"A genius...?"
Lin Mo, who had been silent, looked at the hospital bed in the furthest corner.
Mumen Rider's injuries were the most severe of the three, with multiple fractures throughout his body, but he wasn't as angry as Tanktop Master, nor as withdrawn as Charanko.
Though his eyes were a bit unfocused from the pain, a flame still burned deep within them.
"I'm sorry..." Mumen Rider noticed Lin Mo's gaze and lowered his head, feeling somewhat ashamed.
"I knew I was weak, but I still charged forward... In the end, I couldn't help with anything and only caused trouble for everyone."
"You did nothing wrong."
Lin Mo spoke slowly, his voice not loud, yet it made the entire ward fall silent.
"Your actions were not foolish, but brave."
He looked at Mumen Rider, this Class-C Hero who had no superpowers and whose physical abilities were not much stronger than an average person, and a never-before-felt emotion suddenly stirred within him.
Lin Mo thought of Suiryu, that martial arts prodigy who treated martial arts as a tool for enjoyment.
He also thought of Garou, the "human monster" with monstrous learning abilities.
Garou's talent even surpassed Suiryu's; he could see through any technique and make it his own.
But he couldn't even figure out what he truly wanted to protect, ultimately turning martial arts into a tool for hunting.
His martial arts were filled with confusion.
They all possessed talent beyond the reach of ordinary people, but their "Martial Arts Heart" had long since strayed from the right path.
Lin Mo's gaze returned to Mumen Rider.
This man had no talent, no technique, but he possessed the purest "Martial Artist's Heart."
Every charge, every fall, every shout came from the deepest belief in his heart to protect others.
Isn't this the initial and most fundamental pursuit of all martial arts?
A flash of insight, like an electric current, coursed through Lin Mo's entire body.
After mastering Martial Arts · Pinnacle, he not only possessed the martial arts memories and cultivation of an entire civilization but also gained the ability to see through all "martial techniques" in the world.
He could unleash Energy Blast and Intimidation with a single thought, as if they were innate abilities.
But Martial Arts · Pinnacle was different; it was genuine skill and insight.
If that was the case, why couldn't he organize these insights and impart them to those who needed them?
"Mr. KING..."
Lin Mo's prolonged gaze made Mumen Rider smile awkwardly, trying to say something, but he tugged at the wound on the corner of his mouth, making him wince softly.
"No need to speak, just rest well." Lin Mo's voice was gentle.
He looked at Mumen Rider, and before his eyes, he seemed to see that night, when this man, knowing he was outmatched, still threw his bicycle at Garou, launching a "Justice Crash" with his fragile body.
Foolish?
From a combat perspective, yes, utterly foolish.
But from the perspective of a "hero," it was an incredibly dazzling brilliance.
Many become heroes for fame, for status, for the feeling of being admired by all.
But this man was different; he became a hero simply because he wanted to do the right thing.
His justice was pure, without a trace of impurity.
Such a soul should not be buried due to weakness.
Such justice should not appear pale due to powerlessness.
Perhaps, he could do something...
After the visit, Saitama went to look for the same wig as Charanko for the martial arts tournament, and Genos followed closely behind.
Lin Mo didn't go with them; instead, he returned to his apartment alone.
He didn't turn on the lights, just stood quietly in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the city shrouded in night.
The lights of Z-City twinkled like stars, and beneath each light, perhaps a story was unfolding.
The existence of the Hero Association maintained the order of this world.
But beneath the order, undercurrents still surged.
There might not be just one existence like Garou in the future.
And those who truly possessed a hero's heart often fell before dawn due to a lack of strength.
"Heroes..." Lin Mo murmured to himself.
He wanted to give Mumen Rider a seed, a seed that would allow him to grow stronger through his own sweat and will.
Thinking of this, Lin Mo no longer hesitated.
He turned and walked into the study, taking down a thick stack of manuscript paper and a pen from the bookshelf.
For the next few days, Lin Mo practically shut himself in his apartment.
He didn't go to the Hero Association, nor did he pay attention to any outside disturbances.
His entire mind was immersed in a grand project.
He was going to tailor a martial arts system specifically for Mumen Rider.
Lin Mo first considered Mumen Rider's physical condition.
His strength, speed, and endurance were far inferior to those exceptionally gifted heroes.
Therefore, the core of this martial art absolutely could not be about head-on clashes.
"Overcoming hardness with softness, deflecting force to strike."
This was the first principle Lin Mo established.
From his vast sea of memories, he extracted the "listening energy" and "neutralizing energy" of Tai Chi, the "roaming body" and "turning palm" of Baguazhang, and the "entering body" and "throwing techniques" of Aikido.
He extracted the core concepts of these martial arts, removed parts unsuitable for this world, and depicted them on manuscript paper using the most accessible language and precise drawings.
But mere defense and neutralization were far from enough.
A hero who cannot stop evil is ultimately powerless.
Thus, Lin Mo also incorporated "inch energy" and "penetrating energy."
This kind of force generation technique doesn't rely on muscular strength, but rather on the body's overall coordination and instantaneous burst, producing highly penetrating destructive power.
He explained in detail the complete process of rooting from the sole of the foot, force originating from the spine, and finally converging at the fist.
To enable Mumen Rider to lay the most solid foundation, Lin Mo also specifically compiled a body-tempering exercise routine.
This routine could not only greatly train muscles but also develop control over one's own muscles, serving as the cornerstone for all subsequent techniques.
In addition, he also included some theories on "battlefield awareness" and "weakness observation."
Teaching him how to remain calm in battle, how to predict an opponent's next move through their posture, and how to identify weak points in their defense.
This was no longer a simple martial arts secret manual, but a beginner's guide from scratch.
When the last stroke fell, Lin Mo let out a long sigh of relief.
Looking at the thick stack of manuscripts on the table, filled with drawings and text, an unprecedented sense of satisfaction welled up in Lin Mo's heart.
He picked up the pen and, on the cover of the manuscript, solemnly wrote its name—
"KING Style Secret Technique · Martial Arts."