Saitama—the protagonist of One Punch Man—possesses overwhelming combat prowess within his universe.
According to Dr. Genus of the "House of Evolution," Saitama's strength stems from breaking his "limiter," allowing him to grow infinitely stronger.
But precisely because he became too strong, nearly every opponent in the world falls to a single punch, causing him to gradually lose all emotional engagement in battle.
In the early stages of the story, Saitama still attempted to recapture the thrill of combat, but by the mid-to-late arcs, he had clearly given up.
If this were the original version of Saitama, Zuke might have pondered just how high his limits truly reached.
But since the mission explicitly mentioned "Cosmic Fear Mode" Garou, it confirmed this was the remake version of the world.
In the remake, Saitama's current peak strength had already been measured by Cosmic Garou, meaning Zuke could be confident in handling him.
All he needed was to seize this opportunity—consume a part of Saitama's body and acquire his ability to break the "limiter."
If successful, Zuke would gain Saitama's exponential growth potential.
---
"Wait, so you're serious? If I beat you, I get a box of premium Wagyu beef?"
Having followed Zuke to a relatively open area in the ruins outside, Saitama wore an eager expression as he double-checked the terms.
Indeed, for someone who had long lost his enthusiasm for fighting, the best way to lure Saitama into a battle was through incentives like food.
"Correct. If you actually defeat me, I'll have Tatsumaki buy you the beef."
Zuke stopped in the middle of the ruins, then casually pointed at Tatsumaki, who had followed them.
"She's an S-Class hero—rolling in cash. No need to worry about her skipping out on the payment."
"You bastard! Don't just casually use someone else's money as a bet!"
Tatsumaki, standing not far behind Zuke, naturally overheard the conversation and couldn't help but shout at him angrily.
Despite her displeased expression, she didn't outright refuse the wager.
If sacrificing a box of beef meant watching Zuke get beaten by someone else, it might just be worth it—a small revenge for all the frustration he'd caused her.
But to Fubuki, who was standing nearby, the exchange sounded entirely different.
She glanced between Tatsumaki and Zuke with a strange look in her eyes.
This man is treating my sister's money like his own... Their relationship must really be something.
---
"Sensei, you shouldn't make deals with suspicious people like this..."
On Saitama's side, his cyborg disciple Genos watched Zuke with wary eyes and spoke in a cautious tone.
"Relax, Genos. That beef is as good as mine."
Saitama waved his hand dismissively, completely unconcerned.
He wasn't expecting any excitement from this fight—he was purely looking forward to the high-quality Wagyu.
Back when he faced the alien Boros, Saitama had felt a flicker of anticipation, but in the end, all Boros could do was withstand a few extra punches.
From that moment on, Saitama had stopped expecting much from battles.
---
"Well then... let's begin."
Zuke smirked as he noticed Saitama's disinterested expression.
The next instant, his body vanished from sight—reappearing right in front of Saitama.
Saitama didn't react at all.
Despite his immense strength and speed, his reflexes often lagged—likely because he rarely focused during fights.
But this time, his carelessness cost him dearly.
BOOM!
A terrifying force smashed into his chin, sending a sharp pain through his skull as his body was launched into the sky.
In an instant, Saitama vanished beyond the atmosphere—hurled into outer space by a single punch.
"Wha—!?"
By the time Saitama regained his bearings, he was already floating in the vacuum of space.
A normal human would have died instantly in such an environment—but Saitama was merely shocked by the sheer power behind that punch.
Being knocked off Earth wasn't a new experience for him. Boros had done it before, even sending him all the way to the Moon.
But Boros' kick hadn't made him feel pain.
Zuke's punch did.
And it wasn't just pain—Saitama touched his mouth and found his fingers stained with blood.
That single strike had been enough to split his lip.
"This guy... is strong!"
For the first time in ages, excitement flickered in Saitama's eyes.
---
Yet before he could even react further, Zuke's figure shot up from Earth, closing the distance between them in an instant.
Now fully alert, Saitama could finally track Zuke's movements.
Without hesitation, he swung his fist with brutal force.
—Consecutive Normal Punches!
His arms became a blur, unleashing a storm of fists that formed an impenetrable wall of force, crashing toward Zuke.
But Zuke didn't even bother dodging—he charged straight through the barrage.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The relentless impacts echoed across Zuke's body, giving him a clear measure of Saitama's current strength.
Each punch carried enough power to obliterate a planet—but that was about it.
Casual planet-busting was something even Vegeta (with a power level of 18,000) could achieve. To Zuke, this level of force was little more than a tickle.
The remake version of Saitama possessed exponential growth potential—but potential was all it was.
Until that potential was fully realized, his current strength paled in comparison to Zuke's.
Emerging unscathed (save for some torn clothing), Zuke retaliated with another devastating punch to Saitama's face, sending him crashing through countless asteroid fragments drifting in space.
"Guh—!"
Saitama coughed up blood, his eyes widening in shock.
His attacks had done nothing.
But instead of discouraging him, it only fueled his excitement further.
He could feel his fists growing stronger.
As Zuke closed in once more, Saitama clenched his fist and swung with everything he had.
—Serious Punch!
To be continued…
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