One Punch Man: Heroics Start with Dual Kamui

"Alright then..."

Realizing there was no point in pressing the matter, Fubuki didn't try to follow Shinji or pry any further.

Not long after, Shinji and Genos arrived in City A. Since they had never visited Hero Association Headquarters before, they spent some time wandering through the busy streets before finally finding it.

Before them rose a towering skyscraper, its size and design vastly outclassing the surrounding buildings. This was the central hub of the Hero Association in City A.

[Alert! Host has arrived at the Hero Association Headquarters in City A for the first time. Reward: 10 points!]

"S-Class hero Kamui and Genos? What brings you both here today?"

The receptionist immediately recognized them. After all, failing to identify S-Class heroes would be unthinkable for someone in this position. Of course, with the exception of the elusive Blast, it was normal for the public not to recognize every single one.

"I have something very important to discuss with the Association's executives," Shinji said.

"Understood. I'll contact them right away."

The receptionist picked up the phone and called the upper floors.

"Mr. Busho is available and is already on his way down. Please wait here for a moment," the staff member informed them.

"Very well." Shinji gave a small nod and waited in silence.

...

Before long, a man in a crisp suit stepped out of the elevator. His most noticeable feature was his large, prominent nose. This was Busho, one of the few executives in the Hero Association who was actually competent and effective at his job.

Meeting with Busho instead of some idle bureaucrat was a stroke of luck, and Shinji knew it.

"Mr. Kamui, Mr. Genos, let's go upstairs to talk," Busho said with a serious expression, his tone carrying a note of respect.

It was the first time the S-Class Rank 5 hero Kamui had come to headquarters specifically requesting a meeting on an urgent matter. Busho treated it with the utmost seriousness, especially given that something troubling had happened recently.

Shinji and Genos followed him into the elevator. The headquarters tower boasted 100 floors, with Busho's office situated on the 56th.

Once they arrived, Busho shut the soundproof door before speaking.

"Alright, Mr. Kamui, please tell me, what is this important matter?"

He poured tea for Shinji and Genos, then took a seat across from them.

"This concerns the lives of every citizen in City A. I have foreseen an unimaginably powerful force heading toward Earth, one far beyond any Dragon-level disaster I have ever encountered. I believe it could be a God-level disaster," Shinji said gravely.

[Alert! Host has triggered the event "Dark Matter Thieves." Reward: 100 points!]

"What?!"

Busho's eyes went wide. His first reaction wasn't disbelief, but shock and fear.

Not long ago, the great prophet Shibabawa had passed away. Her death, however, had been purely accidental.

At the time, she had been in the middle of foretelling events half a year into the future. Perhaps what she saw was so terrifying that it sent her into a violent coughing fit. She had taken a throat lozenge to calm it, but it lodged in her throat, and she tragically choked to death.

The crucial point was that during those final moments, while still gasping for air, Shibabawa had managed to scribble a note containing just a few large, urgent words:

[The Earth is doomed!]

To outsiders, the phrase might have seemed vague or melodramatic, but Busho knew all too well the gravity those words carried.

Shibabawa had always predicted earthquakes and monster appearances with complete accuracy. While she had not foreseen every calamity, the ones she did announce had never failed to occur. This meant that her final prophecy, "The Earth is doomed," was certain to come true.

What Kamui had just revealed about the possible arrival of a God-level disaster aligned perfectly with her last words. If such a threat truly existed, then the Earth's fate was already sealed.

Genos stared at Shinji in shock. To him, even Dragon-level disasters were overwhelming. The earlier meteor strike and the giant centipede were both such threats, and in each case, he had been powerless to change the outcome. If, as his teacher claimed, something even greater was approaching, then who in the world could protect humanity?

The Hero Association defined a God-level disaster as one capable of eradicating humanity entirely. No wonder his teacher had come to headquarters in person this time. It was indeed a matter far beyond the ordinary.

"Mr. Kamui, how do you know a God-level disaster is coming? Can you give me any more details?" Busho asked with urgency.

"These eyes of mine are part of my psychic powers. One of their abilities allows me to foresee a certain extent of the future," Shinji explained.

It was a convenient way to hide his "god's-eye view" and sounded plausible enough, especially since Shibabawa herself had possessed a similar gift. Abilities like this were not unheard of in their world.

"So your ability is similar to the great prophet Shibabawa's?" Busho said in awe.

"Yes, but that is not the focus. The point is that the God-level disaster is coming," Shinji replied firmly. "Even if it falls short of that category, it will be at least as severe as the meteor disaster. When it strikes, all life in City A will be wiped out in an instant."

Busho's expression turned ashen. "Then what should we do?"

Others might have dismissed such a claim, but Busho believed Shinji. Alongside Shibabawa's ominous prophecy, Kamui's status as the Rank 5 S-Class hero carried significant weight, especially since he had been the one to resolve the meteor crisis.

"First, evacuate the citizens of City A to other cities. Then prepare for the God-level disaster," Shinji instructed.

He offered no battle strategy. His immediate priority was to ensure the people of City A were moved to safety before Boros and the Dark Matter Thieves arrived. If they delayed, any chance of survival would be lost.

"Evacuate the citizens of City A..." Busho muttered, clearly troubled.

Moving an entire city's population was not something he could order alone. Approval from the other Association executives was necessary, and therein lay the obstacle. Those executives were armchair strategists who did little beyond enjoying their privileges. To be frank, they were inept.

Worse still, their judgment was questionable, and it was uncertain whether they would even believe in the threat of a God-level disaster, much less authorize such a massive evacuation.

Shinji had already anticipated this. If they would not act on the warning alone, then he would create a smaller-scale catastrophe himself as a prelude to Boros's arrival.

[Alert! The host has exchanged for "Tailed Beast Summoning Scroll (One-Tail Shukaku)". 100 points deducted. Remaining points: 270!]