Disclaimer: I do not own One Punch Man or any of the characters associated with the title. All rights belong to their respective owners.

(The Next Day)

Again, unusually quiet, Tatsumaki sat in her seat in their meeting room, droning out the blabbering of the others. There was a curious look in her eyes as she lost herself in thought.

All day long, she had been praised for her defeat of the Sea-King by everyone. The injured heroes were kept here within HQ for healing and recovery. There were TV's lining nearly every wall of the building, and they were all tuned in on the news channels and talk shows. Without fail, every single channel was talking about the recent disaster and how she saved the day. If that wasn't bad enough, they were also talking about Blast not showing himself when it was clearly a situation in which he was desperately needed.

Earlier this morning, those headlines of theirs pissed her off. Many of them, she assumed, were the collective thoughts of the people.

'Blast is GONE, time for a new No.1...!'

They had lost faith in that all-mighty hero spoken about in hushed whispers and tales of unbelievable heroics. The one she herself, trusted with her life. Now, it became a debate about moving everyone up a rank and stopping the worshipping of heroes long gone. They want her to be number 1...and that bothered her now for a very different reason than it did just a few hours ago.

"Um... Tatsumaki," Sitch muttered, trying to calm the small woman down to no avail.

She hovered over his desk and scowled at him with a daring glare. Her head was wrapped up from the injuries she sustained the day before. "Did you hear me!? I said I want to know!"

"We would definitely tell you if that were the case, but it's not," he replied, doing all he could to calm her down. "You're saying it wasn't you who delivered that killing blow, and we believe you. That's not something you'd lie about, but I can assure you, it wasn't Blast either. You should know that as well as anyone. That's not how his power works."

"You don't know that! He's been gone for a long time! He could have been training all this time! I DON'T KNOW! But, I DO know that you know where he is! So, tell me now, or I walk!" she demanded.

"Tatsu-... ergh," he groaned. "... Look, you can't just up and walk. These people need you now more than ever... If you were wondering about this recent news, then I can assure you, it is likely going to happen."

"What!?" she yelled out incredulously. "No! You can't do that! Blast is supposed to be number 1!"

"The people have spoken already, Tornado," Sitch said, closing his eyes. "Blast has not shown himself, not even the day before when we desperately needed him. They don't want a hero who waits until the last possible moment to step in. They can no longer put their faith in someone that allows thousands to die before they are saved. But you... you were on the scene as fast as you could be, and you put up more of a fight than any of the other heroes."

"And still, I couldn't kill that thing! I'm telling you. It HAS to have been Blast! No one else could've-.."

"Blast is dead... Tatsumaki," Sitch admitted. He watched the shock play out across her face. She seemed too stunned even to speak, so he took the opportunity to explain himself on behalf of the organization as a whole. "... He succumbed to his injuries against Elder Centipede 2 years ago... As his dying wish, he requested we keep his name alive until the people find a new symbol of hope to stand against unparalleled evil when no one else can." He watched as she slowly descended from her floating position, landing in the chair opposite him. "... I am sorry we could not tell you Tatsumaki... I know you cared for him deeply."

Despite what he said, her mind was on something else entirely. Yeah, finding out Blast is dead was a big hit to her gut, but... even so. "Then... who was it that killed the Sea King?"

That's what she chose to focus on, right now. '... If there is someone who could kill a monster that strong, then... they deserve to be the number 1 hero... Not me...' As prideful as she is of her own strength, she knew for a fact that nothing she threw at that beast could even hope to stop the monster that was the Sea-King. She had pelted him with pieces of rubble equal to the size of that pebble, crushed him with huge chunks of debris from the broken bunker, and even hit him with a couple of nearby cars, but still... none of that hurt him enough to where he couldn't regenerate. Sure, had she been in a more open space without the fear of hitting the civilians, it would've been a cakewalk. She'd have crushed him with a meteor before he could use his little scale screech technique, but there was no way she could have beaten him with a pebble.

The people were desperate yesterday. Not only desperate to live, but even after their salvation, they were desperate to thank whoever it was who killed it. Too desperate to see reason. If they had just rationalized with themselves and saw her previous attacks were useless, then they'd know she did not throw that pebble.

"... symbol of hope..." she muttered quietly to herself.

"Blast is dead," Sitch said yet again. This time a solemn proclamation to all of the S-Class heroes in attendance who looked on in disbelief. "A few of you already know this, but for those of you who do not, please listen closely."

Metal Bat stood up and slammed his palms down on the surface of the table. "Wait...! What did you just say!? Blast is dead!?"

"What the hell are you talkin' about, Sitch?" Atomic Samurai casually demanded.

"If you would calm yourselves, you may hear his reasoning," Flashy Flash calmly reprimanded them.

Sitch nodded toward the effeminate blonde man. "Thank you, Flashy. Now... as I was saying, please listen closely. Two years ago, after the appearance of Elder Centipede, Blast appeared for the last time, fighting and nearly killing the monster. Elder Centipede, however, inflicted just as much damage upon Blast himself before escaping. It is unknown if that monster survived his injuries, but... Blast did not. Per his instruction, we were not to inform anyone who was not in the room upon his death as he believed there would be more panic than necessary. He wanted his name to remain a Symbol of Hope in any situation until the people found another to take that mantle. If you've been watching these broadcasts today, it is clear that people have begun to lose faith in his name... They've set their sights on a new pillar of strength. Someone who has held the second rank for quite some time now has gained the admiration and the trust of many. That is why the circumstances of Blast's death have now been released to the public on the Heroes website just before I arrived. All of you will be moved up one rank, placing Tornado of Terror in that number 1 S-Class position."

