Chapter 95: Beyond the Match
On one side of the Espoir, several large tarps were tied down.
To replace spare equipment, one of them had been opened recently.
It wasn't intentional—just negligence on the part of the men in black. A knot on one side wasn't tied tightly enough.
The battles erupting nearby caused the deck to tremble repeatedly, eventually shaking the knot loose. With a loud flap, the large tarp was lifted by the sea breeze.
Then—
It covered the two titans!
The tarp came down completely.
Two distinct bulges appeared under the stiff composite fabric—the positions of Kei and Katsumi.
In the next instant—one of the "bulges" suddenly became agitated, visibly deforming.
"HAAAH—!"
Riiip!
With a loud shout, five fingers aligned vertically pierced through the tarp, slicing it open along the weave, creating a huge tear.
Orochi Katsumi leaped out from the opening, landing steadily on the tarp-covered ground.
"Cu... cut open!"
Itou Kaiji was shocked. "He cut open that heavy-duty tarp, which even scissors struggle with, using his bare hands?!"
Suedo Atsushi crossed his arms. "It's Nukite (Spear Hand)! The karateka's Nukite turned into a blade!"
"..."
"Phew..."
Katsumi took a deep breath, looking at his right hand, smelling his own blood.
"Usually, Nukite practice involves thrusting the palm into tightly bound bamboo poles—super painful training. Skin peeling and fractures are common."
"Compared to that, this tarp is no different from toilet paper."
He looked up. Not far away, the other "bulge" remained motionless. He didn't know if his opponent couldn't break through or was maintaining a defensive stance.
"Shiraki-bro, not coming out? But this is a match..."
"I really want—really want to settle who is superior with you. Otherwise, I won't be satisfied no matter what—"
Katsumi extended his left leg forward, his right hand resting at his waist, fingers together. Aiming at the upper-middle section of the bulge under the tarp, he pushed off with his back leg, charging in a straight line.
Swish!
Katsumi thrust his Nukite forward, so fast it left an afterimage, as if to pierce through the entire bulge before him!
But the instant his fingers touched the fabric—
A point under the fabric suddenly thrust upward, deflecting Katsumi's forearm and misaligning his Nukite.
Riiip!
The residual force of the Nukite tore a gash in the fabric.
Kei's right arm shot out from inside, raised high, fingers curling into a fist one by one, smashing down with full force without aiming.
[Ryu • Collarbone Breaker]!
Whoosh!
The massive movement twisted and deformed the surrounding tarp, creating complex layers that collapsed inward toward Katsumi.
Katsumi stabilized his Horse Stance, pulled both arms back to his waist, and thrust out a Double Nukite with full force!
"HAAAH—!"
The right fist and Double Nukite crossed paths, catching the already tattered tarp between them. As if thrown into a blender, the fabric was shredded and torn apart.
Kei leaped from within, unleashing a continuous spinning kick aimed at Katsumi.
[Ryu • Tatsumaki Senpukyaku]!
BANG!
Katsumi leaned back to dodge, taking a hit on his upper arm. His balance wavered, so he crouched down, intending to counter with a spinning kick.
At the same time, Kei was about to land, also planning a spinning kick.
However, something unexpected happened—Kei and Katsumi suddenly slipped. Their kicks deviated slightly, missing each other as they crossed paths.
?!
Their gazes shifted down, instantly understanding the cause.
It was the shredded tarp fragments. A layer of water droplets was trapped between them and the tarp covering the ground. The combination made the surface slippery.
This wasn't a major issue; they could just jump away.
But in the heat of the exchange, neither Kei nor Katsumi wanted to stop. So they adjusted their postures, adapting to the slippery rhythm, preparing for the next strike.
"Shiraki-chin will adapt first!"
Fusu clenched her fists nervously, whispering, "With [Engine] fully open, he definitely has techniques to maintain balance!"
However, beside her, Suedo frowned just as tightly, gritting his teeth nervously. "My Boss—he can step on traditional Japanese paper (Washi) and perform kata punches on the thin paper without tearing it!"
The one who adapted first—was him!
Katsumi leaned back, twisting his entire body with an exaggerated amplitude, utilizing the slide under his feet to execute a spinning kick!
Because it was "borrowing force from rotation" rather than "opposing" it, his movement was faster than Kei's!
Swish!
Katsumi landed a heavy kick on Kei's chest, launching him upward. Then, hooking his foot, he stepped on Kei, slamming him into the ground.
BANG!
Kei hit the ground hard, coughing loudly, but his eyes were wide open, locked onto Katsumi's movements.
Katsumi raised his leg and knee, aiming to stomp on Kei's neck.
But when the lethal stomp fell, it hit empty air, smashing a dent into the deck with a loud BOOM.
Kei had gotten up a step earlier. Stumbling back half a step, he moved by sliding his knees on the ground to stabilize, then turned forward, throwing a semi-clenched fist.
[Jamie • Swagger Step] (Ransui Sen)!
BANG! BANG!
Two rapid Drunken Fist strikes. But the impact felt heavy, as if hitting a stone cliff.
"?!"
Kei looked. Katsumi stood with feet turned inward, knees slightly bent, center of gravity lowered, feet shoulder-width apart.
It was the fundamental Karate stance—Sanchin Dachi (Three Battles Stance)!
Originating from the sea, its creators often fought on unstable decks. After countless trials and sacrifices, this stance, combining offense and defense, was born!
Kei had once instructed a fighter named Momose Miharu in a women's fighting tournament, using Sanchin Dachi to withstand a punch from the [Revolutionary Princess] Hongo Hina.
An ordinary first-dan black belt could withstand Hina's punch with Sanchin Dachi, proving the stance's excellent balance.
Now used by Orochi Katsumi, his whole body was as stable as Mount Tai. Despite the slippery footing, he didn't budge an inch, even tanking Kei's two punches.
"IYAAAH—!"
Katsumi's eyes flashed fiercely. He thrust his palms forward, one high and one low, hitting Kei's jaw and abdomen. Using all his strength, he launched Kei flying.
In that instant, the bystanders heard a muffled sound and even saw a shockwave.
Kei, taking the hit, felt like he had been hit by a truck. He couldn't distinguish where he was hit, only feeling his whole body falling apart.
Thud!
Kei flew back several meters and landed face down.
"He... he really used it!?"
Suedo was shocked. "High-Low Palm Thrust—a move with such unreasonable power, normally absolutely forbidden against humans!"
Hearing Suedo's exclamation, Katsumi smiled helplessly.
It wasn't that he didn't want to pursue, but after taking two Drunken Fist punches, he also needed time to catch his breath and calm his trembling body.
As for using lethal moves—no explanation was needed.
If he only fought at a "match" level against Shiraki Kei, the one getting taken out would definitely be him!
This was a deathmatch beyond a mere contest!
"Finally, Orochi-bro, you've entered the white-hot stage too..."
Kei stood up trembling, [Engine] still active. Although his whole body was in agony, the fighting spirit in his brain only increased.
"Turning limbs into blades—this technique exists not only in Karate, but also in Muay Thai, Kenpo, and even military combat."
"With [Engine] fully open, I think I can do it too."
Kei lowered his body, feet one in front of the other, standing sideways and looking forward, clenching his fists and pulling back his spine.
This was a stance derived from battlefield combat arts, further modified—
[Guile • Solid Puncher]!