Chapter 184: Fists of Light
Gaolang Wongsawat, the "God of War."
To him, boxing was "struggle." It was a battlefield devoid of impurities. As the
personal warrior of Rama XIII, Gaolang fought to defend honor, yet he secretly
yearned to trade his life against a truly powerful enemy.
He possessed a singular, unyielding pride. It was this very pride that led him
to conquer the pinnacle of Muay Thai, only to cast it aside and throw himself
into the boxing ring. Ultimately, Gaolang pushed both Muay Thai and Boxing—the
two greatest striking arts—to their absolute limits, earning him the title of
the "God of War."
Therefore, when Rama received the invitation and sent Gaolang to participate in
the Kengan Annihilation Street Brawl, Gaolang felt no particular excitement. He
had seen too many "mediocre men."
He had dealt with ranked fighters who used boring theatrical taunts before
matches, "prodigies" who asked him to throw fights for money, and world
champions who refused his challenges just to inflate their fight purses. Across
the world of professional combat, talentless scum was far too common.
He suspected this "Street Brawl" might just be another boring show. But since it
was the wish of his King, Gaolang would respond with everything he had. Plus, he
could stop by a friend's gym and help boost their popularity.
At least, that was what Gaolang believed right up until he stepped onto the
stage. Now, as he looked at the two men below—one static and one dynamic—his
convictions wavered.
...Warriors.
The Thai God of War made his judgment in the blink of an eye. Those two were,
without question, peak-level combatants who knew the reality of trading lives in
a real fight.
"..."
Gaolang paused. Although his expression remained stoic, beneath his heavy
eyelids, his gaze drifted toward Rama XIII. Since his Majesty had introduced him
to this event, Gaolang sought his permission before acting on impulse.
Rama understood perfectly and nodded with a smile. For this tournament, Rama
wanted Gaolang to satisfy his own soul; he didn't want his old friend to be too
restrained.
In that case...
"Hah!"
Gaolang took a light breath. As he threw his next "demonstration punch," he
slightly relaxed his muscles, letting his speed increase just a fraction.
Zip-zip!
In that instant, it looked as though Gaolang hadn't moved at all. His
shadow-boxing stance remained unchanged, yet a sudden, violent gust of wind
swept across the area in front of him.
"――!?"
Nana Uehara, standing right beside him, closed her eyes out of pure
physiological reflex. She had no idea what had just happened.
If those standing right next to him couldn't perceive it, the ordinary tourists
below had no chance. Only a handful of individuals in the entire stadium noticed
the miracle.
Retsu Kaioh turned his head, staring at Gaolang on the stage.
"Hm?" The Fist Master's expression relaxed into a faint, impressed smile. "Even
in the realm of incomplete 'Kenpo,' such a fist exists."
Meanwhile, Ren Shiroki had also followed Gaolang's movement. He fired off two
quick punches of his own, though his speed was still a fraction slower than the
Thai legend's.
"Nice. That was incredible!"
Theory was one thing, but seeing it in the flesh was another. What Gaolang had
just demonstrated was a professional boxer's "fastest attack." It wasn't a
straight, an uppercut, or a hook.
The answer was the Jab.
Specifically, Gaolang's jab was recognized by the professional boxing world as
the fastest in existence—known as the "Flash." With his 10-ounce gloves on, he
could fire off thirteen of them in a single breath. To call it a "Fist of Light"
was no exaggeration.
"..."
Gaolang's feet bounced lightly as he acknowledged the gaze of the two masters.
That faint surge of battle intent was also caught by an eager Lihito, who
couldn't help but grin.
"Is that guy planning to join the Annihilation Brawl too? Not bad!"
In a more secluded corner, a man wearing a hoodie with the hood pulled low held
a high-end camcorder. He was silently observing and recording everything.
"What a magnificent fist. I wonder if I can replicate that performance? For
now... I'll just keep recording."
