In a huge underground laboratory on the outskirts of Z-City, the air was filled with the unique scent of metal.
Genos lay quietly on the repair platform, his eyes tightly closed.
Most of his body armor had been removed, revealing the spiderweb-like internal wiring.
Several mechanical arms moved over him, emitting faint "clacking" sounds, while nanobots repaired the wounds left from his battle with Gouket.
Although his body was in a semi-dormant repair state, his thoughts raced at an unprecedented speed.
Again and again, he replayed the devastating defeat in his mind.
Gouket's terrifying oppressive presence, a casual blow from him capable of shattering the firepower Genos prided himself on.
In the past, after such a crushing defeat, his heart would have been filled with the fire of revenge and an obsessive craving for power.
He would immediately ask the Doctor for stronger firepower, more robust armor, and greater speed.
But this time, something was different.
In his thoughts, besides Gouket's terrifying face, another face repeatedly flashed—Mr. KING's calm face.
Why, why did I feel despair and the anger of needing to surpass when facing Gouket?
And when facing Mr. KING, why did I feel awe and my own insignificance?
What exactly is the essence of power?
As his thoughts churned, at the other end of the platform, Doctor Kuseno was intently staring at a huge holographic screen, densely packed with Genos's body data.
He adjusted his glasses, a complex expression of both relief and worry on his face.
"Genos, this combat system is based on the theory you brought back last time, a... one could say, revolutionary design."
The Doctor's voice broke the silence of the laboratory, carrying a hint of a scientist's excitement and an elder's care.
"Doctor," Genos responded.
He slowly raised his newly installed arm, slowly clenching his fingers, feeling a completely different sense of power emanating from within than before.
"Regarding the guidance I relayed to you from Mr. KING—[KING Style Mysteries · Martial Arts · Mechanical Combat], what do you think of it?"
Genos's thoughts couldn't help but drift back to that dusk a few days ago.
It was shortly after he parted ways with Mr. KING and Saitama, that he, with immense reverence and solemnity, sought out Mr. KING again, who was sitting alone on a park bench.
The afterglow of the setting sun cast a long shadow of Mr. KING's figure.
He simply sat there quietly, as if he had become one with the entire world, both ordinary and extraordinary, so profound that he was unfathomable.
Genos walked up to him and bowed deeply.
"Mr. KING, regarding the philosophy of [KING Style Mysteries · Martial Arts · Mechanical Combat] that you imparted, I have a request."
Mr. KING looked at the serious and meticulous cyborg before him, feeling a bit helpless in his heart, but on the surface, he maintained the unperturbed demeanor of a strong man and nodded slightly.
Genos straightened up and said in a very sincere tone: "Such a profound martial arts philosophy, concerning the essence of power, is by no means an ordinary technique."
"I wonder if I can share it with my creator, Doctor Kuseno?"
"He is the creator and maintainer of my body; if he can understand this philosophy from an engineering perspective, perhaps he can design a body for me that can truly carry this 'will.'"
In his view, such "Mysteries" were closely guarded secrets, and should never be divulged without the master's permission.
This was a sign of respect for the strong and reverence for knowledge.
Mr. KING was slightly taken aback by the words, then understood Genos's concerns.
He chuckled inwardly and slowly said, "Of course you can."
Seeing the surprise and gratitude flash in Genos's eyes, he added:
"This is not some secret technique to be hidden; knowledge and philosophy only show their value through proper application. If it can help with your upgrade, then that's all the better."
"I understand! Thank you very much for your generosity, Mr. KING!"
Genos bowed ninety degrees again, his admiration for the magnanimity and bearing of this "The Strongest Man on Earth" deepening even further... At this moment, the repair program completed, pulling his thoughts back to reality.
Doctor Kuseno closed the data screen, turned around, and his expression became extremely serious.
"Yes, Genos. I must admit, at first I thought this was just some kind of idealistic combat philosophy."
"But when I input your description into the supercomputer for model simulation, the conclusions... shocked me."
The Doctor walked up to Genos, looking at the serious blond cyborg.
He had long regarded him as his own child.
"What Mr. KING referred to as 'resonance between spirit and mechanical core' can be understood as an unconventional command mode for the energy core, based on strong will."
"Your combat will—no longer just driving your actions, but a form that can directly interfere with and amplify energy output!"
The Doctor's eyes sparkled with the fervent light of a scientist discovering a new continent.
"So, I designed a brand new 'Spiritual Resonance Core' for you."
"When you concentrate, it will help convert your mental power into a tangible electrical surge, instantly pushing the core's output power beyond its theoretical limits!"
"But this is very dangerous, Genos." The Doctor's tone grew heavy again.
"This is equivalent to handing over your body's 'safety valve' to your emotions. Excessive anger or an unstable mental state could lead to core overload, or even self-destruction."
"You must learn to control it, not be controlled by it."
Genos fell silent.
He closed his electronic eyes, and Mr. KING's unruffled, yet seemingly all-knowing face, reappeared in his mind.
KING Style Mysteries · Martial Arts · Mechanical Combat.
This was not merely a combat technique, but also a method for controlling the mind.
Mr. KING had perhaps long seen through him, that he possessed a powerful mechanical body, but lacked a "strong man's heart" to match it.
Saitama's strength was pure, beyond measure.
And Mr. KING's strength seemed to lie more in a realm, an unassailable spiritual plane.
"I understand, Doctor."
Genos reopened his eyes, and in their golden glow, an unprecedented determination flickered.
"I will no longer allow my body to be damaged by losing control. I will become its master, its true master."
"I'm counting on you, Doctor!"
The next dozen hours became the most crucial evolution since Genos's creation.