IW: Chapter 196 - Bai Ye and Chizuru are becoming more and more in sync! Mai: I should be under the car!
"Why don't you guys really listen to me and just call it 'Lord Ao Nai Wo He'"
After much deliberation, they still hadn't decided on a team name.
Bai Ye had suggested 'Lord Ao Nai Wo He', but both Jotaro and Kagura Chizuru were extremely repulsed by the name.
"How about 'New Fighter Team'?!"
"Is there an 'Old Fighter Team'? Forget it, I won't say anymore!"
Bai Ye was about to retort, but after seeing the looks in their eyes, he finally chose to surrender, although in his heart, he still believed 'Lord Ao Nai Wo He' was superior to everything.
Anyway, their individual characteristics couldn't be merged. Originally, the team leader was supposed to come up with the name, but Bai Ye's naming sense was simply too anti-human.
If Bai Ye had been even a little more normal, Kagura Chizuru and Jotaro wouldn't have hesitated for a second.
Ultimately, they submitted their application under the name 'New Fighter Team', becoming the last team to participate in KOF '96.
"What are the rules for this KOF? Is it individual, team, or one-on-one in turns?"
This was Bai Ye's first time participating in KOF.
In the game, if one character died, the next one would come up, but this wasn't a game, and he wasn't sure if there was a difference.
The KOF tournament wasn't organized by the same person every time, so the rules naturally varied. Since the organizer was right here, Bai Ye still wanted to ask Kagura Chizuru about it.
After all, it was his first time participating.
"This time, it's a 'King of the Hill' format, with three separate arenas. Each team can send one person to defend an arena, or three people to defend separate arenas.
If, after the competition, all three individuals belong to the same team, then no additional match is needed.
If they are from different teams, then an additional three-person free-for-all match will be required."
Kagura Chizuru had originally intended to use the KOF '95 competition rules.
Each team would draw lots, then compete, and in a 3v3 situation, if everyone in a team was defeated, that team would be declared defeated.
Later, she felt it was too drawn out. She wasn't really trying to select the strongest fighter team by organizing this competition.
She was looking for Iori Yagami and Kyo Kusanagi; as long as they came, that was enough. She didn't care about other situations, so she wanted to end it quickly. This King of the Hill format was much faster than the other.
"That simple? So if we each defend one, we win?"
"You're thinking too simply."
Kagura Chizuru rubbed her forehead, feeling that Bai Ye's thinking was too simplistic.
"This isn't the best option!"
Jotaro shook his head, then drew three circles with his hand and looked at Bai Ye, reminding him, "There's one problem I think you've overlooked: this arena battle can probably involve group combat. So, if we, as teammates, are separated on three different arenas, we won't be able to support each other.
The last method is that we can defend one arena together and then ensure one teammate is directly advanced to the final battle.
Once you're on an arena, you can't switch, right?!"
Jotaro felt this was the most secure method.
Besides, the rules were actually set up this way.
Other teams would probably also exploit this rule.
"Exactly, you have to choose your arena from the start. So, the most secure option for us is to stick together. If it's not secure, and you're just playing around, then I won't say anything!"
Rules are rules, and exploiting them isn't shameful, because aren't rules meant to be exploited?!
"What do you guys think? Stick with me or each defend one?"
Bai Ye didn't care; as long as they wanted to defend together, he was fine with it.
"Although this method is very secure, I refuse!"
Jotaro had analyzed the rules, but that didn't mean he would follow that loophole.
He wasn't a fighter, but he knew that fighters generally wouldn't be so underhanded, and even if some were, he wasn't one of them!
If he was going to win, he wanted to win fairly and squarely, not by relying on a group of people defending and leaving one person to be directly advanced to the finals. That wasn't what he wanted.
If he reached the finals by such means, even if he took first place, Jotaro wouldn't consider it a fair victory.
"I agree. Although it's secure, since we've entered the competition, I certainly don't want our Kagura clan to be looked down upon by others."
Kagura Chizuru echoed, clearly agreeing with Bai Ye's idea of each taking an arena.
