CHAPTER 384: CHAPTER 382: THE BOXER FEELS WRONGED_1

The fight was raging fiercely. Aside from Amat in C Zone, who was somewhat unsettling, the other seven zones featured a style of combat that could get one’s blood boiling.

The combat, where fists met flesh, was exhilarating to watch.

Ayatsuki Ayaka didn’t understand it, yet she felt those people were fighting fiercely. SWISH, SWISH, SWISH! It was just like when Aozawa practiced Sword Dao, fast enough to blur the vision.

Their blows could send someone flying in a matter of moments, creating the sensation of watching an action movie, albeit one that was far too brief.

"Wow, Saeko, look, that guy’s legs are so long!"

"Alright, don’t get too excited."

Takahashi Saeko’s body swayed as she was jostled. With a sweep of her eyes across the arena, she said with a surprised expression, "Hey, isn’t that Hojo Tetsuji? So he’s also taking part in this tournament."

"Where?"

Ayatsuki Ayaka scanned the arena and spotted Hojo Tetsuji placed in C Zone. Her wheat-colored cheeks immediately showed a hint of worry. "He’s in the same zone as that pervert?"

"Seeing someone we know being tormented by a pervert is indeed a painful sight."

Tama Chan said this, but her expression was one of someone who enjoyed watching the excitement without concern for the trouble.

Ayatsuki Ayaka shot her a look and said, "Maru, Hojo is our classmate. Show a little sympathy."

"He’s mostly Aozawa’s friend."

Tama Chan bluntly pierced through Ayatsuki Ayaka’s pretense. Spreading her hands, she said, "Your protective feelings extend too far, even to someone you’ve barely spoken to. There’s no need to worry about whether his ’chrysanthemum’ will remain intact."

"Aozawa will be sad."

Ayatsuki Ayaka shook her head. A good friend being hospitalized by such a pervert could leave lifelong psychological scars. As his friend, how could Aozawa possibly remain indifferent?

Ayatsuki Ayaka was well aware that Aozawa, though seemingly mild-mannered, had a surprisingly fiery temper and zero tolerance for things he found unacceptable.

Takahashi Saeko patted her shoulder and said, "Don’t worry, Hojo Tetsuji isn’t a weakling. The first time I met him, I knew he was not to be trifled with."

"Really? I always thought Hojo was an old man who had been held back for years. I never imagined that once he took off the sunglasses and beard, he would actually look sixteen. Amazing."

Ayatsuki Ayaka diverted the topic to makeup and its effect on one’s appearance, and the group naturally discussed topics completely unrelated to the competition.

Aozawa, now a passing breeze, didn’t continue listening. Instead, he stared at the arena, noting that the intensity emanating from Hojo Tetsuji was in no way inferior to Amat’s.

Considering their ages, Amat is certainly not the strongest martial artist among humans. Or perhaps, Hojo Tetsuji’s body is just too abnormal? He thought about it and concluded that the latter was very likely.

...

The chatter was incessant from the stands, but Hojo Tetsuji, down in the waiting area, had only one thing on his mind: How should the plot of my manga develop next?

The tension in the air, the cries of the participants being beaten—to some degree, it stimulated his brain, but the emergent plot points of his manga were like a pixelated image. They were there, yet frustratingly indistinct.

He was irritated.

"I’ll count to three, and then we’ll start."

The referee, seeing the contestant step into the ring, spoke and then stepped out to start counting. "One, two, three!"

"What a headache. This is the Earth’s Strongest Martial Arts Tournament, not child’s play. Even a kid like you can participate; the organizers aren’t the least bit strict."

Hojo Tetsuji’s opponent was an African fighter, sporting a voluminous afro and dressed in the style of a boxer—a red tank top matched with red shorts, but his hands were bare, no gloves worn.

"Roger Woolridge, the world heavyweight boxing champion. He was invited by Sumitomo Financial Group for an exhibition match and then, per their request, joined this tournament," the male assistant introduced the new contestant, before adding, "Hojo Tetsuji, sixteen years old, huh? Even someone like him is registered?"

