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

Five minutes later, in front of "Cloud," A-City's most exclusive restaurant.

Tatsumaki floated in mid-air, suspiciously scrutinizing the revolving restaurant perched three hundred meters up.

"Are you sure the stuff here... is actually useful?"

Kaito's expression remained calm.

"They say it uses the latest biotechnology," he said, deliberately lowering his voice. "Many female celebrities are regulars here. Including that one... you know, the one with the insanely perfect figure and overwhelming popularity—Vibijisha."

Vibijisha's fame was on par with Sweet Mask, if not more so in certain circles.

Sure enough, the bait landed perfectly.

Tatsumaki's ears turned red in an instant. She huffed and waved dismissively.

"L-let's just go in already! Standing here talking is exhausting!"

The restaurant's headwaiter, spotting the three S-Class heroes, immediately and respectfully ushered them to a private VIP room.

Kaito grabbed the menu and, without missing a beat, pointed out some of the priciest items.

"This 'Golden Collagen Braised Sea Cucumber,' 'Papaya Snow Clam Stewed Bird's Nest,' and… a 'Hormone Balance Salad.'"

With every dish he named, Tatsumaki's ears perked up a bit more.

While they waited for the food, Kaito noticed Tatsumaki discreetly searching "foods that promote development" on her phone.

He stifled a chuckle and turned toward Chiba Reina.

"Miss Reina left in a hurry yesterday. You forgot your bag."

He pulled a briefcase from his tote and handed it to her.

As Chiba Reina took it, her fingers brushed against Kaito's palm. She recoiled instantly like she'd touched an electric wire, a flush spreading over her cheeks.

"Th-thank you, King-sama…"

BANG!

Tatsumaki slammed her hand on the table. Her small face was puffed up with rage.

"Are you two pretending I don't exist?!"

The utensils on the table began to rattle.

Kaito smoothly shifted the conversation.

"Speaking of which, the Dragon-level disasters you've taken down lately—everyone at the association's been praising your efficiency."

"Of course!"

Tatsumaki lit up instantly, lifting her chin with pride.

"That kind of monster? Five minutes, tops! The old geezers at the association thought I couldn't handle it—pfft, as if!"

"As expected of the S-Class Rank 2 hero."

Kaito delivered the compliment like a perfectly placed jab.

"I've heard the public's been singing your praises lately."

That did the trick.

Tatsumaki launched into a passionate monologue about her recent feats. The rest of dinner turned into her personal heroism report. Kaito chimed in now and then at just the right moments, fueling her enthusiasm.

Eventually, the final dish arrived: Papaya Snow Clam Stewed Bird's Nest, delicately decorated with edible gold leaf.

Tatsumaki's eyes sparkled when she saw it, but she quickly put on a front.

"Hmph! This kind of... kiddie food…"

Kaito raised an eyebrow and motioned for the waiter to place it in front of her.

"I heard this dessert enhances the purity of psychic power. Espers recommend it highly."

Tatsumaki hesitated, then scooped a spoonful. The moment it hit her tongue, her eyes narrowed into crescent moons.

"It's… it's alright," she muttered—while proceeding to finish the entire bowl in seconds.

Chiba Reina covered her mouth to muffle her laughter. She mouthed a quiet "thank you" to Kaito, who responded with a knowing wink.

After the meal, Tatsumaki's mood had clearly improved.

She floated in front of Kaito, arms crossed smugly.

"Considering how sensible you were today, I'll forgive you! But if you laugh at me again…"

She raised her tiny fist threateningly.

Kaito gave a theatrically terrified expression.

"Perish the thought. I wouldn't dare."

As they exited the restaurant, the streetlights were just flickering on.

Tatsumaki used her psychic powers to lift Chiba Reina into the air, then suddenly turned back to Kaito.

"Hey! You better come to the Hero Association banquet next week!"

Before he could reply, she zoomed off into the night sky with a loud whoosh.

Kaito watched the green light fade into the distance and rubbed his chin.

