AN: Welcome back! One thing to note before you read the conclusion to this arc! I'm not a big fan of time travel, so the final confrontation is... pretty much transcribed (not verbatim) from the webcomic version of their fight. It's different in a few ways, so I'd say it's still definitely worth the read, but this will be the last time I transcribe anything from either source material. From this point on, every battle, scene, and moment will be an original script. That out of the way, please enjoy the conclusion to the Hero Hunter arc!
Disclaimer: I do not own One Punch Man or any of the characters associated with the title. All rights belong to their respective owners.
"s-... Saitama!" Child Emperor called out to him with clear relief in his terrified tone.
"Hm...?" The bald hero searched for the source of the voice. His eyes fell first on the kid who had been calling him. He was sure he had heard someone yell his name a few times. He then noticed Zombieman and Metal Bat sitting nearby. "... oh... hey."
Metal Bat couldn't believe his eyes... He had heard his sister say it happened, but... to witness it himself... "... heh... heh-heh-heh!" he chuckled, sheer relief flooding through his broken body. He almost felt like crying, right now, but... 'that's not manly, at all...'
Saitama raised an eyebrow at the chuckling teen when he suddenly slumped back to the ground, apparently passing out. "... uh... Are you guys okay?"
Zombieman visibly relaxed as well with a grateful sigh. "... we are now."
"... finally," a new voice said, drawing their attention.
It was Garou, stalking toward them. "... Saitama," Zombieman said, never taking his eyes off the bastard.
"Hm?"
"I'll leave him to you while I gather the wounded."
"... uh... what?"
Zombieman scooped Metal Bat up by his arms and began dragging him back in the direction of Child Emperor. "Be careful... he's no ordinary villain..."
Saitama zoned in on the man walking toward him and raised a curious brow. '... who the hell is this...?'
"Hey!" Garou shouted when he stepped in range. "... Saitama, huh...?"
"Yeah... Do I know you?"
If that irritated him, Garou didn't show it. He just began stretching as if they were about to run a marathon or something. "You will... I've been waiting for you... they've been waiting for you."
Saitama again looked back to Zombieman who was now trying to pry the stunned-looking Child Emperor from his mech-suit. The kid had his teary-eyed gaze right on him.
"Can you imagine...? S-Class heroes waiting for a hero themselves? Heh-! It's pretty fuckin' sad if you ask me."
'Again with this?' Why the heck does everyone think it's wrong to ask for help these days?
"They did all they possibly could to beat me... and it wasn't good enough. Heh, not even close! They're all a bunch of frauds! Too weak to fight their own battles. That's why I hate heroes... What gives them the right to gang up on a monster... just because they're not strong enough...? How is that fair?"
Saitama didn't say anything for a moment. He just stood across from him watching him with a perplexed expression on his plain face.
"Everyone always hates the monster... even when they're just as cool as the heroes. Even when they're stronger... but, because the world calls them a monster, it's suddenly okay for the heroes to all gang up and take them out! It's like they never have a chance, to begin with! Where's the justice in that?... huh!?"
"Uh... You're a monster?" He didn't receive a reply, but it was mostly a rhetorical question to begin with. "Weren't you just on a team?"
"Don't lump me in with that organization of idiots! I'm much worse than them..."
"Really...? Kinda seems like you all have the same goals."
"You have no idea what my goal is," Garou growled, irritated by the presumptuous idiot.
"Is it not world domination and all that crap...? I mean, that's what it usually is."
"No... not domination... More like, subjugation."
'... same thing.'
"I don't wanna rule the world...! I want it to fear me...! Everyone...! Hero, monster...! Everyone! What this world needs is... Absolute Evil...! Evil that has no true target! Completely impartial! Like a force of nature itself!"
"... huh?"
Garou finished his stretching with a roll of his neck. "... No more heroes, no more villains... Only me...!"
'... So... world domination, then,' Saitama summarized. "Look dude, to be honest, I really don't care what your goal is. I don't think it's gonna matter anyways once I punch you."
Garou narrowed his gaze. 'Heh... this jackass...!'
"You say you want to be Absolute Evil or whatever, but as long as I'm here, that's not gonna happen."
"Yeah? And why's that?"
"You're probably not strong enough..." Saitama made his bold claim in the most casual way he could have. Arms folded and his face void of emotion.
"Heh-! Heh-hah-!" Garou started to chuckle before that chuckle morphed into a full-on laugh. He couldn't contain himself anymore. This idiot was who he was so worked up about? He was just like the rest of them! Full of underserved arrogance!
Saitama just watched him with a perplexed look on his face. Just when he thought the strange little monster was finished, Garou laughed even harder, grabbing at his knees when he hunched over.
"Aaah-! Hahahaha-! A-ha-ha! Oh shit! That's good! That's fuckin' hilarious! You think just because you caught me with a cheap shot you're hot shit!? That's not gonna happen this time..." He suddenly struck some sort of Kung-fu pose that Saitama was vaguely familiar with.
'... a cheap shot...?' It was then he realized who this was, and immediately, his expression lit up. "Oh-! You're Garou!? That ninja monster from before!?"
"So... you do remember."
"Uh... kind of. Did you change your outfit or something? You look totally different. I think you looked way cooler, earlier. This is kind of a bad cosplay, but-.." Saitama twisted his body, narrowly dodging an attack from Garou who charged him without warning! The force of his attack tore through the ground, shattering it along the path of his attack!
"You wanna play-!?" he growled with a dangerous glint in his eye. "Alright, hero! Let's play!"
