"Hey! That crab monster over there! What's the point of bullying the weak?! If you've got the guts, fight me instead!"
Soma cracked his neck and began stretching his limbs, casually warming up like he was about to take a morning jog rather than battle a monster.
"Oh?"
The crab monster, who had been preparing to squish the terrified kid, slowly turned around upon hearing Soma's shout.
"Jiujiujiu… Since you're so eager to die, I'll make it quick!"
With a wicked grin, the crab freak tossed the battered Saitama aside like trash and came toward Soma with monstrous strides and attacked. His huge blood-streaked claws slashed through the air like guillotines.
Soma's eyes narrowed.
He ducked low, twisted to the side, and kept dodging with precise, nimble footwork—each step calculated.
"Damn you! Is running all you know?! Come at me head-on, coward!"
The crab monster twisted and lunged, but his attacks kept missing. His beady eyes couldn't keep up with Soma's blinding speed, and frustration boiled over into a roar.
His massive claws thrashed wildly.
Now!
In a blink, Soma darted in.
The moment the crab twisted again, exposing his side, Soma exploded forward like an arrow. His figure blurred—before the crab could react, Soma was already above his head.
The monster lifted his claws to intercept—
But then—stab!
"AAAAARGH! My eyes!! I was wrong! Spare me! I'll never hurt anyone again!!"
The crab monster panicked. His overconfidence shattered the moment Soma found his weak spot. His voice trembled with fear.
But behind that pleading glimmer in his eyes… there was still malice. He wasn't giving up. No, he was biding his time to kill Soma.
Too bad for him—Soma wasn't buying it.
Grabbing both claws with a grunt, Soma ripped them apart with all his strength.
The crab monster screamed… and then slumped over, motionless.
[Ding... Congratulations to the Host for defeating a Wolf-level monster!]
[Reward: +5 Physique Enhancers]
[+3 Strength Enhancers]
[+3 Speed Enhancers]
[Acquired item: Pair of Giant Crab Claws]
"...Huh?"
Soma blinked.
A pair of crab claws? Seriously?!
He turned to look at the severed limbs lying nearby.
"…System, you sure this isn't a prank?"
[In the world of One Punch Man, all matter contains energy. Mutated monsters possess high concentrations of it. Items derived from them can be consumed, processed, or synthesized for power.]
"So you're saying these claws are edible…?"
Soma stared at the claws again.
"...I wonder if steamed or stir-fried is better."
Before he could decide, a familiar bald head stumbled toward him.
Thud!
Saitama dropped to his knees in front of Soma.
"PLEASE! Accept me as your disciple! I want to be strong—just like you!"
[Saitama is requesting to become your disciple.]
Option 1: Accept and train him seriously. (Reward: Dynamic growth rewards based on disciple's progress.)
Option 2: Refuse. Walk away. (Reward: +5 Strength Enhancers)
Soma scoffed.
Of course, I'm accepting. It's Saitama, after all!
Not just for the rewards—this guy becomes the strongest being alive.
Soma looked at him seriously.
"You want to be a hero as powerful as me?"
"Yes!" Saitama's eyes burned with determination. "I want to protect people just like you did!"
Soma gave a hero pose as he said,
"…Training with me won't be easy. You'll sweat, bleed, and question your very existence. If you're going to quit halfway, don't even bother."
"I won't give up!" Saitama clenched his fists. "I swear!"
Soma nodded solemnly.
"Alright. From today onward, you're my disciple."
[Ding... Disciple recruitment successful!]
[Reward: +1 Physical Enhancement Agent, +1 Strength Enhancer, +1 Speed Enhancer]
Soma chuckled to himself.
Free rewards for taking in a disciple? Hell yeah!
"Sensei… where do you live?" Saitama asked hopefully. "If it's okay, can I move in with you to train more easily?"
"…Uh…"
Soma froze.
How was he supposed to explain that this park was basically his current home?
"The place I live… is far from here. I can't go back for now."
Saitama looked disappointed, but quickly perked up.
"Then—how about coming to my place instead? It's not far! Please, Sensei!"
Soma considered it for a moment… and nodded.
"Sure. I've got nothing going on anyway."
And so, Soma followed his new disciple home.
—Meanwhile—
Not far away, the kid with the butt-face who had escaped from the crab monster—Agoni XIII—stood frozen.
He had wanted to thank his saviors, but they were already gone.
"…Heroes… huh?"
He stared at their fading silhouettes with awe in his heart.
Back at Saitama's place…
"Sorry, Sensei, the place is kinda messy… I wasn't expecting guests."
Saitama rushed around, tidying up his tiny, humble apartment.
Soma stepped inside and looked around the cramped low-rent housing.
Huh? Isn't Saitama supposed to live in a somewhat nicer place that this…?
Then it hit him—this was still the early timeline. Z-City hadn't become a ghost town yet. That meant Saitama was still poor and struggling, living in the cheapest place he could find.
But for Soma, who had just transmigrated into this world?
This place was more than enough.
A roof, walls, and the future strongest hero as a roommate?
Solid win.
"Oh, right!" Soma turned to Saitama with a grin. "In my hometown, it's tradition to give a gift when accepting a disciple."
He pulled out two massive crab claws from his inventory.
"You can pick one."
"Teacher… I-I can't accept something like this…"
Saitama hesitated. His body, however, betrayed him—and he instinctively picked the bigger one.