Golden Ball was making his way through the halls of the Hero Association Hospital. He had recieved a call that Spring Mustachio and the other heroes admitted there had finally woken up and wanted to speak to him.
"Let's see." he muttered to himself as he looked for the right room. He found it just as Twin Tail opened the door.
"They're you are." she said as she gestured for him to step inside. "They're inside, waiting to hear the story."
"Glad you made it." he said with a grateful smile as he walked in and looked around, eyeing the injured Class-A heroes lying in their beds.
"Good to see you, Golden Ball." Spring Mustachio greeted from his bed, parts of him wrapped in bandages. "And you too, Twin Tail."
"Hey Spring. Hey everybody." GB said with a wave. "How you all feeling? Aside from the obvious, anyway."
"Healing. Slowly." Heavy Kong answered. "We'd be out by now, but the Hero Association wants us to take it easy."
"Can you blame them? The Hero Association send in nine Class-A heroes to capture one monster, only to have over thirty heroes end up here." Stinger spoke up.
"Speaking of that one monster." Spring said, his serious gaze at Golden Ball and Twin Tail. "I assume that you both will be giving us an explanation as to exactly what happened after we were all brought here?"
"And what about that message you had the doctor pass on to us when we woke up? That whole 'Don't tell the Hero Association anything' bit?" Lightning Max spoke up. Twin Tail and Golden Ball looked at each other before GB sighed and rubbed his head.
"Well, it's a long story, and you're gonna think we're crazy." he said before he and Twin Tail began to explain what they had heard.
-Meanwhile-
In another room inside the Hero Association Hospital, the Blizzard Group had gathered inside another room for a private chat. Though they were still a little injured, their wounds had healed enough that moving around wasn't a problem, nor life threatening.
"Is there something you wanted to talk to us about, Miss Blizzard?" Lily asked.
"Yes. I wanted to talk to you all about what had happened inside the abandoned district." she said.
"I've been wondering about that." Eyelashes spoke up. "When we came to, we were told not to say anything to anyone about what we saw."
"All I remember was that bounty hunter fighting that mouse monster before I got blindsided by another monster." Mountain Ape groaned as he rubbed his head. "But unless I was seeing things, it looked like that bounty hunter was a monster too."
"You're crazy. That can't be. Right, Miss Blizzard?" Piko chuckled. He slowly stopped when she stared at them all. "Uh...Miss Blizzard?"
"You weren't seeing things." she answered. "The bounty hunter was indeed a monster."
"EEEEEHHH?!" was the general reaction from entire group.
"No way!"
"Are you serious, Miss Blizzard?!"
"Why would a monster go around hunting bounties?!"
"Quiet!" Fubuki snapped, silencing them. "There's a reason for that, and much more."
-Class-A Heroes-
Golden Ball and Twin Tail were winding down from their story to the other Class-A heroes. Learning about Saitama, the monsters, how they helped them from Vacuuma, and how they all came to be there.
"So a majority of the monsters we encountered were beaten by Saitama, and now they're so afraid of him that they've completely given up on doing anything bad to humanity and our society?" Spring Mustachio summed up.
"That's the long and short of it." Golden Ball confirmed. "Trust me, I'm still trying to wrap my head around it."
"I sensed no deceit in their explanations, so what they've told us was true." Twin Tail said. "And lest we forget how they saved us from being devoured by that one monster called Vacuuma."
The other heroes couldn't deny that the monsters had indeed helped some of them when Vacuuma tried to kill them all. Still, there were some who didn't like any of this at all.
"Even so, you wish for us to give these monsters a pass? What if this is all a trick?" Heavy Kong asked with a glare.
"He's right. Besides, we don't know anything about this Saitama guy. Could just be some kind of plan." Lightning Max added.
"All of us were thinking that as well. However, if that were so, then why help any of us at all? Why not finish us all off then and there?" Golden Ball asked. The two heroes scowled but kept silent, unable to think of any rebuttal. "I'm not asking you all to trust then, but to keep quiet about them...for now."
"If keeping silent is the price their asking for saving my life when I couldn't defend it myself, then my lips are sealed." Spring Mustachio answered.
"Fine by me. Though I will be keeping an eye out on City-Z more often now." Stinger spoke up.
"Sure. But the moment they do something, I'm heading straight to the executives about this." Lightning Max declared, with Heavy Kong agreeing.
"Thank you." Twin Tail said. With a quick goodbye, the two heroes left to let the injured rest.
-Blizzard Group-
"KEEP IT A SECRET?!" the Blizzard Group roared at their leader.
"Yes." Fubuki answered after digging her finger out of her ear. "And keep your voices down. You want everyone in the city to hear you?"
"Miss Blizzard, that's insane!" Eyelashes continued in a more subdued tone. "There's a nest of powerful monsters right under our noses, and you want to keep their location a secret?!"
"Yes. And for a few good reasons." she said.
"What reasons could you possibly have that justifies withholding information of not only a large group of insanely strong monsters, but also the fact that other heroes are in on this as well?!" Mountain Ape demanded.
