underground figths.

The clan's secret technique, boosting power by 65%, made Horio's subsequent moves fearsome—a quick feint, an eye strike, and a devastating blow that pierced from neck to spine, instant death. His speed, strength, and prowess were far above average, drawing all eyes to the black-eyed, purple-clad figure who seemed like death reincarnate. Clan Kure members sighed; this was their leader, the man known as the Boar and one of the clan's main heads.

Kei arrived just as Horio dispatched Laurent Gbagbo. Blood splattered, and Horio knelt, injecting a saline solution. The damage was evident; his cheek was blackened, and Gbagbo's revolutionary poison was beyond human tolerance. To Edward, it was another failed experiment; to others, it was terrifying.

-Don't worry, we have a method to neutralize the poison, - another Kure clan member commented, administering needles to Horio's face and wounds, draining the blackish blood and venom.

Bruised, battered, sweaty, and exhausted, Horio glanced around the control room. Kei was nowhere to be seen. He met Horio's gaze briefly before noticing Cai was absent too. He left the room to find Cai, who was in the kitchen, devouring a large plate of rice.

Everything was geared towards military discipline.

The silence was profound; everyone was awestruck by the clan member's ability—to break as an assassin, yet fight as a warrior. He was a man to fear, exuding an intensity almost on par with Shiba and Niko. Who among them was truly the most powerful?

***

At Laurent's former military base, Kei had no respite—two weeks of combat, war, and battles left him exhausted, fatigue he hadn't felt since his toughest Shiba training sessions.

-Now what? I guess we won, - Kei remarked.

-Now we clean up the jungle. We've got rogue groups operating independently, combing the western jungle along the river, collecting pay, - Cai commented matter-of-factly. They had to comb the African jungles for hidden groups; the mercenary wolves had many unpleasant tasks.

Kei sighed.

-Damn, - Kei muttered, the newspaper headlines were clear—a stark image of multiple cities under attack by guerrilla cells. Various groups had followed the general's footsteps—from accomplices to students and initiates. The fighting started at night; they had revealed themselves. Now the war in Ivory Coast was only escalating, like a balloon bursting from air pressure.

For the first time, Kei rested on a hammock as people celebrated victory. He woke at dawn, the morning heralding a new day signed in weariness. Some civilians were cautiously resuming life, while the military guarded the locations. Even civilians were dangerous now; there was an air of distrust, but everything was simmering.

He glanced up, seeing smoke in the distance and minimal soldier activity. Breakfast was war rations—dried meat and a mixture of water with aloe, a small gothic. Water was the most critical resource.

Cai snored on the floor, a bottle of rum in his hand. Kei kicked Cai.

-Hey Cai, you've got to train me in the Fajin system, - Kei commented, already recovering, reflecting on all the medical procedures his body had undergone. With Akihabara's touch, his recovery was incredible.

There was much to learn about Fajin, a technique designed for war by the many people around him.

-Wake up, you lazy bastard. - Kei shouted, but the man just scratched his belly and ignored Kei, who sighed and decided to walk around the area. He saw members of the Kure clan eating fresh meat, with glasses of lemonade or Coca-Cola. He spotted Horio, and saw no malice in his eyes; he was dirty, his once-red hair a mass of dirt, distinguishable only by his military uniform.

-Hey old man, mind if I have the bones? - Kei asked, clearly hungry.

-The bones? - Horio asked with some doubt, wondering why he would want them, perhaps some ancient weapon.

-Sure. - Kei commented, handing over the plates, surprising Horio as he started chewing on them.

"These bones have marrow, high in vitamins and calcium. It's enough to replenish energy. With these kilos of bones, I can sustain myself for two days on just marrow," Kei said, biting into the bones, softened by cooking, tasting like BBQ.

-Ahhhh, that was delicious. - Kei remarked.

-No arguments there. - Horio responded.

-Bones have lots of calcium and zinc. With this many vitamins, I could live on just water for four days without harm to my body. - Kei commented.

-I figured as much. Heard you were from the interior. - Horio asked.

-I'm not, but my teacher is from there. - Kei replied.

Kei wanted to keep talking with Horio, just to gain recognition.

-What kind of martial arts do you use? I saw it was a unique style, unidentifiable, but composed of many other styles. It's almost like you've taken the limit of your body's ability to a point... you invented it. - Kei asked, knowing a bit about Horio's displayed abilities, but noticing key differences; Hiyo preferred using kicks, a type of Taekwondo, and his fists were only used for striking.

-A style unique to my clan, though I prefer armed combat over unarmed. - Horio replied, without more.

It doesn't seem like it. - Kei teased.

Kei walked away; it was always good to stay on people's minds for when the time came to extend his legend. In martial arts, repetition is as important as fighting energy.

He assumed boxing stances, strengthening his fists against a giant concrete beam, and then against a steel beam, followed by many other strength exercises, elevated to the power. Though exhausted, he tried to shape his entire training correctly, stretching his body to its limit. That's why his training takes the necessary energy to spend; he tried to take on the new fajin techniques himself and connect them to boxing, hoping to create his style, the Kazama style, mixing jujitsu, boxing, and Chinese Kenpo... with the Niko style as a base, pushing all katas to the limit. But fate decides for Kei.

I heard you were looking for me. - Cai said.

-We need to train; the sooner I master the style, the sooner I can continue perfecting my martial arts. - Kei commented, shadowboxing, integrating the Niko style, especially the footwork from the Fire kata, with boxing; the adamant kata with boxing. If he could integrate two katas into boxing with the stances of Kempo, he'd integrate three katas into one.

-I see, but we have to march; sightings 30 kilometers west. - Cai commented.

***

-Representing Smash Warehouses, Rajin Kitawaga. Karate master, three victories, one draw. - said the referee of the tournament, a thin man with shaved hair. Rajin wasn't a master, just a man with karate skills, but nothing outstanding.

-On the other hand, represented Bakuya News as a substitute for Takemoto, and made his debut in the Kengan arena, Shogo Kitsukawa, aka Berserberk. - shouted the entry of Shogo, accompanied by a small businessman, blending in with Shogo, an eighteen-year-old.

I didn't expect to see you here. - commented a man who knew Shiba perfectly, Metsudo's fourth fang, who came to discover James was close.

-Ohhh, want a fight again? - Shiba asked, smiling.

-Forget it, that's not my position anymore, my replacement is deadly. - commented the fourth fang, Omori Masamichi, Metsudo's bodyguard.

-My student will fight, although it's not the one who was in the fight; apparently, the other fighter is also my student. - said Shiba, proud, rubbing it in. He knew the talent of both - it's even more outstanding, but he has problems in Ivory Coast. It's good that you tell that old man you have as a boss that my boy needs five years and there won't be a fighter who hits him; he's stronger than me. -

An even greater compliment for someone like Shiba.

Both watched the arena; Omori wasn't very talkative. The fight was intense; the boy fought in a renewed way, his punches were fast, and his adaptability was even perfect, but above all, it was instinct. He had a fighting instinct ten times greater than any other rookie; he could throw punches from any angle, and how he moved was a genius in battle. The result ended with Shogo raising his hand to the sky, totally beaten.

Bakuya News applauded his victory, happy to see his vice. Ry..