Chapter 308: Chapter 9 – Silver Fangs and Fascinating Martial Arts
Ron smiled at the woman staring blankly at him. "I said I’d help you, but only if I feel like it. Don’t get your hopes up."
Blizzard snapped back to her senses and nodded. "Of course. I understand."
This was only their second meeting. They barely knew anything about each other and were still, in every sense, strangers. Naturally, she didn’t expect too much from Ron either.
At this point, she was treating his offer as a casual remark—not something to be taken seriously.
"Rested enough?"
"More or less."
"Then let’s go."
They continued their way up the stone steps.
Blizzard glanced at the young man beside her—Ron. His shoulder-length black hair and bangs swayed gently in the mountain breeze. His ocean-blue eyes sparkled beneath his calm, flawless features. Even from her perspective, his profile looked ridiculously handsome—his whole vibe serene and tranquil, like a warm breeze in spring.
But she remembered how, back on that street when they first met, he had displayed power so overwhelming, it shook her to her core...
He was ridiculously good-looking, and his strength was no less ridiculous. By all logic, someone like him should’ve been as famous as Sweet Mask. And yet, she had never once heard his name before.
There wasn’t a single trace of him online. It was as if he had just... appeared out of nowhere.
Was he hiding his identity and power all this time? If so, why? Could it be related to his unwillingness to become a hero?
Blizzard’s gaze lingered on Ron, her curiosity growing. Her mind couldn’t help but spiral into speculation.
This guy... really is a man shrouded in mystery...
...
At the mountaintop.
In front of Bang’s dojo.
His disciple Charanko was sweeping the stone path.
"So this is the place?"
Hearing a voice, Charanko turned around.
He saw a tall, lean, and absurdly handsome young man walking up the path alongside a curvy, snow-white-skinned beauty.
"That woman...?"
Charanko paused, recognizing the short-haired woman in the green dress.
"Finally made it."
Blizzard leaned on her knees and exhaled long and hard.
"Um... you’re the B-Class Rank 1 Hero, Hellish Blizzard, right?"
She looked up and spotted the blonde-haired young man in a white martial arts gi. He looked familiar. "I think I remember you... one of Bang-sensei’s disciples, your name is..."
"I’m Charanko, Bang-sensei’s senior disciple," he said with a grin, before turning to Ron with a hint of curiosity. "And this is?"
"A friend of mine. He’s here to meet Bang-sensei."
"I see..."
"Is Master Bang here?"
"He is. I’ll go let him kno—"
Before Charanko could finish, the dojo doors slid open.
A silver-haired, hunched-over old man appeared before them.
"No need to announce it. I heard everything."
Charanko scratched his head and greeted, "Master."
Blizzard bowed respectfully to the old man. "It’s been a while, Bang-sensei."
"Oh, you’re Tornado’s little sister, huh?" Bang’s tone was warm and friendly. "I heard about what happened the other day. You handled it well."
"You managed to hold up an entire collapsing building... looks like your psychic powers have come a long way. Ever think about moving up to A-Class?"
"Uh, no... not at the moment," she replied, slightly embarrassed.
"Hmm..."
Bang then shifted his gaze to Ron.
The young man stood a full head taller than him. The old master had to look up just to meet his eyes.
One looking up, the other looking down—their gazes locked.
The moment Bang saw Ron’s deep blue eyes, as calm and vast as the ocean, his pupils tightened slightly. An uneasy flicker stirred in his chest.
That presence... this young man is no ordinary person!
Charanko noticed and immediately grew agitated.
"Hey! Show some respect! You’re standing in front of the S-Class Rank 2 Hero—’Silver Fang’! How dare you be so rude—"
Even Blizzard felt Ron was being a little out of line, but she held back from saying anything, simply tugging lightly at his sleeve.
But Ron and Bang paid no mind to either of them.
Bang looked straight into Ron’s eyes and spoke. "I’m Bang. And you are?"
"Ron."
"Ron-kun, eh? I’ve never heard that name before. Are you a hero too?"
"No. I’m not."
"I see..."
Hands clasped behind his back, Bang continued to eye Ron. "I heard from little Blizzard over here that you came to see me. What’s the occasion?"
"Nothing big."
Ron smiled calmly. "I just wanted to ask you for a spar."
Bang froze.
So did Charanko and Blizzard.
"...Huh?!"
Charanko snapped back first, staring at Ron in disbelief. "Do you even know what you’re saying?! You’re not even a hero, and you’re challenging an S-Class hero—’Silver Fang’? Are you out of your mind?!"
"Is a civilian not allowed to challenge a hero?"