'Whoa... he's fast," Saitama mused as he began effortlessly dodging the villain's attacks.
Garou punched, kicked, and clawed at every opening, but he couldn't land a hit! He evaded everything on sheer reflex alone! 'This guy's an amateur! There's... there's no technique here at all! He's just reacting by reflex alone!'
Saitama bobbed and weaved every strike as effortlessly as he ever has. He was a lot faster than any monster he's fought before, but it wasn't anything special. If anything, he kind of just looked cool in his movements. 'He sure is flashy...' Suddenly, he was caught with a kick to the side of the head that came out of nowhere! Saitama tumbled across the battlefield before he gathered his feet. "Oh... heh, good kick."
Garou wasn't done there, he charged him on all fours like a wolf on the hunt!
Saitama jumped in an attempt to escape, but the villain snatched his ankle before he got too far! He slammed him back to the ground and proceeded to pummel him with a string of attacks so powerful it blasted the earth around him into chunks!
"Heh! All that talk and you were nothin' but a small fry, huh?" Garou mocked as he hopped back from the cloud of dust that kicked up.
"That's what happens to weak jackasses that like to play hero... I probably broke every bone in his body. He'll probably never work as a hero ag-..."
His statement ended there when the dust cleared and Saitama came walking out, casually patting the dirt off his shoulder.
"w-... What the f-..!" Before he could react, Saitama was suddenly in his face with his fist cocked back!
He slugged the villain right in the face, sending him tearing through the ground behind him! "Huh... that attack wasn't bad, but... even with power, that's usually what happens to the villain..." He watched the rubble bury his opponent for a moment before he spoke again. "I could tell you were sorta strong... maybe even very strong, but... it's hard to say, really. I don't think a monster's ever gone easy on me before... Hey, you really are just some dude cosplaying, aren't you? I can tell you're actually a pretty nice guy."
Zombieman finally managed to free Child Emperor from his sturdy little suit of armor and was trying to focus his attention, but the kid was absolutely enthralled with the ongoing battle. "Come on, kid. We gotta move."
Child Emperor all but ignored him as he pointed at the bald hero that just saved their life again. "d-... Did you see that!? He's... he's so COOL!"
Zombieman looked back to see that pesky Hero Hunter buried in the rubble. Even he had to admit it was satisfying to see. "Yeah... Let's let him handle this. We gotta gather the others."
Child Emperor followed him, but his focus stayed on Saitama until Garou suddenly burst from the debris!
Saitama watched him emerge with mild interest flashing through his plain gaze. "... oh."
Garou threw the remaining slabs of earth off him as he climbed back to his feet. "Heh... nice guy...? ME?"
"... uh, yeah."
Garou was suddenly behind Saitama in the blink of an eye! He reached a handout, trying to take him by surprise, but somehow Saitama leaned his head out the way and latched onto him with an iron grip! He took a step forward and threw the villain over his shoulder with enough force to shatter the once flattened battleground!
"Guh-!" Garou grunted as his back plowed through the earth! 'w-What the hell is this strength!?' When things settled, he once again began to dig himself from the resulting rubble. 'Just when I thought I was there... this fuckin' guy shows up...! Whatever... I don't care anymore... Too late for regrets, now...'
Saitama watched him emerge with a small smile creeping its way onto his face. 'Heh... he can actually keep going!'
Garou heaved at the pain that coursed through his body. That slam was something else. "er-... ergh...!" When he acclimated to the pain, he took a few deep breaths to steady himself. "Fhuuuuu... Fhuuuu..."
"Hey, what's wrong? You okay? Don't push yourself too hard if you're having heart problems or something."
"Shut up... this is a breathing technique... I still haven't used the full strength of this body yet... but, I'm about to!"
"Oh... okay, then," he said with a small smile still resting on his face.
Garou noticed, and it pissed him off to no end! "Heh... awfully nice of you to wait for me... Looks like I'm not the only one goin' easy, huh?"
Saitama clenched his fist shut with a grin. "Heh, I'm kinda excited for this."
Garou sunk back into his stance. "You're strong. I'll give you that... that's why I'm gonna enjoy it... Watching your face... slowly twist into terror."
"w-.. whoa, dude. Hold on," Saitama said.
"Seeing you cry and beg for forgiveness!"
"Hey, chill out! You're starting to trip loser flags!"
Garou took a deep breath in and held it for a long while. "... fhuuuuuu... let's do it."
Saitama looked at his stance for a long while before something finally rang a bell. '... oh yeah, isn't he that old dude's former student, or whatever...? I wonder if it's okay if I kick his ass...' Saitama leaned his head out the way just before Garou's clawed fingers tore through his eye!
Garou continued his attack with a flurry of strikes that the bald man managed to avoid with little effort! He found his opening when the fool tried to punch him back! Garou avoided the hit, and slapped him in the face with the back of his hand before kicking him away!
Saitama immediately caught his footing and rushed him with a straight punch!
Garou hopped to the side, easily avoiding the foolish attack. 'I can read him!' He delivered a strong kick to his chin that lifted him from his feet momentarily!
As soon as he landed, Saitama was back on him, throwing punches that just wouldn't land! Garou dodged every hit and gave him two or three that he couldn't seem to dodge! The two clashed in a flurry of strikes too fast for anyone watching to see! The devastation happening around them was immense! They tore chunks from the earth in all directions, just from the force of their attacks alone!
