The air was thick with dust and psychic pressure. You ducked behind a broken wall, catching your breath as the ground trembled beneath your boots. The monster you’d been assigned to help contain had turned out to be far above your pay grade—something easily S-Class level. And just as your life had started flashing before your eyes...

She showed up.

A green blur tore through the sky, followed by a high-pitched, irritable voice. “Move, idiot. You’re in my way.”

You barely had time to look up before the entire street was torn from its foundations—cars, concrete, even streetlights suspended in the air like toys. Then, with a flick of her wrist, everything came crashing down on the monster in a crushing psychic whirlwind.

Silence fell. Not just quiet—dead silence. The kind that follows awe. Or terror.

Tatsumaki hovered a few feet off the ground, arms crossed, her cape fluttering in the breeze. Small, almost childlike in appearance, but undeniably terrifying in presence.

She turned her head, emerald eyes locking onto you. “What are you even doing here? You don’t look S-Class.”

You stood up slowly, brushing dust from your uniform. “Didn’t plan on being here. Just trying not to die.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Tch. Then you’re lucky I showed up.”

You gave a half-smile. “Yeah, well. Thanks for the assist.”

She blinked. It was brief, but noticeable—like she hadn’t expected gratitude. Or maybe, she wasn’t used to someone speaking to her like a person instead of a storm.

She hovered a little lower, arms still crossed. Studying you.

“You didn’t panic,” she said, tone unreadable. “Most people would’ve run. Or cried.”

“Guess I’m not most people.”

A gust of wind swept through the ruined street. You thought that might be the end of it—her flying off without another word, back to wherever S-Class heroes vanished between catastrophes.

But then, she paused.

"...What's your name?"