CHAPTER 136: KEEPING CARDS CLOSE TO THE CHEST
Dr. Kureha Shinogi lived up to his reputation; his precision was surgical in every sense of the word.
The Secret Service Division enforcers he had knocked unconscious began to stir almost immediately after he stepped away. Seeing that their superior, Superintendent Tenma, had already vanished, the "Burial Specialists" decided that a tactical retreat was their best option. They scrambled out of the parking garage, leaving their broken gear behind.
"There! All set."
Kureha gave Ren and the semi-conscious Akoya one final clinical scan before handing the remaining cleanup duties to the secondary medical team.
He set his hands on his hips and offered Ren a dazzling, arrogant grin. "I'll handle the arrangements for our venue. You can look forward to it, Ren-kun. I know a place that is... perfectly suited for a clash of this magnitude."
Ren stood up, stretching his limbs. He could feel the internal heat rising, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Kureha waved a hand, dismissively. "Don't be in such a rush. I'm a doctor, remember? I can calculate your body's recovery rate down to the second. I'll contact you once those ribs are solid and you've had time to polish your next move. I have no interest in fighting a half-broken man."
"Until then... try to stay out of trouble!"
With a final wave, the Super-Surgeon turned and strolled toward the exit tunnel.
Standing in the shadows of the corridor was another man who had been waiting for Kureha.
His features were strikingly similar to the doctor's, but his aura was "sharper"—cold, thin, and lethal, like a high-carbon blade. He wore an athletic tracksuit and had long black hair.
This was Kureha's younger brother, Kosho Shinogi. Known in the underground as "The Cord-Cutter" for his mastery of the Shinogi-style Karate that focused on severing tendons with bare fingers.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Kosho," Kureha called out. "I just finished 'inviting' a very interesting specimen to a duel. I'm in a magnificent mood. Let me treat you to late-night ramen!"
"Ani-ki..."
Kosho had watched the entire display from the dark. He looked at his brother with a mix of awe and exasperation. "Have you increased your training load lately? Your physical stats... they seem even more exaggerated than usual."
"You think so? Haha! Perhaps I've just been 'infected' by the spirit of the Hub," Kureha laughed.
He leaned in, his tone dropping to a playful whisper. "You know, I just finished a checkup for Old Man Tokugawa. He told me some very... flavorful news."
Kosho's eyes sharpened. "What kind of news?"
"That's a secret!"
Kureha grinned, slapping his brother on the shoulder. "But if you want a seat at the table when the time comes, you'd better not skip leg day, Kosho-kun!"
"What?! You're going to hold out on me now?" Kosho grumbled, annoyed by his brother's teasing. "That's not cool, Ani-ki!"
The Shinogi brothers walked away, their voices echoing through the garage as they debated the merits of different training methods.
With the departure of the Shinogi brothers, the night's Kengan match officially drew to a close.
Seishu Akoya remained silent. He didn't offer a single word of protest or acknowledgment. He allowed Shunsuka Hiyama to guide him out of the building, his dead eyes fixed on the pavement. No one knew what the "Executioner" was thinking, but the aura of suppressed violence following him was thicker than ever.
The rest of the spectators filtered out of the garage, gossiping about the match and the sudden appearance of the Super-Surgeon. They picked their way through the dark construction site and returned to the neon-lit streets of Shinjuku.
They carried with them the thrill of a high-stakes gamble and the promise of a future legend: [SOUL] VS. [THE PERFECT BODY].
Ten Days Later. The Shiroki Property.
Ren Shiroki had spent the last week in a state of blissful recovery.
The construction of the Soul Combat Hub was moving at an accelerated pace. The main structural framework was complete, the roof was sealed, and the interior designers were currently working on the soundproofing and the high-grade medical lab.
The day for the Grand Opening was close.
Ren's mood was excellent. Although his skin was still marked by fading lacerations, his structural damage had been largely repaired by his unnatural healing factor. He was no longer content to sit in a lounge chair.
He resumed his basic daily routine, waiting for Kureha's call.
