Chapter 339: A Crowd of Followers
Tonight, Hikoichi Yagyo, the Number 2 Referee of Kakerou, felt exceptionally
fortunate. He was witnessing a truly "beautiful" moment of violence.
The silhouettes of Yanagi Ryuko and Ren Shiroki crossed in a blur of motion.
"Hah—!"
Ren let out a sharp, guttural cry. His right fist, middle knuckle slightly
protruding, snapped forward in a lightning-fast [FLASH KNUCKLE]. The strike
landed with surgical precision directly on Yanagi's right eyeball.
SQUELCH—!
The eye imploded. A wet, sickening sound echoed through the courtyard as the
organ burst under the pressure.
Ren had utilized a [LINKED TIMING] technique, building torque throughout the
movement. At the microsecond of impact, he twisted his forearm to dump the
energy, his protruding knuckle hooking into the hollow of Yanagi's eye
socket—Snap!
Using the momentum of Yanagi's own forward lunge against him, Ren jerked his arm
back and downward, yanking Yanagi's head to the right and slamming his center of
gravity toward the floor.
Fwoosh—!!
Yanagi was literally upended. He spun through the air like a toy top that had
lost its axis, rotating twice before crashing into the sand.
The blood geysering from his socket trailed behind him like a crimson ribbon,
painting a perfect spiral in the night air.
Thud!
Yanagi hit the ground hard. Where his right eye had been, there was now only a
dark, ragged hole leaking gore.
It was a sequence that was as magnificent as it was horrific. Yagyo found
himself momentarily mesmerized by the "artistry" of the kill-shot before
remembering to reach over and cover Arisa's eyes.
Arisa, however, simply stood on her tiptoes to peer over his hand, her gaze
unfaltering.
A second later—
"WAAAAAAAGH!!"
Yanagi's shrill, agonizing scream erupted from the arena. It tore through the
Soul Combat Hub, echoed down the street, and was finally swallowed by the humid
blackness of the night.
Agony took hold. He clutched his face, thrashing and rolling in the sand. Blood
and vitreous fluid leaked between his fingers in a grizzly display of suffering.
Step.
Ren stepped forward, stabilizing his frame and holding the follow-through of his
punch for a beat. Blood dripped from his middle knuckle, each droplet hitting
the damp sand and blooming like a dark flower.
As he listened to Yanagi's screams, Ren was analyzing the exchange.
In terms of pure speed, Yanagi wasn't slow. In terms of technical proficiency,
he was a master of the Way of the Void. So why had he been able to see every
frame of Yanagi's movement so clearly?
I see...
Ren realized the reason. Because he had been so certain that Yanagi would rely
on the "trick" of his Poison Hand, he had effectively "pre-read" the entire
match. Since he had predicted the prompt, the answer was easy.
Yanagi had been so enslaved to his "lethal weapon" that he had become
predictable. And in a high-level brawl, predictability is a death sentence.
{...}
The ink-wash smoke swirled, coalescing into a blurred silhouette leaning against
the dojo wall. He watched the arena with a cold, irritable expression. It was
Luke Sullivan.
{Hmph. Not bad with the hands, kid... but your footwork still needs work.}
The phantom spat on the ground in disdain as he looked at the fallen Yanagi.
{Man, guys like this really piss me off. They learn a little 'dangerous power'
or a cheap trick, and they let it own them. They surrender their heart to the
technique until there's no 'self' left. No will. Just a slave to a move.}
Luke's unique perspective caught Ren's interest. He viewed Yanagi's "arts" as a
"dangerous power" that had consumed the man, leaving behind a hollow shell with
no independent will. It was a fascinating take on martial arts philosophy.
Ren watched as the phantom waved a dismissive hand.
{Hey! If you ever end up like that guy—losing yourself to the power—I'll be the
one to put you out of your misery myself! But for today... good job. I'm out!}
Luke turned and dissipated, remaining a blur until the end.
Ren's [FLASH KNUCKLE] had destroyed the eye, but he hadn't aimed for the brain.
Yanagi Ryuko was still conscious. He lay in the sand, gasping, his face
half-submerged in a pool of his own blood, his body twitching with involuntary
tremors.
Gradually, the shaking stopped. Ren knew Yanagi wasn't dead. He was centering
himself, frantically calculating his next move.
"Yanagi-san—"
Ren leaned forward, bracing his hands on his knees. "Before you try to run, I
need you to answer one question."
Yanagi flinched, a cold dread washing over him. He was indeed planning his
escape.
Ren tilted his head, his voice casual. "Do you admit your defeat?"
"Hmph..."
Yanagi spat out a mouthful of blood. He rolled onto his back, his remaining left
eye staring upward, unfocused and glazed.
"You are... so... naive..."
Even now, he clung to his pride. "The outcome of a duel... isn't determined
by... asking a question!"
Yanagi's left eye suddenly snapped into focus. Whoosh!
He forced himself to his feet, gasping through gritted teeth. "To be so obsessed
with an 'answer'... you really are just a child!"
Ren wasn't offended. "That was a lot of words just to avoid the point,
Yanagi-san."
"It's a simple binary choice. Do you admit it, or not? A simple A or B."
Ren put his hands on his hips and smiled. "If you won't answer, then I guess
we're done for tonight. You can go."
—Go?
Yanagi froze. He stared at Ren for several seconds before letting out a jagged,
hollow laugh. "Are you pretending to be some grandmaster now, Shiroki?! You
think I'm completely helpless?!"