Undercurrents were surging through the stadium. Metsudo Katahara and Rama
XIII—the two masters of strategy—saw it all clearly. As for Mitsunari
Tokugawa, he only cared about seeing strong men kill each other, so the subtle
politics didn't interest him.
"Ho-ho! Truly worthy of the 'Kengan Annihilation Street Brawl.' It doesn't have
the sudden explosive feeling of a short-term tournament, but the embers are
definitely burning hotter by the second!"
Rama tilted his head, studying Metsudo. "Many experts have gathered, but I
thought for sure you would have sent the 'Fang of Metsudo' to participate."
"It's not time yet. Today is just 'Boxing,' after all. We're far from the moment
where everything is settled in a single strike." Metsudo waved his hand with a
laugh. "I'm just here to relax with some old friends."
"Heh. Cunning old man..." Rama narrowed his eyes. "You want your 'Fang' to
evolve further, don't you? Fine then. Let us enjoy the fun of 'Boxing' for now."
The "fun" they were referring to was the "Underground" session reserved for
VIPs—the evening hours after the ordinary tourists had been cleared out.
For now, the exhibition continued. Gaolang stepped down from the stage, replaced
by another professional boxer for the public interaction.
The wait was somewhat agonizing. Metsudo suddenly suggested, "Want to engage in
some recreation? I've been playing a lot of Mahjong lately."
Rama and Tokugawa both nodded in agreement. But Mahjong is a four-player game.
They were one person short, which posed a dilemma. While they had plenty of
bodyguards, those men were far too stiff—playing with them would be no fun at
all.
They needed someone who could keep up, preferably someone lively. The three of
them looked left and right before finally locking their eyes on Arisa Sakurai.
"Me?" Arisa thought about it. She never turned down friends. "I don't really
know the rules of Mahjong, but I'll give it my best shot."
Rama reassured her, "It's fine, it's fine! Be bold! You can even call for
outside help if you need it."
Arisa blinked. "Outside help is okay?"
The three men nodded. Arisa pulled out her phone and dialed a familiar number of
a certain "expert" she knew. "Old man, sorry to bother you. I need a favor.
Please coach me."
The voice on the other end sounded incredibly weary. "Hey, hey... Shiroki's
little sister asking for help... you know I'm not much of a fighter, right?"
Arisa clarified, "It's for Mahjong."
Shigeru Akagi relaxed instantly. "Oh. In that case, I might know a thing or
two."
The stadium provided lunch and afternoon tea. Soon, evening fell, and the rays
of the setting sun spilled through the glass windows.
Tokugawa, Metsudo, and Rama—the three titans of industry—had been losing
non-stop. They lost at Mahjong, they lost at Poker, and they lost at Dice. It
was only after Arisa's phone battery died and she lost her "Divine Realm"
connection that the three men managed to stage a comeback and avoid total
financial ruin.
"..."
Slowly, the ordinary tourists departed, leaving only the "hardcore" industry
insiders. The curtain rose on the "Evening VIP Session"—the part of the show the
public wasn't allowed to see.
Clack!
The massive floodlights above the main stage snapped on. Before the MC could
even step out, a booming, high-energy voice echoed throughout the hall.
"Everyone! Thank you for waiting!"
"Let's put aside regulations and weight classes for a moment. After all,
everyone here just wants to swing their fists, right?!"
"Come! Step onto the boxing ring! Enter this domain where only the fist
matters!"
A beautiful woman with cream-colored hair, dressed in a stunning red evening
gown and sporting a deep tan, stepped onto the stage with a microphone. Her
voice was electrifying, vibrating through the stadium. (Sayaka Katahara).
She played with the crowd of fighters who were already itching for action.
"As expected, wherever there are warriors, there is a battlefield!"
"This may not be an official match, but it's a rare opportunity. Ladies and
Gentlemen, prepare to witness... the fastest fists in the world! The God of
War's domain!!"
(End of Chapter)
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