"Kimg, I am getting old after all. The future belongs to you young people." Bang was the first to state his position.
Garou had already inherited the title of Silver Fang and would be considered a hero from now on. Since he was a hero, fighting against God was his duty, and right now, King was likely the only one who could grant him that power.
"Bang, I'll leave Mumen Rider to you." King's expression was serious.
Although Mumen Rider's strength was poor, someone with a Hero's Heart would have limitless potential once they grew up.
"Rest assured, I will train him well." Bang agreed seriously.
Since King thought so highly of Mumen Rider, there must be a reason.
"King-san, thank you. I will definitely become stronger and fight alongside you in the future." Mumen Rider was incredibly excited.
He had seen King stand in front of him time and time again, and he understood that a hero must have the strength to match. Otherwise, hot blood alone couldn't protect civilians. As the most famous martial artist, Bang would surely be able to help him get stronger.
"Don't worry, your future will definitely far surpass the current S-Class Heroes."
King's words piqued Bang's interest again. He wanted to see how far Mumen Rider could go in the future.
"From today on, I will subject you to hellish special training. Be prepared." Bang said.
"Yes! Bang-sensei!"
—
After settling Mumen Rider, King took Garou to the back mountain.
"King, how are you going to let me gain power? Is it some kind of technique or move?" Garou was full of impatience.
"In your case, you don't need to learn any more techniques or moves. I have nothing to teach you." King's expression was calm.
What he was about to do was something he had planned long ago. With the frequent arrival of God's agents and Divine Emissaries, he had long felt that he couldn't handle it alone, and Saitama's whereabouts were unpredictable.
Currently, Hero's Heart holders like Genos and Sweet Mask were still growing and could not yet become effective combat forces against God. Then the most suitable candidate was Garou. He only needed to give him a certain power, and his strength would immediately increase by several times.
"Oh? Then what do you want me to do?"
Garou asked curiously.
"You don't need to learn anything. As long as you can awaken your memories, you will be the best candidate to fight against God." King said.
"Awaken memories? What do you mean?"
Buzz!
Before Garou could react, light surged from within King's body.
'The progress of Union Power has reached twenty-four percent. I wonder how much of Garou's strength it can restore.'
Fusion! Union Power!
"What is this?!"
Garou's body was instantly enveloped in light, his appearance gradually changing as a pair of horns slowly emerged.
"This is..."
Scene after scene flashed through Garou's mind: Dark Mask, Saitama, Blast...
"I am the pinnacle of martial arts! Self-styled Martial Arts!"
Serious Punch!
Third Layer Liberation! Limit-Breaking Fist!
Monsterization Second Stage! Bone Dragon Form!
The memories in Garou's mind gradually surfaced, and the scene shifted to a desolate planet.
"Hey, kid, don't hold me back."
"Just worry about yourself."
Mode: Saitama!
Serious Table Flip!
Fourth Layer Liberation! Meteor Strike!
Rumble!
The entire Jupiter was destroyed. One portal after another appeared, and the silhouette of Earth emerged before his eyes.
"Great, I'm finally back!"
"No! Tareo, it's all my fault! If it weren't for me, he wouldn't have died so tragically. I am the embodiment of misfortune, everyone who gets close to me will suffer."
"You've been relying on him all along."
Saitama's voice rang out, and Garou suddenly had an epiphany.
"I see. Hey! You come over too. Next, I'll teach you how to use Divine Power."
Time Reversal!
Boom!
In the back mountain, a terrifying aura erupted from Garou's body.
After merging with the Union Power, his appearance had changed. A vast galaxy appeared within his face and chest, Cosmic Garou had made his debut once more.
"Dark Mask? King! So that's how it is. You've been hiding yourself so deeply."
Garou's expression was calm, he had fully recovered his memories from before the Time Reversal.
"The Union Power I merged with hasn't reached its peak yet, so the power of all your moves will likely be much weaker than before." King smiled slightly.
He had prepared for Garou to go berserk, but it seemed the other party had regained his composure after seeing Tareo's tragic death.
"Should I call you Dark Mask or King?" Garou asked.
"I have always been the S-Class Rank 7 Hero of the Hero Association, the Strongest Man on Earth, King." King smiled slightly.
He had accepted this identity and now had the strength to stand before everyone.
"Alright then, I have a request." Garou said.
"Sure. Let's change locations. I'd also like to see it for myself."
King naturally knew what Garou was thinking. He also wanted to test what level the current Cosmic Garou's strength could reach.
Buzz!
A portal appeared, and the two of them vanished from the spot.
"Let's do it here."
They arrived once again on a planet in outer space, surrounded by desolation.
"Watch out, I won't be showing any mercy."
Garou assumed an offensive stance. Having recovered, he was eager to test his strength.
"Bring it on."
Thump-thump!
The deafening sound of the King Engine rang out as King stood ready.
Self-styled Martial Arts!
Boom, boom, boom!
Garou's movements were like flowing water, each strike containing immense power. However, all the attacks were easily blocked by King, causing no damage at all.
"Next, I'm getting serious!"
Buzz!
Energy gathered in Garou's palms, striking forward with extreme speed. The released energy transformed into a violent shockwave.
Second Layer Liberation! Ten Thousand Punch Barrage!
Rumble!
The two powerful attacks formed a mushroom cloud. Garou's figure suddenly emerged from a portal, appearing right in front of King.
Extreme Fa Jin!
A terrifying attack struck again, but King was prepared.
Third Layer Liberation! Limit-Breaking Fist!
Boom!
At such close range, Garou couldn't dodge. The attack blasted away half of his body.
"Cough, cough..."
'This is impossible. How can there be such a huge gap between me and him?'