One Punch Man: Heroics Start with Dual Kamui

"Blizzard of Hell... what's the deal with this woman you're talking about?" Shinji asked, keeping his expression neutral.

He was faking it, of course. He already knew exactly who Blizzard of Hell was. Just who doesn't know the 'best girl' (arguably) of the anime? But for now, he wanted to come across like a clueless rookie.

"Oh, she's a real piece of work. That woman's terrifying. She suppresses any newcomer who steps into B-Class, and she even forces higher-ranked B-Class heroes to join her 'Blizzard Group.' Refuse, and you can expect pressure, sabotage, or flat-out threats."

"Yeah, we both had to kiss up to her just to survive after ranking up. If we hadn't, we would've been crushed before our names even appeared on the charts. These days, Blizzard Group basically owns the entire B-Class. The only exceptions are a few backed by the Tank topper Army."

The two B-Class heroes shared their cautious warnings, voices low and full of tension.

"I see. Thanks for the heads-up. I'll keep that in mind." Shinji nodded politely.

Not that he cared at all. No matter how overbearing she was, he wasn't afraid of someone like Blizzard.

"Good, just remember what we said. You've only just been promoted, so the Blizzard Group probably hasn't noticed you yet. You've got a small window to approach them yourself. But once they decide to come after you, it's too late to play nice."

They kept trying to push him toward submission, as if it was the only way to survive, but Shinji didn't respond. He had already tuned them out.

"Well then. I'll be heading off, then." He nodded again, then turned away without hesitation.

"Looks like he got the message. Good. That's one rookie who won't get stomped."

"Still, the problem is just how much Blizzard's influence has grown. Nobody dares oppose her. Not even the Tank topper Army wants that fight."

"Well... I heard something once. Come closer." One of them leaned in. "Supposedly, S-Class Rank 2, Tornado of Terror, is her older sister. And Blizzard herself isn't weak either. That's why nobody dares challenge her."

"You serious? She's Tornado's sister?" The other man looked shocked. "That... that explains a lot."

They looked around to see if Shinji was still within earshot — but he was already gone.

"Huh? Left? When?"

"He vanished... just like that... in a blink."

---

Meanwhile, Shinji had already returned home via Flying Thunder God teleportation.

For short-distance or known-location travel, he preferred that over Kamui. It consumed less mental energy, came with zero side effects, and had none of Kamui's spatial warping fatigue. He only needed to focus for a moment.

That evening, as usual, Saitama showed up for dinner.

Over their meal, the conversation drifted naturally toward hero work.

"I mean, I became a hero just for fun... but lately, something feels off," Saitama said while lazily scooping up some rice.

He'd sensed it for a while — a nagging, hollow feeling — but since hero work had always been just a hobby, he hadn't taken it seriously enough to examine.

Now, though, it was beginning to weigh on him.

"How off? Are we talking about low pay? Because you honestly do seem broke," Shinji replied, sounding casual and friendly, maintaining the image of a normal Association employee.

He wanted to play this carefully. Most people assumed Saitama was already part of the Hero Association. No one ever guessed he didn't even know it existed until recently.

"Pay? What pay?" Saitama looked genuinely confused. "Sometimes people give me food. That's about it."

He tilted his head, expression unreadable — like he'd just realized he was supposed to be getting paid this whole time.

"Wait... aren't professional heroes employed by the Association? Even the bottom-tier ones get a monthly check, small as it is."

Shinji raised a brow, acting like this was basic knowledge.

"Professional hero? What's that supposed to mean?" Saitama looked completely blank.

Shinji froze for a moment, then leaned forward. "Hold on... you're not saying you don't even know what the Hero Association is?" He already knew that Saitama was still clueless about the Association, but he had to pretend to be shocked to keep up the act.

Saitama went quiet for a moment, then confessed flatly, "...I have absolutely no idea."

"Well, about three years ago," Shinji began, "a man who called himself a hero saved the grandson of a rich guy named Agoni from a monster. To repay him, Agoni used his fortune to set up the Hero Association. Most of the systems in place now were designed by him personally."

Saitama blinked as the story clicked into place. "I see..."

He nodded slowly, unaware that he was that man who'd saved Agoni's grandson and unknowingly changed the world.

"So you're already a professional hero under this association thing?" he asked.

"Exactly. I'm officially registered in the Hero Registry. That means I'm recognized, get a base salary, and earn bonuses depending on mission performance," Shinji explained. "There are rankings for power, popularity, and contribution. The more famous ones even have fan clubs."

He continued, "These days, when people talk about heroes, they usually mean someone affiliated with the Hero Association. If you call yourself a hero without registering, most folks will just think you're some eccentric guy in cosplay."

He glanced at Saitama meaningfully. "So... you might want to consider joining."

Saitama didn't answer right away. His face stiffened slightly, expression turning blank as realization hit him. That nagging sense of emptiness he'd been feeling — it all made sense now.

He wasn't recognized. No one knew who he was. His efforts, however genuine, were invisible to the world. That's what had been bothering him. Not a lack of strength, but a lack of acknowledgment.

Money, perks, popularity — none of that really mattered. As long as he could eat and keep a roof over his head, he was good. He'd always done odd jobs here and there. He didn't care about fame. But still... it felt wrong to be completely ignored.

And if there was a way to be seen, to be counted, why not take it?

"Screw it," Saitama muttered, setting his chopsticks down. "Shinji... let's go to the Hero Association together tomorrow."

His tone was more serious than usual. He wasn't asking for much. He just didn't know where to go or how the system worked. And frankly, he was bad with directions. He needed someone to show him the way.

"Sure thing, bald-dy!" Shinji replied without hesitation and Saitama didn't catch the last word.

[Alert! Mission Triggered: You have accepted Saitama's request. Reward: 10 points.]

The moment the system chimed in, Shinji didn't even blink. He'd already expected it. The system had told him long ago that connecting with major characters would bring rewards.

Not that he was doing it just for that. Whether it was Saitama, Bang, or Mumen Rider — Shinji genuinely liked guys like them.

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