Doyle propped himself up on his hands, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth. He lifted a trembling hand to wipe it away, his gaze complex as it settled on the calm-faced young man standing before him. Shock, disbelief, and even a trace of envy flickered across his expression.
He bowed slightly. "I lost," Doyle rasped. "You are far stronger than I am."
Sol Mirek watched the once-arrogant death row inmate bow. There was no elation in him, only the quiet satisfaction of victory. It was a win, nothing more. No thrill, no emotional surge—just a measure of power.
He glanced toward the teaching building. The windows were crowded with students, faces filled with concern.
"Sol!" Teacher Fujita's voice rang from the second floor. "Are you alright?"
Sol lifted a hand and gave a simple thumbs-up, showing he was unhurt.
The wail of approaching sirens soon cut through the air. Dozens of police cars roared onto campus.
Doyle grinned through the blood on his teeth, limping across the field. "Looks like it's time to leave."
Sol remained where he was, calm and composed. The evolution of Hanma Blood required the presence of death row inmates, after all.
From the windows above, whispers and gasps carried down. "Why didn't Sol stop him? That man is an escaped convict!"
"Maybe Sol is hurt inside. He can't pursue."
"Those of you who want to chase him, go ahead. That's a deadly death row inmate!"
Sol ignored them, turning toward the back of the teaching building. It was time to find Baki and begin the next phase of Hanma Blood evolution.
"Baki Hanma, seventeen years old, already at the peak of no-style martial arts," Sol thought. He had seen Baki in action before. Though green, he had potential.
Yanagi Ryuko's lips curved in a faint smirk. "Are you two going to gang up on me, an old man?" He turned to reveal a thin figure behind him, clad in a black kimono and glasses.
"Gouki Shibukawa," Yanagi Ryuko said, voice cold. "You weren't invited to this fight."
The old Aikido master rubbed his chin. "I merely happened to pass by. Couldn't resist a closer look."
Yanagi Ryuko's eyes hardened. "Still meddling after all these years."
Baki's gaze darted between the two men. His dark red hair flicked in the wind, his excitement palpable.
"Two against one? That's fine," Gouki said with a wry smile. "It's an unlimited fight."
"Interesting," Baki replied, stepping into a fighting stance.
Yanagi Ryuko slowly shed his outer clothing, revealing a bronze-toned, muscular torso scarred from neck to chest. He flexed his right arm, fingers splaying before clenching, knuckles cracking sharply.
"Just as I hoped."
Swish! Baki launched a punch, slicing through the air. Yanagi leaned back, raising his hands to block. The collision was met with precise counters. Baki's toes traced a circle on the ground as he kicked out.
Bang! Yanagi's foot struck Baki's shin with a dull thud.
Baki didn't falter. His leg exploded with force, lifting Yanagi entirely into the air.
"What?!" Yanagi's eyes widened. As he lost balance, Gouki seized the moment, wrapping his arms around Yanagi's back and gripping his neck. "You forgot about me," Gouki shouted.
Baki pressed forward. Yanagi thrust his legs, kicking Baki away while executing a flawless somersault to break free from Gouki's hold.
"This man isn't relying on weapons or hidden projectiles," Gouki muttered. "He's Poison Yanagi. His technique… it's Kudo."
Yanagi advanced, eyes sharp. "Let me ask you something. Do you know the most poisonous gas on Earth?"
"Baki, stay alert!" Gouki warned, stepping back.
"Sarin, carbon monoxide—they're deadly," Baki said cautiously. Yanagi's presence warped the air around him, a subtle distortion rippling space itself.
"Cyanic acid gas can also kill," Yanagi continued, arms relaxed, almost casual. "But before these gases can kill… they're nothing. Weak."
Baki squinted. "This is a stance?"
Yanagi's aura thickened. "People cough, feel dizzy… gradually… until collapse."
"Fight, Baki!" Gouki urged, tense.
Yanagi moved closer. "Death." His right hand shot forward, covering Baki's face like a shadow.
In an instant, Baki went limp, eyes vacant.
"The answer is oxygen," Yanagi said, calm as a breeze. "The poison I wield… is the very air you breathe."
Shocked, Gouki's pupils contracted. Yanagi's cold smile lingered. "Don't worry. He won't wake for half a day. Not like a normal knockout."
He raised a finger, explaining. "Air is twenty-one percent oxygen. Decrease it, and bodily functions falter. Dizziness, chills, vomiting, unconsciousness. At fifteen percent, mild symptoms appear."
Yanagi's eyes glinted with amusement. "But reduce it to six percent… one breath, and a person passes out. Even gods wouldn't anticipate it. Even if a body can survive five minutes without air… inhale this, and you fall."
He spread his arms, red light flaring in his eyes. "Such an obvious flaw in humans… is the weakness I exploit."
___
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