I don't own One Punch Man, nor do I own My Hero Academia. Each Franchise i owned by their respective owner..
ENJOY!
...
Standing among the myriad of corpses made up of the notorious, and quirky creatures, Bang released a breath, as his tense muscles relaxen...
He has never went out like that before. These creatures..
They're really one of a kind. They're coordinative, and their line of attacks is in accordance with each other. Their strategic minds is what caused him troubles, but in the end..he remained victorious.
Or did he...?
"Old man."
Bang tilted his head backwards, holding hand up in an attempt to intercept an incoming attack that he seemingly sensed.
But as it seems..
The fist that was aimed at him was a mere projection, an afterimage.
"Wha-?"
His arm was put into a lock between two arms.
He looked to the right, only to see-
"TOO SLOW!" The horned monster spun around along with bang, before slamming his right foot straight to his chest. He elegantly flipped in the air, landing a few inches away from Bang.
"Have you grown so lenient in your skills, that you couldn't even see such a measly trick coming from a mile, old man?" The monster asked casually.
Bang stood, wiping the seeping blood from his lips, "You've come to terms with the dormant beast inside of you, did you, Garou?"
Garou's lips contorted delightfully, radiating with oppressing confidence, "A 'beast' doesn't even begin to describe it." He cracked his knuckles, "You, along with the other fodders will be annihilated. That, I can assure you."
"Is that really what you want?"
"Such questions need not to be asked," Garou insisted, "I'll make you fools wag your tail around and shelter yourselves with fear."
"Hmph," Bang prepared a fighting stance, "As it stands, your resolve won't crumble if I try to settle this with words alone."
He released another breath, before rushing forward, the ground in shambles with every step of his sturdy foot.
Garou lunged forward with his fists, as blue aura adhered to every movements from his limbs.
They collided with a clash of fists, trading blows against each other as the wind swirls around the area which where they stood, both the respective combatants yells out of their resolve to beat and overwhelm the oppossing force.
He's grown...stronger...his rate of growth is abnormal... Bang thought, as he switched on the defensive, evading every each of his attacks, albeit barely, Had he accepted a power...from a force outside of himself? Could it be..
That he has monsterised?
Garou increased the acceleration of his fists thrusts, as Bang's reactive receptors began to be overwhelmed.
He had to avoid the attacks, and so, he raised both of his hands to intercept the attacks, although with some drawbacks.
He could feel the pain jolting in his nerves.
This was no battle that he could win easily.
With a propelling force, Garou twisted his hips and performed a side kick. With his right arm, Bang blocked the attack, and this time, the damage that comes along with it was much more severe than before.
Sliding against the ground to the side, he kept his stance sturdy, preparing for whatever attacks Garou will come up with next.
Garou never relented as he sprinted forward, his keen senses exerted in order to predict whatever moves Bang will do in case he attacks.
Garou jumped forward and did a spin kick aimed towards the hero's forehead, only for the opposition to duck below and delivers a propelling kick that sent Garou flying into the air.
Bang sprinted forward, faster than Garou's propelled body, sliding forward as he halted.
When Garou reached the ground, Bang pushed his shoulder, catapulting the human monster into the air.
Before he could recover, Bang was already above him, preparing to elbow strike him into the ground.
However..
You're predictable, old man.
Garou used the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist to deflect the attack like a passing wind by swatting his right arm upwardly, before putting Bang in a headlock between his legs, before spinning around, slamming Bang into the floor as he reached the ground level.
Bang recovered, launching himself backwards, blood could be visibly seen streaming down his brow, "You twisted punk.. you've considerably improved...in such a short amount of time."
Garou cracked his knuckles, "I've reached a level beyond your comprehension levels. Old man, I'm no longer the 'innocent, and misguided child' that you thought I am." Garou pointed at himself with a thumb, "And nothing you do will waver me from this path. Do you want me to prove that to you?"
Bang didn't respond.
"I can quite tell that you're eager to see what I'm willing to do in order to reach my goals," Garou laughed, "As evident by the steaming corpse of Homeless Emperor stranded in the middle of nowhere, what makes you think that I wouldn't do the same towards countless others?"
Bang's eyes widened at the information. Garou..
killed?
Even if it was a villain, but to hear that he was even capable of committing murder like swatting a swarming fly...
Had he..
Crossed the line?
No. He won't let this crush his belief that Garou could still be redeemed. It was his fault. All of it.
