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

"Well, that did the trick, huh?" a seductive voice spilled out. A woman dressed in very revealing lingerie with a mask covering her mouth slowly approached the downed Fubuki who knelt before her enchanted men. "And I believe you're one of those Esper sisters, yes? Your older sister is the Class S hero Terrible Tornado. Hmm... Perhaps I could use you as bait. Maybe then, she'll come out and play! Heheh! She'd make a much better toy tha-.."

Fubuki hit her with a huge blast of psychic energy, cutting her off before she could finish her threat.

'What the hell?' the woman thought as she landed on a street lamp. 'Even after all that lashing, her mind is still her own? Such strength of will. I hate girls like he-..' Again, a huge blast of energy caught her off guard when the telekinetic woman appeared right next to her faster than she could blink. She landed on her feet, but she definitely felt that. "That hurt, bitch!" she growled out, preparing her whip for another attack. She watched the blue glowing woman land lightly back on the ground. "I thought you'd be the bait to snag your little sister, but forget it! I'm killing you, right now!" She lunged up, drawing her whip back for another lash, but before she made it, she found she was snagged on something.

Landing back on her feet, her eyes trailed along her whip until she saw what it was. "Uh-! w-What the hell!? Why are YOU here!?"

The barely alive remains of one of her accomplices fell before her feet. "s-.. Super-S..." the creature groaned. "th-.. They had a monster of their own... w-w... we were completely wiped out...! Run!"

She looked back to the person who threw the body down in horror. There was no mistaking it. "d-... Demon Cyborg!"

Genos held onto the end of her weapon and eyed her down with that ever-present intense glare of his. "I have located another one. You will not escape."

Fubuki silently huffed a sigh of relief. She would've thought it'd be her sister coming to her rescue. Though, she was kind of glad it wasn't.

Bang stood with his hands behind his back, staring down at the passed-out form before him. It was a kid he knew very well. It seems he was too late. They were warned of all of the major threats beforehand, so he headed here first. It was clear there was one hell of a battle. Taking this kid out was no easy task. He sighed, tiredly, sporting a look of disappointment. "Metal Bat..." Kneeling down, he tried to shake him awake a few times. 'Garou must be stopped...'

Suriyu hobbled down the road in search of the closest bunker, or anyone that could get him there. He survived that beatdown earlier because of some unknown hero. That didn't mean he was in the clear. He desperately needed medical attention. He thought about just waiting around in the stadium for help to arrive, but he couldn't risk it. There was no guarantee there wouldn't be another one of those monsters lurking around there. He held his hurting ribs as he continued to limp down the sidewalk. At long last, he spotted the safe haven of a bunker at the end of the block.

It felt like his whole body was flooded with relief. He had never been to one before. In fact, he always considered them a stupid waste of tax-payer money. Now, he saw what they were truly for. 'Heh... eh-heh-heh-! Thank goodness...! I'm saved...'

(BOOM!)

A huge brownish-grey foot impacted the street right at the intersection blocking the way.

"Hergh! Hah!" he yelped out, turning around and ducking into a nearby alley.

The foot belonged to the first monster that completely annihilated him in that arena, Gouketsu. The four-eyed monster stalked down the street, towering above the lower-leveled buildings around him. He was right in the way of the bunker. Up by his shoulder was a bird-like monster. "So, the diversion was successful," his booming voice thundered out.

"Rahhh! That's right, Mr. Gouketsu," the bird creature replied. "There were also more than a few successful monster transformations. A few of the creatures that emerged were quite powerful."

"Good. I am headed to collect one of my own. He's had enough time to play." They turned right down the street with the alley that Suriyu was hiding in.

"You mean the four-armed ape creature?"

"Yes," Gouketsu replied.

"He was defeated..."

The towering monster came to a screeching halt... directly adjacent to the alley the injured fighter ducked into. Just his luck.

"Defeated... by who?"

"It is believed to be that fighter who tried to take you on. The martial artist."

