Chapter 267: The Master!
Raian Kure blinked. Ren Shiroki blinked. The tiny old man, Gouki Shibukawa,
blinked right back at them.
The withered, slender senior had sharp, chiseled facial features despite the map
of wrinkles covering his skin. He peered through his amber-rimmed glasses, his
eyes bright and full of life. He looked to be in his late seventies or early
eighties, but his spirit was that of a man in his prime.
Beneath the loose fabric of his traditional martial arts gi, Ren could see the
faint, defined outlines of muscle that would make men half his age envious.
Shibukawa stood with his hands on his hips just inside the doorframe, studying
Ren and Raian. After a moment, he let out another burst of boisterous laughter.
"Hahaha! Why the long faces? You're the ones who knocked, aren't you? What's the
matter—did you come here to challenge me for a spot in that Street Brawl thing?"
The hearty laughter drew the attention of another person inside the villa.
"Shibukawa-sensei, do we have guests?"
A middle-aged man walked into the foyer. He was well-built, dressed in a
loose-fitting suit, and wore a neat mustache. Ren recognized him immediately.
It was Mitsuo Sonoda, the Special Official from the Metropolitan Police
Department whom they had met during the hotel kidnapping.
"Oh?" Sonoda looked surprised to see Ren. "Ren-kun? I didn't know you were in
Kure Village. And I see the young master of the Kure Clan is here as well."
Shibukawa turned back to Sonoda, a look of mock bewilderment on his face.
"Ah—Sonoda-dono, you know these two?"
Ren needed no introduction, and Sonoda had seen Raian's handiwork on the hotel
security feeds, so he was familiar with both. He quickly explained the
circumstances of their previous meeting.
"Ho-ho. I see, I see." Shibukawa looked at Ren and Raian, his eyes narrowing
into mischievous slits. "So, you're just a couple of 'Concerned Citizens' doing
your part for public safety? How noble of you!"
The joke was obvious, and Raian simply crossed his arms and snorted in
annoyance. Ren, however, was staring at Shibukawa with intense curiosity. The
level of focus in Ren's gaze was enough to make the old master feel a bit
self-conscious.
"My, my!" Sonoda stepped in to break the tension, officially introducing the man
to the two youths. "This is Gouki Shibukawa—the Grandmaster of Shibukawa-ryu
Aiki-Jujutsu. He is currently the lead instructor of hand-to-hand apprehension
techniques for the Metropolitan Police Department."
As Sonoda spoke, Ren's mind raced through the archives of the martial arts world
he had studied.
Gouki Shibukawa. Nickname: [THE SAINT OF WAR]! Disciple of the legendary Kihei
Misogi. He completed his training at thirty-nine and founded his own school of
Aiki-Jujutsu.
He was now seventy-five years old.
To a layman, he looked like a fragile old man. To the underworld, he was an
unshakeable titan of the martial arts—a true Master whose skill was whispered
about with reverence. His style focused on "Softness overcoming Hardness," using
the opponent's own momentum and torque against them.
During the legendary Tokyo Dome Underground Tournament, he had dismantled the
Olympic wrestling giant Roger Harlan, crushed Kosho 'The Cord-Cutter' Shinogi,
and faced the 'Bushin' Doppo Orochi in an unthinkable quarter-final match.
Shibukawa had emerged victorious from that clash of legends, only to finally
fall to the prehistoric strength of Jack Hanma in the semi-finals.
Raian didn't know as much detail as Ren, but even he had heard of the "Saint of
War." After the initial introductions, Ren looked around the room, noticing it
was only the two of them.
Ren blinked. "Wait... is the MPD's representative for tonight's Kengan Match
actually—"
"Hahaha! That's right! It's me~!" Shibukawa stood tall, looking full of energy.
"I happened to be in the area for personal business, so I told Sonoda-dono here
to let me hijack the slot. I haven't had a good scrap in weeks!"
"Yeah... that's essentially how it happened," Sonoda added with a weary, dry
laugh. He accurately guessed who Ren and Raian had been expecting.
"Seishu Akoya, the Captain of the 44th Riot Squad... he's the primary fighter
for Wakasa Life. He rarely represents the MPD directly in the Kengan matches."
"Since his loss in the tournament, Akoya has rarely appeared in public. We only
see him when there's a high-priority mission. And while the MPD high command
holds a Kengan membership, we rarely activate it for business disputes."
