Chapter 380: The Battle is Here
[Soul Combat Hub]
Several bodyguards in sharp black suits were stationed around the Hub, staying
alert while maintaining a respectful distance.
Inside the living room, three men sat around the low table, sipping hot tea and
sampling sweets: Ren Shiroki, Metsudo Katahara, and Kanoh Agito.
Ren was well-acquainted with the first two, but this was his first time meeting
Kanoh Agito in the flesh—the man widely considered the "Current King" of the
Kengan Association.
Height: 201cm (6'7"). Weight: 128kg. An unblemished Kengan record of 157 wins
and 0 losses.
In the original timeline of the Annihilation Tournament, the man known as [THE
FANG OF METSUDO] had crushed the likes of Okubo, Gaolang, and Sen Hatsumi, only
falling in the semi-finals to the "Devil Lance" Kuroki Gensai. To the vast
majority of the Association members, Agito was the strongest fighter in the
history of Kengan matches.
Ren's mind buzzed as he cross-referenced his memories with the reality before
him.
Even sitting down, Kanoh Agito was a mountain of a man. His physique was a dense
fortress of explosive power and corded muscle. His face was a mask of cold
professionalism, his eyes sharp and analytical. He radiated the aura of an apex
predator that was extremely difficult to provoke.
In reality, outside of the arena, Agito had very few interests. He was a man of
few words who dedicated every waking second to training and the refinement of
his "Evolution."
At the moment, Agito remained silent, a looming shadow as he listened to the
conversation between the Chairman and the Hub owner. Though it was framed as
"small talk," Metsudo Katahara had just dropped a bombshell.
"This metal card... it's one of the keys to the outer gates of The Inside?" Ren
repeated, turning the card over in his hand.
The Inside—also known as "The Ward"—was the lawless city-within-a-city where
Ohma Tokita had been raised. It was a massive, walled-off territory in the heart
of Tokyo, including vast labyrinthine underground levels. The government had
long since surrendered control to the various gangs and syndicates that called
the Ward home. It was a place where morality and law were concepts that didn't
exist.
However, The Inside wasn't a prison. Over the decades, it had formed its own
brutal set of rules, and as long as one wasn't afraid of the dangers within,
movement in and out was relatively free. The boundary was a series of massive,
reinforced walls with several guarded checkpoints.
Ren squinted at the card. "The Ward has been there for generations, and those
walls are ancient. But this key card... it's high-tech. It's brand new."
"Toyo Electric, IDEAL, and The Worm have formed a triumvirate," Metsudo
explained, blowing the steam off his tea. "They intend to conquer and 'develop'
The Inside. How do you think they plan to use those cards?"
Ren leaned back. "I'm listening."
Metsudo stroked his long white beard, his eyes twinkling with the memory of old
lore. "Many years ago, a master named Gaoh Mukaku had the ambition to unite and
rule The Inside. He fought alone for thirty years, dismantling every rival until
he realized he couldn't do it as one man."
"So, he entrusted his ambition to the next generation. He took in many orphans
and named them all 'Tokita Niko', hoping the legend of the name would spread and
unite the districts."
Metsudo took a sip of tea. "The checkpoints of the Ward are controlled by
special tactical units. While they let the occasional criminal slip in, they
don't allow mass transit. My guess is that Toyo Electric's plan doesn't rely on
a single 'Hero' or a 'Legend.' They're relying on Military Power."
"If IDEAL, The Worm, and Toyo's private guardians can enter The Inside in
massive numbers, they can seize control of the checkpoints and systematically
devour the Ward from the inside out."
"To do that, they need to control the Gates."
"The CEO of Penasonic, Sukizo Urita, is a genius in electronic engineering. My
deduction is that Toyo Electric threatened him into creating these master-key
cards to override the checkpoints. But Sukizo is a man of integrity; he fled
with a few cards before they could finish the batch."
"His fighter, Ryo Inaba, distributed the cards to fighters he deemed powerful
and trustworthy. Right now, Sukizo and Inaba are likely hiding in the shadows,
waiting for the dust to settle."
As expected of the Chairman. In a few sentences, Metsudo had mapped out the
entire conspiracy.
The weight of this information was staggering. It promised a storm that would
reshape the underground world. The guards stationed around the room widened
their eyes in shock, but Agito remained as still as a statue.
Ren, for his part, was wearing a wide, delighted grin, as if he had just heard a
particularly exciting bedtime story.
As for Metsudo, he looked as casual as a grandfather complaining about the
weather. He was the definition of "Calm amidst the Chaos."
"Ho ho ho! If Hayami of Toyo Electric actually manages to 'develop' The Inside,
the wealth and prestige he'll generate would make him the next Chairman of the
Kengan Association for certain."
"Hmm... I hear The Worm has deep roots within the Ward too. With their help,
Toyo Electric has a massive advantage."
Ren raised an eyebrow. "So...?"
"It's fun!" Metsudo beamed. "A corporate war of this scale... I haven't seen one
in years. I'm looking forward to the show! But if the rivals are too boring, it
won't be worth my time."
Metsudo's tone shifted. "On that note, I have another match for you to consider.
It might be even more interesting than the business in the Ward."
Ren tilted his head, curious.
