Chapter 292: A True Luxury
Shash-shash-shash—
The dust kicked up by the heavy stomp slowly drifted back to the floor.
Ren Shiroki rose from his half-kneeling posture. His stunned expression relaxed
into a helpless, knowing smile, a sharp glint flickering in his eyes. Across
from him, Jun Sekibayashi bared his teeth and stuck out his tongue, wearing the
classic, over-the-top snarl of a pro-wrestling heel.
"What's the matter? You got a complaint, kid?!" Sekibayashi barked.
"No. Thanks for letting me take a breather," Ren replied with a shake of his
head. He put his hands on his hips, exhaling a cloud of hot, metallic breath.
"You really saved me there, Seki-aniki. To be honest, I'm actually exhausted—"
"I-It's set!!"
The young Kure announcer raised her hand high, screaming into the mic. "The next
match for the Festival Octagon is official! The challenger: [HELL'S ANGEL] Jun
Sekibayashi! The defender: [SOUL COMBATANT] Ren Shiroki!"
"We'll announce the specific time later! If you're interested in a clash of
souls, don't miss it!"
The audience erupted in a final wave of applause for the three men in the ring.
Fusui and the SJPW crew were shouting the loudest. The festival spirit was
reaching a fever pitch.
The crowd began to disperse as the session ended. Sekibayashi leaned down to
help steady the wobbling Jaku Kaioh.
Ren wiped the blood from his face with a towel and strolled out of the ring,
heading toward the barricade to find his friends. But the moment he stepped off
the apron, he halted mid-stride. He pulled his arm back instinctively, as if he
had just brushed against an open flame.
"—?"
Ren looked up and instantly understood. He broke into a wide, joyful grin.
The source of the "Heat" was a predatory, flickering battle intent.
It was Raian Kure.
The "Devil" of the Kure Clan was waiting right by the exit. His lips were pulled
back in a jagged, homicidal smirk, and the aura he radiated was so toxic it
seemed to warp the space around him. Veins throbbed across his massive forearms.
"Yo, brother! Having a nice time in your own backyard, are ya?"
Raian's eyes narrowed into slits. He slowly raised his right hand. "That bearded
moron's lecture was boring as hell! You were thinking the same thing, weren't
you? Stop holding back, Ren! Let's just skip to the end and send this festival
to the moon!"
Raian's hand reached out, tracking slowly toward Ren's throat. Even he seemed
unable to suppress the urge to just clamp down and start the slaughter.
Ren looked at the hand, his expression calm and welcoming. He was more than
ready to respond.
But in that heartbeat—"Ren-chin!"
Fusui Kure sprinted past Raian, shouldering her brother aside and nearly
knocking the "Devil" off balance. She spread her arms and tackled Ren in a
massive hug.
"Ren-chin! Congrats on the win!"
Ren let the girl cling to him, the scent of her hair a refreshing contrast to
the metallic tang of the ring. He felt his muscles relax.
Raian ground his teeth, the sound like stone on stone. "What the hell is this,
Fusui?"
Fusui stuck her tongue out and looked over her shoulder at her brother. "Grandpa
sent me. He told me to tell you to chill out. The festival hasn't even
officially started yet, so don't you dare go nuclear."
"Tch! Annoying old fossil!"
Raian cursed under his breath. He reached out with a massive hand, grabbed Fusui
by the back of her collar, and "peeled" her off Ren like a stray kitten, tossing
her to the side. Fusui pouted, looking ready to bite him, but Raian ignored her.
"I'll kill you if you get in my way again!"
He turned back to Ren, pressing a tightened fist against the youth's chest. He
was about to deliver a "Don't keep me waiting" threat, but he was interrupted by
two more figures approaching.
"That was absolutely Fantastic, Shiroki-san!"
It was Kugo Kurachi and Jose Kanzaki. They weren't being rude; they simply
hadn't heard Raian's quiet growl. From their perspective, Ren had just stepped
out of the ring, his girlfriend had hugged him, and his "Future Brother-in-Law"
was offering a fist-bump of respect. It was a standard post-match celebration.
Raian: "..."
Kurachi clapped Ren on the shoulder. "That was a beautiful trade. You've got the
charisma of a natural-born Pro-Wrestler!"
Jose Kanzaki added eagerly, "How did Seki-aniki's 'Iron Knuckle' feel? Heavy,
right?!"
Ren nodded to both of them, his grin widening.
"HA!"
Raian huffed in annoyance, shouldering his way past the wrestlers to stand
nose-to-nose with Ren. His smirk was jagged and dangerous. He had decided to
behave for five minutes, but he was going to finish his sentence if it killed
him.
"You listen—"
Zip!
Another silhouette lunged from the side, forcibly inserting himself into the
conversation.
It was Jaku Kaioh. He had just been helped off the stage by the medics, and he
looked like a wreck. He had a deep gash on his forehead, his face was a mask of
blood, and his body was a map of purple bruises. He likely had several cracked
ribs.
But he didn't care about the medical tent. He marched straight up to Ren.
"Ren-kun!"
