Hero For Lust

"Master Caspian, why are we standing outside of your apartment building? Is this part of my training?"

Caspian shook his head as his eyes wandered over the abandoned streets. "No. My ceiling."

Genos tilted his head, but before he could question what his master meant, his eyes flashed.

"Object approaching at high speed." Genos readied himself into a combat stance. "It's here!"

Crash

Sounds of destruction echoed above from Caspian's room.

"You bastard mantis! I'm down here and you still destroy my ceiling!"

Genos, not expecting his Master's ceiling to be this important to him, turned solemn.

"Don't worry, I will repair the damage done and eliminate the perpetrator."

Before Genos could make a move, he froze as Caspian's body sunk neck-deep into the ground.

"Master!" Genos cried, rushing forward, but he halted abruptly when his master's voice rang out.

"I'm good. This is actually very comfortable."

"Elevated energy levels detected."

An explosion rang out from behind, bringing with it a blinding amount of smoke and bolts of blue energy.

A cyborg? Could it be?

"You are not the target."

"Genos! The one standing in front of you is Armored Gorilla. He's not a cyborg—his voice is also just him trying to sound cool. Defeat him quickly, but don't kill him. He's important to me. I'll handle the rest, including the ceiling buster."

Armored Gorilla's entire figure reared back. "Y-you! How could you possibly know all that?"

Genos, surprised by his master's all-encompassing knowledge, managed to still his rippling thoughts.

If he's not a cyborg, then all I need to do is complete the first task my master has given to me.

"No more robot voice, huh?" The buried Caspian mockingly asked from behind.

Enraged, Armored Gorilla threw a jumping punch toward Genos. "You are in the way!"

Genos sprang into the air, avoiding the punch, whilst dispelling jets of flame from his hands in order to deliver a spinning kick mid-air.

Using the force of the kick, Genos' body flew back, but he wasted no time. He immediately sprang back into action, sprinting toward the fake cyborg.

As soon as Genos was in striking distance of Armored Gorilla, the latter threw out a powerful strike with his spiked forearm.

Genos immobilized the strike. "I'll deal with you quickly."

"It complicates things if they put up a fight."

Sensing potential danger for his master, Genos looked backward, only to see that two monsters stood over Caspian.

"Master!"

"You dare look away?" Armored Gorilla rushed forward. "Quite courageous!"

Genos surged forward, effortlessly weaving past Armored Gorilla's strike. Raising his arm, he charged an incineration blast and landed a direct hit.

Massive walls of flame erupted from the attack, but Armored Gorilla burst through them unscathed, his massive form hurtling through the air. As he landed, his fists smashed into the ground, creating a crater and sending waves of shattered concrete rippling outward.

From the smoking crater, Armored Gorilla crawled out. "I am the fruit of the House of Evolution's science. Your attacks have no effect."

"The House of Evolution? What business do they have with my master?"

"It does not—"

Wham

The upper half of the Beast King's corpse smashed into Armored Gorilla sending him tumbling away.

"Let's change things up, shall we?"

"Master Caspian!"

Relief swept through Genos when he realized his Master remained unscathed.

Standing on a section of sidewalk untouched by the earlier destruction, Caspian pointed toward Armored Gorilla, who rose unsteadily to his feet.

"What's taking so long? Did you not learn a thing from your fight against Mosquito Girl?"

Genos lowered his gaze, feeling ashamed of his performance, but after a thought, he understood the intention behind the question.

"Thank you Master. How could I forget?"

Unexpectedly, Caspian dashed off after giving him a thumbs up.

Genos, frustrated with himself for needing such an obvious reminder, steeled his resolve not to disappoint his master again.

Armored Gorilla moved cautiously, his steps deliberate and quiet, until he was just a few meters from Genos. The air was thick with tension, and Genos couldn't shake the distinct sense that the monster was gripped by fear.

"My orders did not include bringing you back alive. I shall eliminate you without fail."

Genos, determined and focused, stayed silent. Like a bolt of lightning, he blitzed forward.

Before Armored Gorilla could react, Genos struck his back leg. As the monster spun around, Genos was already on the move, landing a blow to a different part of his body, each strike precise and swift.

That's right. After his fight with Mosquito Girl, where she had slashed him apart midair, Genos devised a similar combat style for use on the ground. Thanks to Doctor Kuseno's enhancements, he could make it a reality.

Piece by piece, limb by limb.

He turned the defenseless Armored Gorilla, who couldn't react to his speed, into a limbless stump.

Genos stood tall over Armored Gorilla, his arm raised, the incineration cannon ready to disable him further if needed.

"I am the third most powerful fighter in the House of Evolution," Armored Gorilla declared. "At your power level, you will never even come close to damaging the number one strongest creation. You will be destroyed."

"Keh, heh, let me go!"

Genos glanced to his side, noticing his Master holding a strange mantis monster by the nape of its neck. The creature flailed helplessly, slashing its arms around, unable to break free.

"Master, is that the one who wrecked your precious ceiling?"

Caspian's smile stretched wide. "Yes, that's him. And don't worry about the House of Evolution. I'll explain everything on the way." His gaze then shifted to Armored Gorilla. "You'll guide us there, won't you?"

Genos charged his incineration cannon, a hum of power building.

"Y-yes! Look, I'm really sorry. I'll guide you there. Just don't kill me!"

Genos, pleased with his response, withdrew his hand.

"Keh! Armored Gorilla, you traitor!"

The mantis monster cried out at his companion's lack of honor.

Armored Gorilla furrowed his brow. "Who are you?"

"Lia—heh!"

"That's enough out of you mantis man. Genos, stay right here. I'll be back shortly. I need to go teach this little one about a thing called manners."

"Yes, Master."

Genos stood straight, proud his master showed such consideration, even to a monstrous enemy. He made the right choice in becoming his apprentice.

It didn't take long for Caspian to disappear from view.

Master said I need to stay right here, but he mentioned nothing of me listening to his lesson.

Genos pushed his hearing capabilities to their limit and honed in on them.

"Keh heh heh! You will die from the number one creation."

"You still don't understand proper manners. Well, it's time for your lesson."

"No! Why are you doing this to me? Keh! Please let me go."

"My ceiling."

"Your ceiling! Heh! You are doing this to me because I caused slight damage to your ceiling."

"Slight…?"

"Kehhhhh!"

Rumble

Everything around Genos and the Armored Gorilla shook violently for a moment.

Realizing the monster's screams had stopped, he quickly scanned his surroundings to reacquire his master's position.

Amazing! Master is ascending at such high speeds. His strength and knowledge are something I must strive to reach. It's the only way I'll be able to avenge all that I've lost.

Genos managed to catch the final part of the lesson.

"'Killer Move: Serious Series…Serious Punch.'"