Seems like dinner was more rewarding than expected. That's a lot of goodwill earned.

M City.

After disembarking from the high-speed train, Kaito strolled home. Halfway there, he was suddenly hit by a pressing urge.

He scanned the area and spotted a 24-hour KFC up ahead.

"Perfect."

He quickly made his way over and pushed open the door.

The store was brightly lit—but eerily silent.

No staff behind the counter. The dining area completely empty.

Only the self-order kiosk glowed softly, playing a mechanical welcome loop.

Kaito frowned.

"Strange…"

Still, the urge to pee was stronger than the unease, and he headed straight for the restroom.

Just then, a swaying figure emerged from the restroom, staggering straight toward him.

It was a young man—or rather, something that resembled one—dressed in a blue, cola can-shaped suit. The word "Pepsi" was printed boldly across the round can-like torso. His face poked out from the top of the costume, arms and legs extending awkwardly from the can's body. A large, curved blue straw jutted out from the top of his head like a bizarre antenna.

"Burrrp~" the figure let out a loud, gassy belch. He clutched a cup of cola in each hand, cheeks flushed with a sickly, reddish hue, and stumbled forward like a drunk at the end of a three-day bender.

The two collided in the narrow aisle.

BANG!

Kaito, with his currently enhanced physique, didn't even budge.

The same couldn't be said for the walking cola can. The impact dented the front of the costume with a loud metallic crunch. A flood of dark brown liquid burst from a cracked seam, spilling across the floor in a sticky tidal wave.

"Sorry—" Kaito instinctively reached out to help, assuming the guy had just dropped his drinks.

But then—

"AAHHHHHH!!" The Pepsi-shaped figure screamed in agony, clutching his crushed can-body and collapsing to the floor, writhing like he'd just taken a missile to the chest. "I'm DYING! I'M DYYYYYING!!"

Kaito froze.

Wait. That wasn't soda.

What spilled out wasn't any kind of cola—it was blood. Thick, dark brown, with an unsettlingly sweet, syrupy odor that filled the air.

Within seconds, the figure stopped twitching.

His eyes remained open, but the light inside them had vanished. The blue straw atop his head sagged lifelessly to the side.

Kaito crouched, touching the surface of the can. The material was unnaturally cold and rigid—far too dense to be a costume.

Only then did he realize the truth.

This wasn't a guy in cosplay.

This was a real Cola Monster.

"…Seriously?" Kaito rubbed his nose, a flicker of guilt tugging at him. "He didn't even look hostile."

From the monster's stumbling, belching, and general demeanor, he seemed more like a soda-themed drunk than an actual threat. Kaito hadn't meant to kill him—he barely bumped into the guy.

He was about to offer the creature a silent moment of respect when—

"SOOOOON—!!"

A thunderous wail echoed through the restaurant.

Kaito snapped his head around.

Standing in the doorway was a hulking green figure shaped like a Sprite can, complete with the brand name printed down its chest and an even thicker green straw sprouting from the top of its head. The monster's eyes were wide with horror, quickly twisting into fury as he stared at the mangled, deflated Pepsi corpse on the floor.

"You…" the Sprite Monster snarled, fists trembling. "You… KILLED… MY BOY!!"

Kaito stood up slowly, shoulders sagging with resignation.

Here we go…

He gently set the mechanical case he'd been carrying onto the floor. With practiced ease, he popped it open, pulled out a sleek control handle, and powered up the contents.

"I'm telling you," he said flatly, "it was an accident. I'm not looking to fight you."

"ACCIDENT?!" the Sprite Monster howled, veins bulging on the side of his aluminum neck. His can-shaped body began to pulse and expand unnaturally, swelling with carbonation and rage. "YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS WITH BLOOD!!"

Kaito let out a long, tired sigh.

"Fine."

Some people just didn't want peace.

Guess this is a good time to test how strong the mechanical dog Child Emperor built for me really is.

He thumbed the activation button.

Time to unleash the beast.