Chapter 246: The Petite Monster
The Gaia Squad consisted of five men: the hulking Kuraishi, the perfectly
synchronized Twins, the lethal Knife Expert, and the "Babyface" medic with the
bandana, Nomura.
Among them, Nomura had been the most disgraceful link.
First, he had failed to stop Sikorsky, being shouldered aside like a weakling.
Then, he had his dagger kicked away by Ohma Tokita and was sent tumbling across
the floor. Yet, despite his pathetic showing, Nomura was still an active-duty
special forces soldier. He possessed a certain baseline of professional
discipline.
Therefore, no one present expected Nomura to suddenly burst into tears. His
babyface scrunched up, and he began to wail, snot and tears streaming down his
face.
"Eee! Waaaaah! H-Hic...!"
Nomura sobbed so hard he could barely draw breath, his mouth wide as he choked
on his own tears. Ohma, Kazuo, and even Sikorsky stood frozen, staring in total
bewilderment.
Ren Shiroki's mind hummed. He vaguely recognized this scene from his knowledge
of the world's legends. But witnessing it in person, seeing the sheer
abnormality of the display, was far more jarring.
"Aha! This guy...!!"
Ren's gaze narrowed, his eyes locked onto Nomura.
After a few choking coughs, Nomura suddenly went still. His body began to
vibrate with a high-frequency tremor, and his pupils quivered. The shaking
intensified until—Zip!
The babyface snapped his head up, flicking the tears and snot away with a
violent jerk. He lunged downward, his hands clawing into the thick hallway
carpet. With a roar, his fingers dug through the fabric into the floor beneath.
RRRIIIP!
The heavy industrial carpet was torn asunder. A jagged split raced down the
corridor like a lightning bolt, heading straight for Sikorsky's feet.
Sikorsky had been preparing to use the distraction to dive through a window and
escape down the exterior wall. But his plan was intercepted by Nomura—
No. By the entity within Nomura.
The violent tug on the carpet caused Sikorsky's footing to vanish. He slipped,
his 100kg frame slamming face-first into the concrete floor with a heavy thud.
"Ungh—!"
Sikorsky's jaw hit the floor, snapping another tooth loose. He groaned, his face
contorting in pain.
Fling!
The torn piece of carpet was tossed aside like a rag.
The babyface stood with his arms spread wide, his eyes darting around with a
predatory, mischievous glint. He looked at the fallen Sikorsky, then at the
stunned masters.
"Look at you all. So careless."
His voice was entirely different now—crisp, authoritative, and chilling. "If I
hadn't been paying attention, Sikorsky-kun would have slipped away again~!"
Gulp!
Kazuo Yamashita swallowed hard. "Is... is that...?"
The Knife Expert nodded solemnly. "That is our Captain. Gaia—the Super Soldier
known as the Deity of the Earth!"
"Oh?"
Gaia tilted his head. He looked at Ren Shiroki, then up at the various activated
security cameras in the ceiling. He let out a light chuckle. "Heh. Quite a large
audience tonight. How lively."
Through Ren's bodycam and the hotel's CCTV, the observers outside saw
everything.
The Kure Clan, the MPD, Oliva, Tokugawa, Arisa, and the Valkyrie fighters—they
all watched as the "weak medic" transformed into a grinning, confident predator.
It was as if a different soul had taken over the body.
The patrol officers, watching the monitors, were confused. "Who is that? Is he
even an adult?"
"He looks like a middle-schooler. Is he really a soldier?"
"Looks like some kind of military otaku..."
As the officers whispered, Mitsunari Tokugawa ignored them. His entire focus was
glued to Gaia. Cold sweat pricked the old man's brow.
That's him. Gaia.
The Master of Environmental Combat. Five years ago, when Baki Hanma was only
thirteen, this petite man had pushed the young Champion into a state of
near-death. Now, five years later, Gaia's lethality had undoubtedly reached a
terrifying new peak.
At the Kure command post, Reiichi crossed his arms. "So that's Gaia? First time
seeing him in the flesh. He's smaller than I thought. Lean, but compact."
Fusui blinked. "The scent of blood coming off him is overwhelming."
"Naturally," the Patriarch, Erio Kure, said from his chair. His voice was heavy.
"Fusui, Reiichi... have you two heard of 'Sir'?"
"Sir?" The two cousins frowned. "The legendary commander? The 'Soldier among
Soldiers' who was active in the world's hottest conflict zones?" (Note:
Referring to Captain Strydum from the Baki series.)
"Correct. I consider 'Sir' an old acquaintance. I've tasted his tactical prowess
firsthand," Erio nodded. "The most crushing defeat of that man's career was
delivered years ago during the civil war in the Congo. It was carved into him by
Gaia."
