Chapter 31 – Metal Bat
With a single flick of his wrist, Garou hurled the massive body of the Dragon-level monster Gouketsu—a creature as large as a small hill—like it was weightless.
The corpse flew through the air, hurtling straight toward Metal Bat, who was still mid-leap.
In less than a fraction of a second, Garou's body shot upward like a compressed spring released at full force.
Just as Metal Bat swung his bat to deflect Gouketsu's body, Garou twisted his wrist smoothly—his movement flowing like a living whip—and struck Metal Bat square in the chest with the back of his hand.
"Bugh…!"
"Guh—aghh!" Metal Bat spat out a mouthful of blood as his body was sent flying backward, crashing into the dirt.
After landing that Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, Garou immediately descended, spinning both arms rapidly before lunging toward the other two S-Class heroes standing behind Metal Bat—Tanktop Master and Superalloy Darkshine.
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Seeing Garou charge at them, Tanktop Master merely snorted and exchanged a brief glance with Darkshine.
In that instant, both men moved—perfectly synchronized.
The two muscle-bound heroes raised their right shoulders, gripping their right wrists with their left hands.
Their deltoids—massive, tiger-head-like muscles—bulged and slammed forward in unison, striking Garou's approaching body with the combined power of their physical mastery.
The movement resembled the iconic front double biceps pose of professional bodybuilders, but for warriors like Superalloy Darkshine and Tanktop Master, it wasn't a show of strength—it was instinct.
A battle reflex ingrained into muscle memory.
Garou's palms clashed against their glistening bodies with a sharp impact—like striking walls of polished steel. The recoil sent shockwaves through his arms, forcing him back slightly.
The very next second—
Their shoulders rammed upward, slamming into Garou's abdomen with devastating force.
Thud!!
The sound echoed across the mountains as Garou's body was launched like a broken kite, tumbling through the air for over a hundred meters before crashing into the ground.
He rolled several times, leaving a trail of shattered stone behind him, before finally halting.
Wiping the blood from the corner of his lips, Garou stood up again—expression unfazed.
He chuckled softly, low and distorted, before crouching on all fours like Watchdog Man, muscles coiling like springs.
Then, he charged again.
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His fighting style had changed—his movements sharper, wilder, animalistic. He darted around the three heroes like a shadow given form, weaving between them with impossible speed and striking whenever an opening appeared.
The air was filled with the sound of fists and steel colliding, but Garou's attacks were unpredictable, erratic—fluid like water, savage like a beast.
The trio of heroes—Metal Bat, Tanktop Master, and Darkshine—each relied on pure physical might. Yet against Garou's adaptive flow, their power meant nothing.
As the battle dragged on for tens of minutes, Garou's stamina remained steady, while Tanktop Master's breathing grew heavy.
He had already been pushing his body to the limit during the earlier chase against Gouketsu. Endurance wasn't his strength—and Garou knew it.
With a hunter's patience, Garou focused on that single weakness.
Ten minutes later, after wearing him down completely, Garou gambled—he took a direct hit from Metal Bat's steel club, letting the strike crush into his shoulder.
In that same instant, he countered—his palm slicing upward in a perfect Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, connecting cleanly with Tanktop Master's forehead.
Tanktop Master's eyes rolled back. Foam bubbled from his mouth as he collapsed on the spot.
Garou, despite coughing up blood from the earlier blow, only laughed—a low, feral sound that sent chills through the air.
He turned toward the two remaining heroes—Metal Bat and Darkshine—and sneered.
"You see it, don't you?" he said, voice dripping with mockery. "Justice isn't invincible. Who decided that evil always has to lose? Today… I, Garou the Human Monster, will shatter your foolish hero ideals."
The moment he finished speaking, his figure vanished.
A deafening crash followed.
Superalloy Darkshine's massive body flew backward, slamming into the earth with tremendous force. In the same breath, Garou appeared where he had been standing moments ago, replacing him seamlessly.
Darkshine grunted, rising slowly, dazed but furious.
Yet Garou frowned slightly.
Even after striking him with full force, the man's skin hadn't even bruised.
What the hell is this guy made of?
His right hand throbbed in pain—the bones in his fingers had cracked from the impact.
Switching stances without hesitation, Garou adjusted his breathing, channeling his strength through his left arm first, followed by his right. Then, he charged toward Metal Bat once again.
— — —
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Their clash was relentless—Garou's hands blurred into streaks of motion, colliding with the steel bat again and again.
The sound of their battle roared through the valley, sharp and rhythmic like a storm of steel and thunder.
Metal Bat stood firm, parrying and countering with raw ferocity.
Each time Garou's palm struck his weapon, Metal Bat retaliated with a swing—faster, heavier, angrier.
Garou landed multiple hits between each of Metal Bat's attacks, yet the stubborn hero refused to fall.
And with every wound he took, his presence only grew stronger.
His muscles pulsed with energy, veins bulging as his aura thickened—rage transforming into power.
Garou's expression shifted from amusement to disbelief.
This guy… he's getting stronger?
Despite his body being covered in blood and bruises, Metal Bat's strength and speed continued to rise. His swings became so powerful that even Garou hesitated to block them directly, forced instead to evade at the last possible moment.
For the first time in this fight, Garou felt a flicker of unease.
Tanktop Master had fallen instantly.
Superalloy Darkshine's defense was impenetrable.
But this one—
This blood-soaked delinquent with nothing but a bat and an attitude—
was fighting him on sheer willpower alone.
What is this guy…?
Garou's thoughts flickered as he dodged another deadly swing.
And just then—
Superalloy Darkshine returned.
The black-skinned giant charged back into the fray, his muscles glistening under the sunlight.
Now, together with Metal Bat, they closed in from both sides—two overwhelming forces converging at once.
For a moment, Garou's heart tightened.
But the next second, he smiled.
Calm returned to his eyes.
He exhaled slowly, lowering his stance.
Then, with a whisper, he began to move—
His arms traced circles through the air, his palms flowing like waves, forming the rhythm of the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist once more…
And in that fluid, deadly motion—
the Human Monster prepared to face the storm head-on.
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