Chapter 352: A Bashful Shion, and Raian's Public Outrage
The moment Ren's match concluded, the arena erupted in a deafening roar of cheers.
It was the fastest bout to conclude since the tournament began, and also the one with the least suspense. It was, in every sense of the word, a one-sided, crushing victory. Anyone with a shred of martial arts knowledge could see that Ren was merely toying with his opponent.
He hadn't even broken a sweat. He hadn't employed any recognizable martial art or formal style. He had simply used his pure, overwhelming strength, reaction time, and speed to systematically dismantle Akoya Seishu.
Meanwhile, Ichihara Yuko and the others finally laid eyes on the infamous madman Kure Raian, the one Lucifer had warned them about. The manner in which they met him, however, was enough to chill them to the bone.
Even someone as unhinged as Jinx, or as worldly and experienced as Yuko, who had weathered countless storms, found themselves startled by Kure Raian's sheer brutality.
After he unleashed the Kure Clan's ultimate secret technique, the "Release," he transformed into a complete monster.
He eliminated his opponent, Mokichi Robinson, with methods of extreme cruelty. Then, with a deranged grin stretched across his face, he delivered a terrifying declaration that plunged the entire stadium into a stunned silence.
Kasugano Sora immediately shrank into Lucifer's side, her small frame trembling.
Even upstairs in the Kure Clan's private box, Kure Karura and the two elders wore grim, displeased expressions.
Ichihara Yuko, who had died once and, since her resurrection, had begun to truly cherish the preciousness of life, frowned deeply. "To so casually… take a life… such a thing…"
Mouri Ran, who had never been exposed to such a world, already felt her perception of reality cracking under the intense, violent atmosphere of the tournament. Now, watching a man seemingly die right before her eyes, she was left completely stunned, her mind blank.
Before Sonoko could even form a comforting word, Karura's hands clenched into tight fists. "Ren! You have to teach Raian a lesson! If you don't, he'll become completely lawless!"
Her declaration earned a chorus of nods from everyone present.
Ren simply offered a relaxed smile. "He'll have to challenge me first. Besides," he added, his tone light, "Mokichi isn't dead yet."
His words brought everyone up short.
Ren let out a soft sigh. "With Dr. Hanafusa around, as long as your head is still attached to your shoulders, he can save you."
"Eh?!" The group exclaimed in unison.
Ichihara Yuko rubbed her forehead, a weary look on her face. "Really… this world always feels just a little bit off…"
Lucifer and Cerberus nodded blankly in agreement.
Declaring that Kure Raian had disgraced the clan's name, Karura announced she was going to check on Mokichi's treatment. Kasugano Sora, seeking a reprieve from the violence, quickly pulled Jinx along with her.
In the matches that followed, the relentless and savage nature of the Kengan Annihilation Tournament was fully displayed, giving Yuko and the others a brutal education in what true violence meant.
These fighters weren't just men; they were monsters, absolute beasts in human form.
In another notable match, Kaneda Suekichi was beaten black and blue by the Thai God of War, Kaolan Wongsawat. The fight served as a stark reminder to Lucifer and the others of just how formidable Ren's friends truly were.
Kobayashi Rindou, munching on a bag of potato chips she'd procured from somewhere, grinned. "Hey, Sonoko, it looks like Kaolan's gotten even stronger."
Sonoko smiled back. "Yeah, he has. That stoic guy has really made some serious progress. But you have to admit, that Kaneda fellow was pretty amazing in his own way."
Mouri Ran's mouth twitched. "No matter how I look at it, I never imagined something like these Kengan matches existed… But Sister Sayaka is incredible… How can she shout for so long without her throat getting sore?"
"That would be Dr. Hanafusa's special medicine," Ren explained with a chuckle. "She's fine. Still, it's amazing how fired up Sayaka can get, isn't it?"
Everyone nodded. They had all developed a fondness for Katahara Sayaka. She was lively, fun to talk to, and possessed a surprising innocence that seemed out of place in this brutal environment.
Of course, none of that was the main event. The truly noteworthy incident occurred after Kaneda Suekichi had been treated and recovered. Not long after waking up, he formally applied to challenge Ren.
Ren dismissed him with a single, blunt sentence: "Not interested."
The night wore on, filled with various other incidents, until the final match concluded, allowing everyone to finally breathe a collective sigh of relief.
Courage, the WGO inspector, let out a long breath. "The Fang of Metsudo is as terrifying as ever…"
Mouri Ran nodded, a visible shudder running through her. "Mhm. Can a human being really make an expression like that when they smile? It's absolutely horrifying…"
Ichihara Yuko covered her face with one hand. "I have a whole new understanding of the term 'Kengan Matches'… What kind of monsters are these people? By the way, where's Shion?"
"Shion…"
"What is it?"
"Can you let go?"
Sōryūin Shion's personal secretary stared at the scene before her. On one side was Ren, his face a mask of weary resignation. On the other was her president, Sōryūin Shion, who was clinging to his arm with a rare, contented smile. For a moment, the secretary wasn't sure who she should be more envious of.