Up in the news chopper, the female reporter and her camera crew watched on in pure amazement. "It's getting harder to see who has the upper hand here!" she yelled into the mic of her headset. "The new S-Rank hero seems to be giving this monster a run for its money! It is... truly a sight to behold, but-! Ah-!" she yelped when the chopper suddenly swerved, avoiding a stray stone that shot toward them! "We... we may have to retreat to a safer distance, for now, as things continue to escalate! It's not clear who has the upper hand in this battle, but... after witnessing the devastating attack power of this new hero, firsthand, I personally can't imagine him losing this battle! Especially considering he is likely our last hope! We've watched this monster completely terrorize the likes of some of the association's best and brightest! So, to see it struggling so immensely is definitely refreshing to see! And, I know I speak for myself, alone, but... we may very well be witnessing the rise of a true Hero...! Perhaps, a Hero of Heroes!"
In City-Y's bunker-89, the closest bunker to the ongoing attack, the civilians watched the broadcast as if it were a sporting event. Every single person had their eyes glued to the screen, and they were all cheering for the bald man who had saved their lives directly just hours prior! The crowd was in an absolute uproar, shouting out their words of encouragement for this new hero that many hadn't even known about until his defeat of Elder Centipede!
"Look at him go!"
"He's so fast!"
"That monster's toast!"
"He's gonna win!"
"GO, BALD GUY!"
"I'm shavin' my head if he wins!"
"Me too!"
Toward the back of the room, Mumen Rider stared up at the screen in complete disbelief! "Whoa! Saitama really is S-Class, huh!?"
"Absolutely!" Captain Mizuki shouted, standing next to him. "He's amazing!"
Even the Hero Association Hq was in an uproar watching the final battle! Everyone from the dispatchers and technicians to Sitch himself, they were all glued to their screens watching the news broadcast!
"Come on, Saitama!"
"You got this!"
"Get him!"
"He's the real deal, huh!?"
"I told you! I remember this guy when he took the entrance exam!"
Sitch wasn't outright cheering yet as he stood in the crowd of his employees watching on the big monitor, but he shared their sentiments. 'Come on, Saitama... finish this!'
Zombieman and Child Emperor had finally managed to collect both Flashy Flash and Atomic Samurai who were both still passed out but alive. They couldn't exactly transport them anywhere. Including Metal Bat, there were three unconscious heroes for them to worry about, and It wasn't like Child Emperor could carry one of them himself. The best they could manage was dragging them to a safer distance. Zombieman was hard at work making sure they weren't seriously injured while Child Emperor continued watching the distant battle as if it were an action movie.
He couldn't pull his eyes away! Being an S-Class hero himself, he wasn't typically one to be starstruck by another hero. It had only ever happened with Blast before, but... this was another level completely! He was beyond amazed by their new recruit! He had tears in his eyes even now! "... so cool...!"
"Heeey!"
A distant shout drew their attention to the top of the ridge behind them. It was Fubuki, Tatsumaki, Pig God, and Iaian, who was still carrying Genos, coming toward them.
"Are you guys okay!?" Fubuki shouted.
"We could use a hand here!" Zombieman replied.
Child Emperor looked back for only a moment before he returned his gaze to the fight. He didn't want to miss a single second!
The other group rushed toward them to assist however they could.
"Master!" Iaian shouted when he saw his unconscious sensei sprawled out on the ground. "Is he-.."
"He's alive, but they're all in bad shape," Zombieman quickly explained.
"I've got injured, too," Pig God said. "We should look to evacuate immediately!"
"These guys won't make it that long," Zombieman deduced. "If we can't patch em' up, here, there's no telling how long they'll last."
"Move," Tatsumaki instructed, coldly as she hovered passed the group. "Fubuki, can you fortify their bodies?"
"I can, just give me a minute!"
"You sure?" Zombieman questioned. "You don't look too hot, yourself."
"She can do it," Tatsumaki stated confidently, her eyes locked on the battle in the distance as well.
Fubuki was shocked by her sister's words. It almost brought a tear to her eye, but she had a job to do.
"What's going on?" Tatsumaki demanded.
"Saitama..." Child Emperor said, pointing toward the exciting battle. "He's... awesome...!"
Tatsumaki kept her eyes on the distant conflict as she hovered toward it slowly.
Fubuki, who was already working on healing the others, noticed her and grew concerned. "t-Tatsumaki, you can't-.."
"I know, Fubuki... I know." She stopped before too long and just watched in interest. '... you better not lose...!'
Saitama continued dodging Garou's attacks as he tried to get a single hit in! Every time he thought he had him, Garou somehow managed to slip away! It was like he was fighting an afterimage! He was more than fast, he was quick!
Garou dodged one of the bald man's punches and planted both feet in his chest delivering a solid dropkick that finally ended their latest clash! "Heh!" he chuckled. "You know, with your speed and power, you're a fuckin' beast to fight! You may even be better than me at that! But... You got no fighting technique! For a prodigy like me, reading the movements of a complete amateur like you is nothing!"
Saitama's face was as plain as ever as he listened to his explanation.
"Your stance, point of view, and movement pattern, it's all I need to see to dodge your poor attacks! But, there's also center of gravity, muscle tension, breathing... energy...! I see it all! So, I can tell your next move before you even do it!"
Saitama dug a finger in his ear.
"With speed like that, I probably couldn't dodge on reflex alone, but I'm dodging before you even make a move! And before your attack ends, I'm already attacking, myself. Not even impressive reflexes like yours can keep up with that! You'll take a direct hit, every time...! You understand, now... don't you?"
Saitama took the momentary break as an opportunity to shake the dust from his belt.
