A Long Night

"I'm here for your boss, not for you."

Instead of being afraid of having his finger broken, the man decided that it would make much more sense to punch me in the face.

I, of course, responded to his bravery in kind by using his finger to direct the internal motion of his body downwards, causing the man to drop down to his knees.

'It's no Aiki, but you can achieve something pretty similar with mastery of Chinese Kenpo alone.'

The man was trapped, unable to fight back while having his whole body shackled down onto the floor. Even when the man tried his best to break his own finger to escape my grasp, I didn't relent, applying further pressure on the man's body, incapacitating him further.

"You're certainly brave, Chiharu," I leaned closer to the man's face and began talking into his ear, "but bravery without strength is meaningless."

I finally released the man from my hold when I saw the figure who had just come down the stairs to respond to all the recent commotion.

Proud.

There were many words I could use to describe the man standing in front of me, but that was my choice for today, especially after witnessing his appearance in person.

Despite the countless scars across his body and the immense pain he must have endured, he never faltered. His honor prevented him from ever falling. Just like the tattoo covering his back represented, he was the embodiment of the 'Standing Man.'

The legendary Kaoru Hanayama.

The man with enough grip strength to tear a chunk out of a deck of playing cards. The man with enough bravery to keep standing in the face of a flash grenade. A man who could fight a hungry great white shark in the water barehanded and not just survive, but win.

The same man was currently standing in front of me, calmly taking off his glasses to store into his white suit's front pocket, and spitting out the cigarette in his mouth, causing it to fall to the floor.

'Finally, some fun!'

He walked closer, facing me directly...

We exchanged a glance, staring into each other's eyes, studying each other's strength, not as if it would have mattered to the man regardless.

However, he understood my feelings instantly with but a glance, both my respect for his raw strength as well as my greed to see it for myself.

As if being moved by my heartfelt request, he took a stance that was reminiscent of a bear before it attacks, but unlike the one I faced before, this one was the real deal.

'Not even a polar bear would be anywhere close to a match for him.'

He got ready, turning his upper body fully around to the point his fists touched the floor, getting in his "pitcher's stance" to land his signature move.

The Yakuza Punch.

It utilized one of the most fundamental formulas in fighting, one that I was very familiar with from my past life.

Grip strength X Body weight X Speed = Destructive Force

I could feel it, the raw destructive force carried by that man in that punch. Destructive force that I would never be able to emulate with my current strength alone.

'This man, who's overemphasizing offense to the extreme, who's giving no thought to the possibility of a counter, giving no thought to reciprocation, can I really match him in strength?'

As if answering my question, my [Willful Eye] skill activated out of reflex to warn me of the danger of his strike, showing me the image of a tank being loaded with its shell before getting ready to fire.

However, I still wasn't going to dodge, that would defeat the whole point.

It would have been too easy dodging the man's attack or pulling his hand into an over-the-head throw, using the man's own strength against him to knock him out.

'But where would be the fun in that?'

I was frustrated after having met so many masters with such natural strength housed within their bodies. Master Ryuu, Mr. Oliva, especially him, they were all blessed, gifted by mother nature to possess powerful bodies.

Although I respected Master Kaku more than words could express, especially what he stood for, even he agreed that martial arts should be used for the weak to defend themselves from the strong. They were merely tricks that were used by the weak to win.

However, I didn't want to just emulate strength, I wanted to become stronger. Exchanging blows with this treasure of a man, in a contest of stamina rather than skill, it would be exhilarating.

'I finally get it, Baki, why you lost that fight against Pickle. Wanting to prove that you were truly strong, such a selfish man you are.'

However, despite being faced with the reality of the situation, I did not relent my greed as we exchanged punches based on strength alone.

As expected, the man was barely fazed while I flew across the building, flying through the glass doors and crashing onto the empty street, finally able to register the true impact of his strength. Lying down on my back, my nose doused in blood, I managed to barely stay conscious despite the blow.

