Martial artists can never be ultimately insulted.

Hearing Yuan Chen's words, Sakura Ibuki smiled and relaxed a lot.

From a business perspective, giving away most of the profits to others seems inexplicable and goes against business logic.

But the words those people with dark irises said when they left yesterday have been faintly echoing in Sakura Ibuki's mind—the martial arts world doesn't follow logic.

Moreover, being able to join the Kengan Association was already very fortunate. Sakura Ibuki had a clear understanding of her own abilities. In her opinion, being able to run a chain store well, be a small business owner, and satisfy her hobbies and chuunibyou fantasies was enough. Anything more would be beyond her capabilities.

Thinking this, Sakura Ibuki took out her laptop, placed it on the table, and said:

"We have two competitors regarding the lease of shops in the Ginza Center. Today is their day of competition, and since we joined at the last minute, we will compete against the winner in two days."

"And these two competitors are Ivan Kalayev, known as the 'Russian Grim Reaper' under Yiwu Real Estate, and Komada, the 'Nioh' fighter representing the Nogi Group... Hmm, the Nogi Group? I remember this company has a history of over four hundred years. I didn't expect them to be in the Kengan Association..."

"According to the information I found, Ivan Kalayev was a famous Russian kickboxing master whose powerful and fast uppercut was known as the 'Death Scythe'."

I haven't found much information about Niou Komada, but according to what I have, he is incredibly powerful. Based on evaluations from some members of the Kengan Association, his physical attributes seem exceptionally strong; he achieved overwhelming victories in his four previous battles.

Upon hearing Sakura Ibuki's words, Yuan Chen's face showed a slight interest.

Yuan Chen was no stranger to Ivan and Komada—mainly because he had seen them in the manga. Although they appeared relatively early in the story, and were immediately sacrificed to the manga's protagonist, Tokita Ohma, Yuan Chen quickly realized that their hasty exit was likely due to their early appearance and sacrifice to the protagonist.

...Okay, Ivan is probably just a scapegoat, with no obvious strength to show.

But it's hard to say what Komada would say.

The main storyline of Kengan's first phase is the Kengan Deathmatch Tournament, during which a significant number of the 'pre-selected fighters' are temporarily replaced.

It is common knowledge that Niou Komada was killed by Tokita Ohma. Others who were replaced include Hong Xiaohu, who practiced Kyokushin, Ozu Toshio of the Imperial Sakura Girls' Academy, and Takemoto Hisaaki of the Hyakuba News.

Among them, Hong Xiaohu's boxing record is 35 wins and 1 loss. The one loss was against the Destroyer's Fang, Gana. It can only be said that the loss was not shameful. On the eve of the final elimination match, he was instantly killed by the successor of the Raijin-ryu assassination fist, Yu Lei Ling.

Ozu Toshio had an eleven-win, undefeated record, but Kiryu Setsuna snapped his neck 180 degrees – a minor injury, according to a hospital examination, and he continued to work as a physical education teacher at the Imperial Sakura Girls' Academy.

Then there's Takemoto Hisahisa, who's known as the 'God of War,' a master of practical karate who achieved a record of 90 wins out of 90 in unofficial matches. He seemed incredibly strong, but was then instantly defeated by Nikaido Guren without taking any damage.

in this case……

To be regarded as a fighter by a giant corporation like Nogi Group, his strength must be at least at the level of the top 32 in a elimination tournament.

But... that's only the level of the top 32.

“Three groups are competing with each other… No matter how you look at it, we’re the one who suddenly appeared, right?” Yuan Chen said.

Upon hearing Yuan Chen's words, Chun Li nodded in agreement:

"It must be the Wu family pulling the strings behind the scenes, right? Although I don't know much about the Kengan Association, a business the size of a family-run barbecue restaurant shouldn't be involved in this level of competition..."

