Power

Wracked with pain, Garou relives a bitter childhood spent misunderstood and bullied, and the swell of rage and despair drives him to strike back. He rips up the earth, grabs a large tree amid the chaos, and swings it at Bang and Bomb, forcing the brothers to give ground. At that moment Phoenix Man appears, unleashing a wall of air pressure that scatters everyone, then seizes the Hero Hunter in mid-air and calls on Elder Centipede to cover their withdrawal. Garou objects but cannot break the grip and is carried off toward the Monster Association's base.

Elder Centipede rounds on the three humans left behind. Bang, Bomb, and Genos attack in concert and inflict real damage, yet the creature's molting and overwhelming regeneration keep it standing, and they are pushed to retreat. Nearing the treeline, Bang readies himself to unleash his utmost and buy Bomb time to escape with Genos and the fallen heroes. King then arrives and diverts Elder Centipede by bluffing that Blast has come, goading the monster into a headlong charge. The gambit is fatal: an unseen Saitama, positioned behind King, delivers a Serious Punch that erases the centipede from head to tail, leaving only its lifeless claws behind.

Garou's painful memories fuel a counterattack before Phoenix Man abducts him toward the Monster Association base with Elder Centipede's help. Bang, Bomb, and Genos cannot overcome Elder Centipede's molting and regeneration and are forced back. King baits the monster into charging by pretending Blast has arrived, and Saitama, hidden behind him, disintegrates Elder Centipede with a Serious Punch.

This Monster Association Arc chapter was placed in Volume 17 and partly adapts webcomic Chapter 54, matching anime Episode 24. Garou is the cover character. In the volume release it and "Escalation" were split apart, one landing in Volume 16 and the other in Volume 17. In one panel, Genos strikes a pose that closely echoes Saitama launching himself at the giant meteor.