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"Master Ethan! You're finally here!"The editor from the publishing house spotted Ethan walking in and practically lit up. He rushed over like he'd just seen salvation.
"Here. Catch."Ethan didn't need to ask what the guy wanted — he casually tossed the stack of drawings in his hand toward the editor.
The editor caught it like a priceless treasure, clutching the pages close and grinning like an idiot. "Master Ethan, your manga is just incredible! You have no idea how crazy the response has been. We've been getting fan letters from readers all over the world every single day—"
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. You've got the pages now. Just make sure the payment hits my bank account. Don't 'forget' again." Ethan waved him off, sounding completely uninterested.
"Of course! Don't worry, not a single delay on your payment, I promise. And actually, since your manga's been doing so well, the company decided to give you a thirty percent raise—"
"Thirty percent? Got it."
The editor bowed and fawned while Ethan left the building. He'd barely stepped out before his foot pressed down lightly — splat — crushing a rat the size of a human head.
"What a pain…" he sighed. The world was full of weirdos and monsters these days. They didn't really pose any threat to him, but they sure were annoying to deal with.
"Yo, Saitama. What's up? You look dead inside again."
Ethan spotted Saitama standing in front of the supermarket, staring blankly into the distance.
"...The sale's over," Saitama mumbled, face full of despair. "All the discounts… gone."
Ethan rolled his eyes. "Seriously? You're like this over a missed sale? No wonder you went bald."
"Shut up! Don't call me bald!"
"Alright, Baldy."
"I said don't call me that, damn it!"
"I won't, Baldy."
"You're literally still calling me that!"
"Eh? Am I? Sorry, Baldy. I'll try to be more careful next time, Baldy."
"You… you bastard!!"Saitama clenched his fist, ready to swing at Ethan for the endless teasing.
"Wait, wait — remember, you're a hero! Heroes don't hit ordinary civilians!"
"You're no ordinary civilian!"
"I'm just a regular guy… for fun."
…
"Anyway, since I'm already out, might as well grab some groceries. The fridge at home's basically empty. Come on, Baldy, give me a hand carrying stuff."
"You damn bastard…"
"I'll share some of the food as payment."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Man, thanks a ton!"
"No problem, Baldy."
…
The two of them went into the supermarket. A while later, they came back out —Ethan holding a small white plastic bag with some green onions and vegetables inside, while Saitama carried a massive pack of groceries on his back, easily bigger than himself.
So there they were — one man casually holding a bag, the other lugging a mountain of food — heading home through their quiet, deserted neighborhood. The streets were eerily empty, but neither of them cared. Ethan whistled as he walked, completely relaxed, while Saitama wore a goofy grin, clearly in a good mood after getting free food.
When they got back, Ethan opened the door and let Saitama in. Together they unpacked everything, sorting the food into the previously empty fridges.
"Done!" Saitama clapped his hands.
"Hey, Saitama — this one's yours." Ethan handed him the small plastic bag he'd been carrying. Saitama took it with a wide smile. Free food always made him happy.
"Thanks, Ethan"
"No problem, Baldy."
"Stop calling me that!"
"Sure thing, Baldy."
"You… damn it…"
"Next time I go shopping, I'll call you again. Same deal as today."
"For real?"
"For real. Don't worry about it, Baldy."
…
Despite being ridiculously strong, Saitama didn't seem to have any real-life skills. He didn't have a job, no special talents, no income. Being a hero was just his hobby, and he was too straight-laced to ever take dirty money for it. As a result, he was constantly broke — always scraping by, waiting for discount days just to buy groceries.
Compared to Ethan, Saitama was practically useless outside of fighting monsters. Still, ever since they'd become neighbors, it had worked out. Whenever Ethan ran into a monster, he'd just call Saitama over. If it happened around mealtime, Saitama would get fed. And when Ethan went shopping, Saitama doubled as a free mover — getting a few groceries in return.
"Man, cooking for myself is such a drag. If only I had a maid — someone who could cook, keep me warm in bed… that'd be the life." Ethan let out a loud, exaggerated sigh.
But because of his… unique constitution, weirdos and monsters kept showing up wherever he went. Hiring a maid was impossible unless she was as powerful as Saitama — someone who could survive the chaos that followed Ethan around. Otherwise, she wouldn't last a week.
"..."
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