Chapter 302: The Important People
The flowing hot spring water let out a rhythmic bubble-bubble sound.
Steam rose into the air. The open-air bathhouse in the middle of a mid-summer
night wasn't sweltering; instead, it carried the scent of the crisp night air,
providing a unique sense of refreshment.
By the side of the misty pool...
Ren Shiroki had his entire body submerged in the water, leaning his head back.
He was resting his neck on the girl's thighs; the sensation was much better than
a folded bath towel. He had been a bit awkward at first, but he quickly
abandoned his hesitation and just let it be.
"This is the festival of my family. Every year feels different," Fusui Kure
noted, her black-sclera eyes narrowing as she offered a mischievous grin. "Are
you having fun?"
"Nice. It's perfect!"
Ren half-clenched his right fist, keeping it submerged in the medicinal spring
water. "Face-to-face, fist-to-fist... that kind of slugfest is a total rush!"
"Hee-hee—"
The girl looked delighted. She reached out from behind him, supporting Ren's
right arm as she pulled it from the water to inspect his wrist. It was still
swollen and red—a clear sign of minor inflammation from Sekibayashi's reflective
defense.
Ren rotated his wrist slightly. "It's fine. I can feel it... for a wound like
this, my body will have it sorted by tomorrow morning."
"Of course it will. You're the one I picked out, after all!"
Fusui held onto the wrist and began a slow, methodical recovery massage. She had
studied specialized techniques from the "Bone-Setter" Mitsuyo Kureishi, and
combined with the Kure Clan's knowledge of human anatomy, the therapeutic effect
was immediate.
"Hiss—"
Ren felt a sharp sting, followed by a dull throb, and then a wave of pure
relief. He squinted his eyes, drifting into a half-sleep.
"Thanks, Fusui. You're a lifesaver."
Ren kept his arm raised, leisurely enjoying the moment while murmuring his
thoughts. "Don't worry, I'm good. Even with the back-to-back fights... I stand
by that judgment."
"Maybe my [ENGINE] is too loud, but I'm incredibly sensitive to my own biology.
I'm not acting tough; I really am okay."
"If I want to answer the question of 'What is Strength', I have to keep
walking—just like I am now."
"And once the search starts, I can't get it out of my head."
Ren paused, let out a soft sigh of wonder. "I really want to get stronger..."
Fusui continued the massage, her index finger tracing the skin of Ren's arm.
"Look at this. Covered in scars, calloused from impact... what a beautiful
hand!"
The girl wasn't surprised by his words, but she was curious. "Ren-chin... for
you, what is the most important thing in a battle?"
"..."
Ren fell into a pensive silence.
Fusui recalled a story with a smile. "Grandpa mentioned something once when he
was drinking with Old Man Tokugawa."
"Back during the original Tokyo Dome tournament, the 'Strongest Creature' Hanma
Yujiro crashed the event more than once. During one of those times, his
son—Baki-kun—asked his father a question."
"For Hanma Yujiro, what is the most important thing in a fight?"
"Yujiro said he had never once given it a thought."
"That singular, arrogant answer was the ultimate proof of his status as the apex
predator."
Fusui tilted her head, teasing him with a light laugh. "Ren-chin, you aren't
thinking the same thing, are you?"
"No."
Ren shook his head. "I think, for me... the most important thing is the
Opponent. In most cases... the 'Person'."
He tried to articulate the feeling. "I want to know what Strength is, so I can't
stand the thought of 'Parting' from people."
"I want to meet More People. I want to know the Strength of those individuals."
"I don't want the derivative products of human power—self-driving cars or
space-bound rockets. I want the fundamental essence of the human being."
Ren couldn't help but laugh as he reached this realization.
"Combat—Martial Arts—might not be the final answer. But it's the only road I
know that points toward it."
"So, whether it's a friendly spar, daily drills, or a warzone... I don't want to
miss any of it."
"I don't want a life of solitary, bitter cultivation just to reach some high
horizon. I don't want that kind of peak!"
Ren hoisted his right arm, reaching toward the stars above the bath.
"I want to enjoy every second of the experience. I don't want to just do what I
enjoy; I want to Enjoy everything I do."
"To never stop moving, to enjoy the world to that absolute degree... that's what
matters most to me!"
Hearing Ren's declaration, Fusui's grin widened.
"Alright. No problem! The festival is just getting started!"
She finished the massage on his wrist, folded a clean towel, and placed it
gently over Ren's forehead, beginning to lay out the schedule.
