Chapter 8 – The Rise of Saitama's Fame
Zenin Kyūjō rolled his eyes in mild annoyance, letting out a tired sigh before saying,
"Saitama, you just said humans can't fly. But you saw those two sisters floating in the air, didn't you?"
— — —
"I know the answer!" Saitama exclaimed, clenching his right fist and slapping it into his open left palm as if he had solved a grand mystery.
"They must not be human!"
Zenin Kyūjō: …
For a moment, Kyūjō was completely speechless. He fought the urge to facepalm and forced himself to respond patiently.
"I already told you earlier, didn't I? The ability they used is called Psychokinesis—psychic power."
"They lift their own bodies using that power, which allows them to fly. Understand now, Saitama?"
"Oh, I see…" Saitama nodded as if he finally understood, but then immediately tilted his head and asked again,
"But I don't have psychic powers. So how do I fly?"
Kyūjō smiled faintly and replied,
"If psychic energy can lift a body, then why can't physical energy do the same? Tomorrow, I'll teach you a special technique that allows a human to run through the air using only their body's strength."
"Seriously?! So I can fly too?!" Saitama's eyes sparkled like a kid hearing about candy.
"Of course," Kyūjō replied confidently, raising a brow. "When have I ever lied to you?"
Hearing that, Saitama's face lit up with an innocent, childlike grin.
"Awesome! But, you know... Kyūjō, I feel like you're way stronger than usual today. It's been a long time since I've felt this kind of fighting spirit!"
"Let's spar tomorrow, okay?"
"Please, Kyūjō!"
His eyes burned with fiery determination—bright and sharp, his usual plain expression replaced by the spirit of a true warrior.
Kyūjō, however, folded his arms and shook his head calmly.
"No. Not yet."
He wasn't ready to leave this world.
At least, not before learning more about the so-called "Gods" lurking behind it… and about this world's strange concept of the Limiter.
If he sparred seriously with Saitama tomorrow, there was a real chance he could die from a "light" punch.
Or worse, the fight could send both their powers spiraling out of control—possibly blowing up the planet in the process.
No. The time wasn't right.
Not yet.
He'd only fight Saitama once he had completely mastered his power in this world.
Hearing that firm refusal, Saitama scratched his head in disappointment. But deep down, he didn't blame Kyūjō.
In fact, after witnessing his power today, Saitama's own fighting spirit had reignited.
Maybe... he wasn't as invincible as he thought.
There was still someone stronger out there—someone worth fighting.
And that someone… lived right beside him.
— — —
The Next Morning
Zenin Kyūjō and Saitama arrived at the outskirts of Z-City.
"Saitama, watch carefully," Kyūjō said. "This is a technique I developed myself. It's called Air Step. It allows a human to fly using only physical power."
As soon as he finished speaking, Kyūjō began moving his legs in a peculiar rhythm.
And then—he walked upward. Literally.
Each step carried him higher and higher into the sky, as if he were climbing invisible stairs of air.
A second later, his movement blurred. His body split into multiple afterimages, flickering like flashes of light darting through the air.
"Whoa! That's amazing!!" Saitama exclaimed, eyes wide in awe as he followed Kyūjō's movements across the sky.
"Saitama, pay attention to my footwork. Try it yourself," Kyūjō called out without slowing down.
Now, when it came to physical coordination, Saitama's talent was monstrous.
If he was interested in something, he could copy it after watching only once.
If he wasn't interested—like martial arts or fancy poses—he'd write them off as pointless and never bother learning them properly.
Luckily, this time, flying did interest him.
After watching Kyūjō's movements for a few moments, Saitama suddenly… floated.
With a small hop, he stepped onto the air itself, imitating the Air Step perfectly, rising to join Kyūjō high above.
Of course, Kyūjō hadn't even used his full strength yet.
— — —
In just a few minutes, Saitama had completely mastered the technique.
Now, he soared joyfully through the open sky like a child playing with a brand-new toy.
He zipped back and forth over Z-City, laughing freely.
"With this, I can uphold justice way more efficiently!"
And with that thought, Saitama expanded his patrol routes—covering not only Z-City, but also G-City and F-City.
From that day onward, his life became busier than ever.
After all, this world had no shortage of monsters.
Before, Saitama could only rely on news broadcasts to locate threats and rush to the scene.
But now, with his newfound speed and mobility, he could sweep through three major cities in a single day.
His efficiency skyrocketed—and so did his workload.
What he didn't realize, however, was that the strongest monsters tended to appear specifically in the abandoned districts of Z-City.
Some even gravitated there, as if drawn by fate.
Kyūjō had only one explanation for this phenomenon: the Protagonist Buff.
While the monsters Saitama fought daily weren't particularly strong—mostly Wolf- and Tiger-level threats—his incredible speed and consistency made his ranking climb like a rocket.
From dead last in Class C, Saitama had now risen all the way to Rank 38 in Class A—
Surpassing even Kyūjō, the "Lazy Fish" still lounging at Rank 6 in Class B.
— — —
Now, Saitama wasn't just popular.
He had fans—lots of them. Online communities, fan pages, and official threads dedicated entirely to him.
He had even been given a formal title by the Hero Association:
"One Punch Man."
Wearing his bright yellow suit, soaring through the skies over three cities, he became the symbol of safety itself.
Everywhere he went, people felt relief just seeing him pass overhead.
Whenever a monster appeared, the battle ended the same way every time—
One punch.
One victory.
One legend.
He truly lived up to the name.
And for once, Saitama's life was filled with happiness and recognition—something he had long been searching for.
Kyūjō, however, felt the exact opposite.
For months, he had been the one handling the strongest monsters in the deserted areas of Z-City—fights that shook the ground itself.
But since those areas were uninhabited, there were no witnesses.
No one reported his deeds to the Association.
His rank didn't move an inch.
Not that Kyūjō cared much about rankings. Still…
It did mean fewer quiet days at home—and that annoyed him just a bit.
— — —
That day, as usual, Saitama donned his bright yellow suit and took off toward G-City.
Meanwhile, Zenin Kyūjō was lounging on the couch, watching yet another dull TV drama.
Then—his brows furrowed.
The show was suddenly interrupted by an emergency broadcast.
"A massive swarm of insects has erupted in Z-City!"
— — —
"Hm…" Kyūjō murmured, eyes narrowing.
"The Mosquito Monster from the House of Evolution, huh?"
He leaned back lazily on the couch, a faint smile crossing his lips.
"Looks like it's time for little Genos to make his debut."
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
📖 Full Novel Available! 📖
All chapters are now complete and available in full on Patreon!
If you want to read the story faster and without waiting, join here 👇
🔗 patreon.com/FaaanzKun
Thank you so much for all your support! ❤️
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —