One Punch Man: Heroics Start with Dual Kamui

"That's pretty neat. I'll count on you when I need it later." Saitama scratched his back casually, feeling nothing in particular. "Good, I'm gonna take a shower. You got any plans for the rest of the day?"

Shinji shook his head. "Nope. Unless a monster shows up, I just want to lie down, read some manga, or play some games."

Hearing that, Saitama suddenly remembered something. "Oh right, Shinji, do you like games?"

"They're alright. I used to play quite a bit before," Shinji replied with a faint grin.

"Perfect. I'll bring the game over to your place later," Saitama said without hesitation.

Saitama hadn't even broken a sweat, so he didn't need a long shower. Shinji, however, was soaked from head to toe. Pushing himself past his limit had really drained him.

"Sure," Shinji agreed. Playing games with Saitama might seem like a waste of time, but in truth, he wanted to test whether defeating Saitama in a game could trigger a system reward.

If it worked, then it would definitely be worth it. Even if it didn't, it wouldn't be a complete loss. He was still curious about what kinds of games people played in this world. So far, it didn't seem that different from the Japan he had known before transmigrating. Physical game discs and handheld consoles were still widely used.

"Even though I got lost twice, today was actually pretty fun." As they descended the stairs from the rooftop, Saitama let out a satisfied sigh.

"...Glad you had fun," Shinji replied with a wry smile.

Had fun, huh...?

Shinji couldn't help but reflect silently. He had thrown everything he had into the match, yet for Saitama, it had just been another casual workout. But maybe because it was Saitama, he didn't feel frustrated or defeated at all.

After his shower, Shinji came out of the bathroom to find that Saitama had already connected the console to the TV and was waiting for him. It was one of those physical-disc games played through the television screen.

"All done? Great, come play!" Saitama called out, patting the cushion next to him. He had even brought both seat cushions himself.

"Okay, let me just dry my hair first." Once Shinji finished drying off, he sat down beside Saitama and picked up a controller.

"This one's a fighting game I've loved for years. Want me to teach you how to play?" Saitama asked, clearly getting excited. After going up against AI opponents for so long, he finally had a real human to challenge.

"No need. I've got a decent idea how these work," Shinji said with a slight shake of his head.

Just from glancing at the screen, Shinji could immediately tell the game was similar to classics like King of Fighters or Street Fighter. Even though he'd only played those when he was a kid, they had left a lasting impression on him.

At first, he didn't activate his Mangekyō Sharingan.

The result? He completely destroyed Saitama in their first match.

Shinji already had a solid grasp of the basic controls, and once he activated his Sharingan, his performance was enhanced even more. From the very first round, he handed Saitama a merciless defeat.

[Alert! The host has defeated Saitama in a game. Reward: 10 points!]

The system granted him significantly fewer points this time, a clear indication that beating Saitama in a video game wasn't considered particularly challenging, so the reward was scaled down accordingly.

At that moment, Saitama's eye twitched. He hadn't expected to get steamrolled by Shinji right out of the gate. Just moments ago, he'd been thinking about teaching the guy how to play, and now he was the one getting schooled.

If someone told Saitama he was weak in real fights, he'd probably just shrug it off with a smile. But if someone dared to say he sucked at video games, then yeah, that might actually get under his skin.

"So you're this good at games, huh? Alright then, time to get serious." Saitama's tone shifted as he leaned forward, clearly entering serious mode. He wasn't going to hold back anymore.

Realizing he might've gone a bit too far, Shinji quietly deactivated his Mangekyō Sharingan and switched over to the standard three-tomoe Sharingan to even the odds a little.

And yet, just a few minutes later...

"K.O.!"

Saitama lost again. At least it wasn't as humiliating as the first round. This time, Shinji had not only downgraded to the regular Sharingan but was also intentionally holding back to make the match closer.

"Again!" Saitama barked, still unwilling to accept defeat.

Shinji didn't say a word. Instead, he silently deactivated even his three-tomoe Sharingan, reverting to his natural black pupils.

...

Before they realized it, ten full rounds had passed.

Saitama lost every single one.

Shinji had really tried to go easy on him, but balancing that without making it too obvious was harder than it looked. Even while suppressing his abilities, he still came out on top each time.

Saitama's gaming skills were painfully average, while Shinji, despite being a first-time player of this specific game, improved with every round. The learning speed and observational insight granted by the Mangekyō Sharingan didn't vanish completely just because he turned it off. Even when dormant, those abilities gave him a clear edge over an ordinary human.

The skill gap between them widened so fast that it became nearly impossible for Shinji to lose on purpose without making it obvious. And if Saitama ever caught on to that, it would definitely not end well.

After ten consecutive defeats, Saitama's face was starting to show clear signs of irritation. Even so, he held to his own principles. No matter how badly he got beaten in a game, he wouldn't lash out at the person across from him. He just got quietly mad. Or he redirected his frustration toward the next monster that crossed his path.

"I think I'm starting to burn out. You're still full of energy though, Saitama. How about we call it a day?" Shinji suggested, looking for a natural way to wrap things up.

"Yeah? Alright then. We'll play again next time," Saitama agreed with a nod, not suspecting anything. His expression eased as he slipped from angry boiled egg mode back into his usual relaxed demeanor.

"Didn't expect to meet such a strong opponent today. I'm gonna go train hard now. Give me a few days, I'll beat you for sure!" he added, his eyes filled with newfound determination.

Shinji responded with a quiet smile.

After that, Saitama grabbed his game disc and controller and made his way to the door. But just as he was about to leave, he stopped suddenly.

"Aw crap. I totally forgot my TV's busted. Well, no choice then. Shinji, can I borrow yours for a bit...?"

"…Of course. I don't really watch TV much. Go ahead and use it as long as you want," Shinji said with a nod. Since he didn't feel like refusing Saitama, he allowed the baldy to make himself at home. He knew that Saitama had a habit of destroying consoles, but since game consoles are Saitama's, Shinji wasn't bothered.

"Awesome! I'm gonna start practicing right now!" Saitama declared as he plopped back down in front of the screen.

He had barely been playing for a few minutes when a breaking news alert flashed across the top of the TV screen. It was an emergency broadcast reporting a massive explosion in City A, suspected to be either a Demon-level or possibly even a Dragon-level disaster.

Shinji's expression tensed as he read the alert. City A had taken heavy damage... Could it be? Had the Dragon-level threat—Vaccine Man—finally made his appearance?

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