Atop the last building still standing amidst the ruins of the city, Genos gazed up at the battleship hovering ominously above. The massive structure trembled, and he could only assume that Tsuna and Saitama had already begun their fight up there.
Shifting his attention back to the battlefield below, he noted the heroes appeared to be gaining the upper hand. "Have they finally found its weakness?"
Suddenly, a muffled voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Uh, I think we're in serious danger, guys..."
Genos turned to the source of the voice—a small boy with short brown hair, calmly sucking on a lollipop, his tiny fingers tapping furiously on a compact computer suspended in front of him.
It was Child Emperor, the underage S-Class hero employed by the Hero Association.
Genos glanced at the setup—the computer was connected to a high-tech backpack with mechanical spider legs, which provided the boy with increased mobility. King and Tatsumaki also peeked to see what's going on.
On the screen, data streamed rapidly, showing a detailed schematic of the battleship.
"There's a massive influx of energy gathering at the center of that ship," the boy stated, his tone far too calm for the dire situation. "Given the scale of energy... I think that's the same attack they used to completely annihilate the city before."
Genos' eyes narrowed as he stared up at the trembling battleship above. His sensors locked onto the massive energy surge Child Emperor had described—it was undeniable now.
The sheer intensity of it sent a chill down his spine.
"So, they're planning to wipe us out in one go this time..."
Genos muttered, his voice cold with realization. Looking at the Child Emperor who was still tapping away on his compact computer, he asked, "Have you informed the Hero Association?"
"Done," the boy replied with a shrug.
Inside the shelter, Busho, the Hero Association representative, stood frozen in disbelief as he reviewed the data Child Emperor had just transmitted. His hands trembled, the weight of the news sinking in.
Thinking about the surviving civilians still stranded outside, vulnerable and helpless, his heart pounded in his chest as he whispered, "What? That thing's going to attack us again?"
Panic threatened to overtake him, but Busho quickly regained control. He slammed his palm down on a nearby console, immediately connecting a call to his superior.
"Minister, I've received word from Child Emperor," Busho began, his voice rushed but firm. "There's a massive buildup of energy coming from that unidentified flying object. We're expecting another attack... soon."
On the other end of the line, a stunned silence followed.
Stitch, who had been overseeing the crisis from the main headquarters, seemed to have gone pale with shock as he wobbled on his feet, his knees weakening as the gravity of the situation hit him.
"W-what did you say?" the minister stammered, his voice shaking.
Busho swallowed hard, gripping the console tighter. "We need to act faster. But I'm afraid... it might've been far too late to do anything..."
"Ah, they're panicking. This is too troublesome for a child like me," Child Emperor grumbled as he casually listened to encrypted communications between Hero Association with ease. He turned to Genos and asked, "Genos-nichan, I'll go back inside. I think the building is much safer. Why don't you come with me?"
Genos blinked in surprise, then shook his head firmly. "No, I'll stay here."
"Alright, I guess you're an adult anyway. You can do whatever you want."
With that, Child Emperor watched as his computer rapidly compacted, fitting neatly into his backpack. He let out a small sigh, adding, "I have some extra classes this afternoon... I should probably take a nap."
As Child Emperor jumped back into the building, King followed suit, his own expression reflecting uncertainty, "There's nothing I can do against an enemy I can't fight..."
"Hmph! Useless people..."
Tatsumaki scoffed at the duo, crossing her arms as she surveyed the battleship above with disdain. Looking at the battleship, she sneered. Her body was enveloped in a shimmering green telekinetic aura, lifting her effortlessly into the air, "As expected, you all really can't do anything without me, huh?"
"That's right; I should at least do something."
Genos clenched his fists, feeling a surge of frustration. He glanced at the chaos unfolding around him, helpless to contribute to the fight above.
The battleship hovered ominously, and while he yearned to join Tsuna and the others, he knew his place.
"I'll go help the survivors," he decided.
It was the only action he could take.
Meanwhile, in a secret room dimly lit by soft pinkish lights, the snail-like alien scratched his head in confusion at the sudden cut in communication.
Static filled the air, an unsettling reminder of his disconnection from the chaos outside.
"Alright, whatever," he mumbled, shrugging off the annoyance. "Let's just send it over anyway..."
He leaned closer to the holographic panel, his fingerless hand hovering over a large, ominous button. "Let me see... hmm, alright, done."
With a decisive movement, he pressed the button. Instantly, the massive battleship above erupted with blinding light, illuminating the darkened sky like a beacon of impending doom.
At the same time, in the command center, Tsuna was 'still' slammed to the floor by Geryuganshoop's overwhelming telekinetic force. His body tensed as he sensed a massive gathering of energy using his seismic sense.
"Have you any idea of a black hole, you insignificant ape? Kekeke, this might be too advanced for your primitive mind, but my telekinetic force generates a gravitational pull rivaling the suction of one."
The alien's voice oozed arrogance, growing closer.
Laying flat on the floor, Tsuna's eyes suddenly gleamed with a cunning light. He slowly opened his mouth, "I know all about black holes. It's estimated they have a gravitational force 3 to 10 times stronger than the sun. But seeing as I'm not dead yet, I'd say yours only has about 3 times the pull. Honestly, it's a bit disappointing."
"Y-You..."
Geryuganshoop approached, confident in his victory—until Tsuna suddenly stood up. The shock on the alien's face was priceless.
"Well, I did feel like I was punched right down the floor, but a joke on you, I was never under your influence..."
Tsuna chuckled. He could bend gravity to his will and had already used it right after the alien used his ultimate move on him as he then reversed the force Geryuganshoop exerted.
Reducing weight was always easier than increasing it.
With a subtle click of his fingers, he had lightened the gravity by threefold. It only took a moment, but that moment was enough for the force to slam him into the ground, creating deep cracks in the floor.
The impact hurt, but Tsuna gritted his teeth and pretended to still be trapped.
However, all the pain coursing through his body was all worth it seeing the horror in those hollow eyes of the octopus-like aliens as Tsuna suddenly asked with a sly grin, "Have you heard of decompression?"
"What?"
Geryuganshoop stammered, confused.
Clap!
Tsuna clapped his hands together, sending a resounding shockwave through the command room. The chi he had been channeling throughout the command room had finally active as the entire floor trembled beneath their feet, slowly turning soft and malleable, as the solid ground had transformed into liquid.
Before Geryuganshoop could react, the floor liquefied entirely, sending them flying out of the battleship.
[Metal Bending Technique: Liquify!]
"You—you wretched ape!"
Geryuganshoop screamed in horror as they were thrown into the open air.