"Girl, your boyfriend—that poor sap—is yours to pick up!"
As he spoke, Saitama blew Thundercracker apart with a single punch, then shifted his gaze.
The yellow robot that had been staying by the girl's side had already leapt into the air and caught that poor sap before he hit the ground.
Heh.
Saitama dropped back to the street, the impact shaking the area with a violent tremor.
Seeing him perfectly fine, Andrew and the others were more convinced than ever that he was a superman.
After all, in America, "Superman" is a symbol—almost every native-born American carries a superhero dream in their heart.
And now, their dream had been realized by Saitama!
"Let's go. I can feel plenty of roadblocks ahead." Saitama stood firmly at the front. Everyone behind him saw only his resolute back—and that fluttering red cape.
"You tell me—he's really that strong, right?" the girl grasped the robot's hand and asked.
The robot replied, "Mm. I feel he can lead us to defeat the Decepticons and save this world."
"Really?"
Before she knew it, the Saitama in the girl's eyes had become even more mysterious.
"How did he get this far? If I get the chance, I'm definitely asking him!"
Up ahead, Saitama kept moving. Andrew and the others stayed along the roadside barricades, handling emergencies as they cropped up. The girl and her big robot partner helped rescue civilians.
It didn't take long.
People across City No. 2 already knew the names of Saitama and his team!
Saitama saw his Reputation in the system ticking upward nonstop!
With the rise in Reputation, he earned a stat-boost opportunity!
Now, he was even stronger than before!
But he had a faint feeling… like someone was watching him.
Saitama looked up. Sure enough, a little surveillance plane with a spinning turbine hovered over the street they were walking.
"So we're being monitored, huh."
In Saitama's view, the biggest difference between the villains in this sci-fi world and the ones back in his One Punch world was that these guys loved using machines—collecting data on you, analyzing your strength, then dispatching an opponent who 'matches' your level.
"Do they not realize that just makes me stronger?"
Soon, Saitama was about to leave City No. 2 behind.
A robot known as "Serrated Bird" flashed on his system alert.
Serrated Bird.
One of the Decepticons' larger frames.
It had a funny Chinese alias: "Bulldozer."
When the Bulldozer saw Saitama's group approaching, it sauntered over and said, almost playfully, "I've been waiting a long time. Thought you didn't have the guts to come."
As it spoke, Bulldozer transformed.
But instead of a robot, it shifted into an enormous heavy bulldozer!
And its chosen targets weren't Saitama…
…but the people beside him!
"Heh! That's the soft spot with 'team heroes,' isn't it? Attack their teammates, and they'll have no answer!"
But he had underestimated Saitama.
Saitama simply moved his hands, hoisted the machine up, and pitched it into the sky.
"Waaah—report to the leader, this guy is way too strong!" Bulldozer reconfigured into robot mode mid-air and whooshed away, fleeing far, far off!
Everyone was stunned.
Was this Decepticon here just for comic relief?
But none of them expected… this was the Decepticons' plan.
As Saitama's team passed out of City No. 2 and into City No. 1…
Starscream appeared beside an excavator with its head and body buried in the dirt. "Did you finish what I told you?"
"All done. I already planted micro-trackers on them!" The excavator wriggled out of the soil and exhaled like a person. "I was scared half to death just now!"
"No kidding—who wouldn't be, meeting a monster like that!"
Among these mechanical beings from Cybertron who'd thrown in with the Decepticons, only a very few were truly born for battle. The rest were a bunch of bullies who cower before the strong.
If the U.S. government hadn't lost its mind and outlawed Transformers across the board, how would things have sunk to the point of being steamrolled by the Decepticons?
At the very least, they could have asked Optimus Prime and the Autobots for help—kept their territories from falling into chaos.
Saitama's group walked along the broad American highway…
In the distance, a sunset slowly dimmed. The crimson light was beautiful, painting the girl's face a soft pink.
It might have been Saitama's first peaceful evening since arriving here.
The poor sap they had just rescued pointed toward a junkyard near the desert up ahead. "Everyone, that's where I work. You saved my life. To repay you, I can get you some food."
"Great!"
Everyone nodded.
At the promise of food, Saitama also agreed to stop. After trading blows with Decepticon mechs for so long, his body's energy reserves had taken a hit.
"Come on, in here!"
But when the poor sap led them into the junkyard, they realized it was far bigger than they'd imagined.
What surprised them even more: the place was packed with scrapped cars.
At the gatehouse out front, the beat cop on duty said, "Hey, poor sap—some guy stole my Bentley. Go get it back for me!"
The poor sap sighed. "Man, I'm just an employee. How could I handle that? Go find Cade. Let him help you."
The cop wanted to argue, but suddenly noticed the unfamiliar faces behind the poor sap—especially the girl, the big robot beside her, and a small blue beetle-like bot. "Two more robots? You all coming here for a family reunion?"
When he looked at Saitama, he lingered, then straightened up, solemn.
"You—you're the hero who just took down those crazy Decepticon machines in City No. 2, right?"
Like a super-fan seeing his idol, the cop gushed, "I'm Jerry—your fan! You know, we're calling you Superman now!"
Saitama was a little speechless.
Now he finally understood why celebrities liked going out in masks. Anyone would feel overwhelmed meeting a fan this intense.
"Uh, Jerry—if you really want to call me 'Superman,' then please call me One Punch Man."
(End of Chapter)
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