Chapter 176: The Brat Who Doesn’t Know His Place Annoys Me Most

"That damned Raian!"

High above, Erioh clenched the railing, furious at the sight of Raians's distended veins and purple skin.

"He's using the 'Secret Art' in front of a crowd!"

It was shame enough that Raian had been slammed; now he dared unveil that technique for all to see.

…

At the commentary table, faces shifted.

Elena looked stunned; Karura's brow knit tight.

Rinji studied Raian's grotesque change and boomed into his mic, "What's happening with Raian? He's back on his feet, and his skin's turned purple—like a badly baked yam!"

Center ring, Raian exhaled, eyes crazed at Mokichi.

"This isn't a high-school baseball game," he screamed. "Fun, fair duels? Eat shit! What I love isn't a duel—it's a one-sided slaughter!"

Mokichi didn't flinch. He reset his stance, but unease gnawed at him—the instinctive dread one feels before a monster.

"I'm coming," Raian hissed, face twisting inhumanly—and vanished.

A heartbeat later, fists rained like a storm. Bam, bam, bam… The blows were still wild, but this time Mokichi couldn't keep up; wounds split open across his body.

"Brother!"

Elena's cry rang from the announcer's stand, but the barrage didn't stop. Bones cracked under the onslaught.

The Kure Clan's "Release" work like this: most human potential is capped by the brain's safety lock. In crisis, we can tap a burst of hidden power. "Release" forcibly throws that limiter open.(Like an Adrenaline Rush)

Thud!

A punch rattled Mokichi senseless. Raian seized his collar and flung him like a doll.

"Brother!" Elena squeezed her eyes shut, unable to watch.

Karura's veins stood out; she crushed the corner of the desk under her grip. She badly wanted to rip Raian's neck apart.

Boom!

After the last slam, Raian hoisted the barely conscious Mokichi overhead and roared, "I don't care about some old man's schemes—fighters, spectators, that Takamine Rinji—my goal is one thing: wipe every last one of you off the map!"

His black-sclera eyes bored into the limp man in his grasp.

"You'll be the first."

"D-damn… you…"

Mokichi's eyes reddened. He had reasons he could not lose. He forced his trembling hand up, middle and index fingers joined, and stabbed for Raian's eye—his final gamble.

Crack!

A crisp snap silenced the arena. Mokichi's arm dropped uselessly; his head lolled. In that instant Raian had broken his neck.

Elena stared in horror. "Bro…ther?"

Even with the fight decided Raian didn't stop. He raised Mokichi again, aiming for the floor.

The referee shouted, "The match is over! Winner—"

"Too slow!"

Before the ref could finish, Raian smashed Mokichi head-first into the ground. One last impact—enough to declare death.

But just as everyone shut their eyes, the expected sound never came.

When they opened them again, they were shocked to see that Rinji had somehow appeared in the arena, one hand gripping Raian's hand that was choking Mokichi.

"The referee already called it. Let go," Rinji said calmly.

"No way~ What, you want to fight me too?" Raian sneered, applying more force to his grip.

But the next second, he was stunned. Despite Rinji's slender arm, it had monstrous strength. Raian found himself unable to move once Rinji grabbed him.

"I really hate punks who don't understand the rules."

Rinji looked up, crimson eyes locking onto Raian.

Crack!!

Raian's muscular right arm was broken instantly.