CHAPTER 135: AN ABRUPT INVITATION
Ren Shiroki wiped a smear of blood from his lip and sat cross-legged on the floor, watching the drama unfold with a satisfied grin.
His "Second Impression" of Kureha Shinogi was excellent.
The doctor hadn't just treated his wounds; he'd neutralized Minowa, suppressed a corrupt Superintendent, and stood up for the Valkyrie girls. But most importantly—Kureha had just fanned out a deck of "Power Cards" in the form of elite business cards.
Ren watched with envy. He felt like he'd found a kindred spirit—a fellow collector of "Legendary Profiles."
Kureha's sharp critique of Seiichi Tenma—calling his operations "boring debris" and labeling the high-ranking officer a "mere Superintendent"—caused Ren to slap his thigh and burst into laughter.
The laughter was infectious. One by one, the wealthy Kengan members in the crowd began to chuckle, their voices echoing off the garage walls.
"I wondered who he was... just a 'Superintendent'?"
"Dojo-challenging an injured man? Does he think his badge carries weight in the Association?"
"Oi, you're connected at the MPD, right? You ever heard of this 'Tenma' guy?"
"Hah! Don't be ridiculous. I don't speak to anyone below the rank of Deputy Commissioner."
The atmosphere turned light and mocking.
It was the reality of the Kengan world. These were the Rulers of Japan. They were corporate giants and financial titans who appeared on the news every night. To them, a "Superintendent" like Tenma was just a high-level paper-pusher.
A "Black Cop" like Tenma relied on intimidation and "Legality." But in a room full of the people who wrote the laws, his authority was a toy.
Tenma's face turned a bruised shade of purple. He wasn't a fool; he realized his plan to seize the "Might" of the Hub through administrative pressure had failed. He had been outmaneuvered by a doctor.
"A disastrous outcome... but I cannot leave empty-handed," Tenma muttered to himself. He turned his gaze toward his eight remaining personal guards.
"Doctor Shinogi... I find it hard to believe you defeated Minowa fairly. You likely used an anesthetic gas or a dirty needle."
"So, I demand a verification."
"By the rules of your world—on this ring—face my men in a one-on-one match. Pick whoever you like."
Tenma narrowed his eyes. "Since you call yourself a 'Martial Artist,' surely you won't refuse a formal challenge?"
The crowd erupted in a roar of approval.
"WOO-HOO! The Superintendent is throwing a tantrum! Let him have it, Doc!"
"Teach the boys in blue a lesson, Shinogi-san!"
"I'm opening the book! Five thousand yen on the Doctor!"
Kureha set his hands on his hips and sighed. "Calling me a martial artist? I'm just a humble doctor! However..."
His expression shifted, a radiant, arrogant light filling his eyes. "Since the mood is right, a little exercise wouldn't hurt!"
Tenma stepped aside, gesturing for his guards to step forward.
Kureha scanned the eight suited enforcers, his face a mask of relaxed confidence. "Hmm. If I only pick one, it seems unfair to the others."
He beckoned to the entire squad. "Why don't you all come at once?"
The ballroom exploded in cheers. The spectators were mesmerized by Kureha's absolute confidence. Tenma, his patience gone, signaled the guards to surround the doctor.
Ren, still sitting on the floor, looked up. "Want me to move, Doc?"
"No need, Ren-kun. I suspect I won't need much space."
Kureha smiled and stepped forward. He caught the nearest guard—a massive man weighing at least 140kg—by the collar. With a single hand, he hoisted the giant into the air, holding him suspended as if he weighed no more than a pillow.
"Oh! You're about 141kg (310 lbs), aren't you? Have you been eating your fiber?"
Kureha actually "bounced" the man in his hand to test the weight. Then, before the other guards could react, he hurled the man across the ring. The flying guard slammed into a second officer, the two of them crashing into the wooden perimeter in a heap.
THUD.
Two down. Six to go.
The remaining six guards lunged, but Kureha vanished.
"!?!"
He reappeared behind one of them, delivering a single, open-palm slap to the back of the man's head.
WHAP!
The man's head was whipped forward, blood spraying from his nose as he collapsed face-first into the concrete.