Had I not been so negligence towards him, using up every moment that I could've used to spent my time with him, my one, golden pupil, who holds a vast amount of potential...
The thought in itself was heart wrenching.
When all of this is over, if I somehow managed to turn him back and reform him..I'll.. I'll resign. From everything. We can start over again, as master and disciple. I'll be there for you this time, Garou.
"What's the matter? Have I changed your belief yet? Are you willing to do whatever it takes to quell the Absolute Evil that threatens to cloak the world in it's irrevocable terror?!" Unbridled anger exuded from his tone.
"Terror, hm?" Bang laughed at the prospect of Garou being associated with the word terror, "You can't even scare a child."
Garou's eyes twitched, as he charged forward, trying to deliver the final strike, "Now you've done it."
Bang didn't have enough strenght spare to come up with a counter move.
His remaining strength was exhausted when he fought Black Sperm, and now..he was left with no means of defense.
However..
A muscular man in a tight red bodysuit appeared in front of the monster, interrupting his path of attack, "One For All, Full Output: Piercing Punch!"
The fist that made an impact with him sent Garou propelling into the sky.
And in a split second, a woman with almost the same attire as the hero from before appeared right before him, obstructing the dim moon above.
He was propelled against the ground in the next instance.
As both the heroes landed on the ground, a third player arrived in the scene.
"The kid's already in safe hands," Torino says, "Let's focus on him for now."
Nana nodded, as she took a peek to the muscular man, "Mirko, don't go too rough on him, okay?"
The muscular man nodded, as he cracked his knuckles, "I know my way around limiting my power to a certain extent, so don't you worry, master."
"That punch of yours..." Garou appears to be almost unscathed by the attacks, "It sure have it's magic."
"H- he's unharmed!?" The muscular man took a step backwards, "Master, are you sure that I shouldn't use my full power?!"
"...Seeing how he survived the attack..exert as much energy as you need, but be careful not to kill him." Nana said.
"You don't want to kill me?" Garou appeared right beside Mirko in an instant, "Even if my existence alone threatens the entire world?"
Before Mirko could reply, he was sent flying away with a single punch.
Steam emits out of the monster's fist, "Next."
Nana rushed forward, along with Torino.
"Came back for more, hm?"
With a single movement, both the heroes were sent tumbling down to the ground, battered and exhausted.
The attack alone was enough to keep them at bay.
Pathetic.
"ATOMIC SLASH!!!"
Garou could hear the sounds of a blade slashing against the air from behind him. However, he was fast enough to avoid each of the attacks with ease..
"Atomic Samurai." Garou uttered the name with disdain, "A hero who only 'acknowledges the strong'. The hypocrisy is strong with this one. So does that mean you don't acknowledge yourself, then?"
Atomic Samurai grunts, as he used his quirked blade to slash another round.
Garou dispersed it with a single flick, "If this is what all the heroes could come up with, all the more reason for the Absolute Evil to rise within the ashes and straighten this world out."
In a last ditch effort, Atomic Samurai rushed again to yet again perform another lightning-speed slashes, however..
Garou retaliated with his own attack, performing a propelling kick that sent Atomic miles from his proximity.
Nothing poses a threat to him.
Not even these..so-called top ranked heroes.
"Garou.." A raspy voice could be heard from behind him. His head turned over, his eyes squinted.
"Stop it," The man clutched to his wounds, "Are you doing all of this for the kicks..? If you aren't, then what is it? Do you revel in the agony of others?"
Garou identified this hero as the man who can't die, Zombieman.
"I see now, the most important aspect of what duties a hero must carry out," Garou pointed his finger at the hero, "Is to blabber around and waste time. How noble of them to do so."
Garou then continued, "Everyone here has exhausted their energy over a couple of measly monsters. How could you ever hope to stand to me? You heroes are incompetent. You can't use your inabilities as an excuse. This city lies in ruins because of what you did. Because of your facade of 'villains versus heroes', people's lives were left in ruins. Fighting over who dominates more doesn't solve anything, especially not the problems that not many of you are aware of."
"Is that what you think of us as? People who fight for the sake of dominance?"
