Chapter 518 516: Please Accept Me as a Disciple!

In this cycle's Samsara Dungeon – "One Punch Man", every participant had three main missions.

One of them:

Join the Hero Association and become a registered hero.

The higher the rank, the better the task evaluation.

As the infamous Shura and Super God Record Holder, Fenric's ambitions were, of course, at the very top.

He didn't just want to complete the mission — he wanted to dominate it.

His goal: become the number one S-Class hero!

But Fenric understood reality well enough.

In this era, no matter how strong he was, achieving S-rank overnight wasn't realistic.

So, he decided to go further than anyone else —

back three years in time.

Back to when the Hero Association had just been founded.

…

"Brother, it's ready!"

Skynet's clear, mechanical voice interrupted Fenric's thoughts.

Fenric closed his laptop and stood, eyes gleaming faintly in the electric glow.

"The time coordinates are set?"

"June 7th, three years ago," Skynet confirmed.

Fenric nodded. "Good. Remember to activate the self-destruct sequence afterward."

A space-time conversion device was far too dangerous to leave behind —

a technological miracle, yes, but also a potential disaster in the wrong hands.

"Understood. Give me five more minutes."

Seven minutes later, the entire power plant erupted in blinding white light.

Then — Boom!

A massive explosion tore through the facility, cutting power to several city blocks.

…

Three Years Ago

The heat of early June blanketed the city.

Summer had arrived — the season of short skirts and lively streets.

Groups of young women passed by laughing, painting the town with color and warmth.

Amid this bustling scene walked a man who looked utterly out of place.

His name was Saitama.

Wearing a cheap black suit and carrying a worn briefcase, he looked every bit the struggling job-seeker — dull eyes, messy hair, and a faint air of exhaustion.

The young man was far from the bald "Demon King" he would become in three years' time.

At this point, he was just an ordinary person — one with a full head of thick black hair.

He walked aimlessly, resume in hand, weighed down by disappointment.

If he didn't find work soon, his landlord would throw him out by next month.

Great… another rejection. Maybe I should've studied harder...

He sighed.

Then —

"Ah! Help!"

A woman's scream sliced through the air.

"Monster! Run!"

Saitama turned just in time to see chaos erupting behind him.

People were fleeing in terror, scattering like ants.

And at the center of it all — a towering Crab Monster with a grotesque humanoid body and a massive shell-like torso.

Its claws dripped with slime as it roared down the street.

Saitama stared at it blankly.

At that point in his life, he'd already lost almost all enthusiasm for living.

Jobless, broke, and invisible to society — if a monster killed him, maybe that was just fate.

The Crab Monster, noticing his lack of reaction, grunted in disdain.

"Hmph. You look like garbage that society's already thrown away. I'm not interested in you."

Then, with surprising civility, it lumbered away — muttering something about hunting a "brat with a double chin."

Saitama blinked, scratching his head.

A kid with a double chin? What kind of description is that?

Shrugging, he turned and continued his aimless wandering.

…

Ten minutes later, while crossing a small park, Saitama noticed a lonely child kicking a soccer ball by himself.

He hesitated for a moment and stopped.

The boy was young — maybe six or seven — playing quietly with no friends in sight.

Something about his small, lonely figure struck a chord in Saitama's heart.

Then he noticed it.

The boy's facial features were normal… except for a distinct double chin, soft and round like two little buns stacked together.

Saitama's eyes widened slightly.

Wait a second. Double chin? Don't tell me…

Realization hit.

This must be the very kid the Crab Monster was hunting.

He approached and asked cautiously, "Hey, kid. You didn't happen to do something to make a crab-looking monster mad at you, did you?"

The boy blinked innocently, then said with complete honesty, "Yeah. He was sleeping in the park, so I used my pen to draw nipples on his chest."

Saitama froze.

"…With a pen?"

"Uh-huh! A permanent one!"

Saitama facepalmed.

Oh yeah, he's dead.

He sighed, glancing around. "Listen, kid. That crab monster's after you. You should probably go home before you end up getting—"

But the boy just kicked his soccer ball again, completely unfazed.

Saitama exhaled, giving up.

Forget it. If the crab wants revenge, that's between them…

He turned to leave.

Then, it happened.

"Found you, brat! Go to hell!"

A booming voice shook the park.

The Crab Monster charged forward, its massive claw raised high.

"Crap!" Saitama instinctively sprinted toward the boy.

