As expected, the points shop had updated with new items, two, to be exact. The appearance of these items was clearly triggered by Shinji obtaining the Flying Thunder God Technique. Both the kunai and the Rasengan could synergize with his teleportation jutsu to form entirely new techniques.
Combinations like Flying Thunder Slash, Flying Thunder God Level Two, or even absurd-sounding names like Rasengan Flash Super Wheel Dance Howl Three Style were now possible in theory.
The only technique Shinji couldn't execute was the Flying Thunder Mutual Instantaneous Spin Technique, a maneuver that required two Flying Thunder God users working in perfect synchrony, as Tobirama and Minato had jointly performed it. That wasn't something he could replicate alone.
[Item 4 Details: Fourth Hokage's Special Kunai
Identical to those used by Namikaze Minato. Can be inscribed with the Flying Thunder God seal. This item is redeemable in unlimited quantity.
Cost: 0.1 points (per kunai)]
[Item 5 Details: A-rank Ninjutsu, Rasengan
Also known by its ludicrous full name "Glowing Ice-Lolly Spiral Smash Jiraiya Twin-Style Technique." Condenses spiritual energy into the palm, compresses it into a concentrated mass, and creates a highly destructive sphere. The technique is similar in function to the Tailed Beast Bomb. Variations and advanced forms must be developed independently.
After reviewing both, Shinji thought the Fourth Hokage's kunai was surprisingly affordable. The Rasengan, however, was expensive. He currently only had 10 points and decided it was wiser to save rather than spend impulsively. There would be time later to purchase what he really needed.
With his initial research into the Flying Thunder God Technique complete, Shinji resumed his spatial teleportation across the map to accumulate points.
[Alert! The host has arrived in City A for the first time. Reward: 2 points!]
[Alert! The host has arrived in City F for the first time. Reward: 2 points!]
He was unlocking more and more cities at a steady pace, but blind teleportation always carried inherent danger. The last time he'd randomly teleported, he ended up at the edge of a volcanic crater. This time, he landed in the middle of a martial arts dojo.
Several individuals were training inside, including some immediately recognizable faces: Garou, Charanko, and Spring Mustachio. Shinji instantly realized where he had ended up, he had accidentally warped into Bang's dojo.
Turning his head, he spotted an elderly man with a solid build, white hair, and a slightly hunched posture, hands calmly folded behind his back. It was none other than Silver Fang, Bang, the third-ranked S-Class hero.
[Alert! Host has arrived at Bang's dojo for the first time. Reward: 2 points!]
"...Where did you come from?" Bang asked, his eyes narrowing.
A blood-eyed youth had appeared without warning, and he hadn't sensed a thing. That level of stealth, or speed, was enough to trigger his instincts. Had the young man's movements already reached a level that slipped past even Bang's perception?
Everyone in the dojo froze mid-training, their attention drawn to Shinji. A mixture of confusion and suspicion showed on their faces.
"Sorry, I was testing out a certain ability. I'll leave right away. Didn't mean to cause a disturbance. Ciao." Shinji said, bowing slightly in apology.
Just as he was about to teleport back into Kamui's dimension, Bang raised a hand to stop him.
"Wait a minute. Since you're already here, why leave so quickly?" he said with an inviting tone. "Why not stay and chat for a bit?"
Shinji thought for a moment before accepting. I mean, we are talking about a top-class S-Class hero here.
"Well then, I'll gladly accept the offer," Shinji replied with a polite nod.
"You lot, keep training. Don't let me catch you slacking off just because I'm not watching."
Bang gave a stern but brief warning to his students, then led Shinji into the reception room.
"Please, have a seat," Bang said with polite composure.
"Thank you." Shinji took the seat across from him, settling in calmly.
"I'll be straightforward, are you interested in joining my dojo?" Bang asked directly, even using hand gestures to emphasize his offer. "Have you heard of Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist?"
Clearly, Shinji's silent and sudden appearance had made a strong impression. The old master had instantly developed an interest in mentoring him.
Shinji paused for a moment before answering, "Sorry, I'm already a professional hero under the Hero Association. And yes, I've heard of your reputation, Silver Fang. It's an honor to meet you."
"I see... what a shame," Bang said with a trace of disappointment in his voice.
He understood that active heroes didn't have much time for formal martial arts training. Forcing someone into his dojo wasn't his way, so he dropped the idea of taking Shinji as a student.
"But you're a hero too. Are you A-Class now? I don't recall seeing you among the S-Class heroes I know."
"I'm not. I was just promoted to B-Class. I'm a newcomer." Shinji shook his head slightly, keeping his tone modest.
Bang furrowed his brows slightly, second-guessing his earlier judgment. Just based on Shinji's incredible speed and stealth, he would've assumed the young man was already in A-Class, maybe even S-Class. But to hear he had only just advanced to B-Class, and from C-Class no less, didn't make any sense.
Even civilians with decent strength didn't usually start at the bottom. The Hero Association's entry process wasn't that demanding. The physical tests were straightforward, and the written portion was so basic that even an old man like him could score well. For someone young and sharp, it should've been even easier.
Well, except for Saitama. Out of a total of 50 points on the written exam, Saitama had scored just 21. His answers had been far too blunt and literal.
For instance, on the question: "You encounter a monster stronger than you holding multiple hostages in a remote area. What do you do?"
Saitama's response: "Just punch them."
No matter what the question was, his answer was always the same: "Just punch them."
For Saitama, that approach was actually valid. But the grading was based on what a regular hero should do in realistic circumstances.
That's what made Shinji's results so puzzling. A decent written score plus average physical ability should have placed him above C-Class. Barely scraping past the 70-point threshold suggested he hadn't done well physically.
"By the way, earlier you said you were testing an ability. Is it a martial art? Or more like a superpower?" Bang asked with growing curiosity.
"More like a… superpower," Shinji replied casually.
In truth, Double Kamui wasn't a superpower or a martial art in the traditional sense. But in the world of One Punch Man, anything outside conventional techniques usually got lumped under "superpower," so it was the easiest label to use.
"I see," Bang nodded thoughtfully.
He now assumed the red-eyed youth was probably a psychic-type hero with average physical capabilities. That would explain the underwhelming test results and made him seem like an even better candidate for strengthening his body through martial arts, especially Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist.
"Ahem..." Bang cleared his throat, his tone becoming more serious. "Even if you're already a full-time hero, if you ever find the time or interest, you're welcome to visit my dojo. I'd be happy to teach you Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist. It's a powerful martial art that can complement your abilities."
"I appreciate the kind offer, Master Bang. I'll give it some thought," Shinji said with a polite smile, clearly declining while remaining respectful.
It wasn't that he looked down on the technique; quite the opposite. He would love to learn the legendary martial arts.
But his focus was elsewhere for the time being. What truly fascinated him were things like the Sharingan, Hashirama Cells, the Flying Thunder God Technique, and the Rasengan. His eyes were on abilities that went beyond the physical, such as the Rinnegan, Susanoo, or even Buddha on the Summit.
So yeah, with the system, he could grind and get stronger rather than learning martial arts with years of practice.