"Indirectly, correct. Otherwise, what's the point in all of this? The Hero Commission has deployed some of their most valuable hero to recklessly barge into a villain organisation's base without so much as an afterthought. Their manpower could've been spared, and they could've used minimal source usage by taking it in a subtle way. How is it that they're willing to exact an operation that could benefit them financially, while the people who suffer under the cloak of 'normalcy' gets left behind like a starved puppy?" Garou exclaimed, "Haven't you all done your homework and did a cross check to the suicide statistics that this country seems to have? The amount is quite worrying, and none of you are doing a single thing about it. Quirkless after quirkless people dying every once in a week's time, discrimination ensuing without repercussions...and you call yourselves 'heroes'?! What fruits have you produced by your 'flashy' works? All that you're aiming at is public approval."
"That's..quite one way of putting it, but you can't just.. stereotype everyone into a single category, can you?" Zombieman said, "We heroes try our best."
"Do you? If this is what you consider as...'your best'," He points at the destruction around him, "Then it's sensible if people question the integrity of this fallible industry. And yet, some people still have the audacity to rely on you all."
Bang, standing behind Zombieman, listened for the first time solemnly to what seems to be Garou's true intention.
And so did everyone else who were there.
"But I digress. Stand up, and make yourself useful..Prove me wrong! Show me that you're strong enough to beat me, and I'll scram." Garou challenged.
But nobody stood up.
"So that's it?! You're gonna use your inability as an excuse to let everything crumble into dust?!"
"So be it! Then, the deconstruction of this society, begins!" Garou declared, his fists were brought forward.
"ONE FOR ALL, FULL OUTPU-"
Garou caught the attack without so much as a muscle contraction, "Keep chanting the name of your attacks, I'm sure it'll do you wonders."
"You!" Ignition swung another one of his fist, the burst of energy scorched the landscape around them.
He relentlessly threw one attack after another, colourful lightning sparkling into every direction, the light emitted dancing in the air.
Garou, however, remained passive, casually moving his arms back and forth to intercepts the attacks, or, as he would like to describe it, a toddler's attempt at flailing their arms around.
"PATHETIC!" Garou swatted him away with a swift motion of his foot, as the hero used his arm to block the attack from the side. The eerie rattle could be heard as his foot made contact, his feet sliding against the floor to the left side.
Before he could make a move, Garou was already in front of him, "Say goodbye to the living world, imbecile."
"NO!" Nana flew downwards, landing in front of her pupils, "Garou, snap out of it. Whatever the monsterisation did to your already withering state of mind.. it's blinding you and stripping you of the ability to think rationally."
"You're one to talk about oneself's altered state of mind, but have you ever considered yours?" Garou asked.
"What?"
"Did you ever question your own conscience when you threw your one and only child away?"
"... don't bring that up, this has nothing-"
"Oh, but it does. You see, hypocrisy has always been the principle that you heroes live by. It's sickening. You judge people by their flaws, yet can't even look at yourself and reflect on your weaknesses. Tell me, if All Might was never there to kill All for One...did it occur to you what would happen to your son? Or your grandson, for the matter. The possibilities are endless..yet you're treating it as if you'd come to the other side and achieved something gratifying...and retired." Garou pointed his finger at the heroine, "This is one of the undeniable truths about heroes. They can't save everyone. None of them have the sufficient capabilities to do so. But the Absolute Evil... it's influence broadens to even the darkest depths and corners, to the unseen, to the ones who had their pleading voices unheard."
Nana sighed, "I guess stubborn people stays stubborn until they get a beatdown or two," She reluctantly moved forward, "Fine by me."
Garou laughed, "A beat down, you say." Garou ducked his head to the side, barely missing Nana's fist by an inch, "You lack the courage to do so. I can tell by the way you move, you breathe.."
Garou locked Nana's arms in a tight grip, glancing to the sprinting form of the two heroes, Torino and Ignition.
"With a lack of resolve, comes the long-lasting consequence." Garou remarked before twisting her arms, forcibly putting her in front of him and used Nana as a shield from the incoming attacks, but it's not like he required it.
He just wanted to really, really, hurt her.
As their fists collided, Nana was sent tumbling down into the crater below, her battered form unmoving.
Their detested look is enough indication that Garou's facade is getting through their thick skulls already.
Torino let out a cry as he rushed after him, only to be flicked away into kingdom comes with a single movement to the side by Garou's right arm.
"You..."
"Got any more tricks left up your arse?" Garou tapped his foot against the ground, his hands resting in his hips, "Perhaps, another one of your, 'One For Foul, Half-Assed Output' bullshit?"
Ignition stayed silent. It looked like as if he was processing something.
Ah.