"First off, I owe my life to Saitama. If not for him, I'd not only be dead, but my power would've been used against the others, which may have resulted in everyone present to be devoured by the monster I told you about." she began. "And that includes all of you."
The Blizzard Group was silent at this. She had spoken of how the monsters had helped them, but hearing that they were all alive because of them and Saitama was still shocking.
"The second reason: He may be in Class-B, but his strength is far above. Possibly on par with those in the upper ranks of Class-A, or possibly even Class-S." she continued.
"If that's true, then why would he be in Class-B in the first place?" one of the members asked.
"From what I gathered, he aced the physical, but got a bad score on the written exam, and was put at the bottom of Class-C. He got to where he is now by doing hero work." Fubuki explained before smiling. "Which brings me to my final reason. I'm going to do everything I can to get that man into the Blizzard Group, along with everyone following him."
"Wait a second! You want to add those monsters to our group?!"
"Isn't that a little much?!"
"What about the Hero Association?! What happens if they find out?!"
"A few of the monsters have been wandering about in disguise and haven't done a thing to humanity, minus the one who's gotten into bounty hunting. And the other heroes have all agreed to keep a lid on this whole affair." she explained. "So unless any of you tell them, they won't figure it out."
The rest of the Blizzard Group didn't like this, but they respected their leader enough to go along with her request.
"Very well, Miss Blizzard." Eyelashes nodded before turning to the others. "You heard our leader! We keep this a secret!"
"Right!" the rest all agreed, earning a smile from Fubuki.
'Just you wait, Saitama.' she thought as her mind wandered back to that day, remembering what she'd seen him do.
Saving her from Vacuuma.
Having all those strong monsters obey without question.
Having a fellow Class-B and strong Class-S hero as disciples.
That serious look he gave her before destroying the monster.
Her face lit up a little at that last thought.
'You will be mine! And then...'
Her smile faded into a scowl as she thought back to another encounter she had that day.
The one who made it so she could never be first in anything.
-Flashback-
The heroes were all heading for the exit of the abandoned zone after having their chat with Saitama and the monsters, many of which were ready to head for the Hero Association Hospital.
"I wonder how the others are gonna take all this." Golden Ball thought out loud, his mind on the other heroes that were already sent ahead.
"Probably not so well. It'll be a miracle to get them to not say anything to the Hero Association, or other heroes besides us." Shadow Ring sighed.
"HEY!"
Everyone stopped at the sound of someone shouting and looked around for a moment. They turned towards Fubuki when they heard her gasp and saw her staring towards the sky, a look of panic on her face. They all followed her gaze before feeling terror at the sight of a certain woman floating above them.
"...Speaking of other heroes." Twin Tail muttered, sweat forming on her forehead.
"Oh shit!"
"It's Tornado!"
"What's she doing here?!"
"It's me." Fubuki muttered.
Everyone turned to Fubuki, who had gone pale at this point.
"She's always been able to tell whenever I'm in danger or injured. She must've felt when I was about to be devoured." she explained as her sister lowered herself until she was standing in front of her, arms crossed and glare in place.
"Uh-" Shadow Ring started before clamming up when Tatsumaki shot her a glare, silently telling her and everyone else to shut it. Nobody said anything as all but Fubuki and Tank-Top Master quickly walked away. A few even began sprinting when they felt it was safe enough to do so.
"Well? What happened?" Tatsumaki snapped, making Fubuki flinch.
"I...uh..." Fubuki croaked out, scared out of her wits and sweating profusely. She knew that if she spoke about what had just happened, her sister would not only flatten the Ghost Town and everyone in it, but she'd finally make good on her word to make her quit being a hero and so much more.
"What were you doing out here?! Don't you know a Dragon Level threat is rumored to be in the City-Z Ghost Town?! Don't tell me you and your little group of nobodies tried to fight it!" Tatsumaki ranted, which only served to keep Fubuki's tongue glued to the top of her mouth.
"Actually, they weren't."
Tatsumaki turned her gaze to Tank-Top Master, who was calm despite the fact that he could set her off.
"They came here to try and recruit a bounty hunter that lives out here." he explained, remembering why Fubuki had come out here for.
"Y-Yes! That's right!" Fubuki finally got out, glad to have an answer to give thanks to Tank-Top Master.
"Oh yeah? And what about your group and that squad of Class-A morons?" she demanded. "And before you say anything, I know that a few of them were flown out towards the hospital along with Fubuki's dumb friends."
"They were looking for Vaccine Woman on orders from the Hero Association to capture her before she could regain her strength. As for me and the Tank-Toppers, we came to meet a hero that's been at the center of some rumors. Turns out, his strength is legit. Hard to deny when he destroyed the monster we were all fighting in just one strike." he explained.
Tatsumaki merely raised an eyebrow at him, completely missing the panicked look on Fubuki's face.
'What are you doing?! She doesn't need to know about him! What if she goes back there and finds everyone?!' the younger esper mentally screamed.
