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

Atomic Samurai found himself a good spot nestled a fair distance away from the invisible boundary that separated City-A from City-B. With him, four or five A to B-Class heroes who were unlucky enough to have been at HQ when the initial attack happened. There were a few fairly strong hitters among them such as Lightning Max and Metal Ball, but not even they seemed all too sure about this taped-together plan of theirs.

The Samurai paced around lazily for a moment until he sat down on what used to be the roof of a building, now laid out among the rubble of destruction. With a sigh, he resigned to listening in on the conversations going on with the lower-class heroes. They likely thought he was too far to hear them, so they spoke freely about the plan they devised. More importantly how slapstick it seemed.

They threw out things that he himself held some agreement with. Specifically, the thought that the Psychic being Tatsumaki is fighting must be the leader. It was a foolish thought, without a doubt, but perhaps they made that assumption hoping it would be enough to speak it into existence. From the footage they were watching, and the ridiculously vibrant light show they could somewhat make out happening atop the spacecraft, there was no doubt that thing was at least on par with Tornado. If that were the truth and there is something far greater on that ship, then their chances were even slimmer than they were before.

Most of the S-Class heroes are still fighting through the injuries of the Sea-King attack. This invasion happening so suddenly was the worst possible scenario. There wasn't a single one of them that was at full capacity, other than maybe Zombieman of course. If this were to escalate any further than it already has, there'd be no chance of survival.

The lower-classed heroes also brought to light the ridiculously slim chances that Demon Cyborg and Metal Knight could clear that massive ship of all its underlings. He also had his doubts about that as well. The ship is absolutely massive, at least the size of 8 skyscrapers lying horizontally. The creatures that have appeared have not been massive in stature by any means. If that were the case and they were the first sent out, then that would mean they must be the strongest. Not that size was always a factor, it just didn't seem likely for an invading enemy to lead with something other than a berserk giant that could clear a city in a single step. The ship definitely looked big enough to hold a few. If that wasn't the case, then it had to be filled with smaller enemies, ranging in the thousands.

The only thing that made him a little more comfortable with the idea of sending those two, in particular, is the knowledge of what they're both capable of. With Demon Cyborg, he's witnessed the guy clear an entire ten-story building with a single blast, and Metal Knight almost never had a shortage of exposable bots ready and willing to self-destruct at the push of a button. Hell, sending in a barrage of those could be the deciding factor.

Listening further, he caught the tail end of their next concern, this one being something he truly feared. The sheer thought of Tornado losing that battle was terrifying. If she succumbed to an enemy that could do what she does only better...? Yeah, there was a reason for concern.

Even so, what worried him the most was looking at the group of lackluster heroes behind him. They were far from mentally prepared for something of this magnitude. They oozed fear like a sweaty sumo wrestler. As an S-Class hero, he'd like to believe he could protect them if the time came, but that in itself wasn't a hundred percent. Hell, with his injuries, he doubted he could even fully protect himself. At the most, those rookies would end up being little more than a hindrance if they do end up having to fight...

Just as that thought crossed his mind, his S-Class transponder link lit up, signaling an incoming com request. "What is it?" he answered, waiting for the others to do so as well. It was Puri-Puri Prisoner who initiated the call.

"Hey, guys. I know it was the plan, but I must admit... I'm not too sure about having these lower-class boys around. Although I admire their fighting spirit and cute determination, when it comes down to it, I don't see them doing anything meaningful before they're killed. That would be a waste of pretty boys."

Metal Bat spoke up, giving his input. 'Tch, yeah I agree. The jackasses I've got are damn near writing their goodbye letters already. They just lack the fighting spirit, I guess...'

'I also must agree,' Bang's wise voice spoke out. 'I believe if we are to go down, they will have to be the last to defend... If that's the case, they would do well to have numbers on their side."

'Yeah,' Child Emperor chimed in. 'That's probably for the best. In the surrounding bunkers still intact, there are a total of 214 A to B-Class members. I guess sending them back is the most strategic move right now.'

