Chapter 343: The Meaning of Victory
Tonight was truly a rowdy one.
The group that had formed around the pursuit of Yanagi Ryuko, now joined by the
Sea Emperor Kaku Kaioh, numbered seven in total. But for these masters, the
ultimate fate of the "Poison Hand" was no longer their primary concern. They
were simply walking along, witnessing the inevitable conclusion of a man's
karma, while their minds were occupied by far more significant matters.
Ren Shiroki, Ohma Tokita, and Retsu Kaioh were all mentally replaying the
"invisible punch" Kaku Kaioh had used to sever Yanagi's wrist. A strike that
exceeded the speed of sound and possessed a sharpness greater than any blade—it
was one of the absolute pinnacles of technical mastery.
The realization... the insight... there's so much to digest, the three of them
thought in unison.
Eventually, they caught up to Yanagi near the edge of the park, where they found
the "Master of Ancient Combat," Motobe Izo, blocking the convict's path. Motobe
had already dismantled Yanagi's final, desperate attempt at an ambush, using his
own katana to ground the sickle and the poisoned needles.
Then, the two figures had crossed.
Motobe had performed a magnificent "throw-and-draw" maneuver—releasing his blade
to pierce Yanagi's thigh before catching the hilt as he stepped past, yanking
the steel free in one fluid, beautiful motion.
Compared to Kaku's supersonic flick, Motobe's movement was an exercise in
"Ancient Flow." Even Arisa could sense the difference, to say nothing of the
masters watching from the shadows. When Motobe used a weapon, he commanded it.
He didn't rely on the tool; he made the tool an extension of his own soul.
Yanagi Ryuko, by comparison, was a child playing with toys. The gap in "Rank"
and "Essence" was insurmountable.
As Yanagi collapsed to his knees, the group prepared to step out and greet
Motobe.
But suddenly, another silhouette emerged from a different alleyway. He walked
with a heavy, deliberate stride, ignoring everyone else as he approached Motobe
Izo's back.
He wore a black short-sleeved top and matching traditional training trousers,
with simple cloth shoes. His physique was a mountain of explosive, hyper-defined
muscle, covered in bronze skin that seemed to glow with a metallic sheen in the
dark—as if the man were a source of light himself.
The man was [THE STRONGEST CREATURE ON EARTH] Yujiro Hanma.
Three of the people present were seeing the Ogre in the flesh for the first
time, but no introduction was necessary. His presence told the story for him.
Kuroki Gensai's eyes narrowed. "Hm."
Kaku Kaioh offered a serene, knowing smile. "Ho ho... quite a looker, isn't he?"
Ohma Tokita's eyes widened to dinner plates. His gaze darted between Kuroki,
Kaku, and finally locked onto Yujiro. He realized he had forgotten to breathe.
I'm glad my memories are back... I'm glad I can remember Niko's teachings.
There is so much 'Strength' in this world!
Motobe Izo sensed the "Ogre" behind him instantly.
He had been defeated by Yujiro once before, and despite years of constant
training, he had been humbled a second time in a park not long ago. Now, facing
Yujiro again, his martial instincts flared into a panic. He instinctively swung
his blood-stained katana backward in a defensive arc.
"YUJIROOOOO!!"
Flash!
A dark blur flickered through the air.
The observers gasped as Yujiro Hanma reached out with his bare left hand and
caught the tip of Motobe's katana between his fingers.
Motobe froze in terror. Yujiro didn't even look at him.
"Idiot."
Yujiro didn't bother with words. He held the blade by the tip and pressed his
thumb against the side of the steel.
SNAP!
With a sharp, crystalline crack, the high-quality, flexible steel of the katana
was snapped by raw, unadulterated grip strength. The tip hit the pavement with a
hollow clink.
Yujiro's hand didn't stop. He slid his thumb down the length of the blade,
applying pressure every few inches.
Crack! Snap! Crunch!
The "Masterpiece" blade, famous for its durability and sharpness, was reduced to
shattered fragments like a piece of hard candy in Yujiro's hand. By the time he
was done, Motobe was left holding a hilt with only a few inches of jagged steel
remaining.
The observers stood in stunned silence. This was the classic "Strongest
Creature" way of making an entrance.
Motobe dropped the useless hilt. Yujiro ignored him, taking a step forward to
tower over the kneeling Yanagi Ryuko.
"Yanagi..."
