Noriko frowned to herself, standing in the middle of the lobby of a rather pricey hotel. The power had been cut, leaving the place in complete darkness. People were unaware of the potential danger they faced as they slept soundly on the floors above her. The catgirl leaned against the wall, her arms crossed and her frown growing deeper. He left me here because he thinks I'll just get hurt again. He was so enthusiastic about me becoming an assassin, but when I do get injured, he treats me like I can't protect myself. I know I can though! I've been practicing with the shuriken!

Sonic was going after their prey in the suite on the top floor. He had left her in the lobby with the excuse that she could catch and silence anyone that tried to leave to seek help. Their target for the night was a wealthy man with multiple bodyguards that Noriko knew would be dead before they even realized the ninja was there. A lock of dark violet hair slipped free and fell over her left eye as she bit her thumbnail. She wanted to be able to prove herself. It had been weeks since he had let her accompany him on an assassination and it was disappointing to realize that she was merely backup. If she could even be considered that.

Her feline genes aided her in seeing in the darkness so it was true that she could catch and silence anyone that tried to slip out to get help, but the task seemed so dull in comparison to what her boyfriend was doing. In her baggy pants, her feline tail shifted anxiously. I need to do something. This is irritating! I have to say something to him! My injuries from the bullets healed pretty fast and the ones from the mouth monster are almost healed. I could be helping him right now! I hate feeling weak like this! Noriko's cellphone screen lit up in her pocket and she carefully slid it out to see who it was. The screen displayed the word "Unknown". Tilting her head, she decided that she had nothing to lose by answering it. "Who is this?"

"Heh! Heheh! Your voice…sounds so cute! Even over the phone! Wow!"

The catgirl's eyes narrowed. "…Grey-san…"

"Ah! I wouldn't hang up, if I were you! I have something pretty important to say, Nya-san! If you hang up, who knows what I might do?!"

She tensed and her feline ears twitched. Her reaction was only partly due to Kyona's words. With her free hand, she slipped a shuriken between her fingers. Her gaze was now fixed upon a tall, somewhat burly-looking figure that was moving along the wall. "So…what do you need, Grey-san?"

"You sound so brave over the phone! Heheheh! But I know you're shaking in your boots! My poor little Nya-san doesn't belong in such a scary place! No, no, no! You belong with me! My precious hero!"

"I'm not a hero anymore…and I'm not interested in becoming a hero again. So just-!"

"So we do have to do this the hard way! Heh! Heheheh! That's perfect! Okay, okay, so I have everything set up just right! I was so hoping that you'd prefer it this way! After all, my precious darling would never be so weak that she'd just give in! You're stronger than that! Better than that! I know you are! So listen close. I'm sending you the address of where I am now. We'll play a little game; just the three of us. You'll be the knight in shining armor! I'll be the big, fierce dragon! And…of course, heheh…we have our captive princess for you to rescue! Ah! But it won't be easy! I'd never dream of taking away your fun, Nya-san! I set up a bunch of different obstacles for you to get through! And they won't be easy; they're targeting ordinary citizens along with you! So you have to defeat them all if you want to win this game!"

The fur of her tail and ears bristled as Noriko launched the shuriken deep into the tall figure's throat. They fell to the floor and she began to growl at the back of her throat. "What did you do, Grey-san?!"

"Oh dear. Did I ruffle your fur just now? My sweet little dear. I'm just trying to get that hero's blood pumping through your veins. And what better way than by taking what's most precious to you, the one you love the most, and holding them captive?! You have to come rescue them yourself! Don't bring Sonic-kun! Don't bring any backup! You're in this yourself! I want to see you at your best! So come to me, Nya-san!"

The call ended and Noriko glared down at her phone. A text message appeared on the screen, displaying an address across City Z. She took Koneko! Saitama…damn it! I told him to protect her! I should have known that I couldn't…no! This isn't his fault; it's mine! I have to take care of this by myself, like she said. Without giving it further thought, Noriko rushed out into the night.