"We'll head to the Kure clinic for a quick check-up in a bit. You need proper
dressings for the inflammation. Seki-aniki is already there."
"Grandpa is in a great mood, so there's another banquet tonight at the Main
Estate."
"..."
Ren smiled, feeling at peace.
Then, he tilted his neck back, his eyes looking up at the girl sitting behind
his head. He chuckled. "From this angle... you've got a really nice jawline."
Fusui: "...Wait, what?"
Ren knew the compliment was out of nowhere, but he felt like saying it.
"Seriously. Looking up at you like this—this perspective is beautiful. It would
be really hard to draw it perfectly."
"Haha!"
Fusui couldn't help but laugh, her heterochromatic eyes crinkling into
crescents. She leaned forward, resting her chin on Ren's forehead. They drifted
into casual small talk.
"How was my performance in the ring?" "Super cool!" "Want to see the fireworks?"
"Obviously!" "Just you wait. I'm going to set off the most beautiful show this
village has ever seen for you!" "Hee-hee—"
As the conversation hit a high note, Fusui suddenly leaned down, wrapping her
arms around Ren's neck in a tight lock.
"REAR-NAKED CHOKE!!"
ZIP!
Ren's core snapped into action. He performed a violent hip-shuck, tossing Fusui
over his head. She performed a full mid-air rotation before hitting the water
with a massive SPLASH.
"WAAAH!"
The girl was completely drenched, standing up amidst the swirling pool water.
Her short hair was plastered to her face, looking like a drowned kitten. She
wiped the water from her eyes and stared at the calmly sitting Ren. Her
black-and-white eyes blinked.
They shared a look for three seconds, and then—
"HAHAHAHAHA!!"
Both burst into a fit of unstoppable laughter that echoed through the bathhouse.
Ren changed into a fresh set of clothes. By the time they stepped out of the
bathhouse, the sun had long since vanished. The world was a cool, refreshing
indigo.
"Phew!"
Ren took a deep breath. Fusui took his hand, and they began a leisurely stroll
back toward the Kure Main Estate for dinner.
The banquet was in full swing, and it was even rowdier than lunch. The Kure
Clan, the MPD, the SJPW squad, various Kengan chairmen, and of course, Jaku
Kaioh. Everyone was laughing, trading stories and toasting one another.
At the head of the table sat the two highest-ranking members of the group: Erio
Kure and Gouki Shibukawa.
Shibukawa took a sip of premium sake, letting out a satisfied smack of his lips.
"Oho! This year's festival is quite something. Is it because of that 'Street
Brawl' you all started?"
Erio poured a cup for himself, a faint smile on his face. "After the match this
afternoon, I suspect there's only one performance left that people are truly
waiting for."
Shibukawa knew exactly what he meant. The final "Boss Match" of the festival:
Ren Shiroki vs. Raian Kure.
"True," the Saint of War mused. "The level of that wrestling slugfest earlier
raised the bar for the ring. It's become a legitimate battlefield now."
The old master gave a wicked smirk. "What about you, old man? Don't you want to
step in and play for a bit?"
"You're nearly a century old and you're still trying to start riots?" Erio shook
his head. "I'm retired from the ring. Between the defeats of my youth and the
accumulation of old wounds, I'm long past my 'Prime'."
"Ultimately, even though I am a 'Fighter' among the Kure—not just a common
assassin—I am still a Kure. Our nature is different from you 'Martial Artists'."
Erio took a slow sip of his drink, his eyes drifting toward the window where
Raian Kure sat alone, ignoring the festivities.
"But... that idiot Raian, and the other gifted brats... one day, they will
surpass even the version of me in my prime. My job now is simply to look after
them until they get there."
As the two elders shared their drinks and memories, Ren Shiroki suddenly stood
up from a nearby table, waving his phone.
"Grandpa! My sister is calling on video! Karura-chan is with her!"
At the mention of his great-granddaughter, Erio Kure bolted upright as if he'd
been hit by a Drive Impact. He hummed a happy little tune as he practically
sprinted toward Ren.
"Oho! OHO! As expected of my Karura! Such a filial girl—!"
Watching the Patriarch's retreating, happy back, Gouki Shibukawa drained another
cup of sake. He looked around the room at the Kure Clan—this massive,
boisterous, lethal family—and let out a quiet, appreciative murmur.
"Erio-dono... looking at it from the perspective of your 'Family'... I'd say
your strength is at an all-time peak~!"
(End of Chapter)
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