Yujiro's terrifying, predatory eyes scanned the wreck of a man before him,
appraising the damage.
Right eye imploded—a knuckle strike. A cute little trick. Left hand
crushed—decent grip, but lacking follow-through. Right hand severed—a clean,
master-class cut. Thigh pierced—Motobe's little toy.
"Heh."
Yujiro leaned forward, bracing his hands on his knees and staring down at the
convict.
"Yanagi. You've lost."
The night wind began to howl, no longer gentle but aggressive, as if influenced
by Yujiro's surging aura.
Hearing the judgment, Yanagi Ryuko paused. He took a ragged breath and forced
his head up to look the Ogre in the eye.
"This is the first time we've met... but I have heard the rumors of your name
for a long time."
Yanagi looked at the shattered remains of the katana on the ground.
"[THE STRONGEST CREATURE]... Seeing that grip strength—the power to snap a
katana with two fingers—it's clear the rumors weren't just hot air—"
"Shut up with the flattery!" Yujiro interrupted, his voice a low growl.
Yujiro's grin widened. "The question is this: you were challenged, you fought,
and you were dismantled. Do you admit defeat? Yes or no?"
Yanagi was a broken man, but his pride was still a jagged, ugly thing.
"Hanma-san... your strength is the real deal. You are the 'Strongest.' But the
person with the right to decide the outcome of this match... is not you."
Yujiro stood up straight, laughing as his combat aura surged into a physical
presence that visibly warped the air around him. Motobe, standing the closest,
broke into a cold sweat.
"Did you hear that?" Yujiro laughed, looking at Motobe and then toward the
shadows where the others were hiding. "Hey! Did you hear him? Motobe! And the
rest of you peeping toms!"
"He says—I don't have the power to decide the winner."
Yujiro gestured with his hand, his laugh turning genuinely delighted. "He's
absolutely right!"
The observers were speechless. Was he being sarcastic? Was he agreeing? Was it a
trap? With Yujiro Hanma, no one ever knew until the blood started flowing.
Yujiro looked at Motobe and then at Yanagi. "You two were having a 'Duel,' but
there were no rules. So, how do we decide who won?"
He looked at the two of them. "Naturally, the participants decide for
themselves."
"The one who does the beating and the one who takes the beating both have to
agree on the result. That is the only law of the street."
"Even if your eye is blown out... your hand is crushed... your wrist is
severed... and your leg is pierced—"
"Even if you're a bloody, mangled ruin, if the loser refuses to admit they've
lost, then they haven't been 'defeated'!"
"And even if you walk away without a scratch, if you don't feel like you've won,
then you haven't 'victored'!"
"—That is the logic of combat."
With that, Yujiro suddenly turned his head toward the spectators. Specifically,
he appraised Kaku Kaioh and Kuroki Gensai.
After a beat, Yujiro let out a sharp "Hah!" and grinned. "Quite a lot of people
turned out for a midnight stroll, didn't they?"
The group didn't know how to respond.
Yujiro ignored the silence, stretching his arms over his head and letting out a
massive, bored yawn—so deep that tears pricked his eyes. "I've said enough. I'm
going. I'm sleepy..."
The next instant—WHOOSH!
Yujiro spun on his heel with a movement so fluid and terrifying it left an
afterimage. His body carved a violent arc through the air as his left fist swung
in a massive "Big Ben" haymaker, slamming directly into the side of Yanagi
Ryuko's face.
CRUNCH-CRA-CRACK!
The force wasn't a dull thud—it was the sickening, grinding sound of structural
collapse.
Yanagi's entire face was crushed. The bone structure imploded past the point of
recognition. He sprayed a geyser of blood—the largest of the night—and collapsed
face-first into the dirt, his head disappearing into a widening pool of crimson.
Yujiro's voice was low and heavy. "Since you refuse to back down, I'll take it
that you were challenging me."
"Now, I'm declaring it—I won this fight."
Yujiro turned and walked away. But on his way out, he had to pass a certain old
man sitting in a wheelchair.
"Oh...?"
Yujiro glanced at Kaku Kaioh, looking as if he had anticipated this meeting for
a long time.
Kaku Kaioh didn't hesitate. He looked Yujiro right in the eye and offered a
serene, clinical evaluation.
"Hmm. Even up close, it's the same. You are truly weak, young man."
☆☆☆
-> 30 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you