Chapter 29: Momobami Kirari's Request for Help
When Ren went to get his chef's uniform from Kobayashi Rindou, who was clutching it like a trophy, he twisted his neck. A faint crack echoed in the alley.
"Raian's endurance has indeed improved," Ren remarked casually, as if commenting on the weather. "His Removal technique is denser. Kaolan, you'll have to be careful if you encounter him in the ring. He's a cockroach."
Kure Raian, covered in blood and dust, propped himself up against the wall and shouted, "Hahahaha! I'm still not afraid of Kaolan! Or you! I just tripped!"
Kaolan, with his deadpan eyes, said indifferently while buttoning his shirt, "After Ren told me about this match, I checked the participant list. There are a few monsters that will be difficult to deal with… Raian is the least of my worries."
Raian twitched. "Hey!"
"Who?" Ren asked, taking a sip of water.
"Kanoh Agito (The Fang of Metsudo), Okubo Naoya (The King of Combat), Kuroki Gensai (The Devil Lance)…"
Hearing these three names, Kure Raian paused. The madness in his eyes sharpened into something focused.
"I know these three!" he grinned, showing bloody teeth. "This time, I'll definitely beat them down! Just make sure you don't collapse halfway through, Boxer!"
Kaolan said nothing and walked back into the house. Kure Raian followed him, limping slightly but refusing to show weakness.
Outside, only Ren and the group of girls remained. It was then that everyone paid close attention to Ren's physique up close. Without the chef's uniform, his defined muscles and scars were on full display under the moonlight.
"Rindou, give me my clothes~ It's getting chilly."
"I won't!" Rindou hugged the uniform tighter, inhaling the scent of cooking and ozone.
Ren sighed.
Lucifer and Cerberus, watching from the doorway, silently gave a thumbs-up to Kobayashi Rindou. Men will always take a second look at attractive women, but women are the same—they appreciate the view.
"It'll be difficult if a guest comes~" Ren reasoned. "A half-naked chef is bad for business."
"Then take a picture with me and I'll give them to you!" Rindou demanded, pulling out her phone.
"Again?"
"What do you mean, 'again'?! Hurry, hurry~ Before you put it back on!"
Click.
Kobayashi Rindou looked at the photo on her phone—her grinning face next to Ren's resigned expression and bare chest—then finally tossed the clothes to him.
She smiled at Kure Fusui and Karura and said, "Got it! Let's go, let's go! Hurry back inside, I can't wait to send this to the group chat~"
"OK~"
After saying that, Kobayashi Rindou pulled the three Kure girls and ran inside. Akanegakubo Momo and the others also followed after taking one last long look at Ren.
Cerberus, however, kept staring at him, her tail wagging slowly. This made Ren a little confused as he buttoned his shirt.
He stroked Cerberus's head. "What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that? Were you scared by the violence?"
Cerberus shook her head vigorously. For a dog, her owner is her whole world. Strength is safety. Let alone this sparring, even if Ren had beaten Kure Raian to death and buried him in the garden, she wouldn't have thought it excessive. She would have helped dig.
Cerberus looked at Ren, her crimson eyes shining with adoration. "Master, Master, Master! That was so amazing just now! You went pow and he went splat!"
Ren was startled, then smiled. "Which is more amazing, that or cooking?"
"This… that…. Hmm…." Cerberus frowned, facing the hardest question of her life. "Both are amazing! Master is the most amazing!"
"You're good with words~ What reward do you want?"
"Braised pork!"
"Hungry again?"
"Not hungry! I'll eat it tomorrow for breakfast!"
"No problem~"
"Yay! Master is the best!"
When the man and dog entered the Restaurant, they saw Kure Raian and Kaolan still eating. They had fought quickly, so the dishes were still hot, but Kure Raian's bloodied appearance was quite a sight for sore eyes. He was using a napkin to wipe blood off his face while chewing a rib.
Ren tossed Kure Raian a warm wet towel. "Wipe your face properly. Don't scare anyone else~ You look like a horror movie extra."
"At this time, no one should be coming here, right~?" Raian grunted, wiping the grime away.
Ren rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair behind the counter. He flipped through his fishing magazine and drank his wine, completely uninhibited, ignoring Kure Raian's words.
Kaolan also ate his own food without speaking to Kure Raian again, only occasionally clinking their wine jugs together in silent camaraderie.
Unlike the quiet corner of the men, Kobayashi Rindou and the others on the other side were directly gathered around Kobayashi Rindou's phone.
On the phone was a group chat app. The group name was "Ren's Protection Squad". It had a not-too-many, not-too-few number of people, and at this moment, the group was unusually lively.
Electronic Empress (Ritsu): "My sisters! Don't you know my time zone is different from yours? I'm compiling data! And just to ask me to photoshop for you?! I'm an AI, not a photo editor!"
Love Master (Utaha): "Stop talking nonsense. It only takes a few seconds for you to edit a photo. Remove the background trash cans."
