Inside Mr. KING's apartment.
"K.O.!"
As the game sound effect rang out, Saitama's character was once again blasted away by a special move, and Mr. KING's victorious golden letters appeared on the screen.
"Damn it! I lost again!" Saitama reluctantly put the controller on the soft carpet, then leaned back, lying in a 'big' shape.
"Mr. KING, have you always been this strong at gaming?! This isn't logical!"
"Not really, it's just practice makes perfect," Lin Mo said with a humble smile.
Genos, who was off to the side, did not participate in the game.
He maintained his upright posture, and at some point, his notebook had been replaced with a new one.
Just as this wonderfully harmonious atmosphere settled, "Ding-dong—" the apartment doorbell suddenly rang.
The sound was clear, but it broke the silence indoors.
"Hmm? Who could it be this late?" Lin Mo was a little puzzled; he rarely had visitors here.
Genos had already stood up immediately, the armor on his arm silently sliding open to reveal the Incineration Cannon inside.
"Teacher, Mr. KING, please wait, I will handle it."
"No need to be so tense, Genos."
Lin Mo waved his hand, signaling him to calm down.
He leaned back on the sofa without moving, only calling up the surveillance footage from the door.
On the screen, a young face he somewhat recognized was anxiously looking left and right, his face filled with panic and helplessness.
"It's Charanko," Lin Mo recognized the person, who was Bang's only disciple.
"Let him in."
As soon as the door opened, Charanko rushed in like a madman.
His hair was disheveled, his gi was full of wrinkles, and there were even fresh tear stains on his face; he was completely distraught.
"Mr. KING! Mr. Saitama!"
When he saw the two on the sofa, he seemed to have found a lifeline. "Please, save my master!"
"Huh?" Saitama was about to start the next game and couldn't help but look up in confusion. "That silver-haired old man? What happened to him?"
"Master… he… he expelled me from the dojo!"
Charanko's words were full of confusion. "Just now, he suddenly became so strange!"
As Charanko narrated, the scene that had taken place an hour ago at the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist dojo slowly unfolded before everyone's eyes.
——
An hour ago, Bang's dojo.
The dojo was dead silent, unlike its usual tranquility; today, a suffocating oppressiveness permeated the air.
Bang stood in the center of the dojo, his hands clasped behind his back.
His face, which usually carried a gentle smile, now appeared incredibly stern, and his eyes were as sharp as knives, sending shivers down Charanko's spine as he stood opposite him.
"Ma… Master, did you need something from me?" Charanko asked cautiously; he had never seen his master like this before.
Bang slowly turned around, without a hint of emotion, and said in a cold tone: "Charanko."
"Yes!" Charanko instinctively stood at attention, his body stiff and straight.
"Starting today, you are no longer a disciple of the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist."
Bang's voice was not loud, but every word was like a heavy hammer, striking Charanko's heart forcefully.
"You are expelled from the dojo."
"…Huh?"
Charanko's mind went blank instantly; he suspected he had misheard.
"Master… what… what are you saying? You're joking, right?"
His voice began to tremble. "Did I do something wrong? Was my training not hard enough today? Or… or were my rice balls not pretty enough this morning?"
"None of those."
Bang interrupted him coldly. "This place is not suitable for you. Pack your things and leave immediately. Never return."
"Why?!"
The cruelty of reality finally shattered Charanko's hope.
His tears instantly gushed out, his legs gave way, and he fell to his knees with a "thud."
He shuffled forward on his knees, trying to grab Bang's hem.
"Master! What exactly did I do wrong? Please tell me the reason. Am I not working hard enough? I will train even harder, Master!"
However, Bang merely took a step back, avoiding his hand.
Those hands, which had countless times given him encouragement and guidance, were now stingy with even the slightest touch.
"Go."
Those three short words carried an immense finality.
Just as Charanko completely fell into despair, the wooden door of the dojo slowly opened.
An old man, somewhat similar to Bang but with a more robust physique and an equally unfathomable aura, walked in.
He was Bang's elder brother, the master of the Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist—Bomb.
Bomb glanced at Charanko, who was crying on the floor, then at his younger brother, whose face was as calm as still water, and sighed.
He walked forward and helped the distraught Charanko up.
"Child, your master has his reasons. Now is not the time to ask why. You just need to know that he is doing this for your own good."
Bomb's voice was relatively gentler. "Hurry and leave. The farther away from here, the better. Don't return to Z-City for a while."
"For my own good?" Charanko repeated in confusion, completely unable to understand. "Even Uncle Bomb…"
"Oniichan," Bang's voice rang out, "See him out."
Ultimately, no matter how Charanko pleaded or cried, he was still 'escorted' out of the dojo by Bomb, and that wooden door, so familiar to him, was mercilessly shut in his face.
Inside the dojo, silence returned once more.
"Was it really necessary to go to such lengths?" Bomb looked at his younger brother, his eyes complex.
Bang slowly closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the deliberately feigned coldness had faded.
"Only this way can he be completely kept away from this storm. That rogue disciple… Garou, he has already begun hunting heroes."
Bomb's expression also became solemn: "I've already received news that A-class heroes Tanktop Vegetarian, Golden Ball, and Springbeard were all defeated by him in a short period. His methods are ruthless, but he spared their lives."
"He seems to be using heroes as stepping stones to hone his martial arts and constantly make himself stronger."
"He has defiled the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist. This is my responsibility; it is my dereliction of duty as a master."
Bang's fists clenched quietly in his sleeves, his knuckles cracking softly from the excessive force.
"As a martial artist, I must personally put an end to all of this. Cleaning up the dojo is also my responsibility."
"That's why I rushed here," Bomb said in a deep voice, patting his brother's shoulder.
"I wouldn't trust you, you stubborn old man, to face this alone. It's been a long time since we brothers fought side by side."
Bang looked at his elder brother, a hint of warmth flashing in his eyes.
"Did you abandon everything and rush here for your cute little brother? I love you, Oniichan."
Bomb's mouth twitched slightly, and he said: "If I let it go, he would eventually come to my dojo too."
Bang just smiled; it was just an excuse from his tsundere Oniichan.