After One-Punch Man's hero was absent for 16 chapters, Saitama has finally reappeared in the final panels of the newest chapter. Though his entrance is less than dignified.

Saitama was last seen in chapter 136, where he, the S-class hero Flashy Flash, and the non-threatening monster Oculette were buried deep underground when the Monster Association's base was destroyed. Flashy Flash wound up with his arm pinned by a mysterious, extremely heavy cube, which draws the attention of the #1 hero, Blast. Blast apparently collects these cubes, because they allow those who come into contact with them to communicate with an evil mystery being that certain characters refer to as God. After safely stowing away the cube, Blast offered to teleport them out of the rubble, a deal they were more than happy to accept.

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In the time since, the story has focused on the battle going on above ground, as the S-class heroes engaged in a desperate battle with the top leadership of the Monster Association. Combatants on both sides have died, reinforcements arrived for the heroes, and Garou emerged, ready to cause problems for both. Saitama and company appear suddenly out of nowhere, hitting the ground face-first until they're piled into a heap. Saitama, of course, is quite familiar with a lack of respect by now, but for Flashy Flash, it's been one indignity after another, beginning with the destruction of his sword in the underground and then getting shown up by Blast.

The trio has emerged at an interesting moment as Garou has just finished his surprise attack on the other monsters, although it's not clear exactly how much damage he dealt to them. Fuehrer Ugly is almost certainly down, but Platinum Sperm seems unlikely to be defeated that easily, and Evil Natural Water is such a strange monster that it may not even be possible to completely defeat it. Saitama's group also emerged very close to Garou, so it'd be easy for them to wind up fighting each other rather than the monsters. After all, if there's one thing Saitama and Garou have in common, it's the desire to challenge a difficult opponent, and that may end up overshadowing the bigger battle. The only question is if badly injured characters like Genos and Tatsumaki can hang on long enough to get some help once their fight is over.

No matter how unimpressive his entrance was, Saitama's arrival on the battlefield is definitely one of the most anticipated moments in the series' recent history, and fans of One-Punch Man's original webcomic have certainly been looking forward to seeing a battle between Garou at full strength and Saitama. However it plays out, one thing's for certain: Saitama's arrival means the odds just shifted substantially in the heroes' favor.

Next: One-Punch's Horrifying God is Taking Away a Monster's Powers