"It's fine by me," Atomic Samurai said. "I'm more worried about Demon Cyborg and Metal Knight, right now..."

With all of the S-Class in agreement, they did just that, relaying the new circumstances to their respective squads, most of whom were quick to accept the offer. With the surrounding area as secure as possible, it was up to the breaching team to do its job...

Genos flowed along the stream of unmanned bots all headed toward the opening created by Tornado not too long ago. From a distance, they likely looked like a swarm of mosquitoes headed for a delicious meal. The opening was clear as day from this point. The closer they got, the louder that battle happening atop the craft sounded. They were close enough to feel the rumbles of the clashes as if they were standing on solid ground. He too held his own doubts about the success of this mission, but with every doubt came the image of his master and thoughts of what he would do in a situation like this. Backing down because of unknown risks was the last thing on that list.

'Master Saitama would rush in head-first without fear! Just like a true hero! I can't let his teachings go to waste! I will destroy every enemy I see! Without fail! If I can't then I do not deserve to call myself his disciple!"

The bots ahead of him were finally breaching the hole. Immediately, the sounds of battle broke out. Which side had the upper hand? He wasn't sure yet, but he had a good idea. Mainly tailored around the fact that robots don't scream in pain. Eventually, he himself breached as well to see the decimation going on. These creatures were pitiful against Metal Knight's army of overbearing bots. They looked more like blades of grass being mowed down by a powerful lawnmower.

There was something strange about them as well. They were of all different varieties. They were vividly whacky-looking aliens that were far more disturbing than they were life-threatening. It didn't matter. He was here on a purpose and he was going to see it through. No matter how many of these monsters he had to destroy for that to happen. He would make his master proud. His task seemed easy enough, though his free-flowing slaughter came to an end eventually when he was struck in the side and sent flying into the wall.

"Ergh!" he groaned out, catching his bearings. Looking for the attacker, it wasn't a creature that was very hard to miss. It was a little smaller than the Sea-King but still very physically imposing. With a green, muscular body void of any clothing, it was a daunting beast to look at. Its most prominent features were the rows of menacing teeth positioned not only on its face but also on its hands, if one would call those nubs of his hands. It did not have eyes. There was also something of a spiky collar around its neck like a dog.

"Ooh-hoo. A cyborg eh?" The creature's voice spilled out with a gleeful tone that was quite unsettling. "I'm Groribas, one of the strongest among us next to Melzargard and Geryuganshoop. I wish to know your name as well... not that it matters."

Genos did not divulge that information. He instead, chose to test his reaction time with a well-placed blast that would've taken one of those lesser monster's heads clean off. Groribas leaped away from it with a gleeful cackle.

"Oh, I see. You have foolishly entered the ship of the Dark Matter Thieves thinking you could walk all over us, is that it...? Well, that just won't do... What move should I use against you? Hmm..."

Genos attacked again, this time going for the kill.

Groribas continued to evade before catching a break. "Hn, yes.. yes that may do," he muttered listlessly as gas began to leak from his mouths like a frothing cloud of poison.

Genos simply sunk deeper into his stance, ready for a worthy battle at last. For a moment, there was the hesitation of two fighters who respected their opponent enough to fear any sudden misstep... but only for a moment. Before Groribas could react fully, he was shot in the side by something else. Turning his head, Genos was greeted by the sight of a different bot than the ones that were bum-rushing the weaker creatures. This was likely the one Metal Knight maintained the most control over.

["Be swift, Demon Cyborg. We cannot spend too much time on a single enemy. Let us fight together,"] his mechanical voice called out, much more computerized than it is when he wasn't in combat mode. Likely due to power constraints.

Genos had to say, Metal Knight was one of the S-Class heroes he truly admired, power-wise. Looking back to their target, he nodded curtly. "... right!"