Gasps of surprise and curious looks turned toward the green-haired Esper, who didn't seem to care much. Her unfocused gaze was still set on the edge of the table, deep in thought. When she did notice the attention on her, she turned towards Sitch with a curious look.

"Tatsumaki. I do hope you accept the rank 1 position with the highest honors and step fearlessly into the role of the Symbol of Hope that the people desperately need," Sitch said his words with an air of hope behind them that vibrated strongly throughout the room, flooding smiles onto the faces of a few of the others... but his words were quickly shot down.

"No," she said firmly, shocking everyone and ending that epic moment where it stood.

"Huh!?" Metal Bat exclaimed. "Did she just say no!?"

"Oh, Tatsumaki, honey," Puri-puri prisoner cooed with a sincere tone. "What are you doing?"

She floated out of her seat and toward the television, which was playing the aerial shot of the Sea-King's death over and over again. "I said no," she repeated, pointing at the image, further drawing their attention. "You see this...? This wasn't me... I don't know what the heck did that, but the rubble I was using wasn't nearly as effective! Although I probably could've beaten that Sea-Freak, no problem in an open area, I was just as useless as all of you because of how close we were to the freakin' bunker. But... someone or someTHING did this to this monster with a pebble... a FREAKING pebble!"

"Wait-wait-wait," Child Emperor said, drawing their attention. "You didn't kill that thing?"

"But, it was a pebble," Metal Bat stated, lounging back in his seat as if he didn't want to be there. "Isn't that like your main weapon or whatever?"

"NO! SHUT UP!"

"Ah..." Bang uttered, stopping her before she could put the disrespectful brat in his place. "... so my assumption was correct... That pebble that Zombieman pulled from the wall was far too smooth to be a piece of debris. I was sure it must have come from quite a ways away. So, the question now would be... who did throw it?"

Child Emperor thought hard about it before pulling out some kind of tablet. "Well, if I can get the feed of the precise trajectory from the aerial shot, maybe I can find at the very least a general location as to where our pebble thrower was."

As he spoke, a hologram of City-J right before the death of the Sea King came up, covering the table. They all watched intently as he zoomed in on the bunker, displaying vividly the scene they were subjected to just the previous day down to the detail of even the civilians and Metal Knight's broken bots.

Zooming in even further to where the Sea King and the crack in the wall were, he stopped there and continued explaining. "So, assuming there was absolutely no curve to the pebbles path due to precisely how fast it had to be moving for it to pierce the Sea King's skin... our thrower will have been... wayyy over here," he said, drawing the map over to the cliff side a solid 1800 meters away.

After a beat, the room was in an uproar with the others all voicing their disbelief at once. It was a nearly impossible distance for anyone to have taken an accurate shot at a target that was likely no bigger than a nickel from so far away.

Before anyone protested the theory, the young genius fully explained his hypothesis. "It's no question. This road is a residential walkway with a parking garage at the front of their community. All of these roads are paved with gravel walkways, and lining those walkways are an assortment of marble chips... I don't think our pebble thrower actually threw a pebble... I think they threw a marble chip that eroded from the force of the throw, and somehow, the Sea-King's tough skin was enough to kill its velocity after it split his head open. Which is why it didn't tear through the wall as well..."

"That's insane," Zombieman muttered as he looked at the holographic map. "... was there a camera over there that you could hack into, so we can see who was over there at the time?"

"Uh-uh," he replied, shaking his head. "The power to the city was funneled into the bunkers, meaning all street cams and security cams would have stopped running unless powered by a generator. The only possible way we could ever hope to see who was over there is from the broadcast."

With that, he tapped on his screen a few times before wiping his hand up, seemingly throwing his screen onto the television next to Tatsumaki. It showed the same scene of the aerial shot, but from this angle, that cliff could be seen far in the background. If anything, seeing this made that theory just a little more believable to some. It was seemingly the perfect vantage point for any sniper... only ridiculously out of range of the target.

"They were already backed up quite a bit, so there's no way I'll be able to get a good picture of whoever was over there, but..." He began zooming in behind the back of the Sea King, aiming at the cliff. The distance, coupled with the hellish rain, made it almost impossible to see anything. The further he zoomed, the more everything just looked like colorful smudges. You could make out a red car, but not much else.

"Scroll along the whole cliffside," Tatsumaki demanded, looking far more intense than the rest of them.

Child Emperor did as instructed, going back and forth between both visible ends, but there was just nothing to be found. With a sigh, he stopped scrolling. "Look, I don't think we're gonna find anything. Not through that thick of a storm... Besides, why are we trying to find this guy anyway? If he's really that strong, then I bet he's already a hero. I say we just wait until someone comes to actually claim the kill. Or... maybe they don't wanna be a hero..."

"The boy is right," Bang said, drawing everyone's attention further. "Whoever this individual is must clearly not want to be seen as they intentionally attacked from afar, avoiding the broadcasting cameras."

"Seems like it," Atomic Samurai muttered, "but, there's also a possibility that this thing ain't a hero at all... You're all so quick to assume that because it killed a monster, but monsters killing monsters is nothin' new. If it took that thing down with a pebble or a-.. rock or whatever... we better make damn sure whatever it is... isn't a threat..."