'HUUUUHHH!?' Suriyu held his mouth shut on the opposite side of the garbage dumpster he was hiding behind. He was trying not to breathe. 't-They thought it was ME!?' he mentally exclaimed, shaking in fear. 'n-no! i-I can't let them find me!' Gaining just a bit of confidence, he opened his eyes and was immediately worried when his foot seemed to be sticking out just a bit. Could they see it? He didn't want to risk it. All he had to do was pull it back... ever... so... slightly...

(Bong)

His breath caught in his throat. He was so focused on his foot, he didn't notice how close his knee was to the side of the dumpster... It wasn't loud, as slow as he was going... perhaps they didn't hear it...

Gouketsu and the bird creature both had their heads turned in the direction of the alley. They didn't say anything. Gouketsu just continued walking down the street, his booming footsteps seeming to fade.

Suriyu breathed a sigh of relief when he was sure they were gone. He slowly crawled forward, poking his head out. 'n-.. No sign of 'em... I think... I think I'm in the clear, heh-heh...!' Just behind him, without him even noticing, the bird creature came swooping down. He felt it on the back of his neck and turned around, far too late to defend himself. "w-whoooooOOOAHH!"

The bird screeched loudly and dug its talons into his shoulders, yanking him from the alley. His body tumbled and rolled out into the middle of the street.

"I leave it to you, Mr. Gouketsu! Raahhh!"

"So, you're stronger than I thought," Gouketsu's booming voice called out, standing before him with his arms crossed.

Suriyu saw his death within those four eyes of his. There was no chance of escape here. He was too hurt to fight... This was what it felt like to be completely helpless. "n-No! Please! i-i-I didn't kill Bakuzan! i-It wasn't me! I didn't kill him!"

"Oh...? Is that so?" Gouketsu questioned. "Well, then who did? He was quite the formidable monster... would've been a great ally to our cause. Whoever took him out must be eliminated. So, if it wasn't you... then who was it?"

"I-don't-know!-I-don't-know! i-It was jus-.. this telephone pole that came out of nowhere! I swear! i-I'm not lying!" he stammered.

"Uhuh... well, I've got to tell you that's a little hard to believe... Not quite as hard as a weakling like you defeating him, but... Let's say I believe you... do you really think that'll be enough to save you?"

"HELP MEEEE!" Suriyu immediately yelled out, realizing his predicament, yet again. "PLEASE! HERO! i-I NEED A HEROOO! HEY! THERE'S A MONSTER OUT HEEERE! PLEEEASE!"

"My-my... What a spineless fool," Gouketsu mocked him. "Our forces are attacking every inch of every city. This area is spread thin, purposely. Every hero that was here, I've already defeated... No one will save you now..."

"Oh, shoot..." They both turned at the sound of a new voice. "I guess, I am lost..." Saitama stared at the street sign above his head with a raised brow. He looked to his right to see the source of that screaming he heard just a moment ago. Without caring to examine the situation, he noted a human face and walked to him, regardless of his bloodied form lying on the ground. "Uh... Hey, do you know any way to get back to City-Z, by chance...?"

Suriyu stared up at the bald man with a perplexed look that teetered between the hope of salvation and further dread. "w-.. w-What?" he asked, his voice breaking up a few times.

Saitama squatted down in front of him, blocking his view of Gouketsu behind him. "City-Z," he said. "I was having a sparring match with a-.. a friend, and now, I'm kinda lost... Oh, and also... are you okay? You look pretty beat up."

"n-.. no. No, i- I... t-there's a mon-.."

"You..." Gouketsu called out, cutting Suriyu's stammering short. "Foolish man... Are you a hero?"

Saitama raised his brow at the thundering voice. 'Where the hell is that coming from...?' He turned around and finally took note of the threat. "o-Oh... I thought that was a building..." He stood to his feet and thought about its question. "A hero...? Uh... I don't know. Not really. I used to be, but... I've been considering rejoining. It's not like my new job is any more fun..."