Call Me President (Kirari): "Exactly. And as expected of my Combatant, he always gives a sense of security~ That kick was exquisite."
Suzuki Zaibatsu Young Mistress (Sonoko): "Bullshit! Ren is my Combatant! I paid for his services first!"
Suzuki Zaibatsu Young Mistress (Sonoko): "No… wait. When did he decide to participate in the match? Kirari, you sly fox! You tricked me again! You said he refused!"
Call Me President (Kirari): "Oh? Stupid Sonoko? You're out? I thought you were too afraid to come out after losing our last gamble."
Suzuki Zaibatsu Young Mistress (Sonoko): "You only won two cups of coffee playing Old Maid, and you can still say that?!"
World's Gourmet (Rindou): "Hurry, hurry! Fusui, Karura, and I are all waiting for the edit!"
Electronic Empress (Ritsu): "Got it, got it…. Sending now."
[Image sent: Ren shirtless, looking heroic, with sparkles added]
Soon, the three of them looked at the picture posted in the group and chuckled, covering their mouths. Ren glanced at them and said nothing; as long as they weren't doing anything dangerous (like burning down the shop), he was happy for them to have fun.
Just as Karura and Fusui were watching with great enthusiasm, Kobayashi Rindou stood up. She walked directly to Lucifer and Cerberus's table with her phone.
Lucifer was startled and looked up at Kobayashi Rindou over her spoon. Cerberus also looked wary, ready to growl.
Kobayashi Rindou waved her hand, sat next to Lucifer uninvited, and showed a Little Devil smile.
"Don't worry! Aren't you Ren's 'family'?... Then you should also be in the group. We need more spies—I mean, allies."
"Hmm?" Lucifer raised an eyebrow.
Kobayashi Rindou picked up the new smartphone Ren had given Lucifer (which was sitting on the table), operated it for a while, then placed it in front of them.
"You're welcome! You're in!" Rindou said, and then ran back to her friends.
Lucifer picked up the phone and glanced at it. Cerberus also leaned in to look, her ears twitching.
Lucifer looked at the chat history, the photos, the banter. The corners of her mouth curled up.
"Interesting…."
'Call Me President' (Kirari): "Eh? A new person has joined? And Rindou invited her? Rare."
'Hell CEO' (Lucifer): "Hello everyone. I'm Lucifer~ The Queen of Hell."
"Welcome, welcome!" xN
'Love Master' (Utaha): "Good heavens, another CEO. Ren won't starve even if he's a kept man, right… He collects power."
"Hahahahaha!" xN
Lucifer was clearly enjoying the chat. It felt like a court, but less stabby. Cerberus, watching from the side, also found many people very interesting.
Because Lucifer joined the group, many people crawled out of their beds to chat for a while.
'Hell CEO' (Lucifer): "So what kind of athlete is Ren? What is that 'Combatant' thing you mentioned?"
Kobayashi Rindou and the other two looked up at Lucifer. Then Kobayashi Rindou typed on her phone.
World's Gourmet (Rindou): "Kengan Matches. A very violent and cruel underground fighting competition where corporations bet billions. Ren is one of the fighters... and he hasn't lost yet. He's a legend."
Lucifer and Cerberus looked at Ren, who was calmly reading while occasionally dodging a flying chicken bone thrown by Kure Raian.
Both had looks of surprise.
So the 'athlete' Ren spoke of was this kind of bloodsport.
'Call Me President' (Kirari): "Rindou. Tell Ren he must help me this time. The Kengan Association is pressuring my Academy. I will personally go to him in three days to negotiate."
Kobayashi Rindou and the other two were startled; it was their first time seeing Momobami Kirari so serious in the chat. Usually, she was playful and enigmatic.
Kobayashi Rindou shouted across the room: "Ren! Kirari said she's coming to find you in three days! It's urgent! Something about the Association!"
Ren just responded with a noncommittal sound. "Mmhmm."
He said nothing further. He knew Kirari. She was dramatic.
On the other side of the room.
Erina finally struggled to finish her dish. She was sweating, panting, and completely defeated by flavor.
Seeing this made Akanegakubo Momo feel so ashamed she almost doubted if what she ate was even a dish. Erina makes eating look like a marathon.
"God Tongue really is a terrifying ability… it amplifies everything," Momo whispered. "Erina... how do you think Kaolan and Shopkeeper Ren met? And that monster named Raian…"
Akanegakubo Momo's worldview was shattered tonight. Not only was the food god-tier, but the chef was a street fighter who could toss around assassins? Is this how people fight? It's too outrageous!
Erina wiped the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief. She thought seriously for a moment, her violet eyes reflecting the dim light.
Then she said, "I don't know~ I don't even know what kind of sport that is… But I intend to find out."
Akanegakubo Momo rolled her eyes. Of course you do.
It seemed this matter still needed to be asked of Rindou, but whether she could get a straight answer from that chaotic senpai was another matter entirely.
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