"I see now... while I talk, you tried to hijack my brain with that one particular troublesome quirk of yours..once upon a time, it could've worked like a charm, but I'm past my human era." Garou's throat rattled with a devious laughter.
"You... you're...a..."
"A monster." Garou appeared in a flash, delivering a blow to the hero's guts, as he fell to his knees, the consciousness slowly drifting away from his mind, "You're right on that one."
Bang knew he should take an action, but he couldn't move a muscle.
He was far too exhausted.
If he exert even a fraction more of his remaining strength, he'd be rendered useless in the battlefield..It was..futile.
Garou's eyes darted to the old man, and he could sense his dilemma.
"Not considering to even lift a finger to stop me?" Garou grimaced, "This monster in front of you," He turned his attention back to the incapacitate heroes, "Is about to bring death and destruction to those around it. What will you do? Would you try your worst to overpower this catastrophical embodiment of terror itself?"
Zombieman took a step forward, seeing how all the heroes were relentlessly being beaten down into submission. He tried to be the voice of reason, "Garou, what is your aim, really? All you did was beat everyone up without any sense of logical reasoning.."
"Are you really just trying to prove something to us? Try to expose us for what we really are? Cause I've got enough integrity to admit that yes, some of us are really incompetent. But is it really worth doing all of... whatever this is?"
"What's so hard to understand about tbis situation?" Garou pointed at himself, "I have become the 'monster', you are the 'heroes'."
"I don't really get it."
"Hmph. I never expected you to understand. After all, Absolute Evil doesn't need to be understood. It can't be negotiated with, nor can it be reasoned with..and most of all,"
Garou sprinted into a blur and appeared almost instantaneously in front of Zombieman.
With a swift thrust of his fist, the hero's body was instantly obliterated away.
"It never hesitates to kill those who opposes it."
No one moved as Zombieman remains landed on the floor, tainting it with it's intestinal matter.
But then..
"Don't get cocky just yet, you dimwit!" Garou was suddenly enveloped by a green aura. He could barely move a muscle.
But then again..
He'd faced this type of power before.
His arms broke free from the pressure, and his gaze lingered on the levitating form of the number two hero above, "Tatsumaki. The idiot who levelled the entire city over virtually nothing."
"HNNNHGGGGGHH...!!" Tatsumaki tried to force the monster back with her quirk, only to be met with an empty result.
"I've been eager to confront you in a fight once, but all I got is utter disappointment." Garou smirked, leaping upwards, neglecting the force of the quirk trying to push him and keep him on the ground level.
With a left-side chop, Tatsumaki was sent propelling away throughout the ruined city. As he landed on the ground, he looked around to see if there were any heroes left to challenge.
"Now this gives a whole new meaning to the word 'Disappointment.'." Garou crossed his arms, standing over the laying form of the bruised and immobilised heroes.
Zombieman, or rather, his remains, laid at the center of the charred ward, his intestinal matter slowly reconstructing itself.
"Now that I think about it..." He squinted his eyes, observing the heroes..some of them even whimpered.
The low ranking heroes, to be precise.
They were..
They were scared and terrified.
...
Why does it feel like I'm bullying them somehow?
Then it clicked in his mind. He conducted a mishap that he would've loathed out of someone a long time ago, so why...
No...
Get rid of this weakness. Dispense it, dispose of it, let it not be an obstacle...
He stood tall and proud, overlooking their bodies, waiting for something to challenge him.
But..
No one was up to the job.
All except for one.
"Um..."
Garou could sense the familiarity from that voice. He turned around, only to see a man with tufts protruding from his blond hair, and his attire consists of a yellow jumpsuit, a pair of red gloves, and two red boots.
"What are you supposed to be?" He asked.
Garou's eyes perked, sparkling with pure excitement as he saw the one who he anticipated for the most was standing in front of him.
Though...
How did he not recognise him? Maybe it's because of his monster form..
He will indulge him.
"What am I supposed to be, you ask...?" Garou breathed in, before replying, "In that case, I'll be obliged to answer...I am the monster that will rise to levels that any other villains wouldn't achieve. Disaster level 'divine'. With that accomplished, the world will learn to fear me...and peace will be enforced for all generations to come."
"Ah. Right. So, like what any authoritarian figure would do. Am I wrong?" Yagi asked as he crossed his arms.
"An authoritaria- No, where the hell did you get that from?!"
"I mean, all that stuff about coercing peace into people at the expense of free will...They fall under the same category, don't they?"