"Tch. What kind of dumbasses live in a zone infested with monsters?" Tatsumaki scoffed.
"Those who are strong enough that the monsters inside are nothing to them." he said.
Tatsumaki stared at him before sighing and shaking her head.
"That tank-top is too tight around your neck." she groaned before taking to the skies, her sister following thanks to her pulling her along with her power.
-Present-
'I'm glad Tornado decided not to visit Saitama. She'd have leveled everything for miles.' Fubuki thought, her fist clenching. 'I need to work fast to get him into my group!' She blinked before taking out her phone and dialing a number.
"Hero Association Headquarters." came a voice on the other end.
"This is Blizzard of Hell. Can you connect me to Minister of Justice Officer Sitch please." she requested.
"One moment." they responded. A short wait later and another man picked up the phone.
"This is Sitch. You wanted to speak to me, Blizzard?" he asked.
"I simply wanted an update on how everything is. The cities okay? No monster attacks or anything special happening?" she asked.
"Uh...no. Nothing special. All is calm across the cities." he answered in a confused tone.
"That's all I wanted to know. Thank you." she said with a smile before hanging up.
-Sitch-
"What was that about?" Sitch asked as he stared at his phone before putting his phone away. "Probably looking for something to take her mind off of her group being stuck in the hospital." He brows furrowed in thought as his mind wandered back to the incident report. "So many heroes went into the City-Z Ghost Town. The group of Class-A heroes that went in on our orders, plus Tank-Top Master, Blizzard of Hell, and both their followers. None dead, but many injured. All opposition taken care of, and no sign of Vaccine Woman." He sighed as he rubbed his temples. "That area keeps getting more mysterious and terrifying with each passing day."
"S-SITCH!"
Sitch nearly jumped out of his skin when another worker of the Hero Association shouted while running towards him before stopping and panting.
"P*pant*Problem! Ma-Mada*pant* Madame*pant*Shibabawa!" they wheezed out.
"Easy man! Take a few breaths first before continuing." he ordered. The man wheezed a few more times before finally speaking. And what he said made Sitch pale before giving him an order.
"CALL AN EMERGENCY MEETING! SUMMON THE CLASS-S HEROES, NOW!"
Deep in a secluded woodland sat an old a seiza style. His hair was white and he had a face full of wrinkles, wearing a black kimono with a white haori. Beside him laid a single katana, it's scabbard and grip looking well maintained and cared for.
The elderly man's eyes were closed as he meditated in silence, the only sounds around were his own breathing and that of nature. With how still he was, anyone would think that he was a statue, or even dead.
A bird gently landed on his shoulder, yet he did not move.
A squirrel jumped into his lap and began to eat an acorn, yet he did not budge.
SH-SH-SH-SHING!
Four large blades stopped just short of piercing his skull, neck, and back. Even still, the man didn't so much as twitch.
"You have no intention of defending yourself?" asked the Subterranean Queen, her body covered in armor.
"That depends. Do you have any intention of striking me?" the man pondered while still serenely enjoying the sun. Both man and monster stayed still for a few moments before the Sub Queen smiled and withdrew her swords.
"You're definitely as strong as I've heard." she said.
"And you are quite a mystery." he replied. "I've met many monsters before, thinking that an old man as I would be an easy target. Some even actively seeking me out, wishing to use me a stepping stone on the road to defeat Kamikaze."
"Ah, the Class-S hero, Atomic Samurai." Subterranean Queen nodded. "Well, I can assure you, I have no intention of fighting either of you."
The man slowly stood up and faced her, his pupil-less eyes staring up at her.
"Which begs the question. Why have you come here if not to fight?" he asked her. He waited as she placed her blades on the ground and knelt to the man, her head touching the ground.
"I've come before you, a master of the blade, to learn the way of the sword."
The elderly swordsman wondered for a moment if his mind had gone then and there after hearing her request. He kept his gaze upon her form before letting out a thoughtful grunt.
"Why would a monster ask a human for help?" he finally said. "Explain yourself."
The Subterranean Queen sat up into a kneeling position and began to tell the man the story. From her attempt to lead her people to invade the surface, to her being defeated and now serving a human, and ending in her people's death, while also making to sure to keep out the names and existence of the humans and monster she lived with inside the Ghost Town, along with the existence of the Monster Association.
"And after a recent fight with some of the monsters that have slain my people, I realize that I am in need of improvement to my skill. Thus, I have come before you." she finished.
"I see." the swordsman hummed after listening to her. 'Someone so strong as to instill such fear that monsters will abandon any attempt to attacks human. Quite impressive. And she seems to truly have good intentions.'
"Very well." he finally decided. "My name is Nichirin. I shall train you in the way of the sword."
The Subterranean Queen smiled at his words.
"However!" he began, his demeanor shifting as an intimidating aura shrouded him. "Know that I am a strict teacher! I won't show you mercy! And should I ever hear of you attacking humans or misusing my teachings, then it will be my blade that ends you! Understood?"
