Chapter 388: Must Win
Inside the gymnasium, in the front row of the VIP stands.
The Chairman of the Kengan Association, Metsudo Katahara, had been waiting for
some time. He was joined by his old friend, Mitsumitsu Yoroizuka, the Head of
Dawn Village, who had just arrived from the fighter's prep room.
Mitsumitsu took in the scene: the blinding spotlights, the high-tier security,
the sunken sand arena, and the professional management of the "hostess," Sayaka
Katahara. Everything was handled with the utmost prestige.
He turned to the Chairman beside him and sighed. "Thank you for arranging such a
formal stage, Metsudo-dono."
"Ho ho ho!" Metsudo waved a hand, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "It is an
interesting match, after all. I wouldn't dream of half-assing the presentation."
Mitsumitsu's expression remained somber. "Is it... truly just 'interesting' to
you?"
"My old friend," Metsudo said, his tone turning calm and profound. "Once you
choose to entrust your 'Wish' to the 'Fist,' your only duty is to focus on the
frame of the present. Everything else is just noise."
Mitsumitsu paused, his tension easing slightly. "Yes... you're right."
Click!
As they spoke, the main house lights died. A single high-intensity spotlight
snapped on, illuminating the West Gate.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!"
Sayaka Katahara stood at the podium, microphone in hand. Her voice was electric,
vibrating through the hall.
"Entering the ring first is the man who defines the word 'Passion'!"
"The Roar of Battle! The Scream of Victory! This man lives to shout!!"
"Tonight, his voice will shake the very foundations of the Kengan circuit!!"
"Height: 184cm! Weight: 88kg!"
"Kengan Record: 17 wins, 0 losses!"
Before she could even finish the introduction, the gate was kicked open with a
thunderous BANG. A figure exploded into the arena, covering the distance in
three massive strides before launching into a high-amplitude leap.
Zip—THUD!
The figure hit the sand with both feet, his arrival sending a shockwave through
the pit.
He was bronze-skinned and barefoot, wearing only fighting trunks, a traditional
Burmese headband, and fringed armbands. His hair was a wild, spiky buzz-cut, and
a prominent scar marked the right side of his forehead.
His eyes were wide, glowing with manic energy. He clenched his fists and let out
a roar that bypassed the speakers and hit the audience like a physical wall of
sound.
"IT'S TIME! IT'S TIME! IT'S TIME!! KENGAN MATCH—AAAAAAAARRRRRGH!!"
The scream was so loud it actually drowned out the gymnasium's PA system.
[THE ROARING SPIRIT] Saw Paing Yoroizuka!!
Sayaka moved the mic away from her face to protect her eardrums. "As loud as
ever, Saw-kun."
"Hey, Sayaka!" Saw Paing waved, a wide grin on his face.
Sayaka was the social butterfly of the Association and had been friends with Saw
Paing for years. They shared a comfortable, easy bond. Saw Paing flashed a
thumbs-up. "Make sure you cheer for me tonight! AAAAAARGH!"
Sayaka gave a helpless smile. "I'm the commentator tonight, Saw-kun. I have to
remain impartial. Sorry!"
"Oh! Right! Makes sense! Do your job well, then!"
Saw Paing nodded vigorously. In a way, the hot-blooded warrior was surprisingly
reasonable and easy to talk to.
"—?"
However, Sayaka felt a flicker of unease. Today's Saw Paing felt... different.
There was a weight behind his eyes that didn't match his usual boisterous self.
"Good luck, Saw-kun. Gaolang-san is in the stands watching."
Hearing that name, Saw Paing's knuckles whitened. He looked toward Gaolang on
the sidelines and grinned fiercely. "Aha! Then I definitely have to win today!"
Sayaka whispered to herself, "Even though the other fighter is Gaolang-san's
friend too..."
She turned her gaze toward the opposite gate. "For him, it won't matter who the
crowd or the announcer supports. He'll just accept it all with a smile, won't
he?"
Right on cue, the spotlight shifted to the East Gate.
Creak—!
The heavy door was pushed open by a single hand.
Ren Shiroki walked out. He was bare-chested and barefoot, wearing only trunks.
His ankles, wrists, and knuckles were all secured in fresh white bandages.