Wha...
"Anyway," Yagi cleared his throat, "You seem familiar."
"Not surprising, considering my reputat-"
"No, no, I don't have the slightest idea of who you are. You just seem familiar." Yagi leaned forward, squinting his eyes, "Are you, perhaps, someone that is under the radar of a certain old man?"
"Why don't you take a step forward and find out for certain?"
"You want me to beat you up?" Yagi asked, "Odd. Every monster I came across kept begging for their lives once they know who I am..do you know?"
"...If you think you could beat me that easily, you're mistaken. I've grown in power ever since we last met, Yagi Toshinori."
"So you ARE Garou." Yagi's lips quirked into a satisfying smile, "Finally. I've been looking for you everywhere."
"You've been- what?"
"Come on, we've got a lot to discuss." Yagi took a step forward, "Regarding your hobby-"
"We are not discussing anything."
"Have a little heart and comply, will you? I came all this way for you, and this is the response I get?" Yagi said in a disappointed tone.
Instead of verbally responding, Garou lunged forward, thrusting his fist in an effort to test his strength on his opponent..
Only for Yagi to catch his fist without so much as a struggle.
"Garou." His voice came firm, "What is it with you?"
"Wha..."
Even with the tremendous boost that I've gained...
He still is...
"I heard you prattle around earlier. Didn't catch the most of it, but it was something about being the 'Absolute Evil', and then 'World Peace'.." Yagi shook his head, "And yet, you don't even act like it."
Garou was silent, still left speechless. The amount of strength that this man holds...
Is unfathomable.
Yagi said as he twisted Garou's fist, before letting go of it, "Didn't you save that 'Kaminari' kid a day ago?"
"...Where is he?"
"See," Yagi points at him, "This is what I'm talking about."
"WHERE IS HE?!" Garou's hands tremble, "If you..." Garou stopped for a moment, looking at his hands as his eyes closed..
Yagi sighed, "It's because of poor acting like that that you don't look like a villain, Garou..I ask you again, what is it with you?"
Garou was about to answer, but Yagi beat him to it, "Nevermind, forget I asked.. Since you're so adamant about it, for now, I'm gonna kick your ass."
"Kick...my ass, huh?" Garou recovered from the initial turmoil, as his gaze sharpened. Yagi was slowly moving towards him with no signs of relenting.
"Yeah. You chicken?" Yagi asked with a daring look.
"... Don't make me laugh."
Garou threw another full power punch towards Yagi, and he was sure...
That this time, it'll do the job.
"The attack I've thrown..it is meant to negate any form of durability. Even with how resilient his body is, there's no way to train your internal organs..He will have no means to work as hero ever-""
The smoke cleared out, revealing an unharmed Yagi, "Aga- what?!"
Yagi delivered a punch of his own, sending Garou sliding across the landscape, creating a cleavage massive enough to fit him.
Recovering from the blow, Garou let out a raspy breath, as he felt an excruciating sensation spreading throughout his body...
"This doesn't make any sense!" Garou slammed the ground with his fist, frustration riling him up, "I... I've gained so much in strength, and yet the gap between us is still..."
I've got to take him out, no matter what! I'll -
"GAROU!"
Garou's eyes widened at the sudden call. He whipped his head to the side and saw a spiked, blond haired kid rushing towards him, "GAROU!"
"W- wait...Denki..?"
The teen slammed into him, wrapping him in a hug, tears gushed out of his eyelids, "G- Garou! I'm glad I found you!"
Garou wasn't sure how to process this. Firstly, the fact that the kid is alive, and he could see it with his own very eyes... it's a relief. Secondly, how the fuck and what is he doing in here? He's supposed to be back in Mustafu, and yet..
"Shitty brat. Get out of here. You don't want to get involved."
That weakness. That same weakness that he vowed to rid himself of...
It came back, and he's not getting rid of it anytime soon. Just the thought of Kaminari alone...
Why does everything seem to deviate..from how's it supposed to go?!
"I won't run away, not this time," Kaminari pulled away, shaking his head, "Garou..all those times you've risked your neck for me...I knew, that you had the heart of a true hero all along."
"...Ah?" Garou was bewildered by the declaration. A hero? He was the farthest thing to ever being a decent person, let alone...a hero, "Where did you get that idea from? A hero? Look at me. I am a monster! Don't you see!? I've managed to turn into a monster that I've always strived to b-"
"You're a hero!" Kaminari persists.