This new debate topic kicked off, drawing the intense focus of everyone there aside from three—Tatsumaki, who was staring at the screen intently, apparently squinting to see better. There was something there, and she was sure of it. Along the cliff, a small, hardly noticeable smudge of... of yellow perhaps?

The other two not paying attention were Bang and Genos, both of whom were watching her in interest. Genos knew very well who it must have been. Even though he had yet to return any of his 196 calls or respond to one of his 354 SOS messages, he was sure it was Master Saitama. He hadn't gotten the chance to speak to him yet as he's been under lock and key here, but no one else could accomplish such a feat... But, he was also aware Saitama is retired from hero work. So, maybe that meant he didn't want to be found out.

Then, there was what Atomic Samurai suggested. '... What if... what if it is a villain that strong? If that's true, only Master Saitama could possibly stand against such a threat...' His mind was running a thousand miles a minute with possible scenarios that could play out, but he ultimately decided he'd just ask the man himself as soon as he got the chance. He still had to see the Doctor for some upgrades, but he had to see if Master Saitama was okay with all of this... or if he even knew.

Later that day, Genos strolled down the hall of his Master's apartment building. He truly believed it had to be him who killed the Sea King, but that sliver of doubt was still there. A monster no other S-Class hero could beat was taken down with a single pebble. It was just the difference of strength between himself and his Master, but if he were to find out it wasn't him...? It could lead to a perilous situation.

When he made it, Genos stepped into the apartment without knocking. "Master...?" He wasn't sitting on the couch or cooking as usual. Was he here...?

Suddenly, the bald man stepped out of the bathroom in his work clothes. "Oh, Genos... You're all fixed up."

"Not yet, Master. I received basic repairs from S-Class rank-5 member Child Emperor. But, my weapons systems were too deeply intertwined with my human parts for him to repair with confidence. In order to be back to one hundred percent and receive upgrades, I must see Doctor Kuseno."

It didn't seem Saitama was fully listening as he checked through a plastic bag on the counter. "Huh...? Uh... Okay... Lock the door if you leave."

"Wait, Master," Genos said, stopping him before he made his exit.

Saitama turned to him with a confused look when he noticed he was bowed deeply at the waist.

"Please allow me to walk you to work...!"

"... Uh... sure... Do you think it will rain again today?" he asked, on their way out.

Only a few minutes into their walk, Genos came right out and stated what was on his mind, never being one to beat around the bush. "Master... The Sea King was recently defeated."

Saitama glanced over to him curiously. "Oh, yeah... Think I saw that on the news this morning. It was that green-haired kid, right? Torpedo of Time or something?"

"Well actually, her name is Tornado of Terror, but no. Apparently, it was not her. That was the original analysis of all who witnessed the finishing blow, but she has revealed to all of us S-Class heroes that she, in fact, did not defeat that monster."

"Oh, yeah...? Then who did?" He opened his packed lunch to ensure he didn't forget anything.

"That is something the association cannot seem to discover... But, the finishing blow was delivered by a pebble." A shocked look immediately overtook the bald man as he halted his steps. Genos was immediately alert as well. "uh-! Master...!?"

Saitama's eyes were wide, and he looked absolutely horrified. "... oh, never mind... Here it is," he said, returning to normal once he found the item he was looking for. "So, you said a pebble? That's funny... I beat a monster with a rock yesterday..."

"Uh-!" Genos gasped, recalling the hypothesis of Child Emperor. "You did!?"

"Hm...?" Saitama hummed, surprised by his sudden tone of excitement. "Uh... yeah. It was kinda far away, so I just threw a rock at it to get its attention... I guess I threw it too hard..."

"... Heh-!" Genos chuckled. "Master...! I had no doubt it was you who saved us!"

Saitama raised an eyebrow at his overjoyed disciple. "Huh...? I saved you...? w-.. wait, was the Ocean queen like a big green monster?" he asked curiously, already forgetting the name.

Genos nodded, "Yes. It was your feat that saved our lives, and I thank you on behalf of my colleagues." He bowed lowly, halting their walk momentarily.

"Oh... well, it was nothing, really. I thought it was one of the minions or something..." His statement was said far too casually for it to be meant as an insult. "... Well, I guess it did have that crown thing on its head. Hey, do you think we could have pawned that for some money? How much do you think it would have gone for?"

Genos seemed to disregard his question, instead opting to inform him of further knowledge he's acquired. "There is also a new revelation that has just been released to the public. It would appear that Blast has been dead for quite some time."

"Blast...?" Saitama asked, clearly confused by that name.

"Blast was the S-Class rank-1 hero. He was known as the strongest there has ever been. As one of the founding heroes, it was said his abilities were unrivaled. Until today, his death was kept secret, leading people to believe he only appears when the world's fate is at stake. It would appear that this was simply a rouse to inspire hope in people no matter the situation, but now that the Tornado of Terror has garnished the praise in such a moment, the association has decided to come clean with the death of the rank 1 hero in order to promote everyone, but Tornado of Terror does not wish t-.."

"Yeah-yeah," Saitama called out, waving him off of his long-winded explanation. In truth, he only heard about half of it. "I got it... So, you've been promoted?" he asked, at least picking that piece out of everything he said.

"Yes, Master. But, not due to everyone moving up. As you may or may not know, the previous S-Class rank-7 member, King, otherwise known as the strongest man in the world, was outed as a fraud. He, in fact, was a mere regular man with an incredibly audible heartbeat. With his resignation from the Hero Association, everyone beneath him has been promoted, moving me to S-Class rank-13."

