One Punch Man: "The hell!! Did I transmigrate as King?"

"Eh?!"

Child Emperor's eyes widened in surprise.

He couldn't understand why the supremely powerful King needed a robot to assist him in battle.

However, with his exceptional intellect, he quickly pieced together an answer.

It must be because King's power is too overwhelming—always instantly defeating monsters with a single blow, finding it boring, and wanting to experience the thrill of battle. That's why he asked me to develop a remotely controlled robot!

The more Child Emperor thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed. He excitedly clapped his small hands.

"I get it! Mr. King, is it because your power is too great, and every battle ends too quickly, so you want to experience more realistic combat fun, right?"

Kaito broke into a cold sweat upon hearing this, three black lines sliding down his forehead.

His true intention was that relying solely on intimidation to kill monsters wasn't secure enough. What if he encountered monsters with extremely strong wills or those that could self-destruct? That would be dangerous.

Moreover, Saitama couldn't always be by his side, so he wanted an extra layer of protection.

But before Kaito could explain, Saitama's eyes suddenly lit up, and he grabbed Kaito's wrist, saying excitedly:

"King! Do you feel the same way?"

His voice held a rare excitement and resonance.

"Because everything is killed with one punch, feelings gradually fade. I can't feel fear, I can't feel joy, I can't feel tension, I can't feel anger!"

A few drops of cold sweat immediately appeared on Kaito's forehead.

That's you, not me.

And who was it that I utterly crushed in over a dozen consecutive games last night, almost breaking down? And you have the nerve to say your feelings are fading?

Look in my eyes! Tell me why!

Saitama's expression suddenly turned melancholic. He released Kaito's wrist and looked down at his own fist.

"When fighting monsters or beasts, there's no longer any clash of souls. It's simply like… swatting a mosquito, without any emotional fluctuations."

Kaito was frantically complaining in his mind:

I'm just simply afraid of dying! It's not as complicated as you guys think!

But then he reconsidered. His current "Strongest Man on Earth" persona couldn't be shattered. So, he maintained a profound expression, neither admitting nor denying, just nodding meaningfully.

Anyway, he'd just let them imagine everything on their own.

Let the great scholars debate it for me!

Seeing this, Child Emperor's eyes sparkled with adoration. He quickly patted his thin chest and promised:

"Mr. King, don't worry! I will definitely develop a combat robot that satisfies you as soon as possible! I want you to re-experience the joy of battle!"

As he spoke, he was already frantically sketching designs on his writing tablet, muttering to himself:

"Need to limit output… add a pain feedback system… Oh right! It also needs a learning function, able to gradually improve its strength as it battles…"

Saitama also leaned over, his eyes gleaming.

"Little Child Emperor, can you make a set for me too? I also want to experience the thrill of battle again!"

As he spoke, he made a few punching motions.

"Preferably one that can withstand my serious punch!"

Child Emperor looked at Saitama, then at Kaito, utterly bewildered, his small face filled with confusion.

In his eyes, Saitama was just a B-class hero who had just passed the test. How could he possibly need one?

And what the heck was a serious punch?!

However, based on the principle that there's no difference between making one set and two sets, he readily agreed.

"No problem! Leave it to me!"

Genos, standing nearby, fell into deep thought.

A moment later, data streams flashed wildly in his golden mechanical eyes, and he secretly set a goal in his heart:

He would go find Dr. Kuseno later to help him with modifications—adding a remote control module to his body.

That way, his teacher could control him in battle in the future!

Thinking of this, Genos suddenly said solemnly to Saitama:

"Teacher! Please bear with it for a while longer! Your disciple will definitely let you re-experience the passion of battle!"

Saitama was startled by this sudden action, and the meat skewer in his hand dropped to the ground.

"Huh? Genos, what's suddenly wrong with you?"

Kaito looked at this absurd yet heartwarming scene, the corners of his mouth unconsciously curving upwards.

He raised his glass.

"To the future combat robots, cheers!"

"Cheers!" Everyone responded in unison.

Even Child Emperor tiptoed to reach his glass, but Kaito patted it away, replacing it with a carbonated drink.

What kind of alcohol do little kids drink!

As night fell, this barbecue party filled with laughter and joy came to an end.

Kaito asked the barbecue shop owner for a thermos and filled it with warm, fresh beef blood.

After waving goodbye to everyone, he walked alone back to his apartment in M City.

In the night, the city lights twinkled. Kaito walked leisurely down the street with his hands in his pockets.

After his attributes increased, his senses became even sharper.

He could clearly hear the clamor of drunkards a few blocks away, smell the stray cats in the alley, and even feel the slight vibration of the ground—the movement of the subway passing underground.

"This feeling of controlling everything… it's really good," Kaito murmured, a smile playing on his lips.

Returning to the apartment, the moment he pushed open the door, Kaito's eyes lit up.

The entire place had been cleaned from top to bottom—the floors gleamed, and even the curtains carried the faint scent of sunshine.

Mosquito Girl, dressed in a classic black-and-white maid outfit, stood respectfully at the entrance, her head slightly bowed. The moment she saw him return, she immediately bent into a ninety-degree bow.

"Boss... Boss, welcome home."

Her voice was still a bit stiff, clearly unused to the new title. A faint blush touched her pale cheeks, and her metallic fingers nervously fidgeted with the hem of her skirt.

This cautious demeanor—a mixture of fear and dutiful obedience—made Kaito's lips curl into a subtle, playful smirk.

He casually tossed the thermos to her.

"For you."

Mosquito Girl fumbled slightly as she caught it, then carefully opened the lid.

The moment her eyes landed on the warm, fresh blood inside, they sparkled with an almost childlike wonder.

She looked up at Kaito in disbelief, the immense surprise momentarily overriding her fear. Her maid-like composure almost slipped.

"This... this is... for... for me?"

"Mm. You cleaned well today. Consider it your reward," Kaito replied in a flat tone, like he was tossing a dried sardine to a well-behaved cat.

Gratitude hit Mosquito Girl like a flood.

She bowed deeply again, voice thick with emotion.

"Tha... thank you! Boss! Thank you so much!"

She clutched the thermos to her chest like it was the most precious treasure in the world.

To her, the warm blood wasn't just nourishment—it was acknowledgment. A psychological recognition. A moment of being seen, even if it was still filtered through fear.

Even if it was... conditional.

[Ding! Mosquito Girl has generated strong gratitude and a sense of belonging mixed with fear toward the host. Deterrence Points +5!]

As the system notification rang in his mind, Kaito noted her gaze—an unstable cocktail of fear, gratitude, dependence, and... humble devotion.

His mouth twitched slightly.

Classic early-stage Stockholm Syndrome, he thought.

Still, he didn't find the thought all that troubling.

In fact, he felt kind of... fine with it.

A "maid" bound by fear, who becomes loyal through carefully dispensed "kindness," was far more dependable than a simple prisoner—one who might constantly plot escape or revenge. And more importantly... such a maid was far easier to tame.

He shrugged off his coat and tossed it to her.

"Put it away. You can rest today."

"Yes! Boss!" Mosquito Girl answered quickly, gracefully hanging the coat in the closet before retreating to her room—thermos clutched tight like a sacred relic.

That single cup of warm beef blood had become the most effective taming agent of the night.

P@treon Rene_chan