Chapter 56: Has the Fang of Metsudo Been Replaced? (Third Update—Please Vote and Follow)
As the saying goes, time flies when there is a story to tell, and drags when there is not.
In the blink of an eye, several days had passed. The long-awaited Kengan Annihilation Tournament was finally about to begin.
Businessmen and entrepreneurs from all across Japan gathered at the docks and boarded luxurious cruise ships bound for the tournament venue on Kengan Island.
There were also businessmen who lacked the standing to receive a direct invitation. They first had to win the preliminary rounds before they could enter the main tournament’s final thirty-two.
Those people could only board another, far more dilapidated vessel—the S.S. Annihilation. They had to fight for the five remaining slots before they could challenge the elites waiting above.
Thus, ambitious businessmen boarded their ships one after another. Fighters with their own motives either boarded the luxurious S.S. Kengan or headed for the S.S. Annihilation to fight for qualification.
The eleven Explorers still alive in this world were among them. Aside from one capable Level 7 Explorer who had secured a fighter’s position at Kouou Academy and earned direct entry, the rest could only grimly board the S.S. Annihilation and compete for a slot.
"Fuck, I want to be on the S.S. Kengan too. I’ve never even been on a luxury cruise ship. It would’ve been nice to enjoy one for once, even here."
An Explorer who had boarded the S.S. Annihilation complained bitterly.
"Forget it. You can enjoy whatever you want after we get back. Focus on getting a spot first. Want to work together?"
Kure patted the Explorer on the shoulder, his words indirect but his meaning clear.
"What a miserable fucking situation. Fine, let’s cooperate for now. You look pretty strong too."
The Explorer known as Dog Saint said this.
After boarding, the Explorers began forming groups of their own. In their eyes, Explorers were natural allies—and natural enemies. After all, only five slots were available.
Most of their main missions were tied to this Kengan Annihilation Tournament. Getting eliminated here meant failing their main mission. Those with the harshest penalties might be erased, but even if they escaped erasure, losing attributes was still unacceptable. That was no different from a slow death.
Therefore, none of them would give an inch aboard the ship. They would inevitably fight with everything they had.
Kengan matches differed from other combat sports. Killing was allowed. If a fighter failed to surrender and their opponent had no intention of stopping, death in the ring was entirely possible.
Each Explorer nursed their own schemes. Yet after boarding the S.S. Annihilation, they could not help looking up at the neighboring S.S. Kengan. Then, one sharp-eyed Explorer noticed something strange.
"Who’s that? Was that guy there before?"
He pointed curiously toward the upper deck of the S.S. Kengan. Katahara Metsudo and his entourage stood there. Besides Kanoh Agito, the Fang of Metsudo whom the Explorers all recognized, and several key members of the personal guard, there was someone whose presence clearly did not fit with the others.
The man was not wearing the guard unit’s standard suit. He wore casual clothes beneath a black trench coat, its hem fluttering in the sea breeze.
His features also made it clear that he was not Japanese. He looked like a foreigner.
At that moment, the man was chatting and laughing with Chairman Katahara. As he looked toward the S.S. Annihilation, he carried himself with the air of someone surveying the world from on high.
"Holy shit, I’ve never seen that guy before. Don’t tell me he’s one of us?"
The other Explorers also noticed the anomaly and looked curiously toward Luke.
"What the hell is this? Could he have the identity of a businessman? Maybe he has massive assets in this world, so he can chat so casually with Chairman Katahara?"
"Probably. Look, even the Fang of Metsudo is standing behind those two like a bodyguard. He must be taking a different route from us. Maybe he came here to build a business empire."
"Damn it. I didn’t know Endspace handed out cushy assignments like that. I want to be some rich tycoon too, clapping cheeks with cute secretaries every day."
The Explorers complained one after another. Only one person did not join the conversation. His expression shifted from surprise to something far stranger.
Looking at Luke beside Katahara Metsudo, he thought, Don’t tell me Lord Prison Demon has already speedrun the entire tournament behind the scenes!?
He knew the powerful Explorer from Kouou Academy. That person’s mission was to successfully participate in the Kengan Annihilation Tournament, face the Fang of Metsudo in the main event, and hold out for thirty seconds without losing.
