Inside the Hero Association…
A number of the Hero Association's top executives sat in the conference room. Seated at the head of the table was Jovian, who had just returned to the One Punch Man world.
"What's so urgent that you had to call every executive in?" Tatsumaki asked, sitting beside Jovian.
"Since everyone's here, I'll keep it simple and talk about two things," Jovian said. "First: the safety of this world. Second: the fate of the Hero Association—and the future of all humanity on Earth."
He rested his hands casually on the table, his gaze sweeping across every face as he asked with a serious expression, "Which one do you want to hear first?"
"Let's take it one at a time. Start with the world's safety," said a middle-aged man with a prominent nose and short hair, his face carrying a hint of age as he spoke evenly to Jovian. "But in the days you were gone, what did you find that could threaten the Hero Association—and the safety of the public?"
"Listen to what Sitch said."
"I agree!"
"I agree too!"
One executive after another chimed in, backing Sitch's suggestion.
"Alright," Jovian nodded after hearing him. "We'll start with safety."
"Just like Sitch said, I haven't been slacking off these past few days. I've been investigating nonstop," Jovian said coldly, looking around the room.
"Our enemy is extremely cunning—especially good at hiding. But after putting in ten times the work, I finally found traces of them."
"This time, our enemy is… different from every enemy we've faced before. Because this time, the enemy is organized—and they have discipline."
"Organized and disciplined?" The room stirred with interest.
"Yes. Just like we heroes have our own organization—the Hero Association," Jovian continued. "This time, those monsters copied us and founded an association of their own: the Monster Association."
"In other words, what's coming next is a war between two associations." Jovian leaned back in his chair and asked the executives, "After hearing that, does anyone have questions?"
One of the executives spoke up. "Where did you learn about this association? Where exactly is the Monster Association? How many monsters are in it? What disaster levels are we talking about?"
"Of course I'm not doubting you," he added quickly. "I just need their location and numbers so we can deploy the right amount of heroes."
"That's exactly what I need you to investigate," Jovian replied. "If I knew the Monster Association's exact location, it would already be history."
"Uh…"
"I understand," the executive said.
He seemed like he wanted to argue, but the moment he remembered who he was talking to, the words died in his throat. If anyone else had said that—even Tatsumaki—he'd still have a few doubts. But if it came from Jovian, the man who could destroy Earth, then it had to make sense. Not for any complicated reason—just because Jovian was too reasonable… especially the kind of "reasonable" that involved physics.
"So that's the first thing," Jovian said. "Now for the second."
"The second is more complicated. In simple terms: there's more than one universe, and there's more than one Earth. And in different universes, the same people can exist."
"I plan to establish an inter-universal organization to protect humanity's fate across realities. What do you all think?"
He reduced it to a single, crystal-clear sentence.
"..."
The executives fell silent. They didn't fully understand—but they were thoroughly rattled by how big it sounded.
"So that's why you sometimes disappear," Tatsumaki said. "You're not just carrying the safety of one Earth on your shoulders, are you?"
"Correct," Jovian said. Then he looked at her with a blank expression and asked, "So will you join the multiverse Hero Association?"
"Hmph." Tatsumaki snorted. "Honestly, I'm not interested in what you're talking about at all… but since you're sincerely inviting me, I guess it's not like I can't consider it."
But beneath that icy face, the only thing Jovian heard in her thoughts was:
"TAKE ME WITH YOU! TAKE ME WITH YOU!!!"
It was like someone was screaming into his ear with an airhorn. Jovian's telepathy was crude—nothing like Professor X's ability to dive into the deepest secrets of the mind. Jovian could only pick up what floated on the surface, and the stronger the emotion, the louder it came through.
This was the first time in his life he'd heard a thought that loud.
"Hmph, what's with that look?" Tatsumaki said, slightly uncomfortable under Jovian's stare. "You want me that badly? You need me that much?"
"No. It's nothing," Jovian said after a long moment, then nodded. "I understand."
"What?" Tatsumaki frowned. "What kind of attitude is that?"
"You're in," Jovian said, using as few words as possible.
"Hmph. Fine. Honestly, you're impossible," Tatsumaki said, finally calming down.
Jovian listened to the joyous roaring in his head and gently rubbed his temples. He truly couldn't imagine how Professor X managed to sleep at night.
"Anyway," Jovian said, turning to the rest of the executives, "other than Tatsumaki, do any of you have questions about my plan?"
As the number of Earths he would lead grew in the future, Jovian wasn't going to waste much energy on low-value worlds. That was exactly when administrative talent like these executives would become useful.
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