Martial artists can never be ultimately insulted.

As a beneficiary of the existing system, Katahara Metsudo should also be considered part of the former group.

However, Katahara Metsudo was very clear about the strong luck that had permeated his life, and he understood even more clearly what was constantly driving him forward.

It is precisely because of this that even though he was on the right track of the times, Katahara Metsudo never intended to hold onto this power forever... This can be seen from the fact that Katahara Metsudo took the initiative to promote the Kengan Zemei Tournament, and that after Kuroki Gensai, whom he personally persuaded to come out of retirement, won the victory, he still handed over the position of chairman to Nogi Hideki.

What he craved was not power and fame, but bloodshed and slaughter.

But while Yuan Chen focused on these things, the others, or rather the other contestants, excitedly stared at Yuan Chen with wide eyes after hearing that defeating him would grant them a direct ticket to the Kengan Elimination Tournament.

In this elimination round, 151 companies participated simultaneously, but only 33 were able to advance to the main competition. With 28 major companies already securing their spots in the elimination round, only five spots remained for these 100-plus companies.

In this situation, it's almost certain that even if they manage to break through and secure a spot in the main tournament, they'll be severely injured facing the onslaught of other competitors. If they haven't fully recovered by the time the main tournament begins, reaching the top 16 will be virtually impossible.

Yuan Chen seemed quite casual about this, and even looked at the three dynasties and said, "But even so, it's still too strange to only advance to the top 33 after defeating me. You should at least make it to the top 17, right? Just consider it as speeding up the process."

Upon hearing Yuan Chen's words, everyone looked at each other, unsure of what to say.

A person's reputation is like a tree's shadow. Before the Quan Yuan Jue Ming elimination tournament, Yuan Chen was able to attract so much attention because, apart from his consecutive victories against strong opponents, he even caused the undefeated Guan Lin Chun to suffer a major setback in his most familiar and dominant professional wrestling.

Furthermore, since Yuan Chen's debut, he has almost always faced two opponents in every Kengan match, a series of battles.

In their only one-on-one fight, she defeated Rito effortlessly.

In this situation, Yuan Chen clearly had the privilege of being the president and could directly enter the main competition, but he voluntarily gave up his privilege and joined this elimination round...

While this arrogance might mean gaining another competitive spot in the main tournament, it also reveals that given Yuan Chen's absolute strength, few fighters would dare to challenge him.

In other words, no one wanted to be a tool to weaken Yuan Chen or a stepping stone for other fighters to obtain direct qualification spots.

Feeling the gazes of everyone, Yuan Chen remained silent, only raising his head and saying:

"A group battle? No problem, let's all join in..."

After saying this, Yuan Chen paused, then looked at San Chao with some curiosity and said, "Speaking of which, what if there are no more than five people standing in the room at the end, and we can't make up the full thirty-three?"

Upon hearing this, Sanchao was slightly taken aback, as if he had never thought of such a question before.

In fact, not only Sanchao, but even other high-ranking members of the Kengan Association did not make this connection.

After all, all 151 participating companies have full confidence in their respective competitors. Even some of the lower-ranked companies will cooperate in advance to ensure that they maintain sufficient strength during the preliminary selection stage.

In this situation, fighters often become extremely cautious in their battles, constantly weighing their own losses before each move to ensure they can advance in a sufficiently healthy state.

After all, if one advances with a broken bone or serious injury, then even if one advances, it will be meaningless.

Especially when there are fewer and fewer people on the field, it is natural that those who choose to take action will become more and more cautious.

While Yuan Chen's situation was rather extreme, it still required additional consideration.

Ultimately, changes in the remaining number of participants will directly impact the scheduling of the matches.

"But, it's alright." Looking at the somewhat surprised Sanchao, Yuan Chen wasn't angry, but said gently:

"If a similar situation arises, I have a suggestion."

"……oh?"

Upon hearing this, Sanchao slightly raised his head.

Yuan Chen smiled calmly and said, "In order to ensure that the schedule of the Kengan Deathmatch Tournament is not affected by any additional factors, how about we maintain a schedule of thirty-three people regardless of how many people are left?"

