"Hiss!!!"
In the temporary dojo, Charanko was busy bandaging Bang and Bomb.
"Charanko, be more gentle. This old man's body can't take much more of this rough treatment," Bang winced.
"Sorry, Master Bang, I'll be more careful," Charanko replied, his face full of apology. His movements became gentler, but he was still visibly shaken from the recent battle, making it hard for him to fully control his hands.
At this point, just being able to help with the bandages was the most he could manage.
Bang, aware of this, gritted his teeth in pain but refrained from further scolding. Compared to his older brother, he was in much better shape.
Bomb, on the other hand, was fully wrapped up like a mummy.
"Phew, Brother Yami's strength is truly terrifying," Bang remarked. "What amazes me the most is his extraordinary learning ability. Not only did he master my Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist in such a short time, but he also learned your Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist, big brother."
"And... he even managed to perfectly replicate the Cross Fang Dragon Slayer Fist, improving upon it."
"What a genius!"
"Even compared to Garou, he's on another level," Bang added with an astonished tone, loud enough for others to hear.
"Hmph!" Bomb let out a cold snort but said nothing to refute it.
After all, if someone like Yami wasn't a peerless genius, then no one could claim that title. But despite that acknowledgment, it still stung to have been defeated so decisively.
Just then, Sitch entered the dojo. He had overheard Bang's comments and took note of everything.
"Mr. Bang, how are you feeling?" Sitch asked with concern. "Would you like me to take you to a hospital near headquarters? Their medical facilities are top-notch, and you could recover in no time."
"Thank you for your concern, Sitch, but that won't be necessary," Bang replied. "Our injuries may look serious, but they're not as bad as they seem. I believe Brother Yami held back—if he hadn't, we'd likely be dead."
"Still, it'll take us a few months to fully recover."
"I'm afraid I won't be able to fulfill the association's requests for a while. Could you report this to the association on my behalf?" Bang added, a deep sense of guilt in his voice.
In his view, one should always fulfill their duties, and Bang had always prided himself on that. Unlike other S-Class heroes, he was easy to work with and would immediately respond if a ghost-level or even dragon-level threat emerged in any city.
So, asking for time off like this weighed heavily on him.
Sitch, understanding this, nodded immediately. "Don't worry, Mr. Bang. I'll explain everything to the association. During this time, please focus on recovering at the dojo. We'll assign other S-Class heroes to handle any threats."
"And if you need anything, just let me know. The association will do everything in its power to assist you."
Sitch's words reflected the sincere support of the Heroes Association. For powerful heroes like Bang, the association generally allowed a great deal of freedom. As long as they didn't do anything that endangered humanity or violate the association's principles, heroes were given leeway.
This was the respect deserved by those who maintained peace.
"Thank you very much," Bang said, relieved by Sitch's assurances.
After a pause, Bang's expression turned serious once more.
"One more thing, Sitch—I want to talk about Brother Yami."
"Brother Yami is incredibly strong, perhaps even stronger than all the other heroes, aside from Blast. And he's growing at an astonishing rate."
"In my short time with him, I've found him to be an easygoing person, but that doesn't mean he'll tolerate being provoked."
"My advice to the association is to be cautious. Avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings that could lead to tragedy."
"It wouldn't be pretty if things escalated."
Bang's warning made Sitch's expression turn serious as well.
Recalling the earlier battle, Sitch fully understood the gravity of Bang's words. If someone like Yami ever turned against the Heroes Association or even humanity, it would be disastrous.
Such a situation had to be avoided at all costs.
"I understand, Mr. Bang. I'll discuss this with the other members of the association. Even if we can't convince Mr. Yami to join us, we certainly don't want to make an enemy of him."
"After all, we're all on the same side," Sitch agreed.
Bang sighed in relief. "It's good to know you feel that way."
The two then had a more detailed discussion, which led to some productive conclusions. As night fell, Sitch finally got up to leave, ensuring that those responsible for rebuilding the dojo remained behind.
After all, Bang's dojo had to be restored to its original state.
As the helicopter carrying Sitch flew off into the distance, Bang watched it disappear before turning toward his mummified older brother. An expression of deep apology appeared on his face once again.
"I'm sorry, big brother. It's all because of me that you ended up like this."
"What are you talking about, Bang?" Bomb responded sternly, despite his inability to move. "I'm your older brother. It's only right that we face powerful enemies together."
The scene fell into a heavy silence. Charanko didn't dare speak, not wanting to disturb the atmosphere.
After a while, Bomb broke the silence.
"Bang, our training is still lacking."
"Yes, big brother," Bang replied.