Barbecue

Sizzle, sizzle...

On the grill piled high with ingredients, fresh pork belly sizzled and released its fat. Whenever the dripping grease met the glowing bamboo charcoal, flames flared up with a pop.

Saitama crouched in front of the grill, fanning it with all his might. The flames quickly cooked the meat, sending an irresistible aroma wafting through the air.

He couldn't help taking a deep breath. His Adam's apple bobbed, and his appetite surged. "Josen, the meat's almost done. Is your sauce ready yet?"

"Coming, coming." Josen emerged from the kitchen carrying a tray of barbecue sauce, condiments, and seasoning dishes. He pulled over a folding chair with his psychic power and sat down. "Don't rush. When you're grilling over charcoal, the sauce is what makes it. Get it?"

"I don't get it. All I know is I'm starving to death," Saitama said, busily turning the meat and mushrooms on the grill.

"All right, dig in, then."

Josen picked up a basting brush and brushed his prepared barbecue sauce over the pork belly, its surface already golden brown and crisp, then gestured for Saitama to start eating.

They each opened a bottle of ice-cold beer and clinked them together. They wrapped piping-hot meat in crisp lettuce and popped it into their mouths. As their teeth sank in, springy meat and rich sauce burst across their tongues, instantly making all their earlier efforts worthwhile.

"Hot, hot... But seriously, Josen, your sauce is delicious."

"Of course. When it comes to food, I'm a professional."

The ingredients in the fridge dwindled at a visible pace, and they swapped out the grill plate no fewer than ten times.

Since his bodily functions demanded far more energy than an ordinary person's, Josen already had a huge appetite. After getting to know him, Saitama's appetite had grown day by day as well.

By now, the two bottomless pits were hitting their stride, and the battle on the balcony grew ever fiercer.

Thanks to his training, Saitama had gone from getting utterly crushed by Josen to snatching food right out from under his nose, barely managing to hold things at an even split. The power of a protagonist's plot armor was no joke.

Of course, Josen wasn't going all out either. The Limiter Fragments that occasionally fell out along with Saitama's hair were reason enough for him to go easy on him a few more times.

After they finished a case of beer, Saitama rubbed his bulging stomach and let out a thoroughly satisfied, beer-scented burp. "I can't. I can't eat another bite. If I keep going, I feel like I won't even fit into my uniform tomorrow morning!"

"A real man never says he can't. We're only just getting started..."

Ring, ring...

Josen swept the grilled pineapple and beef cubes onto Saitama's plate when the phone on the coffee table suddenly rang.

Josen stood and handed Saitama the barbecue tongs. "Excuse me. I've got to take this."

Saitama took them and sprang upright from his lounge chair, his listless eyes suddenly blazing with fighting spirit. "Go on, go on. Leave this batch of meat to me!"

"Well, thanks for all your hard work."

"Hello, Josen speaking."

Back inside, Josen answered the call, and a familiar female voice came through the earpiece.

"Oh, Miss Lanny. Good evening."

With the phone floating beside his ear, Josen turned on the kitchen tap to wash his hands. "Your two subordinates? Oh, yes, I met them. Things were just rather urgent at the time... It's fine, there's no need to apologize. Besides, I already heard my finalized Hero Name on the news."

After washing the grime off his hands, he dried them with a towel. "...I'll pass on the press conference and all that. I'm not interested in the so-called hero rankings. You can handle the arrangements... Operating funds and a hero allowance? I remember including my bank details on the last form, didn't I? All right, just transfer it to that account. Thank you."

His psychic power carried the phone back to the coffee table, and Saitama's muffled voice came from the balcony. "Josen, are you done yet? If you don't come back soon, I really will finish all this meat!"

"Coming!" At those words, the fires of battle reignited in Josen's eyes. He rolled up his sleeves and hurried over. "You sneaky bastard! You really weren't going to save me any!"

"Too late. You'll have to wait for the next batch."

War was about to break out. On the coffee table, the phone Josen had just abandoned beeped, and a text notification popped up.

"Zhi-fu-bao payment received: 10,000,000 yen."

Neither of the two, once again immersed in battle, noticed the change. The neglected phone screen flickered, then went dark.

In the end, their impromptu barbecue battle continued late into the night, until Josen received another call.

"The specialist from Headquarters has reached the station? All right, Kyoko, please welcome her for me. I'll be right over."

Putting down the phone, Josen took off his shirt, which reeked of barbecue, and headed for the bathroom bare-chested.

"Saitama, something's come up. I need to head out. I'll leave the cleanup to you."

Sprawled in the lounge chair on the balcony, Saitama didn't even lift his head. He simply raised a hand in an OK sign, signaling for him to get going. "Sure. You'd leave it to me even if you weren't going out."

"Hmm? What's that supposed to mean? Have you got a problem with it?"

"Nope. Thanks for the meal~"

"That's more like it." Josen stripped and stepped into the shower. Cold water poured over his head and streamed down his lean, tightly corded muscles. "If it gets too late, don't bother going home. The guest room you stayed in before is still empty. Just tidy it up yourself."

Saitama's feeble voice drifted in from the balcony. "Yeah, got it."

Ten minutes later.

"You must be Josen. The Director asked me to give you his regards!"

The officer A City Headquarters had sent to take charge of the team was a capable-looking policewoman with a high ponytail. Her tall stature and flawless figure put her a notch above Kyoko.

When Josen arrived, the young policewoman, forced to work overtime, rolled her eyes at him through a strained smile. She looked just like an office worker being pushed around by an unscrupulous boss, her gaze brimming with resentment.

Unfortunately, the young policewoman's acting couldn't penetrate Josen's thick skin. He ignored her outright and smiled as he shook hands with the mature, sexy specialist from Headquarters. "You're too kind, Specialist Katherine. We didn't expect you to arrive so quickly. I'm afraid we've been poor hosts."

Katherine discreetly studied the tall, handsome young police officer before her and offered a faint smile. "The Director is paying very close attention to this matter, so he ordered us to travel here overnight. We're the ones disturbing everyone's rest."

"Not at all. It's all part of the job. We're only doing what we should."

As the two exchanged pleasantries, Kyoko could only purse her lips behind them.

We're the only lowly wage slaves actually doing any work here, okay?!

"There's no time to lose, so I'll get straight to the point." Turning to business, Katherine brushed aside the bangs hanging over her forehead, her expression growing serious. "Josen, where is the batch of Energy Weapons you mentioned in your report to the Director? I'd like to complete the handover as soon as possible so I can return and report back."

"Energy Weapons?!"

Shocked, Kyoko accidentally blurted it out. Under the two big shots' gazes, she hurriedly covered her mouth, her little face flushing bright red.

That successfully earned her an eye roll for being so green.