"I'm advising you one last time, Yuki."
Erina looked at Jaden with a serious expression.
"If you're only planning to participate in the Kengan match because you find it interesting, then it's not too late to quit."
"This isn't a child's game. It's not street fighting, and it's not something you see in TV dramas."
"This is a real fight."
"One where people can die."
Jaden paused in the middle of filling out the fighter information form and glanced at her, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.
"What," he said, "are you worried about me?"
Erina's face flushed.
She turned her head away and let out a light scoff.
"Hmph. Who would worry about you?"
"It's just that this time you're representing the Nakiri family. If you lose too badly, it'll damage our reputation."
"If that's all," Jaden replied calmly, "then you don't need to worry."
He finished the form and looked down at the last blank space.
The fighter title.
"Erina, I get name and age," he said, tapping the paper. "But what exactly is this fighter title?"
Erina answered almost instinctively.
"Kengan fighters usually have a title. At first, most of them were given by spectators or opponents based on fighting style."
"Later on, some fighters chose their own when registering."
"Of course, if it's too troublesome, you don't have to write anything. If you become famous enough, people will naturally give you one."
I see.
Jaden leaned back slightly.
This kind of thing was familiar.
In his past life, nicknames like this were already common. In this world, they were even more exaggerated.
Erina herself was known as the "God's Tongue."
Her grandfather, Totsuki's director Senzaemon Nakiri, was called the "Demon King of Gastronomy."
Thinking further, even the old man from the orphanage-the one who gave him the surname Yuki-had a habit of calling himself the "King of Games" whenever he was bored.
So this fighter title was basically the same thing.
A self-proclaimed name.
Jaden scratched his head.
He was interested in fighting.
Maybe it was the Hanma blood.
Maybe he just had a naturally combative side.
But coming up with a title?
That part didn't interest him at all.
Still.
If he didn't choose one now, what if someone else gave him a nickname he hated?
Better to settle it himself.
"Erina," he asked, "what are the titles of some famous fighters right now?"
Erina thought he wanted a reference.
The names came to her naturally.
"Moko... 'The Wild Tiger.'"
"A monster whose natural physical ability is dozens of times that of an ordinary person."
"The Wild Tiger, Takeshi Wakatsuki."
When she said the name, her eyes flickered with uncertainty.
Jaden nodded.
Then, without hesitation, he picked up his pen and wrote in the blank space.
-The Wild Tiger.
"Hey!" Erina said immediately. "I just told you that title already belongs to Takeshi Wakatsuki!"
"Does the Kengan Association have a rule saying two people can't use the same nickname?" Jaden asked.
"There's no such rule, but-"
"Then what's the problem?"
Jaden shrugged.
"Did Takeshi Wakatsuki register a patent for 'The Wild Tiger'?"
"No... he didn't."
Jaden smiled.
"Then I'll use it."
"After the match, remember to go file a patent for me."
"If Takeshi Wakatsuki has something to say about it, tell him to change his name."
Hiss-
Erina sucked in a sharp breath.
She already knew Jaden was unpleasant.
She just didn't think he'd be unpleasant in this way.
"If you do that," she said stiffly, "the legendary fighter Takeshi Wakatsuki will definitely get angry!"
"So what if he gets angry," Jaden replied. "Even if he gets so angry he dies, what does that have to do with me?"
He handed the form to her.
"In short, just submit it."
"Don't worry about all those trivial things. Constantly thinking about this stuff just makes you age faster."
Sigh.
In the short time she'd known him, Erina had learned one thing very clearly.
Once Jaden made a decision, he rarely changed it.
If he said it, it was already settled.
Still, thinking back to what she'd said earlier, she felt she needed to make herself clearer.
She held the application and spoke again.
"Yuki... maybe I didn't explain it well before."
"Kengan really isn't a joke."
"Don't worry about the Nakiri family's reputation."
"Even though killing is prohibited in Kengan, accidental death isn't impossible."
"You'll be facing a real martial artist."
She hesitated.
Even so, she forced herself to continue.
"If you're really doing this on a whim, then I don't recommend you participate."
"The chance of death is small."
"But you will be beaten badly."
Jaden scratched his head.
Honestly.
When he first heard about Kengan, the main reason was simple.
He had decided to help Erina this time.
If he was helping, he would help all the way.
He had the "Curse" skill.
He had merged with Jack Hanma's template.
Hanma blood. Fighter instincts. Physical strength. Experience.
A Kengan match wasn't a problem.
The second reason was his inexplicable interest in martial arts competition.
And now-
After Erina dropped her usual tsundere attitude and seriously warned him, the first reason only became stronger.
As for that second reason...
He wasn't sure if it came from the Hanma blood.
In his past life, he had never fought anyone.
In this life, there was no memory of him fighting either.
But the moment he heard about this kind of match-
The moment he decided he really wanted to participate-
-His blood boiled.
Excited.
So excited that his body trembled.
Jaden wanted to fight this match.
No matter what.
Partly for Erina.
Partly to understand what was happening to himself.
So-
"I've already made up my mind-"
Before he could finish, an angry roar erupted from the wall near the restroom on the right side of O-uchu.
"How dare the two of you lay a hand on Big Bro!"
The shout cut off the conversation instantly.
Jaden and Erina turned their heads.
Two girls were standing awkwardly near the restroom entrance.
Opposite them, one man was already lying unconscious on the ground.
Another man-apparently his subordinate-had pulled out a gun and was pointing it at the girls.
"Hibiki, danger-"
The black-haired girl immediately stepped forward, shielding the blonde girl behind her.
The blonde girl with twin tails, dressed like a gyaru, slowly raised her hands the moment she saw the gun.
"Akemi, I... um... this..."
Her voice shook.
She was completely panicked.
Her eyes darted around instinctively.
But everyone else had already lowered their heads, pretending not to see anything.
For a brief moment-
Sakura Hibiki, who had only wanted to check out a bar that sounded cool...
And Akemi, whom she had dragged along-
Felt a deep sense of despair.
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