Chapter 22: What True Combat Is
Location: High Above City B
King floated in mid-air, a faint green glow of psychokinesis surrounding his body. He silently observed the battle between Genos and the Titan below.
Seeing that Genos's full-power blast failed to even scratch the opponent, King wasn't surprised in the slightest.
If this were the "Manga Version" of the Titan (Marugori), he would likely have been heavily injured by that blast, and Genos might have had a chance at victory.
But unfortunately, this was the "Anime Version" of the Titan—standing thousands of meters tall with strength that was firmly in the "High Dragon" tier.
Although the current "Budget-Burning Warrior" had undergone an upgrade, his overall strength was at best "High Demon." Breaking through the defense of a monster this size was impossible for him.
King descended until he was within a thousand meters and dialed the Hero Association.
Hero Association Headquarters
Sitch suddenly felt a wave of frustration.
Why is it that every time a major disaster happens, I'm the one monitoring it? I'm the one panicking?
Oh, right. Because the higher-ups are all useless, and I'm the only one actually doing any work.
Damn it!
He complained internally, but driven by his sense of responsibility, Sitch quickly asked the staff in front of him:
"What's the situation with the Giant in City B? Have any S-Class heroes headed there for support?"
"Report! City B's destruction level has exceeded 40%. The Giant is currently engaging a cyborg. According to our data, the cyborg appears to be Genos, an unregistered vigilante known for destroying numerous evil organizations."
Cyborg Genos?
Sitch paused. He hadn't expected this independent figure to be the one fighting, rather than one of their own S-Class heroes.
As a mid-level executive, he had naturally heard of Genos. The guy had saved the Association a lot of trouble over the years.
Just then, a profile picture popped up on the main screen of the control room, requesting a call.
"It's Mr. King! King is requesting a video link!"
"Accept it immediately!"
Sitch felt a surge of joy. Does this mean King has arrived? If so, this disaster is as good as over.
The tense atmosphere in the room instantly relaxed. This was the charisma of the Strongest Man on Earth. The moment he appeared, it felt as if even the greatest crisis would be resolved by the roaring of the King Engine.
The call connected, and King's deep, steady voice came through:
"This is King. I have arrived in City B. The cyborg currently fighting is my disciple, Genos. Upgrade the Giant's disaster level to Dragon. His destructive power and combat ability meet the criteria."
"Understood! We'll update it right away!"
Sitch acted like a foot soldier receiving orders from a general. He nervously updated the threat level.
After the update was complete, Sitch noticed the call hadn't ended. He asked cautiously:
"Mr. King, what is the next step?"
"You can cancel the disaster alarm now."
"Huh???"
Not just Sitch, but every staff member in the room was confused. They looked at the satellite feed of the Titan still rampaging through the city, their faces full of doubt.
"Excuse me, but... the Giant is still alive. Why should we cancel the disaster alarm so suddenly?"
"Because I am here."
Accompanying this sentence was the heavy, rhythmic thumping of a heart beating like a high-performance engine.
DOOM... DOOM... DOOM...
The sound of the King Engine echoed through the spacious control room, silencing all doubt.
Battlefield: City B
Violent winds whipped through Genos's short blond hair. His eyes were filled with disbelief as smoke still drifted from his incinerator ports.
Impossible?!
The Titan patted his face, brushing away the slight soot mark. His booming voice vibrated the air around them:
"Is that what you call power? It is nothing compared to mine!"
As the words fell, the Titan threw a punch. The fist, larger than a house, expanded rapidly in Genos's vision.
A fierce gale hit him first. Genos quickly activated all his boosters, trying to put distance between them.
However, he was horrified to find that his body was pinned in place by the sheer air pressure generated by the punch. Even his max-output boosters couldn't break free from the wind lock.
Bad news... If I take this punch head-on... I will definitely die!
With his mechanical body, there was no way he could survive. His chassis and core would be obliterated together.
The Titan knew his punch would land. He grinned, a bloodthirsty smile spreading across his face.
The fist connected.
BOOM!
A massive shockwave exploded outward from the point of impact. The ground flipped over like a carpet, and countless cracks spread across the surface.
However, the Titan didn't feel the satisfying sensation of crushing an insect. Instead, it felt like he had punched a solid steel plate. He couldn't advance an inch.
Genos, still in shock, stared at the massive fist that was less than a meter away from him—and the tall figure blocking it.
"King-sensei..."
"You are not his match. Leave the rest to me."
King floated in mid-air, stopping the Titan's full-power punch with a single hand. He didn't even budge.
Realizing he had been saved by his teacher yet again, Genos lowered his head in shame, clenching his fists.
"I apologize, King-sensei. I have dragged you down again. If only I weren't so weak, you wouldn't need to save me repeatedly..."
King was speechless.
Didn't I tell you to run? Why are you engaging in deep self-reflection right now? The shockwaves from the fight are going to tear you apart if you stay here!
Seeing that Genos was planning to continue his monologue of repentance, King frowned and grabbed the cyborg by the scruff of his neck.
Blah, blah, blah. Do you have a mechanical brain or a drama queen brain? I told you to run, not summarize your failure experience!
Genos didn't even have time to react before the world started spinning rapidly. He was thrown violently into the distance.
A split second before he flew out of the combat zone, his audio sensors clearly picked up King's voice:
"Watch closely. This is what true combat looks like."