Strictly Hands-off

Saitama and Vaccine Man were busy battling each other, so Bai Ye brewed tea and welcomed Genos.

"Thank you."

Genos nodded in thanks but did not touch the teacup on the table.

As a cyborg, he could no longer digest food normally.

"Let me make this clear up front: I neither have the ability nor the intention to take on a disciple."

Bai Ye wanted to get things straight with Genos right away.

"How can that be? Don't you already have two disciples, Master? And both of them are so powerful."

Genos refused to believe him.

"Two disciples...?"

Bai Ye was instantly baffled.

He had no idea when he had taken on two disciples.

Wait, two...

Could Genos mean Saitama and Vaccine Man?!

Vaccine Man was one thing, but what the hell was Saitama doing in that lineup?

Taking Saitama as his disciple-who the hell would even dare imagine that!

"That's right, those two over there. Please let me confirm something first: which one is the senior disciple, and which is the second disciple? That will help me address them properly later."

Genos raised a hand and pointed at Saitama and Vaccine Man, who were playing video games.

"Huh? Did you guys just mention me?"

Saitama immediately turned his head to look.

Vaccine Man seized that opening and unleashed a combo on him.

"Hahahaha! I won!"

Vaccine Man burst out laughing.

"Ah! A sneak attack!"

By the time Saitama came to his senses, it was already too late. Once the combo connected, he could no longer move.

His health had already been low, and that combo finished off the character he was controlling.

"...Sorry. It seems I interrupted you."

Genos did not know much about video games, but seeing Saitama's defeat and frustration, he realized he might have caused trouble.

"It's fine, it's fine. I let my guard down."

Immediately after saying that, Saitama turned to Vaccine Man and complained, "How could you ambush me? That was so dirty."

"So what? I won anyway."

Vaccine Man gave a sly grin.

While Saitama and Vaccine Man bickered, Bai Ye hurried to clear things up with Genos. "Genos, you've seriously misunderstood. Neither of those two is my disciple, especially the one with no hair."

"Hm? No hair? Isn't that skin-colored armor on his head?"

Genos immediately looked at Saitama's bald head in surprise.

"No, no. That's his skin, not skin-colored armor."

Bai Ye explained.

"What? So that isn't head armor?"

Genos pondered this with a solemn expression. "If that's true, I never imagined someone could go bald at such a young age..."

"Hey, hey. I can hear you, you know."

A vein immediately bulged on Saitama's forehead as he sat nearby.

"Sorry, sorry."

Bai Ye then quietly reminded Genos, "Mr. Saitama is rather sensitive to words like 'bald,' so try to be careful."

"Understood, Master Bai Ye."

Genos obediently nodded.

"Wait, please don't call me Master."

Bai Ye immediately raised a hand and pointed at Saitama. "Mr. Saitama is stronger than I am. You can call him Master Saitama and become his disciple."

At those words, Saitama jolted.

"Is that so? But I believe that since I have already chosen you, Master Bai Ye, I cannot waver. Otherwise, I would lack even the most basic sincerity, and no master would be willing to accept me."

Genos did not fall for it at all.

That bald man...no, Mr. Saitama was certainly powerful, but in his eyes, Master Bai Ye stood at an equally unreachable height.

Either of them could teach him a great deal, so he ought to show enough sincerity to stay committed to one.

If he tried to become one person's disciple one moment and another's the next, he would only end up empty-handed.

"..."

Bai Ye was starting to feel numb.

"Exactly, exactly. He's such a sincere kid. Just take him on already, Bai Ye."

At that moment, Saitama even added fuel to the fire.

He felt that taking on a disciple would be too much trouble and desperately hoped Genos would latch onto Bai Ye instead of coming after him.

"Mr. Saitama has already agreed. Please accept me, Master Bai Ye!"

Genos once again earnestly asked to become Bai Ye's disciple.

Saitama agreeing doesn't mean I agree!

Bai Ye badly wanted to snap back.

And that guy Saitama was actually adding fuel to the fire...

Still, he had tried to use Saitama as a shield first, so he could hardly blame him...

"But I've already said it more than once. There really isn't anything I can teach you."

Bai Ye felt utterly helpless.

If it turned out he had nothing to teach, his disciple might get unhappy and blame him instead. Being a master was not that easy.

Though Genos probably would not do something like turn around and blame him...

"You must be joking, Master. You clearly trained such an outstanding monster."

Since he was not entirely certain, Genos even turned to Vaccine Man to ask, "He is a monster, correct?"

"Are you talking about me? By your human definition, I suppose I am indeed one of those monsters. But I am actually Vaccine Man, born from the will of the Earth. I am the Earth's apostle."

Vaccine Man explained his identity with a serious expression.

However, Bai Ye and Genos had already stopped paying attention to what he was saying.

"I just told you he isn't my disciple!"

Bai Ye stressed it again.

"Is that so? But I still hope you will accept me as your disciple, Master Bai Ye. I believe I will gain a great deal by staying at your side."

No matter what Bai Ye said, Genos refused to give up.

"..."

Bai Ye finally surrendered and could only compromise. "Then follow me if you want. But remember, I'm not your master, and I have no obligation to teach you anything. It's not that I don't want to teach you, either. There really is nothing I can teach you. Just make sure you've thought it through."

Yet Genos nodded without the slightest hesitation. "I have already thought it through."

"You...forget it. Suit yourself."

Bai Ye felt exhausted.

[Ding! The host has gained a disciple, "Genos," and received a reward: 50 points + Growth Incentive!]

[Growth Incentive: As the disciple rises through the Hero Association rankings, the host can also receive corresponding rewards.]

Well...

That wasn't too bad.

The rewards from the system gave Bai Ye some comfort.

But he had clearly said he would not be Genos's master. Apparently, Genos still insisted on considering him his master deep down...?

In any case, he had already made things clear to Genos: he could not teach him anything. This would be strictly hands-off.

That meant he would essentially get the system rewards for free. After all, Genos did not need any deliberate help from him to climb the Hero Association rankings.

Meanwhile, Saitama breathed a sigh of relief. That troublesome-looking guy had finally latched onto Bai Ye.

P.S. All four updates for today are complete. Thanks to "Summed It Up" for gifting six "Update Request Charms" and two "Love Letters"!