Moreover, ordinary people could definitely overwhelm them with sheer numbers, it would just cause some unnecessary trouble.
This was also why the blonde man's side had the numerical advantage, yet didn't make a move immediately.
The martial world must follow rules; without rules, there's no order. Some people who don't follow rules end up being collectively beaten to death.
As for one-on-one duels, if someone dies, they die. It's fate, and no one can say otherwise. Or, if you don't care about honor and refuse to fight, then there's nothing to be done.
"Two days from now, come to my building. I will set up a stage, and you are welcome to challenge me. Heh, if you're a man, don't run! Let's go!" The blonde man sneered, then left with his group. Their grand procession made it seem like some big shot had come out.
"Damn it!" The man wearing a hat punched the ground. He looked very strong, with clearly defined arm muscles, but his aura wasn't very powerful.
Mai Shiranui, however, exclaimed, "King! You're here too?"
In the other group, a beautiful woman with short blonde hair and earrings, looking very neutral yet possessing a special heroic spirit, was wearing a one-piece suit, dressed very much like a man. And among the men, there were also enchanting presences; it truly took a moment to notice.
"Mai, long time no see," the woman in the suit smiled.
It seemed the two were old acquaintances. Mai Shiranui walked over and conversed quietly with the woman in the suit.
Eddie Cai stood still. "What is this all about?"
The grief-stricken man stood up. "Friend, why do you want to challenge my master?"
Eddie Cai looked at the guy in front of him. "Didn't I say? My master told me to challenge Mr. Jeff. If I defeat him, I can marry my senior sister. By the way, was Mr. Jeff defeated by that guy just now?"
"Jeff is our adoptive father. We were away training and returned to find that Master had been defeated and killed by Geese. We must avenge our adoptive father. I'm Terry, and this is my younger brother Andy. What about you?" Terry explained.
So this was Terry of the Wolf Team, that dog who could exploit bugs to perform infinite aerial combos!
"Uh, I'm Eddie, a disciple of the Shiranui Style. Since we both have grudges, let's rest for two days and then challenge Geese. I must defeat him to prove my strength!" Eddie Cai's resentment was intense. It was just a simple challenge, how did it turn into a murderous feud?
It's really not easy to marry a wife; you even have to beat people up.
"Hello, we also share a common goal. We need to handle a few things now, and we'll meet up with you later." The long-haired man was indeed Andy, Terry's younger brother, and also the guy whose girlfriend Eddie Cai had stolen.
Alright, sometimes proverbs are indeed proverbs: as long as the hoe is swung well, there's no corner that can't be dug up!
"Come to my bar for a drink, it's on me," the blonde woman in the suit smiled. Beside her was a man in a short-sleeved gi, looking a bit dull, perhaps a simp?
The four arrived at a place called Illusion Bar. Eddie Cai still had some questions; he needed to know these people's names to understand the subsequent developments.
Inside the bar, Mai Shiranui was still excitedly telling her friend something, and there was only one server in the bar, who was King, the owner and proprietress!
Well, it seemed they were quite poor, unable to even afford a server.
Mai Shiranui seemed to remember something and pulled Eddie Cai over to introduce him. "Husband, this is my good friend King. She's also a very powerful Fighter. King, this is my fiancé Eddie. He's only just started learning fighting not long ago."
"Hello, it's nice to meet you. Mai is a very good girl; you must treat her well," King smiled.
"Hello, I'm also happy to meet you. I will definitely treat her well. You seem to be in some financial difficulty. Is it because of money? If you need help, please don't hesitate to say so directly. Friends help each other with what they can," Eddie Cai said with a sunny, gentle smile.
"Hmph, you beginner, you're boasting here, wanting to fly before you've even learned any fighting moves?" The gi-clad man with somewhat short, explosive hair said with a hint of sourness.
"Sorry, this is a friend of mine, Ryo Sakazaki of the Kyokugenryu Karate school," King said apologetically. She truly had no good feelings for him; she just wanted to work hard and earn money to treat her younger brother, not caring about anything else.
"It's fine. But isn't the Kyokugenryu dojo in Kyoto? Why did he come to South Town? For training?" Eddie Cai didn't care; the other party was destined to be a loser.
Originally, Eddie Cai's goal was unclear, but now it was very clear: defeat all Fighters! Luxury cars, beautiful women, revered by thousands—this was the true King of Fighters!
"What I do there is none of your business! Kid, you're a Fighter, right? Good, let's spar. I'll show you the power of Kyokugenryu!" Ryo Sakazaki said, waving his fists.
Eddie Cai waved his hand. "No."
"What? Scared?" Ryo Sakazaki continued to provoke, annoyed that King was more enthusiastic towards Eddie Cai than towards him.
