference officially began.
Behind the densely packed microphones, Aomori, with his flawless looks, began his speech. His image simultaneously appeared on television screens in homes across the country.
"Hello, everyone. I am Aomori. I believe the reporters present have all dug into my past. Yes, just as you've reported, I once had a beautiful family, a kind father, a virtuous mother, and I should have lived happily ever after with them."
Perhaps anticipating what Aomori was about to say, many reporters put down their pens.
"But on my fifteenth birthday, everything changed. A vicious Monster, appearing from nowhere, broke into my home and brutally murdered my parents. I survived only because I was hidden in the basement. Since that day, I have vowed never to coexist with Monsters!"
At the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist Dojo, Bang and all his disciples gathered around the television set, letting out a long sigh.
In the hospital, Aomori's calm voice emanated from the radio. Garou sat on his bed, silent.
"I hated my powerlessness; I hated my weakness. To vent the hatred in my heart and prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again, I trained desperately. I grew stronger and stronger. I killed one Monster after another. However, I am ultimately only one person."
In a certain gym, a dark-skinned giant lifted a 1,000 kg dumbbell with one hand.
In a certain prison, a perverted man shed hot tears.
"The power of one person is limited. I alone cannot wipe out all Monsters. I might fail to save the innocent people about to be harmed right in front of me, and I might not even be able to guarantee my own safety. Fortunately, there is a group of people who, without seeking reward and without fearing sacrifice, are doing the same thing as me."
At the Kamikaze Dojo, Atomic Samurai meticulously wiped his katana. Beside him, his three disciples stood quietly.
In an empty lot somewhere, a hulking man in a vest patiently instructed over a dozen delinquents.
"They are a group of hot-blooded fools who call themselves heroes. And so, I became a hero too."
At the Purple Shield company, Child Emperor delightedly looked at the dog-headed humanoid robot in front of him, its jewel-like eyes glowing red.
In a shadowy corner somewhere, a gray-skinned man in a trench coat held a small handgun, secretly observing a gangster deal in an alley.
"But the connections between them are too loose. It's far from enough to eliminate all Monsters; we must unite more effectively. Therefore, I, Aomori, solemnly announce here that I will establish the Hero Association. My commitment to fighting all evil forces that threaten humanity is unwavering!"
In a certain Monster lair, a middle-aged man in high-tech armor stood with a small, green-haired girl floating in the air. Before them, Monsters lay scattered, slaughtered.
"Are you in pain? Are you despairing? Are you resentful? Do you want revenge? Do you hate your own weakness? Do you want to become stronger? Do you want to help others? Do you want to be revered? Do you want to save humanity? Then come to the Hero Association. Hope is here."
In front of a large screen, a young man wearing a safety helmet stopped his bicycle. He stood still for a long time, his hands unconsciously clenched into fists.
————
You can read the ahead chapter on Patr-eon if you're interested: p-atre-on.c-om/Overgod [Just remove the hyphen to access normally]