Reborn with Steve Stand

Chapter 609: Monster Association Arc Begins

"The guy who angered me last time?"

Hearing Ah Xue's comment, Fang Mo seemed a bit stunned as well: "Everyone who has angered me is already dead... How come there's still one alive?"

"Probably because... their crime wasn't worthy of death."

Ah Xue tilted her head in thought, then explained, "It's actually Mr. Bang's disciple, sir. Do you remember him? Last time he sort of called you the Root Of All Evil, though he didn't mean it."

"Oh, you mean that Charanko."

Hearing this, Fang Mo also recalled, but then he became curious: "What's he doing here again?"

"I'm not sure about that."

Ah Xue shook her head: "But he looks quite bad now, I didn't recognize him at first sight; you'll see when you look at him."

"...You couldn't recognize him?"

However, when Fang Mo moved from the second-floor bedroom to the living room on the first floor, he suddenly understood Ah Xue's earlier comment... because he really almost didn't recognize Charanko.

Unlike the last time he visited, Charanko, although still in a training suit, seemed to have been severely beaten up, his face swollen like a pig's head, every part of his face covered with purple bruises, and several bandages wrapped around his head.

Honestly, if Fang Mo hadn't seen the cartoon avatar on the mini-map, he definitely wouldn't have recognized his real identity.

"Goodness."

After seeing this scene, Fang Mo couldn't help but comment: "Did someone try to crack your skull open?"

"Ah, Fang Mo."

Hearing Fang Mo's voice, Saitama, who was sitting aside drinking tea and watching TV, also snapped back to reality, cheerfully greeting him: "Good afternoon, aren't you hunting monsters today?"

"Can't be bothered."

Fang Mo waved his hand indifferently.

"Won't they dock your pay?" Saitama popped a snack into his mouth, chewing curiously: "Over here, if I don't work for a long time, they actually dock my pay."

"Dock my pay?"

Fang Mo chuckled: "I'd like to see them try... Dare to dock my pay?"

"...Well, never mind then."

Hearing this, Saitama suddenly found his snack less tasty.

"So what are you here for this time?" Fang Mo wasn't much concerned with these matters, instead, he looked at Charanko and Genos, then at Saitama: "It can't be that you're looking for Ancient One again? Can't you just walk out the door yourself? Ancient One isn't a bus... every time you step out, you seek her to open a portal?"

"What are you talking about!" Saitama's face turned sour upon hearing this: "The last time I went to A City, I ran all the way there, didn't I?"

"Mr. Fang Mo, Saitama-sensei is indeed here for a reason."

It was then that Genos spoke up proactively: "It's about Mr. Bang's problem."

"Oh, I see."

Fang Mo nodded, seeing that Charanko, Bang's disciple, had come along, it was clear that this matter must be related to Bang: "Go on, what's the matter?"

"Let me introduce."

Hearing this, Saitama also pointed at Charanko and said: "His name is Charanko, the chief disciple of Old Master Bang."

"That, Mr. Saitama."

Before Fang Mo could speak, Charanko himself interjected a bit nervously: "Mr. Priest and I have already met before, though I was rather rude at the time..."

"Ah, so you know each other?"

Hearing this, Saitama also belatedly scratched his head: "Well, that makes things easier to explain then..."

"What exactly do you need?"

As he spoke, Fang Mo walked towards the living room, then plopped down on the sofa: "You don't want me to heal his facial injuries, do you? Sorry, I'm a doctor, if you want my help healing... let him call me twice first."

"It's not like that, Mr. Fang Mo."

Hearing this, Genos promptly explained: "Mr. Fang Mo, as an S-class hero, you must have received the notice from the Hero Association, right? About the disciple of Mr. Bang, Garou, who is hunting heroes all around..."

"I got it."

Fang Mo nodded: "The Association told me, if you encounter Garou, just beat him to death."

"Is that what the Association told you?"

Genos mused: "As for me, the Hero Association thinks I'm no match for Garou, and if I encounter him, I can immediately call for other S-class heroes for support... but I think I should be able to beat him."

"You should listen to some advice."

Saitama also heard Genos's words and spoke up: "I heard that guy defeated the top ten S-class heroes."

"It's okay, Saitama-sensei, my power reactor has been fully upgraded."

Genos confidently smiled: "Now my energy storage has reached four times what it was before. If I can't beat Garou in a direct confrontation, he definitely can't escape the radius of my self-destruction!"

"Haha what a self-destruction expert."

Hearing his words, Fang Mo immediately burst into laughter.

"...Why are you still thinking about self-destruction?" However, Saitama heard this and couldn't help but grimace: "I told you, Genos, can't we handle things calmly?"

"Don't worry, sensei, my defense core has also been upgraded, even if I self-destruct, I won't die."

Genos tried to reassure him.

"That's not the issue of whether you die or not." Saitama sighed in exasperation: "Didn't I teach you? This kind of thing should... forget it, let's talk about the main issue now."

Saying this.

Saitama also looked up at Fang Mo.

"Hmm?"

Seeing the lively scene, Fang Mo also reacted and directly asked: "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Have you heard of the martial arts tournament?"

Saitama asked.

"Oh, I think I've heard of it." Fang Mo nodded, it seemed to be a competition spontaneously organized by martial artists, somewhat like the World Martial Arts Tournament, where people gathered to exchange martial arts skills, and of course, the champion would gain both fame and fortune.

If Fang Mo remembered correctly, something happened after this martial arts tournament.

In the revised version by Murata, a lot of new content was added, such as the Monster Association's invasion plot.

