"Of course." Johnson paid and took it, eating while he said, "After work we're having dinner at old man Bang's dojo. They say his newly accepted disciple is skilled in Chinese cuisine and makes incredibly delicious mapo tofu!"
Saitama's eyes lit up, "Really? Then I'll definitely be there on time!"
✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱
The moon reached its zenith.
Saitama, drunk with the old man, ended up staying overnight at the dojo. After all, the fast food restaurant where he worked part-time didn't open until noon, so he could make it back in time the next day.
Johnson, having recently mastered the new skill "Teleport", had complete mobility freedom. Even in the One Punch world, going to A-City headquarters for a midnight report was just a moment's work.
So as soon as the drinking party dispersed, he was back at his apartment.
Actually, staying overnight at the Water Stream Dojo wouldn't have been a problem, but tonight Johnson had important business to attend to, so he wasn't going to join the hotpot crew's second round.
╔══════════════════════╗
║ Fantasy Card: Limiter Fragment ×42 ║
║ Fusion Available! ║
║ Fusion Requires: "Limiter Fragment" ×40 ║
╚══════════════════════╝
After more than a month of preparation, tonight the accumulated "Limiter Fragments" finally reached the third critical point, and the fusion prompt appeared once again.
The quantity required for fusion had doubled compared to before, with forty Special N-Cards stacked together almost reaching the thickness of a deck of playing cards.
By this calculation, the next fusion would require eighty cards.
{T/N: Limiter Break ACT1 cost 10, ACT2 cost 20 and now the ACT3 is 40.}
Moreover, the number of fragment fusions wasn't infinite.
About a year later, when Saitama would be completely bald and the fully-formed "Caped Baldy" officially debuts, this newbie benefit that could break through limits regardless of bottlenecks would completely disappear.
Johnson was prepared for this, but he wasn't in a hurry. After all, his strength had always relied on his own efforts (meaning his Stand's), completely independent of external factors!
He was curious to see just how far he could go without the "Limiter Break"!
Fantasy Card, Fusion!
A brilliant white light erupted. All forty fragments dissolved like snowflakes, and when the light faded, only a pale blue fantasy card floated silently before Johnson's eyes.
╔══════════════════════╗
FANTASY CARD: Limiter Break ACT3
CARD TYPE: Special Card
RARITY: R
┌─ SYSTEM DESCRIPTION ─┐
A conceptual force born from unknown fragments, originally invisible to the eye.
┌─ PRIMARY FUNCTION — LIMITATION RELEASE ─┐
Designate any object to break through one racial growth limitation.
┌─ SECONDARY FUNCTION — CONTROLLED BREAKTHROUGH ─┐
Choose any attribute of any object to break through species growth limitation.
┌─ TERTIARY FUNCTION — LIMIT EXPANSION ─┐
Designate any object to randomly gain a brand new supernatural ability.
╚══════════════════════╝
Unlike the previous two "Limiter Break" cards, this one finally broke through from N-Card to R-Card rarity. It also added a new effect entry — the ability to grant a free brand new supernatural ability.
Johnson hesitated, unsure whether to allocate this breakthrough opportunity to himself or his Stand.
Fantasy Card (Stand), which had been playing a minor role for years, timidly raised its hand in its consciousness. It indicated that the energy from the first breakthrough had been completely consumed, so...
"Oh please..." "Hearing" his Stand's hint, the cheapskate couldn't help but roll his eyes, "What's next? A cockroach expecting five-star accommodations? Know your place."
Fantasy Card: "..."
"Sigh, this is the downside of a Stand having self-awareness — ignoring it always makes me feel guilty..." Johnson sighed deeply as he walked to the balcony, feeling the cool night breeze against his skin, "Here you go."
In the void, the Fantasy Card transmitted grateful emotions. The special R-card floating in midair disappeared into the deck in the blink of an eye, guarding its food as jealously as a Siberian Husky.
This time, the twice-evolved Stand didn't return to its initial egg form.
However, the mentally connected Johnson could sense a stellar explosion-like transformation occurring in the subconscious dimension that overlapped with the real world.
With Fantasy Card at the center of this revolutionary tide, the conceptual force from "Limiter Break" released continuously, peeling away layer after layer of solid seals and breaking through invisible shackles. The earth-shattering transformation completed in just a few breaths.
So fast?
Johnson was startled. In the blink of an eye, his Stand's breakthrough was complete. It seemed to have fully adapted to the properties of the conceptual force compared to last time.
Like his own breakthrough, the Stand's panel options appeared on his retina.
╔══════════════════════╗
║ Destructive Power ║ [D]
║ Speed ║ [D]
║ Precision ║ [C]
║ Development Potential ║ [A]
║ Durability ║ [A]
║ Range ║ [B]
╚══════════════════════╝
{T/N: The letters in [] are to remind which are the current values.}
"You want me to choose one panel attribute to break through?"
Understanding his Stand's thoughts, Johnson pondered, suddenly afflicted with decision paralysis.
What kind of stats would a deck of cards need?
Your natural Development Potential and Durability are already maxed out — what do the other stats even have to do with you!
After much deliberation, Johnson pointed randomly.
This one!
Selection complete, the conceptual force erupted again, and this time he completely lost his connection with his Stand.
Having experienced these upgrades before, Johnson knew there was no rushing it. After waiting a while and seeing the connection hadn't recovered, he took off his alcohol-scented clothes, tidied up briefly, and went to sleep peacefully.
✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱
The next day.
After a good night's sleep, Johnson stretched as he got up. His steel-forged physique emitted crisp sounds as his joints vibrated with the movement. Seeing the clear blue sky outside the window, he felt refreshed.
Getting up to wash, he habitually summoned his Stand.
Unlike before, the Fantasy Card didn't appear. He thought perhaps the final evolution hadn't completed overnight. But the next moment, the updated Stand panel appeared in his mind.
╔══════════════════════╗
FANTASY CARDS
┌─ STATS ─┐
Destructive Power: A [↟]
Speed: C [↟]
Precision: B [↟]
Development Potential: A
Durability: A
Range: B
┌─ PRIMARY FUNCTION — CARD MASTERY ─┐
Grant objects a "card" concept, creating Fantasy Cards and controlling their power.
┌─ SECONDARY FUNCTION — DESTINY DRAW ─┐
Can randomly draw one fantasy card per day, draw attempts accumulate. (Current: 4 times)
┌─ TERTIARY FUNCTION — ELEMENT COLLECTION ─┐ [NEW!]
Randomly collect supernatural element fragments within ten meters to create Fantasy Cards.
┌─ QUATERNARY FUNCTION — DIVINE SINGLE DRAW ─┐
Consume "Destiny Draw" ×10, specify card pool/type, randomly draw one fantasy card.
┌─ RANK ─┐
C-Rank: Equivalent to normal human capability.
╚══════════════════════╝
So it did awaken a fourth ability?
Johnson paused while brushing his teeth, then continued as he processed the information.
Specifying card pool or type — that's like directed drawing in gacha games, right?
It would mean consuming all his accumulated draw counts. Otherwise, he'd definitely try a draw right now.
✱✱✱
T/N: Favorite, comment and save to your library of best reads in the world, thank you for reading this far!
T/N: Follow me on Pa-treon for advanced chapters: MrBlackWing! ( ◕‿◕ )
That's it and happy reading! (-‿◦)