The duel between Saitama and Tatsumaki ended in the most anticlimactic way possible.
Throughout the entire match, Tatsumaki had been the only one attacking — wave after wave of psychic bombardments — while Saitama hadn't so much as lifted a finger against her. The only time he actually moved was when he obliterated the enormous meteorite she had summoned.
That single punch had been enough to shake everyone to their core.
Too strong!
Even a fool could see that Saitama's strength completely dwarfed Tatsumaki's.
When the test concluded, a new problem immediately arose — one that left the executives of the Hero Association in utter confusion.
How exactly should they classify Saitama?
His strength clearly exceeded the boundaries of normal ranking systems. He was easily S-class material, that much was obvious. But how high should he be placed?
If they ranked him too low, it would be a blatant insult — not only to Saitama, but also to his teacher, Mr. Mundo.
But if they ranked him too high, say, directly under Mundo himself… that would disrupt the existing balance of the Association and spark dissatisfaction among the other S-class heroes who had spent years building their reputations through countless battles.
It was a delicate situation.
After several rounds of heated discussion, the chairman finally decided to consult the only man who could give them clarity.
He approached Fenric respectfully. "Mr. Mundo, we're still deliberating on the evaluation of your disciple's strength. It's difficult to make an immediate decision, so we plan to hold a formal meeting to discuss it thoroughly."
Fenric nodded, unbothered. "That's fine. It's not something to decide hastily. Take your time and evaluate it properly."
The chairman exhaled in relief. "Thank you for your understanding, Mr. Mundo." He smiled and added, "It's almost noon anyway. Please, Mr. Mundo — you, your disciple Mr. Saitama, and Miss Tatsumaki — join us for a meal at headquarters."
At the mention of food, Saitama's blank expression suddenly lit up.
Food?
He wasn't exactly a gourmand, but since becoming invincible, he'd found that few things could hold his interest anymore — eating was one of the few pleasures he had left.
Fenric smiled. "Sure, that sounds fine."
Saitama nodded eagerly, while Tatsumaki merely huffed in her usual tsundere fashion but didn't refuse.
…
Back at the Heroes Association Headquarters, A City
Fenric, Saitama, and Tatsumaki headed to the association's restaurant, while the chairman convened an emergency meeting with the senior board members.
Inside the large, secure conference room, only a handful of top-ranking officials were present. Since Fenric had requested discretion, the chairman made sure that only those with the highest clearance were informed.
When the meeting began, they played the recorded footage of the duel between Saitama and Tatsumaki.
The video wasn't long — but by the time it ended, the room had fallen into dead silence.
No one spoke.
No one even breathed.
Every person in the room had the same thought.
That bald man… just what kind of monster is he?
Even Tatsumaki, their strongest esper, had been completely overwhelmed — and she hadn't even been able to force him to fight back.
The chairman cleared his throat, breaking the tension. "Ahem. The man you saw in the video is named Saitama. I've already sent people to gather more detailed information on him. But what matters most is that he's a disciple of Mr. Mundo — and according to our sources, his overwhelming power comes entirely from Mr. Mundo's teachings."
He paused, glancing around the room.
"The battle between Miss Tatsumaki and Mr. Saitama was an accident — it wasn't a real duel. It was meant to serve as an evaluation of Mr. Mundo's disciple's strength, so we can assign him an appropriate hero ranking within the Association."
At the mention of Saitama joining the Association, the mood in the room shifted.
Several senior members exchanged excited looks.
"This is excellent news! If someone like that joins us, the Hero Association's reputation will skyrocket!"
"Haha, agreed! Imagine the government's face when they find out — they'll lose their minds!"
The laughter spread across the table, but the chairman soon raised his hand to quiet them.
"Yes, it's indeed good news," he said seriously, "but there's a rather difficult issue we must address first."
One of the executives frowned. "And what's that?"
"The question," the chairman said gravely, "is — how do we rank someone like him?"
Everyone fell silent again.
