At that moment, the black-haired young man standing not far away called out,
"Saitama, thank you."
Saitama paused and turned around.
The setting sun reflected off his bald head as he gave a simple, easygoing smile. "No need."
Then he turned and walked off with that loose, carefree stride of his, not even wondering how Ethan knew his name.
Ethan stood where he was, watching the figure in the yellow suit fade into the distance.
His gaze shifted to the scattered remains of Vaccine Man nearby, then back to Saitama's retreating figure.
A surge of excitement he had never felt before rose within him.
Saitama's overwhelming strength shocked him, but more than that, it fascinated him.
In his previous world, no matter how hard he trained, there was no way he could ever reach that level.
But this was the world of One Punch Man.
A world where an ordinary human could shatter an entire building with a single punch through training alone.
Top heroes like Tanktop Master and Puri-Puri Prisoner had reached the peak using nothing but pure physical strength.
And then there was the third-ranked S-Class hero, Silver Fang, a true martial arts master.
Ethan still vividly remembered the scene where that old master tore apart a Dragon-level monster with his flowing, crushing fist technique.
If Silver Fang could do it, why couldn't he?
He had the Ancient Martial Arts System.
If Silver Fang could reach that level through martial arts, then Ethan could bring ancient martial arts back to glory in this world.
One day, his fists would be strong enough to crush a Dragon-level monster's skull.
"Grrr…"
His stomach suddenly growled, dragging him back to reality.
He dusted himself off and started looking for a place to work.
Ten minutes later, Ethan arrived at a pet shop.
"Excuse me, is anyone here?"
A young woman in a blue apron walked out from the back room.
Her slightly arched eyebrows gave her a sharp, spirited look.
When she saw Ethan, she paused for a moment before putting on a professional smile.
"Hello, sir. Are you looking to adopt a pet? We have plenty here. Cats or dogs? We have tabbies, ragdolls, orange cats… and for dogs, we've got Akitas, corgis, Shiba Inus…"
"I'm not here to adopt. I'm here to apply for a job. Are you hiring?"
The woman blinked, a little surprised, then looked him up and down.
He looked freshly grown, not particularly muscular, but his posture was straight and his gaze steady. There was something quietly reliable about him.
She nodded.
"Actually, yes. I'm looking for a dog trainer. You're very welcome to join."
She extended her hand with a bright smile.
"I'm Lily. What's your name?"
"Ethan."
"Ethan? Nice name." Lily withdrew her hand, but soon a hint of hesitation appeared on her face. "Still… this job isn't exactly easy."
She turned and walked deeper into the shop, with Ethan following behind.
As they passed through the hallway, the smell of animals grew stronger.
She pushed open the back door, revealing a modest yard.
In one corner stood a row of metal cages, each holding a different breed of dog.
The moment they sensed a stranger, several German Shepherds perked up, baring their teeth and barking aggressively at Ethan.
A black Rottweiler slammed itself against the cage door with a loud clang.
Ethan noticed that all the food bowls were placed at the farthest corners of the cages.
Lily handed him a bag of dog food and gave a helpless smile.
"These little guys have terrible tempers. Every time I feed them, I have to toss the food in from outside the cage."
She didn't expect Ethan to handle them.
She had been taking care of them for a long time, yet they still refused to behave. Ethan looked barely out of his teens, and probably had no experience at all.
Hopefully, he would back off on his own.
Ethan indeed had no experience training dogs.
But he had something else.
Martial artists carried a presence shaped by years of discipline, a kind of killing intent and pressure far stronger than ordinary people.
In this world, where a single punch could destroy buildings, that invisible aura could even influence instinct itself.
On Earth, scaring animals with just a glare would be unrealistic.
But here, that kind of pressure was real.
Martial artists spoke of a fierce energy held within the chest. Without that edge, techniques became nothing more than empty forms.
And Bajiquan was especially fierce, built on explosive, forward-driving power. Without courage, its strength would be cut in half.
"This is nothing. Leave it to me," Ethan said with a faint smile.
Then he walked toward the first cage.
The Border Collie that had been barking moments ago suddenly tucked its tail and let out a low whimper.
Lily covered her mouth in shock.
To her, Ethan had simply walked forward calmly, yet the dog had already submitted.
Was this what a true dog trainer looked like? Controlling animals with nothing but presence?
Ethan moved to a corgi's cage.
This one used to guard its food fiercely, biting anyone who came close during feeding time.
But now, as Ethan reached his hand in, the dog didn't bare its teeth. Instead, it lowered its head, cautiously sniffed his fingers, and allowed him to gently pat its head.
"Good," Ethan said softly, placing the food down.
This time, the corgi didn't react wildly. It ate quietly, occasionally glancing up at him, as if asking for permission.
"That's incredible!" Lily ran over. "I used to need bite-proof gloves just to feed it."
Ethan poured the food into the bowl and watched the dog eat carefully.
He turned and smiled at her.
"Maybe they can tell I mean no harm."
Lily shook her head, clearly impressed.
"Don't be modest. I thought you were just trying your luck, but you're the real deal!"
She patted his shoulder.
"You're hired. You can start tomorrow!"
Ethan nodded.
"Thank you, Lily. I'll do my best."
He hesitated for a moment before speaking again.
"Um… I don't have a place to stay nearby. If it's not too much trouble, could I stay at the shop for now?"
Lily blinked, thinking for a moment.
"That's fine."
As they chatted a bit more, she learned that Ethan's parents had died in a monster attack, leaving him alone and struggling to survive on odd jobs.
Her expression softened, a hint of sympathy in her eyes.
Then she suddenly said with a bright tone,
"Ethan, don't stay at the shop. I've got plenty of empty rooms at home. You can stay with me."
Ethan hesitated.
"That… wouldn't be inappropriate?"
Lily waved it off casually, then grinned playfully.
"It's fine. Just don't get any funny ideas. I've trained a bit in martial arts myself."
Ethan glanced at her slender yet toned arms and smiled.
At this point, he didn't refuse.
"Then thank you, Lily. You're really kind. If I ever make it big, I'll repay you properly."
Living at the shop was nothing compared to staying at the boss's house.