He used the base of his palm to pop his jaw, his neck letting out a rhythmic
clack-clack. His expression was relaxed, airy, and full of anticipation.
"And from the other side—he's here!"
Sayaka gripped the mic, her voice rising in a crescendo. "Appearing from the
streets! The [SOUL COMBATANT]!!"
"He opened the curtains on the Street Brawl! The Way of Combat flows beneath his
feet!"
"You dare strike him? He'll trade his soul to hit you back!"
"Shoryuken! Parries! Brawling! Grappling! Is it a masterclass in variety?! Or is
it flashy dross?!"
"At the end of his greed lies a unique, vibrant elegance!!"
"Behold that hardened muscle! Behold that scarred physique! No one questions his
'Resume'! This is the activation of every technical frame in his arsenal!!"
"Show us, Ren Shiroki! SHOW US WHAT IT MEANS TO BE STRONG!!"
Whoosh!
Ren clenched his right fist and held it high. The crowd responded with a
deafening wall of cheers.
"[SOUL COMBATANT] REN SHIROKI!!"
The spotlights faded, replaced by the brilliant, shadowless glare of the arena
floodlights.
"Fighters to the center."
Sayaka signaled. The two warriors stepped forward, meeting in the middle of the
sand.
Ren Shiroki (187cm, 103kg) vs. Saw Paing (184cm, 88kg).
Their gazes locked. Saw Paing studied Ren, his bright eyes scanning the older
boy's frame. He noted the sheer volume of scars marking Ren's limbs, chest, and
abdomen.
Ah... a true powerhouse, Saw Paing mused. His body is a map of hard training and
brutal matches. His back must be covered in them too—the kind of pain a normal
human can't fathom.
But I'm the same!
Saw Paing took a deep breath, his lungs expanding. He was about to let out
another battle cry when Ren extended his right hand.
"A pleasure to meet you, Saw Paing-aniki."
Saw Paing froze for a second, then his grin returned. He gripped Ren's hand with
crushing force. "ALRIGHT! GIVE ME EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT! AAAAAAARGH!!"
Sayaka nodded. "The two heroes shake hands before the storm!"
"In this match, everything is permitted except the use of weapons!!"
"Return to your marks!"
The two men turned and walked back to their corners. Saw Paing shadow-punched
and kicked the air as he moved, his energy infectious. The crowd loved him.
"Go get 'em, Saw Paing!" "Roar for us! I put my house on you!" "Lethwei is the
most brutal art on earth! Show him!"
Compared to Ren, Saw Paing was a superstar in the Kengan world. As the son of
the legendary Showa-era fighter Pa Paing and the younger brother of the deceased
powerhouse Wipaing, his pedigree was impeccable. When he wasn't fighting, he was
a simple, beloved resident of the Dawn Village.
Hearing the cheers, Saw Paing's knuckles turned white.
Yeah... I can't lose. For the village. For the Old Man. For my brothers and
sisters. I absolutely cannot lose!
Saw Paing looked up at the crowd. He didn't shout. He spoke with a quiet,
terrifying clarity. "Yeah. I'm going to win."
"—?"
Sayaka blinked. Hearing that quiet sentence confirmed her suspicion: Saw Paing
wasn't himself.
In the stands, [THE GOD OF WAR] Gaolang "tched" in irritation. He had come to
see a noisy, pure fight, but he could sense the wrong "Atmosphere" coming from
his old rival.
Gaolang frowned. "That idiot... is he really trying to carry the whole village
on his back?"
"I see," Retsu Kaioh added, his eyes narrowing. "Entering a match with a mindset
different from your natural state is rarely beneficial. Is the Burmese youth
trying to play a role he isn't suited for?"
Gaolang crossed his arms. Saw Paing, find your center. If you don't find your
usual madness, you won't last ten frames against a man who treats 'Combat' like
his daily bread...
Sayaka moved to the edge of the pit, her right arm raised high.
"Ready?"
Her arm snapped down with enough force to cut the air.
"—FIGHT!!"
Saw Paing snapped his guard up, his body crouching low as he entered his stance.
At the same time, Ren Shiroki's consciousness flared. Red capillaries pulled at
his pupils like chains as his mind seized control of his internal clock.
[ENGINE]—MAX OUTPUT!
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