Martial artists can never be ultimately insulted.

However, there is no other choice. In this world, whether it is business or any other industry, martial arts must give way.

Volume 1: Chapter 162 - Kengan Elimination Tournament

——Abnormality——

The simultaneous temporary leave taken by many managers of major Japanese businesses has caused significant disruption to economic development.

Looking at the news in the newspaper, Yamashita Kazuo, along with Tokita Ohma and Nogi Hideki's secret technique Akiyama Kaede, arrived at Tokyo Port. Looking at the bustling crowd, he put down the newspaper, his eyes filled with genuine shock at the people in front of him.

"Wow, that's amazing!" Yamashita Kazuo said, pointing ahead. "There must be at least several hundred people here, right? And every single one of them is dressed in fine clothes and has an extraordinary air about them. You can tell at a glance that they are all high-ranking officials and nobles!"

"Of course."

Upon hearing Yamashita Kazuo's words, Akiyama Kaede, standing to the side, calmly nodded and said:

"A total of 151 companies came to participate in the Kengan Zemei Tournament, but when you include those who came to watch the match and their accompanying personnel, the number has already exceeded 1,000."

"To put it simply, if anything unexpected happens here, the entire Japanese economy will collapse."

The last sentence wasn't spoken by Akiyama Kaede. When Wang Ma and the others turned to look in the direction of the voice, Wang Ma raised an eyebrow and greeted them, "Yuan Chen? Did you just arrive?"

"Ah."

Yuan Chen nodded and said, "I picked someone up halfway."

Upon hearing this, Mai Shiranui gave an embarrassed smile, after all, her home was indeed quite far from Tokyo Port.

Along with Yuan Chen, also arriving late was Sakura Ibuki, the actual head of Yuan Chen's host family.

Haha! Long time no see!

As soon as Sakura Ibuki entered, she excitedly waved to Yuan Chen and said:

"Thanks to you these past few days, business has inexplicably started to go smoothly! Although I don't know what the Kengan Zemei Tournament is, I've brought Hibiki along to cheer you on~!"

"Oh, you're too kind." Yuan Chen nodded repeatedly upon seeing Sakura Ibuki.

Although Sakura Ibuki herself is not a martial artist, this does not affect Yuan Chen's high regard for her—she is able to recognize her own abilities, find her own place, say no to those strong temptations, and stick to her original intentions.

While you might say that Sakura Ibuki lacks ambition and drive, in Yuan Chen's view, this clear self-awareness is actually more important for an ordinary person like Sakura Ibuki.

As Yuan Chen and Sakura Ibuki arrived, some hushed discussions arose from the crowd nearby.

"That's the president of Sakura-sou Yakiniku... He really does seem... unique."

Yes, even on such a formal occasion, Sakura Ibuki still wore an outfit that was different from that of other company presidents.

Although the memory was somewhat distant, Yuan Chen could tell that this outfit was from Code Geass. The only difference was that Sakura Ibuki wasn't wearing a mask; instead, she had a goat skull hanging on her chest, giving her a somewhat sinister look.

"That must be the legendary Great Consumption Yuan Chen, right?"

"It should be him. He's been dominating since his debut, and most of his matches are one-against-two battles. He's even faced formidable opponents like Ashura Tokita Ohma and Goku Tenshi Sekibayashi Jun... He seems like a tough rival!"

"I remember he was a fighter from Chairman Katahara's faction? But I heard he was the one who cast the final vote?"

"Perhaps it was at Chairman Katahara's behest? After all, I've heard that quite a few companies are already eager to vie for the chairmanship."

Listening to the discussions around him, Yamashita Kazuo scratched his head and said somewhat unwillingly, "It seems like we've been completely ignored."

"There's nothing we can do, we lost after all." Tokita Ohma surprisingly didn't seem to care much when he heard Yamashita Kazuo's words.