"This match with NENTEN (N-Company) was initiated by them. They paid a massive
'sponsorship fee' to the department's charity fund, and the brass found it too
'hospitable' to refuse."
Ren and Raian finally understood the board. The match tonight wasn't about
corporate takeover; it was a high-stakes duel. Normally, the MPD would have sent
a top-tier Judo instructor from the academy, but Shibukawa had arrived in Kure
Village and "suggested" he take the fight.
"Shibukawa-sensei is as troublesome as ever," Sonoda sighed, though his tone
shifted into one of absolute confidence. "But looking at it from a PR
perspective, the MPD can't afford a loss. With Sensei in the ring, that is no
longer a possibility."
Shibukawa grinned. "Sonoda-kun, you really do have a lot of faith in this old
bag of bones!"
Sonoda answered bluntly, "Because it's you, Sensei. I honestly can't envision a
scenario where you lose."
Shibukawa let out a soft hum, offering neither a confirmation nor a denial.
Sonoda invited Ren and Raian inside for tea. Ren was about to accept, but Raian
waved him off.
"I'm out. Fusui just texted me. She's afraid I'll start a war with you in the
middle of the street—Grandpa would have my head for that." Raian clicked his
tongue. "She's waiting on the next block with cold drinks. What a pain."
Ren hesitated for a moment, his eyes lingering on the old master.
Seeing the youth's reluctance to leave, Shibukawa laughed. "Ho-ho! To be young
is a blessing! My old bones can't handle iced drinks anymore. Go on, enjoy
yourselves!"
Ren thanked the master and finally followed Raian out. Once they were gone,
Shibukawa's eyes widened in a mock glare that made Sonoda jump.
"Sensei? Is something—"
"Hahaha! Nothing at all!" Shibukawa's face returned to its usual cheery mask. "I
was just thinking... the youth of today are so incredibly polite!"
Sonoda was baffled. "Polite? Sensei, what are you talking about?"
Shibukawa's grin turned sharp and predatory. "They were both vibrating with
excitement. They wanted to tackle me right there in the hallway just to see what
would happen—yet they managed to hold it back for the sake of manners. That...
is true politeness!"
Sonoda remained confused as he went back to brewing the tea.
Ren and Raian walked side-by-side. In the silence between them, the air seemed
to warp, saturated with the complex, conflicting emotions of two predators who
had just scented an apex master.
"The old man is fascinating," Ren laughed. "I had a sudden, overwhelming urge to
just lunge at him to see how he'd redirect me."
Raian snorted. "Tch. I don't believe in that 'Master' crap until I've crushed
their windpipe."
"True. It's a shame to talk about it without seeing it," Ren agreed. "Tonight's
match is going to be something special."
They reunited with Fusui and spent the afternoon wandering the stalls, killing
time until evening arrived. Finally, the sun began to dip below the mountains.
The first Kengan Match of the Summer Festival was about to begin!
NENTEN vs. THE METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT!
The "Saint of War," Gouki Shibukawa, was already waiting ringside.
A crowd of roughly a hundred industry insiders had gathered. Ren, Fusui, and
Raian were there, as was Sonoda and his officers. Kengan regulars who had caught
wind of the match had traveled from Tokyo to watch. And, of course, the Kure
Clan was out in force, led by Erio and Reiichi.
Ringside, Shibukawa—still wearing his amber glasses—was beaming at the crowd.
"Quite a turnout!" He looked toward Ren and Sonoda. "My apologies for making you
all act as my 'seconds' for the night."
Shibukawa handed his Haori to Ren for safekeeping, standing in his white
training gi.
Nearby, Reiichi Kure stood with his arms crossed, his eyes fixed on Shibukawa's
every micro-movement. "Look at his posture," he murmured. "No matter how he
shifts his weight, his centerline remains a perfect, vertical axis..."
Erio Kure spoke in a deep, gravelly voice. "Reiichi. And you other brats. Pay
attention. Treasure this sight."
"The man named Gouki Shibukawa... no matter how this fight ends, there is a
lesson in every breath he takes."
At the opposite end of the plaza, the heavy curtains of the entrance tunnel
parted.
A massive shadow emerged, accompanied by a sound like a struggling engine—heavy,
labored breathing. It felt as though a God of Destruction had descended from the
mountains. With every step the giant took, the newly built ring shuddered.
(End of Chapter)
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