"I see," Gouketsu said. "Well, I suggest you consider passing up on that thought. Soon, we monsters will reign over the modern world. All others will either assimilate or cease to exist. It is the law of nature that the superior spe-.."

"o-Okay, hold on," Saitama stopped him. "Honestly, I don't really care about that, you know? It's been a pretty long day, and I kinda just want to go home..."

Suriyu was slack-jawed, staring up at this deadman walking. They were for sure going to die, now.

If Gouketsu was irritated, he didn't show it. He simply continued to stand there with his hands folded over his chest. That silence was deafening. "... As I was saying," he said, dismissing that rudeness as a farce. "It is the law of nature that the superior species dominate the weaker. It is the truth of this world that th-.."

"Hey, man," Saitama said, staring at him plainly. "I'm serious. Can you just point me in the direction of City-Z? I just heard that same speech like three times before this. It's not gonna matter what you plan to do in a few seconds, anyways..."

"... Is that so...?" Goketsu took a few steps toward the two as he spoke. "You have the bravery of a true fool. For that, I will allow you the first attack. Be warned. Should you choose to take it, you officially enter into a battle with me. The only way it ends is in death... Yours... or mine..." He came to a stop and crossed his arms over his chest.

Suriyu was still slack-jawed watching this bald man fearlessly stand up to this immeasurable monster. He was so arrogant... so, unfazed...

Saitama blinked once at the creature's words. Then, without warning, he jumped at its face. "... Okay..."

True to his word, Gouketsu didn't even flinch. He watched the casual punch approach with little care. It was just as he expected. Humans were always so arrogant.

"... You fool..."

(BOOM!)

In an unbelievable feat of strength, Gouketsu's head popped off like one of those cheap rockem-sockem robot games, only, there was no spring keeping it in place. It shot back, and dribbled down the road behind him, his body falling limply down to its back.

"Ah-...! ack-...! ack-ack-...!" Again, Suriyu found himself slack-jawed at the display, stuttering out a cheer of relief that sounded more like choking.

Saitama stood before the downed monster's body with that plain look of his. "... Huh. I do know this street." He turned back to the man lying on the ground behind him. "Hey, do you need some help or something...?"

'He's... He's a hero...!' Suriyu mulled. 'This is a real-life hero!' That beast almost killed him an hour ago, now his head was five blocks away from his body. 'He did it...! He saved me...! h-He-... saved my life...!'

"Hm? You can talk, right?" Saitama asked.

"ye-..." he paused again. His breath caught in his throat when Saitama shifted his head over just a bit, uncovering a glimpse of the sun behind him. It was like the shot of a movie poster, only this was real. "... Yeah..."

"Oh... Good. Well, you should probably get to that bunker, over there. I think they have doctors and stuff..."

"... okay."

Saitama looked at him for a moment more before turning around. "Okay... see yah..."

"... Wait!" Suriyu shouted, stopping him before he got too far.

Saitama turned around to see him struggling up to his feet. "Hm...?"

Suriyu hunched over in pain when he tried to stand. His ribs were definitely broken at this point. Still, with a groan of effort, he stood to his full height and locked eyes with his savior. "t-.. thank you!" He shouted, ignoring the pain as he bowed at the waist. He wasn't sure which it was, the pain from this position, or the overwhelming relief of his life being saved, but tears started slipping from his tightly shut eyes. "Thank you for saving my life!" His voice broke a few times with raw emotion. "THANK YOU...!"

Saitama, again, looked at him with that plain expression, blinking a few times. "... Sure... You should be safe now... Bye..."

Suriyu heard him trudging away and looked up in a hurry. "w-Wait! Please!"

Again, Saitama stopped and turned back to him.

"Please..." Suriyu took a moment to catch his breath. Everything in his body was hurting. "I've gotta know... c-..." he stopped himself, really thinking about whether or not he wanted to ask this. All his life has been about taking it easy, but... seeing him, seeing a REAL hero in action, for some reason, sparked a different feeling. "... Can I become a hero as well...?"

