All eyes in the arena focused on Ye Xing as he walked in at a leisurely pace.
His attire today was rather ordinary.
Just a tracksuit with a jacket, nothing special.
Worth mentioning, though.
Ye Xing was wearing black gloves.
Before Haruno could even speak upon seeing his approach, Wu Hei, on the opposite side, exploded first.
"So it's you, you little..."
Wu Hei stared directly at Ye Xing's familiar face, his expression one of gnashing teeth and utter madness.
"This time, I'll definitely kill you!"
Hearing this murderous declaration, Haruno moved to Ye Xing's side, casting a wary glance at Wu Hei before speaking in a hushed tone.
"You two have history?"
Ye Xing waved his hand dismissively with a light chuckle.
"Nah, not really. We're just acquainted."
"Acquainted?"
Haruno frowned slightly, observing Wu Hei's frenzied, clawing demeanour as he teetered on the edge of complete madness. She couldn't begin to imagine...
Just what had Ye Xing done to this man to incur such burning hatred?
"So this is the Kengan fighter you've brought to represent our Yukinoshita Corporation? I must say I'm rather disappointed."
Seeing how young Ye Xing appeared, coupled with his overly relaxed demeanour and tone...
Compared to Wu Hei, opposite - radiating killing intent like a beast ready to pounce - Ye Xing's presence and aura seemed distinctly lacking.
Before Haruno could respond to Mrs Yukinoshita's dissatisfied tone, Ye Xing casually interrupted.
"And this is...?"
Haruno quickly introduced.
"This is my mother, president of Yukinoshita Construction."
"Ah, Mrs Yukinoshita, then."
Ye Xing offered a polite smile before delivering words neither Mrs Yukinoshita nor Haruno could have anticipated.
"Seriously, though, what's with the act? I really don't get it."
At this blunt provocation, both women assumed this was the extent of Ye Xing's verbal assault.
But the subsequent barrage proved this was merely the opening salvo.
"What exactly is Yukinoshita Construction's status? Its position? And you're claiming I'm representing your company as a Kengan fighter? Don't make me laugh."
"Are you even worthy?"
Mrs Yukinoshita froze.
Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined being spoken to like this - the president of a construction company publicly humiliated.
For a moment, she was utterly speechless.
"Ye Xing... that's enough."
Seeing her mother's discomfort, Haruno quickly intervened.
She hadn't expected Ye Xing to launch into such a scathing tirade the moment he arrived.
"You..."
Being the president of a major corporation, Mrs Yukinoshita maintained her composure despite her anger, responding calmly.
"If you hold us in such contempt, why fight for Yukinoshita Construction at all?"
"Who said I'm fighting for Yukinoshita Construction?"
Ye Xing shook his head dismissively.
"I'm just repaying a favour to Haruno. In other words, I'm not representing your company - only Haruno herself. So please, madam, don't flatter yourself."
Hearing this, Haruno's fair face flushed red as she lowered her voice, speaking with flustered embarrassment.
"Don't talk nonsense, we're in public. What are you saying?"
"Just speaking the truth."
Seeing Ye Xing maintain his usual indifferent attitude, Haruno felt both exasperated and touched.
Though she'd already guessed he'd agreed to fight for Yukinoshita Corporation's Kengan match to repay his debt to her...
Hearing it directly was entirely different from mere speculation.
"Alright, let's not waste time."
Ye Xing rolled his shoulders and walked steadily towards Wu Hei opposite him, smiling as he spoke.
"You wanted to fight me? Let's go then."
Wu Huiliyang, current patriarch of the Wu Clan, burned with silent fury at Ye Xing's dismissive attitude.
He tapped his cane against the ground and spoke gravely.
"Hei, go. Hold nothing back."
"Was waiting for you to say that, old man!"
The moment Wu Huiliyang's words fell, Wu Hei charged forward like an unleashed beast, his face twisted with ferocity.
Watching from the sidelines, Haruno's palms grew sweaty with tension.
Could he win?
Bam!
The same pattern as last time.
Wu Hei's punch was intercepted mid-swing by Ye Xing, its full force never realised.
Seemingly identical developments.
But Wu Hei wasn't stupid - just utterly insane. He wouldn't repeat the same mistake twice in combat.
"Die!"
The punch was merely a feint.
His true attack was the full-powered left kick aimed at Ye Xing's lower abdomen.
Smack!
Ye Xing blocked the kick effortlessly with his other hand, still smiling.
"Kid, attacking my lower body? That's not very honourable."
Seeing Ye Xing's relaxed demeanour only fuelled Wu Hei's rage.
He couldn't accept this.
As someone who'd displayed prodigious talent since childhood, standing among the Wu Clan's generations of assassins as a top genius... to be looked at like this?
Wu Hei simply couldn't understand.
Why didn't this man fear him at all?
Not even a trace of wariness in those eyes?
Just like in the gym changing room last time, and now again.
The other's demeanour, movements, gaze - all made Wu Hei feel like a petulant child being humoured by some indulgent adult.
