Chapter 219: Is it? Or is it not?
CRACK!
The sound of the left patella shattering echoed through the night air. Every
observer in the Hub's courtyard heard it with chilling clarity.
"It—It's broken—!"
Lihito's eyes were wide. Even knowing Dorian's history, even knowing the old man
deserved every bit of it, Lihito couldn't help but frown, his teeth feeling
sensitive from the proxy pain. This wasn't a sudden burst of kindness; it was a
primal human reflex—the instinctive fear of a joint being pulverized.
That sounded like pure agony!
"That is a full-power Muay Thai scan-kick," Gaolang explained in a low, heavy
voice. "While the kneecap is incredibly hard from the front and can be used as a
shield, the lateral side is a major structural weakness."
"Muay Thai, and many other combat systems, possess lethal secrets specifically
designed to destroy the joints."
"What a magnificent Muay Thai finisher," Doppo Orochi murmured in admiration.
"Ren-kun... his moves are completely immersed in the essence of combat. That is
a realm Dorian will never reach."
The "Bushin" turned his gaze toward Katsumi and Lihito.
"Dorian never truly dedicated himself to the Path. He made the mistake of
treating the martial arts as a 'tool' to serve his own ends. That is why he was
so easily led astray by his own petty tricks."
His lone eye curved into a predatory crescent as he gave a cunning smirk.
"The God of Martial Arts... He's a petty, narrow-minded deity. Only when you
offer up everything you own—without holding back a single scrap—will He grant
you the real deal."
Doppo's tone shifted as he looked at Ren. "But for Ren-kun? I think his version
of that God is very fond of the passion he shows."
"GAH—!"
Dorian fell to his knees, vomiting blood. He gritted his teeth, his face a
contorted mask of rage as he forced his head up—only to witness a sight that
made his entire body tremble.
Ren Shiroki pulled his left elbow back to coil the power, aiming directly for
Dorian's skull. He unleashed a savage overhead elbow smash.
POW!
The impact rattled Dorian's brain, his eyes vibrating wildly.
But Ren didn't stop. He dropped into a fluid half-crouch, twisting his hips to
the right while coiling his right fist at his waist. He aimed straight for
Dorian's bowed face.
The follow-up to the [Tiger Conqueror]—[TIGER GENOCIDE]!
BOOM!
The rising uppercut fired off the ground, catching Dorian flush on the jaw. The
muffled sound of the impact was followed by the 205cm giant being launched into
the air. Dorian's feet left the pavement, his body hanging nearly two meters
above the ground before crashing back down on his back.
THUD—
As Dorian hit the floor, Ren slid forward into a half-crouch. His right elbow
was already tracking toward Dorian's face for a final smash.
But in the heartbeat before the tip of his elbow touched Dorian's skin, Ren
froze.
His pupils were still vibrating violently, and his body was shaking from the
adrenaline. In that moment, the Satsui no Hado felt like a thousand iron chains,
yanking at his limbs, demanding that he follow the "Dark Intent" and crush
Dorian's skull.
Ren paused for a second. Then, the chains blurred into ink-wash lines,
dissolving into the night air.
"I have too many things I want to do. Don't go making my choices for me. I'll
decide for myself... that's where the fun is."
Ren stood up straight, looking down at the broken giant. Dorian's face was a
mask of gore, his eyes hollow. It took him several long seconds to even register
Ren's presence.
"Pwah... cough! Haha!"
Suddenly, Dorian burst into a fit of laughter. Even as he choked on his own
blood and shattered teeth, the laughter didn't stop.
"You really are naive, Ren-dono."
"You won't kill me? Do you truly believe that suppressing your killing intent is
a form of 'Strength'? What a pathetic, weak answer!"
"Hahahaha—!"
Looking at the manic Dorian, Ren asked a serious question: "Tell me then... what
do you think 'Strength' is?"
Dorian froze.
The next micro-second—Zip!
Ren's left hand clamped around Dorian's throat, hoisting the massive man back
up. His right fist fired a rapid-fire barrage into Dorian's chest.
Bang-bang-bang-bang!
Despite Dorian's massive pectoral muscles, the strikes shattered his ribs.
"This... is 'Killing Intent'," Ren said, releasing his grip. "And this is not."
Immediately, Ren snapped a right kick upward, his instep slamming into Dorian's
groin with enough force to turn the convict's pants into a bloody mess.
"This is 'Killing Intent' again."
Ren reached out and caught the collapsing Dorian, supporting his weight. "And
this is not."
"And this—"
He fired a spear-hand strike straight for Dorian's throat!
Whoosh!
Dorian's eyes bugged out, certain that his life was about to end. But he
realized Ren's fingers hadn't entered his throat. Instead...
They had been driven straight into Dorian's own nostrils!
"Haha! That wasn't killing intent either~"
Ren hooked his fingers, tearing the skin of Dorian's nose and leaving two bloody
trails. He then stuck out a leg, tripping the convict.