Suddenly, the wind kicked up, making the scene that much more emotional as Suriyu watched his clothes rustle and dance in the breeze. It was the perfect setup for an inspirational line-drop. Just like in the movies.

"... I don't know," Saitama said plainly. As if mother nature herself was disappointed by that lackluster response, the wind died out, leaving behind a dreadful silence.

"w-... what...?"

"I guess so," he shrugged. "I mean... if I can... I guess anyone can, really..." Then, just like that, the wind returned as Saitama turned around and continued walking. "Just... do your best."

Suriyu could almost hear music in those words of his. They weren't necessarily words of surety, but it was enough to light that fire. In that very moment, he decided. 'I will... I will do my best... and I will become a hero...!' A smile crept its way onto his face as he watched him walk away. "... w-Wait, one more thing!" he shouted.

This time, Saitama didn't turn around, but he did stop. He just peeked over his should slightly to show he was listening.

"Please... make me your disciple!"

The bald man didn't move for a second, as if he were considering his words. Then, he continued walking. "... Absolutely not..."

Tatsumaki floated above the five dead carcasses of the last of the vermin she was able to find. She had a transponder floating up by her face, listening to the latest update on the dwindling catastrophe.

'That was the last of the threats, Ms. Tornado. The rest of the high-level monsters have already retreated,' the voice of a female worker said.

"Tch, pathetic," she grumbled. "If we're done here, I've got better things to do." Before she could hang up, the woman stopped her.

'a-Actually, there is a bit of a smaller matter happening right now, if you're interested.'

She rolled her head back. "Urgh! What is it?"

'The uh.. the 'Hero Hunter' has been tracked down by a group of A class heroes and is currently engaged with them. They are not fairing well. Bang, Bomb, and Demon Cyborg are already on their way there.'

"What a waste of time! I don't care about some low-life hero hunter! Let Bang handle that! I'm going offline!" She hung up and blasted off into the sky.

As she flew, she flexed her right hand a bit. It was a little strained from her fight with the baldy. She still... STILL couldn't believe it... A weak-looking bastard like that? It seemed like some kind of joke to her. Though, that fight of theirs proved it. She put her all into that. Hell, she was so blinded by rage, she didn't even realize they were back in the city until she killed that first monster. The Tornado of Terror, fighting at one hundred percent... and she couldn't put a dent in that plain-looking face of his. '... It's definitely him...' She took off at top speed.

"... What the hell!?" Saitama called out in shock as he stood in front of his apartment building which was now in complete ruin. A chunk of that meteor he broke in that spar was coincidentally right where his room was. "That's a lot of damage! How long is THAT gonna take to fix!? How much is it gonna cost? Oh man, I'm gonna have to get a second job. No, a THIRD job! And even then, could this be fixed!?"

King stood next to him, now wearing his freshly cleaned work clothes, staring at the destruction. "I don't even know where that thing came from," he said. "It just fell right outta the sky. Luckily, I had just stepped out, about to head for a bunker... I didn't make it. There were like three monsters that showed up out of nowhere, so I just hid in one of the other buildings."

"oh-Hoh! Well, great for you!" Saitama yelled, comically as he dropped to his knees with his hands on his head. "I can't even break my lease. There's a whole 'nother charge on top of paying the bill for the damages! I'm ruined!"

King had never seen such emotion in Saitama before. It seemed when it came to finances, that was his greatest weakness. "Well... I'm sure your landlord will waive the damages fee due to the circumstances of the attack, right?"

"Heh-heh... No... The lease agreement says that damage fees are not covered without proper insurance..."

"You don't have insurance...?"

Saitama shook his head.

King verbally winced. "Oooh... that sucks... Well, uh... I'd let you stay with me, but my landlady lives right next door and does random checks every so often. If I'm caught housing another person, I'd get evicted for sure. That'd look bad on my credit score."

