Jaden's crossing had been dreamlike.
So during his descent into the Baki world, he naturally received the memories belonging to this world.
At first, based on his previous experiences with crossing, Jaden assumed the memories would be something like a game's background story-fragmented, distant, easy to separate from himself.
But reality shattered that assumption immediately.
Because this time-
He arrived with an identity directly tied to a key character.
With no mental preparation at all.
"Yuki? I didn't think you'd participate in this tournament too."
The moment Jaden stepped into the contestants' waiting room, Hanma Baki visibly froze. Then he took the initiative to walk over.
The reason was simple.
-They were classmates.
Or at least, in Baki's eyes, they were.
Through the implanted memories, Jaden learned that he and Hanma Baki had always been in the same class. From elementary school onward, they had attended the same schools, year after year. Calling them not-so-close childhood friends wouldn't be wrong.
That was why Baki came over the moment he saw him.
"This can't be helped," Jaden said. "If it were any other kind of competition, I probably wouldn't have come. But the 'Strongest on Earth Tournament'..."
"...That's not something I can skip."
Hearing that, Hanma Baki slowly smiled.
"That doesn't really sound like the you I know."
Then, his expression changed.
Instantly.
It was as if something dormant had awakened. Like a beast shedding its restraint and returning to nature. This was Hanma Baki's true state.
"But Yuki," Baki said seriously, "don't underestimate this tournament."
His tone was sincere. He was genuinely warning Jaden.
But when he saw that Jaden wasn't affected at all by the pressure he released, Baki relaxed again. The seriousness faded, replaced by his usual smile. He reached out and gave Jaden a light pat on the shoulder.
"I didn't expect you to be this strong."
"In that case, I'll see you in the arena."
With that, Hanma Baki turned and left.
Outside the arena, he wasn't the type to talk much anyway.
Still, for some reason, today he felt an unusual sense of closeness toward this old classmate. That was why he had gone out of his way to warn him.
But once he confirmed that Jaden wasn't weak-
He immediately went back to warming up.
After all-
-The man he reluctantly called his father might show up just for fun.
So.
He didn't have time to dwell on trivial things.
The tawny belt was inlaid with countless pieces of gold. At its very center was a golden lion's head.
In the Baki world, it was rumored to be the belt worn by successive champions of unarmed martial arts.
Its market value was measured in billions.
But-
"It means nothing if it's bought with money," Tokugawa Mitsunari, the thirteenth head of the Tokugawa family, had said upon obtaining it.
"Bring me someone truly worthy of wearing this belt. No matter where they are."
And so-
This tournament was born.
A competition to determine the Strongest on Earth.
At present, the tournament was in its selection phase.
There were no spectators in the underground arena. Tokugawa himself was watching, personally selecting participants for the main event from among those who had applied-fighters seeking the title of the world's strongest, or simply people curious enough, or free enough, to attend.
Officially, thirty-two fighters were to be chosen.
But in reality, a considerable number of them had already been selected.
Tokugawa had personally handpicked many of them.
On top of the thirty-two, there were also four alternates. If any of the main fighters were too badly injured to continue, these alternates would take their place.
Counting those, nearly ten participants were effectively predetermined.
Of course, these individuals had records. Strength. Tokugawa knew them well.
As for everyone else-
-They had to fight their way in.
And Jaden clearly belonged to that group.
Because before his arrival, the version of him in this world had been completely ordinary.
No fighting records.
No competitive background.
Before Jaden crossed over, this body hadn't even watched a proper fight.
And the underground tournament Tokugawa hosted was one where almost all forbidden techniques were allowed-everything except weapons.
There was no chance an ordinary person could sneak into such a competition.
Still, many ordinary people came anyway.
Some truly believed they were strong.
Some were chunibyo types attracted to the title of "Strongest on Earth."
Others were greedy opportunists eyeing the belt's astronomical value, hoping for a miracle.
Tokugawa didn't completely shut the door on such people.
If someone could truly stand out in the selection matches, even if they appeared weaker than the professional martial artists, he would allow them in.
For example-
Two participants with no formal martial arts background had already been accepted.
One was Hanayama Kaoru, a street-fighting expert.
The other was Shibukawa Goki-no, Shibachiharu, whose raw strength was clearly inferior to the others. Yet he passed the selection, so Tokugawa let him participate.
There were also kings of street fighting.
Professional hitmen.
So if Jaden truly passed the selection, Tokugawa had no objection to giving him a slot.
At first, Tokugawa watched with mild interest.
He came to observe. To see skill. To see talent.
He even held a faint hope for a surprise.
But he didn't expect much.
Then-
After one minute.
No-after perhaps only thirty seconds-
His expression changed completely.
"Let him participate!"
Tokugawa's voice carried undisguised excitement.
His eyes never left the arena.
Jaden stood calmly at the center of the ring.
Around him-
More than thirty fighters lay twisted on the ground.
This wasn't a round-robin.
They had attacked him all at once.
And in an instant-
Every fighter used for the selection was down.
The young man standing there seemed to have done nothing more than glare at them.
Even Tokugawa felt that this description might be exaggerated.
And yet-
At that moment, he genuinely believed it.
He even felt that-
Even if the underground arena champion, Hanma Baki, were here.
Even if Doppo Orochi, the leader of Shinshinkai and the so-called God of Martial Arts, were here.
No-
Tokugawa suddenly felt like he had lost his mind.
Because-
-He felt that even if the Strongest Creature on Earth appeared, this young man would still be capable of fighting him.
After all-
He was too strong.