Chapter 379: The Inevitable Battle
The group feasted with gusto.
After the meal, Kaku Kaioh—who had been sitting cross-legged on the
floor—exerted a tiny burst of power and sprang lightly into the air, landing
perfectly balanced on his feet. Though he was 146 years old and his skin was a
map of ancient wrinkles, he stood as straight as a spear. In his loose cloth
robes and oval sunglasses, with his hands thrust into his pockets, he looked
every bit the part of a legendary, "cool" old master.
"Ho ho ho... after a heavy meal, a walk feels much better than a chair."
Hearing this, Marco raised his hand like a student in class. "Old man-jiisan, if
you can stand and you're super strong, why do you use a wheelchair?"
Kaku Kaioh: "..."
Kaku Kaioh: "Because it's comfortable."
Marco didn't quite grasp the logic, but his eyes kept drifting toward the
wheelchair parked in the corner. He looked intensely curious about just how
comfortable it was.
Kaku Kaioh: "..."
Kaku Kaioh: "You want to try it?"
Marco pumped his fists in the air. "Yay~!"
He was terrified of breaking the thing, so he lowered his massive frame into the
seat with extreme caution. He gripped the wheels and began zooming up and down
the corridor.
Whirrr... whirrr...
The group's heads tracked Marco's progress, turning from left to right, then
right to left, in perfect synchronization.
While Marco played, the others couldn't stay idle. Arisa retreated to her room
for homework, and Fusui headed to her workshop to maintain her gear. Kaku Kaioh
wanted to stretch his legs, so Ren and Retsu escorted him on a grand tour of the
Soul Combat Hub.
Over the months, the Hub had accumulated a collection of "artifacts."
From the signed photo of [THE BUSHIN] Doppo Orochi to the autographed gloves of
[THE GOD OF WAR] Gaolang; the steel plate dented by Takeshi Wakatsuki's fist;
Tokugawa's folding fan; the coconut shell bitten open by Jack Hanma; the
speedbag signed by Mohammad Alai; and VIP tickets to Super Pro-Wrestling.
And of course, the center-piece: the "Summer Festival Commemorative Photo" taken
in Kure Village with everyone grinning at the camera.
Ren introduced each item with pride, recounting the history of every scar on the
walls and every name on the gear. It was clear he had put his heart into this
place.
Kaku Kaioh walked slowly, nodding. "Hmm. Quite impressive."
"However..." Ren's tone shifted. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the
metal Secret Key Card. He thought back to the visit from Kuroki Gensai and the
heavy questions the Devil Lance had leveled at him.
"A very strong old man came by a few days ago. He asked me what kind of fighter
I wanted to be. He asked if I wanted to focus on building a business or if I was
chasing pure strength. He just showed up, started worrying about my life
choices, and dumped all these complicated questions on me. It's a real
headache... it's driving me crazy."
On the surface, it sounded like a young man confessing his doubts to an elder.
But neither Kaku Kaioh nor Retsu Kaioh heard a single note of "confusion" in
Ren's voice.
In fact, Retsu felt that Ren was describing these "troubles" as if they were a
third-party problem that had nothing to do with him.
"Ren-kun..." Kaku Kaioh raised an eyebrow, his wrinkles deepening. "I should
probably be giving you advice right now, but why is it that you're wearing such
a happy face while you complain?"
Ren put his hands on his hips and let out a long sigh of contentment. "Aha! You
caught me. Honestly? I love it. Even the act of being 'confused' by these
questions makes me happy."
"It's a massive pain in the ass, and it never stops—there's always something to
consider, some new problem to solve. But just like a fight, having so much to
face gives me a sense of reality. It makes me feel like I'm truly living the
process."
The group wandered into the weight room. Ren crouched down to reorganize some
stray barbell plates.
"I think... if I listened to everyone's advice and took the 'clearer' or
'easier' path, the person I'd become at the end of it would be... mediocre. Just
another master."
Ren grinned. "Maybe I'm just an 'Outlier' at heart."
Kaku Kaioh realized then that he didn't need to say a word.
They moved to the striking area, where six or seven heavy bags lay scattered on
the floor. Ren had knocked them off their chains during his morning session and
hadn't re-hung them yet. The marks on the canvas immediately drew the attention
of the two Kenpo masters.
