"No problem."
Saitama had been wondering how to complete his random mission. He did enjoy that feeling of opening a reward after finishing a task. Having a beautiful employer like Betty was also a nice bonus.
"Then… about the payment, I have…"
It was her first time hiring a mercenary, and Betty felt a little nervous—especially about the price. As a top-level biologist, she didn't exactly have a lot of personal wealth or savings.
"Just give me another bag of chips. That'll be the payment."
Saitama smacked his lips. He had to admit, chips in America really did taste good.
It wasn't that he didn't care about money…
The thing was, Saitama knew that the currency of this world couldn't be taken back with him!
He already had a 10% share in Stark Industries, making him one of the richest people in the world here.
But back in the One Punch world, if he hadn't earned his high-level hero license, he'd still be worrying about rent and groceries.
This was what it meant to live the pain of having billions in assets but still living like a broke man.
"Huh?"
Betty was stunned, covering her mouth. She had never heard of a mercenary charging so little—just a bag of chips?
"Got any chips?"
Saitama glanced at her, hand extended.
"Yes, yes…"
Snapping back to her senses, Betty quickly pulled out a few bags of chips from the car and handed them over. For some reason, her heartbeat sped up as she looked at him.
Could it be… he liked her?
With Saitama as her bodyguard, she felt a little safer. Even if she didn't fully understand his abilities, at least he was a man.
She went to visit Bruce Banner's father—David Banner.
The place was in a slum on the outskirts of town.
Even before stepping inside, the strong, pungent smell of animals hit her nose.
The door was opened by an unkempt old man with messy white hair and a greasy, lecherous air. From the gap, she could see the inside of the house was like a garbage dump—he clearly lived in extreme filth.
Betty frowned slightly but forced herself to explain her reason for coming.
Just as she was about to step inside, loud, furious barking erupted from the back of the house.
The sound was so powerful it made her wonder if the old man was keeping a lion.
CLANG—
A metallic cage snapped open, and a massive poodle, nearly as tall as a person, charged forward.
Like a rabid beast, it growled menacingly at Saitama, who was standing behind Betty.
Startled by the sudden attack, Betty screamed and darted back, clutching Saitama's arm tightly. Her ample chest pressed against him, the sensation making her even more flustered.
But the real problem was the dog—it was terrifying.
Standing at 1.5 meters tall, its teeth were jagged and stained with bits of flesh, drool dripping from its mouth, and its eyes radiating pure hostility.
From the back of the house came the howls of several more beasts just as big and ferocious.
"Hey! Baby, stop it!! What's wrong with you? You're usually so good!"
David Banner's expression shifted slightly. He forced a smile at the two of them as he hurried forward to restrain the raging poodle, which seemed particularly hostile toward Saitama.
That surprised him. This was the first time he'd ever seen Saitama, and the first time he'd seen his precious pet behave like this.
Saitama looked at the poodle with a blank expression. Information popped up in his vision:
Name: Poodle
Type: Nanoparticle-Modified Biological Incomplete Product
Intelligence: 1 (Dull/Reduced)
Strength: 4 (Beyond human, 800 kg–25 t)
Speed: 3 (Beyond human, but below Mach 1)
Endurance: 4.5 (Regenerative, can resist some bullets)
Energy Projection: 1 (None)
Combat Skill: 5 (Proficient in one form of combat)
Justice Value: -4
Notes: Naturally hostile toward strong lifeforms; becomes stronger when sufficiently enraged.
Notes: Created using Bruce Banner's cells, but is a defective product.
"No wonder—it's a defective product. Weak, but not bad."
Saitama's dead-fish eyes lifted slightly as he considered whether or not to kill it.
"Woof— whimper…"
One second, the poodle was snarling wildly. The next, after a single glance from the Caped Baldy, its eyes went wide.
It was as if it had seen the most terrifying monster in existence. It thrashed desperately to retreat, letting out panicked, high-pitched cries. Even David Banner couldn't hold it back.
In the end, it bolted, chain and all, fleeing for its life.
David Banner: "…"
What the hell?
This was supposed to be his secret weapon. What just happened?
"Sorry to bother you… Let's go, Saitama!"
Betty's face was pale, her chest heaving. She seemed to have realized something, and urgently pulled Saitama away.
David Banner wanted to make them stay, but Saitama had already been dragged off in a hurry.
Watching them leave, David Banner slowly stepped forward and picked up a torn piece of Betty's pant leg, caught on the wire fence. His expression grew thoughtful as he muttered under his breath:
"Saitama… an unexpected one…"
(End of Chapter)
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