"I refuse."
Those three simple words rang out clearly, catching both men off guard.
Otomoto let out a low chuckle. "It seems, Mr. Shina, you don't think much of the Shie Hassaikai. If you join us now, you might gain benefits beyond your imagination. But if you refuse…" He paused, his tone turning colder. "…well, I doubt our young master would allow a potential threat like you to remain."
"Join the Shie Hassaikai and become a lapdog like you?" Etsuha looked at the two of them indifferently. "That's just pathetic."
The masks they wore were unmistakable symbols of the Shie Hassaikai. From what Etsuha knew, members wore them because their young boss had an extreme obsession with "purity"—he refused to breathe the same air as what he considered filthy people.
To Etsuha, that kind of ideology was revolting. He couldn't understand how such an organization had managed to survive in the underworld for so long.
"It looks like you're choosing the hard way," the taller member said coldly. "Then let me introduce myself properly. Shie Hassaikai—'No Killing Life.' My name is Ranbo. You've just rejected our invitation, Shina Etsuha… which means you've chosen death."
Etsuha didn't respond. He simply raised his hand and curled a finger, beckoning him forward.
"Courting death!"
A fierce glint flashed in Ranbo's eyes as the muscles around his shoulders bulged violently. His entire body began to radiate a terrifying aura—like a feral black bear ready to tear its prey apart.
"Heh, you're about to see what Chaos Shoulder can do," Otomoto sneered from the side. "This guy's a battle maniac."
Ranbo's Quirk, "Chaos Shoulder," was an amplification-type ability. By rotating his shoulders at extreme speed, he could unleash a barrage of rapid, bullet-like punches.
Each strike carried devastating force—enough to crush even someone with exceptional physical endurance.
Boom!
Ranbo lunged forward. His shoulders twisted violently, and his arms blurred as they shot out at incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, dozens of punches were unleashed—each one breaking the sound barrier, impossible to distinguish between real and feint.
Yet Etsuha didn't retreat.
His Sharingan locked onto every movement, tracking the chaotic barrage with absolute clarity. To an outside observer, it looked as though he wasn't reacting at all.
But deep within his eyes—
There was excitement.
He had seen through every single movement.
More than that, his body could keep up effortlessly. The physical prowess he had gained rivaling Might Guy gave him absolute confidence.
"Perfect…"
Ranbo's fists closed in on Etsuha's face—
—and at that exact instant, Etsuha moved.
His speed erupted, matching Ranbo's in an instant. With a subtle shift of his body, he slipped through the storm of punches as if dancing between raindrops.
At the same time, an ice blade formed in his hand.
Their bodies passed each other in a single motion.
Slash!
Ranbo's movements came to a sudden halt.
A thin line opened across his waist—blood spraying outward as his body froze in place.
"…What… just happened?!"
He had thrown twenty-eight punches in that instant.
Every single one had missed.
Worse—Etsuha had cut him cleanly in the middle of that barrage, and he hadn't even realized it until now.
The difference in physical skill was overwhelming.
"Impossible…" Otomoto muttered, cold sweat dripping down his face.
From his position, he had seen it clearly.
Etsuha hadn't been slow to react earlier—he had been waiting.
Waiting for Ranbo to attack.
And then, with absolute precision, he had crushed him in close combat.
Against an amplification-type Quirk user… Etsuha had dominated purely with physical ability.
It was unreal.
"Nice moves," Etsuha said calmly, glancing back as blood dripped from the ice blade in his hand. "But that's all."
He had to admit—Ranbo's Quirk was impressive. Those punches had carried real pressure.
But with the combination of the Sharingan and a body enhanced to the level of Might Guy, Etsuha's close-combat abilities had reached a completely different tier.
At this range, defeating Ranbo was effortless.
"You bastard…!"
Ranbo clutched his waist, fury twisting his face. The wound wasn't fatal—he could still fight.
"Using a weapon in a fight… don't think that's all I've got!"
Boom!
His muscles swelled again, veins bulging across his body as his aura surged even higher.
"Just one exchange forced him to go all out…" Otomoto wiped the sweat from his forehead, his expression tense. "I need to report this to the young master… Shina Etsuha even has physical abilities that rival an enhancement-type Quirk!"
"So that wasn't your limit?" Etsuha said, slightly surprised.
Then, casually, he tossed the ice blade aside.
"I was actually looking for a good test subject for my physical skills," he added, a faint smile forming. "So… I'll play with you a bit longer."