"Y-Yes!" she answered, a bead of sweat running down the side of her face at the pressure she felt from this human.
"Good." the man said, his menacing aura vanishing before he looked off to the side. "Now comes what may be the hardest part of training you."
She turned as well to find a multitude of men, all armed with swords, and readying them while glaring at her.
"Getting along with my other students." he finished.
"Another monster looking to take our master's life!"
"Vile creature!"
"Leave this to us, master! We'll rid you of her presence soon enough!"
"Hmm. Yes, that will be a problem." she said as she looked at them all.
"Stay your blades!" Nichirin ordered, much to the confusion of his students.
"Stay our blades?! But Master Nichirin, that's a monster!"
"I'm well aware of that." he answered. "Now cast that aside for a moment and take a good look at her."
The students all reluctantly withdrew their swords and looked at the Subterranean Queen.
"What...are we looking for, Master?" one asked after watching her, earning a sigh from their master.
."This monster's blades are set aside. Her posture is relaxed. She is not attacking, nor is she even reaching for her weapons or attempting to run away." he explained as he gestured to the Subterranean Queen.
"And...that means what now?" another asked.
"You all still have much to learn about reading others." he muttered before looking at them all. "Well, we have much to discuss. But before that, why are you all here? I told you all that I was not to be disturbed during my meditation unless it was an emergency."
"Oh, right!" a student yelped. "Something bad's happened to City-A!"
Bomb was slowly walking amongst his multitude of students as they trained to master Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist. He would occasionally stop and nudge a student to correct their posture before moving on. He slowly moved on again before stopping in place. None of his students paid him any mind as they continued to train before some realized that he wasn't moving at all after a few minutes.
"Um...Master Bomb?" one student said after finally letting their curiosity get the better of them.
"Students." Bomb said loud enough to get their attention. "Move away from me." he ordered, his expression saying that it would be wise for them to do so. Not wishing to argue with their master, they quickly moved away from him, leaving him alone.
"What's Master Bomb doing?"
"Is he going to ask one of us to fight him?"
"I don't know, but he seems a little tense."
Bomb's attention didn't move at all from where he stared out into the distance, almost as if he could see something.
"I know you're there!" he suddenly shouted. "Come out, whomever you are!"
The students just stared at their master before some of them turned in the direction he was looking, some even going back and forth a few times.
"Master? Who are you-"
Whatever the student was about to say was cut off as a figure landed before Bomb. It remained crouched before him before slowly rising to their full height, towering over the old master.
"...M...Mo...Mon..."
"MONSTER!"
The students were breaking out into either battle stances or panic attacks while both master and monster stayed perfectly still, their eyes locked and unflinching.
"This is a surprise." Bomb said, his muscles tensing as he prepared for anything that the monster was about to do. "You've been on the outskirts of my dojo watching us for the past hour."
"You knew I was there that long, huh?" the Beast Queen asked.
"Indeed. Now, what is it that you want? The lives of my students and myself?" Bomb asked with a glare.
"Neither actually. I came here for a different reason." she said with a smile. "A friend of ours said that your martial art would be perfect for me."
"I highly doubt I have a friend that would send a monster my way." Bomb scoffed.
"Even if they train under your younger brother, Bang?" she asked, earning a look of shock from Bomb. The old man just stood there for a moment before he suddenly started to laugh, confusing all of his students.
"Well now! Looks like the world's still got a few surprises for this old man!" he said between his laughter.
"Uh, Master Bomb?" one student spoke up, gaining their attention. "I think I speak for everyone here when I ask WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?! Why on earth aren't you attacking that monster?!"
"Guess you kept it a secret from your students, huh?" Beast Queen smirked.
"Indeed. Though I am surprised that you would come here at all." he replied.
"I have my reasons." was all she said. Bomb merely sighed before turning to his students, readying himself to explain the situation-
"M...Master."
-before a quiet voice cut through the area like a gunshot.
Everyone turned to see a few students approach from inside the dojo, their faces pale and etched with disbelief and horror.
"What is wrong?" Bomb asked, sensing their distress.
"...City-A..." was all they said.
Fubuki was slowly making her way towards the entrance to the City-Z Ghost Town, her mind running through many scenarios to have Saitama and everyone else under her rule. She stopped just outside of the gate and stared at it before sighing.
"I told you all to stay in the hospital." she said with a scowl as she turned to face her followers.
"And we told you, Miss Blizzard, that we wouldn't let you come back to this place on your own." Lily answered as she and the rest of the Blizzard Group stood at attention.
"And besides, we want to meet this Saitama guy as well, along with all these monsters as well." Eyelashes declared.
Fubuki stated at them for a moment before sighing and turning away.
"Honestly, you all can be stubborn." she said, though she had a small smile when she spoke. "Fine! But under no circumstances are you to engage any of them! Understood?!"
"YES MISS BLIZZARD!" they all said in unison. With that, she lead them all into the Ghost Town. It took a bit of walking but they eventually arrived at the apartment building.