Such contempt was utterly intolerable for the prideful, arrogant Wu Hei.
"I'll tear you apart!!!"
Wu Hei gritted his teeth, his face contorting like an evil spirit as he swung his other fist towards Ye Xing's face.
The latter reacted swiftly, stepping back twice to evade.
Watching from the sidelines, Haruno frowned slightly.
Though no Kengan fighter herself, nor knowledgeable about combat...
Something felt off.
She'd first met Ye Xing in this very building.
Witnessed his entire exorcism process.
Back then, the agility, strength, speed and explosive power he'd displayed... all surpassed what she was seeing now.
How could he be evenly matched with a Kengan fighter from Kyoto Municipal Bank?
Was he holding back on purpose?
What was his goal?
As Haruno pondered this, Ye Xing on the field suddenly did something utterly unexpected after creating about five metres of distance between himself and Wu Hei.
Slowly raising his right hand, he extended his middle finger and enunciated each word with a smile.
"Fuck. Your. Mother."
Why are classics considered classics?
Because even after hundreds or thousands of years, hearing them can instantly ignite the fury of those being insulted.
Just like a direct attack.
Sometimes, veiled sarcasm can't compare to a straightforward "fuck your mother."
This single phrase left Wu Hei momentarily stunned.
Several seconds passed before he reacted, veins bulging on his forehead.
"You bastard...!"
Wu Hei's face contorted into something inhuman, twisted like an evil spirit, sending waves of dangerous chills through everyone present.
Yet Ye Xing remained as composed as ever, bathed in the spring breeze.
Like an evil spirit?
But not a real one.
As Kyoto's top exorcist, what manner of evil spirits hadn't he seen before?
That Cthulhu-esque flesh sphere with dozens of human faces and arms he'd faced alongside Light Yagami last time - wasn't that more terrifying than Wu Hei?
"Getting angry?"
Ye Xing chuckled lightly, shaking his head before crooking his index finger at Wu Hei in a beckoning motion.
"Come on then. Try touching your daddy."
Wu Hei felt as if a line of text had popped up in his mind:
«You must attack the minion with Taunt first»
His eyes nearly bursting from their sockets, Wu Hei completely lost all reason under Ye Xing's relentless taunting.
"Guihun - Ninety Per cent."
As the words left Wu Hei's mouth, faint wisps of black Qi began swirling around his body.
His entire form took on a deep purple hue.
"What is that!?"
Witnessing this sudden transformation, both Mrs Yukinoshita and Haruno were stunned.
How could this be happening?
Was this even human?!
"Hmph."
Wu Huiliyang stroked his beard with an arrogant expression.
"The Wu Clan's Guihun is a family art that surpasses human physical limits to unleash one's full potential."
"Even at seventy per cent output, one can become a formidable force."
"Wu Hei is a rare genius within our clan who can achieve one hundred per cent Guihun."
"Now, you'll witness his true power."
Facing Wu Hei at ninety per cent Guihun, Ye Xing merely smiled nonchalantly.
He removed the glove from his right hand.
Revealed before everyone's eyes was a ghost hand with sickly pale skin and razor-sharp black nails.
"Another expert?"
Haruno gasped at the sight of Ye Xing's bizarre right hand.
What was that?
Some kind of special art, too?
She was certain Ye Xing's right hand didn't normally look like this.
"Feels good."
Ye Xing's voice carried relief as he removed the glove.
To give an example.
It was like having eighteen centimetres, but your girlfriend never knew.
Until the day you checked into a hotel, and when you revealed it, she gasped with a mix of fear and delight.
What was this called?
Showing off before others.
Only in moments like these could Ye Xing freely merge with his pale ghost hand in public without restraint.
Only his right hand looked strange.
Compared to Wu Hei, opposite him - whose entire body had turned deep purple and even sprouted fucking horns - the pale ghost hand appeared downright normal.
"Come on, little Hei."
At Ye Xing's taunting words, a savage, cruel grin spread across Wu Hei's face.
"I'll tear you apart! I'll fucking tear you apart!!!"
The moment he finished speaking, Wu Hei pounced like a wild beast, appearing before Ye Xing at speeds beyond human perception.
His left hand formed into claws, striking towards Ye Xing's chest.
Clearly.
Wu Hei came to kill.
Bang!
Ye Xing similarly spread the fingers of his right hand, directly gripping Wu Hei's left.
The latter grinned savagely, madness gleaming in his cruel eyes.
At ninety per cent Guihun, Wu Hei's physical capabilities far surpassed human limits.
If his opponent dodged, that would be one thing.
But to dare confront him head-on in strength?
Wu Hei could already picture it - Ye Xing's right hand snapping under his grip, collapsing to the ground in agony, before he delivered a final stomp to crush that handsome, ever-smiling face he so despised.
"That's it?"
To Wu Hei's shock, Ye Xing's expression remained utterly unperturbed.
Despite exerting full strength to twist and break the wrist, it felt like pushing against stone - not the slightest budge.