"As for the problem of not having enough people... it's simple, just put five of my names in the box."

Yuan Chen smiled and said, "This way, there won't be a problem with insufficient manpower... And fighting someone who has been fighting continuously through the lottery is also considered 'good luck,' isn't it?"

"Huh?"

Upon hearing Yuan Chen's suggestion, San Chao blinked, then smiled wryly and said with a helpless expression, "You really have some very constructive suggestions... It feels like you're going to force it if the answer doesn't suit your taste, right?"

"Haha, how could that be?" Yuan Chen shook his head, then pointed to the crowd around him and said, "Mainly because... there are too many weaklings. Rather than letting them waste time on the field, I'd rather let myself have a 'feast'."

Sanchao sighed helplessly, then took out his phone and said, "I need to confirm this with the guild leader. Please wait a moment."

"No problem." Yuan Chen gave an OK sign.

Hearing Yuan Chen and San Chao's conversation, the other contestants also expressed their surprise and uncertainty.

"Give him all the byes? Is he crazy? This isn't the Kengan Tournament we've seen before!"

"While he does possess some skill... he clearly hasn't grasped the rules, has he?"

"Yes! This is an elimination tournament, unlike the long recovery period of the previous Kengan tournament. After one round is over, the next round will start immediately. In other words, there is no rest time at all! The physical exertion is incomparable to that of ring battles!"

“Isn’t this perfect?” someone else said, their voice low.

"This guy's strength is already at the level of a direct qualifier. It's a pipe dream for ordinary fighters to defeat him... If he's like this now, he'll be besieged by everyone as soon as the qualifiers start!"

"But no matter what, this is too arrogant... They don't even take the main tournament seriously, let alone the qualifiers."

Looking at Yuan Chen, Chunli could only helplessly cover her forehead: "This Yuan Chen... he's at it again."

"Isn't this perfectly normal?" Han Zhuli licked her lips as she looked at Yuan Chen, who stood in the center of the room. He appeared incredibly gentle, but an unbridled madness was spreading outwards from him.

Undoubtedly, this undisguised arrogance and domineering spirit is the key reason why Han Zhuli is so attracted to him.

"Isn't he just that kind of reckless guy?"

Sensing the madness emanating from Yuan Chen, Han Zhuli also revealed a smile.

"It's less about good fortune and more about sheer 'desire'."

Chunli did not question this, but nodded in agreement, and then stood aside quietly watching Yuan Chen's figure, waiting for Sanchao's question.

After a moment, Sanchao nodded, and then looked up at everyone and said:

"Although it was somewhat unexpected, Katahara-sama is already aware of the situation. However, in order to ensure that the competition can proceed fairly and justly, a maximum of two spots can be left vacant."

"Two? Including mine, that makes three? Not bad. I was just asking casually; I thought there wouldn't be any at all, hahaha~"

As he continued, Yuan Chen burst into loud laughter.

Seeing the smile on Yuan Chen's face, Misaka, a member of the Katahara Metsudou Annihilator Squad, also showed a touch of emotion.

Having followed Katahara Metsudo since he was a teenager, and now at 27 years old, Misaka has seen countless fighters, but even so, in Misaka's eyes, Genjin is definitely the most special one among all the martial artists and fighters he has ever met in his life.

Previously, Misaka didn't quite understand why Katahara Metsudo would say, "This is what he wants to find for the Kengan Association," during the Kengan match between Genjin and Sekirin Jun.

But now, he felt the undisguised lust in Yuan Chen, that desire for war and violence.

Even the three dynasties had to admit that, in every sense, Yuan Chen was the kind of person Katahara Metsudo had been most looking forward to.

"Alright, does anyone have any further questions?"

Sanchao looked around, but all he heard was silence.

Seeing this, the three court officials nodded and then said, "Then, the combatants, please follow me, while the rest of you, please follow the attendants to the upper level of the Death Ship."

As the words were spoken, a group of waiters emerged from behind a container and led the group to different areas of the cargo ship.