"Hmm, so it seems the reason they immediately put you in competition with the Nogi Group and Yoshibu Real Estate is because some bigwigs in the Kengan Kai have become interested in your background."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Chen nodded in agreement, then chuckled and said, "Judging by the time, I just asked Wu Hori last night, and the membership certification was delivered this morning... I guess I'll send a message to the Kengan Association to arrange membership status as soon as I get there, right?"

"Hmm." Chun-Li nodded and said, "The fact that it was delivered so quickly means that the person who gave the order must have a high status in the Kengan Association."

Upon hearing Chunli's words, Yuan Chen also replied simply:

"The current patriarch of the Wu clan, who is also the 'grandfather' that Feng Shui and Garuda refer to, Wu Huili, is the first fighter of Katahara Metsudo, the current president of the Kengan Association, and the first Metsudo Fang... The current Metsudo Fang is the fifth generation."

"Huh?" Chunli was surprised and covered her mouth, saying, "Then after Wu Horisaki and the others went back last night and gave their message, doesn't that mean they might have called Katahara Metsudo directly in the middle of the night and asked him to arrange a membership?"

"Most likely," Yuan Chen shrugged, then looked at the computer screen and said.

"Now...it's quite obvious that Katahara Metsudo is also starting to wonder what kind of interesting person his old friend has met that would call him in the middle of the night to ask him to help arrange a membership."

As he spoke, Yuan Chen smiled and said, "I should say that he is indeed worthy of being my former partner. Just like the old patriarch of the Wu clan, this old gentleman from the Kengan Association also wants to test my 'quality'."

Upon hearing this, Chun-Li seemed to realize something, and rubbed her temples in despair, saying, "So... what are you going to do?"

“Of course we’ll respond,” Yuan Chen said with a smile. “But it wouldn’t be good to just wait for them to finish fighting before going over to reap the benefits, would it? After all, nobody wants an extra person to suddenly appear in a competition that’s already been agreed upon between two people… So, let’s just go.”

"You... you get all excited as soon as you smell blood."

As she said this, Chunli did not stop her, but said helplessly, "Just remember to be careful when the time comes... Anyway, I definitely can't stop you."

"Hehe." Yuan Chen chuckled.

Meanwhile, watching Yuan Chen and Chun Li casually rattle off a string of names, Sakura Ibuki fell into a long silence.

Katahara Mitsudo?

It seems to be the president of the Bank of Japan, the very same Katahara Metsudo who is a very important figure in the entire Japanese political and business world?

I... I guess I run a family-run barbecue restaurant? It seems like these days, you can't even join the Kengan Kai without adding some high-value ingredients to your meat...

Thinking this, Sakura Ibuki scratched her head helplessly, but quickly came to terms with it.

Anyway, if the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. Compared to their own barbecue restaurant, those big shots were obviously more concerned about the young man staying at their house.

That afternoon, following the information on the Kengan Association website, Sakura Ibuki drove Yuan Chen and Chun Li to the underground parking lot of an unknown shopping mall.

Although it was called an unknown shopping mall, there were actually quite a few people coming and going. However, today was different; the underground parking lot was closed for pipe repairs. When Yuan Chen and his group tried to enter, a security guard standing at the entrance, whose physique clearly showed signs of exercise, reached out his hand.

Seeing this, Sakura Ibuki handed over her Kengankai membership card—although she didn't know why, even in the information age, this membership token was still a wooden token, Sakura Ibuki chose to respect it.

After a quick scan of the internal chip, the guard nodded, spoke into the walkie-talkie, and the three of them successfully entered the competition venue.

Stepping inside, Sakura Ibuki looked around with some curiosity, then sighed and said:

"As expected of the Kengan Association... Each person's outfit is enough to cover my tuition for three years of university, and many of the faces seem familiar, like I've seen them on financial news channels or something?"

Compared to Sakura Ibuki's curiosity and surprise, Yuan Chen and Chun Li's faces were calm, clearly showing that they were not interested in these so-called financial tycoons.

While the three were still heading towards the center of the venue.

On the other side, in the monitoring room of the underground parking garage, there was a 96-year-old man, 161cm tall and weighing 48kg. He was practically buried in the ground, but Katahara Metsudo's face, which looked like old tree bark, still had a smile on it.

