Disciple...
Honestly, with Jack Hanma's template, Mutou Judai actually had considerable expertise in training—just like how Baki had received the top-level training in the Baki world as a child, Jack Hanma, who was a madman that once trained the equivalent of thirty hours per day compared to ordinary people, was very familiar with various training methods.
He had even taken drugs afterward and undergone training complementary to drug use—it could be said that if he wanted, after simple experimentation, the training methods and knowledge he possessed would be completely sufficient for him to cultivate another Julius.
If he took on a male disciple, as long as he simplified this system and made corresponding modifications, Mutou Judai felt he was completely qualified to teach a disciple.
But...
This person in front of him calling herself Okami Sakura...
Tall and slender figure, though a middle school student but already developed with good body curves, white long hair naturally falling down both sides, combined with her serious face and that fighter's aura—this was completely a very imposing beautiful girl with even a bit of a queen's demeanor.
And she even used the speech pattern 'I'—
Wasn't this hitting all the appeal points with looks, figure, and aura!
Mutou Judai wasn't the type who couldn't move when seeing women.
Even if it weren't for dealing with Toyo Electric and knowing that helping Korakuen was equivalent to indirectly helping Erina share pressure, Mutou Judai would have refused Soryuin Akemi just like he refused Shinomiya Kaguya.
If he had to say he had a slightly personal thought, it was just that he wanted to find someone to test his newly mastered Soru and Sonic Punch, nothing more.
But...
Even among those with low emotional intelligence or lifelong bachelors, most would maintain an appreciative attitude toward beautiful things.
Thinking about training such a beautiful girl to have bulging muscles...
Hiss—
Too terrifying!
Just imagining Okami Sakura with a body full of muscles, Mutou Judai felt a sense of guilt as if he were destroying a beautiful painting by a master artist.
So after learning Okami Sakura's purpose, he scratched his face.
"My training methods might not be suitable for you... and looking at my age, you know I'm not much older than you. I'm not someone who's practiced fighting techniques since childhood, I'm completely a talent-based player, so I can't really help you much."
Hearing Mutou Judai's polite refusal, Okami Sakura lifted her head and directly approached Mutou Judai, making eye contact with him.
"It doesn't matter! As long as you let me follow by your side, constantly exploring your strength and using you as a target to chase, that would be enough! Master Mutou!"
Seeing Okami Sakura's reaction, Mutou Judai stepped back slightly, creating some distance from her, then exhaled and made his expression as serious as possible.
"Since polite refusal won't work, then I'll be direct—taking disciples is too troublesome, and I don't like having people follow me around, so I refuse."
Mutou Judai had no intention of taking disciples from the start.
He only held an appreciative attitude toward beautiful girls like Okami Sakura, and wouldn't even look much.
He wasn't like those light novel male protagonists who would use their low emotional intelligence to keep someone they had no feelings for hanging around them—so Mutou Judai felt that since his polite refusal wasn't forceful enough, he needed to speak righteously once.
If this were before he met Erina, he might have gone along and agreed.
But now...
Forget it.
Mutou Judai felt he had refused very seriously.
Even Soryuin Akemi could hear the strong sense of distance in Mutou Judai's words, but Okami Sakura completely ignored it, thought for a moment, then nodded.
"This is the so-called martial arts cannot be lightly transmitted... Indeed, if someone suddenly came to the Okami Dojo requesting to become a disciple, we generally wouldn't agree either..."
She said this, then bowed deeply to Mutou Judai.
"I was presumptuous—"
She said this first, then quickly lifted her head and made eye contact with Mutou Judai again.
"But I must achieve the strongest on earth as a woman, so I absolutely will not give up!"
Sigh.
Mutou Judai had always been helpless with this type of overly stubborn person, so he just shook his head and ignored her, instead focusing on Soryuin Shion, who had just finished dealing with Kiryu Setsuna's situation and was walking over.
"Director Soryuin, I'll be relying on your care during this Kengan period—is the fight today or?"
"The opponent went back today, they'll come again tomorrow afternoon."
Soryuin Shion said this, then spoke before Mutou Judai could.
"I've prepared accommodations, and had the chef prepare food—anyway, the match is tomorrow, so don't trouble yourself too much. Our place is quite large with many spare rooms, so you should stay here tonight."
"Mm."
Mutou Judai nodded and followed Soryuin Shion away.
Soryuin Akemi saw that Okami Sakura was still there and reached out to comfort her, but she didn't seem disappointed at all, just muttering things like "I will never give up, Master Mutou" and "These must all be tests." After properly greeting Soryuin Akemi, she left.
Seeing this situation, Soryuin Akemi couldn't help but feel emotional.
"Mutou-san is like this, and Okami is like this too... are all fighters so individualistic?"
Previously, Soryuin Akemi was just a serious muscle enthusiast.
But now...
—She was starting to become interested in fighting too.
...
The temporary residence of the Tenrō-ken user, Nikaido Ren.
At this moment, Nikaido Ren was on the phone, communicating with Toyo Electric headquarters about upcoming matters.
"Chairman, Korakuen's side will be finished in about two more matches—but I estimate that Soryuin Shion will very likely prepare desperately for these last two matches."
"Can you win?"
On the other end of the phone, Toyo Electric's leader—Hayami Katsumasa slowly asked this question.
"No problem."
Nikaido Ren was still confident.
"Mm... if you can win, then put more pressure on Korakuen's side. It doesn't matter if you add more stakes. I don't know how Totsuki learned about our current situation, but simply threatening Totsuki can't have much effect anymore."
"Then Chairman, do you need me to return?"
"No..."
Hayami Katsumasa slowly smiled.
"Totsuki is indeed currently purging insider agents. Although this is something I didn't expect, with me holding them back here, I can at least drag things until the insider explodes—while your side has been discovered, Totsuki still can't affect your side much. And since your side's actions don't need to be hidden anymore, I'll publicly announce your side's actions next, letting more people pay attention to your side and witness our Toyo Electric's strength."
Incidentally...
"Nikaido... I'm giving you higher authority. You don't need to worry about our Toyo Electric's plans for God's Tongue for now. Just remember—your goal is to win in Kengan, then while displaying part of our Toyo Electric's strength, directly use this victory to forcibly pull Korakuen into our ranks!"
Hearing Hayami Katsumasa say this, Nikaido Ren roughly understood what he meant.
Basically, let everyone know about this matter, then after he won the Kengan match, he just needed to say some subtle, strongly suggestive words, and other Kengan Association members would naturally speculate that Korakuen was actually on Toyo Electric's side.
This way, what originally required two matches could now achieve the goal in one.
And doing this in the second-to-last match would leave Soryuin Shion without a chance for a desperate counterattack in the final match.
—It would definitely catch her off guard!
So, Nikaido Ren nodded.
"Rest assured, I'll handle things here!"
...