Atop the ship, the silence was something that existed only in small moments. Moments where the two Psychics were either breaking from an attack, dodging, or headed for another. For the most part, Tatsumaki had discovered the advantages she has over this creature. Specifically, her advantage at close range. He didn't seem to like using direct blasts. It wasn't necessarily her strong point as she hasn't had to resort to such a tactic in a while, but it was in her arsenal. So, her goal, for now, was to keep him from attacking by forcing his defenses up.

She fired off blasts of psychic energy like bullets. As much as she'd hate to say it, this was the only thing giving her the edge. They were fairly matched. With a roar of rage, she flew in as fast as she could, covered in the green shroud of her energy with her fist cocked back. The tentacled creature did exactly as she expected, flying back while sending out a barrage of smaller projectiles to hopefully catch her in a blind spot.

She masterfully used her other hand to swipe them away while simultaneously thrusting her other arm forward, shooting off a blast of green energy that made a B-line for the creature's midsection. Before it reached, he used one of his tentacles and swiped it away like it was nothing. Not one to be deterred, Tornado continued to rush, keeping her defenses up along the way while increasing the number of attacks. Eventually, one got through, but only barely. She took the opening and put her hands down before quickly jerking them up. A fair chunk of the ship below tore away and came rushing at the creature from below.

The sudden attack forced the monster to keep his tentacles down to make a forcefield strong enough to defend. The momentary opening cost him a blast right to the face from Tatsumaki's glowing fist, sending it flying back. It was one of the more obvious hits in the fight.

"YEAHHH!" A unanimous shout from the bunker nearest City-Z. They were all watching a very zoomed-in and grainy version of the fight. The shapes of Tornado and her opponent were little more than pixelated smudges, but the colors were enough to denote which was which. There was also the obstacle of speed. For a solid five to ten minutes, nothing could be seen other than brief flashes of green and yellow that gave no indication as to who hit who or really what was going on. It was too fast-paced for even someone with keen eyes to discern. With that being the case, seeing that last attack gave them SOMETHING to go off of. It at the least gave them the impression that Tornado was winning if only slightly.

They were all intently watching the fight aside from the one person that seemed the most likely to watch it on repeat every second of the day. Miu Serunai (a civilian mother) looked down at her daughter who was unexpectedly silent at a time like this. Anyone looking at her would assume her eyes would be glued to this screen harder than anyone else's. "Mina...? Are you okay?" She asked sweetly.

When she didn't receive a reply, Miu was sure she could guess what it was...

They were seconds away from death not twenty minutes ago. How they made it out of there, she really didn't know. It all happened so fast... On their way to the bunker, their crowd stopped along the way when they felt a rumble, and when they looked out to the horizon, they could see the blast in the distance... they could see the danger on its way... so they panicked.

There was so much pushing and shoving as everyone tried to scramble off to the bunker as fast as they could. That's when Mina suddenly let go of her hand. When she turned to find her, she was quickly being swept up in the flow of bodies. When she was finally able to get clear, she saw the reason for her daughter's sudden halt. She had dropped her Tornado plushy and had gone back for it...

Being a little girl once herself, she understood the sentimental value a toy like that could have, but as a mother, there was no doubt she would have wanted her to leave it. Miu couldn't remember a damn thing that happened after that. She ran back for her only child with a vigor she didn't know she had in her. At the sight of the incoming projectile that her daughter had been shell-shocked by, instincts took over and she simply scooped her up and took off as fast as she could, determined to make it to those bunker doors. She honestly didn't think they were gonna make it, in the moment... but when they did, she did what any good mother would do. She gave her daughter the tightest hug imaginable, kissed her forehead for dear life, and then lashed into her about how foolish going back for that toy was.

Eventually, her rage-filled rant ended and she was once again just happy her daughter was safe, but that verbal reprimanding must have had more of an effect than she thought. "... Mina..." she said softly. "Look... i-I'm sorry that I yelled at you, sweetie..." Her daughter glanced at her for only a moment before her worried gaze shifted around the room and back to the door again. "I'm sorry... but-.."