'Wait—I'm still conscious?'

Despite the pain in my face, despite this familiar iron taste in my mouth, I was too pissed to care about my current condition.

Fueled solely by my rage, by the adrenaline pumping through my veins, I stood up and despite the countless warning signs displayed by my body to run away, I stayed in place to burn off my rage.

"YOU FUCKER! Going easy on me!"

I was infuriated, having my opponent show care for my well-being during a fight.

It was humiliating.

'This bastard, calling me weak!'

I walked back into the building, which was now without front doors, and walked straight up to the man, looking back into his eyes with murder.

He seemed to understand my plight once again, getting back into his initial stance. However, I would not give him another chance to show me his appreciation.

'He thinks I'm this weak, going as far as holding back against me, fine!'

"I'll show you the strength of the weak."

Vowing to use every trick that I had at my disposal, I decided to reveal to the man my emulation of his strength.

It didn't matter anymore, the supposed honor within this 'fist fight' shattering the moment the man decided to hold back his strength.

Thus, I took a stance of my own, putting my hands in my pockets to continue our next exchange.

'[Hand Pocket]'

However, that wasn't nearly enough, only ensuring that I would hit my opponent first. 'Even Xiao Li isn't enough.'

Thus, I continued adding tricks to my next attack wanting to show the man the true capabilities of my 'strength.'

'Yes, I'll use that too.'

Thus I punched forward, utilizing Xiao Li, Goutaijutsu, and even a little bit of muscle control that I learned earlier today from Mr. Unchained.

I controlled my body perfectly and directed every ounce of strength that my body was capable of generating into my blow, despite being 'weak'.

As expected, my punch struck first, while at the same time, I instinctively dodged his strike despite how much pain it caused me to do so.

'I want to see it for myself, the result of my strength.'

And it was worth it, shamefully choosing to not receive the man's punch, despite all of the time and care he put into it.

'I saw it, despite how quickly it faded away, I definitely saw it.'

I felt accomplished, seeing the man's legs stagger for but a moment before standing tall once again, refusing to fall no matter what.

After all, that was just the type of man he was.

The Standing Man, Kaoru Hanayama.

As much as I wanted to continue this fight, and as much as I could continue lying to myself about the reasoning behind my actions till now, I just couldn't do it anymore.

I didn't want to win a fight with such a great man, like this, winning the match by utilizing my 'tricks'.

Upon seeing my now calm and focused state, the man decided his work here was done and turned to walk back upstairs to his office.

Taking the hint, I also turned to leave. As the adrenaline wore off, I staggered out of the 'arena,' my heart feeling far from satiated despite the damage to my body.

'Now I finally understand why those nurses in my old life were so scared of me getting addicted to those drugs.'

I walked out with a loose grin on my face, stretching both hands behind my head as I let out a yawn.

'No matter the amount I have, it's never enough, I just keep craving more.'

However, I couldn't go to bed just yet, as the night was still young, and I still had a lot left to do.

[30 minutes later]

[Unknown POV]

'Damn, how did I get so unlucky in the lots to end up taking this call.'

I was shaking from the stress, sweating immensely while worried for my safety despite being a paramedic who was supposed to save lives, I was currently worried about my own.

"Chief?", I asked the man sitting next to me while I drove the ambulance-turned-transport van. "Is it alright?"

"What?" the man seemed surprisingly calm despite the current situation.

"No, it's just there are so many police cars following us." Still, I was reassured by his attitude.

"Whatever, a patient is a patient rig-"

"THUCK"

[Kuzan POV]

"THUCK"

'Finally my second last outing of the day.' It had been a surprisingly long day, however, I had a lot to do if I wanted to achieve my goal before the Raitai tournament.

'This however, is more of a sidequest I'd say.'

Currently, I had just broken into a police-escorted ambulance by smashing through its roof and was now sitting quietly next to Kaiou Retsu in the flesh.

