Chapter 29: Monster vs. Clown (III) - Koei Style Rakshasa's Palm
Kaito paid no mind to Evans's words. He just stared at him, the hair on his head standing up slightly, the pores on his skin dilating. He was completely and utterly thrilled.
This was the taste of a real fight.
Even during his trial mission, the people he had fought were either too weak, like the assassins and bodyguards, or far too strong, like Mercenary Tao and the Reincarnators from Squad #64323. He had never experienced the pleasure of an evenly matched battle. The closest he'd come was his fight with Green Snake, but her methods were too extreme, specializing in poison and strangulation. The moment Kaito had activated his so-called [Absolute Territory], he had crushed her with overwhelming violence.
But now, Evans the Clown was giving him a true sense of interaction, of a real battle.
He had suspected from the beginning that Evans possessed considerable martial arts ability. After all, the bait Evans had dangled in front of him was the [Ability Scroll: Devil Lance]. For a Reincarnator to offer such an item, combined with the agility Evans had displayed, it was hard for Kaito not to deduce his potential fighting style.
But seeing this martial art from the world of Kengan for the first time still amazed him. That clever method of redirecting and dissipating force truly had the flavor of ancient Tai Chi.
Satoshi Suzuki frowned. He was feeling an increasingly unsettling quality from this Kaito Shirogane. Was this really the look a Reincarnator who had just passed their first trial was supposed to have? Even for someone with a special ID, this was too much. He found it hard to believe that there was anyone in the world who was truly not afraid of death. Does he really think he's stronger than me? Absurd!
Satoshi himself didn't even realize that since Kaito had appeared, the mocking smile of someone who had everything under control had long since vanished from his face.
The rhythm of Satoshi's breathing changed. The fluid, flowing sensation from before disappeared. In the next instant, he stomped his foot, and the full power of his body erupted.
[Niko Style - Fire Kata - Raging Fire]!
BOOM!
With a massive explosive sound, the four or five meters between them vanished. Kaito's pupils trembled as the figure before him disappeared. As the fierce wind hit his face, Kaito suddenly leaned back, his body bending with the agility of a water snake. He then swung his arms back, twisting his entire body. He planted his left foot, spun, and inserted his right foot to Evans's side, his center of gravity instantly shifting. He, too, suddenly appeared at Evans's side. He raised his hands, the motion an exact replica of the move Evans had just used to shatter his balance.
For a second, it felt as if Satoshi's heart had skipped a beat. He was certain that the move Kaito was using was, without a doubt, [Niko Style - Water Kata - Weeping Willow].
How is that possible…? How could someone replicate a move like that after seeing it only once…? Unless he has an eye technique like the Sharingan.
Could this Kaito Shirogane's trial world also have been the world of Kengan? Or did he buy the skill from one of the stalls?
In that instant, immense confusion and doubt flooded Satoshi's mind, shattering his state of high concentration.
Kaito pushed with both hands.
BAM!
A violent collision. Kaito was sent flying by an immense force, but Satoshi didn't fare much better. The impact of the two forces sent him stumbling back several steps until he crashed into the wall.
Kaito quickly got to his feet, shaking his head and looking at his own hands. "That move of yours is truly ingenious. I misjudged the force. Let's go again!"
Satoshi's heart grew heavy. His opponent hadn't mastered the Niko Style. He was actually learning it in the middle of their fight. How can this be happening?
He suddenly recalled a secret rumor in the Nexus about the special ID numbers. The legend said that not all Reincarnators were conscripted by the Nexus through trials. There existed an extremely small number of chosen ones, individuals who were born with a "talent" recognized by the Nexus, who could naturally see the special marks of a Reincarnator.
Such people were called [The Chosen].
Every single one of [The Chosen] was a treasure to the Nexus, possessing a unique status, and could even usurp a portion of the Nexus's authority.
Could this Kaito Shirogane in front of me be one of [The Chosen]?!
BOOM!
A heavy footstep snapped Satoshi back to his senses, but his field of vision was already empty.
Not good!
He instantly realized Kaito was mimicking his [Niko Style - Fire Kata - Raging Fire].
Kaito's movements were explosive. He had already sensed that Evans's Agility was likely higher than his own. The boost from the Sequence 8 - Clown potion made his body's flexibility and speed slightly superior. But, on the other hand, Kaito's own strength was greater.
A smirk appeared on Kaito's face. His version of Raging Fire was even more violent. The floorboards shattered as he appeared behind Evans.
Just as Evans was raising his hands to defend, Kaito's fist slammed into his back.
Thwump!
Satoshi was sent tumbling forward several times, trying to dissipate the force, but he still coughed up a mouthful of blood. A tearing pain spread through his chest with every breath.
Not good. My internal organs are injured.
A light flashed in Satoshi's hand, and a scroll appeared. He tore it open and slapped it onto his chest. A wave of green chakra instantly flowed into his body, and the pain in his lungs subsided.
He slowly stood up. He saw that Kaito wasn't pressing his advantage, but was instead standing there, watching him.
Satoshi exhaled a ragged breath that tasted of iron. "Kaito Shirogane, you are strong. I acknowledge you. Perhaps…"
"We can talk."
At this moment, Satoshi wasn't bluffing. He genuinely recognized the immense potential Kaito possessed. A monster who could master a technique from an ability scroll after seeing it only once was beyond any logical explanation. Making an enemy of such a person was not worth the risk. He had already lost a [Medical Ninjutsu Scroll]. If the fight continued, his losses would only be greater.
The ecosystem of Reincarnators was a primitive jungle. Everyone was a predator, but at the same time, everyone was prey. Successfully hunting another Reincarnator brought great rewards, but if you showed any weakness, you would instantly become prey for someone else. It wasn't worth it.
Satoshi wanted to negotiate.
But Kaito's smile only grew wider, revealing a full set of white teeth that looked somewhat grim in the dim light of the basement.
Kaito shook his head.
"No, no, no, Evans. Our battle has just begun. How can we let it fizzle out?"
He licked his dry lips, his voice trembling slightly with joy.
"Use everything you have. Let us… fight to the death."
BOOM!
The floor shattered again, and Kaito vanished.
Satoshi's heart tightened, but he instantly shifted his attention to his blind spot. The martial arts of the Kengan world were mostly based on technique. This kind of high-speed movement, besides explosive power, relied heavily on exploiting the blind spots in human vision.
In that moment, his mind was crystal clear. He could even see Kaito's arrogance.
This monster… he really thinks he's got me figured out…
Satoshi suddenly relaxed his Niko Style stance. He brought his right hand back, palm open, and began to rotate it, his muscles twisting into a violent spiral.
As Kaito's pupils contracted, Satoshi thrust his palm forward.
A terrifying force, combined with a powerful twisting momentum, erupted from his hand.
[Koei Style - Rakshasa's Palm]!