He started with his 30km morning run, followed by a trip to the local markets to haul back several heavy bags of high-protein ingredients for himself and Arisa.
When he returned to the yard, he found he already had visitors.
There was Fusui Kure, lounging near the equipment crates; Yuzuha Li, who had come to use the Hub's newly leveled sandpit; and Nozomi Tenma, who was wearing a white gauze bandage over her left eye.
Unlike Ren's incurable CTE, Nozomi's detached retina was a solvable problem—provided one had an elite surgeon and a massive corporate sponsor. An Sakurai had performed the procedure using Furumi's restricted pharmaceuticals, and the surgery had been a total success.
Nozomi was under strict orders to rest, but the "Fighter" in her couldn't stay away from the scent of sweat and sawdust. She had brought Yuzuha along to ensure the Kung Fu girl stayed in top form for the next Valkyrie event.
"Hah!"
Yuzuha was in the middle of her warm-up. Fusui Kure, bored with waiting for Ren, had donned a pair of focus mitts to act as the girl's training partner.
"Nice! Again!" Fusui chirped.
BAP! BAP! BAM!
Yuzuha's "Six Harmonies" strikes were a blur of fluid, technical precision. She was a speed-type specialist, and today she was focusing on a "Blitz" rhythm to prep for her eventual rematch with Hina Hongo.
Ren watched from the sidelines, wiping sweat from his brow. The sound of fists hitting leather was like a rhythmic symphony.
"Nice! Simply perfect!" Ren cheered.
His vision for the Hub was finally manifesting. A place where the strong could gather, train, and evolve together.
"Ho ho! It's getting quite lively in here!"
A booming, cheerful voice echoed from the gate. Ren and Nozomi turned to see a familiar, "Thick" silhouette.
Doppo Orochi strolled into the yard, his single eye scanning the site.
"Haha! Look at you lot! Training before breakfast? If my Shinshinkai brats had half your spirit, I'd have conquered the world by now!"
The Grandmaster laughed, walking up to Ren and the one-eyed Nozomi. He stopped, staring at the bandage on the girl's face.
Doppo opened his single eye wide, then looked at Nozomi's eye-patch. He stood there for a long time, blinking in silence.
Suddenly, the "God of War" scratched his head, his face turning a bashful shade of pink.
"My, my! Nozomi-chan! I know I'm a legend and all, but you don't have to copy my 'Look' just to show you're a fan! You should take care of those eyes, they're far too pretty to hide!"
Nozomi: "..."
Nozomi: "...Eh?"
Ren let out a pained chuckle. "She just had surgery, Oji-san. It's a medical patch."
"Oh! Right! Of course!"
Doppo coughed into his hand, clearing his throat. He turned his attention back to Ren, his expression becoming serious.
"Ren-kun... you know Kureha Shinogi is quite a character, right? He's actually a lifesaver of mine!"
Doppo touched his chest, a rare look of nostalgia in his eye. "Yujiro Hanma almost stopped my heart permanently years ago. Kureha was the one who performed a literal manual heart massage inside my chest to bring me back. I owe him a drink."
He looked at Ren and grinned. "The Doctor is starving for a real scrap. He wants to see if your 'Might' can break his 'Perfection.' If you don't go 100% against him, I'll never forgive you!"
"I won't let you down," Ren said, nodding.
"Good! Smash him for me!"
Doppo tightened his boulder-like fists. "Besides... you'll need the experience. Some very 'Interesting' things are about to happen in Tokyo. If you aren't strong enough, you won't even be allowed to watch the show."
Ren's ears pricked. The "Synchronicity" files flared in his mind. "Is it the Annihilation Tournament? Or something at the Dome?"
Doppo shrugged, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Who knows? Metsudo and Tokugawa are both old men who love keeping their cards close to the chest."
"But one thing is certain, kid."
Doppo's tone turned sharp and competitive.
"If you lose to the Doctor, you won't have the 'Value' to participate in the real war. Don't let me down, Ren-kun!"
☆☆☆
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