One-Punch Man: Boros, the Universe Overlord

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, casting dappled patterns on the floor. At first, Fubuki was like a startled sparrow, huddled in the corner at the very edge of the sofa—knees tightly pressed together, hands neatly folded on her lap, even her breathing was held carefully, as if afraid of disturbing the conversation, just like a primary school student awaiting judgment.

She listlessly observed the bizarre scene before her:

Saitama, who was only a B-rank, was chatting and laughing between King and Boros without realizing it, while Genos sat quietly to the side.

Summoning her courage, Fubuki tentatively interjected a few words, her voice barely audible. Whenever several pairs of eyes swept over her with probing intent, she would instantly panic, only able to awkwardly force a dry laugh, her cheeks burning hot.

Strangely, the fear dissipated without them even realizing it. Boros, who looked like a villain, and King, whom even S-class heroes respected, were surprisingly easy to talk to.

Genos was even more attentive, frequently turning to refill her tea, his delicate gestures making her feel flattered.

After a tense afternoon, Fubuki finally relaxed completely, straightened her stiff posture, and a natural smile gradually appeared on her lips.

She began to relax and join in the small talk, even managing to throw in a few witty remarks.

"Very good……"

As Fubuki looked at the several distinct yet equally powerful faces before her, the flame of ambition within her was instantly ignited, burning so intensely that her fingertips trembled slightly.

"If I can successfully join this group and build the strongest alliance, surpassing my sister will no longer be an unattainable dream!"

"I can sense that King and Boros are absolutely no less powerful than my sister. Add to that the infinitely promising Genos and my meticulously cultivated Fubuki Group intelligence network, and if we join forces, the pinnacle of the Hero Association will be within our grasp."

She rapidly envisioned the future in her mind, each abacus bead clicking away, yet her face remained calm and composed, even bearing a perfectly measured gentle smile.

To build rapport, she casually glanced at her watch, then tentatively suggested:

"It's already dinner time before we knew it. To thank you all for your hospitality today, how about I treat you to some barbecue? I know a restaurant nearby that has really good quality meat."

"Great!" Saitama's eyes lit up, and his stomach rumbled at just the right moment.

"Okay." Boros nodded slightly, though his face remained expressionless, indicating his tacit approval.

"I'm fine," King said, standing with his arms crossed.

"I'll listen to the teacher and Lord King," Genos said obediently.

"Let's set off now!"

As Fubuki spoke, looking at the happy expressions on their faces, she mentally gave herself a thumbs-up and thought to herself:

"This is fantastic! Coming today was definitely the right decision. Is Saitama my lucky star? Perhaps in the near future, my Fubuki Group will become the strongest force in the history of the Hero Association..."

……

The group then left the apartment in a grand procession and headed towards a well-known barbecue restaurant nearby. As soon as they sat down, the atmosphere at the table took a sharp turn for the worse.

Aside from Genos's continued elegance, and King's expressionless yet still refined manner as he cut the meat with his fork.

Saitama and Boros had long since let loose, completely disregarding table manners, and began their whirlwind feast in a completely unrefined manner.

The sizzling, oily slices of premium meat, just placed on the scalding grill by the waiter, disappeared into two large mouths at an almost imperceptible speed before they even had a chance to be flipped and change color. Before long, countless empty plates piled up on the table like a small mountain.

Meanwhile, Fubuki, sitting in the middle, was completely oblivious to her meal. Her bright eyes gleamed with shrewdness as she quickly pulled out her phone and took a series of beautiful photos...

She first turned to the side, forced a sweet smile, and deliberately found a good angle to take a photo with the powerful King next to her.

Then he moved closer to Boros and Genos, pretending to discuss the menu, and snapped a photo of the three of them.

At the end, she suggested that everyone gather together, and she cleverly squeezed into the center of the crowd, making a victory sign.

With a "click," a group photo symbolizing the "strongest alliance in history" was perfectly born!

As night deepened, the neon lights outside the barbecue restaurant shimmered with a warm yellow glow in the evening breeze. After dinner, the messy empty plates on the table had already been cleared away. Fubuki straightened her skirt, gave a slight bow, and said:

"Well then... I'll take my leave now, everyone. I'll definitely come back to visit again!"

Saitama was busy packing up the remaining meat and waved without looking up; King and Boros nodded, and Genos politely returned the greeting.

Watching the figures of varying heights gradually disappear into the smoke and lights of the shop, Fubuki's nerves, which had been tense all night, finally relaxed completely. She breathed a sigh of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted, and an involuntary smile appeared on her lips as she muttered to herself:

"Phew... I'm still not over it. Today was such a dream day. I need to get back quickly and get the group photo printed out so everyone can see it in the most prominent place in the organization."