"Ah, rank-13, huh? It looks like you're almost in the top ten," he remarked rather calmly, praising his progress on the outside... on the inside, however, '... Shit! He's already almost top ten!? That was way too fast! What goal am I supposed to give him after he reaches that...!?'

"Uh-! Sensei!? What's wrong!?" Genos asked urgently, seeing the somewhat troubled look on his face.

"n-Nothing!" Saitama remarked, looking away from him. "I was-.. just working on my sales face, that's all!"

"I understand," Genos said, with a far too serious look in his eyes as he watched him. "I believe that look may be far too intense for a cashier. May I recommend a more inviting look? More pleasant and welcoming, perhaps a smile."

"... Yeah, I guess so," he muttered. Their conversation ended when they reached the quarantine gate of City-Z, approaching the border of City-Y. With his store a block away, Saitama turned to Genos to bid him farewell. "Hey, didn't you say you had to go and see your doctor?"

"Yes. I shall be home by the time you get off. Is there a meal you would like me to prepare for your arrival?" his cybernetic student inquired.

Saitama thought it over. "Mmm... Nah. Just whatever you feel like making, I guess. I decided to pull the late shift as well to impress my superiors. Maybe I can get a promotion... I should be home around midnight. See you later, Genos," he said, waving over his shoulder.

Genos watched him walk away with a small smile inching onto his face. '... Master Saitama is always striving to improve, no matter what he's doing... As his disciple, I must do the same...! I will make you proud, one day, Master... I will...'

(Hours later)

Saitama sat on his stool behind the counter, reading a manga as he waited for a customer. He's been working all day, and it's been a relatively steady flow of business. With it being the later hours of the night, it was actually a bit peaceful, now. It would be just him handling the store for the next few minutes or so as his coworker was in the back, packing up to end their shift. He was waiting on the late-night worker to arrive; apparently, he was running a little late.

The bell ringing above the door let him know someone was entering. It was an elderly man. "Welcome," he called out rather blandly before going back to reading. A few moments later, his coworker, a younger guy maybe in his teens, came trotting out from the back room.

"Bye, Saitama! I'll see you tomorrow!" the kid called out happily.

"Yup," he replied casually.

A few more moments and the old man finally made his way back to the counter carrying a small carton of milk and a single noodle cup. Saitama stood to his feet, ready to check him out.

"Will this be all, old man?" he asked.

The old-timer nodded his head. "Yes, sir. Just getting a little dinner is all."

"Ah," the bald man remarked pointlessly. "Ramen isn't very nutritious."

The old man chuckled rather dryly. "Oh-hoh-hoh! Yeah... I know, but since my wife passed, I don't really want to eat anything that's not her cooking. These little cup noodles aren't great, but when we were down on our luck, we'd sit down with a few of these and make a night of it."

Saitama bagged his items with a confused expression plastered on his face. 'Geez, I was only joking. He didn't have to give me his life story or anything...' He finished collecting his change and handed it over. "There you go. Enjoy," he said, his expression still as plain as ever.

"Thank you, young man. You have a nice day now." The old man happily plodded his way toward the door. When he made it, he opened it up and stepped aside, allowing the small figure wrapped in a dark green hoodie inside before he stepped out. "There you go, little lady," he muttered before leaving himself.

Saitama watched the person enter and head straight back toward the fridges. They didn't even glance his way. "Welcome," he called out regardless. Most people were rude like that.

He retook his seat back on the stool and continued reading his manga. It wasn't long before the bell on the front door rang again, and another hooded figure dressed in all black stepped inside, this one far bigger, clearly a man. '... Is it raining? Why is everyone wearing hoodies?' His eyes shifted back to his manga. "Welcome," he muttered again.

A clicking sound caught his attention, and he looked up to see the man who had just entered standing in front of him, a pistol in his hand with a silencer muzzling the barrel. "a-Alright buddy, just- give me the money, a-and I'll leave," he growled out in a threatening voice that didn't hold up through his own quivering tone.

Saitama's completely uninterested stare watched him curiously. "Hm...? Give you the money?"

"Yes! Give me the damn money! All of it!" He struggled to pull a bag out from his back pocket before slapping it down on the counter. "Put it in the bag! And-nd I'll walk...! I won't shoot you! I just need the money!"

"... Oh!" Saitama exclaimed as if he had made an interesting revelation. "Are you a robber?"

The man looked at him with a baffled expression. "Wha- look, just put it in the damn bag already! I don't want to shoot you, but I will! I swear I will!"

"Why would you rob this place if you need money?" he asked curiously, completely disregarding his words of demand. "I think we're hiring right now. Do you want an application?"

"sh-... SHUT UP! Just do what I said!" he shouted.

"Um... honestly, I can't... Not unless you make a purchase."

"A purch-! What the hell are you talking about!? Just open the damn register!" he shouted desperately.

Saitama raised an eyebrow wondering why he was so enraged "uh... I honestly can't. I'm kinda new here, so I don't know how to open the register without scanning in an item... I actually don't think you can."

"Motherf-.. a-alright. Okay, give me... give me a pack of cigarettes. The red bars," he said, nodding back towards the wall of cigarettes, never dropping the gun from pointing right at him.

Saitama turned around to look for what he wanted. When he found it, he turned back. "Ok, that should do," he said with a small smile as he scanned it in. "... ooh, looks like I gotta check your ID..."

