Saitama was content with the fact that he managed to garner the kid's trust, well, at least a quarter of it. What he wasn't content with, however, was the fact that he had no idea what to do.

He hasn't slept for the past few hours, and it felt like his eyelids were swelling like a popping baloon. Geez, and here he thought that being the receiving end of the public's negative opinions were one of the worst things that has ever happened to him, but it looks like the universe has other things in mind for him.

Genos was trying his best, of course. So did he. But it didn't occur to him that neither he, Genos, or the entire fucking world to be precise, had any prior experience with something as scarcely proven as the multiverse.

Shit.

Why was he inclined to help him without even crosschecking what he was going to involve himself with? Him and his impenetrable, rock solid, thick barried head decided that it was a good idea to make a promise that he wasn't even sure he can keep.

It was what landed him in this profession in the first place. His instinct as a hero.

That ball-chinned kid, and now a brat from another dimension.

"G- Genos," Saitama was physically shaking, sweat swimming down his cheeks as he pointed at Miles, who was still sleeping on the futon, "What are we going to do about him?"

"Perhaps we should contact an expert."

"Like who, exactly?" Saitama asked again, "You ruled out all of the possible candidates that I suggested yesterday!"

"My pessimism overtook me, but now that I know that the brat's shortcomings are somewhat legitimate, then I may have connections that might be able to help us." Genos replied, keeping his eyes fixated on the sleeping Miles, his visor still recording his heartbeat.

Saitama rubbed his forehead, "Can they even be considered as an expert on this multiverse thing if the theory isn't proven yet?"

"Actually, it has been proven."

"What?" Saitama's eyes narrowed, "My ears might be clogged, but I remember you saying the opposite yesterday."

"It was-"

Knowing what he was going to say, he interjected, "-Your pessimistic nature taking over." Saitama finished for him.

Genos nodded, "Sensei, remember when you held an exact replica of the core that powers my body?"

"The one that I found right after my fight with...Gojo?" Saitama said, oblivious to the name of the adversary that he previously fought, "Are you saying that thing came from another dimension?"

"Technically speaking, correct." Genos nodded, "An alternate dimension where everything from then took a different course from how it's supposed to happen. "

"So why'd it end up being on my hand, of all places?"

"You are the central point of said phenomenon." Genos explained, "Though, as you said, you have no recollection of such a thing."

"Genos," Something dawned on him as he continued, "Did you die?"

"Hm?"

"There's no doubting it," Saitama's voice came firm, "You died."

"...yes."

"Oh." Saitama's expression dropped, "And somehow, I managed to reverse everything back to where it started. You..you were going to die." He inferred, clasping both his hands as his sunken eyes gazed on the floor, "You said you have this memory stored inside of your head, right?"

"Yes, Sensei."

"I'm going to have a look at it once we figure out what to do." Saitama said in a slightly demanding tone.

"Going to look at what?" Miles's sudden presence startled the both of them.

Saitama took the initiative to be the first one to respond, "Oh, you know, it's bargain day today. I know better than to miss it all over again."

"Oh, okay." Miles stretched both of his arms as he said, "I hit the sack longer than I thought. What time is it..?"

"You're too early." Saitama deadpanned, "It's five in the morning."

"FIVE?! I only slept for like, five hours? It feels like I've been sleeping for ten!" Miles squinted his eyes and looked at Saitama, "Wait, does that mean you guys have been staying up late?"

Saitama responded, "Definitely no-"

"We haven't slept, on the contrary." Genos spoke over his Sensei, earning an unamused glare from him.

Miles stared at them both ludicrously, "I appreciate your eagerness to help me out, but you shouldn't be staying up late like that."

"Merely an inconvenience." Genos assured, "I am a cyborg, though I can't speak for Sensei."

"Oh? I'm totally fine." Saitama waved nonchalantly, "Ha, ha, what are you talking about? Sleep? I- it's not like I need them anyway."

Spoiler alert, he definitely fucking needs it. Especially after all the headache that this shit had put him through.

"Sensei, even without my visor, I can still see that you're exhausted." Genos pointed out, "I told you to sleep and let me worry about this for the rest of the night."

"It's fine Genos," Saitama stretched his legs wide into two different directions, "A kick the moon couldn't do me in. A few hours without a shut-eye is comparatively nothing." He rocked the dust off of his pants, as he leaned against the wall.

