Inner turmoil.

As dawn broke over the rugged peaks, the once-dark sky gradually lightened.

The cheerful chorus of birdsong echoed through the mountain, heralding the start of a new day.

The disciples at Bang's Dojo woke up early and began running laps around the mountain.

By the time the sun rose, the disciples had already started practicing their martial arts in the training ground.

Ren stirred awake to the sounds of disciplined practice.

"Young people should rise early in the morning, Ren-kun," Bang said, approaching him with a reprimanding tone.

"I'm here for a short vacation from work, not to do more work," Ren grumbled, casting a sideways glance at his master.

"Since you have nothing better to do, go help the others prepare breakfast," Bang commanded.

"Fine, geezer," Ren muttered under his breath.

*SMACK!*

"Did you say something?" Bang asked, putting away his plastic hammer.

"Seriously! Do you always carry that hammer around?" Ren said, annoyance creeping into his voice as he quickly walked past him toward the kitchen.

---

Ren's POV.

It's been a few years since I started hunting down monsters.

Although they appear ocationally, there have been many times when I couldn't reach them in time.

With the help of my super soldiers, I managed to establish a decent defense for A-City.

However, we don't have a method to deal with dragon-class threats if they ever appear.

As for demon-class threats, if my soldiers gather, they can probably take those monsters down. But such threats are rare, it's usually wolf or tiger-class monsters that show up.

I haven't read the "One Punch Man" manga and only watched until season two, but I did see a fan-made clip of Saitama versus Garou, where they fought using serious serious punch.

That sight gave me goosebumps, wishing I never saw that scene.

My lack of knowledge fuels my drive for power. If it's not possible to become as strong as Saitama.

I need to find other ways to handle my current situation.

That's one of the main reasons I came to Bang's Dojo. I haven't decided whether I should kill Garou or not. I mean, I just can't bring myself to kill a child.

My thoughts have been chaotic lately.

It's easy to think that once you start training with Saitama's regimen.

•100 push-ups.

•100 sit-ups.

•100 squats.

•10-kilometer run.

You'll become strong, right? Well, I trained thirty times harder than that.

While undoubtedly effective, pushing your physical limits to the extreme doesn't always yield the desired results.

Plus, obsessively training might turn me into a monster. Although I haven't found any documented cases of this, the fear of the unknown lingers.

That's why, after gaining a decent amount of strength, I didn't train as hard as before. I have much better things to do.

This leads me to wonder. What would be the best course of action to fight Saitama and monster Garou? If I train physically.

I have no doubt I'll be able to handle dragon-class threats by the time I reach my twenties. With my armor, I might dominate the fight completely.

But reaching the same level as those monsters? I highly doubt that. Although that's all speculation on my part.

I've had one plan in mind for a while now, but that will have to wait until the canon starts.

Probably about nine to ten years from now.

"Stop getting distracted," Bang scolded.

"Look, the soup is overflowing!" he pointed out, noticing the lid of the pot shaking as it spilled over.

"Hai, hai," Ren replied, quickly turning off the gas while holding the lid down.

"Come, let's go for a walk," his master said, folding his arms as he headed out of the kitchen.

Leaving his duties behind, Ren followed him.

"Why do you always get distracted?" Bang questioned. "Every time you're here, you're either sulking or brooding somewhere."

"Young people like you shouldn't think too much; just go with the flow," he continued. "Stop dwelling on the past and keep moving forward." Bang assumed Ren might still be traumatized by the death of his family.

"Huh, you misunderstood, Master," Ren said, surprised that his master had misinterpreted his thoughts. "It's just that the evil running rampant around the world shows no sign of stopping."

"It hasn't changed since the day I started hunting monsters."

"In other words, I feel like I'm having no impact on society," Ren replied.

"Why do you care about such things? You're not a police officer or a soldier; it's not your job to take care of monsters," Bang said seriously.

"I thought you were smarter than that. Why worry about such complicated things? Just follow the current like a stream flowing wherever the path leads."

"Don't let negative thoughts cloud your judgment, my student. If you feel you can't make a significant impact on society, just get back up and try again and again. Don't think too much." he continued.

"Even if you lose your life, at the end of the day, death smiles upon us all. So go down with a bang, leaving no regrets."

"Fighting monsters and risking your life means you have to be ready to die at any moment, or you'll remain weak forever," his master lectured.

Ren nodded, reflecting deeply on his master's words. "Death smiles upon us all, huh? Indeed, I guess I've been afraid of those feelings resurfacing," he said, looking at his trembling palms he recalled some unpleasant memories.

After a pep talk with his master, they returned to enjoy a hearty breakfast. Ren, filled with renewed vigor, spent the next week at his master's dojo, training and sparring every single day.

---

Two Years Later.

"A giant monster rampaged through a town in B-City. Authorities have dispatched military forces and Tanks to stop it," a middle-aged news reporter announced.

"It had little to no effect until the Golden Knight appeared and quickly dispatched the monster."

"Recently, this vigilante has been appearing in various cities, hunting down monsters. People have begun to hail him as a hero, while some harbor doubts about why he hides his identity."

"Who is this man? What are his goals in killing monsters? Is he really a hero?"

"Authorities have tried to make contact with him, but so far, there have been no results," the reporter stated.

In a small town in C-City, inside a fast-food restaurant, a television hung from the ceiling. Many people watched in anticipation, visibly disappointed not to discover the identity of this hero.

"Man, why does he even bother hiding his face?" a random guy muttered.

"Maybe he has a huge pimple on his face?" another suggested.

"Nah, I think he's just too ugly—that's why he wears that helmet," the crowd began to discuss loudly.

Ren, standing at the front of the crowd, felt his face twitch.

"Sir, what would you like to order?" a female receptionist flashed a charming smile at him.

"Give me five spicy chicken burgers, along with fries and a Coke for takeout," Ren said, returning her smile.

The receptionist blushed and quickly went to the kitchen to prepare his order.

"Sir, here's your order," she said, stuffing a paper along with the receipt into the bag.

As Ren walked out of the fast-food restaurant, he carried two paper bags and decided to head to a nearby park.

A quick glance inside one of the bags revealed a note with a number written on it that said, "Call me."

He chose to ignore it, this world was a bit crazy. If you had an attractive appearance, girls might fawn over you everywhere you went.

He felt odd, yet secretly pleased with himself, feeling proud, never had he imagined he would find himself in a situation like this.

"I thought I'd jump at any opportunity to lose my V-card, but now I'd rather find real love."

"A wise man once said, you don't value things that come too easily."

"I guess he was right," Ren said as he strolled along the streets.

"Sir, I would like to know who this wise man is," a middle-aged man with a rough appearance suddenly appeared out of nowhere and asked curiously.

"Sato-san, your movement and hiding technique have improved a lot," Ren praised, staring at him.

"As for the wise man, of course, that's me," he replied like it's a matter-of-fact.

Sato's mouth fell open in shock, and speechless, he chose to shut up and disappear like the wind.

'What a narcissistic brat. Alright, you win. Forget that I ever asked,' Sato thought as he silently trailed behind Ren.

To get rid of his aunt's butler, Ren had changed Sato's role from trainer to bodyguard, allowing him to roam freely.

After an intense argument, his aunt backed off, and now free from the butler's watchful eyes, he could use his powers without needing to hide anything.

"Feels good to taste freedom," Ren said smugly.

---

Author's Note

Okay, so I may have left many mistakes in all of my previous chapters, but I'll fix them slowly.

If you could point them out, that would make my life easier. :)

I really hate reading my own work; I don't know why! xD

Anyway, I've re-edited Chapter 1.

Feel free to suggest or share your opinions!