"Eh? Ren, Shion is here too. I should have known."
"Huh? Hatsumi? What are you doing here?" Sōryūin Shion looked up to see the languid form of Hatsumi Izumi, one of her very few male friends, sauntering over.
It was Hatsumi who had dragged Ren to a water park all that time ago. While playing truth or dare with a group of beautiful women, they had happened upon Shion, who was there on vacation. One thing led to another, and the current situation was born.
As fate would have it, Shion had been pulled into the game and chosen truth, while Ren had chosen dare. With a single coordinated dare and a single truth, Hatsumi and his friends had successfully paired the two of them up.
Hatsumi Izumi's gaze fell upon Shion hugging Ren's arm so tightly, and a wide, teasing grin spread across his face. "Yo, Shion. I never knew you had such a gentle side. Ren, you're really something else."
Ren sighed. "Izumi, how do you always get your girlfriends to dump you? Please, teach me your ways."
Sōryūin Shion rolled her eyes and gave Ren's arm a light pat. "You don't need him to teach you anything; you're always making mistakes on your own. His girlfriends broke up with him because he cheated. Haven't you cheated enough already? Trying to get rid of me? Let me tell you, it's impossible."
"Hahahaha! Ren, you're finished," Hatsumi cackled. "Shion's a major tsundere, you know. Good thing I wasn't alone at the water park back then; my reputation is still clean. Now that I think about it, dating a tsundere must be terrifying."
Hearing this, Shion's eyes widened in indignation. "I'm very glad you dragged Ren along that day! Otherwise, my first love would have been wasted on someone else! And what do you mean, 'terrifying'? I'm very gentle with Ren. It just means you're not as good as he is."
"That's fine by me," Hatsumi shrugged. "It's not like I'm the one suffering. Besides, I have no desire to compete with Ren. The devastation to my ego would be too great."
"You! What is it you actually want?" she demanded.
Hatsumi waved a dismissive hand. "Nothing much. I saw you with a cigarette before you boarded the ship and was hoping to bum one off you. I couldn't find anyone else. I figured if I found Ren, you'd be nearby. But seeing as you're holding a lollipop now, I'll just forget it. See ya. Ren, remember to stay pure. I'll come find you for a drink later."
"What do you mean, 'okay'?! And what's this about 'staying pure'?! Am I that greedy?!" Shion fumed.
Ren didn't say a word. He simply raised an eyebrow and gave her an indifferent look. Shion looked him up and down, her confidence faltering, before whispering, "A little bit greedy… but…"
Saying nothing, Ren held out a hand, palm up.
Shion's heart gave a little flutter. Misunderstanding his intent, she placed her hand in his. Ren immediately flicked it away. Confused, she placed her other hand in his, and he flicked that one away as well. He just continued to look at her, his expression calm and unreadable.
Finally, with a defeated sigh, Sōryūin Shion reached into the pocket of her suit jacket and pulled out a pack of women's cigarettes, placing them in his waiting hand.
Without a moment's hesitation, Ren crumpled the pack into a tight ball and tossed it into a nearby trash can.
Sōryūin Shion stood perfectly still, her head bowed, looking for all the world like a child who had been caught doing something wrong. Behind her, the female secretary who had been nursing a secret crush on Ren stared, completely stunned. 'This has to be a fake President!' she thought.
"Ren… I…" Shion whispered, her voice small. "This is a misunderstanding… A friend gave them to me when we got on the boat. I… I… I was wrong…"
Meeting Ren's unwavering gaze, she immediately dropped the excuses and admitted her fault. The little secretary behind her looked as if her entire worldview had just collapsed. The woman in front of her couldn't possibly be the same domineering president she served. As expected of Mr. Ren!
Ren finally let out a sigh. "When you come to the shop this time, I'll prepare a month's worth of snacks for you."
"Once a month…" she mumbled, a hint of a pout in her voice.
"If you have time to come every day, I don't mind. My shop is open daily now, after all. The more customers, the better."
Her head snapped up. "You just see me as a customer? I've gone this far, and you still just treat me as a customer?"
"My room is Number One," Ren stated flatly. "The green shower gel smells nice. You can use a lot of it. If you're really that daring, go take a shower now and wait for me there. In a few months, we can start thinking about what to name the child. You can come up with some good names yourself; I'll even give you the right to choose one of the characters."
"I… Hmph! I'm leaving! I'm not letting you off so easily! Men! You never appreciate what you have until it's gone!"
Watching Sōryūin Shion storm off in a flustered huff, Ren turned his gaze to someone standing behind him. A small smile touched his lips. "Cosmo… What can I do for you?"
Imai Cosmo, who had fought earlier in the tournament, stepped forward with a sheepish grin. "Brother Ren, you're really sharp… There are a few things I wanted to talk to you about…"
"That doesn't sound like you," Ren replied easily. "Tomorrow is a day off. Let's find a place and have a drink."
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