CHAPTER 109: THE·KARATE!
To be honest, since he had long since vanished from the public eye, a signed photo of the Shinshinkai founder—the "Bushin" Doppo Orochi—was worth a small fortune.
Once everyone had changed back into their street clothes, Ren Shiroki rented an Instax camera from the resort gift shop. He dragged Doppo into a series of poses, snapping several polaroids to use as "prestige decor" for the Soul Combat Hub.
Ren also managed to snag one of Doppo's old business cards—a vintage design the Grandmaster hadn't used in a decade—to add to his private collection of "Monster Profiles."
The chaotic weekend drew to a close.
Fusui Kure headed home, already planning her next "investigative" visit.
Arisa and Marco were inseparable, the giant following her like a loyal bodyguard.
Ichika Iori, despite being forced into "overtime," was glowing from the praise of the Commissioner.
Yuzuha Li was just happy to have met a living god of the martial arts world.
Almost everyone was satisfied. Except for Nozomi Tenma. She hadn't gained any new sponsors, she'd been nearly kidnapped by a cultist, and now she was back to being a "Beautiful Unemployed CEO."
"Maybe I should just sleep through Monday... no, wait. Valkyrie needs me," she muttered as they reached the crossroads.
Eventually, the rented van only held four: Ren, Arisa, Doppo, and Marco.
They stepped out into the Shiroki yard. Even though the owner had been away, the construction crew hadn't slowed down. The foundation was set, and the primary steel framework of the Hub was already beginning to take shape.
"Looking good, Ren-kun!"
Doppo Orochi scanned the site with an appreciative eye. "It's not a skyscraper, but I can see the soul in the design. I used to wander into little dojos like this back in my youth. They have a 'Flavor' that the big corporate gyms lack."
Step... step...
Doppo walked over to the temporary sand pit. He stretched his hands, his knuckles popping with a sound like firecrackers.
"Ren-kun... opportunity of a lifetime. How about we move a bit?"
"Just a little technical exchange? For a guest's sake?"
Doppo let out a mischievous giggle. As usual, he showed zero of the dignified "Grandmaster" persona.
Arisa, used to the routine, sat on a crate with Marco and handed him a banana to keep him occupied.
Ren stood in the center of the pit, crossing his arms. He looked torn.
"You're so whimsical, Doppo-oji-san," Ren sighed. "We just finished protecting the public together, we shared a bath, and now you want to scrap?"
"Nice! Simply perfect!"
Ren didn't wait for a second invitation. He stepped into the sand, bouncing on the balls of his feet to loosen his muscles.
But just as Ren prepared his first lunge, Doppo put his hands on his hips and shook his head with a broad, happy grin.
"Still too green, kid!"
Doppo suddenly turned into a stern elder. "This is your Dojo. Your Hub. You're the CEO here."
"I represent the Shinshinkai. You represent Soul Combat. If we fight here, one of our 'Brands' will inevitably suffer a loss."
"So, for the sake of our reputations... a professional should know when to say no!"
Doppo shrugged and turned his back on Ren, walking toward the porch. "Anyway, I'm parched. Do you have any Oolong tea? My treat!"
Ren watched the giant's back. He could feel the "Scent" of combat lingering in the air. Doppo wasn't leaving. He was Baiting.
"Heh—"
Ren's lips curled into a smirk. He knew exactly what the Old Man wanted.
ZIP!
Ren lunged forward with a high-speed dash. He closed the gap to Doppo's back in a microsecond, raising his leg for a sharp upward kick aimed directly between the Grandmaster's legs.
BANG!
The kick landed flush. The sound of the impact was heavy and resonant.
Marco, watching with a mouthful of banana, spit his drink out. "Gah?! My... my parts hurt just watching!"
But Arisa and Marco were stunned to see that Doppo didn't collapse. He didn't even flinch. He remained standing in a rooted horse-stance.
Ren retracted his leg, feeling as if he'd just kicked a block of cured rubber. "I knew it. It's useless, isn't it?"
"Correct! Never underestimate a Karateka!"
Doppo Orochi turned around slowly, a wide grin on his face.
"It is a basic rule of the street: the groin is a vital. Therefore, before a brawl starts, a master of the old ways 'Retracts' his vitals into the pelvic cavity!"
"This is the Ryukyu Karate secret of Kotsu-hai! By manipulating the lower abdominals, I pull my target out of reach!"
Doppo slowly tightened his right fist, chambering it at his waist.
"Ren-kun, I appreciate you playing with my boy Katsumi. Youth needs 'Play' to evolve."
"But don't you dare look down on True Karate! Now, let me show you the difference between an athlete and a god!"
Doppo settled into his stance.
Feet staggered. Right fist at the hip. Left hand extended vertically, palm open.
It was the same stance Katsumi had used, but when Doppo held it, the "Weight" was exponentially higher. It was as if a mountain had just materialized in the yard.
"I heard you beat my son with a 'Counter-Defense.' You think you have a good guard?"
Doppo's tone was conversational. "I'm going to throw a high-line straight thrust. Cover your face, kid. Here I come."
"!?!"