Garou pointed at him with a mocking grin. "You've got no chance of winning. The difference is night and day, here! You're strong, but if you can't even land a hit, what's it matter? heheheh...! What's wrong, too scared to speak?"
"Heh-heh. Nah. Just impressed is all. You are pretty good, but... you're still not fighting seriously. Even an 'amateur' like me can see that. You really are a nice guy, huh?"
Garou's mocking grin fell away almost immediately, and he narrowed his gaze at the bald idiot.
"Hey... you mind if I get a little serious?"
"... what?" Garou watched him shift his gaze along the ground in front of him for a moment. 'Is he saying he wasn't serious, just then?'
Saitama kicked at a spot on the floor for a moment. "... here...? Nah... maybe over here," he muttered, jogging around until he found a spot he liked.
"Hey... what the hell are you doing?"
Saitama stopped and found his gaze once again. "Well, It's been kinda fun, but I'm pretty tired of all this, really. I guess I'll just show you a little of how serious I can be so you'll just give up on your whole Absolute Mean plan, er.. whatever you call it."
Garou narrowed his gaze as he sunk back into his stance. "Heh... you think I'll stop...? You think you can stop me...? Just because you're the hero... and I'm the villain, right?"
Saitama's eyes shifted from him to the sky above. That News chopper had finally cleared back some. It definitely gave him enough space to do what he was planning. He looked back to the ground at his feet and squat down, digging his fingers into the earth.
"That's what you hope will happen, right...? But..." his statement ended there, when he felt the ground start to tremble. '... Something's coming... What's he gonna do...?'
Saitama's plain eyes were again piercing into him.
'...He's for sure about to cause some trouble... I kinda wanna see, but I should-..'
"Serious Table Flip..."
BOOM!
Suddenly, the ground all around Garou was launched into the sky! Huge chunks of the earth surrounded him in midair! Garou couldn't say for sure how it happened! The force of the blast alone must've caused him to blink or... blackout for a second! He just opened his eyes and suddenly he's in midair, surrounded by floating boulders!
'Ergh! What the hell!? That bastard flipped the entire battlefield! What a show off...'
Suddenly, Saitama flew by and clotheslined him from out of nowhere!
"Urgh-!" Garou flipped through the air a few times before he regained his bearings. 'I see... he's trying to attack using the debris as cover! Tch, this is nothing! I'll destroy him when I find him!' Garou's eyes swept all around him in anticipation of the next attack, but... before it came, he made a shocking revelation... "Uh-!... w-Wait a minute... I... feel like I'm floating... How long have I been in the air?" He looked down beneath his feet to see nothing but darkness! "Ergh! I... I can't see the ground...? How high did he throw me!?"
Before he realized it, Saitama was right behind him! With a single hand, he made his move. "Consecutive Normal Punches."
"Shit!" Garou took the full brunt of the sneak attack! He didn't have a chance to defend himself! The force of the attack threw him until his back smacked against one of the uprooted boulders! "ergh-!" he groaned, clutching at his aching chest! 'If I stop moving, he'll... he'll hunt me down!'
His gaze tracked the hero until he spotted him standing upside down on a boulder! Garou dashed away, hopping from rock to rock until he found a good angle of attack!
"Let's go! We'll finish this here and now, hero-..!" He had to jump away when the bald man chucked another platform right at him! The spot he was on shattered to bits. "You fucker!" Garou rushed him as fast as he could!
"Hey," Saitama said when they came in range of attack. "You can do better, right?"
"I'll kill you!" Garou cocked his fist back with an insane look in his eyes. "GOD SLAYER, INSTANT ATTACK!"
Saitama watched him from upside down launch a flurry of punches that were much faster than before. "... Consecutive Normal Punches." With both hands, he began to do the same!
Their attacks clashed in mid-air! The force of the blows pushed away much of the debris around them!
'... No... No way-!' Garou thought as he continued duking it out as best he could. 'I'm ... being overwhelmed!' He grit his teeth and tried for all he was worth to kick up the pace, but it was useless! He was being outmatched in a battle of punches! 'No... no-No-NO!' He jumped back just before Saitama delivered a more serious punch. 'He's not serious at all! He's playing! I gotta get away!' Garou began zipping between the platforms, jumping higher and higher! Never taking his eyes off his opponent! 'It doesn't make sense! His punches have no technique, and I still can't counter them! He's just too fast! I can't beat this bastard as I am now! If I'm too cautious... huh?'
When the debris cleared his view of the bald hero, he was immediately infuriated to see him still standing upside down on one of the floating boulders, looking down on him with that plain expression of his.
'He's... he's literally full of openin-..! URGH!' Suddenly, before he realized what had happened, his head was buried in the dirt! 'I-.. I was... upside down...?' Somehow he managed to throw his senses for a loop. Like a child shaking an insect in a cage!
Saitama landed back on his feet a few yards away, completely ignoring the sizeable rock that dropped on his head, shattering on impact. "Uh... hey, dude. You alright?"
'This guy... could he really just be... playing with me?'
"You done, yet...? Hey..."
'He's really a hero...? He's not like any hero I've ever seen...'
Saitama watched him closely to see if he moved. There wasn't so much as a twitch. His head was still buried in the dirt with his feet in the air. He looked like some modern art piece. "Huh... well, I guess that is how the game ends, right? Nice fight, Garou, but uh... you should really stop with that whole Hero Hunter crap. People might think you're actually a bad guy, or something..."
'... what did he say...?' The debris from Saitama uprooting the battlefield was still raining down all around them. The impacts of the bigger slabs sounded like thunder that cracked the silence of the moment.