The problem was obvious. If they ranked him too low, it would be an insult. But if they placed him too high, it would shatter the existing hierarchy.
After a while, one of the senior members spoke up. "It's clear that this Saitama is stronger than Tatsumaki. With that kind of strength, we should show absolute sincerity and give him one of the top S-class positions."
Another quickly objected. "But that wouldn't be fair to the other S-class heroes. Saitama hasn't made any contributions to the Association yet. If we give him too high a rank right away, it'll cause resentment."
A third member countered immediately. "We need powerhouses like him! A few complaints don't matter. Didn't Miss Tatsumaki receive third place when she first joined?"
"That was years ago," someone argued. "The Association was much smaller back then — the circumstances were different. Now we're a global organization. We have to follow protocol."
The debate grew louder.
One of the more level-headed directors offered a compromise. "Then how about this — we give him an S-class ranking, but start him at tenth place. That shows sincerity without breaking any rules."
"That sounds reasonable."
"Yes, tenth place works."
One by one, they nodded in agreement.
Just as the discussion seemed settled, the chairman suddenly frowned. "Everyone… let's not forget — Saitama is Mr. Mundo's disciple."
That reminder sent ripples through the room.
A moment of stunned silence followed — and then realization dawned.
"A disciple of Mr. Mundo?"
"If the student is that strong, then just how terrifying is the teacher?"
"Right! I remember the video from three years ago. Mr. Mundo was already incredibly powerful back then, but not this powerful. There's no way he hasn't grown even stronger since his disappearance."
Someone shivered. "Three years of training... If that's true, his current power must be unimaginable."
"Hiss… Mr. Mundo really is on another level."
Heads nodded around the table.
One of the senior executives finally said what everyone was thinking. "Given that he's Mr. Mundo's disciple, we have to handle this carefully. We can't afford to offend him."
Another chimed in, "Agreed. Mr. Mundo is the Association's greatest asset. We must respect his standing."
"Then," said one of the directors thoughtfully, "ranking his disciple only tenth doesn't seem fitting. How about third place in the S-class?"
"Third place? Isn't that a bit too high for a newcomer?" someone protested.
"No," another replied firmly. "It's just right. And honestly — I doubt Miss Tatsumaki will dare to object."
That last comment drew a few nervous laughs.
"Besides," the director continued, "don't forget — his teacher is Mr. Mundo!"
…
Inside the conference room, the air was thick with debate.
After much discussion, the executives of the Hero Association finally reached a tentative conclusion — S-Class, Rank 3.
When the chairman heard this proposal, however, his brow furrowed deeply.
On paper, giving Saitama the third spot made perfect sense — it was high enough to honor his strength and to satisfy Mr. Mundo, yet not so high as to eclipse the Association's ace.
But in practice… it would stir chaos.
Handing such a lofty rank to a complete newcomer would ignite jealousy and resentment among other S-Class heroes. Managing that fallout would be a nightmare.
The chairman massaged his temples, feeling a headache coming on. This position really isn't easy to sit in…
"If only Father were still running things," he muttered under his breath.
Then his eyes widened.
"Wait… that's it! I can just ask Father!"
Agoni had led the Association for decades — if anyone knew how to handle a delicate political mess like this, it was him.
Raising his head, the chairman addressed the group. "Everyone, perhaps it's best if I seek my father's opinion on this matter. He may have a better solution."
The room nodded in agreement.
"The former president's experience is invaluable."
"I agree, it's wise to consult him."
"Mr. Agoni always had a clear head for situations like these."
With everyone's support, the chairman immediately initiated a secure video connection to his father's residence.
Beep—
A few moments later, the large conference monitor flickered to life, revealing an elderly man with silver hair sitting in a recliner.
Though only three years had passed since his retirement, Agoni looked noticeably older and frailer — his recent illness had clearly taken a toll. Yet, despite his age, his sharp gaze still carried authority.
"Good afternoon, everyone," the old man greeted with a gentle smile.