"ID!? ID!? ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?" The criminal shook his head, completely past his breaking point. "grrrr. I didn't want to do this guy, but you've left me no choice..." He cocked his gun and narrowed his gaze. The still relatively uninterested look in the bald man's eyes only further infuriated him. He couldn't take it anymore. No one ever took him seriously. Today, that was all gonna change... Slowly but surely, he pulled his trigger. "... Uh-!" he gasped, looking at the bullet that stopped midway to its target, just floating in the air.

Saitama looked at the spectacle in wonder. "... Whoa," he muttered, finding it rather cool to see. Then, before his eyes, the gun seemed to slip up and out of the robber's hand, levitating along with the floating bullet.

"a-Ah!" the man exclaimed, watching his weapon hover in the air. Of course, he assumed it was the man before him. "What the-.. i-I'm sorry! I didn't know you were an Esper!"

"... A what?"

"Get out," a meek voice echoed from behind the robber. The guy turned around, stepping back and away, giving Saitama a view of the small feminine figure of the well-known child he just couldn't seem to place a name to. Her hood was now down, exposing her curly green hair. She seemed... a bit off. Her nose was a bright red and her sunken eyes had a pink tint to them. She held a bottle of cough medicine in her right hand as she sniffled a few times.

"a-Ah! t-... Tor-..." he tried to mutter out but couldn't seem to find his words. Her sickly eyes shifted over to him with a dangerously irritated look that warned him of anything else. Without any further warning needed, he scrambled his way out the door, tripping over himself a few times before he made it.

Saitama watched curiously before looking down towards the counter. "Huh... he forgot his bag..."

The small woman stepped up towards the counter, setting her item down and holding her other hand up as if expecting Saitama to give her something. He raised his eyebrow curiously until he saw the gun float back down, landing in her palm.

"Oh. He forgot his gun too... You think he'll come back for this stuff?" he asked her.

She squinted her eyes at him before just shaking her head. "Just hurry up, baldy," she muttered, a small handbag floating out from beneath her hoodie.

Saitama cringed heavily at the unprovoked attack. 'TCH! What'd I do to her!?' His look returned to that of casual irritation as he grabbed her item, pulling it to the scanner. Before he scanned it, he stopped himself. "o-.. wait. Are you-"

She internally sighed. She didn't really want to be recognized right now.

"-old enough to buy this?"

Saitama watched on curiously as her body seemed to stiffen suddenly, her hands clenched tightly at her sides.

"Yeah. This is cold medicine. I can't sell to anyone under 18. If your mommy told you to come and buy this, then I'd have to ask you to go and get her to pay for this." With every word he spoke, she seemed to shake more and more violently in anger that he simply didn't notice. "Besides, what's a kid like you doing out so late? Is it summertime already?"

"I'M-NOT-A-KID-YOU-STUPID-BALDY! I'M-A-GROWN-WOMAN! WHO-THE-HECK-DO-YOU-THINK-YOU'RE-CALLING-A-KID!? HUH!? DO-YOU-KNOW-WHO-I-AM!?" She began screaming, her words so closely woven together he couldn't exactly pick them apart. "I'M-THE-S-CLASS-RANK-2-HERO! YOU STUPID-EGG-HEAD! WHERE-DO-YOU-GET-OFF-CALLING-ME-A-KID-HUH!?"

"Alright-alright," Saitama said, digging in his ear with his pinky as if a bit annoyed by her voice as he simply scanned it in. "That'll be 1290 yen."

"That too." She muttered, still somewhat irritated as she used her power to plop something else down on the counter.

Saitama picked it up to scan it in, examining what it was as he did. "Hm...? Candy apples?"

"Yeah! They're candy apples! What, you got something to say about that!?" she demanded, still somewhat irritated about him demeaning her earlier.

He raised an eyebrow curiously, still seeming rather disinterested in the whole situation. "Nah. I just don't like this brand. The ones from the amusement park in City-E are a lot better."

She seemed taken aback by that as she watched him scan it in. She was expecting some kind of comment about how childish it was. "Oh.. yeah," she muttered. Those were the best.

"Okay, and that'll bring your total to 1871," he said.

She pulled her little handbag up, a small black card slipping out of it and floating towards the baldy. As he took it, she looked at him a bit closer. What was wrong with this guy? He seemed rather ordinary, but in the face of that gun just now, he didn't even flinch. It was almost as if he didn't even care. Figuring she'd probably never see him again, she asked him. "So, what's your deal, light bulb? You got a death wish?"

Again, he raised an eyebrow at her, not understanding what she was asking. "Huh?"

"You didn't seem to care that you were going to die earlier... You depressed or something?"

"Depressed...? No, I don't think so."

"Tch, yeah right. It must be your bald head holding you back in life."

"Hey! So, I'm bald! So what!?" he yelled, clearly struck by that careless comment.

"So, I bet you can't get a girlfriend! That's all you regular guys ever think about, right!? When you don't have any hero responsibilities, it's all about work and dating! Must be hard for a BALDY!"

His flash of anger dissipated almost immediately as he took a better look at her. "Huh...? Wait... are you a hero?"

She gave him a look that just screamed he was an idiot. Of course, he didn't notice or care as he finally seemed to recognize her, if even a little.

"Oh, yeah. I think I saw you on the news the other day. You're uh.. t-.. Turbine of Talent or something, right?"

"... Tornado of Terror," she muttered through gritted teeth.

"Yeah, that's it!" he exclaimed rather blandly. "You're the one they say killed that Ocean King or whatever, right?" he asked.

She narrowed her eyes curiously. Why did he say it like that? "... yeah."

