Warning: contains spoilers for Chapter 151 of One- Punch Man
The incredible battle between master and student comes to a head in chapter 151 of One-Punch Man, and it seems like Bang might be making a little progress at breaking Garou's armor--both literally and metaphorically.
The epic battle between Bang and Garou began six chapters ago, although both had been worn down by fights with various monsters before even laying eyes on each other. Garou himself has been undergoing the monsterization process, emerging from the rubble covered head-to-toe in a black, armor-like skin. While it might seem like it's too late for Bang to save his pupil, it's clear that Garou hasn't become a full monster yet, so there may still be a chance to reverse the process. Either way, Bang intends to end Garou's rampage once and for all.
The chapter shows that Garou's strength is still growing, as he performs the brothers' signature attacks simultaneously by himself. When he busts out Bang's old forbidden Exploding Heart technique, even just blocking it begins to take a toll on the old man. But Bang breaks from his usual style, employing a grappling move to hold Garou down while chastising his former student for a loose stance, and for a moment, Garou pauses and some cracks begin to form on his face. Bang then lands a solid hit there, and some of the armor is chipped away, revealing the still-human skin that lies beneath.
While it's easy to chalk the damage up to a particularly powerful attack from Bang, the fact that the first cracks appear after Bang begins advising and instructing him like a student again is critical. Not only is Garou's armor cracking, but his resolve is as well. Treating him like a person is reawakening the human within. And although One-Punch Man isn't the kind of story where grandstanding emotional displays are likely to work, a small moment of humanity may be enough to slow him down. This may well be the turning point for the fight, even if Bang is currently on the ground at Fuhrer Ugly's mercy.
This scenario also puts Garou in a difficult situation: even if he wants to see Bang defeated, it has to be him that does it for any of this to have meaning. Can Garou really just stand by and watch this depraved, melted blob of a monster kill his former master as he lies helpless? As a full monster it wouldn't even be a question, but with this new glimmer of humanity having arisen within him, Garou might yet save his old master, even if it's just so that he can land the final blow himself. Bang's brother Bomb, while nearby, is in no condition to help, so the martial arts hero's only hope may be from the rogue student he came here to defeat.
While there are still plenty of enemies on the field, it all hinges on what happens next with Garou. If One-Punch Man hopes to redeem the hero hunter, he'll have to act now to save Bang and prove he's not too far gone.