The executives bowed slightly toward the screen.
"Mr. Agoni, it's been far too long."
"You're looking well, sir."
"Always as spirited as ever."
After the polite exchanges, Agoni turned to his son.
"You're holding a meeting? What matter has my son stumped enough to call his old man?"
"Father, here's the situation…"
The chairman briefly explained everything that had transpired that day — Fenric's return, Saitama's overwhelming display of strength, and the problem of how to properly rank him.
When he finished, Agoni looked momentarily stunned.
"So, Mr. Mundo has returned?"
"Yes," the chairman replied quickly. "And he even said that if you're feeling well, he'd like to visit you soon."
"Hahaha!" Agoni laughed heartily, his face lighting up with genuine joy. "Tell Mr. Mundo that he's welcome any time. For that man, I'll always be available."
The chairman smiled faintly. "Of course, Father."
Then Agoni leaned forward slightly, his tone turning serious.
"As for your dilemma — this matter of how to rank his disciple — why not ask Mr. Mundo directly? Why trouble yourselves guessing?"
The room fell silent for a moment.
Then several executives exchanged glances — and understanding dawned.
Of course!
Instead of debating endlessly and risking offense, why not let the man himself decide?
The old president had once again solved a crisis with a single sentence.
"Father, thank you for your guidance. I understand now."
Agoni smiled faintly. "Good. Don't overthink things, my son. Sometimes, respect is the simplest answer."
…
At the Association Restaurant
While the executives held their meeting, Fenric and Saitama were seated comfortably in the Association's high-class restaurant.
Across the table sat Tatsumaki, who, much to Fenric's confusion, had been acting rather… strange.
Throughout the meal, she kept sneaking glances at him — not once or twice, but at least a dozen times.
Fenric put down his chopsticks and sighed inwardly. What's with this older loli? Did I accidentally offend her somehow?
"Teacher," Saitama asked, noticing Fenric's expression, "is something wrong? The food not to your taste? You should try this dorayaki — it's really good."
Fenric waved his hand dismissively. "You eat, I'm fine."
Saitama shrugged and returned to his meal, blissfully content.
But even after they'd finished eating, Tatsumaki still hadn't left. In fact, she followed them all the way to the restaurant's lounge, hovering nearby with an unreadable expression.
Finally, Fenric couldn't stand it anymore. He turned toward her, exasperated.
"Miss Tatsumaki," he asked calmly, "is something the matter? Did I offend you somehow?"
Tatsumaki's cheeks flushed pink. She opened her mouth but quickly looked away, letting out a small hmph! before crossing her arms.
Fenric frowned. Still so stubborn…
"Do you still want to challenge me?" he asked bluntly. "Because if you can't even defeat my disciple, you're not qualified to challenge me."
That comment made Tatsumaki's hair bristle instantly. Her fists clenched as her green locks fluttered with psychic irritation.
"Why? You want to fight here?" Fenric asked, sensing her rising temper. "If you must, then let's take it outside. I'd rather not damage the Association's property."
But Tatsumaki took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. She wasn't here to fight.
"Hey, Mundo…" she began, her voice quieter than usual. "I admit it — you're stronger than me."
Fenric raised an eyebrow, surprised.
Tatsumaki bit her lip, then blurted out, "Your disciple mentioned that you have some kind of training secret — something that helped him become that strong. You trained him personally, right?"
"So what if I did?" Fenric asked casually.
"Can you…" Tatsumaki hesitated, her usual confidence faltering for the first time. "Can you tell me what that secret is?"
Fenric blinked, genuinely surprised. "You want my training method?"
Tatsumaki nodded, but then quickly turned her head, trying to hide her expression.
In truth, she didn't want it for herself. She had mastered her telekinesis to perfection and had no desire to switch to physical combat.
No — she wanted the secret for someone else.
For her little sister.
If there was even a chance that Fenric's "training secret" could make Fubuki stronger — strong enough to protect herself — then Tatsumaki was willing to swallow her pride and ask.