Saitama sighed. "Don't worry about it... I'm sure I can find somewhere cheap."

"Hey..." that familiar female voice called out from behind them.

King was the first to turn around and jumped at the sight of the green glowing woman floating in the air. "Ah! s-Saitama, she's back!" he said in a panic, jumping behind his only line of defense.

"Hm?" Saitama turned around and saw who it was. "Oh, hey... what are you doing here?"

Tatsumaki ignored his question initially, her eyes traveling over him and to his house. She had come to be the bigger person and right her wrong of breaking his wall, but... it seemed that was no longer the big issue. "... What happened to your apartment?"

Saitama was back to his plain-looking self. "Oh, uh... a piece of that meteor I destroyed while we were sparring landed here. Just unlucky, I guess..."

She squinted her eyes curiously at him. That was, technically, her fault as well, but as long as he didn't see it that way, she wouldn't speak on it.

Saitama seemed to disregard her again as he thought about his predicament. "Hurgh. Well, does your building have any openings?" he asked King.

The bigger man, who was still eyeing the green monster behind him, responded nervously. "i-I don't know. I don't think so. I'm pretty sure I got the one open room."

"Crap... well, do you think you could loan me some money for a motel room until I get paid next week?"

"Uh... sure..." He dug in his pockets, looking for his wallet. "How much are motel rooms?"

"Rejoin the Hero Association..."

Saitama and King both turned to Tatsumaki with confused looks. King teetered his gaze between the two of them.

"Hm...? Why?" Saitama asked.

She furrowed her brow in irritation as if the answer to his question was obvious. "Because... you're strong..."

He didn't respond to that. He just stared at her intently as if waiting for more.

"We need stronger heroes... so you should rejoin..."

Saitama put his finger on his chin and weighed his options. "Well... to be honest, I was thinking about it, but... I'm probably still too strong..."

"Too strong?" Tatsumaki repeated in a dumbfounded tone. "Too strong!? What the hell does that mean!?"

Saitama was confused by her burst of anger. "Uh... I don't know... I'm just too strong. The fights weren't fun anymore..."

Tatsumaki took a steadying breath before she blew her top. "The monsters are getting stronger... and we need stronger heroes."

"Really...? I mean, you're pretty strong," he said. "I saw you defeat a ton of monsters while we were fighting."

"So did you!" she pointed at him.

King stood behind Saitama looking between the two curiously as they had a back-and-forth about the monsters caught in the crossfire of their battle. There was a lot to pick apart, but the one thing that stuck out like a sore thumb was the difference in the small girl before them. He was, shamefully, in the hero associations S-Class for quite some time. He went to many of the meetings, and he ran into her often when he was forced out to a mission. Never had he seen her this flustered. This wasn't her usual arrogant babbling. It was still rude in the tone, but the words weren't as harsh. Also, it was hard to tell in the fading light, but if he squinted, '... Is Tornado... blushing...?'

"Mm," Saitama hummed. "I don't know. I'm still not sure... Honestly, I don't think I have the time for that, right now. I'm gonna have to get a second job just to cover the damages here... plus, I've gotta find a new apartment."

"Heh..." Tatsumaki chuckled, surprising him. "They pay for your housing and you get free insurance, you idiot!"

The bald man stared at her curiously before he turned back to King. "... Really?"

"o-Oh, yeah," he mulled. "I forgot all about that. I think it's just for the S-Class heroes, though."

"... Oh," Saitama muttered in disappointment. "Well, that sucks..."

"I can get you into S-Class," Tatsumaki said.

Again, Saitama was blindsided by her words. "... Really? How?"

"Tch! I'm the top hero in the association! A recommendation for me and you're in. If you claim your kills for the Sea-King and that alien freak, then you'll definitely get in."

Even with that tidbit of information, Saitama still couldn't make a decision. There were so many new variables to consider, and he had only started thinking about it recently, so why did it feel like he was on the hot seat?