"... Hm?" Saitama watched curiously as he flipped his legs back to the ground before ripping his head from the dirt.
'It's... just like before...' A memory popped into his head of being beaten up in the sandbox as a kid. 'This... this isn't fair... right?' His gaze settled on Saitama once again. 'He's... not fair...! Even though I've gotten this strong... Why does someone like him have to exist...? Why won't this world let a monster win, for once...?'
"... oh," Saitama muttered. Suddenly, Garou rushed him with a punch to his face! Saitama grabbed his wrist before it connected, but before he knew it, Garou twisted his body around his arm, putting him in an arm bar!
"I won't let you win...! Not this time!"
"Geez, just give it up, already," Saitama muttered as he watched him struggle to break his arm.
"Tch-!" Garou grit his teeth when the hero easily lifted him up!
Without warning, Saitama began slamming him to the ground repeatedly! 'He just won't quit, huh...?' Eventually, the villain let go, and slipped away!
Saitama looked around for him until something told him to look straight up. Sure enough, there was Garou clinging to the bottom of another slab of falling debris!
'Damn it! That was never gonna work...! I need... more...' More what? More speed? More power? Technique, attacks, planning!? What more could he possibly need!? He darted around the falling debris as fast as he could, looking for an angle of attack! No matter where he went, he felt like the bald man could see him! He shot for him when he thought he had an opening, and he was promptly blasted back into the air with an uppercut!
'This strength... doesn't make sense... It's not fair...!' He looked back down and gazed into those cold uninterested eyes of his. 'He's... he's like the world's unfairness all shoved into one person... like the personification of how stupid heroes are...! But... I already knew this world was like that... The only way to change it... is to become unfair myself... become Evil...!'
Saitama glanced around the battlefield curiously when he felt something. "... huh...? What the heck is up with the wind...?"
Suddenly, Garou crashed down behind him, kicking up a poof of smoke! Saitama turned around, feeling a different sensation permeating through the air. Slowly, but surely, the smoke began to fade, revealing Garou... only, he was starting to look different again...
The surface of his body began to boil and ripple as he began to grow before his very eyes! Four spike-like protrusions suddenly jutted from his back, and any semblance of the human he was before was nearly gone now.
"... Uh... Garou...? Why'd you change costumes again? This one's even worse."
Garou looked at his monsterized hands in wonder. "I've... I've finally done it... The monster I've always wanted to be... this is it! Heh-heh-heh-!" he chuckled. "You should be grateful."
"... You're not even you anymore, huh...?"
"GRAAAARRRGGGGHHH!" he roared as he suddenly rushed him.
Saitama crossed his arms and took the hit head-on! It was definitely more powerful than before, but he noticed it was also a lot slower. When Garou rushed in for a follow-up attack, Saitama leaned his head out the way and delivered his own punch to the monster's gut! His fist dug into his body before throwing him back a few feet.
"geh-! Garrrgh-!" Garou hunched over in pain as blood poured from his gaping mouth. 'No... even now, I can't reach him!?' He again found himself staring into that pointed gaze, void of all emotion. ".. Hergh-! Just a little more...! A little more, and I can change the world!" Through sheer effort alone, he was morphing again, growing bigger and bigger! "GRRRAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!" Garou charged again, intent on flattening him with a single punch!
Saitama reared his head back slightly. "Serious series: Serious headbutt." He threw his head forward, right into the fist of the attacking behemoth, and blew his arm clean off!
'... it's just not fair...'
"You said you'd change the world...? What do you mean by that?"
Garou was doing it again! Through nothing more than his own will, he was transforming! His lost arm regrew, and the protrusions on his back began morphing and twisting around each other until he was suddenly a colossal winged demon-looking creature! "It means... you die!" He lunged forward!
"Geez... he can't even talk right anymore..."
BOOM!
... It was all over, just that fast... Garou didn't even see it happen... He laid there flat on his back and stared up into the dark sky... The news chopper shined its spotlight right on him. "... heh... this is what I feared the most... defeated by a hero... without even a say..."
Saitama just stood where he was with his arms folded over his chest, waiting to see what he'd do now.
"I... can't let you win..." he muttered.
Saitama watched as he tore his way out of the shell of his bigger body. It was like some sort of armor, after all. "Nah, that's enough, already," he said. "You can't win."
Garou swayed and bobbed on his feet, trying to gain some sense of balance. "I'm not done... yet..."
"Haven't you noticed?" Saitama questioned. "You're a lot weaker than before..."
"Shut up..."
"It's over dude. There's no reason to fight anymore..."
"... No reason...?" Garou finally found a solid stance and took a moment to catch his breath. "... No reason? I... I have a reason... I have a goal...!" Saitama started walking toward him. "You're not done, yet! Finish the job, hero! You better...! Because I'm not gonna stop!"
"Dude..." Saitama slapped him in the head a few times to show him how defenseless he really was at that moment. "You can't even block anymore. You're done, alright? So, just-.." Saitama evaded the sudden flurry of attacks with ease before he socked him in the face!
Garou's monsterized mug shattered, leaving a huge hole in its place! "no... NO! My power!" he shouted as he tried to cover the hole. "My power is leaking out! Damn it! Don't-...! Don't leave me..."
"I think you should see a doctor, Garou... you're pretty banged up..."
Garou suddenly charged him again. "NOT YET! I'M THE HERO HUNTER, GAROU! I'M THE STRONGEST MONSTER EVER! NO ONE CAN BEAT ME!"
Saitama waited for him to come within range before he threw a casual punch straight to his chest that sent him flying back! "Geez... enough already..."