"This is the place?" Mountain Ape asked as they walked up the stairs towards the correct floor.
"Indeed." Fubuki answered as they got to the right floor. She and the others all stopped when they noticed that the larger monsters were outside of Saitama's door staring in, listening intently to whatever was going on. The Blizzard Group were now nervous at the sight of such dangerous monsters, but Fubuki would not let that stop her. She approached them all and opened her mouth to speak, only to have the Deep Sea Queen place a finger to her lips, her head shaking even as her eyes never left whatever they were watching. She only glared at her before looking in to see what was going on for herself. She saw that a marority of the monsters and Captain were inside watching as the News was playing. When she saw the images and heard what it was about, she felt cold.
-Earlier, Bang's Dojo-
Saitama, Genos, and Charanko were quietly sitting to the side and observed as Bang and Midori were sparring in the middle. They watched as both master and student fought with Fist of Flowing Water Crushing Rock, with Midori struggling to keep up with Bang's form. Both fighters kept going before jumping away from each other. Bang looked completely fine while Midori looked a little scuffed up and was panting. They held their stances before they relaxed and bowed to each other.
"So, what do you both think of my martial art now? Interested in giving it a try?" Bang asked.
"Is this the cool thing you wanted to show us? A sales pitch for your dojo? Thanks, but no thanks." Saitama declined before turning to Genos. "You give it a try, Genos."
"No. I shall decline as well. What I seek is not self-defense, but total destructive power." the cyborg explained.
Charanko looked ready to blow up at them for their disrespect, but held his tongue when Midori approached.
"Something up, Midori?" Saitama asked.
"Just wondering why Genos would pass up the chance to get stronger is all." Midori said with a shrug. "After all, Master Bang is pretty powerful. Learning his martial art would give you a boost." she explained before whispering to the cyborg. "Plus, it may help you out with taking down that crazy cyborg when you find it."
Genos' eyes widened slightly before wondering if it would be a good idea to learn martial arts.
"And Saitama, you can...well...you can use it to...um..." she trailed off before shooting a look at Bang, silently telling him that she had nothing. When he merely gave a tiny shrug, she turned back and tried to come up with something. "W-Well, did you notice anything that you would like about it, or something?!"
Saitama looked up in thought for a moment before turning back to her.
"Actually, I did notice something." he said. The four other occupants wondered what he could've seen from the demonstration. Finally...
"Your attacks didn't have that weird blue glowing stuff on them." he said.
Midori sagged at that before turning to Bang and shrugging with an apologetic expression.
"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" Charanko snapped as he jumped to his feet. "Are you mocking our fighting style?! If you don't get it, then I'll show you myself! I, the top disciple Charanko, CHALLENGE YOU!"
He ran towards Saitama and Genos, fist raised to strike, only to be stopped when Genos grabbed him by the throat and hoisted him in the air.
"...I...I give!" Charanko gasped, causing Genos to drop him to the floor. Midori rolled her eyes at his actions while Genos turned to Bang.
"Is he truly your top disciple?" Genos asked the old man.
"He does have seniority." Bang answered. Midori was learning at a much faster rate, but he'd rather not pamper his students, nor pick favorites.
"I find that rather odd, considering that I had heard your dojo was once brimming with many students." Genos said.
"Really? I didn't see anyone here last time." Saitama pointed out. Bang merely sighed and turned away.
"Well, one of my students went wild. He beat my most skilled students so badly that they're all out of commision. The rest got scared and quit. Understandable, but unfortunate." he explained in a sad and weary tone. Midori gave a sad frown at seeing her master so down while Saitama stood up.
"Is he really that strong? What's his name?" Saitama asked.
"Garou." Bang answered as he remembered the young man. "Even though he was my top disciple at the time, I gave him a good beating and expelled him."
"You must pack a mean punch, old man." Saitama said with a smile.
"Hey, watch it! This is the famed hero, Silverfang!" Charanko declared after getting back up. "Class-S, Rank-3! He toys with his opponents flowing like water, then delivers a blow like a raging river smashing a boulder! A master of martial arts! You only just became a hero, that explains your ingorance! You'll regret taking Master Bang so lightly!" he boasted.
"Enough, Charanko!" Bang snapped. "Do not disgrace us anymore! Our guest Saitama is far more powerful than me!"
"It's true. I've seen it." Midori added.
"You...You're kidding, right?" Charanko asked meekly, unable to believe that Bang could be beaten by Saitama.
"MISTER SILVERFANG!"
Everyone turned to the Dojo's entrance to see a man in a suit had opened the door. He was panting hard, his glasses were askewed, and he was coated in sweat, all on account of having to run up the many flights of stairs to reach the dojo.
"I...I was sent by the Hero Association! An emergency summons has been issued to ALL Class-S heroes! Please come to Headquarters at once!" he bellowed. "Hey, wait! You're here too, Mr. Genos? Perfect! Since all of Class-S is being summoned, please come as well!"
"Has it reached threat level Dragon?" Genos asked, the mood turning serious.