The streets were illuminated dimly by streetlights in this area, but she did not need much light to know that she was surrounded. The figures moving in the darkness were inching closer, drawing nearer to the hotel with their red eyes fixed upon the catgirl. She did not have her swords, but she was armed with several shuriken and small knives. Her mind raced as the figures became clearer. The humanoid rats were taller than her by at least two feet and armed with natural claws and sharp teeth. Recalling Kyona's warning that there were many obstacles, she knew that she had to get through these monsters as quickly as possible before they could attack innocent people or before more monsters showed up.

Watching the rats close in on her easily ignited her animal instincts. The feline instinct to catch and kill was strong, as was the basic instinct to fight for her survival. What transpired next was not something that she was proud of. It was not something that she would ever tell anyone about. She was soon sprinting down the street, her mouth and hands painted red with blood and the monsters' lifeless bodies littering the road behind her. I don't have time! I have to get there fast! Grey-san is insane! She's a monster! She…was the reason why Koto-san died! I have to stop her before she hurts Koneko!

Shift P.O.V

Saitama tensed, feeling a chill run down his spine for an instant. He looked over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow at what was sitting there. Mittens meowed loudly, staring him in the eye. "What do you need, Mittens? We're busy."

"Maybe she's hungry," King suggested. He had invited Saitama over to play a new video game and was a little annoyed that a cat had followed the bald hero into his apartment.

"I don't know. She's pretty smart. If she was hungry, she probably would've gotten into your food and just taken something." He set his game controller down and lifted the scruffy creature so their eyes met. "What is it, girl?"

"What are you doing? You think it's something important? She probably just needs to use a litter box and I don't have one. If she goes on my stuff-"

"I already told you; she's pretty smart. She knows better than to do that." Saitama stared into Mittens' single eye and his expression turned serious. "I have to go home."

"Wait. What? Did you understand her? Is it telepathy?"

"Huh? No. I'm hungry. And you don't really have anything that I want to eat. I'll drop by tomorrow." He carried Mittens outside and began the walk home, not really in any great hurry to get there. Koneko's probably asleep by now so Genos is probably out looking for Nya-chan again. The hero frowned slightly and looked down at the cat he carried. Though he was worried about Noriko's safety, he was still hesitant to track her down. He wanted her to return because she wanted to, but at the same time he was growing somewhat anxious for her return. Mittens yowled suddenly, startling him a little. "What's up, girl? You want to walk or-?" Something dark flew across his vision and crashed into a nearby building. What was that? He watched as a figure struggled out of the crumbled wall and stood. His eyebrows raised as he took in their form.

They were shorter than him and clothed in a baggy hooded sweatshirt and baggy black pants. Though the hood had fallen back to reveal a pale face with long violet hair falling past their shoulders. Feline ears were drawn back as sharp green eyes focused on something in the distance. She gritted her teeth and drew forth multiple shuriken before running down the street toward whatever had thrown her. When she was in his line of sight, Saitama had seen that she was bruised and bleeding, but still fighting as fiercely as he would expect. I wonder if Genos knows that she's here. Should I call him?

Shift P.O.V

Noriko was injured. She could feel the pain in her back from the collision with the building, the bruises forming along her spine and limbs, the cuts that riddled her arms and chest. Her eyes were locked on her enemy as she ran at it, preparing to launch a barrage of shuriken into the beast's body. It was much tougher than the rat monsters had been. This was a large lizard-human hybrid that she easily recognized as Kenta's design. A biological monstrosity…like me! Was it against this guy's will or did he agree to this? He doesn't even seem to be sane! The shuriken flew from her hands, but barely cut through his thick scales.

"Bwahahaha! You think you're going to get past me?! I've heard of you, you know! The washed up little Samurai Catgirl! Turned tail and ran away when that old bitch was killed! You're nothing but a coward! I don't know what Kyona-sama wants you for, but it sure isn't for protection! You can barely even protect yourself from my powerful tail attacks!" he mocked her.

She curled her hands into tight fists, debating whether or not she could get close and strike him on the tip of his nose. I heard that it works for crocodiles. Or was it sharks? I can't remember, but I have to do something and these shuriken barely break his skin! At this rate, I'll end up dying and Koneko…will be alone with that monster Grey-san! I can't let that happen! She felt tears running down her cheeks, making her scrapes sting a little.

"Hey. So what're we doing? Is that guy an assassination target?"