What?
"I don't know if you're trying to lie to yourself, but don't you see the amount of heroes I've beaten? Even now?"
"... you've risked your life to save me thrice...I don't know what else I could say to you to prove that you're not what you thought you are..." Kaminari sniffs, "Please, turn away from this. All of this. You're going to make everyone else misunderstand you! I don't want that! You have a chance of turning a new leaf and get yourself a normal life! I know! Please..." Tears flowed down from his very eyes..
Garou was frozen in his tracks. His heart was tugged by something invisible as he saw the teen's face contorted unpleasantly. No...
...Tch, what's with that look? Go away. Don't ruin everything. Not when I get to show everyone..the moment where the monster wins...
"Garou." Yagi interjected, walking in their general direction, "Man, at this rate, you're gonna make the old man cry. First, you hunt heroes and wreck dojo's, and now you're pretending to be a villain and making teenagers cry?"
"Act like a grown-up, for crying out loud..no need for sudden hissy fits." Yagi observed Garou's seemingly new monster look, "Did it really bother you that much when I said that you don't look or act like a villain? Your cosplay outfit looks very.. intricate, by the way.."
...
"Shitty brat," Garou began, "I'm gonna destroy your outlook on life. There'll be no one left to save or kill you. There will be only me, absolute evil, to dominate...to put an end to the unreasonable world that made the both of us cry."
He tried to move, but Kaminari tried to prevent him from moving, "Garou! Please!"
"Out of the way."
Kaminari never let go. Not even unclenching his fist. He kept his grip on him, unwilling to let him go.
"I can't believe it," Yagi chuckled as he took a step forward, closing the distance between them both, "I bring this kid up once and that was enough to snap you out of your act. 'Absolute evil' my ass. Just drop it. We all know exactly how you are. A confused guy who can't even decide whether he's good or evil."
"I...no, what are you trying to do, exactly?! You haven't done anything but..taunt me..do you even know..what I'm capable of?!" Garou said indignantly, "I'm not someone to be taken lightly-"
"Pretty sure you are exactly that." Yagi leaned forward, "You know, you could just hit me anytime you want, or are you too much of a namby-pamby to do that?"
Garou retaliated by swinging his fist as hard as he can.
And, as one would expect, Yagi was unharmed.
He patted Kaminari's head gently, "Don't worry, kid, I won't get hurt."
He swatted Garou away with a half-hearted slap, "Let's take this over there."
"I'll stop him, you'll have my word on that, Denki." Yagi reassured.
Kaminari nodded, "All Might... I'm counting on you for this."
"Just get yourself to safety." Yagi urged him, "I don't even know why you came all the way down here when I specifically told you to stay put."
Garou recovered, barely holding himself up as he saw the sight of Yagi walking towards him, with that casual and unconcerned posture. How? How did he stay so massively above him, that he couldn't reach his level at all...
No matter how many boosts he received?
"Garou," Yagi began, "Remember that time, where you said our goals alligned? Of being a symbol?"
Garou didn't come up with a response of his own. He just stood there, waiting for the right moment to strike.
"I think, in a way, it does," Yagi concurred, "We both want to change the world, but you're doing it in the most..unorthodox way. Striking humanity bad enough to the point of them fearing you? A little extreme, don't you think? Even more so than my long-time ambition."
"...Shut up," Garou clenched his fist, "We are nothing alike. You left the oppressed and the discriminated in an era drought of hope for the sake of your self-comfort. Promising them a symbol, an epitome of peace, then backing down against your word in the end.. While I.. I'll see this goal through to the end. Even if it costs me my life."
"It's true, I got over my ambition and figured if it's the best to just leave things the way it is," Yagi sighed, "Regret, I've felt that for the past decades, but it's best if I don't mop about it. Besides, it's not like a single person could be a pillar to the wide populace."
Garou's contempt for the man grew even more, "You're what every quirkless people aspires to be. What do you need more? Just the fact that you exist alone could be used as a stepping stone, but no...you had to hide in plain sight for thirty. fucking. years, under the knowledge that everyone thinks you're a fraud. Did you think you were, what, the pinnacle of goodness for being so 'self-sacrificial'?"
He looked down, "...I don't exactly think it was self-sacrifical. Just a necessity to keep people from dying."
"You're planning for this to keep on going, then?!"
"Well...experiences tend to give you new insights." Yagi exclaimed.