"Thanks for telling them to put their guns down, you know I'm here for their safety as much as for the honor of the Temple." However, no matter my words, the man refused to acknowledge my presence.

"Come on, Retsu?" I spoke in a now close and jovial tone, trying to see if that would work, which it clearly didn't.

'Fine, it'll have to be the old-fashioned way.'

"Master Retsu," I now spoke to the man with all the seriousness I could muster, as if treating everything before as a joke just to mislead the man, "I truly do apologize for my actions in the arena, they were immature."

"But you have to understand, I meant no disrespect to the teachings of Balin Temple or to its masters," the Kaiou continued to listen, as if agreeing with my statements up until now, somewhat pleased that I was finally admitting my mistake, "it's just that I, I couldn't help myself you know, when I saw you in person."

"I just had to try, but I can now see that it won't work."

'It's truly a shame.'

'Still, at least I have Katsumi, and who knows what, I may even be paired up with Master Ryuu or Master Kaku in the tournament then.'

However, Kaiou Retsu still wouldn't completely forgive me for my actions, despite understanding the reasoning behind them. It was just an avenue in a road that we didn't agree on, a crossing of hairs if you will.

He valued the teachings of the Temple and its honor above all else, while I,...

'I just want strength.'

"Oh, looks like our patient is finally awake," I directed everyone's attention to the other Kaiou in the back of the ambulance, making sure no one would 'accidentally' pull the trigger out of 'shock' at the patient's action.

After waking up, the 'former' convict disregarded our presence and moved past us, looking out of the van's window.

"Candy..." The man looked on in wonder and amazement, pointing outside the van's window as if having seen just the most beautiful thing on their little road trip.

"Candy..."

"Look, look, candy..."

One of the guards, confused by the situation finally understood what the patient was referring to, the brightly lit up and equally beautiful,

"Tokyo Tower?"

"You know Papa, only gives me two pieces of candy...", the man spoke in sadness with the cadence of a child, "I want a lot."

"Don't worry friend," I responded to the man's plight, giving him a whole jar full of candy that I had gotten used to storing with myself in the hotel just in the off chance my sister ever came to visit.

"Here."

"Candy!" the man spoke in emotion, excited for the gift he had just received.

I only smiled at the man in response to his genuine happiness, while also lamenting the loss of a great martial artist.

'From going on winning, his ego has been blocked.'

'And now that he realized he never won even once, his mind has chosen to clear itself from the ego, effectively reducing his mental age to that of a child.'

"But I need to confirm for myself." I responded to the man's unspoken question, who had long realized that I understood Dorian's condition.

I also understood the reasoning behind his transport back to the Temple for 'rehabilitation', but for both their sake and mine, I had to confirm.

Thus, I applied every theory I knew, both related to medicine and the hypnosis techniques taught to me by Master Shikai Bun, however, nothing broke the man out of his state.

I even went as far as singing his favorite song to him while imitating his own voice, hoping that it would serve as a trigger for something big.

However, I was disappointed yet again.

'Looks like I was wrong, it wasn't just him doing hypnosis on himself, he's truly broken from the inside for now at least.'

Nodding my head in sympathy for my fellow student's condition, I decided it best to leave the arrangements as they were and bid both Kaious goodbye.

'Just one last thing Kuzan, then you can go back and sleep.' I continued my work for tonight, wanting to finish it as soon as possible for an 'early' night's rest.

Thus, I sprinted to my next location, reaching it in record time.

'The Shibukawa-style dojo, named after the man who is the manifestation of modern self-defense.'

It seemed as if the old master was already expecting my arrival, choosing to greet me at the gates of the entrance instead of at the front door.

"So, young man, you finally decided to come? I hope that it wasn't meant as a sign of disrespect?"

"Oh no Master Shibukawa," I responded to the man's greeting with a small bow, while a small smile started forming on my face.

"I was simply saving the best for last."