Charanko choked on the response, momentarily speechless. Then his face twisted in anger. He tossed his broom aside and dropped into the opening stance of the Flowing Water Rock-Smashing Fist.
"Then let me, Charanko—the senior disciple of the Flowing Water Rock-Smashing Fist—be your opponent!"
Ron didn’t even glance at him.
"You bastard!"
Fuming, Charanko charged at him.
Ron’s eyes flicked ever so slightly, and a subtle shift in his aura radiated outward.
Charanko felt nothing. But Bang, in that same moment, narrowed his eyes sharply and furrowed his brow.
He acted immediately—reaching out to grab Charanko’s shoulder and stop him in his tracks.
"What are you doing, Master?!"
"Stand down, Charanko. Ron-kun... is not someone you can handle."
Bang’s gaze was locked on Ron.
"...What?"
Charanko stared, dumbfounded.
"Ron-kun, follow me."
Without another word, Bang turned and walked into the dojo.
Ron stepped forward, walking right past the stunned Charanko.
Blizzard hesitated briefly before following him inside.
That rude bastard... What part of him looks stronger than me? Challenging Master? What a joke. I’m gonna see just what he’s really made of.
Charanko, grumbling internally, also entered the dojo.
...
Inside the spacious training hall.
Bang and Ron stood on opposite ends of the room, over ten meters apart.
Blizzard stood to the side, arms crossed, silently watching.
"Miss Blizzard," Charanko said as he brought over a cup of tea, "please enjoy."
Blizzard nodded and thanked him politely.
Charanko knelt beside her, glaring at the two figures on the training mat—especially the infuriatingly arrogant Ron.
He turned toward Blizzard and asked, "Hellish Blizzard-sama... is that guy a martial artist too?"
Blizzard, holding her tea, paused for a moment. "...No. I don’t think so."
"He’s not a martial artist? Then why would he challenge Master Bang?"
Charanko grew even more confused.
Fubuki couldn’t figure it out either. In her eyes, Ron was clearly a powerful esper.
Would an esper really have anything to do with martial arts?
That didn’t seem likely...
She glanced at Bang in the ring, full of confidence.
"Either way, there’s no way Master Bang would lose."
———
In the ring.
With his hands clasped behind his back, Bang stared at Ron and said calmly,
"Charanko may not sense it, but I can feel it—your aura. That’s the aura of a true warrior."
His eyes sharpened slightly.
"Since you’ve stepped into this dojo, by martial arts tradition, I will treat you as a fellow warrior here to challenge me. As the one being challenged, I will not hold back. Are you sure you want to continue?"
"Of course. I’m going all out," Ron replied with a grin.
"Otherwise, it wouldn’t be fun."
"Hmph. Looks like you’re quite confident in your own strength."
Bang nodded at him slightly.
"Very well."
He drew his hands out from behind him.
As he gently moved them, the air around him shimmered like flowing water. Gentle yet potent waves of chi circled his body—pure martial spirit in motion.
"Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist."
Assuming a starting stance, Bang’s body radiated the pressure of a martial arts grandmaster. Like a silver tiger poised to strike, his presence alone was intimidating.
Even from outside the ring, Fubuki could feel his aura intensify. Her expression tensed slightly.
"So this is the power of the S-Class Rank 3 Hero..."
Ron looked at Bang with growing interest.
"So this is martial arts in this world, huh?"
It seemed a little different from the martial styles of the One Piece world.
"Come at me, boy," Bang called out.
"I’ll show you the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist!"
Ron chuckled and launched himself forward. With a single step, he closed the distance and threw a punch straight at Bang.
"So fast!"
Bang’s pupils shrank.
"But..."
He narrowed his eyes. The flowing chi around him suddenly shifted. He met Ron’s punch by striking its weakest point with the palm of his hand.
BOOM!
The moment they made contact, a shockwave erupted from the collision.
Even with his technique to absorb force, Bang’s arm trembled from the raw impact of the blow.
His heart grew increasingly astonished.
Not just fast... but strong, too?!
Before he could recover—
Another fierce side-kick came whistling toward his head.
Bang blocked it again using his Water Stream technique, but the sheer force sent him sliding back two or three meters.
Ron pressed the attack.
Bang remained on the defensive, flowing like water.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Each collision rang out with explosive pressure, echoing like thunder and shaking the entire dojo.
The two fighters darted across the ring like ghosts. Their punches and kicks were so fast they seemed like afterimages, completely imperceptible to the naked eye.
The chi from their strikes burst out in every direction.
Shockwaves rippled outward, even rattling the teacups placed on the side tables.