The main reason is that the opponent he lost to was Yuan Chen. In the past two weeks, although Tokita Ohma did not refresh on time like Iori Yagami, he spent ten nights in the restaurant.

On one hand, he received treatment from Yuan Chen, and on the other hand, he sparred with Yuan Chen, Iori Yagami, and others to speed up his physical recovery and get used to high-intensity battles.

After stretching his shoulders a couple of times, a hint of madness appeared in Tokita Ohma's eyes as he said:

"My current strength... should have recovered to 80% of my peak. I'll gradually regain the remaining 20% ​​in the battles here."

Then, they will naturally remember the name Tokita Ohma!

Unlike the original work, where the male demon suffers from amnesia and is often arrogant and unruly, he is different.

Having undergone rigorous training and beatings beforehand, Tokita Ohma is now developing towards the late stages of Kengan Ashura Part 1 and Part 2.

Or rather, this is Tokita Ohma's true personality. His arrogance and haughtiness in the first part of Kengan Ashura were actually due to post-traumatic stress disorder caused by amnesia, which led to his extremely intense reactions to everything.

"Yuan Chen! Long time no see!" Upon seeing Yuan Chen arrive, Guan Linchun waved excitedly, "The last battle was truly unforgettable! This time, I will give it my all just as well!"

“I will too.” Yuan Chen nodded upon hearing Guan Linchun’s words.

While everyone was still discussing it, a huge and luxurious cruise ship slowly docked, accompanied by a deep and loud whistle.

"Wow, it's huge!" Yamashita Kazuo's eyes widened as he looked at the luxury cruise ship in front of him.

"This is the world's largest cruise ship." Hearing Kazuo Yamayama's words, Kaede Akiyama nodded in agreement.

"Kengan is not open to the public at all times. It is 380 meters long and weighs 25 tons, making it the world's largest cruise ship in the true sense."

To this, Tokita Ohma, standing to the side, didn't seem to care at all, simply saying nonchalantly, "A ship? I've never been on one before..."

“Then you need to be careful about seasickness,” Yuan Chen said casually, but then added, “But as a martial artist, the probability of getting seasick is not high.”

Seasickness is mainly caused by a disruption in the vestibular system of the inner ear, as well as the visual and sensory systems.

That is, sitting in the cabin, looking at the fixed walls and table, telling the brain "I am not moving", but the inner ear vestibular system actually feels the ship rising and falling and swaying from side to side.

When the brain receives two conflicting signals at the same time, it will make incorrect judgments such as "Am I poisoned? Am I hallucinating?" and then activate the protective mechanism—vomiting—in an attempt to expel the "toxins".

Especially as a classic martial artist, Tokita Ohma's internal energy flow is very stable. If something like seasickness happens to him, it can only mean that his body has indeed reached an extremely dangerous state.

Just as everyone was chatting casually, a slightly muffled voice came from the side, accompanied by an inexplicable and chilling pressure.

"Everyone, thank you for waiting."

Following the sound, they saw a group of men dressed in black suits, averaging over 1.8 meters tall, exuding a chilling killing intent. The blond man at the head of the group calmly addressed them:

"Next, we will proceed with the boarding procedures."

As he spoke, the man held out a card with the word 'wish' written on it and said, "First of all, the person holding this invitation, please enter first."

Upon hearing the man's words, the people present exchanged surprised glances. Only prominent figures in the Kengan Association, such as Nogi Hideki, Yoshitake Keiro, and Kano Gen, calmly took out the cards that had been given to them beforehand.

"This?" A woman with long, scarlet hair asked curiously, a cigarette dangling from her lips, her brows furrowed with a hint of curiosity.

While the others didn't seem to care, Han Zhuli, who was standing to the side, appeared somewhat surprised.

"Oh my, the school's chairman is here too. I knew this school was weird."

Upon hearing Han Zhuli's words, the woman beside her turned her head curiously and then saw Han Zhuli, Wu Jialouluo, and others.

