Chapter 193: He Didn’t Back Down

"You…"

"I don't want to hurt your pride, but it's better to be honest with you."

Rinji gently pushed aside the fist still resting on his forehead, sounding almost apologetic.

"Unfortunately for you, I didn't even feel pain."

"…"

At that moment, Wakatsuki understood.

He'd been wondering why Kanoh Agito hadn't challenged Rinji.

It wasn't because Kanoh looked down on him—it was because even Kanoh knew he wasn't a match.

Rinji was operating on an entirely different level. So much so that victory wasn't even within reach.

Even now, as Rinji stood there doing nothing, Wakatsuki could feel the suffocating pressure.

But that pressure didn't crush him. It only fueled his fighting spirit.

"AAAAHHHH!!!"

Balancing on one foot, he used the same technique again—this time focusing all his power into his leg, then releasing it in one explosive kick.

BOOM!!!

His leg had three times the power of his arm. This kick was far more powerful than his earlier punch.

Crack!

Rinji raised his knee and brought his elbow down in a clamping motion, catching Wakatsuki's leg like a vice. The immense force caused Wakatsuki's shin bone to snap instantly.

"You're stronger than anyone I've faced before."

Rinji smiled.

"But this is the end."

Bam!!

He placed his palm on Wakatsuki's chest and unleashed a sudden burst of internal energy. It left no mark on the skin, but it was enough to stop the heart.

Wakatsuki collapsed.

The heart-stopping strike had momentarily cut off blood and oxygen flow, causing a brief loss of consciousness. He would recover and still be able to fight in later matches. Only Rinji and Raian had used somewhat heavier force during the challenge bouts.

Still, even with that, Raian was alive and kicking. The Kure Clan's recovery ability was truly remarkable.

Rinji turned his gaze from Wakatsuki to Hatsumi Sen...

"…This is bad."

Hatsumi hadn't made a move until now—not out of fear, but because he'd been carefully observing Rinji's attack range, preferred techniques, and possible weaknesses through the fight with Wakatsuki Takeshi.

And what he saw was terrifying.

Weakness? None to be found. Rinji clearly had greater strength than Wakatsuki, a terrifying level of defense, and from past matches, top-tier technique as well.

In other words… he was unbeatable.

Hatsumi mentally simulated dozens of ways to fight Rinji, but all of them ended in failure.

He glanced toward the spectator stands and noticed Kanoh Agito watching coldly from above.

My target for this tournament is him. Getting seriously injured here would be a loss… maybe I should…

Hatsumi raised his hand.

"Can I forfeit?"

"…Yes, you may."

"Thanks~"

With that, Hatsumi jogged out of the arena, leaving the crowd and even announcer Sayaka completely dumbfounded.

"…Whatever."

Rinji turned to the referee, who was still stunned.

"Can you announce the result now?"

"Uh… oh, right. The match is—"

"NOT OVER YET!!"

A loud shout interrupted the referee. Tokita Ohma, who had been slammed into the wall earlier, emerged from the rubble. His skin had turned red, and his heartbeat thundered like the revving of a motorcycle engine.

"You're using that technique again? Do you seriously not care if you die?"

Rinji frowned.

"It's about time you gave up, don't you think?"

"No way! The match isn't over yet!"

Ohma vanished from view, moving at incredible speed as he launched a flurry of attacks at Rinji.

He was fast—very fast—but anyone with a trained eye could see it. Once his skin turned red, his movements lost precision. He was attacking purely on instinct.

"To be honest, I'm getting a little annoyed."

Rinji spoke as he stepped in, intercepting a missed punch with a sharp elbow straight to Ohma's chest.

Splurt!

Ohma spat out blood and stumbled back two steps, but before he could recover, Rinji's fist pressed against his chest.

Boom!

"Take a nap."

Thud!

Ohma's pupils shrank as he collapsed. His skin gradually returned to its normal color.

"You can't even beat me, and yet you still insist on fighting. You fighters really would risk your lives just for a win."

Rinji turned around with a sigh.

That said… it was something he could envy.

He had once admired that kind of passionate journey portrayed in anime—the kind where someone chases a goal, defeats one opponent after another, and stands at the top.

That kind of hot-blooded feeling must be pretty great.

He thought this to himself, and just as he wondered why the referee hadn't called the match yet, he turned around—only to see Tokita Ohma standing up again.

His gaze remained firm, though his aura was no longer as wild and berserk as before.

Ohma suddenly dropped to one knee, one arm bent in a shield-holding pose, the other resting at his waist.

"Thanks to you," he said with a faint smile, "I think I remembered something… vaguely."

"Then go recall it on a hospital bed."

Rinji didn't waste words—he stepped forward and threw a punch straight at Ohma's head.

But the punch felt like it landed on cotton.

In the instant Rinji struck, Ohma's body spun on its axis, and a fist slammed into Rinji's face at lightning speed.

Bang!

"…!"

The entire crowd gasped.

Rinji—the man who had never shown a scratch against any opponent… who hadn't budged even when Wakatsuki hit him with everything he had—was knocked back two steps?

Rinji held his nose in silence.

He felt… something strange.

Pain.

He had felt pain for the first time in what felt like forever.

When was the last time he'd felt pain? Probably back in Syria when he was hit by a grenade. Ever since then, as he grew stronger and stronger, he stopped feeling it altogether.

But now… he'd been hit hard enough to feel pain again.

Which meant… this guy might actually be strong enough to fight him on equal ground?

A smile crept onto Rinji's face.

Maybe, just maybe… today would finally be a real fight.

"You're not bad, Tokita Ohma. This really takes me back… now let's—"

Rinji stopped mid-sentence.

He closed his mouth slowly, his eyes filled with complex emotions as he stared at Ohma.

Ohma was still standing, a faint smile on his lips.

But he was covered in blood, and his strength was completely spent. His pupils were unfocused—he had pushed himself beyond his limits.

Even to the last second, he never backed down.

"The match is over! The winner—Takamine Rinji!!"

Ignoring the announcer's voice, Rinji walked toward Ohma and pulled a ring from his pocket, slipping it onto his finger.