"He attempted to duel Gaia one-on-one in the jungle. It was an act of pure
folly. The result was... hellish."
Erio narrowed his eyes at the screen. "Interesting. The 'Deity of the Earth' is
a disciple of Motobe Izou. Both master and student are true specialists in the
reality of the kill."
Reiichi looked surprised. "Motobe Izou? The master of Ancient Battlefield
Jujutsu?"
Erio nodded. "Jujutsu is a battlefield art at its core. A true master is
proficient in every tool of slaughter, including modern firearms."
Fusui looked curious. "So... is Gaia going to pull a gun?"
"No," Erio replied with a dark, amused smirk. "The techniques Gaia uses are far
more... 'direct' than any bullet."
Inside the Hotel.
Ohma Tokita remained in his [Advance] state, blood leaking from the corners of
his mouth. His bloodshot eyes were fixed on the smiling Gaia.
"Chirping like a damn bird... you're as annoying as the rest of them!"
Ohma raised his fists, a raspy, demonic laugh vibrating in his chest. "I thought
Gaia was supposed to be a big deal. Turns out you're just a carpet-cleaner."
"—I'll teach you some manners!"
Ohma exploded forward. Using the skyrocketing physical output of the [Advance],
he unleashed a barrage of high-velocity strikes. His speed was at the absolute
limit of human potential.
Zip!
But to Ohma's shock, the punch that should have pulverized Gaia's skull whistled
through empty air, stopping an inch to the left of the soldier's head.
Missed?
Ohma pivoted instantly, his leg snapping around in a high-roundhouse scan-kick.
Whoosh—!
The wind from the kick whipped Gaia's hair, but there was no sensation of
impact. It was as if Ohma's leg had passed straight through Gaia's body like a
ghost.
Missed again?!
Ohma staggered, his eyes wide with disbelief. He wasn't a novice; his sense of
range and timing was world-class. How could he miss two consecutive strikes at
point-blank range?
Looking at Gaia's calm, youthful face, Ohma's rage boiled over.
"SHINK—!"
With a guttural roar, Ohma planted his feet and unleashed a frantic flurry of
punches and kicks. The air screamed with the sound of his strikes, but every one
of them hit nothing but oxygen. He couldn't even graze Gaia's uniform!
Zip!
A surge of primal unease flooded Ohma's mind. He retreated several paces to
reset, his face a mask of confusion.
Why can't I hit him?
"You will never hit me," Gaia said casually, his hands hanging at his sides.
"Because your body is refusing to harm me."
"—Hah?"
Ohma's pupils quivered. A bloody tear tracked down his cheek. He refused to
listen to the riddle. Raised in the Lawless Zone, he had zero patience for
psychological games.
"Stop acting like a god! Your tricks won't work on me!"
Ohma charged again, faster than before. He flickered around Gaia like a crimson
wraith, launching strike after strike, yet each one "passed through" Gaia's
frame as if the soldier were made of smoke.
"DIE, YOU BASTARD!"
Ohma grew more frantic, coughing blood as he pushed the [Advance] even harder.
He launched a final, desperate kick.
Just before impact, Gaia's expression shifted. He let out a sharp, booming roar:
"I SAID STOP!!"
The roar was so filled with command and focused Qi that it physically stunned
Ohma, forcing him to stumble back and break his momentum.
"Ungh—" Ohma gritted his teeth, blood dripping from his jaw.
Gaia's voice turned cold and sharp. "I'm being serious. I'm not using words to
mislead you. How long do you intend to torture your own body?!"
When Ohma didn't answer, Gaia let out a long sigh.
"I'm here on Motobe-sensei's orders to clear out terrorists. I'm not here for a
survival match. I have no reason to lie to you."
"Look at your body. You are forcibly red-lining your heart, accelerating your
blood to buy a few minutes of strength. How much longer do you think your organs
can take that kind of trauma?"
"You are killing yourself. For what?!"
"..."
Gaia watched Ohma's response. Seeing the fire of battle still burning undimmed
in the youth's eyes, Gaia let out a weary breath.
"It seems you can't stop. In that case... I have to respond to that resolve."
"Since Motobe-sensei asked us to assist in this building, I can't just let a man
with a death wish walk past me."
"Will your body shatter first, or will you find another answer? Let's find out."
Gaia suddenly turned his head, a playful, clear-eyed look aimed at his
teammates. The four special-forces soldiers felt a jolt of nervousness.
"Actually... this is a perfect training opportunity."
Gaia barked a command: "ATTENTION!"
Clack!
The four soldiers snapped their heels together, standing perfectly rigid.
"sparring with me won't give you the time to realize your mistake," Gaia said,
looking back at Ohma with a narrowed, smiling gaze. "In order for you to feel
the reality of your own body and your own life... trade blows with them first."
(End of Chapter)
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