"I never expected that such an ordinary shop could catch your attention, and you even called to bother me. Don't you know that old people need to get enough sleep?"

"You?? Sleep?" Upon hearing Katahara Metsudou's words, Wu Huili chuckled and said:

"Back when you were young, you would stay up for three days and three nights, squatting outside the enemy's territory to record information, just to get enough intelligence. Why don't you believe that now?"

“I’m not one of you assassins.” Upon hearing this, Katahara Metsudo said with a relaxed expression, “It’s normal for people to lose their energy as they get older.”

Wu Huili didn't believe Katahara Metsudo's words at all. After all, this old man, who seemed ready to retire at any moment, had both his children born when he was seventy years old.

As the first generation of the Fang of Destroyer, Wu Huili was quite aware of how strong his spirit was, even though he wasn't a martial artist.

Seeing that Wu Huili didn't seem to care at all, Katahara Metsudo stopped joking and, after a brief silence, said:

"Although the entire shop being contested today is only worth a few hundred million yen, it involves two large corporations: Nogi Group and Yoshitake Real Estate."

Adding a new competitor to an already established list, even a small, insignificant family-run barbecue restaurant, will inevitably attract a lot of speculation… Are you sure the boy you're talking about is capable of handling that kind of attention?

Upon hearing this, Wu Huiliyang didn't speak, but waited a moment before a smile appeared on her lips, and then she said, "Why don't you see for yourself?"

"Oh?"

Hearing his old friend's words, Katahara Metsudo also turned his gaze to the crowd in the picture. Soon, he spotted Yuan Chen and the others that Wu Huili had mentioned.

As the start date approached, Yoshitake Keiro, the president of Yoshitake Real Estate, who looked like a Buddha statue, also arrived at the location of the Nogi Group.

Looking at Nogi Hideki, the president of the Nogi Group, Yoshitake Keiro, who had always been at odds with him, did not react with the usual tense atmosphere, but instead asked seriously:

"Nogi, about that third challenger... Sakurasou Charcoal Grilled Meat? How much do you know about him? Why would he get involved in this insignificant competition? Or was it an order personally given by Katahara Metsudo?"

Upon hearing Yoshitake Keiro's words, Nogi Hideki shook his head and said:

"This was the president's decision, how would I know the reasons behind it... However, I did a simple investigation into Sakura-sou Charcoal Grilled Meat, and it's just an ordinary chain restaurant, probably just a front."

Upon hearing this, Yoshitake Keiro frowned subconsciously, but just as he was about to say something, the match next to him had already entered the warm-up phase.

"The battle for the exclusive lease of a shop in the heart of Ginza's Chuo Avenue, valued at 500 million yen, begins in the first round! Both sides enter the fray!"

As the referee of the Kengan Association spoke in a loud voice, the already somewhat noisy arena erupted into a new wave of excitement. Accompanied by slightly loud background music, the fighters entered one after another, and the audience began a new round of discussion and anticipation.

Although he was a newcomer, Yuan Chen noticed with just a little attention that what they were discussing was no different from what the group from Wangba were talking about.

In short, it's a must-buy vs. a quick fix.

Volume 1: Chapter 82 - Entrance

"The contestant is Death Scythe from Yiwu Real Estate! Ivan Kalayev, 176cm tall, 76kg! Modern style!"

"Contestant: Komada from the Nogi Group, Niou! Height 198cm! Weight 98kg! Modern style!"

As the referee spoke, the two people, one tall and one short, entered the field from both sides.

Watching the two locked in a standoff, the social elites seemed to be influenced by the atmosphere, their faces revealing a strong fighting spirit as they waved their fists to cheer on their favorite fighters.

"Let Komada taste your Grim Reaper's scythe, Ivan!"

"Give that Soviet bastard a good beating! Komada!"

"Ivan will definitely defeat Komada!"

"Instant hair!"

Around the circular open space, the socialites in suits and ties had long since shed their usual reserve.

