Martial artists can never be ultimately insulted.

"As for the juvenile division... most of the thugs they come into contact with only know how to fight without any skill. They can't compare to proper fighting in terms of technique, and they are far less violent than those real, adrenaline-pumping fights."

Pegasus said, with a hint of seriousness and a touch of irritation:

"Even if the purpose is to make money, as the customer base gradually becomes fixed, the style of the fighting group will gradually become fixed, making those really rich gamblers feel that it is low and boring. At that time, the audience of the entire fighting ladder will only be the friends or acquaintances of the thugs who take the stage... other thugs."

Seeing the frustrated and overwhelmed Pegasus Nozomi, Hanaya Mina couldn't help but smile wryly and say, "We... we're just trying to make some money, right? Why does it feel like we're developing into a large-scale fighting group?"

“Yeah.” Iori Kazuka nodded in agreement. “Although I’m also very interested… the only guys I can get in touch with right now are these thugs.”

"And there's one more thing."

Yuan Chen shook his head and looked at Tianma Xiwang and the others in front of him, saying, "You lack real experience in participating in large-scale underground group competitions."

"...That's asking too much of you." Hearing Yuan Chen's words, Tianma Hope paused briefly, then sighed and said:

"You're also involved in underground fighting, so you should know this very well, right? The truly top-tier underground fighting groups are far more rigorous in their vetting of members than those large fighting groups in the mainstream world..."

Yuan Chen simply smiled, took out his phone, and showed a QR code.

Feeling puzzled, Tianma still silently scanned the code and looked at the screen.

Fighter: Yuan Chen.

Company: Sakura-sou Charcoal Grilled Meat Family Chain.

Kengan's record: 2 wins and 0 losses

Match details:

A five-year battle for the lease of shops on Ginza's central shopping street. Result: Winner. Estimated asset value: 5 million yen.

Battle for the development rights of Tianhe Commercial Street. Result: Winner. Estimated asset value: 350 billion yen.

Pegasus Hope: "...Hmm?"

Is underground fighting really that profitable? How come I didn't know that?

Volume 1: Chapter 135 - Chun-Li's Opinion

Looking at Yuan Chen's winning assets, the penniless Pegasus Hope was slightly stunned, his entire brain completely shut down.

What the hell?! Three hundred and fifty billion?!

Bombarded with astronomical figures, Pegasus instinctively thought he was seeing things, rubbed his eyes, and after confirming he wasn't mistaken, fell silent once more.

Perhaps the permanent blurred vision is due to the worsening of retinal detachment?

The moment the thought crossed his mind, Pegasus hoped to shake his head vigorously and deny it.

He knew his own situation well. He had just finished a warm-up match in the Losers Fighting event and hoped that he could feel that although he had already shown symptoms of retinal detachment, it was only in the early stages and his vision had not been damaged as a result.

Simply put, in formal competitions, there is always a risk of blindness due to intense fighting, and large groups refuse to join in order to avoid similar compensation.

Having confirmed that it wasn't a problem with his eyes, a look of disbelief flashed in Tianma's eyes as he subconsciously glanced at Yuan Chen's previous identity information—indeed, his age was indeed eighteen…

Seeing the astonishment on Tenma Nozomi's face, Iori Kazuka and Hanaya Mina exchanged a glance, then curiously leaned closer.

next moment--

"Huh?! Three hundred and fifty billion?! Am I seeing things?!"

Hanaya Mina looked astonished; her already droopy eyes widened in disbelief.

Iori Kazuka also gasped, looking at Yuan Chen and asking, "You...you're not using the competition as an excuse to sell something shady, are you?!"

Although she said that, Iori Kazuka didn't really mean it that way. After all, thanks to how they first met, Iori Kazuka knew very well how much Interpol valued Yuan Chen... especially since he had such fighting skills and cooking abilities, he was the kind of person who wouldn't starve no matter where he was thrown.

Simply for making money... with Yuan Chen's abilities, there are plenty of ways to make money.

Yuan Chen simply shrugged, offering no further comment. Of the three, it was Pegasus Nozomi, who had initially been filled with disbelief and astonishment, who was the first to recover, falling silent as he stared at the words 'Kengan Association Fighter Files' at the top of his personal information page.

Kengan Association?

Does that sound familiar? I feel like I've heard it somewhere before?

Thinking about it, Pegasus also began to recall. After a moment, he remembered that he had been diagnosed with retinal detachment and was rejected by all the fighting groups in the world. When he began to learn about underground fighting groups, he received relevant information from his seniors in his fighting gym.

Although Tenma can no longer clearly remember the detailed information his senior gave him, one thing remains very clear.

