The black-haired beauty continued to smile demurely at him as she poured him another cup of tea.

"Thank you," he said, accepting it with a weak smile, his stomach and bladder feeling queasy at the sight of the green liquid swirling innocently within the porcelain cup.

He took a swig.

A dozen different mouths did the same, surrounding him from both sides.

"More, my lord?"

Sweat trickled down his shining scalp at the demure beauty's offer, the woman's entire focus upon him even if her eyes were closed and even—

"Grr…"

Even as the golden-haired chocolate skinned woman seated next to him kept glaring daggers at the beauty sitting opposite from him.

Sensing the tension in the air and with his bladder threatening mutiny if he so much as grasped another cup, he decided.

With an explosive motion he jumped to his feet.

"Eek!"

Making his white Haori draped over his shoulders flutter, and causing a few of the idiots surrounding him to fall on their backs.

"M-My lord?" the demure beauty asked, tone hurt as her eyes flew open and even the black-braid cascading down the front of her chest seemed to lose its luster.

On the other hand, the blonde beauty by his side? The smug radiating from his second stalker and her shark-like teeth could've probably powered his old house's generator for a year.

Still, he wanted no part in whatever was going on between those two.

"Something requires my attention," he offered instead. Gazing at the distance.

"B-but I don't sense anything…"

Shit!

A bead of sweat traveled down his back.

"I-its faint," he offered instead with a serious nod and by his side, his self-proclaimed aide cackled.

"Hah! So you reveal your true colors at last! You dare question our lord's words?"

"Hold your tongue, you abomination," the black-haired beauty hissed, eyes narrowing into a glare.

Nope!

"The tea was lovely my dear," he said and at his words the demure woman blinked, her face blossoming into a radiant smile while by his side, the blonde aide seemed to wilt.

Shit!

Wrong choice of words, but…that was a problem for future him.

"But I need to go, now!" he said and his leg muscles tensed.

"W-wait, my l-lord," his aide tried with a sniffle.

He jumped, breaking through the structures' thin shoddy walls, sailing through the sky, relishing in his temporary freedom.

"My l-lord! Y-your sword…"

The voice of his aide growing smaller and smaller as the woman rushing after him failed to keep up.

He didn't know quite where he was.

In fact, for some time, ever since he'd woken in this realm, Genos hadn't even known his name.

And yet, even without his memories or name?

Stranded in a place he knew nothing about?

The blond still had done, nay, still did and even now tried to do what anyone with a heart filled with justice would.

Namely, try his best to render aid to anyone in need of it.

For that was what a hero should do.

And even if the monsters infesting this place, both human and not, were not what he'd been used to. Or the fact that his body was, for the most part, composed of flesh once more?

That didn't stop him.

Still.

"Mwahaha!"

"M-mister, r-run!"

Spitting a globule of blood and falling to one knee, he glared at the monster in humanoid form, the man garbed in tattered cloaks that belied his strength as he hefted the form of a small young girl to the air with one arm.

Genos' grip around the handle of his blade tightened, and yet, despite his wishes, his body refused to obey and stand, the remnants of his robotic systems coupled with his once again flesh and blood body sending intermixed signals of pain and errors.

Both of which he ignored as with a growl, the blond overruled, at last, his vessel and rose on uncertain feet, his blade sliding free from the damp earth and singing through the air as he pointed the tip of his broadsword at the cackling villain.

"Bwahaha! Y-You still intend to fight?" the man with a hole in his chest all but bent backwards, arching his back as he continued to laugh, one arm still holding one of the village's last survivors while the other rose until he clasped his forehead. "This is amusing! Most amusing! I was thinking of killing you last, but now…" the man's cackles tapered down as he stood straight once more, even if one or two still escaped his mouth as he shook his head.

"Perhaps it would be better to actually let you live, so that you can comprehend the magnitude of your failure, boyo~"

Genos' eyes fell on that of the terrified girl, and he made his mind up.

His scowl deepened, and his blade glinted.

"This might be it, partner."

Eyes fixed on the monster, Genos still inclined his head apologetically towards his blade.

"I know, and I apologize we had so little time together, but—"

The answer came in the form of a snort.

"You have nothing to apologize for, its merely bad luck that we seem to stumble into strong opponent after strong opponent…"

And wasn't that the truth, both in his time amongst the living and now?

Still, such was life.

"Your offer is most gracious," Genos spat at last.

"Oho?"

"But I'm afraid I have to refuse."

"Hmf! And who said you had a choice in the matter, brat?"

"Nobody. But, you see…"

Within the center of his chest and the center of his blade both, a tiny sun seemed to burst into existence.

"Neither of us will be alive for your plans to matter!" and with that, a pained roar escaped his mouth as the spheres of power grew and winds of pressure buffeted their surroundings.

"What's this…" the creature muttered, his hand holding the girl unconsciously slipping open against Genos' barrage of power.

"Eek!"

Causing the girl to land on her butt and quickly scamper to her feet, and with one last glance at Genos, run off.