Among them, Yamashita Kazuo, Chunli, Sakura Ibuki and others went to the upper deck, while Yuan Chen and others, led by Misasa, came to the rusty steel cargo hold of the cargo ship.

Sanchao sent the last fighter into the arena, but did not follow him in. Instead, he stood at the entrance and said:

"A total of 151 large companies participated in this Kengan Elimination Tournament. With the top 28 companies already securing their spots in the main tournament, the remaining 5 spots will be contested by the remaining 123 companies in a free-for-all."

"The selection process will end immediately once the remaining five people are determined by sunrise tomorrow. If no five people are selected by then, all participants will be eliminated."

"And in this, if we can defeat Yuan Chen in advance..." At this point, a wicked smile appeared on Sanchao's lips.

"According to the surprise the guild leader asked me to provide, defeating Yuan Chen will not only grant you direct advancement, but also allow you to designate two people to receive the same advancement spot!"

Volume 1: Chapter 164 - Pressure Strikes

Upon hearing Sanchao's words, Yuan Chen was slightly taken aback, then burst into hearty laughter: "You should have said so earlier! I didn't expect such a surprise!"

This time, it wasn't just Yuan Chen who was excited; the other fighters around him also quickly reached a consensus.

Admittedly, Yuan Chen's strength impressed them. Even though defeating Yuan Chen would allow them to advance, they didn't want to become someone else's stepping stone without a sure chance of victory.

But now, with Sanchao revealing this entirely new rule, even the most composed person couldn't help but gasp in shock.

The reason is simple: after defeating Yuan Chen, including himself, he can get three spots in the main competition... In other words, if he uses it properly, while the probability of others becoming the final winner is one in thirty-three, if he gets these three spots, the probability will rise to three in thirty-three.

In a competition with a participation requirement of 5 billion and an entry fee as high as 100 million, this undoubtedly provides a huge advantage in terms of scheduling.

Even if they encounter an allied team in the main event, one of them can advance in perfect condition without any injuries, thus better preparing for the upcoming battles.

This huge advantage in subsequent tactical arrangements almost immediately drew all attention to Yuan Chen.

but……

Looking at Yuan Chen, even though he already knew something about him, Tokita Ohma still couldn't help but shake his head.

This guy, no matter how gentle he is in the restaurant, is actually an exceptionally 'bad' person.

Inside the enormous warehouse, most of the fighters were scattered around the edges, facing each other in twos and threes. Only Yuan Chen stood in the middle of the warehouse with a matter-of-fact expression, his hands in his pockets and his back straight. He gave the impression of a giant beast standing in the center, waiting for those around him to challenge him.

Or, wait for people to rush up from all directions.

Sensing the atmosphere, Misaka smiled, turned and left the warehouse, closing the door behind him. His voice then came through a loudspeaker.

"Now, let the competition begin!"

As the three emperors finished speaking, the atmosphere at the scene suddenly changed.

Unlike the ornate Kengan, the cargo hold of the Desperate Ship was a huge iron box corroded by rust and salt stains for countless years.

Iron chains hung from the top of the cabin, swaying rhythmically with the rise and fall of the waves. Dim yellow light swept across the rusty bulkhead, each sweep briefly revealing the mottled rust and faded paint from the darkness.

As the air was filled with the salty smell of seawater, the sour smell of rust, and the smell of engine oil seeping in from some unknown corner, Yuan Chen took his hands out of his pockets and crossed them in front of his chest. His face instantly turned pitch black and cold, leaving only his eyes blazing with endless domineering intent as they swept across the surroundings.

Sensing this domineering intent that indiscriminately insulted everyone, most of the fighters present instinctively took a step back before realizing how embarrassing their reaction was. Annoyed and bluffing, they took another step forward, staring intently at Yuan Chen, as if performing a scene of 'I'm not afraid'.

Yuan Chen remained silent, simply allowing the crowd to surround him.

In the blink of an eye, more than a hundred fighters had loosely surrounded Yuan Chen in everyone's sight, with the closest ones being less than three meters away from him.

But as the crowd drew closer, Yuan Chen's smile grew even brighter, and his extraordinary aura became increasingly apparent to everyone.

