Biscuit Oliva.
Just as Hanma Yujiro is known as the strongest creature on Earth, Oliva is hailed as the freest man in the world.
He lives in a prison.
Yet he enjoys five-star hotel treatment.
He can come and go freely.
And like Yujiro Hanma, he is one of the extraordinary monsters of the Baki world.
However, unlike Yujiro's extreme violence, or Kaku Kaioh's supreme technique, Oliva's defining trait-
Or rather, the only thing he truly possesses-
Is muscle.
Oliva's muscles function like an exoskeleton.
They grant him terrifying strength.
And overwhelming defense.
So-
"Just as I used the most brutal way to fight Yujiro Hanma head-on, and chose technique to suppress strength against Kaioh Kaku..."
Jaden spoke calmly.
"...against you, Oliva, I won't use technique."
"I'll defeat you using only the most fundamental physical ability."
Jaden wasn't short.
Nor was he weak.
But standing in front of Oliva, he still looked several sizes smaller.
If anyone else had said this, Oliva wouldn't have cared.
But the one saying it was Jaden Yuki.
The man who had consecutively defeated Yujiro Hanma and Kaioh Kaku.
So even Oliva had to take him seriously.
Even so-
Just as Kaku Kaioh laughed when Jaden said he would defeat him with technique, Oliva felt underestimated when he heard Jaden say he would rely purely on physical ability.
Despite his rough appearance, Oliva was actually a gentleman.
He didn't get angry over such things.
He even smiled, extending his hand toward Jaden.
"If it's you, then you do seem qualified to say something like that."
He didn't tell Jaden to give it his all.
Because those words weren't meant to be spoken.
-He would show Jaden in battle how foolish that confidence really was.
"However," Oliva continued, "if we fight directly here, the venue isn't quite suitable."
"If you're not in a hurry, I'll take responsibility for arranging the location."
"What do you think?"
Jaden looked at Oliva's outstretched hand.
He shook it, smiling.
"As long as we can fight, I don't care."
"Even if you invite TV stations, that's fine."
"But I hope the venue you choose won't disappoint me."
Oliva's smile widened.
"You can rest assured."
"The venue I prepare will definitely not disappoint you."
And just like that, the matter was settled.
Jaden and Baki stayed behind temporarily while Oliva went to make arrangements.
After arriving at the residence Oliva had arranged, Baki finally spoke.
"Jaden..."
"If it's a fight, shouldn't it be possible anytime?"
"This kind of preparation... you're not planning to put on some kind of spectacle, right?"
"Like monkeys being watched?"
Baki genuinely didn't understand the friendly discussion before the fight.
In his view, if you were going to fight Oliva, you should just do it.
Learn a little.
Find an opening.
If the opponent fought back, hit them.
If they didn't-
There was always a way to make them fight.
Jaden listened and shook his head.
"Baki, honestly... I didn't think about any of that."
"Whether we fight immediately or find a venue doesn't matter to me."
"As long as we fight, everything else is irrelevant."
He paused.
"What I care about more is what I'm enjoying."
Baki froze.
"...Enjoying what?"
Jaden nodded.
He took two bites of the lobster Oliva had sent over.
Then he set down his cutlery, slightly disappointed.
"Yes."
"It's like eating at a high-end restaurant."
"You're here for the main course."
"So it doesn't matter whether there's an appetizer before it."
"Or dessert afterward."
"Or a drink in between."
"If those things are there, fine."
"If not, and they serve the main course directly, that's fine too."
"Because I'm only here to enjoy the main course."
"That's all."
"As long as the chef is willing to serve it."
"If he refuses to serve the main course..."
"That's when there's a problem."
After explaining this much, Jaden continued eating.
Not wasting food was basic courtesy.
Perhaps because he'd eaten too much of Erina's cooking-
These so-called high-end dishes felt very ordinary to him.
Some were even bordering on not very tasty.
Alas.
Thinking about it, he was already looking forward to Erina's seafood rice.
It shouldn't be long now.
If Oliva arranged things the same way he did in the original timeline-bringing in television stations-
Then the impact this time would be massive.
Defeating Yujiro Hanma had already completed more than a third of the mission.
After that, defeating Kaioh Kaku publicly.
And now, Oliva.
Once Oliva fell, the influence should be enough.
Then he could end this business trip.
And go home.
If even after defeating Oliva the influence still wasn't sufficient-
-Then he'd figure something out with Pickle and Miyamoto Musashi.
Jaden thought through these things calmly.
Meanwhile, Baki cut his steak, still replaying Jaden's words in his mind.
He couldn't fully understand Jaden's thinking.
The only word that lingered was-
"Enjoyment."
Enjoying what?
Did he himself have anything he was enjoying?
Or...
When he had fought for his mother.
For his father.
What had he been enjoying then?
Baki felt like he almost understood.
But whenever he tried to put it into words, it slipped away.
Jaden glanced at him and shook his head faintly.
-Baki was still too young.
Still, since he had inherited this world's memories.
And since he and Baki shared that "childhood friend" relationship here-
Jaden didn't mind giving him a little guidance.
But that kind of thing couldn't be rushed.
For now-
-It was better to finish the old man's mission first.