"Good. I wasn't certain this was going to work…"

"But it did," his blade responded. "Now focus! We'll need to make certain the blast radius doesn't exceed this clearing…"

Their enemy curled a fist.

"Brat…I don't know what you think you're doing but…" the man exploded towards them, fist cocked. "You won't get the chance!"

Genos tensed, and even without a visible body, his partner in his arms did the same.

"Shit! That's too soon—"

But just as about the villain was about to reach them, the world shook.

For in between them a bald man radiating power landed, spiderwebs forming underneath the man as his Haori fluttered and he stood tall.

'Bonk.'

Just in time to catch the villain's punch to the sides of his head, the creature's efforts failing to do more than move the newcomer's head a tad.

"Oh, that's rude, you know," the man said with the barest hints of annoyance.

But at his words, and as both Genos and the villain took in the man's appearance, an excited gleam seemed to spread across the villain's face.

"The lord of the Balancers himself?!" a demented cackle escaped the man's mouth. "To think you'd decide to personally deal with me? I'm honored!" the man said with a mocking bow, even as his beady eyes glinted with mirth as he stared at the newcomer. "Too afraid to send any of your underlings, eh?"

But the so called Balancer Lord merely blinked at the villain, before scratching his nose and flicking a booger in the man's direction.

Genos gapped.

"Did…did he…"

He merely nodded at his partner's question.

"You're rude, and annoying, shut up," the balancer said, tone curt.

Causing the mirth to vanish from the villain's face as the man shook.

"Do…do you know who I am?" the man roared as he stood straight and a baleful aura erupted from his body. "What I've done, the lengths I've gone to! What I've suffered to get this power?"

"Meh."

If anything, this seemed to inflame the man's anger.

"I won't stand for this! Nor will I let you go on mocking me!" the villain roared and made to punch the Balancer again. "I will bring down the heavens and—"

'Plop'

Genos blinked.

His partner, even without eyes, also blinked.

The newcomer merely stared at his blood covered fist, before his shoulders slumped.

With a sad, squelching sound, the remains of the villain's body, namely his legs and bits of his torso, toppled to the side.

"W-who are you?" Genos asked with awe, lowering his sword and stopping his final technique, the act causing him to wince. For even if he did stop it, some damage had already been accrued.

"Mmh?" the bald man asked with a blink as he focused on Genos. "Oh, just a Hero for fun—I-I mean, the Lord and Head Captain of the Balancers, yes." The man nodded, visage serious as he faced at Genos. No doubt the brilliant hero in front of him judging and measuring Genos' worth.

He had heard rumors of a new organization cropping up true, but he'd paid them little heed. After all, rumors rarely amounted to anything of worth.

Still, his hand clenched around the hilt of his blade.

To think that there truly was an organization out there composed of all manners of creatures and beings, where all were accepted as long as they fought for justice…

And he was so weak as to have to be saved by their leader himself…

"Please!" he shouted, bowing.

"Eh?"

"Take me as your apprentice! I know I'm unworthy, but I too wish to fight for justice and protect the innocent!"

"Ah? Eh! Ahem! I mean, no, I'm afraid I can't do that," the man said, shaking his head with sorrow and causing Genos' spark of newfound hope to start withering and die. "After all, there are procedures and all that, you must join and go through the academy and all that crap."

Genos' gold eyes shone even as shame filled him.

An academy! Of course! How dare he believe he was so special that the leader of an entire faction would deign to just take him under his wing and—

The man's entire posture seemed to change, growing tense and serious as he chanced a glance behind him, staring at something deep in the forest, and then his bald head swiveled forth with remarkable speed, scanning at something in front of him.

"I-it was good talking to you…you, but I have to go, err, duty calls and all, yes."

How shameful, he'd forgotten to introduce himself and—

Opening his mouth, never got the chance. For the man, Haori flapping launched to the sky like an intercontinental missile, vanishing from view.

"Such strength…"

He looked at his sword.

"Huh, you felt it too, then?"

"How could I not?! I would have to be blind—"

But their talk was cut short, for the dashing of muscular feet drew their ears, followed by—

"My loooord!"

A gorgeous blond woman coming into view, a sword—aside from the one strapped to her back—grasped protectively in the middle of her well-endowed chest, above which a tiny hole could be seen. A sword that was utterly nondescript and almost…boring.

"I was too late…" the woman said with a sigh, seeming to wilt and pout as she stared at the remains of the villain killed by the bald hero. "How despicable of me, to leave my lord to face such a foe without backup or his sword, a foe that none of us sensed… I must train and I must get better!" the woman nodded, before a cough from Genos drew her attention.

"You!" she said, expression steel-like and with narrowed eyes. "Have you seen my lord?"

He blinked.

"If you mean a bald man of extraordinary strength garbed in a white Haori—"

The woman's head was nodding so fast it was a miracle it didn't pop right off.

"That's my lord, yes!" the woman chirped, all smiles once more as she clasped her hands and jumped in place. "Now, where did he go?" and there was the angry growl again.

Genos blinked and, taking an arm away from his aching chest, pointed in the direction the man had jumped towards.

The woman immediately dashed after him, sparing not a word of thanks.

