CHAPTER 42: SHOULD I FEEL GUILTY...?
Because of their relative positions, the girl had been facing away from Ren. But now, as she lay flat on her back in the sand, Ren finally got a good look at her.
She wore a red sleeveless traditional Chinese tunic paired with loose black trousers and cloth martial arts shoes. She had professional-grade MMA gloves on her hands. She looked to be in her early twenties, her dark hair tied into messy twin buns, with a striking stroke of crimson makeup extending from the corners of her eyes.
"..."
Her face triggered another wave of memory in Ren's mind.
Her name was Yuzuha Li. An underground circuit fighter specializing in the "True Intent Six Harmonies Fist." She was famous for her explosive power—a technique known as "Fa-jin."
In Ren's memory, Yuzuha was the reigning Queen of the "Carnage Brawl," a mid-tier underground organization. She was a legitimate powerhouse, well-known in the deep circles of the Tokyo underworld.
What was a fighter of her caliber doing here, fighting in a low-rent warehouse match?
And more importantly... why was she losing?!
Actually, "losing" made sense once Ren looked closer. Her physical condition was abysmal. She wasn't just tired; she was malnourished. Her movements were the shaky, desperate actions of someone who hadn't eaten in days.
Wait...
A realization hit Ren like a brick.
The organization that ran the Carnage Brawl was none other than the Zanshi-gumi—the same Yakuza branch Ren had just dismantled.
When Ren defeated "Nioh" Komada and caused the Teiai Group to liquidate the Zanshi-gumi, the Yakuza group had collapsed. Their assets were seized, their boss went into hiding, and their fighters were cut loose.
Which meant... Yuzuha Li was technically "unemployed" because of Ren.
But that still didn't explain why she was starving. A champion of an old-school circuit should have had a decent nest egg. Even without a promoter, she shouldn't have been reduced to this.
In the ring, Yuzuha was gasping for air, forcing her trembling body to stand.
"You've got to be kidding me... I'm the genius Kung Fu girl, Yuzuha Li..."
"Why? How did my life... turn into such a dumpster fire?"
She was trying to stabilize her breathing, but her frustration was boiling over. She began to mutter to herself, loud enough for Ren to hear.
"I saved up for years. I invested my entire 'win-purse' into my former employers at the Carnage Brawl for a year-end dividend."
"Then the Zanshi-gumi gets wiped out, the league dissolves, and my life savings go up in smoke..."
"Bad luck... just absolute, god-tier bad luck..."
"..."
Ren's eyes darted around guiltily. Wait, so she's broke because I crushed her bosses?
His internal guilt meter spiked. But then he listened a bit longer.
"I still had a few hundred thousand yen in walking-around money..." Yuzuha whispered, her arms hanging limp at her sides.
"But then... I got a 'guaranteed' tip from that source. A horse race that couldn't lose! And I lost! Every last cent!"
"I could have been a billionaire! Now I'm fighting for grocery money! DAMN IT!"
Hearing that, Ren's guilt meter plummeted back to zero. She wasn't just a victim of circumstance; she was a degenerate gambler.
"I have... to win..."
Yuzuha took a deep breath, her eyes regaining a sliver of focus. "The horse tip was wrong, but this prize money is real. I'm betting everything on this check!"
Ren: "..."
Okay, I feel much better now.
But regardless of her resolve, her biology was the bottleneck. Her movements were slow, her brain fogged by low blood sugar.
"Hoo! Win first... eat later..."
WHAP! WHAP!
Before Yuzuha could move, Ran Tojo connected with two more flicker jabs.
"Hey! No rules means no mercy! I'm not letting you catch your breath!"
Tojo stalked forward, pinning Yuzuha against the wooden posts of the corner. "In the ring, being cornered is a death sentence. And this? This is an execution!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A flurry of weighted punches rained down on Yuzuha. She was forced into a high guard, her muscles screaming. The pain triggered a spike of adrenaline, giving her a temporary second wind, but she lacked the mental clarity to find an opening.
This skank... she's just a boxer, Yuzuha thought, her vision blurring. If I was at 100%... I'd dismantle her in seconds...
Suddenly, a voice cut through the noise from right behind her, outside the ring.
"Drop low."
SHING!
Yuzuha acted on instinct. She dropped into a deep crouch, letting Tojo's flicker jabs whistle through the empty air above her. She was now in the "Low Zone"—a space a pure boxer struggled to target.
"Tackle!" Ren's voice commanded again.
Yuzuha threw her arms wide, lunging forward to wrap them around Tojo's waist.
Tojo panicked. She began raining hammer-fists and elbows onto Yuzuha's back, trying to break the grip. But the voice from the sidelines boomed once more.
"Drive! Overpower her!"
"RRRAAGH!"
Yuzuha let out a primal scream. She dug her toes into the sand and exploded forward. The momentum caught Tojo off-guard. The boxer was lifted off her feet and slammed onto her back, with Yuzuha landing heavily in a full mount position.
Tojo was a striking specialist. She had learned the basics of MMA for the underground circuit, but her "second-rate" ground game was no match for a master of the Six Harmonies.
"Hah... huff..."
Yuzuha sat tall on Tojo's chest, looking down at her with a predatory grin.
"Game over, skank!"
BAM!
She unleashed a barrage of ground-and-pound. Tojo tried to guard her face, but she couldn't buck Yuzuha off. The "Genius Boxer" was being systematically dismantled. It was only a matter of time.
As the crowd erupted into cheers and jeers, Ren stood with his arms crossed, analyzing the exchange.
Even though it was a low-level match, it was useful data. Both Tojo and Yuzuha were "Speed-types." Ren's advice to Yuzuha was a mental simulation: If I were in her shoes, how would I flip the board?
The answer was: Rhythm Disruption.
Ren felt a new "Will" beginning to take shape in his mind—the idea of using an opponent's expectations against them. It was still a vague, misty thought, but it was a start.
The match was ending. Just as Yuzuha prepared the final blow, a hand tapped Ren on the shoulder.
Ren turned to see a woman standing behind him.
She wore a simple athletic tracksuit. She was tall and slender, with long black hair that fell naturally over her shoulders. Her eyes had a distinct look of "Corporate Burnout"—tired, a bit cynical, and deeply weary.
"Ah... um..."
The woman seemed to be searching for the right words. Finally, she sighed and spoke. "Kid, the boss of this place wanted me to give you a heads-up. 'A gentleman doesn't talk during a match.' You're ruining the house's margin by coaching the underdog."
Ren understood immediately.
The woman looked awkward. "Look, don't take it personally. Most underground bosses want the favorite to win so they can keep the betting pool. You messed up the script."
She looked like she didn't even want to be there. She was likely a low-level employee or a fixer who hated her job.
"I get it," Ren said, not wanting to make her life harder. "I'm done here anyway."
"Thanks for being a pal," the woman sighed, her shoulders drooping with relief. She pressed her hands together in a quick prayer of thanks.
"I really appreciate it. My 'Former Boss' told me to kick you out, or he'd withhold my final severance check..."
Wait. "Former Boss"?
Ren followed the woman as she walked toward the exit. Once they were back on the street, she pulled a small envelope of cash from her pocket—her severance pay. She looked much happier now.
She turned to Ren and gave him a nod. "As a thank you for not making a scene, how about some late-night snacks? I know a good Oden stand nearby."
The woman extended a hand, offering a tired but genuine smile.
"I'm Nozomi Tenma. Nice to meet you, kid."