Without further ado, Kaito lifted his surfboard, stepped into the water, and began paddling toward the waves. All eyes continued to follow him, whether out of curiosity about his skills or simply unable to take their eyes off his stunning figure.
A large wave began to roll in in the distance, its foam glistening in the sunlight. Kaito, already in position, watched for a moment, then stood on his surfboard with smooth, steady movements, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
As soon as the first wave hit, Kaito glided at a steady pace, his body leaning with the flow of the water. Every movement was precise—turning the board, shifting his weight, and maintaining perfect balance. There was no hesitation or awkwardness; it all seemed like a dance orchestrated by the waves themselves.
From the shore, shouts of admiration began to ring out.
"Wow! That's so cool!"
"That… that's so professional! Has he competed in competitions before?!"
The girls screamed enthusiastically, some even jumping up and down, taking photos or recording with their phones.
Kaguya, who had been sitting with Yuzuru near Shido, raised an eyebrow. "Shido, who is that guy? He has a confident aura, a stunning body, and—oh—he rides the waves like a knight of the sea."
Yuzuru also stared intently, her eyes following Kaito's every move. "Confirmation: he looks stunning. An explanation is needed. Is he your friend, Shido?"
Shido raised both hands, unsure of how to answer. "He… yes, he's my classmate and we're quite close. His name is Kaito."
Kaguya and Yuzuru exchanged glances, clearly dissatisfied with that short answer.
On the other hand, Tohka cheered and waved her arms. "Kaito! Teach me how to do that!" although her voice was, of course, drowned out by the sound of the waves. Origami stood still, but her eyes never left Kaito, as if analyzing his movements.
Kaito, as if aware that all eyes were on him, began performing more challenging tricks. He descended the slope of the wave and spun the board rapidly, sending arcs of water splashing through the air. He then used the momentum of the next wave to execute a perfect cutback maneuver, turning 180 degrees and then smoothly returning to the wave's path.
The crowd on the beach grew even more excited. Even some of the male students who had initially been jealous were now cheering in admiration.
"Wow, he's so good!"
"If he were in a competition, he'd definitely win!"
Not stopping there, Kaito attempted a more difficult maneuver. As the next large wave came, he jumped slightly off the board and landed back on his feet, almost unsteadily. The water splashed around him, reflecting the light like flying glass shards.
Reine, who was sitting relaxed with a drink in hand, watched with a stoic expression, but her eyes narrowed slightly. She already knew Kaito had an extraordinary physique, but seeing this skill made her even more certain that he was no ordinary teenager. Ellen, who had just been freed from the sand by the trio of Ai, Mii, and Mai, also watched, her expression unreadable.
After a few minutes of this performance, Kaito launched himself toward the shore with one final maneuver—riding the wave until its tip broke right behind him. He lightly jumped onto the sand, surfboard still in hand, and then walked casually, as if he had just finished a regular practice session, not as if he had just wowed the entire beach.
As soon as his feet touched the sand, a roar of applause and cheers erupted from all directions. The female students stared at him with sparkling eyes, some even shouting his name. Tamae-sensei, who had already started to bleed, covered her face with her folding fan again, trying to hide her red cheeks.
Kaito simply raised his hand and gave a brief greeting to the crowd. "Thank you, thank you," he said casually, then walked past everyone with a faint smile. He seemed unconcerned that he had just become the center of attention of the entire beach.
…
That night, the light from the inn's room reflected softly off the wooden walls, creating a serene atmosphere after a day of playing on the beach. Kaito sat cross-legged on the bed, deciding to use the legendary ticket he had obtained from the previous mission.
He took a deep breath. "Okay, one legendary ticket... hopefully this time it's a jackpot," he muttered, then instructed the system to perform a gacha.
[ding! Congratulations, host, for obtaining the skill: Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist (A)]
[Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist (A)]
This style involves understanding and recreating the swift, surging flow of power within one's body, channeling it into the user's fist. When used by a skilled fighter, this martial art is extremely effective and powerful, especially against humanoid opponents, and as long as the opponent is of a certain size, the art can still affect them. When used, a blue aura can be seen around the user's extremities, resembling a stream of water. Charanko describes this style as "herding the enemy around by the nose by moving like a calm stream, only to finish them off with a blow powerful enough to shatter boulders like a raging river." Genos describes it as "the perfect blend of offense and defense." Users of this martial art can deflect an opponent's attack or redirect it with double the force, even causing the opponent to attack themselves by countering their own physical attack.]
Kaito stared at him for a few seconds in silence, then rubbed his face with one hand. "Seriously? Of all the things I could have gotten… this technique?" His voice held a hint of disappointment. "Not a legendary sword, not a long-range ultimate move… but a fist."
However, despite his complaining lips, his eyes were carefully reading the technique's description.
This technique wasn't just about hitting hard; it was about controlling the flow of power, deflecting the enemy's attacks, and even taking them in with his own blows. The description stated that when practiced by a true expert, a blue aura resembling flowing water would appear around the user's arms and legs.
"Hmm… this is from the One-Punch Man world," Kaito muttered, recalling a fragment of a memory from his previous life. "If I'm not mistaken, the one who could use it was Bang… a.k.a. Silver Fang. And his student, Charanko, though that one… well, they're on a different level." He chuckled faintly. "Even Garou has mastered it, albeit in his own way."
He looked at the scroll once more, then pressed it. Instantly, information and understanding of the technique flooded into his head. A warm sensation spread through his arms, like flowing water coursing through his muscles.
Kaito stood up, deciding to give it a try. The inn's room was cramped, but sufficient for light training. He assumed a horse stance, his legs slightly apart, his knees bent, and his body leaning forward. He regulated his breathing slowly, imagining the flow of water from upstream to downstream.
His hands began to move, swirling like gentle river eddies. Each rotation felt natural, as if his body had long memorized these movements. Suddenly, with one swift movement, he thrust his fist forward.
WHUUSH!
The resulting wind was enough to sway the thin window curtains. Although there wasn't the blue aura as described, Kaito could feel the power building in his fist—dense, yet fluid.
He repeated this several times, trying to combine the fluid movements with a powerful blow at the end. His hands moved like ripples that turned into large waves, each strike striking the air with varying intensity.
"Huh... not bad," he said, slightly impressed despite his initial disdain. "It's not a long-range ultimate weapon, but... if used with haki and speed, this technique could be a nightmare for my future opponents."
Kaito walked back to bed, pouring water from the bottle into a glass. He took a slow sip, thinking. 'Bang and Garou use it with such incredible perfection. If I could combine this technique with the powers I already possess… it wouldn't be impossible for the results to be far more deadly.'
However, even though he was beginning to see its potential, Kaito couldn't help but smile. "Still… I was hoping for something more out of the Legendary Ticket. Oh well… at least it's free."