The night was quiet in Z-City. Too quiet.
Kaizen lay on his futon, unable to sleep. The dojo had never felt heavier; the air pressed against him like stone. Every word from Bang still echoed in his mind "Show me that you can walk this path without falling."
But the storm within him stirred restlessly, refusing peace.
Suddenly, a thunderous crash split the silence. The ground quaked, rattling the dojo walls. Kaizen bolted upright, instincts firing. Another crash followed closer this time, accompanied by guttural roars.
The dojo lanterns flared as Bang burst into the courtyard, his robe half tied, eyes sharp. "Kaizen! Renji! To me!"
Kaizen scrambled outside, Renji not far behind, clutching his staff. The sound of screams rolled across the night air villagers fleeing from the southern gate.
"What is it?" Renji demanded.
Bang's gaze narrowed as dust clouds rose in the distance. "Monster."
The three raced through the streets, their sandals slapping against the stone. Smoke and debris filled the air, villagers scattering in terror.
When they reached the southern gate, Kaizen's chest clenched.
A hulking beast towered over the ruined barricades, its body a grotesque fusion of crab and man, claws snapping with sickening force. Its carapace gleamed under the moonlight, each movement radiating raw, monstrous power.
Kaizen recognized the creature instantly. He had read about it before his reincarnation the Crablante. A monster who, in another timeline, would encounter Saitama years from now. But here, now, it had appeared early.
"Stay sharp," Bang said, stepping forward, his presence calm but commanding. "This one is strong."
Renji gripped his staff tightly, eyes wide but burning with determination. Kaizen's fists clenched, the storm inside already pushing against his ribs, demanding release.
The monster roared and charged, its massive claw slicing through a row of stalls. Debris flew everywhere as villagers shrieked.
Bang moved first fluid, precise. He sidestepped the claw and struck with open palms, redirecting the beast's momentum, sending it stumbling.
"Now!" he barked.
Renji leapt in, spinning his staff, slamming it against the monster's exposed leg joint. The impact cracked shell, drawing a screech of pain.
Kaizen dashed forward, heart pounding. He aimed for the beast's other leg, fists flowing like water, each strike targeting weak points along its armored frame. Carapace splintered under his blows.
But with every strike, the storm within surged. Power begged to spill beyond control.
Hold it back, Kaizen thought desperately. Don't let it take you.
The monster lashed out, its claw sweeping in a deadly arc. Renji was too close.
"Renji!" Kaizen shouted.
Without thinking, Kaizen lunged, grabbing Renji and dragging him clear as the claw demolished the ground where they had stood. Dust exploded around them.
Renji coughed, glaring. "Don't you dare pity me!"
"It wasn't pity" Kaizen began, but another roar cut him off.
The beast swung again, this time aiming at Bang. But the old master barely shifted, redirecting the massive claw with a single precise strike, sending the monster reeling.
"Focus!" Bang snapped. "Flow together!"
The three adjusted, falling into a rough rhythm. Bang redirected, Renji struck with his staff, and Kaizen flowed between them, fists battering the creature's weak spots.
For a moment, it seemed to work. The monster staggered, its carapace cracked, ichor spilling.
But then, with a furious screech, it slammed both claws into the ground. The impact blasted a shockwave through the street, flinging debris in every direction. Kaizen was hurled back, crashing into a wall. Pain flared across his ribs.
The storm inside him screamed for release.
He staggered to his feet, vision hazy. Bang and Renji were still standing, but the monster was recovering fast, claws raised for another strike.
If I hold back… someone dies.
The thought tore through him like lightning.
But if I unleash it… I might lose myself.
The claws came down.
Kaizen's body moved on instinct. He surged forward, fists glowing with suppressed force, striking the beast's claw at the last possible moment. The impact cracked the monster's armor and sent it stumbling backward, but the air around Kaizen distorted, wind spiraling violently.
For a heartbeat, his eyes flickered not calm, but storm.
Renji saw it. His stomach twisted.
There it is, he thought. The monster inside him.
Bang saw it too. His heart clenched, though his expression remained steady.
"Kaizen," Bang called sharply, grounding the boy with his voice. "Do not lose the flow. Control it."
Kaizen's chest heaved, fists trembling, the storm roaring louder than ever. But he forced himself to breathe, to flow, to remember every lesson. His fists steadied. The distortion faded.
"I… will… control it," he growled.
Together, they pressed again. Bang redirected, Renji struck, and Kaizen hammered weak points, channeling his storm into precise, controlled bursts.
Finally, with a unified strike, they shattered the monster's carapace. It let out one final screech before collapsing, ichor spilling into the street.
Silence fell, broken only by the sound of villagers cheering in the distance.
Kaizen stood trembling, chest heaving, fists bloodied. He had held it back barely.
Renji stared at him, expression dark. "You almost lost it. I saw it."
Kaizen's jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
Bang stepped between them, his voice firm but calm. "Enough. The fight is over. You both fought well."
But inside, Bang's doubt deepened. Kaizen's storm was real. And it was growing.
Later, as the dojo settled, Kaizen sat alone beneath the courtyard lantern, staring at his fists. They still trembled.
He had saved Renji. He had fought with Bang. He had even held back the storm.
But for how long?
In the shadows beyond the walls, Garou watched, lips curling into a grin.
"Oh, Kaizen," he whispered. "I can see the cracks spreading. You won't hold it back forever. And when you break… I'll be waiting."