"If that's what you believe, Sensei.." Genos sighed.

Before they could converse even further, however, a knock could be heard from outside of the door. A muffled voice is audible enough that Saitama could make some of the words out to be along the lines of..

Caped Baldy-

"Right, right, right, I'll get that in a sec." Saitama said, not willing to listen to someone who's referring to him by his hero name.

As he twisted the doorknob and pulled it...

"The hell do you want-" Wait a minute.

"Aren't you one of the workers from the HA headquarters."

"Precisely," The man peeked inside for a little, "We're here for a few questions. Please, step outside."

"What for?"

"We're inquiring you regarding the whereabouts of a certain child." The worker said, "Said to be a threat of some sort."

"A child?" Saitama raised his brow. He didn't get what-

It then clicked into him. His eyes shifted to his back. No. That couldn't be it. He should probably just indulge them for a bit.

As he took a step outside, the door was closed, and when he was at the front door of the apartment...

A multitude of heroes, notably the S class ones, are standing in front of him, as if they were anticipating someone, along with...

The guy with the wrinkly nose and white hair. Snitch, was it? Nah, he probably got the name wrong.

"Uh, you guys really used up all that spare time just to gather together in front of my apartment. That's kinda creepy." Saitama bluntly stated.

Sitch took a step forward, and showed him a picture of someone.

A certain someone that is eerily similar to the kid that was residing inside of his apartment. Wait.

What?

"Caped Baldy, Class A Hero," Sitch began, taking a straight stance, "Are we accurate to assume that you had encountered the child as shown in this picture?"

"Uh, no?"

"Your deceit will not work on us, Caped Baldy of the Class A." A man with an eloquent, turquoise hair came forward, sporting a tight black suit, "Further escalation will result in dire consequences."

"I told you guys, he's not here, whoever that is." Saitama replied, "Now would you mind if you just scram? It's getting a bit crowded here. I prefer the quiet and peaceful view."

Sitch then pressed into the matter even more, "Someone by the name of Miguel, whom, as we know it, came from another dimension, informed us of an anomaly that entered the threshold of our dimension without warning. His existence in this universe as we speak are tearing apart the fabric of the multiverse. Mister Saitama," He approached the bald hero with the clear intent to intimidate, "Need I remind you that I have the power to revoke your status as a pro-hero, along with the necessary influence to turn the court of public opinion against you? Your preceding reputation doesn't hold you in high regard as of now, why risk it? Hand over the child, and we'll be willing to overlook this." As he finished, a penumbra was cast all over Saitama's eyes.

He stood still, clenching both his hands into a tightened fist.


...


"W- wait," Miles was taken aback by their sudden visit, "They're looking for me?!"

How did they know about him?! Toppled with the fact that Miguel already reached this universe and asked the local authorities to locate him?

"You shouldn't do anything rash," Genos warned, "Sensei will handle it, as he always does."

"But..I don't think he can take on all those-"

"He can." Genos reaffirmed, putting his undisputable faith in his Master's strength.

He would've inclined to believe that, if the sheer number of the heroes standing in front of their apartment weren't so alarming. Could he take them on? Is he willing to put his life on the line just for the sake of a kid that he just met yesterday?

He reluctantly tried to step out into the balcony, but Genos held him back from doing so.

"What are you doing?" Genos demanded.

"I- I'm sure I can talk them out of it!" Miles replied.

"The least you can do is to stay put and leave it to us." Genos reprimanded, "Nothing you say will convince them. I know how they operate."

Miles kept his mouth shut, but something inside him, something dormant, told him to not let this happen. Spider-Man doesn't let bad things happen, regardless if they're someone that he knew personally or not.

He's...

He's definitely not going to let this happen.

Without the viable time to react, Miles jumped through the balcony faster than Genos could comprehend. He tried to grip into his hand, of course, but it barely made a contact, slipping as Miles dropped into the front of the Apartment.


...


Miles landed in front of Saitama, "You guys are looking for me right?" He took a step forward, offering his hand to be cuffed, "Here, I'll-"

Before he can proceed, he could feel a hand pulling him away from his initial spot, and, he could feel something wrapping itself around his shoulder.

"He's staying." Saitama's decision was final, "Anyone who has a problem with it," Saitama gave them a daring look, before finishing with a sentence that challenged the heroes that were standing there,

"...gets punched."