"Hmph—Ha——"
"Hmph—Ha——"
Inside the Dojo, over a hundred Disciples threw punches in unison, accompanied by crisp, clean shouts.
Aokiji and Mask stood by the wall observing.
"Wait a moment, Bang said he'd be back soon," Aokiji said.
"This bit of time doesn't matter, it's just..."
Mask habitually put on his helmet while outside.
Through the lens, he looked hesitantly at the afterimages around Aokiji:
"Is it really okay to leave this guy alone?"
Garou lowered his body to the limit of his center of gravity, launching attacks with swift and fierce movements!
In an instant, it was like countless erupting powerful currents of water were attacking!
"It's fine, a brat like this—"
Aokiji raised his hand, clenched his fist, and smashed it down hard.
"He'll behave after a few more beatings."
Dong——!!
Garou's head was suddenly struck by a heavy blow, and his face crashed straight down into the floor!
The impact made the Dojo tremble slightly.
The other fellow Disciples were used to it; not one of them even turned their head to look.
Mask took a sharp breath inside his helmet.
Is this kind of fighting style really okay?
Won't he beat this guy into an idiot?!
"Waiting around is boring, I'm going to the back to Cultivate for a while. Feel free to look around yourself."
Aokiji waved his hand and walked toward the backyard.
At this time, Mask was not the Monster Mask whose personality became perverse and arrogant after gaining power and beauty.
Right now, he was just a good person who grew up in malice but still remained kind.
Mask crouched down and tentatively shook Garou, who was face down and motionless.
"Are you okay? Do you want me to help you sit over there and rest?"
"Whew..."
Garou propped himself up with his hands on the floor and pulled his head out of the crater, bringing out some wood chips.
He bared his teeth and frowned, rubbing his head that had been smashed.
"That bastard... I still can't react to his attack movements."
"You're okay," Mask said in surprise, feeling relieved.
"Hmm?" Garou finally noticed him, squinting as he sized him up. "Are you one of those Pro Heroes too?"
"I am the B-Class Hero 'Mysterious Mask'. With Mr. Aokiji's help, I'll be studying at the Dojo for a while. Please guide me."
Seeing that he was fine, Mask assumed the two had just been having a normal, habitual sparring session. Not realizing the severity of the situation, he greeted him politely.
"Heh—" A malicious smile curled at the corner of Garou's mouth. "A hero, huh? Guide you, huh?"
"Then let's start right now!!"
"Huh?!" Mask suddenly felt something was wrong.
Although he couldn't say what the problem was, he just had a very bad feeling!
The next second, Garou gave him the answer.
He started without a single frame of delay!
A heavy punch slammed directly into Mask's helmet!
Crack——
A crack appeared in the helmet, and Mask was sent flying, crashing into the wall.
"Stand up, a 'hero' shouldn't be knocked down so easily!"
Garou clenched his fists and walked over step by step.
He had long been annoyed by these guys who treated being a hero as a profession.
Unfortunately, the heroes he could interact with before...
one was Bang, the other was Aokiji.
He couldn't beat either of them.
Instead, he was often beaten up in return.
I can't beat the old man, and I can't beat Aokiji, but can't I even beat a mere B-Class nobody?
Let me see what kind of resolve you "salarymen" who call yourselves heroes actually have!
"Hey, Garou, why did you suddenly attack the guest brought by Mr. Aokiji?!"
Sour Face hurriedly came over to try and stop him.
The other Disciples were also drawn by the commotion and gathered around.
Garou attacking Aokiji was a common sight.
After all, it was an agreement with the Master.
But attacking other guests without cause would certainly affect the Dojo's reputation if word got out.
"Exactly, Garou, apologize quickly!"
"I remember Pro Heroes have law enforcement rights. Attacking one is a serious crime. For your own sake, Garou, you'd better apologize quickly."
A few Disciples ran over to help Mask up.
Mask, however, covered his helmet with one hand, nervously preventing them from approaching.
"No need! I'm fine, please move aside."
As for why he was suddenly attacked, Mask didn't have the mind to think about it for now; his face under the helmet was full of tension.
The sound of the helmet cracking earlier had been clear to his ears.
He was terrified inside. If he exposed his true face in front of so many people... he would return to the misfortune of the past.
Admittedly, he had just met Aokiji and Saitama.
When they treated Mask, there was no discrimination or disgust, nor was there any pity or sympathy; it was just perfectly normal interaction.
It made Mask feel a relaxation he had never experienced before.
But he knew clearly that this was just an extremely rare occurrence.
Most people would inevitably show an unnatural reaction upon seeing his true face.
Mask stood up, preparing to leave for a while.
At this moment, Garou spoke coldly:
"What, are you going to be a hero who runs away with his tail between his legs?"
He didn't care at all about the accusations and persuasions of the fellow Disciples around him.
He took a stance, blocking Mask's path.
"What are you worried about? Just like these pieces of trash said, me attacking you is a crime."
"Can a hero ignore evil?"
Mask was reacting because of the risk of exposure from the crack in his helmet.
Garou was similarly reacting because of the "hero attempting to ignore evil" behavior.
Even if this "evil" was caused by himself.
"I don't want to talk about this right now. Please move," Mask said, his voice lowering, almost like a warning.
"If you're worried about me holding you accountable for the attack, I can tell you clearly: I forgive your actions."
"Now, can you move out of the way?"
"Tch!" Garou sneered disdainfully.
"If you want to leave, then try it yourself!"
"Use-less-he-ro——"
The atmosphere was so heavy it felt as if the air had solidified.
The two faced off, their gazes refusing to yield.
Their respective obsessions almost poured out of their bodies, clashing violently.
Even the surrounding Disciples felt a suffocating pressure.
Time seemed to pass exceptionally slowly.
Finally, a change occurred in the standoff.
Mask was the first to make a move.
Covering the crack on his helmet, he walked forward step by step.
Garou maintained his stance.
He stared intently at the approaching figure.
Thump—thump—thump—
Every footstep that fell felt like a hammer blow to the hearts of the surrounding Disciples.
Sour Face swallowed hard, deeply realizing that this was not a situation he could intervene in.
He turned to Charanko beside him and whispered an instruction:
"Quick, go to the backyard and get Mr. Aokiji!"
Just as he finished his whisper.
The distance between the two in the center was already within arm's reach!
Mask's voice was almost no different from a low growl.
"Let me pass."
"Make a move then, 'hero'."
Garou remained motionless, provocatively mocking him.