Upon seeing Wu Jialouluo's JK uniform, a look of surprise appeared in her eyes, and she said, "Oh? Are there students here?... Hmm, well, that's quite unexpected."

Although she said that, after seeing Wu Jialu Luo's eyes, Zōryūin Shion understood.

As a private girls' school, Huangying Girls' Academy has many students who are members of martial arts families. Among them, the Wu family is definitely one of the most prominent—as the chairperson of the academy, Zou-yuu-shion is naturally very familiar with them.

At first, Soryuin Shion didn't pay much attention and just glanced at them with some curiosity. But just as Soryuin Shion was about to look away, she noticed the group of people hiding behind Sakura Ibuki.

The other people were one thing, but one figure immediately caught the attention of Shion Souin.

"Um...Zumi?!"

Soryuin Shion's voice was tinged with surprise, and she even opened her mouth unconsciously, not noticing the cigarette in her mouth fall to the ground: "How did you end up here... never mind."

Sensing the uneasy, sheepish smile on her younger sister's face, Shion could only rub her temples and say, "Hurry up and come aboard! You're not old enough to be here yet."

Seeing this, Zhu Mei stuck out her tongue, then looked at Yuan Chen and the others and said, "My sister called me, so I have to go. See you later!"

Similarly, before boarding the Kengan, having learned about the Kengan Deathmatch tournament format, Guan Linchun waved to Yuan Chen and said heartily, "Remember to come quickly, there's plenty of good food on the cruise ship, I'm waiting to drink with you!"

"Oh, I understand, don't worry."

Yuan Chen nodded.

Because of the upcoming Kengan Elimination Tournament, after losing to Genjin in the last Kengan competition, Sekirin Jun had been undergoing intensive training and didn't even have time to go to Genjin's restaurant.

While Guan Linchun's ability to control his impulses and desires certainly demonstrates his strong self-control, in reality, he might have gained even more if he had gone.

However, in Guan Linchun's view, with Yuan Chen's strength, breaking through the selection competition and entering the main competition is a sure thing.

While the surrounding crowd was still wondering why only a handful of people were able to board the Kengan, the guardian didn't speak immediately. Instead, after scanning the crowd, his gaze fell on Yuan Chen, and he stepped forward to say:

"You must be President Sakura Ibuki of Sakura-sou Charcoal Grilled Meat and Fighter Gentatsu, right? According to the president, if you two wish to board the Kengan, you can set off immediately."

Upon hearing this, Sakura Ibuki didn't take it seriously and simply said, "I have already entrusted the matter of the Kengan Association to Genji. You don't need to ask me about this."

Upon hearing Sakura Ibuki's words, Yuan Chen asked with some curiosity, "Is this some kind of special privilege?"

“Yes, this is a special order issued by the guild leader.” Upon hearing this, the guardian nodded: “According to the guild leader’s intention, with Lord Yuan Chen’s abilities, it is only a matter of time before he enters the main competition. In that case, there is no need to participate in the so-called preliminary rounds.”

"That's what the president originally said."

The guardian sighed and continued, "But later the chairman seemed to realize something and said that if it were you, you certainly wouldn't refuse some pre-dinner desserts, so he gave you the right to choose whether or not to board the Kengan."

"Haha, this old guy is actually quite easy to talk to."

Upon hearing the guardian's words, Yuan Chen smiled and then said, "Since you've put it that way, I will naturally choose the latter."

Upon hearing this, the guardian nodded in understanding, then looked at the remaining people and said, "Then next, it is the ship you will be boarding—the Death Ship!"

As the words were spoken, an old, rusty cargo ship, seemingly on the verge of sinking to the bottom of the sea, came into view. While everyone was still stunned, the guardian continued:

"The Kengan Elimination Tournament has a total of thirty-three spots. According to the Kengan Association's long-standing rules, apart from the top twenty-eight spots, the remaining five spots will be contested through a brutal free-for-all."