Garou tumbled across the battlefield before he slid to a halt a few hundred yards away. "er-... ergh-...!"
Saitama landed a few feet behind him and watched as he tried, and failed, to stand. "... You done, now...? Aren't you tired, yet...?"
Garou sat back on his heels and let his head roll back. "... What the hell are you waitin' for...? Finish the job, hero..."
"Hm...?"
"Fights not over yet... not until you kill me..."
Saitama didn't say anything for a moment. He just watched him with that same plain expression of his.
"... guess I couldn't do it after all... All these years I wasted trying to change this unfair world... Just to die like every other monster before me..."
"... You're not a monster..."
Garou turned his head slightly at his words, but he didn't look at him.
"I don't know why you keep saying that... You know, I think I finally understand you a little..."
"Heh... the hell are you talking about...?" Saitama started walking toward him, and with every step, Garou was sure he was closer to his death... but, the hero stepped around him and kept walking. He came to a stop a few yards away and stood there with his cape fluttering in the wind. To Garou, it almost felt like he was mocking him with such a cool visual.
"You keep saying you're a monster, but... I think what you really want to be is... a hero..."
The wind kicked up and accented his words with an almost calming breeze. Garou stared at the back of his bald head, not saying a single word.
"It seems pretty easy to be a villain, sometimes... All you gotta do is destroy stuff and beat up heroes... And, if you're strong enough that no one can beat you, it just makes it that much easier, right...?" Saitama stared out into the distance, where he could see the other heroes finally being rescued by a helicopter. Even from here, he could see them helping Genos and the others onto stretchers and loading them up for transport. "You're... kind of different from any other villain I've fought, I'll give you that, but... In the end, as long as I'm a hero, it doesn't matter what your goals are. If you can't beat me, you'll never succeed... So... I guess I'm saying that you should just give up on all that..."
Garou continued to stare at him without saying anything. For a brief moment, he noted how open the fool was for an attack... but he was always open... so, what did it matter? "... give up, huh...?"
"... You're the old dude's former disciple, or whatever, right...?" He didn't receive a response, but he already knew the answer. "... You know, he told me something, one time that... I didn't really understand, until now..."
'... of course, he did... That old fart's full of useless proverbs...'
"He told me that... there is no such thing as unbeatable evil... because of me... I don't know if that's true, or... if I want that to be true, but... so far, it seems like it is... I'm not gonna kill you. You could try again if you want to, but... I'll still be right here to stop you... No matter how many times you try, or how strong you get, if you can't beat me, there's no point... So, you should just give up on doing it the easy way... If you wanna be a hero, then... just be a hero..."
"... heh... yeah right... As if-.. someone like me could ever be a hero."
"Why not...? If someone like me can, then..." Saitama turned around, and knocked his fluttering cape aside so he could see him. "-anyone can..."
Garou stared at him as the remaining monster shell around his head began to crumble away with the wind, exposing his human face underneath. The air felt so good on his skin...
"It's your choice though," Saitama said, turning around again. "I wouldn't mind fighting you again if you do come back stronger... Maybe next time just don't turn into a huge rage monster. Then, we could have a real fight..." He watched the helicopter holding Genos finally take flight. That was where his main concern was at this point. He also had to make sure Metal Bat was alive, too. He did promise his sister. "So...? What do you say...?" After a moment without receiving an answer, he turned around. "Gar-... Oh..."
He was gone. All that remained were the bits of his monster shell piled on the floor.
"... huh..." He looked back to where the others were to see a second evac chopper land nearby. 'Well... looks like things are finally over...'
"You LOST him!?" Tatsumaki shouted as one of the evac members bandaged her leg.
Saitama raised an eyebrow at her sudden flare of anger as he did his best to stay out of everyone's way. There were about eight evac members in total, all working on someone that was left behind by the other unit. Two of them were working on getting Atomic Samurai onto a stretcher while the other six were busy tending the lesser wounds of everyone else. The last few remaining heroes were the two esper sisters, Pig God, Iaian, and Zombieman.
"Yeah... he just kind of disappeared, really." Saitama stepped back and allowed one of the workers to pass, but he took note of the look on her face as she ducked by him. '... hm?'
"He did disappear," Zombieman said, as he stood off to the side, smoking a cigarette. "I saw it all from here. It looked like his body just sunk into the ground."
"Really?" Saitama asked. "I thought he just ran off."
"He sunk into the ground?" Fubuki chimed in.
"Was that one of his abilities?" Iaian asked.
Zombieman took a drag of his smoke before he replied. "Not that I remember... Either I'm losin' my eyesight, or... someone helped him escape."
"You think he had an accomplice?" Fubuki suggested.
"He seemed like a loner, to me," Saitama said. He was again confused by a few of the glances he received from some of the evac members. They were all hard at work, but every now and then one of them would peek at him with an odd look in their eye.
"I guess it doesn't matter, right now," Zombieman said, stomping his cigarette out beneath his bare foot. "It's been one hell of a day, but... It's finally over..."
Soon they all piled into the evac chopper and flew back to City-A. Along the way, those that needed it continued getting treatment from the crew. Those that didn't need it, Saitama and Zombieman, found themselves sitting at the front. They had been silent for most of the ride with both men staring blankly out their own windows, but the closer they got, the more a question weighed on the mind of the undead hero.
"Hey... Saitama..."
"Yeah...?"
"... The Hero Hunter... was he strong...?" Zombieman's gaze slid over to the bald man to hear his answer. It was such an interesting question that Fubuki and the female evac member who was administering her an IV just behind the two both tuned in as well.
