The battlefield in A-City looked like it had been struck by a falling star.
At the center of a massive crater stood a towering figure—over twenty meters tall.
Ivanov.
His body had been enlarged through the same technology Noah had used before, his muscles grotesquely swollen with power. Rage twisted his expression as he stared down into the crater below.
At the man standing there.
"You cost me a high-tier asset," Ivanov growled, raising his fist. "You and this entire city are paying for it."
His arm tensed, ready to bring everything down in one catastrophic strike—
But Saitama moved first.
The ground beneath his feet shattered as he launched upward, closing the distance in an instant.
Then—
A single punch.
It landed cleanly against Ivanov's face.
The giant's expression froze for half a second… before his entire body buckled. He collapsed like a toppled building, crashing into the surrounding structures and flattening everything in his path.
Silence followed.
Saitama dropped back to the ground, dusting off his hands.
"…that was close," he muttered. "Almost wrecked the whole city."
He glanced around at the unconscious figures scattered across the ruins.
Counting.
"…forty-two total."
He nodded to himself.
"That's… a lot of money."
Satisfied, he pulled out his phone and snapped a quick photo of the scene—evidence for the Association—before turning and walking away, leaving the defeated group behind.
Minutes later, Noah Vale arrived.
He took in the devastation—the crater, the collapsed buildings, the scattered bodies—and gave a small, approving nod.
"Efficient," he said quietly. "Guess this is why you send the right person for the job."
A faint voice called out from the rubble.
"…so it was you."
One of the survivors had regained consciousness, glaring at Noah with hatred.
Noah didn't even look at him.
Instead, he tilted his arm slightly.
Seated casually there was Tatsumaki, now changed and composed, though her expression remained as sharp as ever.
"Handle it," Noah said.
She scoffed lightly.
"I know."
A flicker of green light surged from her.
The survivor froze mid-motion, lifted effortlessly into the air. Then more bodies followed—every unconscious fighter rising, suspended like puppets on invisible strings.
Even Ivanov's massive form was dragged upward, aligned with the others.
Neatly arranged.
Noah watched, mildly impressed.
"Telekinesis really is convenient."
Then he raised his hand.
A sharp motion—
Invisible force sliced through the air.
In an instant, the entire group went still.
No struggle.
No second chances.
The battlefield fell quiet again.
Inside Noah's mind, the reward system surged to life, tallying the results. The gains stacked quickly—far beyond what any ordinary mission would yield.
Exactly as planned.
"These were top-tier players," Noah murmured. "And now they're gone."
Like cutting down a field ready for harvest.
He pulled out his phone and dialed.
"It's done," he said when the line connected. "Send cleanup teams."
A pause.
"Oh—and update Saitama's rank. Move him up to S-Class."
Another pause.
"If anyone has a problem with that, they can take it up with me."
He ended the call without waiting for a reply.
As they left the scene, Tatsumaki shifted slightly, arms folded.
"That was your plan?" she asked. "Use someone else to weaken them, then finish it yourself?"
Noah shrugged.
"Why waste effort?"
She didn't argue.
Didn't agree, either.
After a moment, she added, "That still counts as helping you."
Noah glanced at her.
"And?"
She hesitated, then said, "Then you ease up."
A faint smirk crossed his face.
"Negotiating now?"
She shot him a look.
"Take it or leave it."
Noah considered for a second… then chuckled.
"Fine. I'll take it into account."
She didn't look convinced—but didn't press further.
They continued walking.
After a while, Noah spoke again.
"There's something else I need to deal with."
Tatsumaki raised an eyebrow. "What now?"
"A group calling themselves the Monster Association," he said. "There's at least one high-level threat hiding there. Strong enough to matter."
She frowned slightly.
"And you're going after them?"
"Eventually."
He glanced at her.
"Or maybe I'll let Saitama handle it."
Tatsumaki scoffed.
"That guy? He didn't seem like much."
Noah smiled faintly.
"He's stronger than he looks."
A pause.
"Actually… I might test that myself before I leave."
Tatsumaki didn't respond.
But for once, she didn't dismiss it outright.