Tatsumaki waited for his answer with her arms folded over her chest and a slightly irritated scowl on her face. 'What the hell is there to consider? This should be a no-brainer! I mean, it solves all this idiot's problems!'

As she watched Saitama, King continued to watch her, truly trying to understand the shift in her demeanor. It was something he had never seen. Not even when faced with monsters. She was usually arrogant and uninterested, but at that moment, she seemed... desperate. 'Hm... for some reason, this reminds me of a scene from the first Heartbeat Hottie Sisters... Is this some kind of budding love story or something...? With Tatsumaki... and Saitama...?'

"heh-... heh-heh-..." King couldn't help but chuckle a bit, unknowingly drawing confused looks from the other two. He wasn't laughing because of its ridiculousness. It was definitely odd considering the two drastically different personalities, but, 'It would be the most amazing couple to ever exist!' he thought with an unreasonably excited knot in his stomach. 'In most of the romantic gameplay storylines I've played, it's usually a stronger character pitying someone weaker who they later find out is quite unique and interesting, but... this is like something new! Everyone would love it! And... I could take notes...! I could take notes and write and submit the greatest romantic story of all time to the developers of the Heartbeat Hotties franchise!'

"What the hell are you laughing at!?" Tatsumaki demanded, drawing him out of his own thoughts.

Startled by her voice, King sputtered with his words. "i-Uh! n-Nothing! n-.. i-I'm sorry! Uh, Saitama? y-You should definitely rejoin," he said, turning to him. "I mean, it's... it's your best option. The insurance will cover the cost of your house being destroyed, and you'll get a new place to live."

"... Mm... I still don't know."

King saw that Tatsumaki's anger was rising, so he thought quickly on that last bit that would push him over the edge. In his time as an S-Class hero, what were the biggest perks? Free housing, free insurance, an unbelievably fair monthly paycheck, and... "Oh, and there's also a 25% discount at most grocery stores..."

"This is the guy?" Atomic Samurai asked. His question was thrown out into the air, but it was meant for Tatsumaki who sat at her spot at the head of the conference table. The entirety of the remaining S-Class members were all in attendance for this meeting, aside from Genos. The cyborg was up on the monitor sitting next to Saitama in a separate room. They all watched the bald man playfully leaning back in his chair wearing his hero costume-boots, gloves, and all-digging in his ear with his pinky.

"Heh-! Is this a joke?" Metal Bat snickered.

"No!" Tatsumaki shouted at him defensively. "Yeah, he looks like an idiot... but he's strong... He's really strong..." Her voice softened along her explanation as she dredged up memories of that embarrassing defeat.

"Heh, he doesn't look like much to me," Metal Bat said, ignoring the daring eyes of their number 1.

"I must say, I agree," Puri-Puri Prisoner said from his seat, putting his hand on his chest dramatically. "I've seen men of deceptive strength before, but for him to receive such praise from someone like dear Tatsumaki... I just don't see it."

Not getting the hint from her previous two looks, Metal Bat just pestered on. "h-Yeah, I mean, what's his power? Super bald reflectiveness?"

(Woosh!)

He was flung from his seat into the wall behind him, screaming obscenities at the person he knew was responsible.

The others continued on as if they didn't even notice. "I mean, the uniform does match that of the hero from the invasion." Child Emperor analyzed. "Maybe this really is the guy."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that." Atomic Samurai stepped in. "Everyone was watching that broadcast. Someone could've just copied the design. This could just be another King situation where some nobody is trying to catch an easy ride through the ranks for the perks."

"It's not. He's legit," Tatsumaki said yet again. "I've seen him in action myself."

"Yeah, but you were out of it for most of that." Atomic Samurai pointed out, thinking she meant the whole invasion incident. "There's no telling who you actually saw up there."

"I too can vouch for the legitimacy of this man," Bang said, standing to his feet. "Saitama-boy has a strength that is unexplored. A strength beyond anything I've ever seen."

