Seven days later, Bang led Garou and Aomori to visit 36 martial arts dojos. Thanks to Bang's influence, both disciples successfully grasped the Fist Intent of the 36 schools they encountered.
Today, they were heading to the final dojo—the Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist school.
The founder of the Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist is Bomb, Bang's older brother. His strength is immense, even surpassing Bang's.
His dojo is also much larger than Bang's, boasting several hundred disciples.
"Onii-chan, I've come to see you," Bang called out affectionately as they approached the dojo gates.
Having already been informed of Bang's visit, Bomb immediately stepped out after hearing his voice. He looked very old and similarly white-haired, but he kept his hair and beard long, with a receding hairline. An air of sheer power emanated naturally from him.
Seeing Bang, a look of delight flashed across his face before he quickly composed himself: "Oh, Bang, you've arrived."
"Yes. How is your health?"
"Mmm, same as always." Bomb's gaze shifted to Garou and Aomori. "These two are the disciples you're so proud of. They certainly look like they have some skill."
Garou and Aomori bowed to Bomb simultaneously.
"They are far stronger than I was as a wayward youth."
"Is that so? Then I'll have to take a good look later."
Bomb and Bang walked side-by-side, with Garou and Aomori following close behind. They passed through the main gate and entered the outdoor training ground beyond.
At this moment, Bomb's hundreds of outer-disciples were lined up neatly, practicing basic exercises, their shouts echoing throughout the entire dojo.
Garou looked on with disdain, while Aomori kept his eyes straight ahead. The two followed Bomb and Bang through the formation and into a smaller training ground inside.
Dozens of people were practicing martial arts there; these were Bomb's inner-disciples, who were qualified to learn the Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist.
"Bang, do you need time to prepare, or should we start immediately?"
"Let's start immediately. I believe they can't wait any longer," Bang said to Bomb, glancing at the two disciples behind him.
"Very well." Bomb called the dozens of disciples to a halt and instructed them, "Go set up the Whirlwind Iron Cutting Formation. We have two people attempting to break through the formation today."
One person was stunned: "Sensei, are we all going to participate?"
Bomb nodded.
"But there are 88 of us here."
"Stop talking nonsense. Do as you're told, and quickly."
Having received their master's confirmation, the disciples exchanged looks, then simultaneously cast pitying glances toward Garou and Aomori before positioning themselves to form a three-layered circle.
"The two of you, step inside," Bang told them.
'How ridiculous!' Garou put his hands in his pockets and swaggered into the circle, taking a stand at the center.
Aomori had a vague premonition, but he trusted that Bang would not harm him. Steeling his resolve, he stepped in and stood behind Garou, the two of them back-to-back.
"Onii-chan, I recall your top disciple only faced the Whirlwind Iron Cutting Formation of 30 people back then," Bang asked solemnly, his hands clasped behind his back.
"Indeed. He almost died. But he benefited from the misfortune, and his strength advanced by leaps and bounds," Bomb said, looking at Aomori and Garou inside the formation. "Bang, are you certain you want to do this? Two people facing an 88-person formation is completely different from one person facing a 44-person formation. The slightest mistake, and even you and I might not be able to save them."
"Don't worry. I trust them!" Bang stated resolutely, though his clasped hands behind his back were tightly clenched.
"Alright." Bomb turned to his disciples and announced, "Begin!"
"Hah!"
Receiving the signal, the 88 disciples struck the stance for the Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist, then uniformly began performing the technique in front of Garou and Aomori.
"Hey, hey, are you demonstrating the Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist just for us? We're truly grateful!" Garou showed a look of greed, his eyes glued to their movements as he tried to observe and learn.
Aomori felt it couldn't be that simple. He carefully sensed the changes in their surroundings.
As the 88 disciples performed the Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist over and over, Aomori felt the surrounding wind patterns shift.
The previously clear sky suddenly became gray and overcast. Fierce winds abruptly rose in the training ground, kicking up sand and stones. Two rows of trees were blown back and forth, and piles of fallen leaves spiraled into the sky.
"Changing the weather? How could a martial art achieve something like that?" Aomori searched through his memories but couldn't find any record of the Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist having such an effect. "Is it a hallucination created by the Fist Intent?"
"It's not just a hallucination." Bang glanced at the bright sunshine overhead, a worried expression on his face.
Seeing the wind intensify, Garou also noticed that something was wrong. He smelled danger, and discarding the attempt to secretly learn the technique, he crouched down with a solemn expression, adopting an aggressive stance.
At this point, the wind reached a critical threshold. Dozens of small whirlwinds appeared in front of Garou and Aomori, driven by these micro-tornadoes. The wind seemed to transform into countless razor-sharp blades, carving streaks of cracks across the trees and the ground.
Aomori felt a sharp pain on his face, and a thin line of blood was drawn across his delicate skin.
"It's not a hallucination?" A flicker of shock went through his heart. This was the first time his understanding of reality had been subverted.
"It is, and it isn't, a hallucination. When Fist Intent is condensed to a certain degree, it can influence reality. The Whirlwind Iron Cutting Formation of 88 people fuses the Fist Intent of everyone in the array, achieving the level where it can affect reality. Only Fist Intent can counter Fist Intent. Garou, Aomori, if the two of you cannot achieve a breakthrough in this formation and grasp Fist Intent, you will be killed by the Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist."
Outside the training area, Bang's booming voice transmitted the message to the two of them. His eyes held worry, but even more, anticipation: 'Garou, Aomori, after perceiving so many different Fist Intents, you should already have a thorough grasp of the concept. You will surely comprehend the Fist Intent of the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist. But that's not enough. You must also incorporate your own will. When the Fist Intent Illumines the Heart, that is when you will be strongest!'
"Damn old man, are you serious?" The dozens of small whirlwinds gradually merged into a single entity, making the wind even more immense. Fine, dense wind blades cut into Garou's body, leaving behind small lacerations.
If they couldn't come up with an effective way to resist before the winds fully coalesced into a massive tornado, they would be sliced into pieces by the wind blades.
"I am the man destined to become the Monster of this World[1]! Don't underestimate me!" Licking a drop of blood from his hand, Garou was the first to explode with power. He had dedicated years to the study of the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, his understanding of it was sufficient, and achieving Fist Intent was a natural step for him.
Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist!
Garou's aura suddenly surged, seeming to transform into a rushing river. However, even this flow was being tossed into waves under the fury of the storm.
"Not enough!" Garou revealed a savage expression, and his aura shifted again. The current of water actively surged toward the storm, wave after wave, pressing forward relentlessly, just like the hunger within Garou himself.
In that very moment, he unleashed his own unique Fist Intent of Monster!
————
[1] The Monster here is Evil in raw, but I feel like that doesn't suits Garou's personality and his goal to become the "Monster". Besides Monsters are Evil, so I opted for the former.
You can read the ahead chapter on Patr-eon if you're interested: p-atre-on.c-om/Overgod [Just remove the hyphen to access normally]