"Tougher Than a Mountain" (神魔よりも, Yama Yori Mo, Tonari: 208) is the 163rd chapter of the One-Punch Man manga series.
Short Summary[]
Garou, despite his monsterfication, struggles against Saitama. Saitama notes Garou's unintended actions often aid others, likening Garou to King and recognizing his underlying heroic instincts.
Long Summary[]
Garou reflects on his inability to match Saitama, despite growing stronger through monsterfication. When Saitama inquires about Garou's goals, he highlights the inconsistency between Garou's words and actions, noting that he did assist heroes against Sage Centipede. Garou argues that he was merely using Metal Bat to achieve his objectives. Saitama interprets Garou's notion of "Absolute Evil" as a quest for world peace, which frustrates Garou. Soon after, Garou resumes attacking Saitama, landing hits and skillfully evading the hero's counterattacks. Saitama, annoyed, asks if Garou is using martial arts to dodge his punches, to which Garou affirms.
As their battle continues, Garou acknowledges Saitama's remarkable speed and reflexes, which compensate for his lack of technique, but notes numerous openings he can exploit. Confident in his ability to anticipate Saitama’s moves, Garou asserts that the hero will lose due to his amateur technique, then launches a powerful combo that sends Saitama crashing into several buildings, creating a cloud of dust. Believing he has triumphed, Garou claims that while Saitama may have tough skin, he cannot train his internal organs, which he assumes are damaged. To his shock, Saitama emerges completely unscathed.
It is revealed that in the destruction of the buildings, Garou inadvertently saved five Hero Association members trapped in an underground shelter. As they express their gratitude before departing, Saitama ironically remarks on how "Absolute Evil" seems adept at saving people. Furious, Garou attacks Saitama again and undergoes further evolution, taking on a demonic form with wings and long horns.
In his ongoing effort to defeat Saitama, Garou inadvertently performs another heroic act by smashing him into a volcano, which is on the verge of engulfing a city. This shatters the volcano, redirecting the lava and saving the city. Despite Garou's attempts, Saitama remains unharmed and retaliates. Observing the shattered mountain behind Saitama while the hero stands unscathed, Garou is impressed by Saitama's resilience. Noticing Garou’s unintentional heroism, Saitama comments that the Hero Hunter reminds him of King and acknowledges Garou’s strong instincts.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
Trivia[]
- The cover greatly resembles similarly human-formed skull pieces in the artistic world, such as those made by Salvador Dalí, and it seems to be inspired by Sergej Bag's "Depressing" piece.