Originally, he had thought that Explorer had a chance of completing the mission. But now, he felt the guy was completely screwed.
Could the Fang of Metsudo have already been replaced!?
...
Several hours later, the S.S. Kengan reached Chairman Katahara’s private island, and the contestants from the S.S. Annihilation had also been decided.
Among them were two fighters Luke had seen in the original story: Rihito, the Superhuman who specialized in Razor’s Edge, and Sawada Keizaburo, the representative of Murder Music, who specialized in kicks.
The remaining three were all Explorers, Kure among them. It seemed he really did have some ability. After standing out from the crowd, he did not even appear to have suffered any obvious injuries.
Luke had only just stepped off the cruise ship and set foot on the island when a figure came flying at him, clearly intending to latch onto his body.
But what kind of reaction speed did Luke possess? He swiftly raised a hand, caught the other person by the face in midair, and held her suspended there.
Thus, the girl could only flail her limbs wildly, looking rather ridiculous.
"Luke—"
Only when a deep voice called his full name did Luke release her. Erioh Kure was walking toward him, and judging by his expression, the old man was quite displeased with him.
"Hah—"
Freed at last, Karla took a breath. Then she immediately recovered her energy and looked brightly at Luke. "Luke, let’s make babies!"
Luke pressed a hand to his forehead and sighed. Now he finally understood why Ohma Tokita had been so terrified in the original story that he had fled in a panic. It was an incredibly difficult situation—he could not exactly hit her, either.
Thinking of Ohma Tokita, Luke felt another pang of regret. Ohma had also been a martial artist with enormous potential. Had he lived, then in another five or six years, he should have been able to give Luke a satisfying fight.
Unfortunately, Ohma had been killed by the Rulebreaker. According to the Kure Clan’s investigation afterward, Ohma had been poisoned to death. He had not been killed in an honorable fight at all. It was an utterly unjust death.
"Oh, Erioh. Looking at you, it doesn’t seem like you’re ready to die of old age yet."
When Katahara Metsudo saw Erioh Kure, he also approached with a smile.
"Haha, I think you’re the one about to die of old age. Your back is so hunched you can barely straighten it anymore."
Erioh Kure replied with a laugh, and for a moment, the two men’s auras clashed sharply.
But Luke, who knew the inside story, understood that these two old men were extremely close. Their friendship went all the way back to their humble beginnings. They were simply trading insults after not seeing each other for so long.
Sure enough, after facing off for a moment, both men burst out laughing and walked into the island side by side.
After Luke had grabbed her by the face once, Karla became a little more "reserved." She no longer tried to strip and throw herself at him every other second, merely following quietly at his side.
"Where’s Raian? He should be the representative your clan sent, right?"
Luke asked. He had not spotted Raian in the crowd.
"Raian thought the island was too boring, so he dragged Uncle out to spar. Even though the beach here is amazing. Luke, let’s go play in the water."
Karla spoke with all the excitement of a young girl. Having come to such a perfect resort island during summer break, of course she wanted to play on the beach.
Luke shook his head. "I still have things to handle. And Karla, don’t wander off somewhere isolated. I have a feeling this tournament is already being watched. It may not be safe."
Although Karla’s behavior sometimes gave him a headache, he did not dislike the girl. Besides, she had taught him quite a few techniques concerning Removal.
Now that Ohma Tokita was dead, the storm brewing around this Kengan Annihilation Tournament was only growing stronger. In the worst-case scenario, both the Worm and the Westward Faction could intervene. If that happened, there would not be many safe places left on this island.
Karla was a genius as well, and her Removal had already reached 85%, but she was too young and had never killed anyone. Her real combat experience was severely lacking. Forget facing the Westward Faction—even against one of the Worm’s elites, she could die horribly.
"With Grandpa and you here, it’ll definitely be fine."
Karla looked unconcerned. "Oh, right. Do you know which company hired the Kure Clan to compete this time?"
Luke paused. He had never asked about that. "Wasn’t it UM Corporation that hired you?"
Karla shook her head. "UM Corporation? Never heard of them. Nogi Group hired us this time, though they went through all kinds of complicated channels to have us represent Yamashita Trading."
Comments (0)
Please log in to leave a comment. Login or Register