"Then it's settled!"
A hint of excitement flashed across Bai Ye's face, and he was full of anticipation for the upcoming KOF.
"Street racing?"
After deciding what to do next, Kagura Chizuru glanced at her watch. Going back at this hour meant resting, and none of the three had any intention of training. She thought of street racing with Bai Ye.
After losing last time, she had been practicing the so-called 'gutter run' technique, but after many attempts, even almost falling a few times, she still hadn't mastered it. She wanted to race Bai Ye a few more times to see if she could learn it during the race.
"Street racing again?"
"Yep, nothing else to do. If I win, I'll treat you to hotpot."
Kagura Chizuru said, tossing a motorcycle helmet to Bai Ye. Clearly, she had already planned to go street racing when Bai Ye returned today.
"Jotaro, coming along?"
"We'll see."
Jotaro hesitated for a moment but finally decided to go along and watch.
Since they were teammates, they might as well get along as teammates for now.
"Can you ride? If so, I can lend you a motorcycle to join us?"
"Yes."
Jotaro naturally knew how to ride a motorcycle.
The three arrived at the winding mountain road where they had raced before.
This street race made Jotaro realize that he might have underestimated Kagura Chizuru, and Bai Ye's speed was simply like cheating. They were all on the same type of motorcycle, so why was Bai Ye driving faster?
"Why can't I learn your 'gutter run' technique?"
Kagura Chizuru turned to Bai Ye. She had been following closely behind Bai Ye earlier, staring intently during the turns, wanting to see Bai Ye's 'gutter run', but he didn't seem to be doing it at all.
It was just a simple lean into the turn.
Was it her imagination?
"Because I think your comprehension isn't enough!"
Bai Ye thought to himself, should he tell her he was lying and there was no such thing as a 'gutter run'?
"My comprehension isn't enough?"
Kagura Chizuru seemed to take this seriously. She decided to go back and continue studying motorcycle knowledge; perhaps she knew too little. She was determined to defeat Bai Ye eventually.
Meanwhile, Jotaro felt a strange sensation. A month ago, he was just an ordinary high school student, and now his life seemed to have undergone a drastic change.
KOF tournament.
Mai Shiranui had arrived at the venue early. Since Bai Ye had left for the Desert Kingdom, she hadn't seen him for some time.
"Mai, be more reserved."
Joan rubbed her forehead beside her, looking at Mai Shiranui's restless demeanor and couldn't help but admonish her.
You're practically turning into a 'waiting-for-husband stone'.
"I know!"
"Do you really know?"
Joan really wanted to ask Mai Shiranui if she truly knew, because looking at her, she clearly didn't.
"Look, it's Bai Ye!" After speaking with Joan, Mai Shiranui waved frantically towards Bai Ye in the distance, saying, "Over here!!"
Following Mai Shiranui's gaze, Joan and Kasumi Todoh also looked over. The moment they saw him, they both understood why Mai Shiranui kept worrying that Bai Ye wouldn't be with her anymore.
This guy was quite handsome, and his physique didn't seem to have developed exaggerated muscles from practicing martial arts.
"Mai, long time no see."
Kagura Chizuru walked forward, waved, and greeted Mai Shiranui.
"Mai, I'm back."
"Mm-hmm!"
Mai Shiranui scrutinized Bai Ye from head to toe, then pouted and asked, "Bai Ye, have you been back for a while?"
Bai Ye didn't look like he had just rushed back, so if he had been back for a while, he hadn't told her.
"I've been back for a few days. These past few days, I've been eating and street racing with Chizuru and Jotaro!"
Jotaro initially thought Kagura Chizuru being a woman might be troublesome, so he was somewhat resistant at first.
But as they interacted more, Jotaro found it quite fun, and gradually let himself open up.
"Yes, we've been together these past few days."
Kagura Chizuru nodded, but then she felt Mai Shiranui's gaze become a little strange.
And Mai Shiranui now didn't know how she should feel.
She should be under the car, not in the car.
