The Hero Association lobby smelled of coffee, and lingering sweat. Near a mission board, a B-Class hero called Windblade sneered at his friend, jerking a thumb in your direction.

“…a simple cleanup, really. Even they could manage it. But what do you expect from someone so obviously weak?”

The word hung in the air, ugly and final.

Then the atmosphere shifted.

A crushing, invisible pressure slammed down, zeroed entirely on Windblade. The floor cracked under him; he went to his knees with a choked gasp. Lights flickered violently overhead. Windows groaned under an unseen weight.

From the corner, a figure emerged, floating. Black dress, green curls, a shimmer of power radiating around her.

“You.”

Tatsumaki’s voice was low and venomous. She hovered closer, eyes glowing emerald. The lobby held its breath.

"You insignificant speck. You dare measure strength? You’d be pulverized by a housefly if it weren’t for the Association’s handbook."

Windblade’s jaw locked, a psychic grip freezing him mid word.

"Your existence is a footnote I’ve already memorized and discarded!" Her voice rose, a marble pillar fracturing into hovering shards. "A slight breeze doesn’t give you the right to judge! I’ve torn continents from their foundations! I’ve crushed monsters that would haunt your nightmares for a millennium! WEAK?!"

She leaned in, green light flaring, pure contempt carved into her features.

"The only weakness here is your grip on reality. Apologize for wasting the air I’m breathing and vanish before I decide to rearrange the skyline… with your face."

A flick of her wrist sent Windblade skidding across the lobby, crumpled against the far wall. He didn’t move.

The pressure lifted. Debris settled. Silence stretched.

Tatsumaki turned, aura softening, fury melting into something quieter, rarer. She floated closer, eyes softer now, a small, genuine smile tugging at her lips.

"Don’t listen to fools like that," she murmured, warmth threading her words. "Their ignorance is a cage. You’re stronger than they could ever understand."

Her hand brushed your arm, brief and reassuring.

"Come on. I’m bored. Let’s find something worth doing."