One-Punch Man: Boros, the Universe Overlord

"Beer, soft drinks, mineral water, peanuts, sunflower seeds, eight-treasure porridge! Come on, tuck your legs in a bit."

The vendor, dressed in a fluorescent vest, moved with difficulty between the legs of tens of thousands of spectators, like a nimble eel.

Inside the massive circular fighting arena, the air was thick with the smells of sweat and popcorn. Even though the match hadn't started yet, the stands were already buzzing with excitement, countless eyes glued to the huge holographic screen in the center.

"Friendly reminder: This event is officially hosted by the Hero Association and generously sponsored by Naizou Shoes—wear Naizou, and your wife won't beat you! Also included are Weilong Spicy Strips, a favorite among fighters, with a fiery flavor to ignite your fighting spirit!"

As the sponsor's highly catchy GG language played on a loop, the big screen began bombarding the screen with close-up shots of various products, even interspersed with a three-minute-long promotional video of the owner of the durable shoe company awkwardly dancing.

"Your Extra gum... no, your Extra gum!"

The long delay caused the audience's patience to wear thin, and boos began to rise from the stands. Some even started throwing empty beverage bottles into the stadium.

Seeing that things were not going well, the host quickly entered the room.

"Ahem, esteemed audience, thank you for your patience! Now, please welcome all the participants of the 22nd Super Fighting Tournament to the arena!"

The host's voice, electrified, roared through the surround sound system, sweeping across the entire venue and instantly dispelling all the previous tension.

Inside the massive circular fighting arena, the roar of the audience began to rise, with tens of thousands of spectators densely packed around the upper stands, waving their arms.

The host, dressed in a sequined suit, stood in the center of the ring with a microphone in hand. His professionally trained and highly penetrating voice resounded throughout the arena via surround sound, instantly pushing the atmosphere to a climax.

"First up is Max, the nineteenth A-class hero making his debut in this tournament, a rising star in martial arts known as 'Lightning' and a master of Hyper Karate!"

The host's passionate voice echoed throughout the circular arena. Under the spotlight, a lithe athlete leaped forward, assuming a fighting stance, and a round of polite applause immediately followed.

Following that, the host continued to introduce the subsequent contestants in an orderly manner. Most of their names flashed by like shooting stars, leaving only a faint trace in the minds of the audience.

"And the next one..." The host's tone suddenly rose.

"He is hailed as the strongest fighter in the history of the Super Fighting Tournament! He has won the championship twice and has never suffered a defeat in his competition record. According to him, he has never used his full strength! He is the sole inheritor of the Dark Hell Killing Technique—Bakuzan!"

Before the words were even finished, heavy footsteps shattered the clamor of the entire arena. A gigantic man, as massive as a brown bear, slowly stepped forward. Thick hair covered his bronze skin, his rugged face surveyed the surroundings, his eyes flashing with a ferocious, beast-like light. His deep voice spoke slowly in a low voice:

"Hmph, it seems this year's championship is the only one that truly matters!"

The audience fell into a deathly silence, followed by a burst of exclamations and murmurs.

"Then, next up is... a young fighter who has returned as king after seven years, having achieved a four-peat! His Dark Body Fist is unbreakable, earning him the reputation of an invincible fighting legend, and he finishes every match with overwhelming dominance—Water Dragon!"

A completely different atmosphere from the previous contestant instantly swept through the entire arena. A young man dressed in a dark blue fitted martial arts uniform gracefully leaped onto the ring. He had a handsome face, long hair tied up high, and clear eyes. He smiled and waved to the surroundings, his movements elegant and composed.

In an instant, a deafening roar of screams and cheers erupted from the stands, with countless fans waving their support items as if welcoming the return of a champion.

"Hey, hey, everyone, hold your breath! The last contestant to appear is going to be very important!"

The host deliberately lowered his voice, his eyes gleaming, and the microphone caught his slightly trembling tone.

"To be honest, even I, as the host of the competition, was quite surprised when I first saw the list of participants! I think all of you who love and follow combat sports must be very familiar with that style—that's right, it's the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist that can turn mountains into dust!"

"And today, he will personally represent 'Water Flow Rock Smashing Fist' on this arena! So, who exactly is this mysterious powerhouse?"

The entire venue fell silent instantly, with only a red light flashing on the microphone in the host's hand. A blurry silhouette began to play on the huge electronic screen.

Then, accompanied by the host's highly rousing monologue, an extremely uplifting background music started playing, very much like "Sold Out":

"He! He is the epitome of invincibility, an insurmountable mountain standing between monsters and despair! His strength is enough to shake the earth; a mere casual punch can trigger an earthquake. His speed can even surpass a sonic boom; before the enemy can even see his movements, the outcome is already decided!"