Her boyfriend and Kagura Chizuru were becoming more and more in sync!
"Mai?"
Kagura Chizuru waved her arm, looking confused at the distracted Mai Shiranui. Why had she zoned out mid-conversation?
"It's nothing, Chizuru."
Ah!
Mai Shiranui cried out internally. How could this be? One was her best friend, the other her boyfriend. Although they seemed to have no problems right now, she felt like she had brought them together herself!
"Why are you discouraged?"
Bai Ye lightly flicked Mai Shiranui's forehead. This woman was overthinking again.
But he really hadn't done anything out of line.
They had just eaten together and gone street racing.
This time, Jotaro was even with them, and one day, Jotaro even brought Joseph Joestar and the others along.
It wasn't just him and Kagura Chizuru alone, and besides, Kagura Chizuru probably didn't even have such thoughts. It was just Mai Shiranui overthinking things.
"Hmph, I'm not discouraged! Just wait, Bai Ye, I'm going to defeat you later!"
Mai Shiranui snorted, angrily swatting away Bai Ye's flicking finger. That had hurt quite a bit.
She was definitely going to defeat Bai Ye later!
"Hello, handsome, I'm Joan!"
"Kasumi Todoh!"
Seeing that Mai Shiranui wasn't introducing them, Joan simply introduced herself.
This woman really became useless when she saw Bai Ye.
She had even said before that she wanted to fight Bai Ye in the arena.
Looking at Mai Shiranui's current state, Joan even wondered if Mai Shiranui would even attack others later.
She had seen 'mama's boy' and 'daddy's girl', but 'boyfriend's girl' was a first for her.
"Hello, I won't introduce Chizuru. This is Jotaro, my teammate. We are the Lord Ao—cough cough—New Fighter Team!"
Bai Ye had originally intended to blurt out the name right there.
However, the two murderous glares from behind him made Bai Ye swallow the words he was about to say.
These two were truly keeping a close watch on him, terrified that he would blurt out the team name!
"New Fighter Team? What a lame name."
"Right? You think so too, don't you?!"
Bai Ye's eyes lit up, and he immediately looked at Mai Shiranui, asking, "What do you think of the team name 'Lord Ao Nai Wo He'?"
Bai Ye spoke extremely quickly, blurting it out before Jotaro and Kagura Chizuru could react.
And after he said the team name, Jotaro held his forehead, looking defeated by Bai Ye, while Kagura Chizuru stared at the ground, so embarrassed by the name that she felt like her toes were digging out a three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment.
"Haki!"
Mai Shiranui gave a thumbs up, feeling how domineering it was. It was much better than the plain 'New Fighter Team'!
Isn't this similar to her own 'New Female Fighter Team'?
She hadn't agreed to it back then, but unfortunately, Joan and the other person were very satisfied, so she had given up.
Following this logic, should she just change her name to 'Female Ao Nai Wo He'?
Lowering her head, Mai Shiranui felt that this name actually suited her quite well.
Should she apply to change the name now?
"Although I don't know what you're overthinking, if you want to change the team name, it's too late now!"
Joan said slowly. Looking at Mai Shiranui's expression, she felt that Mai Shiranui was thinking about all sorts of strange things.
So, she was already thinking about directly changing the team name?
And did anyone really think the team name 'Lord Ao Nai Wo He' sounded good?
Judging from Kagura Chizuru's and Jotaro's expressions, they clearly didn't approve, so the name must have been Bai Ye's idea.
And this name had also received Mai Shiranui's approval.
Suddenly, Joan realized that there was a reason why these two were together.
In terms of aesthetics, they were surprisingly consistent!
"Can't change the name?"
Mai Shiranui was a little disappointed, while Kagura Chizuru beside her felt a sense of relief. Fortunately, in the rules she had set, she had included a clause that once a name was confirmed, the fighter team name could no longer be changed.
Originally, it was to avoid confusion with names, but now it seemed she had prevented a social death tragedy from happening, and she had even saved herself. She felt like she had won big!
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