At the moment, Caspian reflected on the day’s events as he wahrough a battle-scarred wastend. It was one of many he’d crossed, each a grim testament to the widespread devastation pguing this world.

  But even these bleak surrounding couldn’t bring doian’s mood.

  Dr. Genus had firmed Armoril’s answer: Yes, Mosquito Girl was in an underground medical facility.

  As Dr. Genus led the pair to her, Caspian noticed the strange gnces directed his way but chose not to question them.

  With Genos, he decided it was best for him to see Mosquito Girl now as to ease him into her existehe two would eventually have to i a along. At least, that was Caspian’s hope.

  After navigating several tunnels, they reached the medical room. Upoering, Caspia a pang of guilt at the sight before him. Her current state was his doing, even if it had been necessary to save her. She y on a hospital bed, surrounded by maes and tubes, her once blood-red skin now restored to its inal tone.

  Genos dispyed ive rea upon seeing her. In fact, he remained pletely silent, his expression unging the eime.

  Dr. Genus assured Caspian that she would make a full recovery and even promised to find a solution for her relian blood. Pleased with Dr. Genus’s being qui the uptake, Caspian informed him of several pieces of information that would be him iure.

  Afterward, Caspian headed out of the medical facility with Genos.

  His departing words tenus informed him of the injured Armoril aboveground.

  After exiting the tunnel, Genos departed immediately after a simple farewell.

  Watg Genos’ figure fade into the distance, Caspian couldn’t shake the gut feeling that the timeline’s alteration had caused an unseeion in his retionship with Genos…

  Returning from his recolle, Caspian kicked his foot across the reddish, cracked earth.

  “Where’s an iing new monster for me to mess with?”

  ROAR!

  His eyes darted to the sky, log a dark, military-esque aircraft flying overhead.

  “Hmm?”

  ¤ ¤ ¤

  If one flew above the clouds, they could observe a small floating object.

  Iy, that ‘object’ retty, petite woman.

  Ring

  A cellphone enveloped in green aura floated out from an unknown locatioh her form-fitting V-neck bck dress.

  “What is it?”

  “Tornado, have you discovered the potential Mysterious Being that caused the atmospheric disturban Z-City Ghost Town?”

  Tatsumaki ched her small fists. “What do you mean?! It’s been five minutes! And what’s this about ‘potential’? Didn’t you say I’d get to face a Dragon-level Threat immediately?”

  “You must find it before it annihites a poputed city! Search everywhere! Go beyond Z-City Ghost Town to the surrounding barren wastends!”

  The caller from the Hero Association hung up.

  “Hmph! Who does he think he is, wasting my time with this wild goose chase?”

  Tatsumaki, eager to end this annoyance quickly, shot down below the clouds toward a distant wastend. With her incredible speed, she arrived at her destination in mere moments.

  “A waste of my precious time. I’m going to have a serious talk with him once I return.”

  S through the sky, she sed the cracked earth below. To her surprise, the setting sun reflected off something in the distance.

  When she caught up to the refle, her annoyand disappoi rose in unison.

  A baldy in a one-piece jumpsuit out here?

  Tatsumaki flew down in front of the man, stopping him in his tracks.

  “Hold it right there! Why are you out here by yourself?”

  The bald man didn’t respond. Instead, his eyes glided up and down her body.

  Could this bastard…

  “Are you deaf?”

  The man looked her dead in the eye and smirked, which rubbed her the wrong way.

  …be mog my size?!

  Before she could teach this boiled egg a lesson, he responded.

  A dumb smile adorned his face. “You’re the S-Css Hero…um—Oh! I remember ‘Tiny Twister of Trepidation!‘”

  Tatsumaki snapped.

  “That’s it headlight!”

  Her mood soured the moment she was assighis moal waste of time. Now, some fool who couldn’t even remember her name and had the audacity to mogly eye her body dared to waste more of it. She’d make certain he learned a harsh lesson.

  Floating in the sky, Tatsumaki extended her hand, her emerald-green psychic aura ing around the man below.

  This is what you get!

  His body should’ve been flung across the earth…

  Instead, his body only oscilted apace. “Abababababa…”

  Tatsumaki’s eyes narrowed. He’s enduring it?! Why isn’t it w…? What is this guy?

