The sun hung high over the capital as Garou stood in an open field outside the city limits, facing his old master, Bang. The aged martial artist stood with his arms crossed, a small, knowing smile playing on his lips as he watched his student prepare Shambhala for another dimensional transportation.
"Alright, keep your focus, Garou," Bang warned. "I don't want to end up in some strange alternate world by mistake."
Garou rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I got the hang of it by now," he replied. Then, with a smirk, he added, "I'll follow you soon anyway."
Bang nodded while reminding Garou. "You still have a dine-and-dash record and some food thefts to answer for."
Garou's eye twitched. "Tch." Without another word, he aimed Shambhala at his master, and a burst of bright purple light enveloped Bang, whisking him away. With a final sigh, Garou pocketed Shambhala and turned back toward the capital. He had more business to take care of before leaving.
He walked through the bustling streets, heading straight for the royal palace, where his students were training. Upon arrival, he found the twin orphans and Seryu practicing their stances, each one focused and determined. They stopped and greeted him respectfully as he approached.
Garou spoke. "No need to be so formal, Seryu. You are a few years older than me."
Seryu shook her head firmly. "That doesn't matter. You are still my teacher, and I should show proper respect, just like my senior brother and sister."
Garou sighed, scratching the back of his head. "Fine, whatever makes you happy. Anyway, I came to let you guys know that I'll be heading back to my old world for a while. Stick to your training routine. If I come back and see no improvement, you are all getting punished."
The three of them straightened up, nodding seriously. "Yes, teacher!" they said in unison.
Satisfied, Garou turned on his heel. "Alright, I need to inform the last brat before I leave."
A minute later, he strode into the royal throne room, only to be met with grim faces. The little emperor sat on his throne, his expression dark and unreadable, while Budo and several officials stood at attention. The atmosphere was tense.
Garou frowned. "Alright, what's wrong now?"
The emperor exhaled slowly before speaking. "The so-called Revolutionary Army has allied with a foreign nation. They've massacred several villages on the empire's outskirts and are spreading rumors that we were responsible."
Garou's fists clenched at the news. He knew the revolutionaries were struggling to find a purpose after Honest's execution, but to stoop this low… It was pathetic.
The emperor turned to an official standing by his side. "Summon Esdeath. Innocent lives are at stake, and I will not allow this to continue."
Garou debated internally for a moment before stepping forward. "Hey, brat. I was planning on heading back to my world for a while, but since I'm your teacher, I'll help you out this one time." His sharp eyes locked onto the emperor's. "Just tell me where to find them. I'll go handle this myself."
The room fell silent for a moment before the emperor gave a small, grateful nod. "I appreciate it, teacher. You heard my teacher, bring all the reports about their location and movement now"
Garou folded his hands and waited.
It didn't take long before reports of the enemy's location and movements arrived. Along with the reports came Esdeath, clad in standard soldier attire instead of her usual white general uniform. She stood before the emperor, her presence still commanding despite her simpler appearance.
The emperor turned to Wave. "I am entrusting you with leading the army. Esdeath will serve as your advisor and combat support. Additionally, my teacher, Garou, will accompany you."
Wave bowed deeply. "I won't disappoint you, Your Majesty."
Esdeath, however, only gave a silent bow before turning to Garou with an amused smile. "In the end, the two of us are going to war together."
Garou scoffed. "It won't be a war. I'll make sure it's a one-sided annihilation."
Esdeath laughed, clearly entertained by the idea.
With the orders given, the imperial army set out almost immediately. Though they were only a force of 500 soldiers, their mission was clear—intercept the enemy before they could cause further destruction. The opposition, however, numbered 20,000 strong. Despite the overwhelming numerical disadvantage, not a single imperial soldier showed fear. After all, they had Esdeath and Garou on their side.
What should have been a week-long march was completed in just two days, thanks to their small size and forced pace. As they neared the enemy camp, Garou stepped forward.
"I'll charge in alone," he stated. "Wave, get ready to take prisoners."