"Now that I think about it,"—he finished bagging her goods as he spoke—"I think I see you on TV a lot."

Of course, he does. She's been the number 1 broadcasted hero for the past few days.

"Though... I guess, Genos did say you're pretty popular," he continued.

'... Genos?' Tatsumaki grabbed her bag from his hand, wondering where she had heard that name.

"Oh... my... gosh...!" Suddenly, a new voice caught their attention. A young red-headed girl stood at the door staring at the floating heroine at the counter with that ever-present gleam in her eyes. "t-.. Tornado!?"

Tatsumaki first took note of the shirt she had on which had some kind of Chibi-fan art of herself. Even after three years of service, it still felt weird having fans. She then took note of the shirt draped over her arm and realized she was another employee.

"Oh," Saitama said, drawing her attention back. "I guess my shift is over."

She almost stopped him there to ask him what he meant but was cut off by the girl who began the usual spiel of adoration and requests. By the time she turned back, the bald man was gone. Who the hell was he...?

(An hour later)

Tatsumaki sat alone on her couch. The light from the TV lit the room around her in a dull blue shade, perfectly reflecting her somber mood... She had a box of tissues next to her and that unopened bottle of cough medicine, a stupid purchase that she didn't even need. It was so that she could buy the candy apples without being questioned about her sickly look...

She flew to City-Y because of a monster report, yet it was so weak that she dropped it in seconds when she arrived. Disappointing, really, as she had been itching for a good battle today, despite her injuries—all to try and stop her pestering emotions from boiling over.

Most of the other heroes were resting up somewhere from yesterday's battle, but she was far too distraught to just sit still and rest. After their meeting, she had gone home and shut herself into the seclusion of her apartment, away from prying eyes.

The news hit her like a punch to the gut from the Sea King...

It's been two years...

Two long and hopeful years of her waiting for him to return...

Every big disaster that took place, no matter what the scale, she'd always hold off on it for a moment in hopes of drawing him out. Shamefully, she allowed a lot more destruction in her venture to see Blast again than was necessary, but never any deaths. All of that for what exactly? He's been dead for two years, so her efforts were just the arrogant wishes of a child.

He's dead... Blast is dead, and he didn't even care to have her informed...

He was probably buried somewhere by now, rotting away in the ground... and she didn't even get to say goodbye...

Despite what he told her, they were friends and, other than her sister, that was the only friend she needed. What good is having a weak friend? It only holds you back. That's why they were each others exception to the rule... because he was strong, and, '... so am I... right...? Or... was I just holding him back...?'

Despite her faith in herself, she couldn't hold a candle to Blast's power. No one could. He was the undisputed number 1 hero for a reason. That pinnacle of hope everyone relied on. The light that shined through any periless darkness. That's what he was supposed to be forever... Now, everyone expected Tatsumaki to be that... but she couldn't.

Facing the Sea King yesterday was proof enough that she was not invincible. Who ever actually killed that monster saved her life... They saved all of the S-Class heroes...

In that humbling moment, she was weak. She was fragile and hopeless, just like all those years ago when he came to save them... Then, he told her not to rely on anyone... because it's not always a guarantee that someone will be there to rely on.

Tatsumaki's lived by that for so many years now, but... it never felt truer than it did right then... With Blast gone, if she's ever put in that position again, she may as well count herself out and the world along with it. That's the thing about being the strongest... What do you do when you're just not strong enough...?

Tatsumaki's gaze dipped down to the candy apple in her hand as she thought on an answer. For a question so simple, the answer seemed impossible. For civilians and lesser heroes, it made sense to wait for help, but... what about her...? Who would she wait for...? Who would care enough to come...? Suddenly, a tear slipped from the tip of her nose and splashed down onto her sweet treat.

"Damn it," she muttered, wiping at her eyes with a frustrated groan.

When she composed herself, she absentmindedly tuned back into the television that was on a talk show. They were interviewing Amai Mask, asking him for his thoughts on the reveal of Blast's death... More importantly, they were talking about him possibly moving up to S-Class and what rank he should be...

It didn't matter to Tatsumaki... What mattered was the picture they had up on the screen. A somewhat blurry shot of the man on her mind, Blast, in his last battle against Elder Centipede.

'... Why didn't they tell me...?' In that moment, she no longer cared how weak she must have looked. When you've been strong for so long, eventually, your emotions will find their way to the surface. The harder Tatsumaki held it in, the more she could feel the heartbreak welling up inside her. With a shaky exhale, she gave up, and let the tears fall...

As unlucky as she is, that was the very moment her front door began to open. Before she even knew who it was, she used her power to slam it shut far harder than she meant to, cracking the wall next to it. "g-.. Go away!"

"... Tatsumaki?" a muffled feminine voice called out from the hall, just loud enough for her to hear who it was.

She shut her eyes in an attempt to further suffocate those stupid tears from falling further. "... Go away, Fubuki," she called out, much softer. As if she knew she wouldn't, Tatsumaki rose from her spot and floated into her bathroom.

Just as she did, the door opened again. A much more voluptuous woman with darker chin-length green hair (nearly black) came walking in rather timidly. She wore a tight dark green dress that matched her hair and looked very expensive, and an equally expensive-looking white fur coat draped across her shoulders. Her attire was exquisite and professional-looking, but her visage didn't exactly match. She looked worried, maybe a bit somber. Her eyes diffidently searched around the condo before landing on the only thing she could see which was the TV.