"So fast!" a CEO shrieked from the sidelines.
In a desperate bid for control, four guards tackled Kureha simultaneously. They grabbed his arms and legs, using their combined weight to pin him to the spot.
Kureha didn't resist. He stood like a statue, allowing them to hang off him.
"Heh. The MPD's training is quite... pedestrian."
Kureha's core muscles flared. He contracted his limbs inward with a surge of monstrous power. Like a biological magnet, he pulled the four men together into a tight cluster, hoisted them off their feet, and drove the entire group into the floor.
BOOM!
The guards were dazed, their air stolen by the impact. Before they could scramble away, Kureha delivered a series of surgical "Reset" punches to their jaws.
BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP!
The groans stopped. The four men were out cold.
In less than thirty seconds, the "Elite Squad" had been reduced to a single man.
The last guard, realizing he was a dead man walking, pulled a collapsible metal police shield from his belt. He braced it in front of him, hoping the high-tensile steel would provide a sanctuary.
Kureha walked over, his steps light. He gestured for the guard to brace himself.
When the man was set, Kureha took a deep breath, his eyes glowing with a focused, analytical "Might." He launched a single, heavy straight punch.
THOOM!!!
A thunderous, echoing boom filled the garage.
The reinforced steel of the shield didn't just bend; it was molded. A massive crater appeared in the center of the metal. The shockwave traveled through the guard's arm and into his torso, launching him backward like a projectile.
The guard was thrown straight toward the sitting Ren.
Ren didn't even stand up. He reached out with his right hand, bracing the small of the man's back. Using the man's own momentum, Ren guided the trajectory in a wide arc, helping the guard "fly" right out of the ring.
SPLASH!
The man landed in a heap, foaming at the mouth.
The crowd was stunned.
"Incredible! What kind of body does that doctor have?!"
"The power! The speed! It's inhuman!"
Below the ring, Takeshi Wakatsuki looked at Furumi. "That strength... is he like me? A genetic anomaly?"
"No. Quite the opposite," Furumi answered, a look of pride on his face. "Dr. Shinogi has mastered the science of the human body. By combining anatomical research with 'Scientific Super-Training,' he has forged a Perfect Physique. He has achieved the absolute limit of human biology through pure will and calculation."
Wakatsuki nodded, impressed. "So he's the 'Artificial' Master... interesting."
The conflict was over. Superintendent Tenma had vanished during the confusion, likely slinking away to avoid the humiliation. No one bothered to look for him.
The spectators were focused on the orange-haired god standing in the center of the ring.
Kureha turned and reached out a hand to Ren. He hauled the youth to his feet.
Their hands met in a firm grip.
"Ren-kun," Kureha said, his voice sincere. "I have to thank you and Akoya. Seeing that struggle... it was a beautiful piece of art."
"I haven't fought since my loss to Baki Hanma and my time at the Dome. I had almost forgotten the feeling."
Kureha's eyes locked onto Ren's. "But seeing you tonight... my hands are itching again."
"I want to fight you, Ren-kun. Not as a doctor and patient. Not as business associates. I want to face you as a Martial Artist."
"Will you accept my challenge?"
The ballroom went quiet. An impromptu invitation for a deathmatch—it was the peak of drama.
Ren blinked, looking a bit dazed. "Haha... that's a bit sudden, Doc."
Kureha's smile widened. "If I don't fight you soon... I suspect I'll die of a terminal case of melancholy. You wouldn't want to lose your primary surgeon to a broken heart, would you?"
Ren laughed, his battle-spirit flaring back to life. "Well, I can't have that. I guess I'll have to save your life!"
SLAP!
Ren shook Kureha's hand once more, sealing the pact.
[SOUL] VS. [THE PERFECT BODY].
Ren Shiroki vs. Kureha Shinogi: Match Finalized.
"Oh! Wait!"
Ren suddenly remembered something. He limped to the sidelines, pulled a Soul Combat Hub business card from his gear, and handed it to Kureha.
"Since we're partners now, you'd better have the member card."
Kureha laughed, handing Ren his own private card in return.
Ren: Collection +1.
☆☆☆
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