"Mommy?" Mina cut her off. "... that guy still hasn't come inside..."

Despite what she thought, her tone sounded as if she were not affected by her punishing words from earlier at all. Miu looked back at the door with a confused expression. "... Huh?"

"That guy," she said, again. "The bald guy from the other bunker."

Now, Miu was very lost. '... Bald guy...?' She was sure she hadn't seen a bald guy all day... right? "i-I don't know, dear. Maybe he's still there," she said, hoping that was enough to calm her nerves.

"Nuh-uh!" Mina replied immediately, looking up at her with a stern headshake. "He was behind us! He saved us from that big rock!"

'Behind us...?' she mulled. 'We were the last ones... weren't we...?' She tried her best to think back to that awful moment. Feeling Mina let go of her hand... panicking... seeing her going for the doll... running over and... "... Oh.." she muttered, the image of seeing the rock flooding back to her mind. More importantly, seeing something in front of it. There was a man there... a man with a rather plain-looking face and a bald head... She remembered seeing his face... she remembered making eye contact with him, so... that means he was looking back at her... He couldn't have possibly seen the danger... She yelled, yes, but maybe it was just a second too late. What's more, thinking about how she picked up Mina and ran... she must have seen everything. "... Oh... well, dear... I think that he maybe went.. somewhere else..."

"... Why...?" she asked.

Now Miu was hard-pressed to explain the death of a stranger to a child. This just didn't seem like the place to do that. How frustrating. With the news the girl watches on a daily basis in search of updates on the Tornado of Terror, she figured she'd have a basic understanding of what it was, but, '... I suppose it's also a good thing she doesn't know...' Miu placed a hand on her forearm with a gentle smile. "I'm... I'm sure he's okay, sweetie," she said, skipping around the subject. "Look, they're still showing Tornado."

That was all it took to direct her attention back to the screen. Whoever that man was and why her daughter seemed so interested, she didn't know. As a mother, her priority was her daughter, but there was a pang of guilt that rested in her chest as she looked back to the door. Perhaps she could have done more to help him... With that in the past, she took her daughter's hand tightly and continued through the bunker in search of their family.

Tatsumaki stared across at her opponent with daring eyes. This was the first standstill they'd come to since the start of the fight. Whatever he had up his slimy little sleeves, she didn't know, but what she did know was that she had to finish this soon. Her fight with the Sea-King took more out of her than she originally thought. A prolonged battle like this would surely let this creatin know that she wasn't at a hundred percent capacity. She was starting to feel slower by the second.

Her daring green eyes watched intently as the creature, who hadn't said much else since they began, started readying for another push. Something a bit discerning for her, he didn't seem to be all that tired. Not that he had a pair of lungs to suck air through, but there should be some form of noticeable weariness. Nothing she could see, but... perhaps there was something she couldn't. Noticing slight movement that seemed far too jerky to not have been a readying attack, she readied one too.

Before she shot it off, the creature finally spoke again. "-eh.. Hold on, please," his strangely normal tone called out as he looked elsewhere as if deep in thought. Tatsumaki watched him with a confused look on her face. "l-.. Lord Boros! I apologize! I didn't reali-... EHHHH!?" he exclaimed suddenly, further confusing Tatsumaki. "h-How could they have defeated even Groribas!? And fairly quickly you say...!? What kind of monstrous creatures do they really have...!? And I thought THIS one was strong I-... y-Yes sir! I apologize! I will end this quickly and deal with the intruders, Lord Boros! Please, excuse my weakness!"

Now, Tatsumaki could say she was a little more alarmed than she was to start. '... Lord Boros...? If this thing is answering to something else...' Before she could ponder her thoughts, the creature spoke again.

"y-You... tricky swine!"

With its eyes boring into hers once more, she assumed he must be talking to her. There was something different now, though. He seemed a bit... frightened... skittish even.