Saitama almost seemed to really consider it for a moment before his gaze returned to the city. "Honestly... I don't know..."
Zombieman continued to stare at the side of his face for a few moments before he looked away... as if the conversation never happened.
At the back of the flying medical carrier, Tatsumaki mindlessly watched the interaction from afar. She had her eyes locked on Saitama for most of the ride. She wasn't necessarily alone in that. From her spot on the gurney in the back, she could see everyone. All of the evac members snuck a glance or two his way when they ran out of tasks to do. She even saw two of them chatting about him silently to themselves. He wasn't a secret anymore. The whole world was likely talking about him.
It was... relieving, in some strange way... as if a massive weight had just been lifted from her shoulders. Yet, something about that also terrified her beyond belief. Her gaze shifted to her sister who was carelessly chatting with the girl helping her. After everything she'd been trying to teach Fubuki, was she herself not falling for that same trap? Was she not depending on him a little too much...? How many times had he saved her, now? She was moments away from death at the hands of that small fry multiplying thing... and again with that homeless guy... and again with that water monster, and every single time, he was there... Why was he always there?
'... I didn't wanna lose you...' Every time that line repeated in her mind, it was like a rush of nervousness overcame her for some reason... Her palms were sweating, even now! As it stood, she could only consider herself lucky to be alive because of him... But, what if next time, he's not there? What would she do then...?
Then and there, she made her decision. '... there is no next time... I won't ever let it happen again... I'll start training... I'll get stronger...! That way,'— her eyes shifted back to his bald head— 'you'll never have to save me again...!' Her heart skipped a beat in a panic when her gaze shifted to her sister who was now looking right at her. Tatsumaki immediately looked away, praying she wasn't caught looking.
Fubuki furrowed a brow at her older sister's odd mannerisms before she turned back to see what she was looking at just now. She looked at Saitama... and then back to her sister... and a small smile crept its way onto her face. '... Tatsumaki...'
"... hm?" Saitama muttered. When he stepped off the carrier, there was a sea of people lining the walkway leading to the Hero Association Hq. They were in an uproar, screaming and reaching out for the heroes that passed. Many of them ignored it and simply continued into the building, but he noticed that Fubuki took it in stride and waved back at everyone she could, touching every hand that reached out to her along her way.
"THERE HE IS!"
He heard someone shout. Suddenly, hundreds of eyes landed on him as he stepped down from the carrier. Immediately, the crowd roared far louder than they had before. "... uh... me...?" There were so many faces, some of them in tears at the sight of him! He couldn't really make sense of it. The one thing it reminded him of was seeing that one pop star hero on tv sometimes. 'Geez, It's like I'm a movie star or something...'
"They're grateful," Zombieman said, stepping up beside him when he saw him stop. "You saved them... You saved all of us, really... You'll be hearing it a lot from now on, but... for all those times we didn't say it... thanks." He grabbed his shoulder and guided him forward, through the tunnel of reaching hands and crying eyes.
"You were amazing!"
"So strong!"
"Thank you, for saving us!"
"You're my new favorite hero!"
Saitama was obviously overwhelmed, but his expression didn't exactly show it. He offered the crowd a small smile along the way, waving and shaking a few hands. 'Heh... this must be what Genos feels like, all the time, huh...? It's... kinda nice...'
"How's that?" Child Emperor took his welding goggles off and watched Genos as he bent and unbent his knee. He was mostly reconstructed now, at a base level, at least. Child Emperor wasn't much of an expert when it came to connecting the neural links of a robot with organic parts, but he did his best.
"I seem to be functioning well enough. Thank you." Genos responded as he stood to his feet.
"No problem." Child Emperor shoved his tools back into his backpack as he watched him test his motor functions for any malfunctions. "Hey, so uh... Saitama is your master?"
Genos flexed his hand a few times before he responded. "That's right."
"He's really awesome! I know you didn't see it, but his last fight with the Hero Hunter? Oh-hoh man! He was incredible! He was so fast and strong that that guy couldn't even hurt him! I've never seen something like that before!"
Genos smiled at the look on his face. He too was left astonished by his master's ability when he first met him.
"Hey, so how strong is he? Do you know?"
"Hmh... Honestly, I do not know, but I have yet to see a monster test his limits. Master Saitama is the greatest hero that has ever lived."
"Heh, yeah, I'll say! He's so cool! And, did you see the video where he punched Elder Centipede, yet?"
"Excuse me?" a new voice interrupted before Genos could respond. It was a woman in a black suit who poked her head into their room. "Sitch would like all operable S-Class heroes to deliver a mission report in the meeting room before you are discharged."
"Understood," Genos replied with a rigid nod. He and the blabbering child made their way immediately. The entire three minute walk was filled with the kid asking question upon question about Saitama. Perhaps had it been a different topic, Genos would've gotten annoyed. Truth be told, he was more than willing and happy to talk about the greatest hero he's ever known. It filled him with pride to hear someone else gush about him for once.
And it wasn't just Child Emperor. Genos saw Saitama's face on every television along the way. He saw many of the workers who weren't busy either watching his video or reenacting his punch! '... You did it, Master... Now, everyone knows...'
They finally made it to the meeting room, and when they entered, they both frantically searched for the man in question, but he wasn't there. In fact, no one was there other than Sitch, Sekingar, and two assistants occupying the head of the table.
"Ah, Genos, Child Emperor. Please, come in," Sekingar said as he and Sitch continued reviewing what they had so far.