"Heh... fine. Just you wait. You'll regret your stupidity today!"
With that, Yanagi turned and walked toward the gate. His movements were crisp,
like a wounded wolf trying to maintain its dignity.
But a second later—"Hey, Yanagi!"
Ren's voice made Yanagi jump nearly a foot into the air. His "dignity" vanished
instantly, replaced by a frantic, pathetic desperation. Cold sweat poured down
his face. Is he changing his mind? Should I run? Which way?!
Ren just pointed. "You forgot your shoes!"
Yanagi: "..."
Without a word, he kept walking—barefoot. He hurried out of the Soul Combat Hub,
his expression a mask of absolute, crushing humiliation.
First, Baki had walked away from him as if he were nothing. Now, Ren Shiroki had
practically "dismissed" him like a guest who had overstayed his welcome, even
reminding him about his shoes. This chain of insults brought tears of rage to
Yanagi's remaining eye. He let out a muffled, pathetic sob, not even daring to
cry out loud for fear that Ren might hear and change his mind.
"Uuu... eeee—!"
Patter, patter, patter.
Yanagi fled into the night.
Ren went inside to put on his own shoes before walking to the gate to watch
Yanagi disappear. Yagyo and Arisa joined him.
As a Kakerou Referee, Yagyo had seen plenty of low-lives, and he looked
concerned. "Shiroki-sama... was it wise to let him go?"
Ren smiled. "As far as the 'fight' goes, it's over. But for Yanagi Ryuko...
yeah, things aren't looking great for him."
Ren didn't explain further. Instead, he looked at the shadows nearby. "Is this
enough?"
Yagyo blinked. "—?"
Then, Yagyo realized Ren wasn't talking to him or Arisa. He turned his head to
see a powerfully built man with his hair tied back standing right behind them.
It was the Kenpo Master, Retsu Kaioh.
Yagyo's eyebrows shot up. He was stunned by Retsu's ability to mask his
presence. Incredible. Even I didn't sense him? With stealth of this caliber, he
could infiltrate a nuclear silo without being spotted!
Retsu gave a slight nod to the group. "I have no killing intent at the moment,
so hiding is a simple matter. It is nothing special."
Retsu turned to Ren. "This is enough. The path is set. Thank you for your help
tonight."
Ren waved it off. "Don't mention it. I had a blast."
Ren was curious, though. He had only received a message from Retsu asking him to
let Yanagi "walk out" of the Hub, but he didn't know the full plan. He rubbed
his chin. "Retsu-aniki, are you going to finish him off to avenge Baki?"
"That... is part of it. A 'fight' is one thing, but a cowardly poisoning is
quite another."
Retsu's expression hardened. Usually, he was a gentle, polite senior. But when
it came to the honor of Chinese Kenpo, he was the most "intense" of the Kaiohs.
"But I am not the only one looking for him. While the 'Evil Fist' is a
technique, the way Yanagi uses the Poison Hand is an insult to 4,000 years of
history. My Master, [THE SEA EMPEROR] Kaku Kaioh, has arrived in Tokyo. He
wishes to see this pathetic user for himself."
With a formal salute, Retsu prepared to leave.
But as he started walking, he realized something. Ren, Arisa, and Yagyo were all
quietly following him. They were all wearing mischievous grins, clearly having
no intention of missing the upcoming show.
"Sigh..." Retsu let out a helpless laugh. "I suppose it's fine. The Master is a
reasonable man; he won't mind an audience."
The four of them followed the trail of blood Yanagi had left behind. Shortly
after leaving the Hub's grounds, they reached the mouth of an alleyway where a
figure was waiting in the shadows.
"Yo."
The figure was [THE ASHURA] Ohma Tokita.
Ohma and Yagyo didn't know each other, but the others were well-acquainted. They
knew about Ohma's own grudge with Yanagi.
"Hajo contacted me and said he saw Yanagi at the Hub, so I came as fast as I
could," Ohma said, looking at Ren. "I wanted to pay him back for the alley
ambush, but it looks like you beat me to the punch."
"Haha..." Ren scratched his head, looking slightly embarrassed.
Ohma continued, "I was going to tail him to find his hideout, but I see you guys
are already on it. What's the occasion?"
Retsu explained the situation regarding Kaku Kaioh. Ohma, interested in meeting
the "Sea Emperor," immediately joined the tailing party.
The group of five continued forward. With this many "witnesses," it was no
longer a secret tail—Yanagi had definitely noticed them. But it didn't matter.
Even if he knew he was being followed, there was no way a half-blind, bleeding
Yanagi could lose a pack of hunters of this caliber.
Yanagi hurried through the streets, cold sweat stinging his empty eye socket.
The agony was making him erratic. He didn't know about Retsu's master; he could
only guess what the five monsters behind him were planning. He needed to find a
way to shake them.
He ducked into a dark, narrow alley, only to stop dead. Someone was standing at
the far end, blocking his path.
Retsu was currently describing his master to the group. "The Master is 146 years
old. He looks like a frail old man in a wheelchair, but his strength is beyond
doubt—"
As they spoke, the five of them reached the alley and peered around the corner.
The man blocking Yanagi wasn't a frail old man in a wheelchair.
He was a mountain of a man—dressed in a black martial arts uniform (dobok), with
thick black hair and a heavy, dense beard.
Retsu: "..."
Retsu: "...Who is that?"
☆☆☆
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