Just as Erina had said, news of Jaden's victory over Ryo Himuro spread with alarming speed.
Within ten minutes of the match ending, nearly every Kengan Association member with sufficient channels had already heard about it.
Hayami Katsumasa, the head of Toyo Electric, frowned slightly when he saw the update indicating that Totsuki had gained a new fighter.
But when his eyes landed on the title-
The Wild Tiger.
He let out a cold hmph.
"What an arrogant fellow..." Hayami said flatly. "But if he's really a newcomer, then perhaps the events that follow will be quite interesting."
After all-
The fighter Toyo Electric had originally arranged to deal with the Kure Clan was none other than The Wild Tiger himself.
Takeshi Wakatsuki.
With that in mind, Hayami gave his instructions without hesitation.
"Maintain observation for now. Investigate this newcomer carefully," he said. "If you determine that he could cause an unexpected deviation in our plan-then you know what to do."
"Yes!"
Hayami's response was measured.
Meanwhile, the other The Wild Tiger-Takeshi Wakatsuki-was staring at the information in silence.
Wakatsuki had agreed to fight a Kengan match for Toyo Electric because of a favor owed to his boss and uncle, Heihachi Furumi.
But seeing a newcomer using that title still left him stunned.
Cosmo Imai, who had handed him the file, watched his reaction with a subtle expression.
"There's one more thing, Mr. Wakatsuki," Cosmo said. "I did a bit of digging. It seems the title 'The Wild Tiger' has already been trademarked."
He paused.
"It's not impossible that you'll have to change your title later."
This-
This was something Wakatsuki had never experienced before.
He had fought Kengan matches for many years.
Titles were won through strength.
Taken through victory.
This situation was... unfamiliar.
Still, after a brief moment of confusion, Wakatsuki steadied himself.
He turned back to his training.
"Let's leave it for now," he said calmly. "Since he's representing the Nakiri family, I should have the opportunity to face him in the upcoming Kengan match between Toyo Electric and Totsuki."
Bang!
As Wakatsuki spoke, his fist slammed forward.
The sandbag in front of him burst apart completely.
A natural muscle fiber density fifty-two times that of an average person.
That was Takeshi Wakatsuki's greatest weapon.
"-You'll understand after fighting enough Kengan matches," Wakatsuki continued. "They're nothing more than an extension of commercial warfare."
"If you meet enough fighters, you'll see people who've installed ultrasonic emitters into their bodies. People who poison wounds mid-fight. People who've even transplanted weapons directly into themselves."
"Kengan was never fair or legitimate to begin with," he said. "And everything surrounding it is the same."
"As for titles-only the winner has the right to claim them."
Compared to Toyo Electric, Senzaemon Nakiri-who had been paying close attention to new fighters-was even more shocked.
He hadn't expected that the young man accompanying Erina would turn out to be such a powerful fighter.
Was this Totsuki's fortune?
Or coincidence?
Even he wasn't sure.
But aside from the Kengan Association members, there was someone else who had also received the news.
Someone Jaden himself wouldn't have expected.
The orphanage where he grew up.
And its director.
Old Man Yugi.
"Kengan..." the elderly man murmured as he looked at the information.
He sighed softly.
"I knew you'd choose an unconventional path," Old Man Yugi said. "I expected you'd make a name for yourself someday."
"But I never imagined the first time I heard your name again would be in this way."
He fell silent for a moment.
Then his gaze shifted toward the shadow behind him.
"Go contact Jaden," he said. "Tell him to come back soon. There's something I need to discuss with him."
...
O-uchu.
Inside the bar, Erina was discussing the temporary ownership arrangements with Ohya Ken.
Outside the room, Jaden leaned against the wall.
He was thinking about what Erina had said earlier.
About truly becoming a professional fighter.
To be honest, Jaden was still hesitating.
Not because of using the Curse in Kengan matches.
That wasn't the issue.
Kengan matches involved enormous sums of money.
They were an extension of commerce itself.
Talking about fairness in commercial warfare was laughable.
Otherwise, Wakatsuki's dozens-of-times-higher physical strength would already be an unforgivable imbalance.
By that logic, Wakatsuki shouldn't even be allowed to fight.
And then there was the Kure Clan Erina had mentioned.
Thirteen hundred years of gene cultivation.
Optimized techniques.
If fairness was the standard, then they were cheating far more severely.
Did fairness only exist when one side was weaker?
Jaden wasn't some saint from a story who entered the underground arena only to be beaten senseless after a few matches.
If he borrowed Doppo Orochi's way of thinking-
You use whatever ability you have.
I might find your ability strange.
I might lose because of it.
I might feel unwilling.
But I would never resent it.
What truly insulted fighting was holding back.
Hiding your abilities.
Looking down on your opponent.
That was arrogance.
Jaden viewed everyone as equals.
So if he became a professional fighter, he would use the Curse.
Even if he gained something even more absurd later.
Not using it would be what felt absurd to him.
Believing that one ability made you superior.
That it placed you above humanity.
That others deserved pity.
That kind of thinking was far more detestable.
Of course-
Morality defined from a position of superiority almost always turned into shameless moral coercion.
Jaden wasn't someone who liked to preach.
These were just his thoughts.
If someone called him despicable or shameless, he wouldn't care.
He was prepared for that judgment.
-Because his personality was simply unpleasant.
Still, he couldn't be certain this path suited him.
He felt happy when he fought in the Kengan arena.
No matter the method, as long as it stayed within the ring, victory brought satisfaction.
But he had fought too few matches.
He couldn't be sure that feeling would last.
If he signed a contract now, only to realize years later that it no longer brought him happiness-
He might waste a decade or more.
That was why he hesitated.
While he was lost in thought, two people approached.
"Mr. Jaden, hello."
A gentle voice greeted him.
Kaguya Shinomiya stood before him, accompanied by Ai Hayasaka.
She wore a polite smile and performed a flawless social greeting.
"I am Kaguya Shinomiya, the eldest daughter of the Shinomiya family," she said. "According to my investigation, Mr. Jaden, you are not currently a professional fighter."
"In that case-"
She took out a document.
"I have a fighter contract from the Shinomiya family."
"I wonder," Kaguya asked softly, "if you would be interested?"
More Bonus Chapters!!!!
Every 250 power stones = Bonus Chapter