"A new era for the Fubuki Group is about to begin!"

....................................

Early the next morning, Boros received a phone call:

"Oh, it's Alice? What can I do for you?"

A sweet voice came from the other end of the communicator, and Boros raised an eyebrow, letting out a short laugh after listening.

"Huh? You specifically asked me to escort you? Fine, I agree. We'll meet in the outskirts of H City, right? Okay."

He hung up the call, slowly stood up, his single crimson eye flashing, and chuckled in a low, sinister voice:

"Heh, this smells like a conspiracy. I'm bored anyway, let's see which fool is eyeing me."

He grinned, his menacing, sharp teeth gleaming coldly in the morning light.

Boros had just pushed open the heavy soundproof door to the living room when he was suddenly confronted by Saitama standing in the doorway, fully armed. His signature bright yellow bodysuit tightly wrapped his not-so-robust body, and a red cape hung down to his feet, clearly indicating that he was preparing to go out and fight monsters.

Noticing the movement behind him, Saitama stopped and turned around, a rare look of surprise on his face. He asked:

"Pineapple Head, so early? Are you going out too?"

Boros stopped in his tracks upon hearing this, his single eye sweeping over Saitama's dazzling yellow outfit. A smile played on his lips as he casually replied:

"Ah, going out for some exercise. But Saitama, your fashion sense is really unique! Have you checked your hero codename on the official website? Hahaha!"

"Code name? You know? What's my code name, Boros?" Saitama tilted his head and asked seriously.

"Ha ha."

Boros couldn't help but laugh out loud, his laughter tinged with schadenfreude. He raised his hand and patted Saitama's shoulder meaningfully.

"I'm not going to argue with you anymore. Even though I know it's a trap, I have to admit it's really piqued my curiosity. I'm off!"

After stepping out of the apartment, a burst of energy erupted from his body, and he instantly transformed into a dazzling dark golden streak of light, soaring into the sky and drawing a sharp, blinding arc across the azure sky before disappearing into the thick clouds in an instant.

Saitama was left standing alone, staring blankly at the empty sky, and shouted into the air:

"Hey, you still haven't told me what my code name is?"

He scratched his shiny bald head and muttered with dissatisfaction:

"That's ridiculous. So what if you can fly...?"

Then he shrugged, took a few steps, and strode quickly outside.

Boros landed silently on the wasteland outside H City. There, a middle-aged man who had been waiting for a long time was already there. He smiled warmly, his huge beer belly protruding, and eagerly stepped forward to greet him.

"Is this Boros? Hello, hello! I've heard so much about you!"

The middle-aged man extended his hand and greeted the man with a broad smile.

Boros nodded slightly, sized up the somewhat overweight client before him, and asked:

"You're the employer who specifically asked me to escort you? You want me to escort you to the deserted area of ​​Z City? What are you going there for?"

Hearing Boros's question, the middle-aged man's face showed a look of recollection, and he said:

"Actually, I lived on the outskirts of Z City for a period of time in my early years. At that time, although life was not very wealthy, I had to move away due to business turnover. A few days ago, when I was sorting through my old things, I suddenly remembered that I had moved in such a hurry that I accidentally left an extremely precious memento in the basement of the old house."

As he spoke, a hint of anxiety flashed in his eyes, and as if afraid Boros wouldn't believe him, he hurriedly added:

"You might not know this, but that relic means a lot to me. It's not just an object; it carries my memories and emotions about my past life. I also know that it's not peaceful there now; I've heard it's overrun by strange people and full of ruins..."

"I've hired several groups of bodyguards, but their legs go weak at the mention of going to the no-man's land; they're completely unreliable. That's why I had to hire the Hero Association at a hefty price. I know you're a true powerhouse; only you can escort me safely into the no-man's land and retrieve that item. I promise you, we'll leave as soon as we get it and won't cause you any trouble."

"Tsk, a pathetic wretch controlled by mental power. Such clumsy methods, heh..."

Boros gave a cold, mocking smile and muttered to himself.

The middle-aged man froze, instinctively asking, "What did you say?"

Boros's smile faded, and he casually shrugged.

"It's nothing, let's go. To be honest, I'm quite looking forward to it."

"What are you expecting? What do you mean?"

The middle-aged man asked curiously, a vague unease already creeping into his heart.

"Haha, it's nothing, hurry up, it wouldn't be good to keep people waiting..."