"We cannot make this decision strictly on hearsay," Flashy Flash interjected. "This guy doesn't seem all that efficient. He looks far too unrefined for the rank of Class-S."

"Unrefined?" Tatsumaki asked. "There is literally a guy in a dog costume sitting next to you, and a fat greasy slob drooling on himself across the table!"

"You say this is the guy who defeated the Sea-King?" Zombieman spoke up, entering the conversation. Tatsumaki nodded. "Well, then. I'm interested. What's his power?"

"I... I just told you...! We've been telling you since we've been in here!" She yelled. "He's strong..."

"... Oh, I see. You meant actual strength," Zombieman muttered. "Well, if that's the case, I'd also side against it. We don't need any more brutes. We've already got Prisoner, Darkshine, Tank Top, and... well, I don't know if I'd consider Bat for that."

"Heh, I could crack your head open with one swing then wait to do it again you undead jackass," Metal Bat threatened him with a cocky glare.

"Heh," Zombieman chuckled, fearlessly. "Oh, I'm sure. You still wouldn't win the fight."

"You want to bet on that?"

"You'd wear out long before me, kid."

"Yeah, I doubt that. You've got a foot in the grave already you son-of-a-.."

(WOOSH!)

Both of them were flung back into the walls behind them. "Shut up! No one's here for that!" Tatsumaki shouted. She looked back to the screen. "Just listen... I know how... dumb it's gonna sound, but... this is the real number 1 hero..."

"HUUHH!?"

That kicked up a bit of an uproar from some of the more vocal members, including Child Emperor. "Whoa-whoa. That seems like a little much, Tatsumaki. I mean... bringing him into the S-Class at all is pretty far-fetched, but making him number 1!?" the little genius shouted incredulously.

Tatsumaki was about to buckle down before she was cut off by a new voice. "Not possible..." It was Amai Mask, strutting into an S-Class meeting for no apparent reason.

"Hey!" she shouted with an angry glare. "What the hell are you doing in here, A-Class!?"

Amai Mask ignored her and continued pacing the room. "This man cannot possibly be the number 1 hero. I was against bringing some nobody loser into the higher-ups, at all, but... I saw the footage. I recognize strength when I see it. For that reason alone, I've allowed this, but the ranking system is based on more than strength. It's popularity. No one knows who this ridiculous man is. There'd be worry from many, including the sponsors, that this man is nothing more than the next King. The next imposter..."

"Well, he's not!" Tatsumaki yelled out in anger. "When they hear that I'm the one who brought him in, they'd know that!"

"h-Yeah," Amai Mask chuckled. "You'd want that to be the case, wouldn't you?"

She squinted her eyes, confused and... slightly worried by his accusing tone.

"Don't think this little blatant infatuation with this man has gone unnoticed. You're supposed to be the new number 1. Yet, here you are, fawning over some nobody like a damsel in distress because his outfit matches the man that saved you. You should be the most suspicious of this."

Tatsumaki gasped in shock and stared at him with an unreadable look. 'w-... what'd he jus-...' She was so mad that the words he spoke after were lost on her. She just watched him pacing the room as if he owned the place. Knowing who he is and knowing his influence with fans was the only thing keeping her from ripping his head off.

"That's why I propose he is placed at the bottom of the barrel of the S-Class rank..." Amai Mask said, finishing his rant still uninterested in Tatsumaki's seething aura. "I mean, you've all earned your spots. It just wouldn't be fair for this no-name loser to pop up and outrank you even though no one's ever seen him in action.

"I HAVE!" Tatsumaki shouted.

Amai Mask ignored her completely and continued on. "Personally, I don't think he should be in the top tier regardless, but... The organization has left the decision up to you, its trusted apex members..." There was a mocking hint to his tone that didn't sit well with most of them. "So, I urge you to choose wisely..." With that, he left the heroes to their decision.