Eddie Cai, however, sneered, "No, I'm afraid I'd beat you to death!"
Chapter 666: King's Predicament
Eddie Cai sneered, "Lunatic, do I need your acknowledgment for my strength? Who do you think you are? Call your dad over, that's more like it; you're still too green. I don't need your acknowledgment, and there's no benefit to winning, so I won't fight you!"
Mai Shiranui let out a giggle. This was her precious junior brother, someone who wouldn't get up early without profit, who wouldn't release the hawk without seeing the rabbit! Perhaps he seemed a bit calculating, but it was precisely this calculating nature that made her feel a little heartache. Eddie Cai was wholeheartedly good to her, and Mai Shiranui was willing to give her most precious things to him.
"Is your fiancé capable? Ryo Sakazaki's strength is not weak; he's even an instructor-level figure in the Kyokugenryu dojo!" King whispered. Her neutral attire was indeed striking, possessing a unique charm. It wasn't that she looked like a man, but rather had an indescribable feeling, very hazy, making one want to understand this enigmatic woman.
Mai Shiranui wasn't pleased. She wouldn't let anyone slander her husband, not even her best friend! "My husband is very powerful; even my grandfather said he's a martial arts prodigy rarely seen in ten thousand years!"
King rolled her eyes a bit. She knew who Hanzo Shiranui was: an ordinary man, not particularly powerful, just widely connected. "I was just asking."
Ryo Sakazaki seemed a bit anxious. "Damn it, in that case, let's make a bet. If you beat me, then I won't interfere with your and King's business!"
These words left the three people present somewhat bewildered. Mai Shiranui's expression was peculiar, her beautiful eyes examining her best friend and her husband. There was suspicion, but only suspicion, not jealousy; gentle Kyoto women were submissive, but this was limited to within the family.
However, Mai Shiranui quickly dismissed the thought. She knew her husband had lost his memory before and had prepared herself for the fact that he might have had a wife. Such an excellent man, she liked him so much, let alone other women.
"King, did you know Eddie before? Eddie lost his memory before he came to my dojo," Mai Shiranui explained softly.
King looked at Eddie Cai with a very serious gaze, then shook her head. "No, this is our first meeting."
Even a career-driven woman like King had a good impression of Eddie Cai's sunny appearance, after all, it had been officially certified by Jill and Alexia.
King's gaze made Ryo Sakazaki even more jealous. He liked King, secretly loved her, but King never had any good feelings for him. Even when King needed money, he couldn't come up with enough to treat her younger brother.
Eddie Cai's expression was the most peculiar; he scratched his chin with his right hand. "Your words are a bit like trying to get something for nothing. As far as I know, Miss King has no relation to you, so saying that is a bit inappropriate."
"Cut it out, are you fighting or not! If you win, I'll introduce my sister to you!" Ryo Sakazaki snorted angrily.
"Forget it, I don't need that. Fight then, let's fight outside!" Eddie Cai didn't care. His sister? Well, actually, a very weak Yuri Sakazaki, just a lively teenage girl. He preferred the Queen of Balls, Mai Shiranui, more!
The two went outside Illusion Bar, with King and Mai Shiranui watching from the side, ready to rescue someone if necessary.
As for who to save, it was undoubtedly Eddie Cai. It would be a bit difficult for this novice Fighter to defeat Ryo Sakazaki, who had participated in the King of Fighters tournament!
The two took their stances. Ryo Sakazaki's move was the Kyokugenryu fighting style's opening stance.
Eddie Cai's was a regular boxer's opening stance, with a hint of Wing Chun.
Whether it's Wing Chun, Tai Chi, Mizongquan, or the unique Jeet Kune Do, each has its advantages. It's hard to say which is more powerful; it just depends on which style suits an individual.
If you want to activate a deadly rhythm with double speed, choose Wing Chun. If you want to overcome hardness with softness and win with skill, use Tai Chi. If you want to confuse your opponent and attack when they're unprepared, use Mizongquan. If you want to strike later but arrive first, and discern people's minds, use Jeet Kune Do.
Eddie Cai had learned every one of them before, and with his 100% developed brain, it wasn't difficult to understand.
The difficulty now was how to combine Qi Strength with martial arts moves to make them effective. This was the biggest problem.
This was the so-called 'breaking-in period'; otherwise, if the two were not coordinated, the effect and power would be greatly reduced. What Eddie Cai needed to do now was to refine the coordination between the two and further expand his Qi Strength; at least enough Qi Strength was needed to perform moves.
"Koouken!" Ryo Sakazaki started with a right punch, and a pure blue energy wave overflowed, an impact wave generated by a unique Qi Strength circulation method, which could be seen as an outward leakage of Qi Strength.