Chapter 330: Stepping into the Apex!
The home of the [CHAMPION] Baki Hanma sat at the dead end of a quiet Tokyo
street. It was a modest, detached house Baki rented from Kozue Matsumoto's
mother.
To say this house—and the street it occupied—was "famous" would be an
understatement. The walls were a chaotic mural of graffiti, filled with insults
and threats directed at Baki. These were the works of countless punks and
"strongmen" who lacked the courage to face him in the flesh. They only dared to
vent their fragile egos through spray paint while he was away, turning the house
into a garish, eyesore testament to his reputation.
Retsu Kaioh had found the sight amusing during his first visit, and today, Li
Kaioh couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the display.
However, once Retsu made the introductions and Li Kaioh saw Baki Hanma in
person, his bewilderment only deepened.
This is the King of the Underground at eighteen?
Li could understand the muscle atrophy—the boy was riddled with a legendary
toxin, after all. But Baki's height was unchanging. At barely 170cm, he was
undeniably small. Could such a diminutive frame truly carry the weight of the
title [CHAMPION]?
Li Kaioh stood frozen for a moment, lost in doubt.
Baki didn't seem to notice. He braced his hands against his knees, forcing
himself to stand up from the bed. He opened his mouth to speak, but instead, he
violently hacked up a spray of crimson.
"Cough! Urgh—"
Blood erupted from the boy's mouth, splattering across the floor.
The other three in the room immediately surged with concern. Kozue was
practically vibrating with anxiety, sweat beading on her forehead. Only Baki
remained strangely calm.
"Heh... talk about an embarrassing way to greet a guest," Baki muttered, wiping
his chin. He looked up at Li Kaioh. "Nice to meet you. Are you from Retsu-san's
temple?"
"No," Li Kaioh shook his head, regaining his composure. "Chinese Kenpo has many
branches. I am not of the White Forest Temple. I practice the [MEDICINAL HARD
FIST], commonly known as the [POISON HAND]."
Baki smirked, genuinely impressed. "Hah. Just the name sounds powerful."
"Baki—" Retsu Kaioh's voice was like heavy iron. "Li Kaioh is the foremost
master of the Poison Hand. In the world of Kenpo, he has no equal."
"I had planned to take you across the sea to find him, but fortune smiled upon
us—he contacted me first. He came to Tokyo via a recommendation, and I asked for
his help."
"As I said before—Baki, I need you to fight him!"
Hearing this, Kozue couldn't hold back her terror. "Baki will die...!"
"Leaving him like this will kill him anyway!" Retsu countered sharply. "This is
a battle for his survival! This isn't some 'power of friendship' nonsense. To
physically heal Baki, combat is a biological necessity. I am betting everything
on Baki Hanma's 'Awakening'!"
Baki let out a faint, bloody smile. He looked horrific, yet his spirit seemed
untouched.
Beside him, Kozue began to mumble. "Who gave you...?"
Retsu turned. "What?"
"Who gave you the right to do this?! Haven't you messed with him enough?!" Kozue
broke down, tears streaming as she grabbed Retsu's collar. "Awakening? How can
you say that? How can you justify this?!"
She had been looking forward to spending the summer break with Baki in Kure
Village, but then the duel happened, the poison took hold, and her world
collapsed. Watching Baki waste away day by day had been a living nightmare.
Kozue wasn't a fighter, an assassin, or a lucky protagonist. She was just a high
school girl who loved Baki more than anything else. The psychological pressure
had reached its breaking point. Retsu was the only one she respected enough to
scream at—the only outlet for her utter helplessness.
Thump, thump, thump!
Retsu stood perfectly still, letting Kozue strike and kick him. He understood
her pain completely.
Finally, Baki reached out, gently catching Kozue's arms and pulling her into a
hug.
"It's enough," the [CHAMPION] whispered. "Thank you for giving me courage. I
won't lose."
Kozue, drained of strength, leaned against Baki's shoulder, her face a mask of
tears. To comfort her, Baki changed the subject, pulling out his phone to show
her his latest messages from Ren Shiroki.
Ren had sent a flood of photos. The most recent was a selfie from the
helicopter: Ren, Fusui, and Arisa squeezed together, grinning. Above that were
various shots from the Summer Festival.
"Ren-aniki and the others should be landing back in Tokyo right about now," Baki
said with a raspy laugh.