It was debated for a few minutes with, pretty much, only Tatsumaki and Bang advocating for a higher rank. Tatsumaki didn't say it directly anymore, but she wanted him at rank 1. It was only right, but considering no one actually saw Saitama's feats firsthand as she did, she knew it probably wasn't gonna happen. Also, as much as she hated to admit it, that Amai Mask freak was right. There was more to the ranking than just strength. The more popular a hero is the more fans they accumulate. More fans meant more people buying licensed merch for the sake of the organization.

Even if they do explain that he is the hero who defeated the Sea King and the alien leader, Boros, there will be just as many skeptics as believers. Many low-life internet trolls will stop at nothing to prove some kind of ridiculous conspiracy theory. Regardless of where he was ranked, getting him in at all was the most pressing matter... Genos was called back to the meeting when it was time to vote...

"Rank 16...?" Saitama muttered, reading the paper in his hand as he, Genos, and Sekingar walked to the exit of the facility.

"That's right," Sekingar said. "Your rank has much to do with your strength, which – if Tornado's recommendation is valid – is second to none. But, it also has much to do with popularity," he explained. If Saitama was listening, he didn't really show it. His gaze shifted around the corridor as if they were in a museum or something. "As you defeat monsters and handle yourself in public, your fanbase will grow. If the higher-ups of the organization see you are superior to the hero, or heroes, ahead of you, they will move you up accordingly."

"When do I get the insurance?" he asked, completely ignoring that explanation.

"... Uh... you'll have it by the end of the week."

"Okay... and that covers the damages to all of my residences, right?"

"... yeah..."

"Cool..."

Sekingar watched him with wavering confidence. "Uh, there is also a transponder that is going to be issued to you within the next two days. Once you receive it, we ask that you fully read and program it according to the-.."

"How about the grocery discount?" he cut him off. "Does that kick in immediately? Or do I need like a card orr..."

Sekingar took a deep steadying breath. It seemed he was more interested in the perks than the job. That was a red flag in his opinion. 'If this is another King situation, we'll be in much rougher waters with the sponsors...' He eyed him out the side of his eye for a moment before answering his question. "It's a card. You'll get it with the welcome pack. Now, as I was saying. The transpon-.."

"Oh, is that stuff going to my apartment? It's kinda... collapsed right now... oh, wait, I was also told that we get free housing?"

'Heh... Tornado, I really hope you know what you're doing,' he thought. Sekingar stopped when they finally made it to front door. "Uh... yeah. Yeah, you do... There's a car that'll take you there out front. The free housing unit for the S-Class heroes has been relocated to the Condor Hotel within City-B. It gives the association quick access for when we need to fly you out to an emergency alert."

"Oh... okay. So... do I start today? Or after I get that welcome pack or whatever... and when do we get paid?" he asked. "... Oh, and is there some sort of 401K plan orrr.."

"l-Look," Sekingar stopped him. "I've got some other business to attend to. Everything you need to know will be in your welcome pack. Also... as I understand it, Demon Cyborg here is your uh-... disciple...?" he wondered, eyeing Genos down as if he were afraid to offend him. The cyborg just gave him a stiff nod in response. He still couldn't believe that more than anything. "Right... So, he can answer any questions you might have."

"Oh... Yeah, that makes sense," Saitama said as he watched him walk away. "Thanks, dude..."

"Oh, and... Saitama," Sekingar stopped and called out over his shoulder. "... You'll be watched closely for your performance. Don't think we'll be as foolish as we were before. Impersonating a top-tier hero is now a crime, punishable by jail time... Just keep that in mind..."

Saitama raised a confused brow as he watched him tread away. "... Hm? What does that mean?"

"Master," Genos said, tapping his shoulder. "Your vehicle has arrived."

Saitama followed his gaze to the sleek-looking black car that pulled up in front of them.

"... Okay..." As they made their way, Saitama virtually ignored the shifting side glances from other Association agents along the way. He reflected briefly on everything that's happened so far. 'Well... looks like I'm a hero again. It may be boring, but... at least I'm not homeless anymore... and I've got insurance... I sure am gonna miss City-Z though...'