"And what, exactly, is this 'insight'?"
"Still on the process of being polished," Yagi cleared his throat, "Anyway, we're getting a little off topic. What I'm saying is, you got good intentions, but this method...well, let me say that it could lead to some complications."
"Such as?"
"The kid for example." He said with a stern voice, "You're gonna drive him away, you know."
"You shouldn't concern yourself with that," His fists clenched, "I've had enough talking. The Absolute Evil... will not be deterred by your words."
"Here we go again with the play-pretend..." Yagi rolled his eyes, "Fine, go ahead. Try to beat me. Show the world what you're made of."
Garou yelled as he charged forward. Yagi swung his fist forward, but Garou blocked the path of Yagi's fist with his forearm, before chopping the side of his face, the impact alone was enough to vibrate Yagi's entire body, but not enough to harm him.
He tried to lunge with another attack, only for Yagi to caught it with both his hands. However,
Garou twisted his arm so Yagi's stance gets disoriented, before slamming him down the ground, forming a human-shaped hole below.
Yagi emerged out of the other side of the area, throwing away the rock above him, "The hell man, the way you're moving is making my punches miss!"
Hmph. As expected. Even with his experience, he's still an amateur when it comes to battle. But then... there's still his reflexes...
"Is this the perk of being a martial artist?! Not fair!" Yagi yelled with an awed expression, "Can you teach me those fancy moves one day?"
"...'Fancy moves', as expected from someone as simple-minded as you are." Garou said in a demeaning manner.
"No need to be so condescending. I'm naught but a novice~~" Yagi said, his voice leeching with sarcasm, "But seriously though, those martial arts stuff are really neat! See, I've been itching to find out, what are those moves that you just did to evade my attacks?"
Garou turned into a blur, appearing right behind Yagi, "It's the ultimate 'Martial Arts' technique I've developed, now relinquish in the experience!"
Yagi was fast enough to turn around and thrusts his fist forward, but Garou ducked under the attack's trajectory, before puting Yagi in a headlock with both his legs, spinning around backwards, suspending the both of them in the air, before slamming the hero down into the ground.
"Monster Calamity God Slayer Fist!" Garou jumped above, as he let himself fall to the area where Yagi laid, striking him with his elbow, creating an enormous crater encircling the ground where they stood.
"What a cheesy name." Yagi's voice came from among the smoke, "It really feels as if you're treating this whole squabble as a park game."
"BE QUIET!" Garou sprinted forward, forming a triangle with both his palms,
POWER ATTACK!
Garou pushed Yagi with enough force to ram themselves straight through multiple decaying skyscrapers, as they all collapsed collectively.
But before they could reach the last one, Garou heard something.
Am I detecting...heartbeats?!
Garou decided to yank Yagi to the side in an attempt to avert himself from causing too much damage to this one particular building..
Only for it to collapse regardless.
SHIT!
Garou landed as the crumpled building settled. Yagi emerged out of the dissolving fog, "What the hell was that?"
He's still standing?!
"It really feels like you were avoiding yourself from destroying this one specific building. Was that just you having a slip up, or did you have a concealed concern that I may have an idea of what it was?" Yagi's eyes perked up.
"Shut up. It's not of your concern."
Before Yagi could run his mouth even further, a rectangular door leading to a room beneath the floor opened itself, as multiple people crawled themselves out of the enclosed space, noticing the alleged person who saved them.
"A- are you a hero?" One of them managed to utter, "Thank you in advance! We don't know if we could've ever made it out if you were never here!"
"No need to thank me. This guy," Yagi pointed at Garou, "is the one who did the job."
The people in question stared at Garou with awe in their eyes, and out of gratitude, they bowed their heads down in unison, "Thank you very much, sir!"
"Evacuate yourselves," Yagi's voice came stern, "This place won't be holding up for much longer."
They nodded their heads before running away to safety.
One of them took a last glance at Garou, bowing their head towards him, before continuing on his merry way.
Something tugged at his heartstrings. Not in a singular sense. It comes in plurals. He didn't know if it was a pleasant wave of relief, annoyance, or just plain indignation. It was like a mixed signal, and he couldn't pick any of it properly.
...
Was it really that easy to waver his resolve? Throw in a couple of wandering citizens in danger and he'd just...impulsively try to rescue them without even having the chance of putting it into a second thought?
And this guy...
