A few hours later, Kei and Teri found themselves on a transport line for Z-City. The journey was uneventful, giving them time to take in the sights of this world—an endless sprawl of cities, the air buzzing with an almost tangible energy. It was a stark contrast to the serene floating isles of Aetheria.

As they entered the outskirts of Z-City, Kei felt a strange sensation, a faint tingling that ran along her skin. She glanced at Teri, who seemed to sense it too, his hand hovering over the hilt of his sword.

The vehicle pulled up in front of a modest apartment building, completely unremarkable amidst the towering skyscrapers. Kei frowned. "This... doesn't look like the home of the most powerful hero in the world."

Teri shrugged. "Appearances can be deceiving."

They climbed the steps to the door of Saitama's apartment, their footsteps echoing in the quiet hallway. Teri knocked firmly, and after a moment, the door swung open.

A man with a completely bald head and a plain, relaxed expression looked back at them, dressed casually in a hoodie and sweatpants. He glanced from Kei to Teri, seeming mildly surprised to see two people who looked like they'd stepped out of a storybook.

"Uh... can I help you?" he asked, sounding as though he'd just woken up from a nap.

Kei, momentarily taken aback, quickly recovered. "Are you Saitama? We're here because we need help... with something very powerful."

Saitama blinked, looking them over with an expression of mild disinterest. "Yeah, I'm Saitama. You're the ones Doctor Kuseno mentioned, right?" He yawned, scratching his head. "Well, come on in, I guess."

They stepped inside, finding his apartment as unassuming as his appearance—clean but sparse, with a few basic furnishings and a table scattered with various magazines about heroes.

Teri, ever direct, got straight to the point. "We need help closing a dimensional rift that's threatening both our world and yours. We heard you're the most powerful hero here."

Saitama shrugged, sitting down on his couch and looking at them with casual interest. "Yeah, I guess I'm pretty strong. Dimensional rifts, though... that sounds like something out of a comic book."

Kei exchanged a wary glance with Teri. "This rift is real, and if we can't close it, monsters and chaos will spill into both realms. Your world would be overrun."

Saitama seemed to ponder this, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "So, let me get this straight. There's a big hole between your world and ours, and it's gonna cause trouble unless we close it?"

"Yes," Kei replied, hoping to convey the gravity of the situation.

"Sounds like a hassle," Saitama said, his tone casual but his eyes focused. "But if it's as dangerous as you say, I don't mind helping out."

Kei's eyes lit up. "You'll help us?"

Saitama shrugged again, looking almost bored. "Sure. If it gets too crazy, I'll just punch it."

Teri raised an eyebrow. "Punch it? That's your solution?"

Saitama grinned, a small, confident smile that held a surprising intensity. "Trust me. When I punch something, it stays punched."

Kei and Teri exchanged a skeptical glance, but something about Saitama's calm confidence gave them hope. They hadn't come this far to question a potential ally, no matter how... unorthodox he seemed.

"Alright," Kei said, determination in her voice. "We have to locate the rift. We'll need to tap into the magical currents in this world to trace it. Once we find it, we can figure out how to seal it—and if it comes to it... we'll rely on your strength, Saitama."

Saitama gave a relaxed thumbs-up. "Sounds like a plan. Just let me know when you need me."