Wave hesitated. "Are you planning to capture their leaders and kill the rest?"
Garou smirked. "I'm capturing all the high ranking ones. No deaths today—just prisoners."
Wave inhaled deeply and nodded. "Understood."
In the blink of an eye, Garou was gone, dashing ahead with inhuman speed. The soldiers advanced at a slower pace, but by the time they neared the enemy, the sounds of terrified screams filled the air. Chaos had erupted in the enemy camp. Soldiers fled in a frenzy, their will to fight shattered.
Wave observed the battlefield and gave a measured order. "Advance slowly. Leave the fighting to Garou."
As they arrived, they found the ground littered with broken weapons and unconscious captains. The foot soldiers had abandoned their posts, leaving only the high-ranking officers unconscious in the dirt.
Garou strolled back toward them, brushing dust off his hands. "Destroyed their weapons. Knocked out their leaders. The rest ran for their lives."
Wave could only nod dumbly before shaking himself out of his stupor. "Start tying up the prisoners."
Esdeath, arms crossed, sighed in disappointment. "How unfortunate. I was looking forward to fighting by your side."
Garou ignored her completely.
Nearby, Tatsumi suddenly bolted toward the captured prisoners, drawing Wave's attention. Following him, Wave saw Tatsumi stop in front of two individuals getting tied—Najenda and Lubbock.
"You know them?" Wave asked.
Tatsumi nodded with a sad look on his face. "They're from Nightraid. This is Najenda, she was our leader, and this is Lubbock."
Wave placed a firm hand on Tatsumi's shoulder. "They chose their path. There's nothing you can do now."
Tatsumi sighed, looking away.
Meanwhile, Garou turned to Esdeath. "Guard the prisoners. No killing. Just leave the judgment to the brat back in the palace."
Esdeath smirked. "As you wish."
With a deep breath, Garou stepped away from the battlefield. Then, without warning, a massive column of purple light erupted into the sky, illuminating the world.
At that moment, everyone knew—Garou had left their world.
______________________
As the light from Shambhala faded, Garou found himself standing at the base of a long, familiar staircase carved into the mountainside. He traced the worn steps with his gaze, following them to the top where his master's dojo rested, the place where his journey as a martial artist had truly begun.
With a deep breath, Garou began his ascent. Each step carried him closer to the past—to memories of grueling training, discipline, and the harsh lessons that had forged him into the martial artist he was now.
By the time he reached the top, he was met with the sight of the old dojo. Sliding the door open, he stepped inside to find his master, Bang, sitting cross-legged on the wooden floor, a steaming cup of tea in hand.
Bang looked up, his aged but sharp eyes locking onto his former student. "I was beginning to think you changed your mind and weren't coming," he mused, taking a sip. "Or maybe you made a mistake and ended up somewhere else."
Garou scoffed, stepping forward. "Like hell I'd make a mistake. Something came up, that's all."
Bang raised an eyebrow, waiting for further explanation. Garou didn't hesitate and briefly summarized what had happened in the other world—his decision to help his student, the war he just ended single-handedly without killing a single person.
The old man listened silently, nodding at the end of the explanation. "You made the right judgment," he said simply.
A quiet moment passed between them, the dojo filled only with the distant chirping of birds outside.
Then Bang broke the silence. "So, what's next? Are you planning to stay here or return to the other world?"
Garou exhaled, rubbing the back of his head. "I think I'll move between both. This world gave me challenges and training, but… the other one has my students."
A genuine warm smile formed on Garou's face, something rare and unexpected. "Didn't think I'd say this, but I actually enjoy teaching more than fighting."
Bang smiled in return, setting down his tea. "That so? Then you should open your own dojo in that world. You are more than qualified."
Garou let out a short chuckle, but before he could reply, Bang's next words wiped the smile off his face.
"But first, we're heading to the police station. You need to admit to your mistakes."
Garou's eye twitched. "Tch. You are never gonna let that go, are you?"
Bang smirked. "Not a chance."