And this—this was them holding back. Had they gone full force, the entire dojo would’ve been reduced to rubble.
"This..."
Charanko was frozen in place, wide-eyed as he watched the battle. He couldn’t make out their movements at all, and the shock alone was enough to leave him speechless.
"T-That guy is fighting Master Bang on even terms?! No way! This can’t be real!!"
Fubuki stared, dumbfounded.
"Huh? What the hell is going on? Isn’t he supposed to be an esper?"
"Since when can espers fight S-Class heroes evenly with martial arts?!"
"What kind of joke is this?!"
Her mind was in complete chaos.
———
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Their fists and feet continued to clash.
Ron’s attacks were pure and unrefined—sheer brute force and speed against Bang’s smooth, fluid martial techniques.
It was like two rivers crashing into each other at full force, waves of chi exploding outward, encasing the whole ring in a twisted vortex of combat pressure.
Bang grew more astonished with every passing second.
"This kid... he’s not using any technique. Just raw power and speed... and he’s still matching me?!"
"Incredible!"
"His body... it’s like a damn monster’s!"
Ron was relying solely on the overwhelming strength and speed granted by his powerful physique, testing the skills of the Rank 3 S-Class hero—Silver Fang.
In his previous battle with Carnage Kabuto, Ron had measured his strength. Based on just his physique alone, he was somewhere between Demon-level and low Dragon-level threat.
Now, he wanted to see—
Could the Rank 3 Hero, Silver Fang, match that?
"Old man... heads up!"
Ron warned with a grin, clenching his right fist and thrusting it straight ahead.
A simple, unrefined punch—no technique at all. But the sheer force it carried made Bang’s eyes narrow sharply.
He didn’t even try to block it. With a swift backflip, he dodged the blow entirely.
Charanko couldn’t believe her eyes.
"M-Master... retreated?"
BOOM!
Ron’s punch hit nothing but air, yet the compressed force at the tip exploded outward with a deafening crack, the air shattering from the pressure.
The shockwave surged forward and blew the dojo doors right off their hinges.
"!!"
Charanko was stunned speechless.
Fubuki’s eyes were wide in disbelief.
"That could’ve been deadly," Bang muttered, glancing at the shattered doors.
Then he turned to Ron, a flash of excitement in his eyes. Assuming his stance once more, he said,
"Kid... you’re paying for those repairs."
With a sudden step forward, Bang launched his first real attack of the match.
His fist, coated in flowing chi, curved like a swimming fish, twisting through the air at a bizarre angle aimed straight for Ron’s neck.
But it missed.
Bang’s eyes shot upward.
Ron had leapt into the air at some point. His body spun, and with one fluid motion, his right leg came swinging down like a whip—an overhead axe kick aiming for Bang’s skull.
Bang’s eyes narrowed.
He drew a flawless arc with both hands and took a half-step back. His flowing chi surged outward, forming a barely visible shield.
"Water Flow Formation."
The powerful kick crashed down, but Bang dispersed most of the force with elegant precision. Slipping slightly to the side, he dodged the rest.
Then—he countered.
With a flicker of motion, he appeared midair, right in front of the airborne Ron.
"Kid, now do you see? This is the art of martial flow—deflect the enemy’s attack, find the gap... and strike!"
As he spoke, his fists shot out like a torrential storm.
BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!
Each strike landed on Ron, chi-infused punches piercing his body like shock grenades, rattling inside and detonating on impact.
After the final blow, Bang landed softly on the ground with his back to Ron, hands once again behind him.
He looked every bit the master he was.
"Brute strength alone can’t overcome martial arts. Take a good look at what real power looks like, kid."
"So this is S-Class Rank 3... Silver Fang!"
Fubuki swallowed hard, utterly shaken.
"What terrifying strength... this is a whole different level from B- or A-Class!"
"Master... won!"
Charanko snapped out of her trance and shouted excitedly, eyes sparkling with adoration.
"I knew it! Master couldn’t lose! Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist is the strongest! Once Master goes all out, there’s no way that guy can beat him!"
"Charanko, don’t say such foolish things."
Bang glanced at her sternly.
"This young man’s strength is on par with mine. I didn’t defeat him—I defeated raw power with martial arts. If he had trained even a little in technique... I would’ve lost."
"Eh? Eh?!"
Charanko’s smile froze in place.
"Wh-What are you saying, Master?!"
"I see now... so this is martial arts."
A calm voice rang out behind Bang.
The trio turned at once.
Ron dusted off his clothes and stood up unscathed—his face utterly calm.
Bang’s eyes flew open in shock.
"Impossible! My strikes... didn’t even hurt you?!"