Jaku seized Ren's shoulders, his face split by an unstoppable, enthusiastic
grin.
"Ren-kun! I'm begging you! You must come and serve as a guest instructor for my
school! I want you to guide my disciples! Please! Just for a week! Maybe a
month?! I'm begging you—!!"
Jaku's high-velocity recruiting speech made everyone in the circle wince. It was
like eating a raw lemon; their faces scrunched inward from the sheer social
acidity of the man.
Raian's aura turned black with irritation. Even knowing the man was a guest of
the Clan, he was reaching his limit of self-control.
"Hah...!"
Raian bared his teeth, about to bark a threat, when Jaku suddenly turned to the
person standing next to him: the [God of Destruction], Haruo Kono.
The bearded Master was a fountain of passion. "So, Haruo-kun?! Did you see it?
Did my struggle against Ren-kun touch your soul? Did you perceive the logic of
the art?!"
Haruo: "..." Haruo: "Uh... well..."
To be fair, Jaku's behavior reminded Haruo of the eccentric but wise Elders back
in the Himalayas. They often did things that made no sense but carried a weight
of profound meaning that only hit you hours later.
Haruo scratched his head, looking troubled. "I don't really get the technical
part... but I felt... moved."
Jaku roared with laughter. "That's it! That's the spark! As long as you feel it,
the lesson has begun! Education is a slow burn, kid!"
Jaku reached into his pocket for a business card to recruit Haruo into his
"Empty Fist" school.
But Ren Shiroki was faster. He flicked his own card into Haruo's hand first.
"Have you heard of the Soul Combat Hub?"
Jaku: "...?"
The Master of Recruitment looked dejected, murmuring under his breath, "Running
a dojo at his age? Magnificent talent... but stop stealing my students—"
The group couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the unstoppable Jaku finally
being out-hustled.
Raian's temper finally snapped. He slammed a foot into the ground, shattering
several floor tiles. He glared at Ren. "This is a mess! It's annoying as hell!
Fine! On the night of the fireworks, you and I are going to fight until someone
DIES—"
He didn't get to finish.
Jaku Kaioh suddenly wobbled, his legs giving out. He was caught mid-fall by
Sekibayashi.
"Easy there, Master. Let's get you to the tent."
Sekibayashi handed Jaku over to the doctors, then turned back to Ren. He reached
out and slapped a professional SJPW card onto Ren's chest.
CLAP!
Ren took the card with a grin. Sekibayashi let out a booming laugh.
"Kukakaka! Thanks to the Kure for the ring! We're gonna turn this village upside
down before the festival starts! I'm the best in the business at amping a
crowd!"
Sekibayashi tightened his fist, tapping it against Ren's heart. "I want to see
what that 'Soul' of yours is really made of. Let's have a real dance, kid!"
Ren nodded in agreement.
Sekibayashi then turned his attention back to Haruo. "And you, little brother!
Forget the bearded guy. Pro-Wrestling is simple. It's loud. And it's the most
beautiful thing you'll ever see! Watch us carefully!"
"A-Ah... yes! I will!" Haruo nodded frantically.
Ren suddenly remembered Raian and turned to see what he wanted to say.
But after being interrupted five times, Raian had lost all interest in talking.
He kicked over a section of the temporary fencing and walked away without
looking back.
"Talk to me after you're done with the oversized actor!" Raian spat over his
shoulder.
Fusui giggled. "Big Brother, where are you going?"
"WORK!" Raian roared, his face a mask of malice. "This place is too loud! I'm
going to go find someone to butcher to clear my head!"
The "Devil" vanished into the shadows of the alleyways.
Sekibayashi checked his watch and looked at Ren. "So, kid. When should we set
the time for our trade?"
Ren tilted his head, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "I told you, Seki-aniki.
I'm ready whenever you are."
Sekibayashi froze. The surrounding spectators broke into a series of impressed
chuckles.
Sensing the heat of the youth's resolve, Sekibayashi crossed his arms. "Ren
Shiroki... you really are a master of building a 'Story'!"
"..."
"But when I'm in a ring, I'm always serious," Ren corrected him with a smile.
"Seki-aniki, you always say a wrestler should absorb everything the opponent
offers."
"To me... a Fighter has to answer every challenge—no matter the time, no matter
the place, and no matter the condition."
"Once you step into this world, and once you decide you 'Want to Fight'... you
can't stop. You don't want to stop—"
Sekibayashi looked down at Ren, his grin turning genuine. "Is that so? I hear
you, kid."
The giant raised a massive hand and—WHOOSH!
He waved everyone toward the exit. "Then let's go eat! Old Man Erio said the
banquet is ready! Lunch is on the Kure!"
The tension evaporated. The legends and specialists began to chat casually as
they walked toward the estate.
Watching the scene, Ren Shiroki suddenly let out a sharp laugh. He laughed until
his sides ached and tears pricked his eyes.
He took a bottle of water from Fusui, drained half of it in a single go, and let
out a long, satisfied sigh. He wiped his eyes and looked up at the summer sun.
"Honestly... this life... it's a bit of a luxury, isn't it?"
(End of Chapter)
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