This so-called Monster Association invasion... meant that several dragon-level monsters brought a bunch of monster cells, invaded various cities, forced those with some abilities to eat monster cells, and then turned them into monsters, and one of the places invaded was the martial arts tournament venue.

And one of the iconic scenes in Murata's revised version, grabbing meat...

Was exactly during this plot.

"Emmm..."

Thinking of this, Fang Mo couldn't help but ponder, this martial arts tournament seemed quite interesting.

"This is the case, Fang Mo."

While Fang Mo was pondering these thoughts, Saitama also spoke up: "Charanko was originally Mr. Bang's disciple, but this morning Mr. Bang suddenly beat him up for no apparent reason and expelled him from the school... and then this guy asked me to help him participate in the martial arts tournament."

"Mr. Saitama, Mr. Bang didn't beat him up for no reason."

Hearing this, Genos also spoke up to correct: "It's because of the hero hunting matter, Mr. Bang didn't want Charanko to be involved in this, so he expelled him from the school."

"That's right, it's like this."

Charanko also quickly nodded, guiltily lowering his head and saying: "It's all my fault for being too weak, I couldn't help my master... and now even some petty people dare to challenge the dojo of Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, but I can't do anything, I can only ask you to help me. If I could win the championship of the martial arts tournament under the name of Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, that should solve quite a few problems."

"Oh, like this."

Hearing the explanations from several people, Fang Mo also nodded.

He did have some impression of this plot, it seemed like Saitama pretended to be Charanko to participate in the martial arts tournament, and of course, his disguise was very perfunctory... he just wore a wig.

Of course, that was the original plot.

But strangely, now Saitama suddenly came to him for no apparent reason.

This made Fang Mo a bit puzzled, normally this matter had nothing to do with him, it was Saitama who went to impersonate Charanko.

Thinking of this, Fang Mo also curiously asked: "So what are you coming to me for?"

"I..."

"What else could he mean."

Saitama hadn't finished speaking when suddenly a female voice came from the stairs, Fang Mo turned his head and saw Xiao Yao slowly walking over in a pair of slippers: "He says he's coming to you, but he's definitely coming to find Ancient One, maybe he wants to borrow a wig..."

"Ah, it's you."

Saitama looked up and of course noticed Xiao Yao there, then he cheerfully greeted: "You got out of school pretty early today..."

"You're me insulting again!"

"Alright alright Xiao Yao..."

Fang Mo saw this and quickly embraced her, then turned his head to look at Saitama: "So you're really here to borrow a wig?"

"What wig."

Saitama's face suddenly darkened: "I originally wanted to ask if you were interested in the martial arts tournament, if you could pretend to be Charanko and compete, but after this kid reminded me... I suddenly realized, I can do it myself."

"Not... I don't look like Charanko at all, how can you let me pretend to be him?"

Fang Mo asked somewhat perplexedly.

"That's the thing, Mr. Fang Mo." Genos opened his mouth to explain: "Miss Ah Xue mentioned before, saying that shape is just a superficial appearance for you... I just took it upon myself to interpret it as disguise magic, don't you know this magic?"

"Oh, you mean this."

Fang Mo heard this, then instinctively nodded: "I do know this, but it's only limited to myself..."

As soon as the words fell, a flash of white light suddenly passed over Fang Mo's body.

The next second he turned into a petite young girl, still with white hair and red pupils, but the entire process was too rapid, causing everyone to be stunned, even Xiao Yao in his arms was no exception, shocked looking at Fang Mo.

And Fang Mo didn't hesitate, taking advantage of his partner's stunned moment, he immediately brought his face closer.

Only a light 'click' was heard, Fang Mo clearly felt the little one in his arms stiffen, but Fang Mo also knew when to stop, the next second he turned back to his original form.

"Anyway, that's it."

Fang Mo deliberately ignored Xiao Yao, but deliberately put on a serious face: "I could go there, but honestly... I definitely won't go to help the dojo of Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist compete, because I also have my own style."

"You also have a style?"

Saitama heard this, coming back from his surprise: "What style?"

"Hmm..."

Fang Mo briefly recalled, then suddenly raised his hand and vigorously rubbed Xiao Yao's head, followed by loudly saying: "Waste MAN! Watch my Green Fly Hand Rubbing Fist!"

"...I didn't ask."

Saitama rubbed his forehead with some headache.

"Anyway, that's it." Fang Mo laughed and clapped his hands, then once again hugged the about-to-explode Xiao Yao in his arms: "I'll participate in your fist-wishing meeting, see you on the stage then."

"What the heck is a fist-wishing meeting?"

Saitama couldn't help but correct: "It's clearly called the martial arts tournament, okay?"

But having said this, Saitama himself seemed to hesitate for a moment, then looked forward to asking Fang Mo: "...so you're really going?"

"Yeah."

Fang Mo nodded: "I mainly plan to practice boxing, I've recently been interested in boxing."

This point Fang Mo didn't lie, he had previously unlocked the Iron Fist Steve module, Steve himself could just return to the MC world to dig blocks and level up, but it was troublesome for him here, according to the system information given, it's very likely that he really had to go boxing.

The martial arts tournament was also a minor climax of the Monster Association arc, if he remembered correctly, the first dragon-level monster dispatched by the Monster Association appeared here.

It seemed to be called Gouketsu or something, bringing a lot of monster cells to invade the martial arts tournament, trying to turn the martial artists into monsters, honestly, this setting Fang Mo always felt a strong sense of déjà vu, he might as well go touch some of this monster meat at that time, maybe unlock some modules, wouldn't that be a profit?

Of course, even if he didn't unlock any modules, it would still be practice boxing.

Whether they were martial artists or monsters, anyway, just hammer them all to death first, it's good to see which one could level up.