  “Is this really all the ‘Tiddly Tornado’ do? I expected you to be more than a glorified, vibrating massage chair.”

  “Die!”

  Enraged, she shot forward, reag the baldy in a fra of a sed. Grabbing the top of his head, she smmed him face-first into the ground. Without pause, she flew off, dragging him through the earth and leaving a deep tren their wake.

  Let’s see if you run that mouth of yours now.

  “Hey, this is bad for my scalp!”

  “Shut it!”

  Tatsumaki gnced down, her eyes widening as she saw the man. His head faced toward her, a calm smile stretg across his face.

  “Are you having fu?”

  His words brought her to a stop as she released him from her grasp.

  Fun? Was she having fun?

  Besides Bst, Tatsumaki believed no hero or monster could resist her powers. Yet, here in the middle of nowhere, stood someone who could.

  “I’ll take that smile as a yes.” The unfazed man brushed dirt from his yellow jumpsuit. “Right then. Are you going to go all out, or what?”

  Tatsumaki scoffed and pointed into the distance. “Hmph! Just because you’re a little strong, you think you’re my equal? Ridiculous. But I’ll offer you a glimpse. So, don’t bme me if you die.”

  Rumble

  Following her finger, a distant mountain rose.

  Tatsumaki grinned and said. “If you beg for fiveness, I may let you off the hook.”

  “Quit stalling pipsqueak.”

  “…”

  ¤ ¤ ¤

  Soured down Tatsumaki’s face.

  The hell is this…

  No matter what Tatsumaki tried—dragging, dropping, even drilling him deep into the p’s crust—the bald freak of nature remained effortlessly unharmed.

  This feeling… Was this what it meant to have fun? She had never faced an oppo like such as him, and it awakeions she’d long buried.

  It was as if this man knew precisely how to provoke her, and for a while, his wenuinely enraged her. However, over time, she started to enjoy it. He gave her the ce to test herself, to push beyond her limits in a way no one else ever had.

  Tatsumaki brought her hand to her lip. I’m actually smiling...

  Crumble

  The baldy emerged from the unknowhs of the p she plunged him into.

  Tatsumaki could no longer maintain her levitation and nded on the ground.

  “Don’t push yourself too hard. Though I wouldn’t mind carrying you home.”

  “Shut up! You bald pervert! I don’t need your .”

  She only noticed his perverted nature after unleashing hell on him. Those gnces she had mistaken for mockery were, in fact, filled with lust. No one had ever dared to ogle her before, and the realization stirred something unfamiliar within her.

  The man surveyed the cataclysmic state of the wastend and remarked, “o be so upset. You know I’m not your enemy, right?”

  Tatsumaki crossed her arms, her pierg gaze fixed on him. “Are you sure about that? Not that it’s any of your business, but I was seo iigate an unusual atmospheric disturbance.”

  The man only chuckled in response.

  But it made her firmly believe in her suspis: he must be the Mysterious Being the Hero Association had seo find.

  Tatsumaki pondered, grasping for an excuse—not that she’d ever admit to it.

  “ht isn’t over,” she decred, hands pnted on her shapely hips. “Until I’m sure you’re not a threat, I’ll find you when I feel like it, and fight you. So, be grateful.”

  The man raised his ched fist. “e find me anytime. I enjoy being around you.”

  At this time, she didn’t uand the significe behind her heightened heartbeat.

  With the same carefree attitude she found him, he walked off.

  Tatsumaki called out, “Hold it! Not that I care or anything, but what is your name?”

  “Caspian,” he replied, before his walking speed turned abhorrent, carrying him out of sight in several breaths.

  “Caspian…”

  Ring

  Tatsumaki guided her phoo her ear. “What do you need?”

  “Tornado! Do you know how many times we’ve tried to call you? What happened? We have received many massive energy readings. The st one broke the meter. I assume you’ve dealt with the Mysterious Being?”

  “I’ve hahe situation. you e pick me up?”

  “Good work! The aircraft is on route. Say, you sound like you’re in a good mood. Was the Mysterious Being that strong?”

  Tatsumaki smiled toward the burnt e horizon. “Pretty strong.”