One Punch Man chapter 188: Sweet Mask’s identity comes into question, Atomic Samurai looks for King

With the release of One Punch Man chapter 188, fans saw Sweet Mask’s real identity being questioned as three of Atomic Samurai’s disciples look into it. Elsewhere, Atomic Samurai begins searching for King. Given that the hero was known as the strongest man on Earth, Atomic Samurai wanted to test his strength against him.

The previous chapter showed fans how the Hero Association conducted illegal Hero Gambling to earn extra income. When Saitama and Genos happened to interrupt one of these events, the Child Emperor informed them about the association’s activities. While Saitama himself got interested in it, he chose not to indulge.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the One Punch Man manga.

One Punch Man chapter 188: Genos looks to move in with Saitama

Sweet Mask as seen in One Punch Man chapter 188 (Image via Shueisha)

One Punch Man chapter 188, titled Appraisal, began with three of Atomic Samurai’s disciples – Iaian, Bushidrill, and Okamaitachi – looking for information on Sweet Mask. In their last battle, Iaian felt the presence of a beast within Sweet Mask. To him, it almost felt like Sweet Mask was inherently beast-like and was earnestly trying to become a human with a heart.

That said, for now, they do not have much information on him except for the fact that his face has changed over time. Thus, they were in doubt whether Sweet Mask‘s changing face was a sign of him becoming a monster, or if it has something to do with his abilities.

Yuta, Shido, and Atomic Samurai as seen in One Punch Man chapter 188 (Image via Shueisha)

Elsewhere, Atomic Samurai was with Nichirin, Shido, and Yuta. Shido was Zanbai’s son, while Yuta was Amahare’s daughter. Both of their parents had died, thus they hoped to become stronger to avenge them. While they carried such strong resolve, they were worried about Nichirin’s condition. That’s when he displayed his swordsmanship.

Atomic Mask has a way to identify a person’s strength depending on the way they cut an apple. Thus, Nichirin decided to do the same as he cut an apple in such a way that it did not get split, all while leveling a hill behind it.

Nichirin as seen in One Punch Man chapter 188 (Image via Shueisha)

Upon seeing that Nichirin was better than ever, Atomic Samurai was glad to have him back. That’s when Nichirin reminded him of how Bang had retired. Considering that Atomic Samurai had become a hero to compete against Bang, the three swordmasters were worried about his future actions.

Upon seeing their concerns, Atomic Samurai revealed his new goals. After entering the Hero Association, he met several new heroes. Thus, upon learning that King was the supposed strongest man on Earth, he hoped to fight him. He will decide on his future goals after he appraises him.

Genos as seen in One Punch Man chapter 188 (Image via Shueisha)

Elsewhere, Saitama and Genos were returning to Saitama’s home when they spotted Forte providing a doghouse and dog food for Overgrown Rover and Black Sperm.

Upon seeing Genos, Black Sperm was certain that he would get recognized, thus he decided to hide. As for Genos, he was quite concerned about staying next to Saitama. Thus, he asked Forte to move away so that Genos could move in there.

Later, the manga showed Atomic Samurai going out to a Sushi restaurant for food with Iaian, Bushidrill, and Okamaitachi. During their time there, they spotted King in the restaurant. That’s when Atomic Samurai approached to talk to him.

Final thoughts on One Punch Man chapter 188

King as seen in One Punch Man chapter 188 (Image via Shueisha)

One Punch Man chapter 188 saw Atomic Samurai finally locating King. While he wanted to fight King, the chances of that happening seem low. Thus, the two could decide on a new arrangement, which could help Atomic Samurai understand King’s strength. Thus, the next chapter could see Atomic Samurai testing King.