"He's the kind of being whose very name strikes fear into the hearts of all monsters! Legend has it that he once shattered a falling meteorite with a single punch, saving countless innocent lives!"

"He is the embodiment of justice, absolute power, and an inextinguishable beacon in the darkness! His exterior is as cold as an unyielding iceberg, taciturn, but deep within him lies a gentle warmth like the sun!"

"Whenever the shadow of doomsday looms over the land, and people are plunged into the deepest despair, he always appears before them like a divine warrior! He is a legend beyond his time, a myth that breaks the laws of nature. So, who exactly is this mysterious and aloof man?"

The host's voice rose to the brink of hoarseness at the last moment, and the hearts of tens of thousands of audience members seemed to be gripped tightly by this question, and the air froze for a moment.

Accompanied by an exhilarating symphony and the roar of heavy metal drums, a tall and imposing figure walked slowly towards the light.

Boros was dressed in a black gi, the tailored fit accentuating his explosive physique. His ever-cold face appeared particularly stern under the spotlight, his deep eyes seeming to hold black holes that could devour stars, and each step he took on the floor produced a dull thud.

This grand entrance accompanied by BMG instantly attracted the attention of everyone in the audience.

"That's right! He's our hero!!! Azure Sky Overlord Fist!!! Boros!!!"

The host completely lost control, almost screaming into the microphone at the top of his lungs, his spittle nearly piercing the protective glass.

"Aaaaaah!!!"

"It's Boros!!!"

The crowd erupted hysterically, a deafening roar of cheers, screams, and stomping erupted from the stands, creating a storm that seemed to lift the dome of the arena. The deafening sound waves came one after another, and countless enthusiastic fans waved their arms, their phone lights creating a dazzling sea of ​​stars. The entire stadium was in complete ecstasy at that moment.

The contestants below the stage looked at each other, dumbfounded, and began to whisper among themselves:

"Hey, I know he's popular, but isn't this a bit too much?"

"Yeah, yeah, why are we just glossed over, while he gets a three-minute narration, close-up shots, and even his own background music!?"

"This is a bit too much, isn't it? I seriously suspect he gave the host a bribe!!!"

One contestant couldn't help but rant and rave.

The astute Boros overheard their conversation, and while secretly pleased, he couldn't help but think:

"Kid, you guessed it! I really did give the host a red envelope. Not only that, I also got Master Bang to put in a good word with the martial arts association! That's what you call professional!!"

"Hmph, do you all think you're so good at fighting? What good is being good at fighting? Times have changed. Now, the most important thing is publicity."

"If we're talking about who's the better fighter, with Baldy's strength, Blast, the number one S-class fighter, should have stepped down long ago. Everyone else would have to step aside. How could he still be an unknown nobody on the sidelines? Hehe..."

After a long period of applause and shouts...

"Alright, everyone! Calm down and let's turn our attention back to the ring!"

The host raised his hands at the opportune moment and made a downward gesture, trying to control the rhythm in the gaps of the shouts, even though his voice seemed insignificant among the shouts of tens of thousands of people.

"All eighteen top fighters from around the world have been introduced! On this stage where glory and passion intertwine, will Boros deliver a dominant performance, sweeping the entire arena? Or will another fighter emerge victorious, seizing the advantage of favorable circumstances to achieve a lucky win?"

"The suspense is about to be revealed, let's wait and see! Now, with immense excitement, I solemnly announce—the 22nd Super Fighting Tournament officially begins!"

With his signature drawn-out tone, a huge firework exploded, showering the entire stadium with colorful confetti. The moment the host finished speaking, the stands erupted in a deafening roar of cheers.

However, amidst the clamor of the crowd's revelry, the other contestants were...

"Damn it, this isn't a competition, it's clearly that guy's fan meeting! I can't take it anymore... Please don't let me find out where this host lives."

One of the contestants, who was quickly mentioned, said through gritted teeth.

"Ah, so this is an S-class hero? They seem even more popular than me."

Wearing a blue martial arts uniform, Shuilong casually adjusted his cuffs, a smile still gracing his handsome face, a confident glint in his eyes.

"There's no other way, so I'll just easily defeat you in the ring."

Deeper in the shadows, the mountain-like Blast Mountain let out a deep, rumbling growl. His large, bell-like eyes stared at Boros, a cold smile playing on his lips beneath his thick hair.

"Hmph, what Heavenly Overlord Fist? It's just something those boring guys playing hero games do. So what if you're popular? I'll defeat you myself in the ring and show everyone what the strongest of all time really is!!!"

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