One Punch Man World, Z-City, Uninhabited Zone, Saitama's apartment.
The room was as simple as ever—one could even call it shabby. Even after joining the Chat Group and becoming a hero, with no need to worry about money anymore, Saitama's life had remained unchanged.
He sat cross-legged on the bare tatami mat, with the Chat Group's interface floating before him, visible only to him.
Two options were displayed on the interface: [Reward Option one: Power Sublimation] and [Reward Option two: Soul Completion].
Saitama did not hesitate for long before speaking directly.
"Chat Group, claim Option Two."
"Ding! Group member [Caped Baldy] has selected the reward [Soul Completion]. Claim it?"
The Chat Group's voice rang out, and Saitama simply nodded.
"Yes."
The instant he spoke, a ripple that seemed to act directly upon the depths of his soul descended from somewhere beyond perception and enveloped Saitama.
Saitama only felt his body tremble slightly, as though a heavy "shell" deeply rooted in his soul—one he had long grown accustomed to—had developed a tiny crack.
Then, the changes began.
At first, it was a hazy sensation of awakening, like someone who had remained half-asleep for a long time suddenly realizing with clarity that he was "waking up."
The sluggishness and barrier surrounding his emotional responses began to fade at an incredibly slow pace.
A powerful sense of curiosity and freshness, so intense that it felt unfamiliar even to him, welled up in his heart.
"Hm?"
Saitama blinked and instinctively looked around his shabby room.
The stains on the walls, the pattern of the tatami, the tiny motes of dust dancing in the beam of sunlight outside the window—things he had seen countless times now seemed as though they had been "recolored," filled with an inexplicable liveliness.
He even unconsciously reached out and waved