Chapter 143: I'll Win!
Too unbelievable, why are my fans so crazy?
Hearing the various unbelievable comments from the crowd below, Aokiji's movement as he prepared to jump down couldn't help but stall.
Garou pulled a wicked smile, "Why did you stop? Are you afraid of your own fans?"
Sonic raised his scarf to hide the mockery on his face, "Heroes are nothing more than this."
Looking left and right at these two, Aokiji suddenly reached out and grabbed their necks, slamming them down towards the arena below, and then jumped down himself.
Boom—!
Boom—!
Suiryu, who was speechless at the fans turning coat at the speed of light, was startled.
He instinctively looked at the two clouds of dust that suddenly exploded on the arena with vigilance.
Enemy attack? A program temporarily arranged by the organizers?
While he was still making wild guesses.
Two figures scrambled out of the dust, dodging in a sorry state.
In the next instant, another figure fell like a behemoth, stomping the ground fiercely!
The entire venue of The Martial Arts Tournament shook violently!
"What are you dodging for? Are you afraid? Martial arts Geniuses and ninjas are nothing more than this."
Aokiji lifted his leg from the arena that had been trampled to dust.
He spoke to the two disheveled figures in a teasing tone.
"Tch, with such a strong desire for revenge, you can still be a hero? The guys doing the evaluations must be blind." Garou rubbed his aching shoulder.
"This kind of speed won't hit me. I just over-exhausted my stamina earlier. Is this all you've got?" Sonic adjusted his messy scarf with one hand, his movements subtly approaching the long sword on his back.
After the audience clearly saw the three people who had fallen from above, mainly seeing Aokiji.
Cheers exploded from all directions!
Suiryu looked at the three people who appeared on the arena one by one in surprise.
To think they'd make an entrance like this... even more unscrupulous than me.
"Ooh, this scene is so beautiful!!!"
In Stinky Prison, Puri-Puri Prisoner let out a cry of emotion.
On the TV screen, the four people on the arena made his eyes burn with passion.
The lazy, powerful, and handsome Aokiji-Chan.
Garou-chan, who looks evil and arrogant but actually has a unique tenderness in his heart.
A cold boy with a slender figure wearing a tight bodysuit, whose name is unknown.
Suiryu-chan, a rising star in the martial arts world, with a sunny yet arrogant appearance.
Seeing these four on the same stage makes it worth staying in Stinky Prison for the rest of my life!!
Hiss... Aokiji took a light breath of cold air.
This familiar chill... Puri-Puri Prisoner, you're watching this, aren't you!
Aokiji didn't want to have any more contact with this designated prisoner torture interrogator.
I'll have to make it so that Stinky Prison can only receive free news channels from now on.
Thinking this, Aokiji turned his gaze to Suiryu.
"You're the champion of this Martial Arts Tournament, right? Do you want to add some stakes to the exhibition match?"
"The prize money is enough for me to squander. If I compete with the S-Class Rank 1, I'll likely lose, and the risk is too high."
Suiryu spoke words of humble refusal, but the interest in his eyes could not be extinguished.
He had a flighty personality seeking fun, which was why he couldn't stand his stubborn grandfather and left home to make his way in the world.
It was impossible for him not to be interested in the "stakes" Aokiji proposed.
Shouts and various bold words continued to come from the audience seats.
Aokiji ignored the crazy fans and continued:
"Then let's set the condition that as long as you can take one move from me, you win. How about it?"
"It's a deal!"
Hearing that the conditions were so favorable to him, Suiryu immediately agreed.
In his heart, a bit of dissatisfaction from being underestimated also arose.
"What are the stakes? I'll say mine first, if I win." Suiryu smiled confidently, "I won't mind having more prize money."
The implication was that he only wanted money.
Aokiji shrugged indifferently.
"Sure, if you win, I'll give you double the champion's prize money."
"I'm recruiting some potential hero seeds. If you lose, you join the Hero Association. That's my condition."
The commentator announced passionately:
"Whoa! Aokiji and Suiryu are discussing the stakes for the exhibition match! It seems both have absolute confidence in themselves!"