The familiar voice made her heart skip a beat. Noriko looked over to find Saitama standing directly beside her, his hands in the pocket of his sweatshirt and his expression deadpan. "S-Saitama?! What…how…?"

"Huh? You didn't see me? I've been here. So what's going on?"

"She's not allowed to have help! She has to defeat all of us on her own or she forfeits her life and the captive's life!" the lizard-man shouted.

"Calm down. I never said I was here to help her." Saitama looked the catgirl up and down, not liking how battered she appeared. "Who's being held captive?"

"…Koneko…but I know that it's my fault so…I have to face these obstacles alone and save her…" Noriko could feel her anger rising again at the thought of her daughter being alone with Kyona. The thought of what Kyona might be saying to her. What might happen to her if Noriko were to die before she could save her daughter. I can't let that happen! I have to get past this one and move on to the next one! Summoning forth all of her ferocity, Noriko rushed at the monster. Her fist swung hard, driving into the end of his snout. Blood gushed forth and he roared in agony, blindly swiping at her with his claws. She ignored the pain and struck again, over and over until his face was a bloody pulp.

Saitama came to stand beside her once more and put a hand on her shoulder. "Okay. So this one's done. Where to next? You have a map that you're following?"

"No…hn. You don't have to go with me. If I die, I die. That's just how it will have to be. There's no way of knowing what she might do to Koneko if someone else fights my obstacles." Noriko hated that his mere presence was making her blush beneath her scrapes and her enemies' blood. "I know that you want to help…but I can't let you. I can't let you or Genos or anyone else help me. I had to leave Sonic behind and I have to finish this before he tries to find me. I know that he would insist on fighting, too."

"Well I'm just here for moral support. That's not an interference, right? I'm not fighting your obstacles for you; I'm just cheering you on. I mean, I know you're pretty tough. And I can tell you've gotten stronger since you went with Sonic. So I'm pretty sure you can beat whatever comes at you. I'll just be there to watch you do it. Is that sound okay?"

She wiped her bloody knuckles on her pants as she looked off down the road, her feline ears picking up the sound of screams. "That…should be okay. Hn. There is something that you could do…if you do want to help. It won't be something that she can fault me for."

"Hey, by 'she' you're talking about Kyona, right? She kept sending you fan mail and Genos kept burning it without reading it. This seems like something she'd do. Or something Kenta might do. Maybe they're doing this together."

The two started running down the road, Saitama pausing to pick up a rather scruffy-looking feline with only one eye. She did not have time to question it and merely shrugged it off as him doing his usual weird, quirky things. "I don't think that Kenta is part of this at all. When I saw her last time…she was determined to make me become a hero again. She set this up as a way to push me back into it. So I'm forced to save people and fight monsters. It's…her sadistic way of getting what she wants."

"But why does she want you to be a hero so badly? Doesn't that seem kind of weird? She has a huge crush on you. If you're a hero again, you'll have a fan club again and that means that other people will like you, too. Other people will want your attention. You think she likes having the competition?" He saw her grit her teeth and shrugged. "So what's the thing you were talking about? You said I could help."

"Just make sure that none of the normal citizens are hurt so I can focus on beating the monsters. But don't hurt the monsters! Don't even touch them! Just gently move the citizens out of the way! Gently!" Noriko could see the large figures of monsters moving in the distance, tearing into buildings and roaring at their human occupants. Damn it! I'm just lucky no other heroes have come yet! What's going to happen if they do?! What if Mumen Rider showed up? Or another Class C hero? Or Genos?! I know that Genos would never be able to resist something like this! It could cost Koneko her life! If he does that…if he shows up and tries to do this himself…I'll never forgive him!

The two reached the street where the new set of monsters were attacking. These new ones were less human in appearance than any of the previous ones. They were blobs of flesh tone and multiple limbs all moving at once. They were at least four times taller than Noriko and towered over the catgirl, all growling and seeming to quiver in delight at the arrival of fresh prey. At her side, Saitama glanced around for innocent bystanders to help. "Hey, so if they start to kill you, you really just want me to stand there?"

She unsheathed a knife from her calf, tucked beneath the leg of her baggy pants. "Saitama. If I start to die, I want you to take my phone and go to the address in the most recent text message. That's where she's keeping Koneko. If I die, I want you to protect my daughter."