The train screeched to a halt. Akane, alongside Mai and Tsubasa, exited the train.
Mai and Tsubasa started exploring the sprawling city of Fukuoka. "Incredible, it's enormous!" Mai exclaimed.
Tsubasa grinned and winked at some nearby girls, causing them to blush and run off.
However, Akane ignored the towering structures; instead, he strolled with his bag slung carelessly over his shoulder.
Mai grabbed Tsubasa as they charged after Akane, "Wait up!"
An hour passed, and Tsubasa and Mai were seated in the front row, awaiting the match to start.
Two men walked past them, the taller ones' hands were encased in two pairs of dark leather gloves.
His head was adorned with a black and grey gambler's hat, and a heavy, dark trench coat draped over his frame.
In his hands, he held a black steel briefcase.
He appeared to be in his mid-thirties and was quite tall, standing at least six foot seven.
Besides him was a shorter, stout man; his belly was voluptuous; he too was dressed like the taller man.
However, in his decaying mouth rested a thick brown cigarette, and in his hands, he held a brown cane.
They stood at the guardrail, gazing out as if they were scrutinising, everyone who had gathered.
From world-class martial artists, amateur boxers, street punks, and Yakuza members, they examined them all.
"Tsubasa, who are those men?" Mai inquired, inclining towards Tsubasa.
"I think they are DAY operatives; they look pretty strong. I wonder why they are here?" said Tsubasa.
"There's been no Yoketsu sighting's for a few months now, it can't be defence." Mai responded.
"What if they're recruiting new officers?" Tsubasa inquired.
"Perhaps…" she started, but then an announcement crackled over the loudspeaker, "Oh, it's beginning."
"Welcome, everyone, to the Shinji-Tai-Ken tournament, organised by the Defence Against Yoketsu, the Japanese branch of the secret police."
"So they're definitely scouting," Mai said, laughing with Tsubasa.
"Participants, kindly proceed to the bulletin board to view the tournament brackets." The intercom crackled and went silent.
Near the arena, Akane approached the board, which was encircled by a crowd.
He slid by, searching for his name. A few people had already been given a pass to the second round.
Eventually, Akane's finger found his own name, next to it. Akane tried to read it, but he couldn't.
Akane gave up and swiftly broke out of the group. 'I suppose it's my turn first,' he mused.
Akane made his way to the dressing rooms, set his bag on the bench, and opened it to reveal a black tactical tracksuit.
Akane packed his bag and left it lying there on the bench as he made his way towards the arena.
"Attention everyone!" The intercom crackled back to life, "take your seats, as our first match is about to commence!"
A small referee walked into the middle of a gargantuan mat; he crossed his arms.
"Please, Akane Koyagami, step into the arena," the intercom announced.
Akane strolled out, hands tucked into his pockets, his eyes scanning the arena.
Eventually, his gaze settled on Shibara, who was seated beside several older men dressed similarly.
"Students of his, I guess," Akane scoffed under his breath.
"Could George Sengilson," the announcer requested, grappling with the pronunciation, "kindly join Akane in the centre of the arena?"
"Oh, so that's his name," Akane scoffed under her breath.
Moments later, a hefty man emerged, clad in a burgundy karate gi.
Akane and George neared each other at the centre of the arena.
George's body was covered in thick hair, a burly, thick brown beard lined his chin.
And a recently cut, short brown hair lay on his scalp.
He reached his hand out to great Akane, but Akane's eyes were drawn to the British flag on his sleeve.
"I thought this was a regional tournament," Akane asked the referee.
"Mr. George is the master of the Akonatsu Dojo in central Fukuoka," he replied tersely.
"Hey, kid, don't be scared; it's all in good fun," George responded.
"Yeah, well, I made a promise," Akane replied coldly, as the referee instructed them to take a few steps back.
"Hey, Tsubasa, that guy seems strong," Mai said, slightly afraid.
"You're quite right, my darling," came a voice from behind Tsubasa and Mai.
It was an older man; his hair was a light grey and wispy.
"Who are you?" Tsubasa asked the old man with a surprised look on his face.
The elder man tipped his hat forward. "I'm with them two fine-looking men over there. The name is Agusteen."
"Your a DAY officer? You sound English." Mai asked cautiously.
"I'm a cross-nation transfer, you see. I am half Japanese, darling." He shifted his monocle.
"Anyways, what do you know about this guy?" Tsubasa asked.
"He's a seasoned master of karate; he's won many competitions over his years of fighting." Agusteen replied.
Down in the arena, "Begin!" the referee called; as the two began to circle each other meanwhile the crowd boomed.
"You ready, kid!" George shouted towards Akane.
"I was born ready!" Akane snapped back as they neared each other.
George smirked, "You're a cocky one, kid!" He barked, as the two men charged forward.
Their feet sent shockwaves across the arena as they charged, in a blur their forearms connected.
The surge of power sent ripples through Akane's crimson hair.
"Haha, you're good!" George bellowed, the two jumped back and began to circle once more.
In an instant, the crowd recoiled in shock at the speed of George.
Before anyone could react, his large, grizzled shin struck out towards Akane's head.
Akane raised his arms to block the kick. He winced as his body was pushed to the side.
"No one has taken one of my kicks and kept standing. Well done, kid!" George shouted, as he charged again.
But Akane did not stand still; he charged forward, his eyes locked on George, like a viper eyeing its prey.
Akane went to throw a punch when they neared, but his eyes began to go blurry; he paused for a moment.
George smirked as he gripped Akane's shoulder, as his knee slammed into the teen's chest.