"... Tatsumaki?" she called out again. Eventually, her gaze landed on the strip of light beneath the bathroom door. As if she expected this much, she walked over with a sad sigh and hesitantly gave the wooden door a few knocks. There was no reply. "... Are you okay...? Tatsu-.."

"I'm fine, Fubuki," the voice of her sister cut her off before she could ask anything else. "... I'm just sick..."

That was a blatant lie, and Fubuki didn't even have to see her to know that. "... Could you... could you come out...? Please...?" Her voice softened, considerably. Again, there was no response. Fubuki quickly thought of what she could do, but before she said anything else, the door gently creaked open.

Immediately, Fubuki reeled at the sight she was greeted to. It was not something she was used to seeing... Well, the somewhat irritated scowl was there, but the puffy eyes and red button nose were new to her. '...She's been crying...'

The Tornado of Terror has been crying...

It was something she would have never believed had she been told by someone else. More importantly, it broke her own heart. "... Tatsumaki," she uttered in a breathy whisper. Her hand covered her throbbing chest.

"... I'm just sick, Fubuki." Tatsumaki floated right past her to the kitchen. "I'm thirsty," she muttered.

"... Tatsumaki," she tried again.

"Do you want a drink?" she asked, trying hard to ignore whatever it was her little sister was trying to do.

Fubuki followed her with very tentative steps, watching her as if she would fall apart at any given moment. "... I'm... I'm so sorry... to hear about Bla-.."

"Hey... are you still hanging around with those B-Class losers?" Tatsumaki quickly interjected. Her voice was set in a bland pitch. "... There's an opening in S-Class because of that idiot King... if Amai Mask doesn't move up, I can put in a good word for you..." Still determined to keep up that tough façade of hers, Tatsumaki turned around with her eyes shut and a bottle of water in her hands and, again, floated right by her sister who seemed very anxious to say something.

"... Tatsu-.."

"I think it'll be good for you, Fubuki... If you keep associating with people as weak as them, they'll only hold you back... You need to learn to stand on your own two feet because... that little group of yours won't always be around to bail you out of tough s..." As luck would have it, just as she was saying that, the Sea-King attack came up on the news, and they were showing the very moment that she had lost to the beast. "... tough spots..."

Fubuki watched her slowly float down to nestle into the comfort of her couch. Usually, she would defend her group of subordinates, but seeing her like this was... unsettling. She crept over and gently took a seat on the other side of the couch. Her gaze was locked on the side of her sister's face...

Tatsumaki could almost feel it and she tried to discretely sniffle away that trail of tear-induced snot trying to run out her nose before she relented and used a tissue next to her.

Fubuki couldn't think of a thing to say in this dreadful situation. It was both heartbreaking and terrifying for some reason. Her sad gaze drifted to the television and she wistfully watched Tatsumaki carelessly flip through the channels. "... Maybe if you ask... they'll tell you where his grave is," she suggested with a slightly uplifting tone that didn't come out as hopeful as she was looking for.

Tatsumaki didn't say a word... She tried not to hear her as she flipped through the channels, desperately trying to swallow that lump at the back of her throat. It was useless... she couldn't stop it anymore... With a deep breath, she quivered through an exhale, and it brought a fresh group of tears to the brim of her eyes.

"... Maybe that c-.. could... give you some closure...?" Her heart dropped when the channels suddenly stopped changing. Her gaze quickly shifted back to her sister... and immediately, a pang of agony fluttered through her when she saw a tear trickle down her cheek. "t... Tatsumaki?" She laid a hand on her forearm for support.

"He didn't-.." Tatsumaki bit her quivering lip down just to keep it from sinking any lower. "... I didn't even get to say goodbye..." Those agonizing words tore through the last of her defenses, and she couldn't hold it back anymore. The dam holding back her ocean of tears finally broke.

That was when Fubuki heard the most heartwrenching cackle of pain she had ever heard in her lifetime. It felt like it was a sound Tatsumaki had never made before... as if she didn't know how to do it... On instinct, Fubuki reached over and pulled her into her chest.

She had never seen her like this...

As Espers, they were far more connected than most due to their powers. If Tatsumaki were in the heat of battle, she could feel it. When she was on the brink of death and desperation yesterday... she could feel it. She was used to feeling her fight... Not so much the desperation, but she had felt it before. This... this was something completely different... Something real...

(The next day)

(On the television)

'As you can see, it is absolute pandemonium here in City-F with the appearance of a new monster which appears to be a meager Demon-level threat. Something that could be easily handled by one of the S-Class heroes, but most, if not, all of them are still recovering from their injuries sustained during the Sea-King attack, so this matter is currently resting in the hands of three A-Class heroes who are struggling a great deal...'

Saitama sat in a daze on the couch and mindlessly watched the news broadcast as if it were a movie. The sound of Genos preparing some kind of breakfast was all but lost on him as he watched the female reporter clamoring for a shot of the devastation behind her as the rush of horrified civilians scrambled by. She was obviously terrified herself, yet she seemed so determined to hold her composure.

He eventually zoned out of his daze and remembered it was actually a live broadcast. "Uh... Genos?" He turned in his seat to peek back at the kitchen.

The man in question turned toward him curiously, still displaying that ever-present look of intense focus. "Yes, master!"

"Looks like there's some sort of attack going on... It looks pretty bad," he said, pointing back toward the screen.

The cyborg seemed surprised. "Uh-! But, Master! I haven't finished preparing the breakfast! The recipe requires strict attention to the time limit needed to heat each and every item to its recommended temperature!"