"Hey! Are you kidding me?!" Upon hearing the man's words, everyone's expression changed drastically: "Does that mean that just passing the preliminary selection will cost our fighters a heavy price?"

Hearing the crowd's words, the leading guardian clearly didn't mind, simply raising his hand and saying:

“I understand everyone’s thoughts, but that’s precisely why the president has used his authority to issue a new rule.”

Upon hearing this, everyone instinctively tensed up, while the guardian turned his gaze to Yuan Chen and then silently said:

"According to the president's original words, the person who defeats the fighter, Da Hao Yuan Chen, can directly end the preliminary round and advance to the top 33."

Hearing this, Yuan Chen asked with some curiosity:

"Thirty-three in the finals? Doesn't that mean one person will definitely get a bye in every round? Judging from the number of people, shouldn't it be more convenient for thirty-two people to fight in that order?"

------

This will help you recover your daily minimum income of 8k.

Volume 1: Chapter 163 - The Great Elimination Rounds

[The previous text was incorrect. The top 28 players in the Kengan Association automatically advanced to the main tournament, so the original quota was 33, meaning one player was destined to have a bye. The number was changed to 32 only because someone withdrew early. This has now been corrected.]

Upon hearing Yuan Chen's words, the guardian was not surprised, but calmly said, "Regarding this issue... well, the situation here will be handled by someone you are more familiar with, Mr. Yuan Chen."

"Someone I know?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Chen raised an eyebrow with some curiosity, while the guardian bowed slightly before turning and leaving.

After a moment, Yuan Chen understood why the guardian had said it was someone he knew...

"Three dynasties? Long time no see~"

The person who replaced the previous guardian was none other than Misa, who had followed Katahara Retsudo to the restaurant to protect Katahara Sayaka. He was also the future Eighth Generation Metsudo's Fang.

Upon hearing Yuan Chen's words, San Chao smiled, then said somewhat helplessly, "I was on a mission recently, so it's been a while since we last met... And I heard your cooking skills have improved? Once I'm done with this busy period, I'll bring my friends to visit you~"

“Now is fine too.” Yuan Chen waved his hand dismissively: “Isn’t Wish Flow Island pretty big? Just come find me if you get hungry.”

"Haha, then I won't stand on ceremony with you. Let me make this clear, all my comrades-in-arms have quite the appetites!"

Watching Yuan Chen and San Chao chatting and laughing, the many representatives from the Quan Yuan Association couldn't help but discuss among themselves.

After all, they weren't entirely sure about the fact that Sakura-sou yakiniku was an ally of Katahara Metsudo before; it was mostly hearsay.

But now, someone who looks like a core member of the Guardians has actually interacted with Yuan Chen and is having a pleasant conversation with him. Combined with the previous rumors that Katahara Mitsudo's eldest daughter and eldest son have close relationships with Yuan Chen, everyone's reactions are quite different.

Some were tense, some were solemn, and those who recognized that the three were members of the legendary "annihilation force" were even more shocked. Some even began to whisper among themselves, exchanging glances.

After the pleasantries were over, Sanchao looked at the people around him and said:

"Sorry everyone, I was a little distracted because of some things. Now, let's get back to the main topic: why did Katahara-sama insist on having 33 people in the competition?"

Extending his hand to meet everyone's gaze, Misaka said calmly, "There's no other reason. It's simply that, in Katahara-sama's view, to become the strongest, besides undeniable strength, one must also possess extraordinary 'luck.' And the bye in each round of the competition is a manifestation of this 'luck.'"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Chen nodded in deep agreement.

At first I was a little confused, but if that's the case, then it's not surprising—Katahara Metsudou rose to prominence in Japan after World War II, a time when Japan was rebuilding after the war, much like the reform and opening up of the Tang Dynasty. Many incompetent people became pigs standing on the cusp of opportunity.

With the collapse of the bubble economy, those who once stood at the forefront of the times also began to oppress the growth of young people as class solidification took hold.