"Oho... this is..."
Kaku pouted, leaning down to run a withered, bony hand over the sandbags. He
noticed two distinct types of impact marks.
The first was evidence of savage, violent, and manic physical abuse—strikes that
carried pure killing intent, as if the user didn't care if they destroyed their
own hands in the process. ([ENGINE] and [STRIKE AT THE APEX]).
The second was more erratic and flickering. The marks were shallow but sharp,
combined with traces of snatches, pulls, and joint-manipulation. ([ED: PSYCHO
FLICKER]).
"Your fists are still immature, but they are incredibly imaginative," Kaku
mused. "I suppose I don't need to teach you anything. You have a good Master...
or is it 'Masters'? Ho ho ho!"
Kaku Kaioh chuckled and looked at Retsu. "Retsu, you have found some excellent
friends. That Orochi boy at the Shinshinkai has a terrifying, heaven-sent
talent... and this young man here? He is equally fascinating."
It was a simple evaluation, but coming from the Sea Emperor, it carried the
weight of a mountain.
As evening fell, the sky turned a brilliant, bruised red. Kaku Kaioh let out a
massive yawn. "Let's head back, Retsu. Being old means being perpetually
sleepy."
Retsu nodded respectfully.
"By the way," Kaku added casually. "I'll be catching a flight back home soon. A
'Rare Powerhouse' has appeared at the Great Arena."
Retsu froze. He couldn't think of anyone who could be called a "Rare Powerhouse"
by his master.
Ren Shiroki, however, felt a jolt of adrenaline. His knuckles tightened, his
heart rate spiking. It's finally starting!
Then, the realization hit Retsu as well. Recently, while Kaku was disciplining
Yanagi Ryuko, they had encountered the only man the world recognized as the
strongest—Yujiro Hanma. The two had already traded barbs, each dismissing the
other's definition of "Strength."
"Ho ho ho... I see you've both guessed it."
"That rare specimen of a man has always been interested in the Centennial
Tournament. Now, it seems he's so excited he can't sleep. Even though it's not
time for the Raitai yet, he's already over there. Is he showing off his power?
Or is he waiting for me?"
Kaku Kaioh smiled serenely. "He's still immature. Weak."
Retsu's expression turned solemn. "Master... are you going to fight Yujiro Hanma
at the Raitai?"
"Yes. Indeed." Kaku nodded. "Not for any grand reason. It's just that as martial
artists, we never turn down a challenge. It's that simple."
Kaku Kaioh vs. Yujiro Hanma. The war was imminent.
[The Following Day — Noon]
Ren returned from the grocery store to find the Hub empty. He was preparing to
whip up some lunch for himself when he heard a car pull up.
A visitor had arrived.
It was the Chairman of the Kengan Association—Metsudo Katahara.
But unlike Kuroki or Kaku, Metsudo hadn't come for a lecture. He was simply
passing through and decided to drop in for a casual lunch. Ren welcomed him with
a grin.
However, the person accompanying Metsudo made Ren's "Willpower Addiction" flare
up instantly. Standing behind the Chairman was a massive, serious-looking young
man in a black suit with his hair slicked back.
Anyone in the Kengan circuit or the underground world knew that face. He was the
man with an unbelievable record of 157 wins and 0 losses. The undisputed "King"
of the Kengan Association.
[THE FANG OF METSUDO] Kanoh Agito.
The meeting was sudden and completely lacking in ceremony, but the unique,
crushing aura Agito radiated made Ren raise an eyebrow.
"Nice. That's perfect!"
Metsudo had brought high-grade tea and sweets. Ren headed to the kitchen and
drafted the Chairman's guards to help him prep a simple, home-cooked meal.
While he was chopping vegetables, Ren asked, "Jiisan, what's the latest gossip?
You seem busy."
"Oho, there's a bit of a mess brewing, so I'm just enjoying the show," Metsudo
replied, sipping his tea. "The most 'restless' member of my Association—Toyo
Electric—has teamed up with The Worm and IDEAL. They're planning to conquer and
'develop' The Inside."
"By the way, that metal card in your pocket? It's one of the keys to the outer
gates of that lawless city."
☆☆☆
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