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Bang Gu's expression was more solemn than ever; having seen Mr. KING handle the meteor, he naturally no longer doubted his strength.
He wanted to see what kind of scenery awaited at the peak of the man hailed as "The Strongest Man on Earth"!
Lin Mo's heart was already a tumultuous storm.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm his pounding heart, but this only made the roar of the Emperor Engine sound even more powerful and resonant.
He slowly stood up from his seat, a simple action that he found exceptionally difficult.
His gaze swept across Bang Gu's aged face, which was filled with anticipation and fighting spirit, then passed him, drifting towards the large tree in the dojo courtyard.
He even wondered if, should they truly come to blows, he would be sent flying by a single punch and end up hanging from that tree.
"Master Bang Gu…" Lin Mo finally spoke, his voice dry and hoarse from nervousness.
"I cannot 'spar' with you."
These words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.
These words made Bang Gu frown. Was he looking down on this old man?
Just as the atmosphere was about to become even more awkward, Genos, who was standing to the side, suddenly had a flash of insight, as if a lightning bolt had struck his mind.
He immediately stepped forward, placing himself between Lin Mo and Bang Gu, adopting a posture of extreme respect as he explained:
"Master Bang Gu, please forgive my bluntness. You have misunderstood Mr. KING's meaning. For Mr. KING, the concept of 'sparring' does not exist."
"Oh?" Bang Gu lowered his stance, his gaze like a torch as he looked at this rising S-class star.
He wanted to hear what explanation this cyborg, acknowledged by Mr. KING, could offer.
Data streams flashed in Genos's eyes, and he analyzed in a rigorous tone: "The output of power has a threshold."
"My Incineration Cannon can adjust its power, your Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist can control its force, and even Saitama Sensei… perhaps can barely control himself not to kill people."
"But Mr. KING is different."
Genos's words were impactful:
"Once the Emperor Engine operates at full power, the result is inevitably destruction! He is not refusing to spar with you; rather, it is to protect you, to protect this dojo, that he cannot and does not wish to make a move."
This seemingly reasonable explanation made Bang Gu tremble!
He recalled Mr. KING's golden light net that covered the entire city, precisely annihilating all meteor fragments.
To forcibly split a power capable of destroying everything into countless parts—the process itself was an incredibly difficult feat of control!
And now, facing a "spar" with just him, he simply couldn't compress that power to a degree suitable for "training."
Any slight leakage would be a catastrophe for him and the dojo!
"This old man understands." Cold sweat once again seeped from Bang Gu's forehead, and he completely dropped his stance.
Seeing this, the huge stone that had been hanging in Lin Mo's heart for half the day finally crashed to the ground.
He cheered wildly for Genos in his mind: "Well done, Genos!"
He decided to strike while the iron was hot and completely end this topic.
"System, raise my Spirit to 70!"
[Spirit +55, consumes 5500 energy points!]
In an instant, an indescribable coolness spread from the depths of Lin Mo's mind.
His thoughts, which had been somewhat muddled by tension, instantly became clearer than ever before.
He could even "see" the distinctly different aura flows around Bang Gu and Genos.
Lin Mo slowly raised his right hand, extended a finger, and pointed, from several meters away, at the ceramic teacup on the coffee table in front of him, the one Charanko had just poured tea into.
"Look." Lin Mo only said one word.
Everyone's eyes were focused on that ordinary teacup.
Inside the dojo, you could hear a pin drop.
Only the roar of the Emperor Engine continued.
Under everyone's gaze, a subtle, almost imperceptible crack suddenly appeared on the surface of the teacup, which had been sitting quietly on the table.
Had it not been for the extraordinary individuals present, it would have been impossible to notice.
Immediately after, with a soft "crack," the crack spread from the rim of the cup all the way to the bottom.
There were no energy fluctuations, no external contact throughout the entire process.
"Indeed! After increasing my Spirit, I can use mental power! Although weak, it's enough!" Lin Mo was ecstatic inwardly, but outwardly maintained the calm, unperturbed expression of a "strong man."
"This… this…" The head disciple, Charanko, was so frightened that he went limp and collapsed onto the ground, unable to articulate a single clear sentence.
The scene unfolding before his eyes had completely surpassed the limits of his understanding.
Genos's eyes flickered with awe: "Just the aftershock of his fighting will is enough to interfere with matter… Is this the realm of strongest man on earth (title/epithet)…"
"No moves are better than having moves… Subduing the enemy without fighting…" Bang Gu murmured, then bowed to Lin Mo.
"Thank you for your guidance, Mr. KING, this old man… has learned a great deal."
The crisis was finally resolved in a perfectly unexpected way for Lin Mo.
The huge stone hanging in Lin Mo's heart crashed to the ground. He was afraid that Bang Gu or someone else might have another "epiphany" and request "guidance" again, so he immediately and somewhat stiffly changed the subject:
"I'm hungry."
"…"
One second they were discussing sparring, the next they jumped to such a down-to-earth topic. This huge contrast left both Bang Gu and Genos stunned.
"Oh, right, right!" Saitama was the first to react. He rubbed his bald head, his eyes shining, "After all that talk, let's go eat hotpot! I know a new place nearby that has beef on special!"
"Sensei…" Genos looked at his teacher with some helplessness, but immediately bowed and agreed.
"Sensei's suggestion is very constructive. After a series of battles (though others were fighting), replenishing energy is necessary."
Bang Gu snapped out of it, looked at the three strong individuals with vastly different personalities before him, and suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha! You're right! You can't train on an empty stomach!" Bang Gu's earlier seriousness vanished, replaced by a hearty and generous demeanor.
"What new place? Nothing beats home cooking! I happen to have some excellent beef and vegetables here. If you don't mind, how about we have hotpot right here in the dojo?"
"Oh, oh! That's great!" Saitama was as happy as a child.
Lin Mo was overjoyed; he finally didn't have to be on edge anymore. He slowly sat down, nodded, and said:
"Mm."
Watching Bang Gu and Charanko bustling about to prepare ingredients, and Saitama and Genos excitedly discussing hotpot dipping sauces nearby, Lin Mo leaned against a pillar and breathed a sigh of relief.
The sun was just right, the breeze was gentle, and it felt quite nice.