Looking at the photos, Kozue realized their friends were cheering them on in
their own way. She let out a sob that was half-laugh, half-cry, and wiped the
blood from Baki's mouth. "You're in this state, and they're still having that
much fun?"
"Hahaha!" Baki's grin widened. "I'm grateful for them. Retsu-san and Ren-aniki
both."
"Retsu-san sees me at my worst and still believes I can fight. I won't run from
that. And Ren-aniki... he believes I will keep fighting, which is why he treats
us like nothing has changed. It's... really moving."
Baki Hanma did not refuse the fight. However, his opponent, Li Kaioh, was
hesitant.
"Retsu, you called me here in such a rush for this? This boy is being eaten by
poison. He is in no condition to fight. To strike him now would violate the very
principles of a martial artist!"
Retsu thought for a moment. "No condition to fight? In our last arena match,
this boy had the upper hand against me, Li."
Retsu couldn't help but smirk. "First, his 'condition' is for him to judge, not
you. If a boy riddled with poison has the heart to stand and fight, you, as a
master, have no excuse to avoid him."
"As for your second point—a reason to fight? I suppose it doesn't matter, but I
can give you one. A friend of mine runs a [COMBAT HUB] in Tokyo using a very
modern philosophy. There, you don't need a reason to train or spar. The battle
is the reason."
"You and Baki can settle this there—at the Soul Combat Hub."
Li Kaioh's eyes darkened with irritation. "Are you serious, Retsu?" When Retsu
nodded, Li's brow furrowed with pulsing veins. "I see. Then I truly have no
choice but to accept."
Slap, slap.
Baki patted his own cheeks, a weak but serene smile on his face.
Alright. Let's get to work.
[One Hour Later—Soul Combat Hub]
Ren, Fusui, and Arisa arrived in a sedan provided by Chairman Metsudo. The car
pulled up to the front of the Hub. Just as they were about to step out, a
massive roar echoed from inside the dojo:
"IT'S BEEN FORCED OUT!!"
"—?!"
The three of them exchanged confused looks. Was that Retsu's voice?
Then, another ecstatic shout: "The poison has been reversed! Baki Hanma is being
reborn!"
They all knew about Baki's condition. Connecting Retsu's cheers to the
situation, they realized things were taking a turn for the better.
Inside the Soul Combat Hub, on the main arena:
Li Kaioh stood dazed, his consciousness flickering. Baki Hanma had already
pulled back his fist, ending the bout.
The boy was covered in his own blood and his frame was still gaunt, but the
deathly, sickly pallor was gone. He looked... incredible.
My body feels so light... Baki mused, looking at the unconscious Li Kaioh.
Mr. Li, regardless of your motives, I am standing here because of you. To be
able to stand here—stronger and more vibrant than before—it's all thanks to you.
Thank you.
And thank you, Retsu-san, Kozue, and all my friends...
"Doctor!" Baki called out.
Dr. An Sakurai, who had been standing by the ring, immediately rushed forward to
treat the fallen Li Kaioh.
As Baki stepped off the platform, he looked up and saw the Shiroki family
returning from their trip.
Ah, that's right. Baki smiled.
I have to thank Ren-aniki too. He provided the perfect stage. I splattered a lot
of blood, though... cleaning it won't be easy.
But you won't care, will you? I'll buy you a coffee later—
Baki didn't say any of it out loud. He simply walked toward Ren Shiroki, raising
his hand. Ren met him halfway, and their palms collided.
CLAP!
That was the sound of the eighteen-year-old [CHAMPION] Baki Hanma stepping back
into his apex form!
Ren gripped Baki's hand, ignoring the blood on his palm, and felt the surging
power within the boy. "Ahah! Baki-kun, you look fantastic!"
Baki looked back, waving his hand with a bright, refreshed laugh. "You too,
Ren-aniki!"
At almost the exact same moment, in the forests on the outskirts of Tokyo...
[THE ASHURA] Ohma Tokita took a deep breath, adjusting his stance in front of a
massive boulder. He reached back into his memories, finding the "feeling" of his
style, and threw a devastating punch.
[NIKO STYLE KATA: IRONBREAKER]!
BOOM!
The impact was thunderous. A massive crater, larger than a man, imploded into
the face of the rock.
"Finally... I'm starting to feel like myself again," Ohma muttered, pulling his
fist back.
The board was set.
[CHAMPION] Baki Hanma. [SOUL COMBATANT] Ren Shiroki. [ASHURA] Ohma Tokita.
All three were now stepping into their absolute apex!!!
☆☆☆
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