Ren Takeda stood calmly as the air in the dojo turned tense. Rei's eyes widened, her sword still at her side, unable to react immediately to what she had just agreed to.
Old Master Genzou simply shook his head, exhaling a heavy sigh.
"This isn't right," Rei finally said, her voice unsure.
Ren crossed his arms, meeting her gaze. "What do you mean? You made an oath: if this kunai hit my face, you'd marry me.
It never said I needed to be disfigured, and I'm not asking you to marry me today. When I'm old enough, then we'll talk about it."
Rei's eyes narrowed, and she swung her sword at him without warning. Ren dodged with ease, his training in street and underground fights allowing him to slip past the blade before it even got close.
"I won't marry a weak man," Rei said firmly, gripping her sword with both hands.
"Oh? So if I beat that old man over there," Ren pointed directly at Master Genzou, "you'll marry me?"
Rei glanced at Genzou and, after a moment, nodded seriously.
Ren smirked. "Then until I beat him, you'll be my girlfriend, Rei."
Without waiting for a reply, Ren turned and walked out of the room, leaving Rei blinking, trying to process what 'girlfriend' even meant.
Genzou sighed. "Is this your strategy with every girl you like? Binding them with promises and oaths?"
Ren chuckled, glancing back. "It's just a way to make them think of me. I'd never force anyone to marry me if they didn't want to."
"Well, that's good," Genzou replied, stroking his beard. "Because you'll need to defeat me first if you want to claim my granddaughter or Rei. Now, let's meet your potential teacher."
Genzou led Ren into another training hall, where a tall man with a jagged scar across his face stood in a leather jacket, arms crossed as he cracked his neck.
"That's Ryoga, our karate master," Genzou introduced.
Ryoga's dark eyes flickered toward Ren, uninterested, as he crushed a can in his hand. "A new disciple? Don't need one. Don't want one."
"That's what you always say," Genzou replied calmly.
Ren smirked as he watched Ryoga drink from another can. Without warning, Ryoga crushed it again, dropped into a stance, and slammed his fists into a row of heavy mats, leaving five deep dents in them.
"If you leave a student with me, he'll die in three days," Ryoga declared.
Ren raised an eyebrow and looked at Genzou. "Is this really your best option? If I'm going to beat you, I need someone at the grandmaster level, not a babysitter."
Ryoga burst out laughing. "Did you just say you're planning to beat the old man? That's hilarious!"
Ren didn't flinch. "Want to bet on it?"
Ryoga's eyes narrowed, amused. "A bet, huh? What are the terms?"
"If I get the right teachers, I'll beat him in six years. Seven at most."
Ryoga's laughter roared through the dojo. "You? Beat him in six years? You're kidding."
Ren smirked, unfazed. "So, are you in or not?"
A calm voice cut in. "I'll take that bet if he won't."
Ren turned to see a lean man with calm eyes and a friendly smile. This was Dr. Sho, the dojo's jujutsu and body conditioning specialist, known for his intelligence and precision.
"Oy, Sho, who said I wouldn't bet?" Ryoga barked. "I'm in."
Ren crossed his arms. "I can bet with both of you."
At that moment, Shin, the Chinese boxing master, and Batu, the towering kickboxer, stepped in, having overheard the commotion.
"I'm in," Shin said with a grin.
"I will bet too!" Batu added, pumping his massive fists.
Ren exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Fine, but what are the stakes?"
Ryoga smirked. "Booze or cash for me."
Sho tapped his chin. "Medical books or cash."
Shin raised a finger. "Certain magazines."
Batu shouted, "Burgers, curry, and noodles!"
Ren sighed deeply. "How about fifty thousand yen each? Winner takes all."
The masters exchanged looks, then nodded in unison. "Deal."
Just then, Yumi, who had returned from shopping, rushed in. "Ren, what have you gotten yourself into now?"
Ren grinned, "Well, just having marriage promises wasn't enough motivation. Two hundred thousand yen will definitely help."
Yumi's eyes widened. "What do you mean by 'marriage promises'?"
Ren told her about the situation with Rei, explaining how she had made an oath.
Yumi frowned. "Didn't you trick her into that?"
Ren shook his head. "I would never force someone to be with me, Yumi. This is just my way of creating a connection. That's all."
"And you won't force her if she doesn't want to marry you?" Yumi asked softly.
Ren smiled warmly. "I won't. And you shouldn't be jealous either. You're going to be my first wife, so you'll be the one managing everyone."
Aiko's face turned red. "Say that again when you can beat my grandfather."
"Oh, I will," Ren said confidently.
Genzou stepped forward, chuckling. "So, will you officially join Muteki Dojo?"
Ren gave a determined nod. "Of course. With you, Yumi, and Rei here, how could I say no?"
Shin suddenly placed paper and ink on the table. "Write your name and address here."
Ren quickly signed it.
Shin nodded. "Enrollment fee is two thousand yen."
Ren's jaw dropped. "Two thousand?!"
Shin raised an eyebrow. "You just bet two hundred thousand yen, and you're worried about two thousand?"
Ren scratched his head. "I guess that's fair…"
And with that, Ren Takeda officially joined Muteki Dojo, ready to begin his journey toward strength, his goals, and the promises he intended to keep.