Akane jumped back, as blood spewed from his mouth into his palm. "I never lose! He thought.
"Hey kid, that's my technique. Recoil. I perfectly place my attacks so their effect is felt later!" He beamed, charging again.
Akane brought up his guard as a foot shot towards his chest, blocked by Akane's forearms.
The ground churned under Akane's feet. "Fuck!" he bellowed in pain.
George charged once more, but this time, Akane smirked.
Before George could attempt to hit Akane again, a fist flew towards his face.
Instinctively, his hand rose, grabbing Akane's fist, but his hand was blown back.
"Like that!" Akane screamed towards George.
"Come on, kid, that didn't even hurt me!" George responded.
"No! That man isn't even injured, how is that possible?" Mai exclaimed in terror to Tsubasa.
Augusteen leaned forward once more, adjusting his monocle. "No, look again," he said sneekily.
"What do you mean?" Tsubasa asked.
"Look at George's arm…it's quite differently broken," Agusteen responded.
"What, how?" Mai asked. "Well, it's simple, your friend punched him, and his arm broke. Now that wasn't hard, darling."
Before the two could engage again, the referee stepped forward, "Round one over!" he exclaimed.
The two turned and walked to opposite edges of the stone arena. George began to touch his arm.
By now it had already begun to turn purple and was fully limp. "Hey, ref!" George called over.
"What, sir? Would you like to continue?" The referee asked, as if being injured like this weren't foreign to him.
"No, I'm gonna continue!" George exclaimed.
He ripped off his karate belt and fastened it around his arm. With a grunt, he wrapped it around his neck like a makeshift splint.
"Fighters ready! Round two!" The referee ordered as the two began to circle once more.
"Come on, old man!" Akane roared as he charged towards George.
His foot connected with the master's ribs, and George winced in pain, but he didn't move.
His fist shot out, connecting with Akane's hand. Akane pushed it out of the way, shooting forward with a massive kick.
George raised his arm as Akane's shin slammed hard into George's leg.
George's leg snapped to the side, but he remained standing.
Despite the pain, George's good arm snapped forward like a piston.
George buried three lightning-fast shots towards Akane's ribs; Akane walked through the strikes.
Akane raised his fist, but then his world went dizzy once more; he stumbled forward into a giant knee point-blank to his nose.
The blood poured from Akane's nose down his clothes, but he didn't care; instead, he smiled.
His teeth had become crimson from his blood, but nevertheless, Akane grasped George's gi.
Akane screamed wildly as his head connected with George's nose.
The master stumbled backwards as his teeth flew from his mouth. "Not bad, kid!" he shouted, charging once more.
George roared, spinning on his lead heel, his grizzled leg whipped around in a spinning back kick.
"This is my last chance!" he roared. Akane leaned back, diving the kick with inhuman speed.
Before Akane could counter, blood spewed from his mouth, his knee. Akane screamed in his own head.
Akane hissed, but George was already there, unleashing a barrage of kicks. Akane blocked.
But now he could feel it, every time he blocked a strike, a secondary wave of pain rattled his bones.
"Don't stop, kid!" George exclaimed as he unleashed a flurry of one-handed strikes.
Aimed at Akane's head, but this time Akane didn't block; he dodged, each strike grazing his forehead.
The air between them began to hiss. Akane saw an opening; he ducked a final strike by George.
And leaped high into the sky, as he came down his feet caught George's face, planting him on the floor.
"My turn!" Akane roared.
As he unleashed a barrage of strikes on George, who still battled while on the floor.
Before Akane could continue, the referee stepped in between them, "Stop!" he called out.
Akane stopped, leaving George battered and out cold on the stone floor.
Akane turned and spat blood across the floor, with a bloody smirk.
He exited the arena, settling into his seat to observe the remaining matches before his next one.
Akane watched fighters enter the arena one by one as the competition dwindled.
Back in the crowd, "Hey, Aguesteen?" Mai asked sweetly.
He leaned forward once more, his skinny, lanky neck peering forward. "Yes, my darling?" he asked.
"Who are they?" she asked, pointing towards the other DAY operatives.
"Ah, my sweet, the tall one is Onizuka Kurayami. He's a new senior operative," Agusteen said.
"Who's the small one?" Tsubasa asked.
"That is Abiru Geshizuka, deputy special operative," Agusteen said with a smirk.
"A deputy special operative?!" Mai and Tsubasa said, shocked.
"Yes, he's one of the strongest operatives in all of Kyushu. I'm surprised you don't know of him."
"Oh wait, Shibara's fight's about to start!" Mai shouted.
Tsubasa looked down at the arena to see Shibara step out into the middle.
Just then, a giant joined him. "Who's that!" Tsubasa shouted.
"Oh, Yanagami, he's a yakuza boss." Agusteen said, "seven foot tall."
"Oh no, Shibara," Tsubasa said, terrified.
"Begin!" The referee ordered.
"I'm going to squash you like a bug, kid!" The giant man said. He tensed as his suit tore open.
He charged with a mighty roar. He swung his fist, but Shibara never faltered.
He swung his lead foot out, connecting with the Yakuza's stomach.
For a second, the arena went silent until a vortex of wind shot out from Shibara's kick.
The DAY operative's coat fluttered from the shockwave as the Yakuza went flying fifty feet.
His body smashed into the arena wall as his body went limp.
"Your winner, Shibara Kugetsu!" The voice came over the intercom as the crowd roared with amazed cheers.
Shibara smiled towards Akane before slowly exiting the arena and retaking his seat.
"Round two will begin shortly!" The voice crackled over the intercom once more.