Compared to the Losers Fighting Club, which she eventually joined, Kengan Association... If the Losers Fighting Club is the lowest level of underground fighting groups, relying entirely on sex to attract the attention of those viewers, without any culture or foundation worth mentioning, and is the mud of mud in the underground fighting world, then Kengan Association is the hall of fame!

It's a palace standing in the clouds!

It is not only a hall of fame among underground fighting groups, but also a hall of fame that many martial artists in the world actively choose to use to prove themselves, hone their skills, and gain more recognition after achieving success!

Countless large multinational corporations, century-old trading companies, and technology giants compete as members in the Kengoku Association. Each competition represents a fierce battle involving millions, tens of millions, hundreds of millions, or even billions of dollars!

Even just putting Kengan Association and Loser Fighting together, Tenma Nozomi felt a sense of mismatch and inequality... because according to Kengan Association's requirements, even just wanting to obtain membership requires paying an application fee of more than 100 million yen.

Given the sheer size of the Loser Fighting community, even if all the fighters were sold off, the revenue wouldn't cover the costs of competing for membership.

And now... he's twenty-seven, unemployed, just fired from a fighting game, suffering from a detached retina, and ironically, fighting is exactly what he's most familiar with...

The other party, at eighteen years old... just started university, had already amassed 36 billion yen in assets in just two matches at the Kengan Association.

And the other party seems to want to cooperate with me?

Tianma felt his mind was completely blank, unable to process the relevant information on the scene.

Realizing this, Tenma Hikaru didn't hesitate at all, picked up the beer next to him and poured it directly over his head.

As the chilled liquor poured down his face, the sudden coolness of the summer night invigorated Pegasus.

Raising his head again and looking at Yuan Chen, Tianma asked earnestly, "Are you serious? You're not joking? You're not playing me?"

“There’s nothing about you that I could deceive you about,” Yuan Chen said calmly, shaking his head.

"The reason I did this is simply because I have no experience or interest in group management and don't want to waste my energy."

"as well as……"

After a brief silence, meeting the complex gazes of Tianma Xiwang and the others, Yuan Chen simply said, "I am quite confident in my ability to judge people."

"that……"

Seeing the silent Pegasus Nozomi and the eloquent Yuan Chen, Hanaya Mina timidly raised her hand and asked curiously, "What is the Kengan Association?"

As a weak underworld figure who only started out halfway through her career, Hanaya Mina's understanding of underground fighting is far less than that of Tenma Nozomi.

Tenma, however, did not answer Hanaya Mina's question.

Looking up, I saw that Tenma hadn't deliberately ignored Hanaya Mina; instead, she was deep in thought with her head down.

His expression was complex, his demeanor solemn, and his face tense, with his hands instinctively clenched into fists, as if he were making some important decision.

Seeing this, Iori Kazuka, who was standing to the side, seemed to remember something as well. For a moment, she became serious and fell into deep thought, but she was unable to provide Hanaya Mina with any effective clues.

Sensing Hanaya Mina's confusion, Yuan Chen chuckled and explained:

"It's just a slightly larger underground fighting group. Also, don't be fooled by the hundreds of millions or billions in asset valuations listed above. It's just for show. As a fighter, I don't get much of a share."

Upon hearing this, Hanaya Mina couldn't help but twitch her lips and retort, "Really not much? I have a feeling it might be more than I imagined..."

Yuan Chen shrugged, offering no further explanation.

Meanwhile, after a long silence, Pegasus took a deep breath and nodded firmly.

Her hair was still dripping wet, and ice-cold beer was running down her cheeks and into her collar, but she made no attempt to wipe it away.

"I did it," Tianma said forcefully, as if he had finally put down something that had been hanging in the air for a long time.

"Huh? You decided so quickly?" Hanaya Mina blinked, looking at Tenma Nozomi and then at Yuan Chen, somewhat surprised that Nozomi had decided on such an important matter so quickly.

"It's decided."

Tianma nodded and said decisively, "I already have nothing left, so I have nothing to lose. Even if I fail, it won't be worse than it is now."

As he said this, Tianma turned to Yuan Chen beside him and said, "My dream is to stand in the fighting arena! Now my eyes have betrayed me, so building an underground arena that can accommodate someone like me can fulfill my dream!"

"I don't know why you value me so much, but since you dare to say that, I dare to do it!"

As he spoke, Tianma hoped to pick up the wine glass next to him and point it at Yuan Chen.

"Then it's settled." Yuan Chen picked up his wine glass, clinked it against hers, and drank it all in one gulp.

Then, looking at the two people beside him, he asked, "Where are you two?"

"Wait a minute." Just as Yuan Chen was speaking, Chun Li unconsciously rubbed her temples.

"Regarding the establishment of an underground fighting club... I don't recall you mentioning this before?"

