Chapter 132: Qualification
Chapter 132: Qualification
He walked through narrow alleyways far from the bustling areas, leaving behind the night’s noise and the glow of streetlights and people.
A man in a trench coat arrived at a place resembling an abandoned old gymnasium.
Passing through a tunnel-like corridor, the sounds of “thud,” “thud”—fists striking something—could be heard.
A tall figure stood in the center of the gymnasium.
He was intensely focused, throwing punch after punch at a sandbag.
The “sandbag”, hanging from long chains, swung back and forth in the air like a dolphin at an aquarium, the long chains clanking noisily, pulled taut and straight.
At first glance, one might think this was a normal training session. But it wasn’t. As the trench-coated man drew closer, he realized the so-called “sandbag” was actually a giant fishing net.
The net was suspended mid-air by the extended arm of a medium-sized crane. Inside it, packed like stacked dominos, were over a dozen people, bundled together into a round mass.
Most of these people had their arms and legs twisted and broken, hanging suspended.
The powerfully built man standing rooted to the spot, clearly foreign, held a boxing stance and delivered punch after punch into the “net”.
It was hard to accurately estimate the weight of over a dozen people packed together. Yet this man, strong as a lion, managed to make the suspended “sandbag” fly upwards with the sheer force of his punches, swinging it like a flying trapeze.
Thud!
A simple straight punch, coming from a true master, could unleash terrifying power.
And with every punch he threw, a sickening crack, snap of breaking bones echoed from within the net.
There were no screams or cries; anyone who could have made a sound by now had only a breath left.
The trench-coated man stood on the gymnasium’s spectator stands. His feet came to a stop. At that exact moment, the man who had been utterly focused on his punches twitched his ears. As if sensing something, he turned his head.
“Haijima. You’ve finished your task.”
His eyes emitted eerie rays of light, and a primitive, savage aura radiated from his entire being, like a fearsome beast.
“Yes, Master Kuki.”
The trench-coated man leaped over the railing, jumping down from the spectator stands two stories high.
He landed, dropping to one knee, and bowed his head silently.
“Also, just as you guessed, Master Kuki… Kume Nansho followed the ‘trail’ I left. He has left the city…”
“Get up!”
Snorting coldly, the man blocked the swinging net with a single hand, like stopping a speeding car with his palm.
Haijima didn’t dare say anything more. He obediently straightened his back and stood upright.
Kuki Muen, the current high executive of the Black Devourer Syndicate, gave a cold laugh, his voice low and heavy. “My esteemed senior brother… after all these years, he’s still as reckless. But fine, use this chance. Lure him to the Kanto Confederation’s lair… Those sly old foxes scheme to make us fight the Murakami Group. Things are never that simple. Since I have come to Japan, I will naturally crush all these local factions.”
He took a step forward, drew in a deep breath, muscles bulging like iron. He threw another powerful punch.
His arm suddenly whipped forward, violently expanding as if he compressed all his strength into that single blow.
BOOM!
A fierce gust of wind howled, crashing into the “sandbag” as a violent shockwave. The savage force spread outwards, rippling through the air almost visibly.
The “sandbag” was instantly pierced. The net ripped apart. Several bodies, bones utterly shattered, flew into the air. As they hit the ground, limbs twisted grotesquely, curling into balls.
Those caught by the direct impact had their skulls deformed, bones broken, chests caved in—dead before they even touched the ground.
Shattered bone fragments sprayed out from broken limbs. The entire scene was horrifyingly bloody.
“These people were supposed to be martial arts masters from this land? Disappointing. It’s only been thirty years since I left this country. In such a short time, the practitioners here have become so weak…”
It was deeply lamentable. He had actually looked forward to this return, hoping to encounter stronger martial artists on his home soil.
“Too weak.”
Kuki Muen murmured to himself. He could only hope his old rival, his dear senior brother, wasn’t this pathetic.
As his disciple, the man in the trench coat known as Haijima felt a growing terror.
Master Kuki… grew more powerful with each passing day.
Seeing the corpses on the ground, he felt a deep part of him trembling.
Before such a terrifyingly powerful being, ordinary people were like paper dolls… utterly fragile.
“Haijima, gather the ‘League of Nether Ghosts’. Prepare for bloodshed… the Iwamoto Group and the Sunao-gumi. This city will become our territory soon enough.”
With a simple command, he set in motion a bloody upheaval within the city’s underworld.
“By the way, my senior brother… did he get acquainted with anyone in Kitsuwa City’s martial arts circles?”
“Yes. Kume Nansho seems to have taken on a disciple. His name… I believe… is Sakaki Tetsuhei?”
“Good. Bring him to me. You know what you need to do.”
Kuki Muen spoke coldly: “The boxing techniques of the Huanzang Style belong only to the strong. The weak, those unworthy, do not deserve the name ‘Huanzang Style’. They should all die.”
