When the world-recognized Strongest invites globally famous martial artists, what does it usually mean?
If one followed conventional logic...
It would either be a large-scale tournament.
Or a discussion about something important.
Those two possibilities would normally be the most likely.
But-
"You invited us here just to watch a movie?"
Ohma looked at Jaden, clearly surprised.
Jaden shrugged calmly.
"Watch the movie first. We can talk about other things afterward."
Ohma had reacted like this when he first arrived.
Raian Kure had reacted the same way.
And every martial artist who came received the same response from Jaden.
That alone made them curious about the movie.
After all-
As they thought about it, several of the world-famous martial artists quietly glanced at Jaden.
This man was the World's Strongest.
There had to be some deeper meaning behind this.
With that thought, they sat down in the reserved screening room and began watching.
At the very start, Kengan Ashura: Demon Lance played a brief introduction.
And immediately, many people's attention was captured.
The opening scene showed a martial artist with a monstrous physique-
"The Wild Tiger"-
Lying defeated on the ground after being beaten by a lean young man.
"'The Wild Tiger'?"
Takeshi Wakatsuki shouted exaggeratedly, then immediately turned his gaze toward Ohma.
Ohma scratched his ear, completely unconcerned.
"Mr. Wakatsuki, you're being a bit emotional," Ohma said casually. "It's just a movie. Niko doesn't even know you. Don't take it so seriously."
Takeshi Wakatsuki snorted coldly and turned his attention back to the screen.
Then-
"'The Kure Clan'?"
Raian Kure's eyes widened.
"Hmph! This technique-Removal-was developed specifically to counter the Kure Clan! It's even stronger than your so-called hundred percent!"
Raian immediately grabbed Ohma by the collar.
"Hey. You don't actually think you can beat me, do you?"
Ohma smiled lightly.
"Only people lacking confidence react like that, right? It's just a movie. Why are you getting so worked up~"
"I-Hmph!"
Raian let go and said nothing more.
What followed was basically more of the same.
Scene after scene of the young man using the Niko Style to defeat various martial artists.
Raising his fist.
Declaring loudly-
The Niko Style is the strongest.
Ohma clenched his fist and laughed openly.
Earlier, whenever others reacted strongly to seeing their characters defeated, he had brushed it off-
It's fiction. Or what, are you scared you'd really lose to me?
But when it was his turn to be immersed-
It felt amazing.
Ohma wasn't the only one watching closely.
The other martial artists, seeing him laugh without restraint, quietly clenched their fists.
He kept saying it was fictional.
But he hadn't stopped smiling for even a second.
Anger.
Pure anger.
Some of them even thought that if Jaden suggested holding a tournament later, and they ended up facing Ohma-
They would absolutely beat him senseless.
Ohma didn't care.
After all, even if everyone else had grown stronger...
So had he.
Only-
At that moment, Ohma's gaze shifted toward Jaden.
And on the screen, the movie reached a critical scene.
The previously confident young man lay on the ground, staring up at the back of the figure standing above him.
With his last bit of strength, he raised a hand and shouted-
"Why are you so strong, Demon Lance!?"
The martial artists who had been furious earlier burst into laughter.
Ohma spread his hands.
"See? Movies are fictional. I don't care at all. Your reactions earlier were way too dramatic."
The others rolled their eyes.
Of course you don't care.
You couldn't beat Jaden anyway.
What's there to be upset about?
The opening segment completely hooked them.
What followed was the story of the Niko Style user failing in the Kengan Annihilation Tournament.
Training desperately.
Then, due to certain events, seeking out Magic Spear Jaden Yuki once more for a rematch.
Watching this, Ohma glanced at Jaden, perhaps a little too invested, and smiled.
"Yuki, do you think the Niko Style will win here?"
He immediately added-
"Of course, it's just fiction. Don't take it seriously."
Jaden smiled slowly.
"Fiction, huh?"
"Yeah... but I think this movie is actually pretty realistic."
Ohma froze.
Then his smile widened uncontrollably.
The other martial artists quietly rolled up their sleeves.
But before anyone could speak-
The movie reached its climax.
The battle intensified.
Just as the young man was about to collapse, he broke through his limits.
Something changed within his body.
He felt the power surging through him, disbelief written all over his face.
Then he shouted at Jaden Yuki-
"Why... why do I have your power!?"
On screen, Jaden Yuki replied calmly-
"Because I am your father."
Pfft!
The room exploded with laughter.
Every martial artist who had been angry at Ohma lost it.
Even Jaden was laughing.
Ohma stood up abruptly.
His eyes widened.
His mouth opened and closed several times.
No words came out.
Finally-
"No... there's something wrong with this plot!"
At the same time, the martial artists beside him spoke in perfect unison.
"Movies are all fiction. Don't take it too seriously."
I...
For the first time, Ohma felt the same frustration the others had felt earlier.
He sat back down.
Together with everyone else, he silently waited for the credits.
No one left.
Every single one of them stared at the screen with deadly seriousness.
They wanted to know-
Who wrote this?
Then they saw the name.
Eri Kashiwagi.
Aside from Muteba, who seemed to realize something and gave a helpless smile, everyone else frowned.
Who was that?
A pen name?
It had to be an insider.
Otherwise, how could they know so much?
Just as they were thinking-
Another line appeared in the credits.
Plot Consultant: Setsuna Kiryu
Got him.
Every martial artist in the room-including Ohma-looked murderous.
No one spoke.
But they all reached the same silent agreement.
-Once they got back, they were going to find Setsuna Kiryu.
And beat him up.