The preliminary matches-the first round-progressed quickly.
Watching them, Jaden felt a very clear difference between worlds.
Compared to Kengan, the Baki world had far more eccentrics.
And proportionally, far more monsters.
Among the fighters he had already seen were people who couldn't even be reasoned with-fighters who attacked with killing intent in every move, who would continue striking even after their opponent was already dead.
There was Hanayama Kaoru, who never dodged and never retreated, taking every hit head-on and fighting until death.
There was even a large ape that interrupted a match midway.
Afterward, Tokugawa, the tournament's organizer, casually explained that the creature was one of the four alternates he had invited. A monkey-or perhaps a gorilla-said to be a descendant of the Yasha-Zaru.
After one fight, Baki took it away.
Compared to Kengan matches, the Baki tournament could only be described as completely free.
The fighting style was free.
The rules were loose.
Other than the prohibition on weapons, there were no rigid restrictions.
If there was one rule, then it was simple-
The strong make the rules.
As long as you were strong enough, you would reach the end.
If you fell, it only meant one thing.
You were weak.
If you beat someone to death with your bare hands outside the arena, that was also your ability.
Within this worldview, Jaden felt something loosen inside him.
As if a weight he hadn't noticed before had vanished.
There was a strange sense of freedom.
Like a wild horse galloping across an open plain.
Originally, he hadn't been very interested in a tournament of this level.
He participated only because Hanma Yujiro would be here.
And because Old Man's mission required him to stir things up.
But now-
Jaden was gradually becoming interested in this world.
After all, the world he came from was still in the early stages of the Heroic Age.
Here, perhaps because monsters appeared so frequently, the Heroic Age had already matured.
This was a world built for the strong.
The power of the weak was minimized.
It might be cruel.
It might be bloody.
It might conflict with many people's values.
But it didn't pretend.
Everything was laid bare.
Direct.
Blunt.
Whether such a worldview was good or bad wasn't something Jaden cared to judge.
Good and bad were relative.
If you were one of the strong, this world might feel good.
From another angle, though, it was clearly distorted.
For those who understood it, just hearing certain things could make their scalps tingle.
For example-
The world's number one horror movie.
What If Hanma Yujiro Was My Dad?
Right?
Jaden was still thinking about this when Orochi Katsumi walked over.
"It's our turn next," Orochi Katsumi said. "My goal here isn't you, but I think fighting you won't be boring. So..."
As he spoke, he extended his hand and smiled warmly.
"Let's have some fun."
They were in the public resting area.
Other fighters were watching.
Many of them tensed slightly.
Orochi Katsumi might not have meant anything malicious, but his words carried a faint sense of condescension.
If he had said that to someone else, a fight might have broken out immediately.
So they expected Jaden to react.
But Jaden simply smiled.
He looked at Orochi Katsumi.
He didn't shake his hand.
He didn't attack.
He just replied calmly.
"Mhm. I hope you have fun later."
Get angry at Orochi Katsumi?
That wasn't happening.
What adult would seriously get angry at a child?
And Orochi Katsumi...
He was even less than a child.
-
Jaden's match with Orochi Katsumi was one of the later bouts in the first round.
Because of that, many people were watching closely.
Those who had already advanced were waiting on the sidelines, gathering information on potential future opponents.
Neither Jaden nor Orochi Katsumi paid any attention to them.
They arrived early in their respective tunnels and waited quietly.
At some point, something happened in the public resting area, causing Tokugawa Mitsunari to leave briefly.
When he returned and announced the match, Jaden and Orochi Katsumi stepped into the arena.
That was when they noticed-
Hanma Yujiro was sitting casually beside Tokugawa.
"It seems an incredible person has arrived," Orochi Katsumi said, glancing in Yujiro's direction. "But it's not completely unexpected."
When he turned his gaze back to Jaden, he noticed that Jaden had also just looked away from Yujiro.
The referee approached.
"Separate!"
At the command, Jaden and Orochi Katsumi exchanged a brief glance, then both turned and walked backward.
Once enough distance was created, the referee brought his raised hand down.
"The match begins!"
The moment his voice fell, both fighters turned.
Orochi Katsumi immediately took a stance.
Jaden walked forward instead, stopping at a relatively close distance.
He stood there.
And extended his hand.
A clear signal.
Go ahead.
Orochi Katsumi's eyes widened.
The casual attitude he had shown earlier vanished instantly.
In its place was sharp focus.
He planted his foot and appeared in front of Jaden in a flash.
A Dashing Straight Punch slammed toward Jaden's face.
A mid-section kick followed immediately.
Then a rapid chain of straight punches.
Targeted stabs toward vital points.
And finally-
A Spear Hand Thrust aimed directly at the throat.
After finishing the entire combination, Orochi Katsumi retreated several large steps, completely reversing his position and creating distance.
Once separated, he watched Jaden with extreme vigilance.
His hands clenched and unclenched repeatedly.
His feet shifted subtly.
-He was dispersing pain.
Normally, when a martial artist attacked, all force was driven outward.
Impact passed into the target.
With proper control, some recoil could be neutralized.
With correct technique and hardened limbs, stone, wood, even steel could be struck.
But-
I clearly put all my force into that attack.
So why did it come back to me?
Orochi Katsumi frowned.
-Or is his body harder than repeatedly tempered steel?
While Orochi Katsumi stood there, Jaden spread his hands.
Wide open.
Completely undefended.
There was even a faint smile on his face.
"Didn't you say you wanted to have some fun back in the resting area?"
"Well then..."
"Orochi Katsumi."
"The so-called Final Weapon of Karate."
"Are you having fun now?"