Ren tensed. He prepared to raise his arms, but a sudden gust of wind hit his eyes.
ZIP!
Before Ren could move, Doppo's iron fist was hovering exactly one millimeter from the tip of his nose.
"What's the matter, Ren-kun? I wasn't lying!"
Doppo retracted the fist. "Next is the mid-section. A front-kick. Protect your stomach."
TAP.
Ren looked down. The toe of Doppo's foot was pressed into his upper abs. The old man even gave his foot a playful little twist before pulling it back.
"!?!"
Ren's eyes widened. He replayed the movement in his mind. He couldn't see the opening. He couldn't find the frame to parry. How was he so... Slow yet so Inevitable?
Doppo's "Lesson" continued with a running commentary.
"Hand-blade strike. Spear-hand. Back-fist. Foot-sword—"
BAP! BAP! BAP! THUD!
The strikes rained down. They were all pulled punches, the sensation of skin meeting fabric feeling like a light itch, but the technical precision was overwhelming.
Ren realized that if Doppo weren't holding back, his body would be a pile of broken meat right now.
"Ren-kun, pay attention! This is the 'One-Thousand-Reps' straight!"
Ren triggered his [ENGINE] to the maximum. He raised a knee and braced his forearms for a perfect parry. He focused every neuron on finding the gap.
But Doppo's rhythm shifted. His fist didn't come in a line; it twisted at the last second, sliding through a gap in Ren's guard that shouldn't have existed.
Instead of hitting Ren's jaw, Doppo extended his middle finger and gave Ren a sharp flick on the side of his waist.
FLICK!
"GAH!"
Ren stumbled back a few steps, clutching his side. He looked at Doppo with wide, shocked eyes.
"Haha! Unbelievable, right?"
Doppo relaxed his stance, putting his hands back on his hips. "What you just saw were the 'Basic Drills' I've practiced every single day for fifty years. I do them a thousand times before breakfast."
"When a 'Basic' is mastered to that degree, it becomes an unblockable Finisher!"
Doppo scratched his head, his face turning a bit red. "Though, honestly? I wanted to show off and make you completely unable to defend anything."
"But for that last one, I had to use my finger to 'Extend' my reach, otherwise I would have missed. Man, this old man is getting shy!"
Ren let out a pained laugh. "You're a wily one, Oji-san."
Doppo clapped Ren's back, booming with laughter. "Hahaha! That's what it means to be a martial artist!"
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the group settled on the porch for tea and snacks.
Ren, Doppo, Arisa, and Marco were mid-conversation when a luxury sedan pulled up to the gate. A man and a woman stepped out.
The woman was Kaede Akiyama.
The man was a lean, sharp-eyed middle-aged executive. Hideki Nogi, the Chairman of the Nogi Group.
This was Ren's first formal meeting with the man who had bought him his seat. Nogi walked up with a polite, confident smile and shook Ren's hand.
"Shiroki-kun. A pleasure."
Nogi skipped the pleasantries. "I'll keep it brief. I'm here to formally recruit you."
"..."
Ren crunched on a shrimp cracker and tilted his head, signaling for Nogi to continue.
"In the very near future—pushed by my own efforts—there is a high probability that the Kengan Association will host an unprecedented event. A tournament that will gather the greatest monsters in Japan."
"It is a struggle for the title of 'The Strongest.' Based on Kaede's reports, I know you won't be able to resist."
Nogi paused, studying Ren's reaction.
"I'm not asking for a favor. I'm giving you a guarantee: if you choose to enter this tournament, the Nogi Group will cover every single expense. You just have to fight."
"I don't want a simple win/loss between Firm A and Firm B. I want a chaotic free-for-all of legends. That's why I'm backing 'Free Agents' like you."
Nogi handed Ren a private business card. "When the news breaks, you'll know. Call me then."
Hoping to seal the deal, Nogi began to list the potential participants. "The tournament will feature brawlers, killers, masters of every style. Wrestling, Sumo, Boxing, MMA... and of course, the great Karate schools, like the Shinshinkai."
"Ren-kun, you beat Katsumi Orochi. But do not think for a second you've seen the depth of that school. It was founded by the Bushin himself."
Nogi's expression turned reverent. "Doppo Orochi. I've followed his legend since I was a teenager. He was the idol of my generation. They say he could slay a tiger with his bare hands. He is a true Grandmaster among men!"
As Nogi spoke, the atmosphere in the yard turned strangely still.
While he was singing the praises of the "Bushin," Ren, Arisa, and Marco all slowly turned their heads to look at the "Old Fossil" sitting on the porch mat.
Nogi followed their gaze. He saw the one-eyed, bald man in the paisley swim trunks, currently picking his teeth with a toothpick.
Nogi looked at the man. Then at Ren. Then back at the man.
He blinked.
Ssssss—!?
Doppo Orochi shifted his weight, looking incredibly embarrassed. He scratched the back of his bald head, a faint blush creeping up his neck.
"Ehh... well... listening to a big-shot CEO praise me to my face like that... it's making this old man feel all ticklish~!"
☆☆☆
-> 30 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you