One Punch Simulator

The Hunt Begins

"Charanko! Bang-sensei, please, lay off!"

Bang ignored Budo and continued glaring down at Charanko, who was lying on the ground in a messy heap.

"What is it now?" Bang asked. "You can't even get up? Tell me, Charanko... what have you been doing here these past six months? When I made you my disciple, didn't I say to train like your life depended on it? I cannot see you ever improving your skills."

"Bang-sensei, please," Budo pleaded, standing beside Charanko's body. "It's not fair to him. He's been trying his best!"

"Silence, Budo!" Bang ordered. "Charanko has not an iota of talent for the martial arts! He is expelled from this dojo!"

"Sensei!" Budo shouted.

"If you keep protesting, then I will expel you as well, Budo," Bang threatened.

Budo gritted his teeth. "Is... Is this about Garou?! It's not Charanko's fault! He-"

"Enough!" Bang yelled. "Both of you, leave at once! Never come here again!"

The elder hero turned away, scowling, and forcing himself to ignore his students. His thoughts turned to that of Traveller, the woman who had trained under him many years ago... where was she now? Would the world survive without her?

Romance. A substance that Ayano knew had as much power as any of her weapons.

Ayano watched as Oka spied on Taro and Amai talking, her small figure trembling. The gothic girl seemed to be... jealous. She was clenching the nearby locker's door between her fists. Ayano was focused on not her but the red strings that were floating around Taro. Was he even aware of the things? He didn't seem to be, not yet, anyway. If he did become aware of them...

"Move out of the way, peasants!"

Ayano turned around, seeing Kizana Sunobu and her club walking through the hall like they owned the place. Kizana brushed her twin-drill pigtails out of her face, and turned her purple gaze on Ayano.

"Oh ho, so petit Yan-chan is here!" she scoffed. "You may be popular, but you can't out-do me!"

"Um, President," Kokona Haruka, a member of the club, coughed. "Didn't she... save your life?"

Kizana's stature faltered slightly. "Well... oui. She did." She brightened back up again. "Anyway! I'm here to talk to Yamada-senpai! Bonjour, Senpai! Over here!"

"Huh?" Taro looked over from his conversation with Amai. "Oh, hi, Kizana!"

Oka's face flushed red, and she looked like she wanted to hide in the lockers.

"I'm kinda busy at the moment, so we can talk later, okay?" Taro told Kizana, politely.

Amai gave Kizana an indescribable look before she and Taro left the hall. Kizana put a hand over her heart.

"That Cooking Club witch!" Kizana exclaimed. "Perfide*! Just because she joined the Hero Association...!"

"Now, now, President," Tsurozo Yamazaki, the vice president, spoke up. "A tragedy it may be, but not all is amiss! You will get to speak to him later! For now, I believe you wanted to engage in conversation with Miss Ayano Aishi!"

Kizana scoffed. "That I did!" She turned towards Ayano. "Miss Aishi! As mentioned before, you did in fact save my life! Merci! I want to return the favour. That is why..." She dramatically pointed at Ayano. "I will allow you to join my club!"

The other members of the club pointed at her as well, like it was some kind of routine they'd planned.

Ayano was going to flat-out say no, but then she thought about it for a bit. She often saw the club members wearing gloves and masks. Those items could certainly be very useful to her.