Mutual Shock

After several days of travel, Long finally arrived in Z-City.

He wasn't in a hurry, so he traveled at his own pace, stopping frequently and taking various modes of transportation... which also allowed him to learn more about the world.

In short... this is a world filled with 'heroism'.

Many industries have sprung up around the theme of 'heroes,' among which the most well-known and accepted by the public is entertainment.

In addition to being registered on the Association's official website, most of the heroes also have personal websites where they post photos or videos of their daily battles against monsters to attract followers.

Then the heroes will also participate in various TV programs... and even develop and sell merchandise.

Wherever you go, heroes are almost always the main topic of conversation. Various street shops, vehicles and other facilities are also all associated with 'heroes'... for example, displaying some dolls or posters.

While passing through Y-City, Aru even saw a hero riding on a float, passionately giving a speech with a large Mike, promoting himself. He also encountered a C-rank hero handing out flyers, asking for support. In short, Aru's experiences over the past few days seemed to be telling him one thing: the higher-ranking and more famous heroes are all doing quite well.

Meanwhile, the lowest-ranking C-class heroes have a miserable life... many of them work part-time. "The Hero Association hasn't been around for very long... I think it's only been a short time. In such a short time, they've already set the tone for the world..."

Long felt a pang of emotion.

It's important to know that the histories of Hunter x Hunter, Demon Slayer, One Piece, and the entire storyline that runs through them... all span countless years.

It's astonishing that a top-tier power like One-Punch Man could achieve this in such a short time.

The element of 'hero' has always existed in this era, but the emergence of the Hero Association later 'amplified' this aspect.

Saitama's residence is on the outskirts of Z-City, in a no-man's-land.

It is said that when the residents of that area fled, they left behind a lot of furniture, and the water, electricity, and gas were not cut off. As for that 'dangerous' place, you can find out its location by asking around.

Soon, as the sun set, Oboro entered a desolate neighborhood.

The surrounding area was filled with empty houses, and the walls were covered with graffiti with various warnings, such as not to go any deeper or that strange people might appear.

Long finally arrived at a fence erected by an official agency. It was covered with barbed wire and had some rusty "No Entry" signs hanging on it. However, the "fence" had long been damaged, so he stepped through the entrance.

Next, the perception of the soul was amplified.

The invisible ripples immediately spread in all directions.

Various 'perceptual images' are formed and imprinted in his mind.

"Good heavens... It really is the Monster Association's lair. There are so many things underground."

A moment later, Long gasped, opened her eyes, and couldn't help but complain.

"But... we didn't find the bald guy... did he go out?"

Long raised an eyebrow slightly.

With Saitama's life force, he is an absolutely impossible 'giant light bulb' to hide within the soul's perception.

I guess he's not here.

Perhaps he went out to look for the strange man, or he was busy with other things.

He put his hands in his pockets and continued walking.

Before long, we found our destination.

The apartment where Saitama lives.

The environment and scenery of this place can be considered a 'landmark' in some ways, and it is not hard to find.

"They're really not here..."

Oboro looked at a balcony in the apartment, where some clothes were hanging to dry and several potted plants were placed... This was undoubtedly Saitama's home.

No one is home.

Oboro followed the stairs step by step to the floor where Saitama lived.

He randomly picked an empty room, opened the door, and went inside.

The interior space was typical of a detached house; it wasn't large, but it was enough for him to live in alone. The room contained some dusty furniture and even an old television. He also tested the gas stove and the lights, and they both worked.

However, some daily necessities and items are still missing.

"Good."

Long was quite satisfied with this.

Given the similarity between this world and Earth, the lack of a sense of crisis, and the presence of Saitama, the 'strongest worker'... Oboro's thought was to live as an ordinary person as he would on Earth, using his abilities sparingly. He hadn't experienced this kind of ordinary life in a long time... not to imitate Saitama, but because the journey had been truly exhausting.

Given these kinds of global circumstances and factors, I definitely wouldn't want to experience them again after returning to Hunter x Hunter.

Then he rolled up his sleeves and began cleaning the house.

The speed was quite fast; in no time, the room was spotless and looked brand new.

"Hmm... Although there are rumors that strange people roam this place, it's basically a 'ghost town'... However, the scenery is really nice."

After a while, Long stood on the balcony by the door, watching the afterglow of the setting sun, and smiled slightly.

Just then, at the intersection below the apartment, a person carrying a plastic bag strolled over lazily.

Long sensed someone approaching early on.

Looking down.

The visitor had clearly noticed him as well.

After walking down to the bottom of the apartment, I looked up and met Ryou's gaze on the balcony.

Its smooth, round head was incredibly conspicuous even in the glow of the setting sun.

The person Oboro wanted to see has arrived.

The bald demon king... Saitama! Saitama held a plastic bag in one hand and scratched his belly with the other, looking at the stranger standing on the balcony... as if his brain hadn't quite caught up yet, he blinked his 'dead fish eyes' listlessly.

Long looked at him.

He looked at Oboro.

For a moment, everyone upstairs and downstairs fell silent.

Gradually... Saitama put down his hand that was scratching his belly, and then rubbed his eyes.

Then, his expression suddenly froze, and cold sweat even dripped down his forehead.

His eyes flickered...

Oops!

Saitama's first thought was... could it be that the owner of the empty apartment he was staying in had come looking for him?! Or... could it be the owner of the entire apartment building? Although the whole building had been abandoned for a long time... almost no one came to this place. Not to mention this small area, the entire deserted zone was practically deserted. If there wasn't a special reason, how could anyone come here? Could it be that they heard he had taken over the house?

And then... they came knocking on our door?

Oh no, this is terrible! Oboro didn't know what Saitama was thinking at that moment, but... the shock in his heart was beyond words.

He originally thought that Saitama's strength lay in his physical body, or to put it bluntly, in terms of stats.

But this guy's soul!!! "That's right, the soul and flesh are a whole. Without this kind of soul as support, he couldn't have broken the limiter and possessed such a heaven-defying body." Long's eyelids twitched wildly for a moment.

Below, Saitama swallowed hard, sweat pouring down his face.

The two of them... were both 'frightened' by each other.

"But... I'm already bald..."

Fortunately, Oboro was a person who had experienced several worlds and all kinds of storms, and he quickly calmed down.

He stared at Saitama and mentally muttered a complaint.