"The distance is already very close. Let me see what the legendary Strongest on Earth is truly capable of!"
"This time, I can collect some data on KING."
A mechanical voice rang out from a robot controlled by Metal Knight.
As the meteor drew closer and closer, the heroes of Z City could already feel the scorching heat rushing toward them. Yet no one panicked. Everyone was waiting for KING to make his move.
Boom! From atop a high-rise, Saitama shot into the sky like a rocket, charging toward the meteor at incredible speed.
"Was that... Teacher Saitama?!"
Saitama was so fast that the other heroes did not notice him at all. Only Genos detected his figure through his scans.
Rumble! Saitama's punch directly shattered the massive meteor in the sky. Countless fragments scattered toward every corner of Z City like celestial maidens scattering flowers.
"Unbelievable! He actually shattered it!"
Bang stood on a rooftop, staring in shock at the meteor breaking apart overhead. He could not believe KING had truly managed it.
"With power like that, he is only ranked seventh? KING really has been hiding his strength."
The mech operated by Metal Knight spoke in a mechanical voice, then unleashed its full firepower at the falling meteor fragments. Countless missiles shot forth.
Boom! Boom! Boom! The heroes of Z City, who had long been ready, also sprang into action, smashing apart the falling meteor chunks.
"KING really stole the spotlight this time!"
"Don't lose focus. Clear the fragments quickly, or Z City still won't escape disaster."
Genos watched the explosions continuously erupting in the sky without saying a word.
"KING must have personally asked Teacher to act. That makes sense. Aside from Teacher Saitama, I'm afraid no one could resolve this crisis so easily."
"That is why I will give everything I have and desperately try to get even a little closer to Teacher!!!"
"Full firepower! Multi-Incineration Cannon!!!"
Boom! Boom! Boom! Stone fragments rained down from the sky. At this moment, every hero in the city used every method they had, and any fragment even slightly large was shattered.
"Director Jace, the meteor has been destroyed. Most of the remaining fragments have been cleared away. Only the uninhabited area of Z City suffered some damage."
Maria promptly reported the situation to Jace. The Hero Association also breathed a sigh of relief. The current outcome had reduced the losses to the minimum.
"As expected of KING. This time, I can apply to have his ranking reassessed."
"Director Jace, it's KING calling!"
Jace paused slightly, then immediately answered the call.
"Mr. KING, thank you for acting and saving Z City from destruction. On behalf of all the citizens, I express our gratitude. In addition, I will report to the Association's upper ranks and have your rank raised."
"I wasn't the one who resolved the meteor crisis."
KING's words left Jace and the others stunned, unable to understand what he meant.
"Mr. KING, I understand. The rankings of the other heroes will also be adjusted. The Association has seen everyone's efforts."
Jace immediately understood. KING did not want to claim all the credit for himself. For the sake of fairness within the Association, he also did not want the contributions of other heroes to be overlooked. What an incredibly broad-minded man.
"This incident truly had nothing to do with me. The meteor was shattered by the C-Class Hero Saitama."
"C-Class Saitama?"
Beep, beep, beep. Before Jace could react, KING had already hung up.
"Director Jace, what should we do now?"
Maria looked utterly confused. Other heroes would have loved to claim all the credit for themselves, yet KING said he had nothing to do with it.
"No matter what, the resolution of this crisis was directly related to KING's warning. As for what specifically happened at the scene, we can verify it with the heroes who assisted in Z City at the time."
After gathering evidence from multiple sources, the Hero Association discovered that the heroes present had only seen the meteor shatter. None of them had noticed who struck it, and everyone had instinctively assumed KING was responsible.
Then Genos's testimony caught the Association's attention. He was certain that he had seen Saitama destroy the meteor with a single punch.
Jace then pulled up Saitama's file and discovered that his physical examination results during the entrance assessment had broken every previous record.
After deliberation by the Association's higher-ups, every hero who had participated in the assistance received some adjustment to their ranking. As the greatest contributor, Saitama was directly moved from 342nd place in C-Class to Second C-Class Hero.
As for KING, he gave the higher-ups a headache. He had clearly stated that the incident had nothing to do with him, making it obvious that he did not care about hero rankings at all. Still, the Association deposited a substantial bonus into his account.
Meanwhile, Wu Di gave that entire bonus to Saitama, claiming it was a reward from the Association before leaving Z City.
There were too many heroes gathered here now. If he continued hunting monsters and caused a huge commotion, his identity would be easily exposed.
For now, he could only leave first and sneak back after things settled down.
"The air by the sea really is better!"
After several days of travel, Wu Di arrived in J City. It bordered the ocean, and even the fresh air carried the scent of the sea.
"Hm? Why is there a smell of blood?"
"Ahhh! Help!"
A piercing cry for help rang out. The people on the street stared in terror at a towering figure.
"A Demon-level Monster?!"
Wu Di stared gravely at the enormous monster before him. It was a member of the Deep Sea Tribe, humanoid overall, with a torso and limbs, an octopus-like head, and a white one-piece robe in ancient Greek lace. Its combat strength was astonishing, enough to reach Demon level.
"Hehehe! Weak humans, the Deep Sea Tribe are the true rulers!"
The Deep Sea Emissary's tentacles thrashed wildly, grabbing nearby humans and tossing them into his gaping mouth.
Boom! A figure slammed directly into the Deep Sea Emissary's face, instantly knocking his massive body backward. The humans who had been about to be swallowed were also saved.
"So strong! Is that a hero?"
"Great! A hero has stepped in! We're saved!"
The crowd erupted in cheers upon seeing Wu Di's skill. But before they could celebrate, several more massive figures burst out of the sea.
"Alert! Alert! A group of monsters has been detected in J City. Their current threat level is unknown. Nearby residents, please proceed to shelters immediately. The Hero Association will dispatch heroes to handle the situation at once!"
The piercing alarm echoed throughout the city. The surrounding crowd immediately panicked and fled toward the shelters in a frantic rush.
"Deep Sea Monster King? You came at just the right time!"
Before you continue