"Hey, where's everyone at?" Child Emperor wondered. "I thought there was a meeting."
"No meeting," Sitch said, gesturing to the seats across from them. "We just need everyone available to give a quick description of what happened on the battlefield, to the best of your knowledge. Then, you're free to go."
"Has Master Saitama already left?" Genos asked.
"Yes," Sekingar said. "Saitama delivered his report twenty minutes ago."
"For now," Sitch started again, "let me first congratulate you both on a mission complete. The Monster Association has been completely eliminated, the hostage was rescued, and the Hero Hunter Garou was defeated. As representatives of the Hero Association, we thank you both for your heroic efforts."
Sekingar picked it up from there. "In your reports, we ask that you confirm any and all opponents that you had a hand in defeating, as well as any information you believe was relevant to the success of the mission. Then, you're free to go."
Saitama walked down the hall of the medical wing, casually snacking on a bag of chips as he peered into each and every room he passed in search of Genos. 'I really should've asked one of those boss guys where he might be...' At this point, he was sort of ignoring the leering eyes of the people around him. It wasn't that he didn't care for the appreciation. It was nice, but he couldn't just stop and greet everyone all night. He was starving. All he wanted to do was make sure Genos was alive and pick up something to eat on the way to his new apartment.
They had apparently upgraded him from where they originally had him for some reason. Luckily he didn't have anything to move in, but whatever place they set him up with was supposedly fully furnished, which was great. Now, all he had to do was buy some new clothes. All he had was his hero suit which was currently in tatters. He didn't even have his gloves any more thanks to that gross vomit monster. Fixing his suit was yet another thing he added to his mental list of things to do tomorrow.
After such a long mission, he was really hoping for at least a day to relax, but that was sadly put on hold for the time being. "... hurgh..." he groaned. 'My first day back as an official hero, and it's already a lot of work...' Even so, he couldn't say the day was bad. In fact, it was probably the closest he's been to actually having fun in a really long time. Especially that final battle. It wasn't really a challenge, but it was the most unique experience he's ever had fighting a villain.
"Ah, there you are," a familiar voice called out behind him.
Saitama turned around to see the old man walking up to him with a bandage wrapped around his head. "Oh, Bang... Glad to see you're okay."
"Hm-hm," he chuckled through his pursed lips. "Well, as 'okay' as an old man can be after taking a beating." When he caught up, he slowly fell in stride with the younger hero as they continued down the long hall. "That foolish student of mine sure caused everyone quite a bit of trouble from what I hear."
Saitama continued eating his chips, talking through his crunching mouth. "Yeah, I guess so..."
"Hm-hm... He wasn't always like that... When he first came to me, he was rich with raw talent, but... I'd be a fool if I couldn't admit he had red flags in his personality that I chose to ignore." Bang settled his gaze on the floor in front of him as they walked. "He was brash, undisciplined... angry... Every quality that told me not to take him in, but... I did anyways, like the fool I was."
Saitama continued to sneak glances into the rooms they passed, but he was listening. "Why?"
Bang sighed as he thought of his response. He had wondered that for years after Garou left, and the answer was always clear to him. He just couldn't bring himself to admit it, until now. "I suppose... because he reminded me of myself..."
"Really?" Saitama murmured with his mouth full of chips. "You guys seem totally different."
"Hoh-hoh... Well, I can see why you'd say that, but... you didn't know me as a young man... Who I am today is a result of many years of discovering myself. Finding the truth of who I was always meant to be... I suppose I-.. thought I could do the same for Garou... So, I accepted him, flaws and all, in hopes that I could show him the way of self-acceptance, but... that was the one lesson he always rejected... He was the perfect student... and my biggest regret..."
"Mmm," Saitama hummed. "Sounds heavy..."
Bang smiled at his response and thought more on it to himself for a moment. "... yeah... Anyways, I wanted to thank you, personally, for stopping that foolish boy of mine... and... for sparing his life..."
"... hm?" Saitama looked over to him with a curious expression.
"Knowing who you are, I have no doubt that he was no match for you... You could have destroyed him completely... Any other hero who may have had the chance likely would have... including myself... I saw the battle, so... I know you must have tried to talk some sense into him, and... I thank you for that... from one sensei to another..."
"You would've killed him if you had the chance?" Saitama questioned. The way he was talking about him made that seem hard to believe.
Bang took a deep breath in before a hefty sigh flushed from his nostrils. "... I would have... It was no easy decision for me to come to, but... I cannot fully describe the pain of watching one's disciple turn from the path of good... As their mentors, we cannot force them to walk our path. We can only show them the way... and guide them to the fork in the road... When they stumble upon the decision that will shape them, it is their decision alone. And they will either choose to believe in us or... they will reject us..."
"... I have... no idea what you're talking about, old man."
"Hoh-hoh-hoh-!" Bang laughed in that jolly way of his. "... someday, you might."
Saitama continued watching him out the side of his eye, shoveling more chips into his mouth. "... Well... If it's any consolation... He was actually kind of a nice guy... Just scared, really."
Bang's gaze shifted over to him as he pondered his words.
"Even though he did all that bad stuff, he wasn't really trying to kill anyone... I think he was just afraid to fail at being a hero, so... he decided to be a villain instead. That way, if he did fail..."
"He was supposed to..." Bang finished, catching on to what he was saying.
"Yeah... something like that... Sounds dumb, but... I guess everyone has a dumb idea every now and then... Damn... outta chips..."
Bang smiled as he watched him crumple up the empty bag. '... Saitama-boy... you are a true enigma...'