Chapter 196: The Disciple's Privilege
On the street outside the courtyard wall stood a massive tree.
The brilliant afternoon sun spilled through the leaves, casting dappled,
shifting shadows across the courtyard of the Soul Combat Hub. Within those
shadows, swirling ink-wash lines coalesced into a sitting, meditative phantom. A
long, red headband was tied around his forehead.
As a light breeze blew past, the ends of the headband fluttered, trailing
ethereal lines into the air...
Ryu had been waiting for a long time.
[...]
In contrast to the tranquility of the courtyard, the atmosphere inside the
training room was a scene of total chaos.
The floor was covered in pools of sweat and scattered with tiny fibers. The
heavy bag, which had been brand-new just hours ago, was now a tattered wreck,
stained with sweat and smears of blood.
Inside, Ren Shiroki was pushed to the brink of physical collapse. He gasped for
air, his chest heaving, the bandages on his limbs completely soaked through. In
terms of pure physical exhaustion, Ren felt as though he had just survived a
battle to the death!
Yet, as he looked at Ryu in the courtyard, Ren couldn't help but bare his teeth
in a raspy, joyful whisper:
"Nice... That's perfect..."
He tried to step forward, but his legs buckled, nearly sending him sprawling.
[ENGINE]—MAX OUTPUT!
His pupils vibrated violently as bloodshot veins spread across his eyes like
chains. His intense willpower overrode his failing nervous system, squeezing out
the final drops of his stamina. Ren managed to push open the door and step out
into the yard.
The afternoon sun hit his skin—warm, comforting, and incredibly real.
[...]
Ryu opened his eyes. He looked toward Sagat inside the building. Seeing the
"Emperor" turn his head away—clearly not wanting to lock eyes with his old
rival—Ryu gave a knowing, faint smile.
He stood up, slowly tightening his fists as he faced Ren.
[Come. Let us spar.]
The moment the words left his lips—
Whoosh!
Ren and Ryu launched simultaneous side-kicks. Their shins collided mid-air with
a heavy thud, sending a spray of ink-wash lines into the air.
Without breaking rhythm, both men retracted their legs and twisted their waists,
firing off secondary kicks from the opposite side. Then, simultaneously, they
drove their feet into the ground and lunged forward, unleashing a synchronized
straight punch.
[DRIVE IMPACT]!
BOOM!
The two fists collided head-on. The shockwave forced both men back. Ryu slid a
few inches, but Ren was sent reeling, stumbling several paces and nearly falling
over.
[This is the [ENGINE]...]
[Relying on sheer conscious will to forcibly drive the body, maximizing the
output of every strike while stripping away the unconscious self. Total
synchronization of mind and action.]
Ryu whispered the analysis as he suddenly glided forward, unleashing a
lightning-fast barrage of punches and kicks.
Zip-zip-zip!
Ren took several heavy hits to the guard. His nose and mouth were smashed open,
blood trickling down his chin. But when the next straight punch came, Ren swung
his arm in a wide parry, swatting Ryu's limb aside. He then drove his foot into
the ground and leaped, narrowly evading Ryu's low-level scan-kick.
...Tap!
Ren landed steadily. Ryu halted his pursuit at the perfect distance.
[Footwork derived from Parkour. It possesses the trait and potential of
'Adaptability'.]
"Hah... Phew..."
Ren took a deep breath. His right hand relaxed for a fraction of a second before
clenching into a white-knuckled fist. The force of the clench shook droplets of
sweat from his knuckles. He threw his heaviest punch forward.
In that heartbeat, Ryu also drove forward, his right uppercut firing skyward.
The Shoryuken roared!
BOOM!!
Ren's fist grazed Ryu's ear, leaving a trailing arc of ink. Ren himself was
caught flush on the jaw by the rising fist. He was launched into the air, his
body hurtling backward until he crashed heavily into the courtyard grass.
THUD!
Ren lay flat on his back, blood leaking from his nose and mouth. His eyes were
nearly unfocused, and the [ENGINE] was forcibly terminated. He tried to stand,
but his body refused to move an inch.
[This is [STRIKE AT THE APEX]—a focused strike where over 36 trillion cells fire
in perfect unison.]
[...]
Looking down at his fallen disciple, Ryu walked over and sat cross-legged on the
grass beside him.
[The Satsui no Hado...]
[As I thought, you have become one of those touched by it.]
[It is not some supernatural superpower. It is a resolve that one must
eventually face after pursuing strength and mastering a vast array of
techniques.]
Ryu remained humble, his voice calm.
[From that perspective, your struggle may be even more intense than mine. You
are fascinated by too many 'Styles.']
