Z-City Ruins Battlefield.
"Roar—!!!"
Elder Centipede's roar stirred up a hurricane, and a dark glow shimmered on its massive carapace.
Just the tremors from its movement crushing the ground made it difficult for Bang and Bomb to stand firm.
"This thing... it's too enormous!"
Bomb's face was extremely solemn; while his Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist was fierce, striking such a colossal creature would likely fail to cause fatal damage.
Bang's gaze, however, swept past this behemoth towards the horizon where Phoenix Man had disappeared with Garou, his heart filled with powerlessness and regret.
Not only had he failed to save his disciple, but he had also plunged the entire Z-City into an even greater crisis.
"Abang!"
Bomb let out a low cry, his eyes incredibly serious. He knew that against an enemy of this size, any hesitation would be fatal.
Bang took a deep breath, composed himself, and focused his attention on the gigantic Monster before him.
"Genos-kun! Stand back!"
With a furious shout, the two martial arts masters, one left and one right, charged towards Elder Centipede like two leaves in a storm, yet with immense determination!
"Brother!"
"Understood!"
Bang and Bomb exchanged glances; decades of unspoken understanding meant they needed no words.
They knew that against a Monster of this size, any conventional blows would be meaningless.
The only weakness, perhaps, lay in that enormous human-like face!
They pushed off with their feet, their figures as swift as ghosts, stepping on the colossal rock fragments shattered by Elder Centipede's movement, and rapidly ascended its massive body!
"Foolish... insects!"
A human-like sneer appeared on Elder Centipede's huge face.
It merely twisted its body casually, and one section of its carapace swept across at high speed, the accompanying gale even letting out a sharp howl!
Bang's eyes narrowed, and the essence of Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist activated instantly.
He chose not to resist directly but flowed like water with the violent wind pressure, his entire body thrown high, actually using the momentum to approach the target faster.
Bomb, on the other hand, chose a completely opposite approach.
"Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist · Vacuum Blade!"
His burly body advanced instead of retreating, his palms thrusting forward fiercely.
The air beneath his palms was highly compressed, forming sharp vacuum waves that brutally slashed at the sweeping carapace!
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
A series of metallic clashes echoed, but the attacks striking Elder Centipede's carapace only sparked a few tiny flames!
"So hard!"
Bomb was greatly alarmed. Using the recoil, he quickly retreated, narrowly dodging the destructive blow.
On the other side, Bang had successfully climbed onto Elder Centipede's back.
Each segment of the carapace beneath his feet was larger than a house.
He dared not linger for a moment, his figure like lightning, dashing towards its head, hundreds of meters away!
However, Elder Centipede's defensive mechanisms far exceeded his imagination.
"Swish! Swish! Swish!"
Countless giant legs suddenly lifted from both sides of its body, wildly slashing down towards Bang's location!
Each strike left terrifying ravines several meters deep in the ground!
Bang's figure weaved through the storm-like attacks, pushing his movement technique to the extreme.
Several times, the sharp giant legs almost grazed his clothes, a truly perilous situation.
Below, Genos was also continuously providing support with his Incineration Cannon.
However, his Incineration Cannon did not seem to be having any substantial effect.
This won't do, I must... I must do something!
In Genos's mind, Mr. KING's calm and profound face reappeared, along with the words that enlightened him—
"Spiritual and mechanical core resonance."
Anger, the heart of protection, fighting will... these could all amplify energy output.
But, merely this, was not enough!
He recalled his battle with Garou.
That "Super Spiral Incineration Cannon" was incredibly powerful, but it wasn't true "resonance."
True resonance should be a "state."
It was a state like Master Bang's, where martial arts were integrated into his breath, into his instincts.
It was the perfect harmony of spirit and machine, where the flame of will continuously supplied energy to the mechanical body, rather than a one-time burst.
It was that state... where even if the body was broken, as long as the "heart" was still burning, one could fight forever!
"I think I understand a little..."
Genos muttered to himself. The light from his core began to become subdued, compressing all the violent energy inwards.
He no longer thought of the hatred for revenge, no longer thought of the responsibility to protect, nor of the outcome of the battle.
His inner self, at this moment, became purer than ever before.
Only one thought remained.
"Completely incinerate the enemy before me!"
Buzz—!!!
A deep and melodious hum, completely different from before, emanated from Genos's chest.
That orange core suddenly became clear and transparent.
And at the center of the core, a point of golden light quietly emerged.
"Mr. KING... I think... I've touched upon it..."
Genos's consciousness, at this moment, seemed to merge with the entire machine.
He could feel the energy flowing through every circuit, hear the subtle vibrations of every single part.
His right arm slowly rose, the cannon barrel in his palm aimed at Elder Centipede's massive face.
"Now!"
Bang, who was struggling on Elder Centipede's back, keenly sensed the change in Genos's aura. He immediately understood and shouted with all his might:
"Genos-kun! Attack its face!"
"Roar?"
Elder Centipede also seemed to perceive the threat from below. Its huge head slightly lowered, and its six compound eyes simultaneously locked onto Genos.
"A chance!"
This was the moment Genos had been waiting for!
He unleashed that nascent golden will without reservation!
"Incinerate!"
There was no fancy move name, only the purest command.
A beam of light, too dazzling to look at directly, shot from his palm!
Its speed surpassed light, its form was condensed to the extreme, and its trajectory left a lingering golden crack in the air!
Time, at this moment, seemed to slow down.
Bang and Bomb clearly saw that golden spear, before Elder Centipede's huge face could react, fiercely strike its face!
"Boom—Rumble—!!!"
A giant thud, muffled to the extreme.
Immediately after, on Elder Centipede's huge face, spiderweb-like cracks appeared, starting from the point of impact.
The cracks rapidly spread, covering its entire face!
"Roar!!!"
Elder Centipede let out its first truly painful roar since its appearance!
Its head snapped back violently, the immense impact causing its mountain-like body to stagger.
Did it succeed!?
A glimmer of hope flashed simultaneously in Bang's and Bomb's eyes.
However, the next second, this glimmer of hope was replaced by deeper despair.
Elder Centipede's cracked face, like a shedding skin, began to peel off.
And beneath that shattered old face, a perfectly intact, even more ferocious new face slowly revealed itself!
Shedding its skin!
Genos's most powerful attack, poured out with all his might, even touching a hint of the "resonance" state, ultimately resulted in... merely knocking off a layer of its shell!
"This... how is this possible..."
Genos watched this scene, the light in his eyes rapidly dimming.
"Hehehehe..."
Elder Centipede's newly regenerated face let out a chilling, scraping sound.
"A good attack. As a reward, I will let you witness the true power of this body of mine!"