One-Punch Man: Boros, the Universe Overlord

"Come back here! The game isn't over yet, don't run!"

Saitama took a deep breath, opening his lungs to their full capacity, and let out a deafening roar at Boros's back, the resentment in his voice seeming capable of lifting the roof off.

"ha?"

Boros stopped as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world, turned around and looked at Saitama with a pitying look in his eyes, a mocking smile curving his lips.

"Do I look like an idiot to you? This game is for whoever wants to play, I'm not playing it anymore!" With that, he turned and ran away.

"Huh? No! Absolutely not!" Saitama teleported in an instant, blocking Boros's path. His previously lifeless eyes were now blazing with murderous intent. He gritted his teeth and extended a finger:

"Either you obediently let me hit you with the hammer now, or you continue sitting down and playing with me. The choice is yours!"

"Hey, can't you be a little more reasonable?"

Boros was forced to retreat until his back hit the corner of the wall. He pointed at the trio watching the show not far away, trying to drag one of them down with him.

"I only won one game against you. Go find Bang, or King, or even Genos, I'm definitely not playing again!"

"You bastards! You two, come and keep playing!" Saitama roared angrily.

Just as Saitama was about to go berserk, Bang's gentle, spring-like voice punctuated the scene:

"Alright, alright, young man, don't get so worked up. I've already had Chalan Ke bring out some premium beef to prepare dinner. Let's go eat first."

Upon hearing the words "high-grade beef" and "eating," Saitama, who had been brimming with murderous intent, froze. Boros also stopped running, let out a long sigh of relief, turned around, patted his chest with lingering fear, and gave Bang a heartfelt thumbs-up, his eyes filled with gratitude for surviving a close call.

Wait, something's not right. Why am I thanking him when he beat me up and I'm covered in bumps?

Bang: See? He even thanked us.

The group sat around the table eating dinner. Bang put down his chopsticks and looked at them with a deep gaze:

"What do you guys think? After our previous match, you should have figured something out, right? I can tell you're all enjoying the game, otherwise you wouldn't be taking it so seriously."

He turned his head, his tone becoming serious and earnest:

"Listen up, Chalan Ke. The charm of martial arts cannot be experienced through mere fighting and killing. This resonance generated within rules and confrontation is the true essence of martial arts."

Then, Bang stood up and stepped down from the table, assuming a starting pose in front of everyone, and calmly said:

"Just like my 'Water Flow Rock Smash Fist'."

As soon as he finished speaking, the air around him swirled, his sleeves moved without wind, and his arms danced like flowing water, displaying a rhythm that combined strength and gentleness.

"That's about it. How about it, want to learn it? You're all very talented, you might master it quickly. The essence of this move lies in using softness to overcome hardness, borrowing force to strike, and relying on powerful internal energy to penetrate the outer shell and shatter both inside and out."

Saitama was engrossed in eating when he heard this, so he looked up and suddenly realized what was going on.

"Oh? I thought you were being nice by inviting us to dinner for some reason, but it turns out you're here specifically to recruit apprentices. I'm not really interested, Genos, you go ahead."

Genos politely shook his head, declining:

"I don't need that, teacher. What I want isn't self-defense, but absolute destructive power."

"I'm quite interested. Since the old man is willing to give me personal guidance, I'll come here often in the future."

Boros narrowed his eyes slightly, a sincere smile playing on his lips.

"what?"

King and Genos almost simultaneously uttered sounds of doubt, their voices filled with disbelief.

Boros turned his head, looked calmly at Genos, and slowly said:

"You're too arrogant, Genos. Learning has no end; that's an eternal truth. You actually think that 'Silver Fang's' signature technique is just a mere self-defense skill?"

He paused, then continued:

"To become a true powerhouse, one must be like a sponge, tirelessly absorbing all methods that can make one stronger. Even if the opponent is weaker than oneself, there are still things worth learning from them, let alone Master Bangu, who stands at the pinnacle of martial arts."

"Do you think you're better than Bang? This is an opportunity that others dream of and can't even dream of, and you're so arrogant and self-important. It's really disappointing, Genos."

After listening to Boros's words, Genos fell into deep thought. He quickly took out his notebook, wrote them down, and then bowed sincerely in apology.

"I see. Thank you for your guidance, Professor Boros. I was short-sighted. I'm sorry, Master Bang. I was rude. I will come with Professor Boros to learn from Master Bang in the future."

Bang smiled broadly, every wrinkle on his face smoothing out as if brimming with satisfaction and joy. He nodded, his gaze fixed on Boros with an indescribable admiration.

Bang was well aware of Boros's power. It was a terrifying force capable of shaking meteorites. Yet, this young man, standing at the pinnacle of power, was now willing to humble himself and humbly seek instruction from this old man in the Flowing Rock Shattering Fist. This character pleased Bang far more than Boros's world-destroying power.

"There's a successor..."