"Here we go." Bang muttered heading for the exit. "Look after the dojo."
"Yes Master!" Charanko yelled.
"Is he gone?" Midori asked as she peeked out from behind Saitama, who had lifted his cape to hide her from view. When she saw that the guy had turned and started walking back down the stairs, she sighed in relief. "Thanks for that, Saitama."
"No problem." he said as he lowered his cape.
"Since all of Class-S is being summoned, they may need your help as well. Will you come too, Master?" Genos asked.
"I will! Nothing better to do!" Saitama nodded with a confident smile.
"One second." Midori suddenly said before disappearing into another room. She came back with a small box wrapped in cloth. "The lunchbox Ki made you. In case you got hungry."
"Oh yeah. Thanks for reminding me. And tell Ki thanks too." Saitama said before he and Genos left.
-Hero Association Headquarters-
Saitama, Genos, and Bang exited the car that had taken them to the Hero Association HQ and were now standing before the building.
"So this is the main Headquarters for the Hero Association?" Saitama asked.
"Correct." Genos answered.
"I must warn you, Saitama. Others in Class-S may not take to kindly to you being here since you're still a Class-B hero." Bang said, knowing how most of the others in Class-S acted.
"Not everyone."
They all turned to see Tank-Top Master approaching, a smile on his face.
"After all, you never look down on other heroes, no matter what Class they're in." he said.
"Ah, Tank-Top Master. Good to see you." Bang greeted.
"Oh yeah. Now I remember." Saitama said as he pointed at TT Master. "You're that one hero that came over with all of those other heroes before."
"Yes. It's good to see you two here as well." TT Master said as he looked at Genos and Saitama.
"What's this about?" Bang asked, causing TT Master to get on edge.
"Do not worry." Genos said, sensing TT Master's uneasiness. "Silverfang knows of the others."
"I see." TT Master sighed in relief.
"And it appears that you and your group know as well?" Bang asked.
"Yes. Quite a surprise." TT Master nodded before turning towards the building. "We shouldn't keep the others waiting. A lot of them are rather impatient."
The group of heroes travelled through the building and were a short distance from the meeting room before coming across a man dressed as a samurai.
"There you are, Silverfang." the man greeted with a smile.
"It's been awhile since we last met, Atomic Samurai." Silverfang said.
"And I see Tank-Top Master's with you too. And this is the new boy, Genos. And...wait, who are you?" the man wondered aloud when he noticed Saitama amongst them.
"This is the Class-B Hero, Saitama. His great talents will place him amongst the top of Class-S one day, so we asked him to come along." Silverfang explained.
"Hey there, middle-aged hero dude. Nice to meet ya." Saitama greeted as he held his hand out, only for Atomic Samurai to swat it away.
"No handshake for you. I only acknowledge the strong. But someday, once you've climbed up to Class-S, I'll greet you properly." he said before walking away. "Besides, I'm not middle-age yet. I'm only 37 years old."
'37 isn't middle-aged? I had no idea.' Saitama thought before noticing a little girl standing off to the side and glaring at him. "What's a kid doing here?" he asked.
"That is Tornado, Class-S Rank 2. She is an Esper that fights monsters with her telekinetic powers." Genos explained.
"Is that so? Well, why is she glaring at me?" he asked.
"Honestly, I don't know." Tank-Top Master answered as he looked at her. 'Normally she'd be insulting us by now. Especially Saitama since he's in Class-B.'
They were right. She did want to yell at Saitama, wondering why a Class-B nobody would come to a Class-S meeting. Especially with the day she's had.
First she gets a call telling her to fight a Dragon Level threat that's about to wake up. Then when she gets there, she gets another call telling her come back immediately. Then the monster, Ancient King or whatever his name was, calls her a runt, tries to step on her, and boasts that only a meteor could stop him, which she decided to do after plucking one from space and smashing it into him. And then, when she finally gets back, she's kept waiting for over two hours with nobody telling her why!
All that together with Saitama showing up just really got on her nerves.
The reason why she hasn't started yelling yet? Simple.
'I don't know this Class-B Baldy is, but I feel like I know him. But how? I've never met him. I'd definitely remember someone with a goofy-ass face like that.' she thought. She decided to put all that aside for now. Her glare intensified as she opened her mouth to chew the bald hero out-
Growllll~
She really hoped she wasn't blushing as her stomach growled.
"Stupid assholes making me skip breakfast to kill a monster." she grumbled. She blinked when she noticed Saitama was now standing before her, his bento being held up to her.
"You sound like you're hungry. Here." he offered with a smile. She blinked at the box he was offering, miss the looks the other Class-S heroes nearby had. She narrowed her eyes at him, wondering why he was being nice to her.
'Probably just trying to get cozy with us Class-S heroes.' she thought before her stomach growled again. She grit her teeth before taking it, muttering out an annoyed "Thanks." before floating off towards the meeting room.
"...Wow." Tank-Top Master uttered after a long silence.
"Indeed. By now she'd be screaming her head off." Bang mused.
