Under the dim, flickering streetlights of an abandoned warehouse district, several heavily muscled figures sat around a large circular table.
"The Tiger's Vessel is dead."
"Who killed him?"
"That is irrelevant. Do we have a backup?"
"This complicates things. Will He be angry?"
"Hard to say. But the Tiger's Vessel is absolutely necessary for the grand plan. Prepare a new vessel."
"What about the Kengan Annihilation Tournament?"
"Let the Worm handle the tournament. The Westward Faction has other, more pressing matters to attend to."
...
While the underground world churned with chaotic undercurrents beneath the starry night sky, Lu Li finally arrived at his destination.
"Absolutely massive... I suppose having infinite money really does let you do whatever you want," Lu Li muttered in genuine awe, looking down from the hillside at the gargantuan estate and sprawling manicured lawns below.
He leaned forward, dropping into a low, aerodynamic crouch, and silently dove down the mountainside. He landed gracefully on the thick branch of an ancient oak tree. Using the branch's natural elasticity, he vaulted through the air like a phantom.
When his feet finally touched the pristine grass inside the estate, he didn't make a single sound.
During dinner earlier, the old man Erioh had contacted him. He had successfully spoken with Metsudo Katahara. However, Metsudo had made a highly amusing counter-proposal: he wanted Lu Li to come see him "directly."
Lu Li's senses were pushed to their absolute maximum. His movements were completely silent and blindingly fast. He effortlessly slipped past the elite perimeter patrols of Metsudo's private Bodyguard force without a single alarm being tripped, seamlessly infiltrating the main mansion.
Yes, he was a battle-crazed meathead who preferred to smash through the front door. But that didn't mean he couldn't utilize stealth.
As a supreme martial arts Grandmaster, his ability to completely suppress his aura and mask his kinetic output was unparalleled. He knew exactly what kind of man Metsudo Katahara was: an ancient, eccentric billionaire who lived for chaos and entertainment. Asking Lu Li to come "directly" was both a test of his capabilities and an attempt to see if something "fun" would happen.
But it seemed the undisputed ruler of the Dainippon Bank, the puppet master of Japan's economy, the near-centenarian patriarch who still possessed the aura of a tiger... was going to be slightly disappointed.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Lu Li rapped politely on the heavy oak doors of the grand reception hall. A moment later, an ancient, highly amused voice invited him in.
Two elite Bodyguards standing on the inside pulled the massive doors open. In the dead center of the lavishly decorated hall sat a single, luxurious armchair. An old, emaciated man, looking strikingly similar to Erioh Kure in his frailty, sat comfortably in the chair.
From a purely biological standpoint, the old man was incredibly weak—far weaker than an average healthy adult. He was a candle flickering in the wind. Yet, just by sitting there, an invisible, suffocating pressure radiated from him, completely blanketing the massive hall. It was the crushing, absolute authority cultivated by a man who had wielded supreme power for nearly a century.
Metsudo Katahara. The iron-fisted Chairman of the Kengan Association for over sixty years. Even with one foot in the grave, his eyes still burned with the ferocious, unyielding spirit of an apex predator.
Standing rigidly in a semi-circle behind him were the absolute elites of his private Bodyguard force. Every single one of them was a top-tier martial artist; if released into the Kengan matches, any one of them could effortlessly secure dozens of consecutive victories.
Standing slightly ahead of the old man, clad entirely in a skin-tight, pitch-black combat suit, was a towering giant of a man. He was currently staring dead at Lu Li. The muscles around his mouth twitched involuntarily, eventually curling upward into a deeply unsettling, twisted smile.
The invisible, oppressive aura radiating from the giant made the two Bodyguards who had opened the door physically uncomfortable. This was the man who held an unprecedented, undefeated record of 157 consecutive victories in the Kengan matches. He was universally hailed as the absolute strongest fighter in the history of the Kengan Association.
The Fang of Metsudo: Agito Kanoh.
Metsudo Katahara stared at Lu Li in absolute silence for two full seconds before bursting into loud, hearty laughter. "So you're the brat Erioh mentioned! You truly possess outstanding capabilities. To think my elite Bodyguards couldn't even detect your infiltration... it seems I need to overhaul my security protocols again."
"Master Metsudo, even if he has breached the perimeter, there is no need for concern. I am here," Agito Kanoh stated coldly. His eyes were locked onto Lu Li, his muscles already coiled tight.
He had no idea what his master had discussed with the Kure Patriarch earlier today, but the fact that an unknown variable had infiltrated all the way to the inner sanctum without the Bodyguards noticing was a catastrophic failure of duty.
As a child, Agito had been kidnapped by the Worm and thrown into a horrific, absolute-survival Gu ritual. Metsudo Katahara had personally rescued him from that hell. To repay that life debt, Agito had sworn absolute, unwavering loyalty. If the young man standing before them was an assassin, he would personally show him exactly what it meant to face the Fang of Metsudo.
"Hahaha, you are reliable as always, Agito," Metsudo chuckled. He turned his sharp gaze back to Lu Li. "Erioh tells me you wish to participate in the Kengan Annihilation Tournament, and you require an official fighter's slot. Is that correct?"
"That is correct," Lu Li replied, taking a slow step forward. "Although I suspect you don't particularly care if you maintain your position as Chairman, winning is always preferable to losing, wouldn't you agree?"
"Oh?" Metsudo's wrinkled face became utterly unreadable. "Are you implying my 'Fang' is going to lose this tournament?"
"You know the answer to that better than anyone, Chairman. Why bother asking me?" Lu Li smiled knowingly.
In the canon storyline, Metsudo Katahara had secretly orchestrated for the legendary Grandmaster, Kuroki Gensai, to enter the tournament representing a rival corporation. His sole, hidden objective was to have Kuroki brutally humble his undefeated Fang and teach him a lesson. Metsudo genuinely didn't care about the outcome of the corporate war.
In terms of sheer magnanimity and vision, he completely eclipsed the ambitious Vice Chairman who had orchestrated the tournament to usurp him. Metsudo knew he was old. He simply wanted to find a capable, worthy successor to manage the Kengan Association after his death. If he could use the tournament to forge his Fang into an even stronger weapon in the process, it was killing two birds with one stone.
"Brat... it seems you have an incredibly sharp mind. I just don't know if your fists can back it up," Metsudo smiled, his expression betraying absolutely nothing. He glanced sideways at Agito. "You heard him. He wants to enter the tournament. And he has come directly to us. You know what to do."
Agito Kanoh's face contorted into a terrifying, twisted grin that practically screamed madness. He took a heavy step forward. Standing at 201 centimeters and weighing 130 kilograms, his massive frame radiated suffocating pressure. He wasn't bulky or slow; his musculature was perfectly proportioned, flawlessly outlined by his skin-tight suit.
He spread his arms wide, lowering his center of gravity into the aggressive, coiled stance of an apex predator preparing to pounce. "I will completely crush you."
"Crush me...?" Lu Li repeated softly. He observed Agito's towering physique, profoundly sensing the absolute 'purity' of the man's martial aura. He took another step forward.
In the very next microsecond, Agito's stance violently shifted. He instantly retracted his extended arms, dropping into a highly defensive half-guard, and involuntarily took a half-step backward.
"Oh?" Lu Li raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. "You're incredibly strong. Vastly stronger than Raian."
Agito froze. It wasn't because Lu Li had compared him to someone named Raian. It was because he had stepped backward.
He had absolutely no idea why he had suddenly shifted into a defensive stance. He had no idea why he had retreated.
In that microscopic fraction of a second, his body had reacted entirely on pure, primal instinct.
His biological danger-sense had screamed at him that if he hadn't shifted to defense, he would have been instantly and utterly annihilated.
The elite Bodyguards standing behind Metsudo were equally stunned. As Lu Li slowly walked closer, they realized with absolute horror that the undisputed Fang of Metsudo was actually trembling!
Yes. Agito Kanoh's towering, majestic frame was vibrating uncontrollably. It was the very first time in his life he had ever experienced this sensation.
Why? He wasn't afraid of dying. Even if the man standing before him was an invincible god, Agito wouldn't feel fear. Yet, his body continued to tremble.
Ah...
I understand now.
Staring at the silhouette of the man under the chandelier, looking at the most unfathomably powerful opponent he had ever encountered in his entire life... he realized the trembling wasn't fear.
It was pure, unadulterated ecstasy.
In the next instant, Agito exploded forward like a starving tiger. He seamlessly shifted into his signature "Formless" stance—a hyper-fluid, entirely unpredictable combat style devoid of any fixed patterns, granting him the absolute flexibility to adapt to any incoming attack.
Operating purely on terrifying combat instinct, the Fang of Metsudo threw a devastating, apocalyptic straight punch.
But what happened next caused even Metsudo Katahara's eyes to widen in genuine shock.
Lu Li didn't take a single step back. He simply raised his hand and caught Agito's apocalyptic punch dead in its tracks. The catastrophic kinetic force flowed into Lu Li like water; he perfectly redirected a portion of it backward through his stance, while the remaining kinetic energy simply vanished into nothingness.
It was a profoundly bizarre, logic-defying sight. The 201-centimeter giant's full-power, explosive strike was completely halted by the relatively "small" Lu Li using only a single, open palm. Lu Li hadn't moved a single millimeter. It completely violated the fundamental laws of physics.
Before Agito could even process the impossible reality of his neutralized strike, Lu Li retaliated. A blindingly fast hook buried itself directly into Agito's jaw.
The massive Fang of Metsudo was violently launched into the air, crashing heavily onto the pristine marble floor.
However, he was entirely worthy of his title. The moment the strike connected, his peerless instincts had kicked in, allowing him to instantaneously disperse a significant portion of the concussive force. He executed a flawless breakfall upon landing. Because of this, he didn't suffer any critical trauma or a severe concussion, though blood was pouring freely from his mouth.
As Agito rolled back onto his feet and turned to face Lu Li again, a massive, twisted smile split his face, clearly radiating profound joy.
He trembled because he had found a true powerhouse. He was ecstatic because he had found an opponent who could push him. He was overjoyed because this battle would force him to evolve.
Meanwhile, the elite members of Metsudo's Bodyguard force were utterly paralyzed with shock. They couldn't comprehend that the absolute strongest fighter in their history, the Fang of Metsudo, had been effortlessly sent flying in a single exchange.
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