Bang murmured to himself, a warm feeling welling up inside him. He seemed to see the essence of martial arts he had devoted his life to studying shining even brighter in the hands of such a powerful figure.

He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over Boros and Genos, who stood respectfully to the side, his voice loud and powerful:

"Alright! Since you're willing to learn, this old man will certainly teach you everything I know! The Flowing Water Rock Shattering Fist is not just about techniques, but also about a state of mind, it's the 'Tao.' I hope you can glean your own insights from it and pass on this martial art!"

Just as everyone was immersed in the sacredness of the martial arts inheritance, a sudden and satisfied voice broke the moment of tranquility.

"Burp~ I'm full."

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Saitama patting his flat belly contentedly, his face beaming with the blissful expression of someone who had just enjoyed a delicious meal. This contrasted sharply with the martial arts atmosphere around him.

Banggu: "..."

Boros: "..."

Genos: "Saitama-sensei definitely has his own set of ideas."

King: "I really want to go back and play Heartbeat Girlfriend 2 right away."

..............................

The next few days passed in an unprecedented tranquility. The Hero Association's territory was peaceful, without a single monster of any significant importance appearing. However, this peace didn't make Bang Dojo deserted; on the contrary, it welcomed two very different yet equally diligent regulars. Boros and Genos appeared at the dojo almost every day.

A few days later, the morning sunlight slanted in through the high windows of the training room, and a light dust filled the air.

Bang stood in front of the mat, his gaze scrutinizing the three men lined up neatly before him—Boros, Genos, and Chalanco. Bang nodded in satisfaction, then his smile vanished, replaced by an unprecedented seriousness.

"Boros, your power is too domineering. If you don't know how to restrain and perceive it, you will leave openings when you punch. As for Genos, although your attacks are precise, they rely too much on mechanical calculations and lack inspiration."

"So now, I will formally teach you the true essence of the Water Flow Rock Smashing Fist."

Bang's voice was deep and powerful, echoing in the empty training room. He slowly raised his hand, palm up, as if supporting a thousand-pound weight:

"The essence of our school lies not in the complexity of our moves, but in the word 'intention.' When intention leads to power, energy can be invincible," Bang's voice was deep and resonant.

To allow his disciples to more intuitively grasp this elusive "intention," Banggu slowly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then stepped forward and threw a punch. At that moment, his slightly hunched old body seemed to be given a new soul, his movements flowing smoothly and without any hesitation.

His movements were like flowing water, seemingly slow yet continuous, his sleeves fluttering without wind, and his footsteps seemed to tread on clouds, giving people an ethereal and unpredictable illusion. That supple and unbroken momentum seemed to tell everyone that although water is the softest, it can penetrate stone, is ever-flowing, and brings joy to all things.

However, just as everyone was immersed in this gentle and beautiful atmosphere, as if they could hear the babbling brook, Bangu's aura suddenly changed, like a thunderclap from a clear sky. He abruptly opened his eyes and said in a deep voice:

"After that, you will comprehend the fierce power of 'Rock Smash'!"

Before he finished speaking, his previously gentle, flowing fist technique froze instantly, then erupted with a power capable of shattering mountains and splitting rocks. His eyes turned sharp as knives in an instant, his once light steps became heavy as mountains, and each punch he threw carried a shrill whistling sound that tore through the air. The force of his punches was so fierce and unparalleled that it gave people a suffocating feeling as if they were facing a towering mountain about to collapse.

These two completely different qualities blend perfectly in Bang. One moment he is gentle and soft, the next he is hardened and steely, fully demonstrating the amazing dual charm of the Flowing Rock Smash Fist.

"Finally, and most importantly,"

Bang's voice suddenly turned fierce, like a thunderclap in everyone's ears, and his originally two opposing fist techniques suddenly began to merge strangely.

"The goal is to unite these two seemingly contradictory concepts in your hearts! To achieve a balance of strength and gentleness, and to control them with ease!"

As he spoke, his fist technique underwent a dramatic transformation. His originally fierce and unparalleled fist wind, which seemed to tear the air apart, miraculously transformed into soft silk threads the moment it touched the wooden stake in front of him.

His arm, like a boneless serpent, slid smoothly across the hard surface of the wooden stake, instantly dissipating the powerful impact completely.

Immediately afterward, in the instant when his figure shifted and seemed harmless, Bang's fingertips suddenly exploded with a crisp sound. The restrained, fierce power, like an undercurrent lurking in deep water, instantly found its outlet and plunged deep into the wooden stake.

Finally, Bang finished his attack, his piercing gaze sweeping over Boros and Genos.

"The balance of strength and gentleness doesn't mean being sometimes strong and sometimes weak, but rather having gentleness within strength and strength within gentleness. It means flowing like water, yet transforming into a hammer capable of shattering rock at the moment of contact. Without this mastery of control and the ability to direct your thoughts at will, even a hundred years of practice will only result in an empty shell!"

Bang stood with his hands behind his back and said in a deep voice:

"Practice it!"