It was at that critical moment—when Boros, surpassing his own limits, was on the verge of burning out his life.
Boom!
His incredibly resilient heart, as if breaking free from invisible shackles, let out an unprecedented beat that shook the very core of his spirit.
A mighty, irresistible new power, far beyond his comprehension, erupted instantly from the depths of his depleted life source—like the Big Bang at the beginning of the universe.
The torrent of energy, already at its peak, surged wildly once more. His Collapsing Star Roaring Cannon, at the instant it broke through his racial limiter, reached a truly "star-collapsing" ultimate realm—one even he himself could not have imagined!
That energy torrent, spanning heaven and earth, carrying Boros's lifelong pride and final obsession, came crashing down toward Saitama.
For the first time, a ripple appeared in the bald hero's dead-fish eyes.
He felt his opponent's desperate resolve. And for the first time, he truly gathered his spirit.
"Then I'll use my trump card too. Sure-kill… Serious Series—"
Saitama slowly clenched his fist, muscles tensing ever so slightly.
"Serious Punch!"
There was no roar, no theatrics—only the will of pure power condensed to its extreme.
When the two forces collided, a strange phenomenon swept across the moon's surface.
All light was swallowed. The entire moon suddenly plunged into darkness.
Because there was no atmosphere, this world-ending clash made no sound—only silent, raging shockwaves of pure energy.
When light returned, a gigantic crater—occupying most of the moon's surface—gaped at the center of impact.
At the bottom lay Boros, his body shriveled into a dried husk. His life's fire had been completely extinguished.
Even after breaking his limiter, Boros had failed to defeat Saitama. Yet in his final moment, he had at least witnessed the hero's serious expression. Perhaps… that was his greatest victory.
Saitama stood over the lifeless body, silent.
Then—
The corpse twitched. A faint glimmer flashed in Boros's hollow eye. The last trace of vitality, clinging on just long enough to whisper:
"Did I… lose?"
"You're still conscious?" Saitama looked at this respectable opponent and replied with rare sincerity:"…You were indeed very strong. You made me enjoy the fight."
"…Enjoying the fight, huh…"
A faint smile appeared on Boros's withered face. He had traveled billions of light-years to find an opponent worthy of battle. And though terrifyingly strong, this opponent had recognized him.
Heh… worth the trip after all.
The last spark faded. The smile lingered.
The Dominator of the Universe—Boros—had fallen.
Saitama sighed, bent his knees, then launched himself upward.
Boom!
The recoil buried Boros deep beneath the lunar surface—his final, unspoken funeral.
Like a golden meteor, Saitama shot back toward Earth. Glancing back, he saw the crater carved into the moon: the testament to their battle… and Boros's eternal resting place.
"BOOM!!!"
A deafening roar shook the spaceship as Saitama landed heavily on its deck.
The alloy flooring shattered, leaving a hole dozens of meters wide. The massive vessel lurched violently.
Kaito, already at the end of his rope, could barely stand. The sudden jolt threw him off balance, and he slid helplessly toward the gaping hole.
He had seen it coming with his Kenbunshoku Haki—future sight had warned him. But his body was spent. Simply standing had been his limit. He lacked the strength to even call for help.
And while a fall like this wouldn't truly harm him, the sheer clumsiness of it would ruin the imposing image he had worked so hard to maintain—standing proudly, back to everyone.
"Saitama, you damn bald egg! I —"
Those were his final thoughts before the darkness claimed him. In his mind's eye, he already saw Saitama's vacant expression, scratching his head, mumbling: "Ah, sorry."
Dust swirled. Kaito's vision dimmed. But just before he lost consciousness completely, a gentle psychic force wrapped around him, halting his fall.
Time blurred.
When Kaito's senses finally returned, the first thing he noticed was the soft warmth against the back of his head—and a faint scent of gardenias.
Instinctively, he nuzzled against it. Smooth. Comfortable.
"Mmm…"
A soft sound slipped from nearby, and Kaito's eyes opened slowly.
The first sight that greeted him: a pair of snowy peaks straining against a white blouse, dominating his upward view.
From his angle, their curves filled his vision, blocking everything else.
"Lord King, are you awake?" a gentle voice asked.
Kaito realized, with no small shock, that his head was resting on Chiba Reina's lap—her thighs serving as his pillow.
He raised his head slightly, his gaze climbing past those peaks to meet her eyes. They were moist with concern.
"…Mhm," Kaito murmured softly.
Kaito found the current perspective exquisitely beautiful, and for a moment, he couldn't bring himself to get up.
So he simply continued to lie there, admiring the scene before him with the focus of a dedicated researcher. In fact, he even began silently comparing in his mind:
Which pair of "snowy peaks" was grander in scale—Reina's, or that girl Fubuki's?
Hmm~. No contest. Reina's still superior.
Just as he was immersed in this "critical research," a delicate face suddenly entered his vision, blocking his line of study.
"Hmph! You're so tired you can't even move, yet you still insist on standing around trying to look cool!"
Tatsumaki floated mid-air, glaring down at Kaito. Her emerald eyes brimmed with disdain—but beneath it, a glimmer of concern.
Hands on her hips, she huffed, "If I hadn't noticed in time and pulled you out of the rubble with my psychokinesis, you'd still be buried right now!"
Through Tatsumaki's grumbling, Kaito pieced together what had happened.
The moment he collapsed, unconscious, she had been the first to react—yanking him free from the debris before anyone else noticed. And, considering his carefully built image as Earth's Strongest, Tatsumaki had chosen not to alarm the other heroes. Instead, she quietly carried him back to the Hero Association's lounge and even called Chiba Reina, who usually cared for her, to tend to him.
"Honestly…" Tatsumaki's cheeks puffed with indignation, "if you try showing off like that again, I won't bother saving you next time!"
Kaito chuckled softly, lifting a hand to gently pinch her cheek."Thanks, little Tatsumaki. You're always so thoughtful."
"Wh—who are you calling little!" Tatsumaki's face flushed red, her whole body bristling as she snapped, "I've clearly grown recently!"
She crossed her arms, still pouting. "And don't just pinch my face whenever you feel like it!"
Yet despite her sharp words, she didn't actually push his hand away. Instead, she turned her head slightly to the side, allowing him to continue pinching her baby-soft cheek with a reluctant sort of tolerance.
Chiba Reina, watching from beside them, stifled a laugh behind her hand. With practiced care, she adjusted her posture, making Kaito more comfortable on her lap.
"Lord King, would you like to rest a little longer?" she asked softly.
Kaito exhaled, torn. As tempting as it was to remain on the lap pillow, he slowly pushed himself upright with both arms.
"No need," he said, stretching his neck as strength began to return to his body. "I still have to go claim the spoils of this battle."
In the original timeline, Metal Knight—Bofoy—had immediately sent his machines to scavenge the alien ship, seizing the technology and materials for himself.
But this time, things were different. This victory wasn't his alone. The ship had been secured intact by him and Saitama together. There was no way he would simply allow Bofoy to swoop in and reap the rewards for free.
If the self-proclaimed Metal Knight wanted it, he would have to pay the price.
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