Warning! Spoilers for One Punch Man chapter 149 ahead!

Chapter 149 of One-Punch Man brings back a number of characters whose fates were left ambiguous, but by far the most notable and longest-awaited is the dramatic arrival of King, a man with a reputation as one of the toughest heroes out there. Of course, the only problem for King is that he really isn't as powerful as people think.

When King was last seen back in chapter 138, he was talked into joining Metal Bat on the front lines in spite of his lack of power. The pair were launched out of a giant slingshot and presumably have been in transit for the past twelve chapters. After all, even though he can't really do much, King has discovered that his reputation is a powerful tool on its own—it can intimidate monsters who've heard tales of his accomplishments, while also inspiring the flagging heroes by offering hope. King has resolved to use this power and hold out until Saitama can come through, but there's a problem with that plan. Saitama hasn't been seen in even longer, and his location is essentially completely unknown due to teleporting away with Number One hero Blast and Flashy Flash. Even if Saitama knew about this plan, there's not much he can do to help without Blast taking him back to the fight.

Related: One-Punch Man Confirms Why Bang Couldn't Save Garou

Among fans of the original webcomic on which the One-Punch Man manga is based, King's arrival has been an eagerly anticipated event; without spoilers, the upcoming scenes are said to be some of King's best, and the beautifully detailed style of the manga is sure to enhance it further. King's arrival has certainly caught the attention of monsters and heroes alike, so all eyes are on him and his next move. And King doesn't arrive a moment too soon, since Genos and Tatsumaki are almost completely worn out. While the chapter ends before anyone has made a move, all that means is that fans have been left on a major cliffhanger, even in an arc that's been chock full of cliffhangers.

Fortunately for King, he's not the only one who's made a dramatic reappearance: both Puri Puri Prisoner and Child Emperor emerge from the debris nearby, ready to rejoin the fight as well. This combined with Atomic Samurai's new weapon has caused a definite shift on the battlefield in the heroes' favor, which proves enough to cause the monsters to hesitate before attacking. All these factors together may lend King's bluffs enough credibility to hold out for Saitama, but again, with no way to communicate that, it may all be in vain. Saitama and his current group do appear on the chapter's cover page, however, so that may be a hint that his arrival is imminent as well.

It's clear that the end of the Monster Association arc is close at hand, with these elite monsters slowly going down. There's still plenty left to deal with, however, including the absolute wild card that is monsterized Garou at this point. One-Punch Man's longest story arc is gearing up for an action-packed finale, but for King, only one question remains: Where is Saitama?

Next: One-Punch Man's Final Enemy Will Be Genos - Theory Explained