"Yes, it's an idea that only came to me recently, but I'm serious about it," Yuan Chen replied.

Although she had been there all along, Chun-Li only now realized that Yuan Chen wanted to establish an underground fighting club. Because she didn't know much about the situation, Chun-Li hadn't interrupted him before.

As it turns out, Yuan Chen is not only serious, but even the partners he has his eye on have decided to start working on it immediately.

Considering Yuan Chen's efficiency and focus, and hearing his answer, Chunli felt a headache coming on. But before she could say anything, Yuan Chen said, "Sister Chunli, you've been looking into Yingluo, haven't you?"

"...Yes, but what does that have to do with establishing an underground fighting club?"

Chunli looked at Yuanchen helplessly.

Yuan Chen calmly said, "Instead of searching aimlessly, let Ying Luo come out on her own."

Upon hearing this, Chunli paused for a moment, then frowned as if realizing something, and crossed her arms, looking at Yuan Chen and asking, "What's your idea?"

"Shadow Luo has been searching for young strong people all over the world. Among them, women, who have better mental aptitude than men, are constantly kidnapped, plundered, brainwashed, and then cultivated as Vega's reincarnation vessel."

"Back in September and October of the Mihara Society, I was a member of their December Unit—no one doesn't want to have more lives to spare, right? Especially an ambitious villain like Vega, who would stop at nothing to secure his own escape route."

"Male martial artists cannot be collected in large numbers due to their mental and spiritual aptitude. They can only be trained through time-consuming and laborious methods such as cloning or genetic modification. However, powerful female fighters can be directly transformed into usable backup bodies simply by undergoing brainwashing and through mental aptitude."

"Under these circumstances, a rising female underground fighting group has emerged... I'm sure Vega will make a move."

"Luring the snake out of its hole?"

Upon hearing Yuan Chen's idea, Chunli paused slightly, then a complex expression appeared between her brows, but she shook her head and said:

"No, even if the plan is feasible, if it really attracts Vega, it would be too dangerous for ordinary fighters who are accidentally drawn into this kind of incident!"

"Do not."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Chen shook his head, but this did not mean he was denying Chun Li's idea. Instead, he said, "I am only explaining the potential risks involved, which does not mean I will listen to you."

"Ah Chen!" Hearing Yuan Chen say this, Chun Li frowned, which was rare for her.

"Don't be so nervous, Chunli." Seeing Chunli's worried expression, Yuan Chen shook his head again.

"Even without other reasons, given the unique nature of the Battle Realm, it's only a matter of time before powerful martial artists are discovered and attract attention. Otherwise, Baroque wouldn't have found us so easily."

"Moreover, it's just a women's fighting arena. Even if the Shadow Luo organization notices it, Vega won't take action personally. Instead, he'll send his female subordinates to infiltrate and investigate. In the process, we can rescue many poor people who have been brainwashed by Vega through his mental power."

Hearing that this could help many people brainwashed by Vega, Chun-Li hesitated, but still frowned and said, "But... the risk is too great."

"There are always risks, or rather, if we really want to avoid risks, the first thing we should do is leave the Battle Realm."

Yuan Chen appeared calm: "The conventional underground fighting arena is already saturated, and I'm more used to fighting on the spot rather than enduring the hardship until the day of the competition... In comparison, the women's underground fighting arena is a good breakthrough."

As he said this, Yuan Chen turned to Han Zhuli, who had initially been idle but had become completely focused and attentive after hearing that it might attract Ying Luo's attention:

"Winning the championship in the women's fighting arena, besides honing one's martial arts skills, would likely quickly attract the attention of Shadow Luo, and even lead to their recruitment."

Upon hearing this, Han Zhuli also looked at Yuan Chen, and after a moment, a slightly arrogant smile appeared on her lips.

Clearly, what Yuan Chen said was exactly what Han Zhuli wanted to hear.

Whether it's vying for first place or letting those shadowy figures emerge on their own...

Seeing Yuan Chen's firm attitude, Chun Li didn't know what to say for a moment.

Chunli knew very well that if Yuan Chen decided to do it, then Yuan Chen would definitely do it...

And, although she didn't know why she thought that way, feeling Yuan Chen's gaze, Chunli inexplicably felt that Yuan Chen would definitely succeed.

Just like the things Yuan Chen did before.

Although he is nominally my sworn brother and seems to need my care, in reality, whether it's physical ability, physiological condition, or mental resolve, he's already a man...

"...I might need to tell my father."

Chunli sighed helplessly.

"Then I'll take that as a yes." Yuan Chen shrugged, then looked at Iori Ichika and the others beside him and said, "So? What are your thoughts?"

"It sounds like it's very profitable?" Mina Hanaya said with great interest.