THUD! Dorian hit the ground again.
"Hahahaha!"
Ren clapped his hands and laughed. He looked genuinely amused by the absurdity
of the situation. Dorian tried to struggle, but Ren suddenly raised a hand, as
if coiling for another punch.
Instantly, Dorian's muscles locked up. His teeth began to chatter, and his body
twisted rhythmically as he tried to retreat and evade.
Ren lowered his hand. Dorian stopped shaking.
Then, Ren twitched his leg. Dorian began to tremble again. The convict couldn't
even explain the sensation.
"—??"
Looking at Ren, Dorian realized that every micro-movement the youth made filled
him with a staggering, bone-deep terror. He was reacting purely on a level of
trauma.
I'm... I'm shaking—?!
Is this the taste... of fear?!
"I—I—"
Ren raised his hand one last time. Dorian finally broke. He let out a primal,
broken roar: "I LOSE—!!!"
Ren lowered his hand, turning away with a satisfied smile.
But as he saw Ren's retreating back, a single thought flared in Dorian's broken
mind: Don't go.
Dorian wanted to shout, but the words wouldn't come.
Don't leave yet! I don't want it to end like this!
But what move did he have left to stop him? A kick? A rolling heel? A palm
strike?
No... no... no...
One by one, Dorian rejected every martial technique. Until finally, he realized
he had no choices left. He had only one answer: His right hand.
Embedded beneath the skin of his right wrist was a micro-explosive. A diagonal
impact against a hard surface would trigger it.
Is this all I have?
Yes... I have no choice. This is all that's left!
A profound sense of tragedy filled Dorian. Tears welled in his eyes, mingling
with the blood on his face. He channeled every ounce of strength left in his
body and leaped through the air, lunging at Ren's back. He prepared to slam his
wrist down to trigger the bomb.
The next instant—Zip!
Ren sidestepped, letting Dorian's desperate lunge sail past. He had sensed the
movement the entire time. His right leg snapped upward in a vertical split,
before driving his heel downward like a falling axe.
[RYU'S HEEL DROP]!
BOOM!
Ren's heel pinned Dorian to the pavement. The impact triggered the wrist bomb
against the asphalt.
BOOM!!!
The explosion wasn't massive, but at point-blank range, it was devastating.
Dorian's right hand was turned into a blackened, mangled mess.
"..."
The smoke hadn't even cleared before Ren had walked away.
But Dorian felt something. He bolted upright once again. He sat there, his
mangled hands hanging uselessly, his left knee pulverized. He stood on one leg,
looking dazed. He didn't even know why he was still standing.
Then he saw the man approaching. He understood. Retsu Kaioh had arrived.
Retsu walked out from the courtyard, trading a high-five with Ren as they
passed. He stood before Dorian, the two of them just a single step apart.
"Good," Dorian wheezed, his mouth full of blood. "I'm glad you came to find
me... Retsu Kaioh."
He let the blood drip onto the ground, looking up at the serene Fist Master.
"I want to ask you... as a Kaioh, as a true martial artist... what is
'Strength'?"
Retsu looked Dorian in the eye, refusing to flinch.
"The power to carry out one's own will. The power to stand alone in one's
conviction. To me... that is Strength!"
Dorian processed the words. "In other words..."
He couldn't finish the thought.
Retsu finished it for him. "You, who craved defeat yet remained 'undefeated'...
have never won a single victory in your entire life!"
"Haha! A comedy—!"
Dorian suddenly laughed, blood spraying from his lips. "Since I started seeking
defeat, I thought I had tasted the flavor of victory to its fullest. But the
truth is... I haven't won once!"
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
Dorian roared with laughter, even as bloody tears carved trails through the gore
on his face. "There is no comedy better than this!! A true masterpiece! Hahaha!
A masterpiece indeed!"
He laughed until he was empty. Then, he went silent.
"Retsu..."
Dorian looked up. "I want to defeat you."
"You can no longer grant that wish," Retsu replied grimly. He dropped into a
deep stance, coiling his power. "Now... I shall use my fists to shatter that
tiny, budding dream of yours... until nothing remains!"
"..."
Dorian's expression went flat. He raised his mangled left hand—the one Ren had
crushed. Then, using his blackened right hand—the one the bomb had ruined—he
began to manually straighten his fingers one by one, forcing them into a fist.
At least... let it be a 'fist'.
As he reset each finger with a sickening click, he couldn't help but think: I
knew it all along, Retsu. All this time... I was the loser.
My life... it should have sparkled under the light of victory. But the reality?
It's been nothing but darkness.
Dorian finally closed his left fist. Even with all his strength, the grip was
loose and weak.
He threw a punch at Retsu—
And was met with a clean, devastating strike to the face.
Dorian was launched backward, his consciousness finally, mercifully, fading into
absolute black.
(End of Chapter)
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