A drunken, bulbous-nosed man said nonchalantly, "Ivan bets 3,000. I still remember his high kick vividly. Komada's personality is what it is. No matter how strong his physique is, his chin can't withstand a high kick!"

Upon hearing this, his companion chuckled and said, "I think it's unlikely. Look at Komada's physique; his arms are thicker than Ivan's legs. If he grabs Ivan, he won't win... I'll bet four thousand on Komada!"

Similar exchanges were heard throughout the crowd. Some people were quickly calculating odds on the back of their betting slips, while others made quick phone calls to place additional bets after a brief comparison of the two individuals' condition and apparent strength.

Some people were already slightly drunk and had no interest in pursuing a doctorate. They were just holding whiskey glasses and shouting encouragement towards the crowd, literally bloodthirsty spectators.

As the person involved, Yoshitake Keiro simply stayed in the back where things were calm, his gaze sweeping around.

Nogi Hideki, who was opposite him, was similar. Although he looked very relaxed, his eyes were scanning the surrounding spectators.

Because Kengan Arena involves huge commercial interests every time, once a new member shows his talent, fighters and even bosses from other companies will come to watch the match and gather information.

In a continuous struggle like this, competitors usually try to ascertain relevant information about their rivals in advance.

And that Sakura-sou charcoal-grilled meat... didn't they come?

This struck Nogi Hideki as somewhat unbelievable.

For both Nogi Group and Yoshibu Real Estate, the lease rights to shops worth 300 to 500 million yen are a minor matter and don't require much effort.

The reason why both presidents and CEOs have come out in this way is that Katahara Metsudo personally requested the arrival of a competitor.

This was undoubtedly a special signal for the veterans of the Kengan Association. It could be basically understood as the chairman, Metsudo Katahara, sending them a message like, "A meat-eating guy is coming~ Keep your eyes peeled and pay attention~".

Nogi Hideki did have some new ideas about the current situation of the Kengan Association, which is why he specifically took the time to participate in this match, which could only be considered a small-budget event.

But now it seems they didn't come at all?

While Nogi Hideki and Yoshitake Keiro were still hesitating, on the other side, in the circular open space, the referee raised his hand, signaling both sides to take their positions.

Ivan stretched his shoulders, his toes lightly tapping the ground in a quick and rapid rhythm. Komada, on the other hand, simply stared coldly at Ivan. His massive body resembled a small mountain of muscles, and with each warm-up, his heavy breathing caused the muscles of his entire upper body to ripple slightly, making him look quite intimidating.

But just as the two were getting into the zone, a commotion and shoving arose from the crowd nearby.

Someone wants to squeeze into the front row? That's the first thought for most people. After all, apart from major official events, there are never any seats in similar underground fights. It's all about standing high and seeing far, or squeezing into the front row based on your skills.

But soon, people realized that the person wasn't trying to squeeze in, and didn't even make any big movements; he simply walked forward with his hands in his pockets and a calm expression.

For some unknown reason, the person's upper body and face were almost entirely bathed in pitch black, with only their eyes shining brightly, unabashedly radiating an indescribable sense of oppression.

As the person walked, an invisible aura spread with each step, accompanied by a sense of oppression that made it difficult to breathe.

Simply walking straight ahead, without even speaking or reaching out, causes the wall of people in front of them to involuntarily sway to the sides, separate, squeeze, and push.

Hearing the commotion, Nogi Hideki's face also showed a look of great interest.

As Yuan Chen moved forward, when Nogi Hideki sensed the pervasive aura, he noticed something, and his brows furrowed slightly.

Although it was only their first meeting and they hadn't even made a move yet... Nogi Hideki, as the helmsman of the Nogi Group, a business with a 400-year history, had already sensed something more subtle.

Meanwhile, Yoshitake Keiro, the president of Ego Realty, stared with even greater seriousness at the figure emerging from the crowd, his expression changing rapidly.

As he stepped out of the crowd and into the spotlight, people finally saw what the man, who had been shrouded in shadow, actually looked like.