"We should join the others." was all Genos said before all of them left to do just that.
Gathered in a meeting room were a group of assorted heroes, each one known throughout the entire world by both man and monster alike.
Heroes of Classes C, B, and A wish to one day join their ranks.
Monsters quake in fear at the thought of fighting them.
Civilians young and old revere and practically worship them.
They were the top heroes of the Hero Association.
They are...Class-S!
The big boss of Smelly Lid Prison!
Class-S Rank 17: Puri Puri Prisoner!
'Maybe this will be my chance to get closer to the Genos.' thought the homosexual hero.
The young cyborg who fights for justice!
Class-S Rank 16: Genos!
'It must be serious. Almost all of Class-S is here.' he thought as he eyed the other heroes.
The hero who's fighting spirit keeps him going!
Class-S Rank 15: Metal Bat!
"Demon or Dragon! Whatever, bring 'em on!" the young hero said.
The man who draws his power from the tank-top!
Class-S Rank 14: Tank-Top Master!
'If Silverfang is alright about the monsters in City-Z, then what about the other heroes?Though, some heroes like Metal Knight may just attack on the spot. I'll discuss it with Saitama and his friends later.'
The fastest man alive!
Class-S Rank 13: Flashy Flash!
The ninja said nothing as he awaited the meeting to begin.
The man who dresses in a dog suit, but fights like a monster!
Class-S Rank 12: Watchdog Man!
'Somebody here just farted.' he thought as he sniffed the air.
The man who's muscles shine day or night!
Class-S Rank 11: Superalloy Darkshine!
'They're all checking out my guns! Yeah!'
The hero who sees monsters as his next meal!
Class-S Rank 10: Pig God!
Pig God munched on another burger with his mouth open.
The hero who fights in many ways thanks to their tactical transformations!
Class-S Rank 9: Drive Knight!
Drive Knight's one eye silently looked around the room.
The hero that lives no matter how you kill her!
Class-S Rank 8: Zombiewoman!
'Nobody here looks particularly enthusiastic.' she thought before staring at Pig God. 'And does that pig ever stop eating?'
The hero that they call the Strongest Man on Earth!
Class-S Rank 7: King!
The man said nothing as he sat in his seat, his heartbeat audible in the quiet room.
The hero who fights with an unknown army of robots and weaponry!
Class-S Rank 6: Metal Knight!
(Absent)
The genious prodigy and youngest hero!
Class-S Rank 5: Child Emperor!
'Rank 1's a no-show again? I was hoping to meet him.' thought the child hero as he licked his lollipop.
The hero said to be the greatest swordsman alive!
Class-S Rank 4: Atomic Samurai!
'I still don't get it. Is Silverfang going to take those youngsters on as students?'
The hero said to be the greatest treasure in the Martial Arts World!
Class-S Rank 3: Silverfang!
"So, why have we all been gathered here?"
The hero said to be the strongest Esper in the world!
Class-S Rank 2: Tornado of Terror!
"Who really cares anyway?" she asked after swallowing some of her own food. "I had to drop everything I was doing and was kept waiting for over two hours!"
The hero that stands atop the Hero World!
Class-S Rank 1: Blast!
(Absent)
And joining them all is the man who became a hero for fun.
Class-B Rank 63: Saitama.
"Can I have some tea?"
"Huh?" most of others said as they gave him a confused look, most of them not recognizing him. They didn't have time to ask or wonder why he was crashing their meeting since the doors opened for three others.
"My apologies. I was delayed." said Sitch as he, the Bearded Worker, and the Bespectacled Worker walked in. "We do not know the whereabouts of Metal Knight or Blast, nor can we reach them at this time. Since we cannot wait for either of them, we shall begin the emergency meeting.
"My name is Sitch. I represent the Association and will be briefing you. Now let's get down to brass tacks. You heroes are the best of the best, the top of your class. And now." he began before slamming his hands onto the computerized meeting table. "We're asking you to rise to the occassion and save the earth!" He then began to look at Class-S heroes one-by-one as he continued. "However, I must warn you that even with your Class-S skills, you may still perish. Walking away also takes courage. Anyone wishing to do so now will retain their Class-S status. But those who choose to stay will not be allowed to walk away from this briefing. You will be confined here until we're certain that the incident is over, in order to avoid a general panic. Alright, are all of you willing to hear this?" Sitch asked them all.
"Look bud!" Metal Bat spoke up. "Whatever's going on better be worth calling us all here! I skipped out on my little sister's piano recital. She'll be crushed! If it's a total load of crap." He then gave Sitch a very dark look and finishing in a low tone. "Then I'm gonna tear this whole building apart!"
"Hmph. Like you can do that with that skinny stick of yours." Tatsumaki scoffed.
"YEAH?! HOW 'BOUT I BUST YOUR HEAD OPEN INSTEAD?!"
"If you think you can do it, THEN BRING IT ON! STUPID PILLBUG HEAD!"
"WHAT'D YOU SAY?!"