Saitama seemed confused for a moment. "o-... Oh..." The reporter caught their attention before he could think of something else to say.

(On the television)

'And just like that, the Tornado of Terror has, again, done the impossible! This is yet another victory for her as she has been on an absolute rampage against these attacking foes! As of the reveal of Blast's death, this is her 59th victory, and it doesn't look like she'll be slowing down anytime soon!'

"... oh... never mind. Someone else got it." He plopped back down on the couch and continued watching. Eventually, Genos finished cooking and they sat down at the table to eat.

Genos watched Saitama with a very pointed glare for a few moments as if he were trying to understand him. "... Master Saitama...? Please, forgive me for disturbing you as you eat, but... I have a question."

Saitama glanced up curiously. "Hm...? What is it...?"

"... Why do you not wish to be a hero anymore?" Before Saitama could answer, he expanded on his inquiry. "You originally told me that it was no longer fun. I have been thinking over this for quite some time... I do not mean to disrespect you, Master, but I do not see how working at a corner store is more exciting..."

Saitama took a second or two to quickly chew and forcefully swallow his recent mouthful before thinking about his answer. "... Hmm..." His gaze settled on the ceiling as if the answer were going to be written there. "Well... it's not really for the excitement of it... I mean, I guess they're both equally boring... Hmm... I guess because it's supposed to be boring..."

Genos seemed shocked by his answer. "... I see. So, because you are so powerful, you always defeat your enemies with a single punch, which disappoints you. As a cashier worker, your job is exactly as expected..."

"... Yeah, I guess so..."

"If that is the case, why not search for a villain strong enough to face you?" Genos proposed.

With a mouthful of food, Saitama answered. "That sounds like too much work... Besides, if I go looking for trouble like that, wouldn't it simply make me the villain?"

Genos put his finger to his chin in thought. "Of course... There would be no way to tell if they are a villain unless they actively wreak havoc on civilians."

Saitama gulped down his drink, finishing with a satisfied sigh. "Ahh... Yeah. I think I'll just keep working at the gas station. Maybe my power level will go down enough to make being a hero fun again..."

Genos smiled at that but didn't reply verbally. 'I do not think that will ever happen,' Genos mulled. 'Cutting an infinite source in half would still leave an infinite source. You will forever be the strongest person I have ever known...'

Saitama continued to eat, not in the slightest concerned with the small silence that settled in. Eventually, he ate the last of it and sat back with another satisfied sigh. "That was a good, Genos. Thanks... I should probably get ready for work, now." He stood up and headed for his room to retrieve his uniform.

That's when Genos remembered something important. "Master, I have forgotten to inform you of something significant," he said somewhat urgently.

"What is it?" Saitama called from the room. "Can you talk while I get ready?"

"Yes, Master. At our meeting yesterday, there was a final prophecy given by the great seer, Madam Shibabawa, who died choking on a cough pill."

Saitama raised a brow at that oddly ironic statement.

"She has previously predicted many catastrophes and has had a 100% accuracy rate. Her final prediction is that the earth itself is in danger. We S-Class heroes were told to remain vigilant for a major attack that is suspected to happen within the next six months..."

Saitama stepped out of his room wearing his work pants and a plain white T-shirt. His actual work shirt was slung across his shoulder. His expression remained casually uninterested, but he did hear him. "Within the next six months...? That seems pretty broad, right...? I mean, that could be in a month, a week, or even a few minutes... She's not a very good fortune teller..."

Genos was shocked by that truthful response. He hadn't even thought of that. "Master, you're right! I foolishly believed I would have time to become stronger before the attack!" He quickly lept from his seat and stood before the confused bald man before he bowed his head in appreciation. "Thank you for informing me of my mistake, Master Saitama!"

"Oh, uh.. yeah... sure... Lock the door if you leave," he said, stepping around him.

Genos stood up and watched the man he admired more than anyone put his shoes on. No one was wiser than the Master he pledged his studies to. It was a blessing to be his student.

When he finally left, Genos looked around for something to do...

Then, a sudden rumble shook the entire apartment with a subtle boom. It was then his ears tuned into the report happening on the television. With the lag of the broadcast, he watched footage of what looked like a ship hovering over a city. The description read: (Threat Level: DRAGON, City A Under Attack, All Residents In Neighboring Cities Find A Shelter Immediately!)

The camera was panning just slightly on the screen, but it could never seem to get the entire ship in view. Then, that's when he saw it. The lights beneath the ship suddenly flashed before releasing bombshells that fell toward the city with a silent horror to them. As that happened, an update flashed on the screen: UPDATE - THREAT LEVEL: GOD. On impact, the bombs exploded with an incredible flash and shockwave. Likely the source of the rumble he felt earlier... even though it felt a lot closer. The camera fizzled out into static, cutting his view off there.

'A god-level threat...!? This must be the prophecy! Just as Master Saitama said!' He rushed out of the house in a panic, but before he flew away, he thought back to his Master's words and shut the door behind him. He used his key to lock it and then jumped away, taking to the sky with his thrusters.

Saitama was headed for the entrance of City Z and, for a moment, Genos considered heading right over to inform him, but he stopped himself.

If this were the prophecy, then the other S-Class heroes would likely join him... but if it turned out to be another Sea-King situation, it would be wise to grab Saitama now to save everyone the trouble.

'... No, Master Saitama is no longer a hero! If we in the S-Class rely too much on him, we will never grow!' Genos took off with a boom, headed for City A as fast as possible. "Master...! I can do this...! I will become stronger!"