For his part, Genos, cared little for the strong woman's lack of manners, for if anything, her words and haste made it clear that the bald hero had risked much to come to his aid.

He really needed to get stronger.

He didn't want to get stronger!

And yet, even as he sailed through the air, having reached the peak of his jump and trailing downwards, Saitama knew this to be all but a lost cause.

For if he bothered to pay attention, he could feel his bottomless strength grow minute by minute, second by second. Hell, it was growing right now!

"Oh, if only I could find that little smart-ass…" he growled as he landed in the middle of another clearing, his hands shooting forth and clenching through empty air as he imagined holding the head of the creature who'd said there were strong opponents in the afterlife…

"You filthy liar!" he roared, back arching backwards as he threw his arms behind him and felt his head smack against something squishy.

For not only had he found no worthy opponents, but because of a series of mistakes, he'd formed an organization with him as the head-honcho! One that he couldn't escape by punching himself again like how he got in the afterlife to begin with—he'd tried, but he'd grown strong enough that it no longer worked. And don't get him wrong, the prestige and respect were nice…just not nice enough to counteract all the responsibility and the paperwork.

He sighed and felt something dripping down his brow, something red.

Frowning, he reached with an arm and wiped before looking at his glove.

"Great! Now I have to find a river to wash my head!" he whined, and glancing behind him at the ruined remains and broken sword, confirmed that yeap, he'd killed yet another weakling that'd been attempting to kill him.

"My looooord!"

Saitama stilled, and shuddered.

Right, the yanderes, can't forget about those…

He jumped again.

Washing his head could wait!

For Genos, the time spent traipsing through the endless afterlife in search of the home of the Balancers was well worth it, as were as the weeks spent afterwards in grueling training, learning things he'd never imagined in the newly established Academy.

Still, it was worth it, for now, a full-fledged Balancer in his own right, he felt proud as he made his way towards the palace in the center of the still to be named city, towards the Zero Division and the Head Captain's home, the bald man who'd saved him back then and whom people were informally calling the strongest baldie, and yet others still, the bald soul king.

…at least when they were sure he couldn't hear them.

'Twenty words or less!'

Reading the motto emblazoned in the walls of the Zero Division, Genos nodded as he stepped into the gleaming white building itself.

"Truly the Head Captain's wisdom is boundless indeed!"

"That it is, partner, that it is. I can't wait to learn at the feet of his own partner! Who knows what secrets lie in the depths of the strongest Zanpakuto's mind!"

Indeed, this was their chance to repay the debt they owed to the great hero.

"Please let me become your lieutenant!"

Staring at the young man, Saitama, seated behind his desk full of paperwork, the sun streaming from an open window and his blonde stalker next to him and glaring daggers at the bowing man, could only offer but one answer.

"Absolutely not!"

By his side the girl's anger seemed to abate, smug replacing it as she summoned a burger from somewhere, and begun wolfing it down as she kept staring at Genos. No doubt asserting dominance.

But the kid would not be deterred.

"Please, Saitama-sensei,"

He sighed and made to refuse again.

"I'll even do your paperwork."

He snorted. As if that would work on him. An offer to deal with the vast, vast amounts of paperwork…

"Welcome aboard, Lieutenant Genos," he said with a nod and a smile, standing and shaking the smiling youth's arm.

'Plop'

The sound of a burger hitting the wooden floor reached his ears, and he dared not turn to his right, for he could feel the stare full of hurt.

"Why…" he could hear the pitiful whimpers.

"Genos."

"Yes, sir?" the man asked, standing at attention. "For your first task, clean that up," he said, pointing to the wasted burger, still not daring to look at his stalker. "And also get to know the rest of your squad, starting with third seat Ram."

"Sir, yes sir!"

now for some extra clarifications.

"Why Ram?" Cause she's is hot. Even if I know nothing about guilty gear I know that much at least. (although now that I type this I realize I wrote her as a particularly clingy Ushi, hmm)

And no, there are no plans for anything shown here to have an effect on the main story or the reverse. Probably. Think of it as semi-canon if you wish. That is, unless you guys want it at any rate, if so, then I might figure something out but no promises.

Also, yeah, Saitama kept his ever growing strength and his Sword is the strongest sword that swords, as expected. But it has no fancy abilities or anything, like Saitama himself is the conceptual human, his Zanpakuto is the conceptual sword, i.e. it cuts real good and...that's it. No sword beam and thus no Saber status.

As for the afterlife itself, while similar to bleach, no shinigami, soul-kings, arrancars or anything of the sort existed before Saitama arrived. Or rather, nobody amongst their numbers had ruling ambitions. I.e. no Old Man Genogide, no Yuha (sob), and no time-skeleton or their ilk.

And so, Saitama barged in and made, unwittingly, a soul society where everyone was welcome, hollows, shinigami, what have you...as long as they don't try to eat/kill their neighbor.

Oh, and as to whether that was Unohana/Yachiru or an expy I leave it up to you guys and your imaginations.

Alternative chapter titles: 'What in the world happened to/where is the Caped Baldie'