"Just get on with it already. Otherwise, Mr. Pompadour over here is going to die." Flashy Flash sighed out, hoping that the two immature heroes would cease.
"Hey Bobby Pin, you siding with the girls now?! What's your problem?!" Metal Bat demanded.
"The great seer known as Madame Shibabawa is dead!" Sitch declared, shocking them all and gaining their attention.
"Wait! Madame Shibabawa?! Was she murdered?!" Zombiewoman asked.
"No." the Bespectacled Worker answered. "While looking into the future for the next six months, she became agitated and had a bad coughing fit. She popped a cough drop into her mouth to ease her discomfort and ,unfortunately, ended up choking on it."
"I get it!" Darkshine spoke up with a confident smile. "So we have to figure out some way to prevent disasters without the use of predictions. That's why we were all called here."
"Incorrect." Sitch denied before stating that Madame Shibabawa had only predicted a handful of disasters over the years.
"Excuse me." Saitama called out to Puri-Puri Prisoner. "Hey, you there!" he called out just a bit louder, gaining his attention. "Who's this Shibabawa? A hero?"
"You haven't heard of her?" PPP asked in surprise. "She's a Seer. A great one at that. She correctly predicted earthquakes and monster attacks." he explained before both of them turned to hear the Bearded Worker speak.
"We've gotten through many crisis without Madame Shibabawa's predictions. Still, we provided her with a bodyguard and gave her special treatment for her services." he explained.
"Indeed. And that was because her few predictions were 100% accurate. The crux of the problem is this." Sitch said as he pulled a folded piece of paper from inside his suit. "I hold within my hand her last and perhaps greatest prophecy. As she was choking for her last breaths, she managed to leave this note. It is a grave prediction that will absolutely come to pass!" They all watched him place the note on the table, letting it scan the note before a hologram of it appeared before them all. "Here it is. Can you read it?"
THE EARTH IS IN TROUBLE!
A few heroes repeated the words written on the note before one spoke up for them all.
"Are you kidding?! That is so dumb!" Child Emperor whined. "Can I go now? I have Cram School!"
"I know that you're a prodigy, Child Emperor, but if you cannot grasp the severity of the catastrophic situation presented before you today, it only shows how immature you are." Sitch scolded.
"What'd you say?!" Child Emperor snapped.
"Now calm down. Everyone relax." Sitch said, raising his hand in hopes of keeping them from getting riled up. "Madame Shibabawa's predictions are 100% accurate! She's miraculously predicted numerous tragedies and disasters in the past. While many were saved, a few of them resulted in the loss of countless lives. But not once in all of her predictions has Madame Shibabawa used a word with the same weight as 'trouble.' Something more dangerous that a Dragon Level cataclysm or monster is on it's way. Of that, we can be sure! And it will occur! Sometime in the next six months!" Sitch finished, his face showing panic as sweat appeared.
The heroes were all quiet as they let his words sink in, the only other sound being King's heartbeat.
"Okaaay, but does that mean you have no idea when in the next six months?" Watchdog Man asked.
"Yeah. Kind of hard to plan for that." Flashy Flash added.
"Yes. You're observations are correct. However, I want you all to be ready for a fight in the next six months! Is that understood?!" Sitch stated.
"In the next six months." Saitama began, gaining everyone's attention. "Means that it could be tomorrow, or even today."
"Uh, yes. That's true. Who are you anway?" Sitch asked, having only now realized that Saitama was there.
Saitama gave them a confident smile as he said. "It's a good thing that I came."
BOOM!
Said smile quickly changed to one of shock as the building began to shake from an explosion, with similar ones following the first.
"The building is under attack!" Genos stated.
"Wait, that's impossible! This is the Hero Association Headquarters!" Superalloy Darkshine shouted in disbelief.
-Outside-
People were staring up in panic as a group of winged monsters were flying above the city, with one of them shooting a fireball at the Hero Association Headquarters. It struck the buidling, but left no damage, causing the monster to laugh.
"That's quite the formidable fortress, to be sure!" he said with a grin. "Time to attack! Hawk! Eagle! Falcon! Kite! Wipe out these so called 'heroes' and the land below will belong to us! We will dive in head first! Follow me, the Sky King! FLY!" the monster ordered before zooming towards the building.
"...father...above us..."
The Sky King suddenly stopped, his wings not even flapping to keep him aloft.
"...fly...away..." his children begged as they sliced up bodies fell to the earth.
"The Sky King killed like some worthless little insect. Who...could've..." he gasped out before his body split in half, the pieces following his dead children, leaving the strange five headed creature alone in the sky.
"What was that?"
"Who knows?"
"It flew, so we killed it."
"That is good."
"Duty. To protect the ship."
The ship in question was the massive huge flying craft looming far above the city. It's underside suddenly began to light up, surprising the creature.
KABOOOOOM!
Didn't stop it's five heads from smiling when the ship attacked, blowing all of City-A to pieces.
A/N: I know that the Class-S meeting was 95% canon, but there honestly wasn't much to change.
