Bubble, bubble, bubble...
The coffee table serving as a dining table was covered with hot pot ingredients. Wearing an apron, Saitama added plate after plate of sliced meat, meatballs, crisp napa cabbage, and shiitake mushrooms to the bubbling, red-oil hot pot.
Before long, an enticing aroma drifted through the room.
Hiss-(the sound of escaping gas)
Pop! ×2
After opening two cans of ice-cold beer, the two ravenous men clinked cans and took a deep swig. Two pairs of chopsticks plunged into the pot almost simultaneously.
"That piece of meat is mine!"
"Don't be ridiculous! I saw it first!"
"..."
For a while, their arguing echoed over the Abandoned Zone.
A monster that had just poked its head out of the sewer shivered for no apparent reason and hurriedly ducked back inside, snapping the manhole cover shut with a clank as it went.
All in all, it was another peaceful day in Z City.
A City, Hero Association Headquarters.
A group of senior Association executives had gathered for their weekly meeting.
However, today's agenda was somewhat unusual. It would directly change the Association's current pattern of unchecked growth and give the public a clearer understanding of the Hero Association-or rather, of "heroes."
"Since the board has already agreed, let's follow the established plan and announce it to the public in today's rankings update!"
Sitch gathered the documents in front of him and spoke.
"Some of the die-hard fans should be pretty excited, right?"
Someone farther down the table joked.
"It might also spark massive flame wars and vicious arguments. Maybe even arranged fights offline."
"Hahaha, very possible! After all, there are only so many spots. Even today's popular heroes can't get in just because they want to."
"..."
"All right, you can discuss these things among yourselves after the meeting."