"a-A clever rouse for such a primitive species! I must say, I am impressed you had fighters strong enough to defeat Groribas and Melzergard! They were truly tough opponents! n-Not tougher than me of course! Eh-heh-heh.. b-but that's only to be expected. I am Lord Boros' second in command, Geryuganshoop, after all! h-How about I just let you go for now and you call your friends off our ship? I can ensure you, it's likely in your best interest!"

To say she was confused would be an understatement. His words here seemed cowardly, but it was simply the words from before that got under her skin. The little uttering he was doing is what truly pissed her off. Apparently, she wasn't up to this creature's standards. That, she just wouldn't accept. Preparing herself once more, she eyed the octopus once more with a far more deadly look. "You... don't think I am strong...?" Her voice was all too sweet, and it made the feel of her rising power all the more daring. "... You think you can just skip pass me like I'm nothing!?"

While she spat her anger-filled rant, there was movement off to the side that went relatively unnoticed by either. Through one of the holes created from Tatsumaki ripping chunks, one of Metal Knight's battle bots climbed through, albeit looking far worse for wear, barely clinging on to whatever functionality it had left, sparking and fidgeting with the damage inflicted. With the last of its mobility function still in place, it turned its head in the direction of the major battle between Tatsumaki and the psychic invader. The angle wasn't good, but with the backup power left within, Metal Knight was able to secure a fair view for broadcasting. The other heroes needed eyes up here in case things got too rocky for their new number 1.

(On the television)

Tatsumaki opposed the odd-looking creature, fearlessly. Through the view of the broadcast that just cut onto the screens of the public, it looked like a total action angle. Their hero looked fearless. What more could they ask for? Quality audio?

"Perhaps I should enlighten you as to exactly why I am the second strongest member of the Dark Matter Thieves," his comically whacky voice resounded in surprisingly good audio, shocking many of the bunker-goers. "I have honed my telekinetic abilities throughout the many galaxies. I have faced many psychics just like you. They have always been hard-fought battles until I acquired a technique that trumps all things. It is my ultimate technique! I wasn't planning on using it so early, but I don't have any more time to spend on you. TELEKINETIC GRAVITATIONAL WAVE!"

As soon as he said that, something miraculous happened. Tornado simply... dropped. She dropped down to the top of the ship, her green hue increasing very vibrantly. For a moment, it seemed she was simply trying to stand, but eventually, it just looked like she gave up on that as well. Shock and awe rang throughout the bunkers, all distressed by the sight of Tatsumaki on her hands and knees, shaking as if in intense pain.

Mina watched with watering eyes, visibly distraught for her favorite hero. She was sitting on her dad's lap, and he noticed her concern.

"Tornado!" she cried out desperately, sparking similar yells of fear from others in her bunker that traveled around the room like a virus. "Please...! Get up!"

"Tornado!"

"Don't give up!"

"You can do it!"

"Please, stand up!"

Of course, Tatsumaki was oblivious to their shouts. All she could think of was what she was going to do next. What were her options here...?

She couldn't move...

She could barely lift her fingers let alone stand...

It took nearly every ounce of her telekinetic prowess to keep her body from collapsing under this immense pressure. Letting that slip for even a second could be all it takes for her little frame to flatten like a bathmat. Without her even realizing it, something ran down her face, and it wasn't sweat...

"Heh-heh-heh! I see, so you're nearing your telekinetic limit, eh?" the creature mocked, noting the blood that began to leak from her brow. "I could tell when this battle began that your psychic energy was depleted quite recently before our arrival... but, even if you had been prepared, you had no chance of winning against the Supreme Telekinetic Power of the Universe, Geryuganshoop! My control over gravity applies a pull similar to that of a black hole! Within a black hole, gravity is so strong that even light itself cannot escape! Your power is quite formidable, but you have never fought an opponent like me! Heh-heh-heh!"

For the most part, his voice was simply annoying her. She didn't need the rundown on this technique. All it boiled down to be was a voice in her ears. It was taking everything she had just to stay alive... That's right. This wasn't about fighting for the fate of the world anymore... Right now, she was about to die... With no Blast, what was the point of even resisting? What's the point of trying anymore...? Maybe she should just give up and accept the inevitable.