No one spoke; the only sounds were the muffled crashing of waves against the hull outside the cabin and the metallic scraping of the swaying chandeliers overhead.

The next moment, someone took the first step, and a figure rushed towards Yuan Chen, followed by a second and a third – the crowd surged towards the center of the cabin from all directions like a flood breaking through a dam.

Sensing the fierce looks in everyone's eyes, Yuan Chen did not back down; in fact, a hint of genuine pleasure flashed in his eyes.

He took a half step forward with his left foot, and with a dull thud, a dent was left on the rusty iron plate.

Ignoring the attacks coming from all directions, he methodically threw his right fist from his side. Without any fancy techniques, the fist, the size of a sandbag, was propelled by his 140-kilogram body and mercilessly punched towards the people in front of him.

Standing in front of Yuan Chen, the bald karate master raised his arms, thinking he could withstand Yuan Chen's attack, but the moment his arms collided with his fist, a clear sound of bone cracking was heard.

With that tooth-grinding sound, the karate practitioner's defenses were pierced by that punch, and the residual impact sent him flying off the ground like a cannonball, crashing into the crowd behind him and knocking over three people before finally coming to a stop.

As the curses and wails of those who had fallen to the ground filled the air, the karate practitioner had already fainted. Although his arms remained in a blocking posture, their twisted state clearly indicated that they had been broken.

As Yuan Chen threw his punch, the others also closed in on him during that brief opening.

One after another, fighters pounced on Yuan Chen's limbs and torso from behind, flanks, and even above, like hungry wolves.

The first thing to be grabbed was Yuan Chen's left arm. A fighter weighing over 90 kilograms attacked from the side, locking Yuan Chen's elbows and shoulder blades tightly with both arms, and using his upper body to press Yuan Chen's body forward.

The same was true for his right arm; his hands, with astonishing finger strength, cut in from the side, their ten fingers gripping Yuan Chen's wrist and forearm like pincers.

Before Yuan Chen could react, several more people pounced from behind, pinning him down on his back and seemingly trying to drag the fight from his standing position onto the ground.

However, judging from the current situation, if the battle really goes into a ground combat state, the opponent will most likely not use any ground techniques or joint locks to block Yuan Chen's attack, but rather a circular kick.

Even though several people had come to suppress him, Yuan Chen's figure remained standing in place like a statue.

Muscles bulged, and a wanton smile spread across his face, which was shrouded in shadow. Although he was the one being suppressed, with Yuan Chen's movements, it was the others who locked Yuan Chen's hands and tried to pin him down who looked troubled, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

Noticing that Yuan Chen seemed to be trying to break free, the others attacked him without warning, unleashing a barrage of punches and kicks.

Standing motionless, Yuan Chen let the torrential rain drench his body, his dark face contorted with undisguised fury. Then, Yuan Chen moved; his waving right arm was more of a throw than a strike.

With a sudden upward thrust of his right arm, the fighter who had been firmly holding Yuan Chen's right arm felt an indescribable force crashing down upon him.

In that instant, what it perceived as its embrace did not appear to be a human arm, but rather a steel beam being lifted by a crane.

The brutal impact spread from his torso to his limbs. His once tightly clenched fingers slipped off Yuan Chen's skin, and his rough nails scratched several white marks on his trench coat before he was thrown off the ground. He flew away in a shadow, then slowly slid down the steel warehouse wall with a dull thud.

Immediately afterwards, Yuan Chen suddenly swung his body, and everyone around him felt a dizzying sensation. When they came to their senses, they found themselves flung into the air by Yuan Chen. They instinctively waved their arms and legs, trying to stabilize their center of gravity and land safely, but then Yuan Chen reached out and grabbed the calf of a lucky fighter.

Muscles bulged, and with a clenched fist, the surging power instantly pushed his fingers into the fighter's flesh. Accompanied by the increased violence from his fingers, the once thick and powerful calf swelled and turned red in Yuan Chen's hand, as if all the flesh and tendons in the area where his hand was gripping were being forcibly pushed to the sides.

Grip it tightly, then swing it hard.