In the world of One-Punch Man: Z-City Police Station.
Johnson stood before the mirror in the station lobby, adjusting his collar with a serious expression.
The reflection showed a man with black hair and blue eyes — handsome features set in a well-trained, muscular 1.95-meter frame. His angular face looked particularly determined against his dark uniform, his mere presence radiating intimidation.
The memories merged from his predecessor revealed his new role: a freshly appointed patrol officer, the lowest rank on the force.
Johnson was a dimensional traveler who had awakened a spiritual ability called a "Stand" from the JOJO universe upon crossing over. His Stand, "Fantasy Cards", manifested as peculiar playing card-sized objects with backs displaying a black cosmic starfield. This Stand could grant objects a "card" concept, creating fantasy cards and controlling their power.
After a month of dimensional travel, as his soul and body fully merged, Fantasy Cards developed a second ability: "Destiny Draw". This allowed him to randomly draw one fantasy card per day, with unused draws accumulating over time.
Fantasy Cards wasn't like the humanoid Stands capable of direct "ora ora" combat. While its stats might be weak, such limitations often masked truly formidable abilities.
To Johnson, controlling the power of cards meant rewriting reality through fantasy — each draw bringing him closer to godlike power.
When the second ability awakened, a mental notification of +1 draw attempt appeared, and he seized the opportunity immediately.
A blank card emerged from the deck, wreathed in azure flames — the spiritual fire of a Stand user. As the flames subsided, the card's border turned deep purple, and its face revealed the element within: a red and blue spider.
╔══════════════════════╗
FANTASY CARD: Spider-Sense
CARD TYPE: Ability Card
RARITY: SR
┌─ SYSTEM DESCRIPTION ─┐
Spider-powered ability, also known as "Peter's Tingle".
┌─ PRIMARY FUNCTION — DANGER PRECOGNITION ─┐
Increased adrenaline secretion accompanied by occipital pain and raised hair, warning of impending danger in the vicinity.
┌─ SECONDARY FUNCTION — SPIDER-TIME ─┐
Greatly enhances reflexes, dynamic vision, and perception, allowing entry into a special state similar to "bullet time".
╚══════════════════════╝
Fantasy cards came in four tiers of rarity, each with its own distinctive border color:
N (Normal): common, white border;
R (Rare): rare, blue border;
SR (Super Rare): super rare, purple border;
SSR (Superior Super Rare): ultra rare, orange border.
Most mundane objects without supernatural elements became N cards when transformed. Johnson had struck gold by drawing an SR on his first attempt.
Following his instincts, he grasped the floating card and pressed it against his chest. Upon contact, the purple card dissolved silently into countless shimmering motes of light that swirled like iron filings to a magnet, flowing into his body.
The spider ability surged to life instantly — his senses sharpened exponentially as the world seemed to slow around him.
For the first time, Johnson tasted true supernatural power.
✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱
A week passed, during which Johnson honed his mastery over his Stand ability through constant practice.
Now, after checking in and gathering his equipment, Johnson strode out of the police station and ducked into the adjacent alley.
Right hand raised, palm up.
"Fantasy Cards! Stand ability activate!"
Through his eyes, azure spiritual flames erupted and engulfed his body as a white-bordered fantasy card materialized, hovering in the air.
To any onlooker, the handsome young officer simply stood there, one hand on his cap brim and the other raised dramatically skyward.
╔══════════════════════╗
FANTASY CARD: Small Police Motorcycle
CARD TYPE: Item Card
RARITY: N
┌─ SYSTEM DESCRIPTION ─┐
Common small vehicle, colloquially known as "Little Lamb".
┌─ PRIMARY FUNCTION — LAUNCH CONTROL ─┐
Low fuel consumption, powerful acceleration, a must-have for real men, turning heads on the road.
┌─ SECONDARY FUNCTION — FUEL DISPLAY ─┐
Remaining fuel: 68%
╚══════════════════════╝
Johnson reached out and plucked the white card from the air. With a flash of cheap yet dramatic special effects, the Little Lamb materialized before him.
Vrooom—
In one fluid motion, he retracted the kickstand and mounted the motorcycle, its engine roaring to life.
Putt-putt-putt-putt...
The Little Lamb shot forward, carrying Johnson to his patrol route.
✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱
In the One-Punch Man world, after surviving multiple global catastrophes, humanity had established a new government system with cities named after letters.
Z-City, Johnson's new home, was also where the famous bald hero Saitama resided.
"Monsters, heroes..." Johnson mused as he rode his Little Lamb.
This world was plagued by Mysterious Beings — also known as Kaijin or Monsters — dangerous creatures that emerged mysteriously to threaten human society. Officials classified these threats into five disaster levels based on their danger and difficulty to eliminate:
["Wolf": Beings or groups that pose a danger.]
["Tiger": Threat of mass casualties in an undefined area.]
["Demon": Threat of a city's functionality stopping or destruction.]
["Dragon": Threat of multiple cities being destroyed.]
["God": Threat of human extinction.]
The topic of heroes brought to mind recent news.
A wealthy businessman named Agoni — notable for his peculiar buttocks-shaped chin — had announced that after his grandson's encounter with a monster, he would fund a new civilian organization. This group would focus specifically on monster elimination and civilian protection.
The organization would be called... The Hero Association.
Money talks, indeed.
Within just three months, this organization expanded rapidly under Agoni's financial backing. It established branch offices throughout major cities and recruited powerful individuals to combat monsters and disasters. These individuals, who became increasingly popular among citizens, earned a simple but powerful title:
Heroes.