'Don't rely on other people to save you all the time... Sometimes you have to rely on yourself.'

Those words flooded back to her... in a time like this no less... Just when she was thinking about just giving up. The voice of Blast was unmistakable. Why did he have to give her such damn good advice...? Even if she doesn't give up... what's he expecting her to do? There was so much pressure, even with her using every ounce of the limited strength she still has, it was starting to weigh on her. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. What's worse, her left eye was almost completely filled with blood from her brow. '... This is bad. This is... very very bad...!'

With a yawn, Saitama stepped out of his bedroom now donning his Hero costume aside from the cape, gloves, and boots. He vaguely glanced at the television on his way to the kitchen. There seemed to be some kind of strange alien movie on. It was really the news, but due to technical difficulties with the source of the broadcast, they were having trouble getting the audio and the headlines up for the reporters, so... in a way, it was easy to mistake for a movie at a quick glance. With a sigh, he headed to the fridge to find some food while reflecting on the stressful day he's had.

First, work gets canceled due to some kind of big catastrophe, then he meets a child who makes fun of his head, and then he gets hit by a big flaming rock out of nowhere, ruining his clothes... To make matters worse, when he got home, he realized he didn't have any clean clothes left other than his hero suit. It was one inconvenience after the next, it seemed... and it wasn't over yet.

He opened his fridge to see it was completely empty... All that was left was a half stick of butter, some expired milk, and a plastic cup with some kind of yogurt. He grabbed at his stomach with a frustrated sigh. "Hergh... I bet all the stores are closed until the end of this catastrophe..."

He shut the fridge and grabbed an apple that was on the counter. With nothing to do, he strolled toward the couch to see what movie was playing. Just as he was going to take a seat... he realized he should probably put some clothes in the washer. No use wasting valuable time on things that didn't matter. So... he did just that.

He gathered all of the dirty clothes from his bathroom, bedroom, and closet and shoved them in a basket. A few minutes later, he had his red boots on as he headed out the door and down the hall. Luckily for him, their apartment complex had a laundry room on the bottom floor. Since he was the only one living there, or in City Z period, it was always open for him to use.

With no rush to his movements, he began loading the washer, making sure to separate his colors and his whites. Since he always had the place to himself, he loaded two at a time, a good tip in time management...

When it was all prepped and loaded, he stared at the two machines for a moment. '... Ah... I forgot the detergent...' He headed back up to his apartment to grab it, still moving at that same leisurely pace as if he were daring the day to go by any faster. He passed by the television again to see that the same movie was still on. 'Maybe it just started,' he mulled on the way by.

How he hadn't recognized Tatsumaki was a mystery. There aren't many people with green hair after all. It should have at least stuck out enough for him to take a second look... but he just grabbed the detergent and made his way back down to the laundry room. He spilled a cup of the liquid soap into each machine before spotting a container of bleach. It was left here the last time he and Genos had come down to do laundry. Why they didn't just keep both the detergent and the bleach down there since they're the only ones who use it...? That... is a good question... Saitama never really thought about that...

Putting the bleach into the machine with the whites, he shut both doors and prepared to start them before he realized something else...

'... Ah... forgot the quarters.' Again, he turned tail and headed back up to his apartment. He passed the TV but didn't give it another look. They were still having difficulties getting up the reporter's audio and whatnot. Surely, he'd notice then.

After making his way down, he was finally able to get both loads started, leaving him pretty much free for the next twenty minutes. Making it back to the room, he again decided to check the fridge, almost out of habit, and again, he was disappointed. "Hurgh... I'm starving..." Saitama shut the fridge and made his way back to the living room to finally relax. As soon as he did, the screen began to glitch a bit before there were headline boxes and muttering voices.

(On the television)

'Okay, we're back?' the voice of a woman finally cut on, drawing his attention to the movie that was on.