"Moreover, Aokiji even proactively proposed rules favorable to Suiryu. Who do you all think will be the final victor!"
"As a commentator, I shouldn't have a personal stance while working, but I still can't help but say, Aokiji will definitely win!"
The audience also began to discuss, each holding their own opinion.
"Lord Aokiji is very strong, that's true, but to settle it in one move... Suiryu is at least the overwhelming champion of four Martial Arts Tournaments. He should be able to hold out for at least a few more rounds."
"Are you questioning the S-Class Rank 1 hero!"
"I also feel Suiryu has a better chance of winning. Solving a four-time consecutive champion like Suiryu in one move is too exaggerated no matter how you think about it."
"Can you all go and learn more about Lord Aokiji's track record? Are there few Monsters who have been insta-killed by Lord Aokiji?!"
...Suiryu warmed up his body, lightly patted both sides of his cheeks, and his gaze became focused.
So what if he's the strongest hero? In the end, he's a young man of the same generation as me.
As a top-tier martial arts Genius, there's no way I can be taken out in one move. Even my grandfather, in our last sparring session before I left, could hold out for over a dozen rounds.
I'll win!
Suiryu struck the stance of the Void Fist.
For the first time since the four Martial Arts Tournaments, he was this focused and excited.
I'll just replace defense with attack.
If you accidentally mess up or even get defeated by me, and all your popularity is taken by me, I'll be sorry!
No referee was needed; Aokiji had already said that Suiryu could start whenever he was ready.
Suicho, whose hair and beard were white and whose expression was solemn, pondered for a long while before asking:
"Suiko, is this... S-Class Hero strong?"
He rarely had contact with outside news, spending most of his time dedicated to the study of martial arts, and didn't know much about the Hero Association's S-Class Heroes and so on.
"He's very strong!" Suiko recalled the news she saw online, "It's said that until now, he hasn't encountered an enemy who could give him a hard fight."
"And he's also an Esper with many miraculous abilities. If he uses his Psychic Power, big brother probably won't be able to block it either."
"I see, an Esper." Suicho nodded slowly.
If that brat Suiryu loses and has to join the Hero Association, even though he wouldn't be focused on immersing himself in martial arts, it's still much better than his current flighty lifestyle.
Good luck, young man named Aokiji.
Suicho, who didn't feel much about Psychic Powers, silently cheered for Aokiji in his heart.
"I'm ready!"
Suiryu's whole body was tense and ready to go.
Just waiting for Aokiji to make a move so he could launch a counterattack... Boom—!!!
The arena was like a closing flower, caving in from the center, with the surrounding arena shattering into huge slabs of rock that tilted high up!
It was like an edited movie where the middle process was entirely deleted, leaving only the scenes before and after the battle.
Whether it was the audience on-site or those watching on TV through the live broadcast, the image they saw was just a flash.
The flat arena had turned into a flower of shattered, rising rock slabs!
Followed by a hurricane that ravaged the entire venue!
Aokiji grabbed Suiryu by the back of his collar and pulled his head out of the debris; his pupils had already turned white, and he had lost consciousness.
"Everyone's here, let's go handle the induction procedures."
Garou and Sonic, who were waiting below the arena, both clicked their tongues in annoyance.
They thought he'd be strong, but he was still insta-killed in one move. They had wanted to observe Aokiji's movements more.
Inside the Void Fist Dojo.
Suiko's eyes were wide and round, and the beauty mark under her lip was trembling slightly.
That insufferably arrogant martial arts Genius of a brother.
Just like that, he lost!!
So this is a Psychic Power... It was too fast; I couldn't see anything at all.
Suiko realized belatedly and turned towards Suicho beside her.
"That's great, Grandpa! Big brother lost, now he can be honest... Grandpa?"
Suiko looked in confusion at her grandfather, who showed no joy at all.
Shock, incomprehension, inquiry, pursuit... it was the first time Suiko had seen so many expressions on her grandfather's face.
"...Suiko, go pack your bags." Suicho stared blankly at the noisy venue on the TV after Aokiji and the others had disappeared.
"Go visit your brother."
And also, to see that young man who has touched the "Peak of Martial Arts"!