Chapter 425: The Purity of "The Now"
"Difficult things?"
Fusui Kure blinked her black-and-white eyes, a look of genuine confusion
crossing her face. "Ren-chin, have things felt 'easy' for you lately?"
"Hmm..."
Ren Shiroki crossed his arms, his face contorting into a mask of deep, troubled
contemplation, as if he were truly wrestling with the question.
Seeing this, Fusui's irritation spiked instantly.
She knew him well enough to know that Ren Shiroki was never one to underestimate
a rival. Whether it was Okubo, Saw Paing, Kosho Shinogi, or even Alai Jr.—he
would never use the word "easy" to describe them. To savor every frame of a
struggle until the very end was an exhausting, soul-burning endeavor.
Therefore, Ren was definitely doing this on purpose. He was putting on an act
just to mess with her.
"You brat, you're really enjoying this, aren't you?!"
The veins around Fusui's eyes bulged as her [REMOVAL: 28%] flickered on. She
snared Ren's neck with one arm and delivered a sharp, technical kick to his
backside.
"Aha!"
Ren bared his teeth in a grin, splashing his soda in the process, but he found
himself genuinely enjoying the rowdy atmosphere of the group.
Beside them, Rihito took advantage of his height, habitually rubbing Arisa's
head with a massive hand. "Ren-aniki and Fusui-chan really do get along well,
don't they?"
Arisa's hair was turned into a bird's nest. She growled in annoyance, "If the
[RAZOR'S EDGE] causes hair loss, I'm telling Marco to use you as a punching
bag."
"Hey, hey! It's a scalp massage!" Rihito chuckled nervously, taking a long pull
of his soda. "But seriously, Ren-aniki has a weird sense of humor. Hasn't this
been the most grueling week of his life?"
"No," Arisa countered, shaking her head. "Compared to our 'vacation' in Kure
Village, Aniki is actually having a pretty relaxing time."
Rihito blinked. "What's so difficult about a vacation?"
Since it was just casual talk, Fusui kept her arm locked around Ren's neck while
she recounted the events of the "Summer Festival."
She started from the initial arrival, moved through the secret invasion of the
Toyo Electric Guardians, and finished with the final war: Ren Shiroki vs. Raian
Kure.
As Rihito listened, his expression began to shift from amusement to pure horror.
"Wait a second... that combat frequency...!" He began to count on his fingers.
"Ignoring the nameless thugs... he fought Master Shibukawa, the wrestler
Kanazaki, Jaku Kaioh, Sekibayashi-aniki, and finally Raian Kure?!"
"By that count, he was fighting a world-class monster every single morning,
noon, and night!"
Rihito shivered. "What kind of Spartan hell-trip was that?!"
Ren, still being throttled by the Kure girl, looked over at Rihito and posed an
interesting question.
"Facing a festival like that... if it were the man they call [RAZOR'S EDGE],
would you have joined the frames?"
Rihito froze. "Is that... even a question?"
He thought about it seriously, then thinned his lips. "I mean... I'd want to
join! Even if there was no chance for a rookie like me... and even if I couldn't
survive the first round."
Rihito sighed. "But for the answer? Yes. I'd join. Even if I ended up pulverized
and half-dead, I'd still want to taste it."
Ren nodded. It was clear that Rihito's true talent wasn't just his finger
strength—it was his hunger. His desire to be strong and his grip on "The Now."
It was this trait that would eventually earn him the acknowledgment of the
[DEVIL LANCE] in another timeline.
Ren broke free from Fusui's grip and finished his drink. His tone turned soft,
almost philosophical. "Conflict is a bridge to despair."
"The path of the Seeker is paved with agony. You have to accept that as a
fundamental truth before you step onto the sand."
He leaned back against the wall.
"Alai Jr. said he was prepared to kill. But to me... that was just a dangerous
vibe he was projecting. It was an act."
"It wasn't intentional—Jr. didn't even realize he was doing it—but at his core,
his 'Resolution' was just a hollow decoration."
Ren looked at his empty can. "To put it another way: Alai Jr. wasn't truly
trying to kill. He was a man who believed he could 'prepare' for a decision.
That level of thinking doesn't work at the apex."
"A man who spends his life 'preparing' to die will never reach the finish line.
He will never find his 'Way.' He is constantly using 'Adverse Circumstances' to
delay his own answer."
"In the end, that attitude dilutes the Purity of the Now."