But before he could reach him —

a streak of lightning flashed between them.

In an instant, someone appeared beside the boy, scooped him up, and leapt backward.

The Crab Monster's attack slammed into the ground, leaving a crater.

"Who—?" Saitama's eyes widened.

The dust cleared.

A tall, broad-shouldered man stood calmly before the monster, the child trembling behind him.

It was Fenric.

…

In truth, Fenric had been nearby the whole time.

After locating the boy, he'd waited patiently for this very scene — the fateful encounter that would later inspire the Hero Association's founding.

When the timing was perfect, he'd stepped in.

"Hey, kid," Fenric said gently, patting the boy's shoulder. "That monster's here for you. You'd better run home — fast."

Seeing the towering Crab Monster glaring at him, the boy burst into tears and hid behind Fenric's leg.

The monster roared, furious.

"Who the hell are you?! Why are you getting in my way?! Do you have a death wish, human?!"

Fenric smiled faintly.

He could have killed this creature with a single flick, but that wouldn't serve his purpose.

He needed witnesses — to look heroic, selfless, and noble.

"It was just a child's prank," Fenric said calmly. "You'd kill over that?"

"PRANK?!" The Crab Monster's eyes bulged. "That little brat drew nipples on my chest with a permanent pen! You think I can just wipe that off with a towel?!"

Fenric stifled a laugh. So that's your grudge?

The creature snarled, snapping its claw open. "You dare to stand in my way? Fine! I'll tear you apart!"

Fenric turned slightly and shouted to the boy, "Run! I'll hold him off!"

His tone was righteous, the image of a self-sacrificing hero.

The child, trembling with fear but moved by Fenric's courage, ran off as fast as he could.

"Stop running, brat!" The Crab Monster lunged — but Fenric stepped in front of him again, blocking the path.

"Your fight is with me," Fenric said firmly.

The monster bellowed, swinging its massive claw down.

Fenric raised his arm and deliberately took the hit, letting himself get knocked back a few steps.

To the watching child, it looked like the hero was struggling — fighting for his life.

Of course, this is all performed by Fenric for the kid.

With fear and gratitude, the butt chin kid finally escaped.

"Damn bastard — I'll tear you apart!!"

The Crab Monster snapped its huge claw and charged at Fenric.

From its posture it looked as if Fenric was about to be smashed. The child stopped from his track behind him as he trembled with terror.

But Fenric remained calm. His eyes were cool, almost bored. He lifted a finger and tapped the air lightly.

"!!"

The Crab Monster's confidence faltered as if a horror had suddenly shown itself. For a heartbeat it hesitated — and then, with a crisp crack, its whole body collapsed into pieces and scattered like brittle shells.

Silence fell over the park. Crab shell fragments and splattered gore lay everywhere. Saitama stood frozen, mouth open. He had just watched an ordinary-looking man reduce a monster to rubble with a single finger.

Power — real, absolute power — had just walked into his life.

Saitama's childhood dream, buried under months of unemployment and apathy, surged back into being. He felt something ignite in his chest: he wanted to be strong again. He wanted to be the kind of person who saved others!

Before he even thought it through, he blurted out, voice trembling with sincerity, "Sir — please accept me as your disciple!!"

"..."

Fenric blinked, stunned. He hadn't expected that reaction. For a strange second the situation felt like a scene plucked from someone else's script. But he recovered quickly. Looking at Saitama's earnest, youthful eyes, he found the idea agreeable.

"So — why do you want to be my disciple?" Fenric asked, making the question sound weightier than it needed to be.

Saitama went red with embarrassment but answered truthfully. "I... I want to be a strong hero like you. I want to save people!"

Fenric considered him, then smiled. "There aren't many young people with a heart like yours. I'll accept you — but promise me one thing: keep that heart. Don't lose it."

Saitama exploded with joy. "Thank you, teacher!" he shouted, then bowed so low his forehead nearly touched the earth.

Fenric chuckled. "Get up. What's your name?"

"Saitama," the young man said.

It was noon. The sun beat down on the park. Fenric had been following the boy to get the timing right, and he was feeling hungry. He turned to his new disciple. "Saitama, come eat with me."

Saitama's face lit up in a way Fenric had not expected. "I— I don't have any money. Could I... cook for you at my place?" he stammered, too embarrassed to accept a free meal.

Fenric patted him on the shoulder. "Don't be stubborn. I invited you. Come eat."