——————————
Meow—!
There was a little cat at the Kyogado in Kano Town.
Hatakena Gensai had found it by the roadside a few months ago and brought it back.
Fang Jing quite enjoyed teasing this kitten. Whenever he visited the shop, Hatakena Gensai would brew tea. They would chat while drinking, the kitten jumping onto his lap, allowing him to scratch its chin.
Kume Nansho hadn’t been seen for a while, and Fang Jing regained his freedom.
Time passed quickly in June. Summer break wouldn’t happen until around July. For ordinary students his age, this period was usually the most tense.
However, the advantage of being a top student naturally meant Fang Jing never worried about this.
His academic results hadn’t slipped; instead, they had slightly improved. Although recent tests still placed him second in the whole school, unable to surpass the top-ranked Sakuya Sakuya.
Nishizuka Tsukasa in the past might have stewed over it, but the current ‘Fang Jing’ didn’t care at all.
He found himself frequenting the area around Kyogado in Kano Town lately. Part of the reason was his desire to learn about “antiques” from Hatakena Gensai.
He believed that if he wanted to collect items imbued with Yin Energy, learning about antiques was a necessary step.
Another reason was his strong wish to meet the old gentleman named Jinno through Hatakena Gensai.
Old Mr. Jinno, much like Karasawa, was most likely also a Medium. He was also probably quite knowledgeable about the Apartment.
Ideally, he hoped to get more information about Yūmi Island from this old gentleman.
“Children your age are seldom interested in such things,” Hatakena Gensai remarked, but he was surprisingly pleased. As an antique enthusiast, he was quite supportive of guiding Fang Jing.
“Well, I’ve been told my personality is a bit peculiar by many people.”
“Hahaha! There’s nothing wrong with that. I was considered quite eccentric by many when I was young too.”
The shop owner, Hatakena Gensai, felt he got along well with this young man. The more they interacted, the more he sensed an unpretentious maturity about him, devoid of the impatience or naivety common among his peers.
Back and forth, going about their business, the two became increasingly familiar.
Hearing Fang Jing’s desire to learn about antiques, Hatakena Gensai didn’t hesitate to offer guidance.
Thanks to Hatakena Gensai’s tutoring over this period, Fang Jing gained a new scholarly skill — “Basic Appraisal”.
“Learning this relies mostly on experience. Theoretical knowledge, if not put into practice repeatedly, remains just empty theories.”
“Indeed…”
“If you are seriously interested in this field, you should handle more actual antiques.”
Hatakena Gensai suggested. He knew of a private collector holding a public exhibition soon and proposed Fang Jing accompany him.
“A private exhibition? And it’s public?”
“Yes. It’s hosted by a well-known figure, so it’s a public exhibition. However, even then, getting an invitation is hard unless you’re in the trade…”
The host of the exhibition was a famous actress – though her fame belonged to the past.
Her peak activity was at least a decade ago. After retiring, she married an industrialist, then divorced a few years later. Nevertheless, after fighting a years-long divorce settlement battle, she received an enormous payout.
The lady then started her own business. She undeniably had a knack for commerce; soon enough, she owned several consulting groups in finance and fast-moving consumer goods.
“Nishizuka-kun, if you’re genuinely interested, come along with me. It’s happening at a private gallery right in the city center.”
“Alright.”
Fang Jing agreed without hesitation.
————————
Days later, on a Sunday, Fang Jing had just stepped out when he heard the roar of an engine. A black motorcycle sped past him.
In that fleeting moment, Fang Jing caught a glimpse of a figure.
It was a female rider atop the extremely flashy motorbike, a beautiful woman.
Her long red hair was dyed vibrant crimson. She wore a form-fitting leather suit that clearly outlined her curves, appearing exceptionally glamorous.
Suddenly, the bike circled around ahead and came straight toward him.
The woman rider removed her helmet and waved at him.
“You’re Nishizuka Tsukasa’s younger brother, right?”
“May I ask who you are…”
“My surname is Hatakena. Name’s Hatakena Sayaka.”
The red-haired beauty smiled. “My father is Hatakena Gensai.”
“It’s a true pleasure to meet you.”
Fang Jing’s mouth opened slightly in surprise. He hadn’t imagined the owner of Kyogado would have such a stunning daughter.
“So… dad invited you to Madam Sukiko’s collection exhibition, right?”
Hatakena Sayaka continued smiling. “He sent me to pick you up. By the way, you weren’t planning to attend the exhibition dressed like that, were you?”
Fang Jing looked down at his own clothes. He was wearing very casual, everyday attire.
“Oh well! Little Brother Nishizuka, hop on. You can come with me to a place on the way first!”
The spirited, attractive redhead—Hatakena Gensai’s daughter, Hatakena Sayaka—patted the motorcycle’s rear seat, inviting him on.