Fucking All Might,
He never stopped trying to prove his point, be it deliberately trying to bring him out into a positive light in front of those people, or jabbing at his resolve with half-assed remarks about him being a chuunibyou.
Worst of all..
He was treating him like a child in need of a light reprimanding.
Both Yagi and Garou stood next to each other in an awkward silence...
Yagi's eyes darted to the side, catching a glimpse of the dumbstruck monster, unmoving from his initial idle stance..
"Man," Yagi's lips stretched upwards, forming a sly smile, "Absolute evil sure is good at saving people! You've got this down to A 'T'! The Ultimate in Martial Arts!"
"ARE YOU FUCKING WITH ME?!" Garou grabbed the hero by the collar, before slamming him straight through the ground, before leaping into the air, forming another triangle with both his palms,
"MONSTER CALAMITY GOD SLAYER FIST, GREAT POWER ATTACK!"
The force behind the attack was enough to push Yagi into the ground, digging through the dirt relentlessly, until the earth's other side made a bulge..
This guy...is withstanding all of my attacks...
WHY?! HOW?! I can't..how am I supposed to be the symbol of terror...
If I can't even take out the strongest out of the bunch?
No...
I hate the way he looks.
It's as if he's treating me like a child's plaything.
I can't let myself being toyed around like this..
"Consecutive Normal Punches." Yagi said in a relaxed tone, delivering him barrage of fists that sent him propelling back to the surface.
No...
"To beat him..."
I need more..
More...
Yagi emerged out of the surface, with his fist cocked back.
MORE!
Garou dodged the incoming attack, barely missing by an inch.
MORE!!!
...
Um..
M- more what? Exactly?
Power X
Speed X
Techniques X
Creativity X
Attacks X
How-
How the fuck am I supposed to beat this asshole? I've thrown at him every techniques, every strength exerted...
Yet he doesn't seem to budge!
Garou was pummeled in the face, and that alone was enough to send his body into shambles. He was momentarily suspended in the ground, unable to move.
That was the first time that Yagi had ever retaliated,
And it hurt so much.
He couldn't...
He couldn't overcome this wall of unfairness. As if..he was the embodiment of every unfairness...
Mangled into one, shitty substance.
Hah..
Hah..
As if I'd lose to him.
Garou charged forward, determined to overwhelm Yagi in a clash of power...
He'll never back down.
Every single soul in this tainted earth..
They're counting on him. All of them. And now...
He has the strongest in his sight. That's...what it'll take to become the undisputed symbol of terror that'll send the world into an era of reconciliation...
But he was wrong. Dead wrong.
With a single punch from Yagi's fist, Garou was propelled upwards, into the turbulent, empty sky, devoid of the once bright sun.
Night has dawned, and what's left of his resolve,
has been broken into tiny pieces.
Garou's monster shell cracked, revealing to be what was once again, a human Garou.
So that's it...
This is the end...
I've come to be cornered by this undefeatable unfairness, and now it's all over...
...
I can hear you.
A swirl of clouds began to form in the sky, lightning crackled from within it.
Yagi's eyebrows curled in confusion, "What are those thundercloud...?"
Garou's vision of the world began to dim, as the abyss began to consume his line of sight.
Garou...
"You again.." Garou muttered, more annoyed than frightened.
Your deepest desire is now on the verge of being a futility, all in the hands of a single hero...
"That's it then," Garou said, "You've been following me around to, what, to fucking taunt me?"
Heh...and here I am trying to help you.
A man with the attire of a businessman along with an ashen hair, a sickly smile plastered all over his expression came forward, stretching his hand to the front.
No father would stand around as they watch their child gets beaten.
Come.
...
...
"Something is coming." Yagi looked above. Then, he could feel a presence at his rear side.
He turned around, only to see Garou once again. He rubbed his eyes to get a clear look on his...new form?
"Uh..Garou? Did you change costumes?"
Garou's new form was the same as before, but there was...
Something about it that was entirely different. It seemed to exhibit a new adornment, painted with stars and galaxies in every part of his limbs..
And his facial features was replaced by said stars and galaxies.
"I guess I'm not quite done yet, All Might." Garou said, "Relish in the sight of my new, awakened form." He prepared a fighting stance, an entirely new energy aura adhered to the motion of his arms.
Awakened Garou, Cosmic Fear Mode.
TO BE CONTINUED! (I had to add a couple of extra sequences because I felt like Garou's conflict with the top ranking heroes were a little too short)