Story 1, Martial Glory Chapter 10

The worlds of Baki and Kengan Ashura were weird ones honestly. Their worlds humanity had instead of later on for the most part disdaining actual fighting outside of sporting events had embraced fighting completely.

In the streets of Tokyo teenager delinquent gangs clashed daily for territory, daily, if not several times a day across the city, adult yakuza gangs clashed in far more bloody battles for territory and prizes. Prizes were for the gang and more particularly their fighter representative in any from money, territory, drugs, or even high-class women who loved sleeping with the strong-blooded fighters who were still in a combat high.

This was a world of modern cavemen and tribes that included multibillion-dollar companies that would use fighters to set the stakes for deals between other companies or even hostile takeovers, with the people who renege on these deals and fights ending up dead along with their families and anyone close to them to send a message to the world.

Just on the way to the shopping mall with Honoka leading me through the crowded streets, I saw no less than nine fights break out from people bumping into one another while on the street to say nothing of more serious offenses. And unlike in Baki and Kengan, with the inclusion of Dead or Alive and Kenichi, it seemed there were more female fighters who were fully capable of taking a punch and giving bone-breaking blows in turn as when we entered the mall I saw a woman kicking the shit out of some dude who apparently had tried to steal her purse...

"So any particular style you looking for?" Honoka asked me excitedly as we danced around the shoppers and at her question I smiled as an image came to my mind.

"I got an idea," I said mysteriously, and then she raised an eyebrow before giggling and grabbed my hand to pull me into a kinda sporty clothes store with a large selection.

Honoka looked around and pointed out some stuff to me while she spoke. "Anyway Jake, this store sells fighter-quality clothes so when someone grabs you, your clothes won't rip or stretch as easily." She explained and I nodded before my small smile became wide as I saw it.

I grabbed a couple sets of black compression turtle neck long sleeve shirts and with some white sweat pants and the white martial arts Gi I would typically wear, I had my new style. I may not have had Garou's broken limiter or his anime hair but I liked his style so as I came out of the dressing room wearing the same style of clothes as Garou from One Punch Man, Honoka's eyes lit up seeing me.

"Ooh! Now that's snazzy. It's minimalist, but you look confident and... It just fits honestly." She finished with a nod making me snort as not only Garou but even Silver Fang used to wear a similar style back in his prime and as basically his successor...

There was nothing wrong about cribbing some style from my master before I could find my own style. Getting everything else in the mall, like toothbrushes and other stuff went fine as I had enough money to pay for it all thankfully with my reincarnation allowance. It was only after we were leaving the mall that things became an issue.

As just outside the mall was a half circle of motorcycles that were arrayed in front of the mall and although the yakuza were allowing people to pass through within out issue it was clear there was an issue as Honoka groaned at the sight before trying to put on a nonchalant expression as she hissed. "Quick we gotta get past them!" She hissed as she held my arm and buried her face into my shoulder to hide her appearance as though to appear my lover or something.

But her hopes were shattered as one of the bikers who was looking around pointed his baseball bat at us and roared. "Ora! Boss, your girl is there and with that fucking dude our boys saw!" He roared and I mentally cursed this world's anime hair as Honoka's bright pink hair wasn't something easily missed especially if you were looking for it.

Motorcycles revved to life and began circling us as the people coming in and out of the surprisingly didn't scream about calling the police or whatever... Nope, they just instantly whipped out their damned flip phones and began filming and taking pictures of what was happening.

And weaving in and around the circling motorcycles skillfully was a beast of a motorcycle that didn't roar like the other cycles like lions establishing its territory, no this motorcycle was a deep strumming bass that touched your heart and it was actually a tricycle with what sounded like damned mustang engine or something in it.

"Sorry to get you involved Jake," Honoka said forlornly as I took a breath to steady myself as I saw the dozens of men all armed with chains wrapped around their arms, clubs or baseball bats held in their hands, or other melee weapons. Finally, the leader's motorcycle cut off and in unison, all the others tilted their wheels to the side so their slow rotations around us stopped and their engines cut off as well with the leader taking off his ornate shining helmet that had large metal spikes welded atop the helmet.

Dear gods... He looked like a Yakuza's version of a Hell's Angel, and the thought almost made me burst out into giggles if it wasn't for how the man was built like an actual strongman with a large beer gut that would hold deceptive strength. "Boy... You get one chance, walk home on your own legs and never speak to my girl again or you will spend the next few weeks in the hospital." He said slowly but clearly and I looked at Honoka to ask if he was being serious and she just nodded while rolling her eyes.

Instead of myself answering Honoka seemingly decided to state the situation in how she told the man off. "David, I already said I have zero interest in you... I don't like beards, I don't like a beer gut, and you smell like you thought washing your hands in Axe Body spray was the best way to wash your hands when coming out of the biker bathroom!" Honoka snarled at the end and the man apparently named David... Which was weird as he was clearly Japanese.

The man merely shook his head and his eyes remained locked on me as he drawled in his grave voice as he walked over to me from his motorcycle. "Well, boy... What are you going to do?" He demanded as he squared up with me and... Dear fucking gods Honoka was right.

It smelled like he decided that merely spraying the can of body spray onto himself wasn't enough and actually decided to stab the can with a knife and just lather himself with the actual liquid form with the harsh scent making my nose actually sting.

I couldn't help but cough as I could literally taste the scent entering my mouth and the man's lips tightened with his hand holding his helmet tensed... But I spoke and his whole frame froze. "Dude I literally live and train with Honoka, if you swing that helmet at me I am going to kick your ass and take your keys as the prize of this Kengan fight," I said and the whole crowd froze at my invocation of the hallowed words.

Kengan matches while technically illegal just as were all fighting, but just like in many places in the world, agreed upon mutual combat, with stakes bet upon was perfectly legal and the most popular form of gambling... And to back out of a Kengan match was the biggest humiliation for any organization as this little gang was most assuredly, with how each of the bikers had a large patch on the back of their jacket depicting their alignment to this whatever Red Dragon Gang apparently.

And none of these bikers wanted to be part of the gang that punked out in a challenge against a single person.

"And what do I get if I win." The biker said with his voice losing its possessive edge towards Honoka and becoming business-like.

In response, I held up my credit card. "I will pay in cold hard cash," I said tilting my head at the ATM against the mall entrance. With the stakes set as the leader snorted but nodded the bikers howled in excitement just as the other spectators did. While Honoka stepped closer with how 'David' had moved away.

"Jake, you didn't have to do this." She whispered with a frown but I shook my head as I smiled.

"Nope Honoka, I didn't." I agreed but I continued with a winning smile. "But riding the bus home and around everywhere is going to be a pain in the ass... That bike is pretty damn cool, even though it's going to need a repaint!" I said excitedly and she realized my game broke into giggles with her lightly slapping my arm and rolling her eyes.

"Oh and here I was thinking you liked me and were defending my honor." She playfully pouted and I nodded with a wink as I retorted.

"Yeah, scoring some brownie points with you is just the icing on the cake. Now skedaddle, it looks like he is going to beat me to death with his helmet already." I said with a wry smile as I wasn't joking at all at how David's face and go red with rage at how Honoka was almost being flirtatious with me.