"Hm...?" Saitama tuned in, surprised that it wasn't a movie. It looked so cinematic.

'Now, for those of you who are just joining us, whether you were asleep or if you just couldn't make it to a bunker before now, I warn you that the images you are seeing on screen are very shocking, to say the least. This is a very pressing time in this invasion as the Tornado of Terror along with the other S-Class members have been bravely battling this extra-terrestrial enemy. It would seem now, however, that Tornado is in a very scary position. I'm.. I'm not sure she'll make it out of this one...'

Saitama was surprised to see that it was still going on. '... Huh... I guess they really were facing some strong monsters...' Though he had faith in him, Saitama couldn't help but think of his student. '... I sure hope Genos is okay...' Just out of curiosity, he pulled his phone from his pocket, hoping he didn't have a plethora of messages pleading for help while his phone was on silent. Luckily, it was empty... or is that unlucky?

'We have received word from one of the bunkers in which A-Class hero Lightning Max has explained the predicament. It would appear that the S-Class heroes involved with the assault have set a perimeter to keep the fight contained within the confines of the now-destroyed City-A. Two of the heroes have bravely entered the enemy ship in hopes of clearing out the masses while Tornado takes on the leader. Metal Knight and Demon Cyborg have been within the ship for a total of 43 minutes already and they have shown no sign of re-emerging. It is the camera of one of Metal Knight's downed battle bots that we are receiving this live footage. Could this mean they have been taken out? Metal Knight is safe and scrambling to prepare another fleet, but sources say the Hero Association HQ has not been able to contact Demon Cyborg in quite a while. We can only hope he is okay...'

Saitama continued to sit back on his couch with a rather plain look, his eyes focused on the girl struggling on her hands and knees for all she was worth. He had seen her on TV many times, but... he was pretty sure he's never seen her like this before...

He glanced over to the clock on his wall, thinking of what to do. '... Well... I could probably make it there and back before my clothes dry out...' Letting wet clothes dry out in a washer usually means you have to rewash them, and he was out of quarters... Though, he could always stop and get change from his store, on the way back... His eyes again stared lazily at the screen. "... Guess I'll go..."

"t-... TCH!" Tatsumaki stammered out, giving every ounce of strength she had into piling her power into her small frame. It was getting harder and harder to withstand the pressure. This freak of an Epser showed absolutely no signs of letting up. He had been at it for a few minutes now, but it felt like hours, with the pressure increasing every second. The fact that he didn't finish her off with something else gave her some insight into the ability. Apparently, it was something that he could do only while maintaining it. If he tried to move or hit her with another move, he'd have to cancel it. That was good. From what she observed of his frantic conversation from earlier he's on a time crunch. 'a-... all I have to do is outlast him! T-then I'm gonna definitely kill him!' she thought with murderous intent.

It was big talk alright. She could feel every bone in her body quiver and shake against the immense pressure. The power she was flooding her body with was doing the trick, but it wouldn't last forever. It was like flexing every muscle in your body as hard as you can, continuously. Eventually, she wouldn't be able to do it anymore and that'd be it... but if she can just outlast his move... She could... she could make a run for it... But, then... who would stay and fight...?

That'd be it for them...

If she can't make a stand right here and now, it was all over...

Funny enough... at that very moment, she actually missed those few minutes of fighting the Sea-King who was ruthless in his attacks... At least back then she had faith in salvation if she couldn't do it... She had a safety net to fall back on. Now, '... I... am the safety net...'

"Heh-heh-heh! I was surprised when a meteor suddenly changed directions and headed right for the center of our ship," Geryuganshoop said. He just couldn't waste any more time here. His plan was to get into her head and force her to try something reckless. "I just knew that it had to be a monstrous Esper, like myself... Something I had never faced before, filled with a power unlike any other... Imagine my surprise when it turns out to be nothing more than a little girl!"

A vein popped out of Tatsumaki's forehead at his words.