Ren crushed the aluminum can in his hand—crunch—and tossed it into the bin. His
Combat Aura flickered, the air warping slightly around him.
"You have to be willing to trade your soul for this single frame. Only then is
the Purity sufficient!"
Ren's words resonated through the corridor.
THUD!
A heavy sound echoed from around the corner. The group quieted, peeking around
the bend to see what had happened.
It was the Alai father and son.
Alai Jr. hadn't even changed out of his trunks. He hadn't even made it back to
the locker room. He was kneeling on the hard floor, tears and snot streaming
down his face as he wailed in absolute, soul-shattering grief. The thud had been
the sound of his knees hitting the concrete.
"Uuu... uuuugh...!"
Alai Jr. sobbed, his pride completely dismantled.
Old Alai stood over him, silent. He realized this wasn't a frame he could
intervene in, so he turned and walked away.
As he rounded the corner, he passed Ren Shiroki. The legend had clearly heard
the discussion about "Purity."
Alai Sr. raised his great, calloused hand and gave Ren a firm, respectful pat on
the shoulder.
"Well said, young man," the legend whispered before vanishing into the shadows
of the exit.
With his father gone, Alai Jr. continued to weep, his entire frame shaking with
tremors of catharsis.
It was a raw, unfiltered emotional discharge. The "Pretty Boy" who had been so
confident in his tomorrow was gone. In his place was a man exposing his every
flaw: his vanity, his arrogance, his selfishness, and his ego.
It was all flowing out of him in a mixture of tears, sweat, and saliva.
Rihito peeked at the scene and frowned. "I don't know... why do I feel like he
doesn't look pathetic? It's not actually shameful to look like that, is it?"
Ren mused, "Maybe it's because he's finally being Frank with himself."
"Exactly."
A new voice joined them. Kozue Matsumoto had finished checking on Baki and was
heading home when she bumped into the group.
She looked at the weeping boxer and whispered, "There is nothing wrong with
that."
Kozue walked forward. She didn't hesitate as she reached the kneeling Alai Jr.
She leaned down and gently pulled the broken man into a brief, nurturing hug.
Alai Jr.'s tears soaked into her shirt, but she didn't seem to mind.
Slowly, Alai Jr.'s sobbing tapered off. The storm of emotion had passed, leaving
his face calm and empty.
He stood up, bowing deeply to Kozue. "Thank you... but why? Why would you hold
me like that? With such... such kindness?"
Kozue's answer was remarkably frank—far more than Alai Jr.'s "Acting" had ever
been.
"I thought... your mother would probably have done the same."
"I am not your lover, Jr. But even so... I love you."
Kozue's eyes were clear. "To love someone doesn't require a romantic contract.
Your mother didn't have a 'relationship' with you in that sense, but she loved
you with all she was."
"That is my answer. Goodbye, Jr."
Kozue gave a small nod and walked away.
Alai Jr. was left alone in the empty, silent corridor. He had been annihilated
in combat. And in love? Baki hadn't even bothered to compete with him. He didn't
even have the status of a "Loser."
The Hub crew eventually retreated, finding another elevator to avoid the drama.
On the way out, Rihito let out a long whistle. "Kozue Matsumoto... damn. Baki
Hanma's girlfriend is on a different level. She's terrifyingly strong in her own
way."
"She's the daughter of an Otokodachi," Ren noted. "And she's the only person the
Ogre actually acknowledges by name. Of course she's special."
Rihito kept rambling as the group's boisterous atmosphere returned. Ren,
however, was smiling to himself, his eyes crinkling behind his shades.
Fusui poked his waist. "Ren-chin? What are you thinking about?"
"Just like Baki-kun..." Ren whispered. "I think I want to use my 'Resolution to
Die' to do something difficult."
[The Following Day]
Ren finished his morning session and took a hot shower. He dried off, dressed in
his street gear, and informed the crew he was heading out to visit a friend.
"I'm having lunch with a contact. Don't wait up."
Fusui leaned over the sofa, curious. "Ren-chin, who are you seeing?"
"Motobe Izo-sensei."
Ren pulled on his jacket. "Gaia is currently training at Motobe-sensei's dojo. I
want to pick his brain about survival techniques inside The Inside."
Ren knew Guile was a master of special ops, but the Master wasn't a local. For
the specific, localized details of surviving the Tokyo Ward, there was no better
consultant than the "God of the Earth"—Gaia.
☆☆☆
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