Chapter 94: Engine
"What...?"
Orochi Katsumi froze.
He looked at Kei's savage grin and felt a sudden chill.
It was like something "sharp" was pressed against his forehead, evoking a primal aversion. Katsumi wondered:
What exactly is Shiraki Kei "thinking"?
Swish!
Kei slid forward rapidly, concentrating power in his toes, aiming for a high front kick.
[Ryu • High Blade Kick]!
BANG!
Katsumi raised his arms to block. His forearm was cut by Kei's toe, drawing blood.
Without giving any room to breathe, Kei pursued, changing his style instantly, firing a quick right straight.
[Guile • Burning Straight]!
THUD!
The heavy battlefield combat technique slammed into Katsumi's forearm, knocking him back half a step.
Kei stepped forward again, thrusting his left palm forward, aiming for Katsumi's chest.
[Jamie • Tenei]!
BANG!
Katsumi was knocked backward, but just as he was about to lose balance, he stomped his back foot to stabilize. Aiming at Kei's neck, he grimaced and launched a knee-raising roundhouse kick.
"HAAAH—!"
Thwack!
This swift kick stopped just beside Kei's face, the wind blowing away a few drops of blood from his cheek.
Kei had pushed his right palm to the left while extending his left arm forward and hooking it inward, moving a step ahead of Katsumi to catch the kick. A "counter technique" (Atemi).
[Zangief • Tundra Storm]!
Kei grabbed Katsumi's leg, twisting his whole body with force, slamming him heavily onto the ground.
With a loud BOOM, the entire deck shuddered, a visible dent appearing where Katsumi landed.
"Gah!"
Katsumi threw his head back, coughing blood. He desperately launched another spinning kick, managing to force Kei back temporarily.
This sudden combo shocked many onlookers.
Most of them thought Kei was surrendering to the techniques he learned, unleashing moves subconsciously in a seamless flow.
But suddenly, Kyara sensed something abnormal.
"Hm?! This is...!!"
Kyara was the first to realize that what Kei was doing wasn't integrating his insights, but taking a stronger, more extreme path!
The second to react was Referee Number 2—Yako Hikoichi.
"This... is not fusion..."
Generally, "learning from others' strengths" meant an outstanding genius absorbing the strengths of other schools through combat or study, merging them into their own style.
Like Orochi Katsumi incorporating the "Kenpo grip" into his Karate Seiken.
But that wasn't what Kei was doing!
?!
Kei's current appearance would scare many people.
"Tragic" wasn't enough to describe it. It wasn't just from being beaten; he was actively adjusting himself, entering a state that could be called "terrifying"!
Every muscle in his body was highly active, excited to the limit.
Wearing a twisted, savage grin, letting blood flow down his face, his eyes were eerily calm, terrifyingly cold.
In the whites of his eyes, more and more blood vessels surfaced like chains, pulling his pupils into high-speed tremors, almost creating double vision!
"That face..."
Kyara and Yako looked at Kure Fusu simultaneously.
To miss no detail, veins bulged around the Kure girl's eyes as she pushed her vision to the limit.
Although seeing it up close for the first time, according to rumors, that was the Kure Clan's secret technique—[Release] (Removal)!
And Kei's current appearance—especially those bloodshot eyes—bore some resemblance to the Kure Clan's!
"..."
Yako paused, asking Fusu curiously, "Did Master Shiraki learn Kure techniques?"
Fusu frowned tightly. "No, that's not Release. The effects are different!"
Since it wasn't top secret, explaining was fine.
"The ordinary human brain places 'locks' on the body to protect it, limiting physical ability to under 30%."
"If forced open, an untrained body can't handle it and will collapse from the power."
"But the Kure Clan, through years of 'selective breeding,' obtained bodies capable of withstanding that power."
"Thus, we can actively draw out latent abilities, remove the limits, and gain power far beyond human imagination."
"—This is 'Release'!"
Fusu widened her black-sclera eyes, staring at Kei, recalling his moves.
"Ultimately, the effect of Release is: releasing latent ability, enhancing physical function."
"But Shiraki-chin is different now!"
Fusu paused, making an unbelievable judgment. "Shiraki-chin's physical function hasn't changed, but his control over moves... has become more precise?!"
"Why..."
While they spoke, Kei attacked first, stepping forward.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
A flurry of rapid close-quarters strikes. Kei and Katsumi exchanged blows, blood splashing everywhere.
But clearly, this round was evenly matched. Katsumi could no longer tear open Kei's defense like before.
"...As expected of the Kure Clan. Your observation is meticulous."
Yako nodded slightly, offering his view based on what he saw. "So, the Kure Clan's Release is based on bloodline and body."
"But Master Shiraki's current state... I suspect the key is the 'brain'."
"More accurately—the 'consciousness' within the brain."
Yako pointed to his head.
"Usually, a master of martial arts, even if they empty their mind, will act subconsciously when danger approaches, using techniques instinctively."
"—Because years of training have made their body completely surrender to technique, throwing itself into the embrace of martial arts."
Yako looked at Kei.
"An outstanding martial artist can use martial arts 'unconsciously'."
"But Master Shiraki is different. He seems to actively generate intense 'mental consciousness' to fully control his body, completely eliminating 'unconscious' actions."
"In other words, absolute 'Unity of Knowledge and Action'!"
Yako narrowed his eyes.
"This is what makes Master Shiraki terrifying."
"If the Kure Clan's Release is the brain removing the 'locks' on the body..."
"Then Master Shiraki is completely controlling the brain, eliminating unconscious movements, relying entirely on 'consciousness' to manipulate the body."
"Master Shiraki's combat consciousness has overpowered his physical instincts!"
Yako's thoughts cleared.
"The cost of this must be a surge in intracranial pressure, potentially damaging the brain. The bloodshot eyes and excessive bleeding are proof..."
"But because of this, in this state, any move Master Shiraki has learned can be executed with 100% perfection!"
BANG!
A straight punch, stained with Kei's own blood, smashed into Katsumi's face, knocking him back a few steps until he hit a pipe behind him with a clang.
Katsumi covered his bleeding nose. The ache almost overwhelmed his head, but he stared dead at Kei.
If Retsu Kaioh's seamless 4000-year-old Kenpo was a perfect "sphere"...
Then Kei, right now, was an irregular shape made of countless spikes!
"I see..."
The exchange of fists was simple and direct. Combined with his own talent, Katsumi quickly realized the key.
Kei wasn't letting technique support his body; his consciousness was completely dominating his body and technique!
How intense and extreme... how arrogant and insane...
In this state, even a sliver of hesitation would reflect in his movements, triggering a domino-like defeat!
This was Kei's fighting style.
This was Shiraki Kei's combat art!
"Shiraki-bro, you really are the kind who fights with your life on the line, not looking at tomorrow..."
Katsumi's nosebleed stopped as he reassumed his stance. "What's this move called?"
"—[Engine]."
Kei wiped his eyes, flinging the blood from his hands. His bloodshot eyes still trembled. "Right now, my brain is awake as hell!"
"Haha..."
Katsumi laughed low, slowly sliding forward to test Kei's range.
Kei stood sideways, arms raised.
In the instant the two titans were about to clash, a sudden change occurred—Flap!
On the cargo crates nearby, a buckle on the large tarp covering them snapped loose. The huge tarp was caught by the sea breeze and blew over Katsumi and Kei!