Metsudo gestured toward the man beside him. "I want my Fang to continue his
evolution. Tokugawa-san came by to visit, so we arranged a match."
"—Kanoh Agito vs. Mohammad Alai Jr."
Ren exhaled a long plume of hot air, his eyes widening. "The King of Kengan vs.
The Son of God?!"
"Exactly," Metsudo clapped his hands. "Young Alai Jr. wants to challenge the
[CHAMPION] Baki Hanma. To get there, he's set his sights on the [KING] of the
Association. He views us as a trial. I, in turn, want to see Agito sharpen his
'Teeth' against the Alai Style."
The meeting concluded shortly after. Ren walked Metsudo and Agito out to the
courtyard.
Just as they reached the gate, two high-end black sedans pulled up. Four or five
men in white suits stepped out. Their faces were hardened, their auras those of
violent thugs rather than professional security.
They were the Guardians—the private army of Toyo Electric's CEO, Hayami
Katsumasa.
The men in white suits approached Ren, but when they saw the Chairman of the
Association standing right there, they faltered.
Metsudo let out a hearty laugh. "Oho! What a coincidence. Does Hayami have his
private army training at the Hub now too?"
It was a blatant taunt. The Guardians weren't disciplined professionals like
Metsudo's guards; they were aggressive brawlers. One of them, a massive bald
man, took the bait.
CLANG!
The bald man drew a short metal baton from his sleeve and slammed it against the
courtyard railing. "I heard this place holds no-rules matches. I heard weapons
are allowed. Let's see what the Hub Owner is made of."
The other Guardians didn't stop him. They were curious to test Ren's level
themselves. The bald man lunged forward, a savage grin on his face.
The next instant—Zip!
The bald man felt a spike of agony in his ankle as his perspective tilted
violently. He didn't even see the movement.
Ren had executed a low-line sweep to upend him, catching the man's shoulder with
his left hand as he fell to pivot him around like a toy top.
Crunch-thud!
The bald man spun 360 degrees before slamming onto his feet, looking completely
disoriented.
Before he could reset, Ren unleashed a high-speed flicker-jab chain. He stopped
his fist millimeters from the man's eyes, then his throat, then his stomach.
Whish-whish-whish!
Finally, Ren aimed for the groin.
Snap!
He gave a light, technical tap with the back of his hand to the man's vitals.
The bald man's face went white. He dropped his baton and collapsed into a heap,
clutching his groin and letting out a series of high-pitched, pathetic whimpers.
Ren shook out his wrist. "Alright. Real-world practice over."
The clinical, fluid display was caught by Kanoh Agito. He appraised Ren with a
silent intensity. He's strong. And compared to the last recording... he's
evolved again.
With their leader neutralized, the other Guardians fell silent. They had a
mission that took priority over a bruised ego.
A lean, sharp-eyed man who looked like a classic "Smiling Tiger" stepped
forward, extending a hand to Ren.
"Good afternoon, Shiroki-san. We are here representing Toyo Electric's
'Ally'—The Dawn Village. We're here to negotiate a Kengan match."
Metsudo arched an eyebrow.
The Village Head of Dawn Village was a fellow Association member and an old
business associate of Metsudo's from his younger days. So was Hayami Katsumasa.
But while Metsudo had maintained his principles, Hayami had spiraled into a path
of obsession and madness.
"And since Chairman Metsudo is here... look who else we brought." The lean man
gestured.
The Guardians opened the car door to reveal a small, middle-aged man with round
glasses, thick eyebrows, and a balding "monk" hairstyle. This was Mitsumitsu
Yoroizuka, the Village Head of Dawn Village.
He looked incredibly stressed, his brow furrowed with anxiety. It was obvious he
was being coerced into following Toyo Electric's lead.
The lean man ushered the Village Head forward to meet Ren.
"Since you are both Kengan members and Shiroki-san acts as his own fighter, the
formalities are simple."
"Let's have a match—a Kengan Match."
Metsudo's presence meant the cards were already on the table. There was no point
in lying.
"The stake on your end is the Secret Key Card," the lean man said, looking at
Ren. "As for what the Dawn Village is offering, and why you must accept this
match... allow me to explain—"
Ren didn't wait for the pitch. He simply nodded. "Sure. Let's do it."
The lean man's "Smiling Tiger" mask slipped. "Don't be so quick to agree! I
haven't even—wait, what?"
He blinked, his planned threats and bribes dying in his throat. He had a whole
script ready to force this match into existence, but Ren had accepted before he
could even start.
The Toyo agents were stunned. Mitsumitsu Yoroizuka was equally bewildered.
Ren put his hands on his hips. "I'm not doing it for the card. The battle is
here. I don't see any reason to say no!"
He leaned down, looking at the Village Head. "Your fighter... he has his own
'Strength,' doesn't he?"
Mitsumitsu paused. A wave of relief washed over him, the pressure of the last
few days finally beginning to lift. He offered a small, genuine smile.
"Yes. He is very strong. He's a hot-blooded idiot, but he is a warrior I
acknowledge with all my heart."
The Village Head straightened his glasses and handed Ren a business card.
The board was set.
[SOUL COMBATANT] Ren Shiroki vs. [THE ROARING SPIRIT] Saw Paing Yoroizuka.
The match was official!!
☆☆☆
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