Chapter 5: Progress
Saitama has seen some improvement after two months. His muscles have become slightly bigger and his training routine is becoming more and more manageable with each day. He no longer has to forcefully drag himself to go back to his apartment every day.
Overall, he couldn't be happier.
As a result of his progress, he had started patrolling the neighborhood. However, he doesn't spend long periods of time doing so, he's not Batman after all. He still has his part-time job and values his personal time.
Saving cats from trees, helping grandmas cross the road, and catching balloons. These are the things he usually does; criminals are rare and monsters even more so during these times.
He also discovered something within him: he liked helping people. They brought him joy and a sense of fulfillment. Even if it's just a small contribution, he genuinely believes he's making a positive impact.
He was currently patrolling in the shopping district; however, something kept feeling wrong for him. Why is this place soo.. empty? I could swear there were tons of shops here. he pondered.
There haven't been any monster attacks in this area, so why is this place like a ghost town? As he glanced around, he noticed that several shops were closed and some even had their signs missing. At least Mr. Draper's shop is open.
He continued to patrol, his ears alert for any sound. Eventually, he heard a commotion coming from one of the alleyways. Quietly, he made his way towards it, hiding next to the opening and listening.
"Did you get it?" a raspy voice asked. "Yeah, yeah, I got it right here. Did you get my money?" another voice replied. "Yeah, I have it. Just give me the coke already. I can't take the fucking withdrawal anymore," the first voice growled.
drug dealers, shit. Saitama cursed. If there is one thing he hated in the world, drugs would be near the top. They're so addictive yet they destroy people's lives. One of his friends from his time in an orphanage in America fell victim to an overdose and lost their life.
Fucking drug dealers, pieces of shit. There's no way in hell I'm letting you walk out of here, Saitama fumed. He was so angry that he hardly noticed a scrawny-looking man exiting the alleyway, the same opening where he was hiding.
"What the fuck? Who the fuck are you?" Saitama immediately grabbed the man by the collar and rammed his head against the wall. He then delivered a swift knee to the man's stomach, causing him to double over in agony.
Fucking junkies. He growled at the man, it was because of them that his friend got involved with drugs. As anger surged within him, he marched towards the narrow pathway,
"Listen here yo-" Saitama immediately halted as the sound of a gun click reached his ears. A guy, dressed in a trench coat and sporting a fedora like a stereotypical drug dealer, aimed a gun at him. With an eerie smile, he advised, "I wouldn't get closer if I were you."
Shit. He scowled, kicking himself for his lack of caution. "Hey, hey, let's not do anything rash here," he said quickly, raising his hands in surrender. Smooth move, Saitama. smoot., Walk straight into trouble without a plan. Great.
The man chuckled, a sinister glint in his eyes. "Depends on my mood," he taunted, grinning smugly. "Can't have you scaring off my customers, now can I? Who else will I sell to?" he mocked.
"How about this: empty your pockets, and maybe I'll let you off the hook. How's that sound?" Saitama seethed with anger. There's no way I'm letting this guy rob me. I've busted my ass off just to let him ruin everything. He looked him in the eyes. Just look at him, even if I comply he's not gonna let walk away from here.
He was stuck in a tough spot. He could either make a run for it and risk getting shot, or stay put with no cover in sight and a narrow path ahead. Going back wasn't an option either, as it would lead to the same outcome as the former.
To get a winning shot at this, he'll have to distract him.
And he has the perfect plan for it.
Saitama's eyes widened, he pointed behind the dealer as he shouted, "Look out! There's a monster behind you!" The dealer swiftly turned around, gun in hand, ready to defend himself.
Got you! Saitama rejoiced and dashed towards the dealer, who spun around and was just about to shoot, but the trajectory of the gun was diverted just in the nick of time.
The sound of several gunshots filled the air, hitting the walls as the dealer and Saitama struggled to gain control of the weapon. Holy shit that's loud as hell! He didn't pause to contemplate, instead focusing all his energy on grabbing the gun.
Saitama's intense training paid off as he dominated the wrestling match for the gun, despite both men grunting. However, the dealer's sheer tenacity allowed him to still hold on.
Fuck it. He reared his back and headbutted the dealer in the face, knocking his fedora to the ground and causing blood to sputter from his nose. Saitama continued the assault until the dealer was on his knees, blood flowing from his broken nose.
After delivering a powerful uppercut, the man crashing down. Without mercy, he continued to pummel him until he forced himself to stop lest he accidentally kill. Rising to his feet, he gazed upon the man's battered face, marked with bruises and blood. His clothes were in disarray, and his body showed signs of broken ribs.
Saitama spat at the man, "Scumbag" and walked away.
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Saitama was back at home, with an ice pack on his forehead. Lying on his futon in front of the television, he absentmindedly flipped through channels. Despite his physical location, his mind was far away.
His mind replayed the events at the shopping district. He felt immense relief that his first encounter with guns didn't turn out worse. However, he knew he was at fault for the mess.
He lost control. He let his anger cloud his judgment and rushed in without a plan, almost costing him dearly. Unacceptable, I can't let that happen again. If he was being honest with himself, he didn't regret beating up that man. All he needed to do was control himself; he did't want to take someone's life as it would open a can of worms he didn't have the energy to deal with.
He flipped through the channels more quickly, his teeth clenched in frustration. Dude, does this place only have public broadcasts? With a sigh, he turned off the television, got dressed for work, and made his way to his night shift.
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(A/N)
It took me three hours to write this. If you have any feedback, let me know.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
UI_Shaggy
UI_Shaggy Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone