Chapter 22: Tsukamoto Kazumi's Shock
Before today—or more precisely, before he'd just checked in—he'd known absolutely nothing about so-called karate.
"It's fine. Judging by those reflexes just now, you've definitely got the makings of a black belt."
Yamamoto said, in praise.
"Black belt? No way, that's way too much!"
"That was just luck. There's no way he's a black belt."
"Exactly, some guy who doesn't even know karate doesn't deserve Mouri Ran!"
"He hasn't even trained. I refuse to accept he's a black belt!"
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All at once, every boy in the Karate Club scoffed, clearly refusing to accept it.
"What, you don't believe it?"
"How about this—spar with Higashino-kun for real, and you'll see."
Yamamoto said seriously, his face a stern mask.
As if he were actually standing up for Makoto.
'A "perfect" gentleman type!'
'A textbook "perfect" gentleman!'
'Aside from the fact that his looks couldn't touch mine, his little act was almost as good as mine.'
"Me first!"
"Let me go!"
"No, let me go first!"
"Me! Me!"
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One after another, the boys in their karate gis clenched their fists and squared into fighting stances.
"Ugh—"
Makoto sighed, his face a mix of exasperation.
"What are you all doing?"
"If you want to fight, you'll have to go through me first!"
Ran stepped in front of Makoto, blocking the way.
As the Karate Club's captain, she obviously knew exactly how strong these members were.
Any one of them could take down three or four small-time thugs without breaking a sweat—they were nothing to trifle with.
"Mouri!"
"They just want to spar a little. It's a friendly match."
"Besides, if he's a real Japanese man, he ought to face a challenge head-on, not hide behind a woman."
"You're insulting Higashino-kun by doing this!"
Yamamoto said, putting on airs.
"This..."
Ran looked to Makoto, seeking his opinion.
"Step aside. It's fine."
Makoto smiled and took off his shoes.
Like every other member of the club, he set his bare feet on the wooden floor.
"One correction—I'm not a Japanese man. I'm a man from China!"
"Though these days, I'm also the man of one of your Japanese women—hers."
Makoto glanced at Ran, who'd gone shy, and went on.
"So, I accept your challenge!"
"All of your challenges!"
He crooked a finger, a playful smile on his lips.
"No need to take turns—just come at me together."
"I'm in a bit of a hurry."
Boom!
In an instant, the whole Karate Club exploded.
Thirty or forty of them, strong and sturdy, every one a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old high schooler.
One after another, they glared daggers, eyes locked on the man before them.
That man from China, flaunting the fact that he'd won their goddess!
"Coach!"
Everyone turned to look at their coach.
"Higashino-kun, are you serious about this?"
Yamamoto's gaze turned dark, his jaw clenched, the corner of his mouth twitching.
This provocation wasn't just about romance anymore—it was national grudge, ancestral hatred, ethnic pride.
He'd truly lost his temper!
"Of course!"
"That includes you too!"
Makoto gently pushed Ran aside.
Time to meet this fight head-on!
◇◇◇
"Training again, huh?"
Just then, a short-haired girl in a sailor uniform happened to be passing by the Karate Club.
She stopped, listening in for a moment out of curiosity.
"Still working hard, I see."
"Looks like handing the captain's spot over to Mouri was the right call."
Hearing the fierce sounds of battle from inside, Tsukamoto Kazumi, the former captain, smiled with quiet satisfaction.
Boom!
Just then, the Japanese-style wooden door burst apart.
A figure flew backward out of it, crashing heavily onto the ground.
"W-wait, this is..."
Kazumi looked down and froze completely.
Yamamoto Ichiro!
The Karate Club's coach, the only 4th Dan black belt at Teitan High School, and the man who'd trained both her and Mouri Ran across two generations of captains.
He now lay face-down on the ground like a dead dog, utterly still—clearly out cold.
With the door shattered, the whole state of the Karate Club lay open before her.
Bodies littered the floor every which way.
Some groaned in pain, others lay unconscious.
Out of the twenty or thirty people who made up the sizable Karate Club, not a single one was still standing—except for Mouri Ran and a stranger she didn't recognize.
"Mouri?"
"H-has your strength really grown to this level?"
Kazumi's whole body trembled, a distinct flicker of fear running through her.
The kouhai who'd once been far weaker than her had grown to a level that even she now had to look up to!
"Amazing! You're amazing!"
"Makoto, you're seriously incredible!"
Before Kazumi could even step forward to say hello, she watched the kouhai whose strength now frightened her throw herself, beaming with joy, into the stranger's arms.
Like a girl head over heels in love, blushing as she nuzzled sweetly against her boyfriend.
"This..."
"Wait—could it be that the one who did all this wasn't Mouri, but him?"
Kazumi's shock only deepened, and she couldn't help but steal a few more glances.
He was tall, at least 180 centimeters.
His build didn't look especially muscular, yet there was an odd, well-proportioned quality to it.
A gentle smile sat on a face handsome enough to belong to a movie star—nothing about him looked like a karate master.
And despite having just fought a massive battle, defeating nearly thirty members of the entire Karate Club, there wasn't the slightest trace of fatigue on the man's face—even his breathing was unbelievably steady.
…
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Dan — The ranking system for black-belt-level martial artists, including in karate. Ranks begin at 1st Dan and increase with seniority, experience, and demonstrated skill; higher Dans (4th and above) typically require a minimum age and years of training set by the governing federation.
The "Perfect" Gentleman — Translates Chinese internet slang ("tea arts," 茶艺) for someone whose charm, warmth, or thoughtfulness is a calculated social tactic rather than genuine feeling. The quotation marks around "perfect" are intentional, signaling manipulation behind a polished surface.
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CheapBiscuit T/N: Woahh~ calm down author… let's simply enjoy the story, okay? No ancestral hatred here.
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Higashino Makoto — Protagonist. Transmigrated.
Mouri Ran — Shinichi's childhood sweetheart. Series: Detective Conan.
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Translated by CheapBiscuit.
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