"Good morning, Senior Brother!"
"Good morning, Senior Brother!"
"Good morning, Senior Brother!"
The chorus of greetings echoed throughout the dojo, a sign of the genuine respect the junior disciples had for Yamcha.
"Good morning, junior brothers."
Standing in front of the group, Yamcha stood with his hands behind his back, as straight as a pole.
"Good morning, Senior Brother!"
Though their response was uniform, it lacked power.
"Didn't eat enough breakfast? I can't hear you!"
With just a slight narrowing of his eyes, Yamcha made every disciple tense up.
"GOOD MORNING, SENIOR BROTHER!!!"
"Very good, full of spirit!"
It wasn't that Yamcha was being harsh—momentum was essential for a martial artist. The concept of dominating with presence was crucial. If one couldn't generate their own aura of dominance, they could compensate in other ways—like sheer volume.
Inside the dojo, Yamcha swept his gaze over the group before landing on Garou.
"Garou, train with me today."
Hearing that Garou had been chosen, the other disciples let out a collective sigh of relief.
"Yes, Senior Brother!" Garou responded respectfully.
This would have been unthinkable in the past. Previously, Garou only showed respect to Master Bang; his attitude toward others had always been cold. But now, there was one more person he acknowledged—Yamcha.
Two months had passed since Garou's crushing defeat at the hands of Yamcha in their battle at the dojo.
When faced with Yamcha's Wolf Fang Wind Wind Fist, Garou had been utterly powerless. If Yamcha hadn't held back, Garou would have been a corpse by now.
Understanding the vast gap between them, Garou's attitude toward Yamcha took a complete 180-degree turn.
If anyone in the dojo respected Yamcha the most, it was undoubtedly Garou.
After that fight, the other disciples also shifted their attitude toward Yamcha from indifferent to reverent, leading to the respectful greetings at the start.
Now, Yamcha was undeniably the Senior Brother of Flowing Water Rock Smashing Fist.
The Evolution of the Dojo
Over the past two months, the number of disciples had remained steady at 96.
The reason? Yamcha's overwhelming presence as Senior Brother.
Whether intentionally or not, Master Bang had handed over the responsibility of managing the disciples to him. As a result, no one dared to leave the dojo without permission.
However, having Yamcha oversee their training had its benefits—every disciple had grown significantly stronger. Now, any of them could be considered a top martial artist in their own right.
Yamcha frequently picked disciples at random for sparring, using it as an excuse to "train them." Of course, anyone he picked ended up thoroughly beaten.
Aside from Garou, no one could even withstand a few exchanges with him.
A Brief but Intense Duel
After another short but fierce battle, Yamcha extended his right hand toward the exhausted, fallen Garou.
"Garou, your technique is improving rapidly."
Even as Garou grasped Yamcha's hand and was pulled up, he couldn't hide his disappointment.
"And yet, I still couldn't force you to use Wolf Fang Wind Fist."
Garou had progressed at an astonishing rate, but Yamcha's growth was even faster. With the aid of Pearl Jam, his improvements were visible day by day.
Even without using Wolf Fang Wind Fist or Flowing Water Rock Smashing Fist, Yamcha was still leagues beyond Garou.
The Disciples' Shock
"The Senior Brother is getting even stronger—I couldn't even see how he attacked!"
"His growth is terrifying. Even Garou is being left far behind."
"If only I had even a tenth of Senior Brother's strength…"
"Tenth? I'd settle for even a twentieth!"
The disciples murmured amongst themselves, still awestruck from watching the sparring match.
A Summons from Master Bang
At that moment, a voice called out from the doorway.
"Senior Brother! Master Bang wants to see you!"
The voice belonged to Kusuo, a fellow disciple. His combat ability wasn't impressive, but he trained diligently and had a good temperament. That's why Master Bang often had him act as his messenger.
"Understood."
With a nod, Yamcha dismissed the disciples and walked away.
Garou watched his retreating figure with admiration, but suddenly, an unsettling feeling crept into his heart.
Why do I feel like he's never coming back?
He quickly shook his head, brushing off the thought as nonsense before returning to his training.
A Farewell to the Dojo
Master Bang's quarters were located deep within the dojo. Ever since entrusting Yamcha with managing the disciples, Bang had rarely appeared in the training hall.
He would only offer guidance when he felt like it, and whoever was lucky enough to receive it was entirely up to fate.
"Master, Kusuo told me you were looking for me."
Bang stood in his room, gazing at a painting on the wall. He turned around slowly upon hearing Yamcha's voice.
"Have you made up your mind? You really want to leave?"
Yesterday, Yamcha had informed Bang of his decision to depart. Bang had told him to sleep on it before giving a final answer.
At this point, Yamcha had learned nearly everything the dojo had to offer. Staying any longer would only slow his progress. It was time to seek a new path.
"Yes, Master. The world is vast—I want to see it for myself."
"Traveling is good for a young man… just like my senior brother and I did long ago."
Bang nodded, not pressing the matter further.
"Follow me."
He led Yamcha to a secluded training room—his private training ground.
"I don't know where you're headed or what you'll do. I won't ask, nor will I interfere. Every person must walk their own path, and no one can predict the future.
If you want to leave, I won't stop you."
As he spoke, Bang suddenly tore off his robe, revealing an astonishingly muscular physique.
His seemingly frail body hid an insane level of muscle definition—ten-pack abs and all.
"Your Flowing Water Rock Smashing Fist has evolved into your own unique style. There's nothing more I can teach you about it.
But as your Master, I still have one last thing to pass on."
Bang's presence surged like a tidal wave, overwhelming Yamcha just as it had when they first met.
"Watch closely. I will only demonstrate once. How much you learn is up to you."
The Final Lesson
One hour later, Bang redressed himself, his voice steady yet firm as he spoke to Yamcha.
"Don't embarrass me. Remember, you are my prized disciple."
"Yes, Master!"
Yamcha bowed deeply, his respect for Bang genuine.
His Master had just shown him everything—his life's work. Even techniques he had sealed away, such as Exploding Heart Liberation Fist, had been revealed.
Yamcha might not be able to use them just yet, but they would serve him well in the future.
The Beginning of a New Journey
Before leaving this world, Yamcha traveled across cities, purchasing rare and unique goods.
During his stop in Z-City, he came across a fallen Crab Monster.
More precisely, a dead Crab Monster.
Beside it stood a panting, dead-eyed office worker.
"Yo. Nice work," Yamcha said casually.
Thus began everything in this world.
(Chapter End)