Not only that.
Wu Hei realised with horror that his own wrist strength was being overpowered!
The backward bend forced his joints to emit crisp cracking sounds.
He wasn't afraid of pain, but losing his left hand would make the upcoming battle rather uncertain.
"Guihun - One Hundred Per cent."
After fully unleashing his power, Wu Hei also suffered the side effects of backlash.
Namely, the complete loss of rational thought, transforming into a beast.
His only goal was to tear the opponent before him to shreds, satisfying his bloodlust.
Wu Hei let out an inhuman, almost bestial roar from his throat. His right hand made no attempt at technique, simply thrusting directly towards Ye Xing's face - aiming for the eyes.
"What a dirty move."
Ye Xing tilted his head slightly, effortlessly dodging Wu Hei's crude eye-gouging attack.
"Then I won't hold back either."
His tone remained light and amicable, completely at odds with his actions.
Crack.
With a smile on his face, Ye Xing applied slight pressure with his right hand, forcibly bending Wu Hei's left wrist backwards.
Pale bone pierced through flesh, making even Haruno, who was watching the fight, unable to bear the cruel sight.
Yet Wu Hei seemed impervious to pain, still snarling ferociously as he raised his left leg, driving his knee towards Ye Xing's lower abdomen.
"I told you..."
Ye Xing released his grip, bringing his right elbow down in a hammering motion that collided squarely with Wu Hei's left knee.
Thud!
After the dull impact, Wu Hei's left knee joint was now bent the wrong way.
Collapsing to the ground, the excruciating pain from his injuries made him emit pitiful whimpers like a dying beast.
"Is there any point continuing this?"
Ye Xing casually shook his hand as he looked towards the assembled Wu Clan members and several Kyoto Municipal Bank executives, pointing at the writhing Wu Hei - now crippled in both left arm and leg - with a smile.
"If we keep going, it'll just be me slaughtering him, won't it?"
The referee overseeing the match immediately raised his hand to announce:
"Match concluded! Winner - Yukinoshita Construction!"
"Alright, wrapped up."
After saying this, Ye Xing crouched down to look at Wu Hei's pain-contorted face on the ground, chuckling softly.
"What a useless waste."
Then he turned and began walking towards Haruno.
Seeing Ye Xing's victory - completely unharmed, having fulfilled his promise of total domination - she finally relaxed.
The corners of Haruno's lips curled into a smile as she moved to greet him, when suddenly her pupils contracted in alarm.
"Behind you!"
Wu Hei, who had been rolling on the ground, saw Ye Xing's exposed back and actually managed to leap up on one leg.
Dragging his half-ruined body, his mind now completely devoid of reason, he opened his mouth like a wild beast and viciously lunged for Ye Xing's neck.
Concepts like victory or defeat had long left Wu Hei's mind.
He only wanted to kill the man before him.
"Hei, sto—"
Wu Huiliyang didn't even have time to intervene.
Even if he'd finished speaking, the current Wu Hei wouldn't have heard a word.
Though his back was turned to Wu Hei, Ye Xing showed no surprise when he noticed Haruno's slightly widened eyes and heard her warning. Instead, a peculiar smile played on his lips.
"So you've come after all."
Turning around, he saw Wu Hei's body suspended mid-air, fangs bared towards his neck. A cold killing intent flashed in Ye Xing's eyes.
His left hand transformed into the blackened ghost hand, clenched into a fist with the middle knuckle protruding slightly. With one punch, he struck Wu Hei's Adam's apple.
Crack.
The crisp sound of shattering bone echoed clearly through the space.
Before Wu Hei's body could be sent flying by the force of the blow, Ye Xing's right hand shot out and grasped his opponent's ankle.
"How amusing."
Holding Wu Hei aloft with one hand, the excitement in Ye Xing's eyes grew increasingly evident.
Without pause, he dragged his captive towards a nearby pillar.
Bang!
Swinging Wu Hei's body like a tattered ragdoll, Ye Xing smashed him against the unyielding stone column.
And this was only the beginning.
Bang! Bang! Bang...
With single-handed ease, Ye Xing continued swinging Wu Hei's body, repeatedly crashing it against the hard surface.
The scene struck Haruno with a sense of déjà vu.
That same expression of enjoyment, those identical cruel movements - it mirrored how he'd tormented those evil spirits before.
The only difference being:
Wu Hei was merely human flesh. No matter how strong, he remained human.
After several dozen impacts, Wu Hei's body had truly become like a rag doll.
Not just his internal organs - every bone in his body had been reduced to powder.
Ensuring his victim had stopped breathing and was beyond any hope of survival, Ye Xing delivered one final, full-force punch to Wu Hei's heart.
Only then did he casually toss the limp corpse aside.
Ye Xing's benevolent smile remained unchanged, though the flecks of blood staining his face exuded an inexplicable ferocity.
Turning to Wu Huiliyang standing nearby, he asked pleasantly:
"You don't mind that I killed him, do you?"