He saw her reaction and knew exactly what it was to play on. "Of all of the planets we've invaded in all of the infinite galaxies, this has been the most disappointing race, by far! It's almost laughable...! I mean, it makes sense... Their strongest warrior is a child with a power she couldn't possibly understand!"

Another vein...

"I'm surprised this speck of a rock is still standing. What kind of warriors do you have here...? Monkies gifted with mediocre intelligence who tinker with little toys... lackluster brutes with less power than the children of other planets... and a child with the potential to be great... her only restriction is she's stuck in the body of a cute.. little.. girl..."

"Rargh!" Tatsumaki yelled out, charging as hard as she possibly could. She leaped off the ground much to Geryuganshoop's surprise, but it was no cause for concern for him. She started taking jagged steps in his direction, looking, ironically enough, like a toddler taking their first steps.

"Hahahah! That's right, LITTLE GIRL! Feed into that rage! Wear yourself out and be crushed by the force of my black hole!" he bellowed out gleefully.

Tatsumaki knew his game, but she was just far too enraged to care. No one... NO ONE called her weak. Those days were long gone. She'd prove it to him here and now when she made it to him and crushed his head like a melon. But... the closer she got, the further she seemed. It felt like she weighed a thousand times more than she actually does. Every step rattled her fragile bones. The amount of rage-fueled energy pouring out of her was something at the back of her mind at this point. She couldn't let anything stop her right now...

Too bad her path wasn't clear. With as much force as she could, she swung her leg forward for another step, unintentionally kicking some kind of pipe that did more damage than it probably ever has. "ARGH!" With a cry of pain, she hit her knees again. Falling so suddenly caused her to momentarily lose focus on exerting all that energy, so that fall definitely hurt.

Here she was... once again kneeling before this alien freak...

Once again sitting there... waiting to die...

Waiting to be saved...

Waiting for... anything...

Maybe it all was just pointless... Maybe it had been a pointless venture from the very start. When it comes to strength, she was simply outmatched here... That's all there was to it. So, by that logic... by that logic, she should be the one to perish... Yeah... She had long passed the point of finding reasons to live. Now, she supposed, she was just looking for a reason to die...

'Don't rely on other people to save you all the time...'

'... I know that...' She thought meekly.

'...Sometimes, you have to rely on yourself...'

'... What if I can't...?' She wasn't necessarily expecting an answer, because it was a question she had always been too afraid to ask him... Yet, she heard it, clear as day, as if it were spoken to her very soul.

'... Then die.'

Her eyes shot open wider in shock when something happened right between her and the tentacled freak. A small section of the metal, a little closer to where Geryuganshoop stood, suddenly popped and raised up as if something had been thrown against it. Then, with another hit, that bump busted open like a metallic pimple, spitting something out. Tatsumaki followed it with her eyes, not even noticing when the gravity let up a bit. Enough to let her breathe anyways.

The object rolled for a while before it finally came to a stop. It was something that was starting to seem way too common, the heavily damaged body of Demon Cyborg. He looked almost completely dead. She would have thought he was if he didn't try to move a bit after he landed. She looked at him with a shocked impression. He wasn't all that, but he was definitely not weak. What the hell could have done that to him?

"Oh, dear," Geryuganshoop muttered nervously.

Tatsumaki's gaze shifted back to him and her blood ran cold when she caught sight of what he was afraid of. A hand clasped down on the edge of the hole Genos was spat from. An armor-gloved hand bathed in gold, followed soon by the rest of the owners' form as he pulled himself through. A suit wrapped around his torso drenched in the most beautiful gold she had ever seen. Pointed boots to match. White pants flowed freely along with the thick red cape on his back. His hair was a spiky pink and his skin a deep blue. A single wide eye peered down at her, oozing with power. It was only then, being this close to it did she truly realize... It was not the octopus telepath that she felt earlier...

It was this...

Geryuganshoop looked at him with a very submissive feel to his fidgeting appendages. "l-.. Lord Boros...!"