[The moves and techniques you have mastered—those you have poured your heart,
soul, and love into—could you ever bring yourself to abandon them?]
[This question is fundamentally different from facing a terrorist or a
murderer.]
[Your understanding of combat and strength will determine the path you walk from
here on.]
[For you, how do you view the Martial Way? With what mindset do you wield your
techniques? How do you define victory and defeat? There is so much more...]
[If you wish to keep refining your soul and find the answer to 'What is
Strength,' you cannot run from these questions.]
Ryu paused and let out a light sigh, looking toward Sagat in the building. The
giant still had his head turned away, refusing to meet Ryu's gaze. Ryu gave a
helpless smile.
[Sagat says I understand the essence of the Satsui no Hado, but he gives me too
much credit.]
[I am merely another man who is haunted by it every single day.]
[However... I believe I have come close to my own answer.]
[In my view, the Satsui no Hado is not something that can be easily cast aside
or suppressed. I choose to neither accept it nor reject it. To 'Let it be, and
coexist with it'—that is my goal.]
[But I cannot ask you to do the same.]
[...Or rather, you shouldn't.]
Ryu slowly tightened his massive fist, looking at Ren with a smile.
[You must constantly examine yourself. Pressure yourself. Face the world as your
true self.]
[Only then can you find your own answer!]
[—That is my belief.]
With that, Ryu returned to his meditation. Sagat, inside the building, remained
silent. The swirling ink-wash lines gradually settled into a peaceful rhythm
under the afternoon sun.
Suddenly—
"Haha!"
A crisp, refreshed laugh erupted from Ren Shiroki, making both Ryu and Sagat
blink in surprise.
Ren took a deep breath and stretched out on the grass, a wide grin on his face.
"I can't answer it yet. I don't even have a clue. But the strange thing is—I
don't feel like that's a problem at all."
[...]
Ryu and Sagat paused, both lost in thought. Ren sat up, resting his hands on his
knees as he looked at his two masters.
"After all, a disciple should enjoy the Disciple's Privilege. The right to
explore, think, worry, and be happy... to deal with all this chaotic stuff."
"I'm not some lonely philosopher meditating in a cave, nor am I a solitary
Grandmaster. I have my Masters, and I have a whole bunch of friends and family.
So, I'm perfectly fine."
"Anyway... let's try it again!"
Ren Shiroki stood up. He grabbed a towel hanging from the railing to wipe the
sweat and blood from his face before heading back inside to resume his heavy bag
drills.
Seeing this, Sagat looked toward Ryu. Their eyes finally met, and they shared a
faint, mutual smile.
"Hmph..." Sagat crossed his arms, the ink-wash lines drifting around him.
[The pursuit of strength is ultimately a solitary journey, yet one cannot fight
alone.]
[Friends, masters, archenemies, rivals... the titles don't matter. As long as
one has them to fight against, it is enough.]
[To find such an opponent is the ultimate blessing for a warrior.]
Sagat looked at Ryu, his expression still fierce. [...Right?]
Ryu's grin widened. [...Haha!]
The two phantoms vanished, leaving only the steady thud-thud of Ren Shiroki
striking the heavy bag, echoing through the afternoon sun.
Two days later, evening.
Ren was out for a run, heading toward a park he had never visited before.
Reviews said the scenery was excellent and the running track was newly paved.
He had just started his loop when a familiar voice called out from the side.
"Hey, Ren!"
Ren turned to see an old acquaintance: the MMA fighter who often joined his
morning runs—"The Kick King" Rob Robinson. His invitation matches in Tokyo were
over, and he was currently enjoying some vacation time, though he hadn't slacked
on his daily training.
"Let's go! Together!"
No more words were needed. The two ran side-by-side, occasionally throwing
shadow-boxing strikes to maintain their breathing rhythm and coordination. When
the pace slowed at a certain stretch, they began to chat.
"Ren, does your Hub need any memorabilia? A friend of mine arrived in Tokyo
recently. He's a heavyweight boxing champion with a massive background."
Robinson laughed. "If you want, I'll snag a signed photo for you. I'm meeting
him for dinner tonight!"
Ren thanked him with a nod.
They rounded a bend in the path. Nearby stood a park bench where a young man was
sitting and reading a newspaper. He had bright red hair and appeared to be a
foreigner.
The next instant—
Zip!
The young man suddenly flicked the newspaper. The razor-sharp edge of the paper
sliced through the air toward Robinson.
Robinson flinched and tried to dodge, but he was a fraction of a second too
slow. A small cut opened on his cheek, bright red droplets of blood welling up
instantly.
"Ho?"
Ren Shiroki stopped and narrowed his eyes. He recognized that face.
The death row convict—Doyle—had arrived!
(End of Chapter)
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