His face wore a look of astonishment, as if wondering if the person in charge of registration was out of their mind. This was the Earth’s Strongest Martial Arts Tournament, not a child’s game. If a sixteen-year-old was killed in the competition, it could spark a public backlash. People naturally sympathize with the underdog. Adults fighting and dying is one thing, but if an adult killed a child in combat, that would be an outrage. There would be strong reason to criticize the organizers for their negligence.

"Allowing the boxing champion to join the match was indeed an oversight. Without the ability to break through walls, they’re too weak," Phoenix Academy Maggie commented. The male assistant by her side bit back the urge to retort. This heavyweight boxer, while unable to shatter walls with a punch, could still easily kill an adult, let alone a youth.

"Scared already?" Roger Woolridge asked, seeing his opponent zoning out. He scratched his afro.

Among heavyweight boxing champions, he was known for his brutal style, savagely whittling down the life force of his foes like a wild beast. Even so, he wasn’t a true beast; he had a trace of humanity. He called out, "Hey, kid, if you back out now, I might not beat you up. My rule is, once I start throwing punches, regardless of age, I’ll make sure the person ends up in the hospital. If you don’t want to be hospitalized, then just forfeit already."

"It’s alright, I fight the same way."

Hojo Tetsuji snapped back to reality. His raised right hand instinctively went to adjust sunglasses that were no longer there; instead, he clenched it into a fist and declared confidently, "Bring it on!"

"If that’s how you want it, I’ll respect your decision."

Roger Woolridge, seeing the youth’s reluctance to back down, decided to use his true strength, to make the other party understand just how cruel the adult world can be.

He jumped up, his muscles relaxing during the movement. Then, on a beat that echoed in his mind, he pushed off the ground as if on rollerblades, appearing in front of Hojo Tetsuji in an instant.

Roger Woolridge, true to his style, went all-out from the beginning. He first feigned a left hook. When Hojo Tetsuji didn’t react, he turned the feint into a real attack, striking the young man’s chin hard, and followed with a right straight punch to the chest.

BANG! BANG! The feedback from both punches felt like they had hit a steel plate.

This guy?!

He gasped, thinking of retreating quickly, but his body had not yet executed the command from his brain.

Hojo Tetsuji landed a heavy punch on his chest.

Roger Woolridge experienced the sensation of flying. His body arched backward as the octagonal dome ceiling came into view, its dazzling light blinding him before darkness engulfed his vision.

THUD. He fell to the ground, foam frothing at his mouth.

Oh, inspiration has struck! I’ll draw a battle scene. The summer trip arc is coming to an end; indeed, an enemy needs to appear, targeting the heroine. Hojo Tetsuji withdrew his fist, muttering to himself, What identity should the villain have?

"Winner, Hojo Tetsuji!"

The referee regained his composure. He felt that officiating in C Zone was bad for his heart. In a short amount of time, two astonishing upsets had occurred, making him hope that the contestants in the fourth match would be more normal.

Hojo Tetsuji, thinking about his plot, turned and walked toward the entrance.

"Yo, partner! You’ve indeed come here under the guidance of fate."

A man with blond hair and a face full of vigor, like a proud lion, emerged from E District.

Hojo Tetsuji looked up, a trace of confusion flashing across his face as he asked, "Who are you?"

"Haha, you really have a sense of humor."

Peter laughed heartily.

Hojo Tetsuji, recognizing the narcissistic smile, finally realized the guy was Peter. "Don’t call me partner so casually. My only partner is Aozawa."

He retorted in annoyance and continued towards the entrance.

Peter smiled. The more Hojo Tetsuji was reluctant to submit to him, the more Peter wanted to win him over. Only he, a native of Russia, understood how important a will unaffected by money and power was. Talent could be developed or compensated for later, but this firm will was not something one could possess easily. Furusawa Kyoichiro and Aozawa also possessed that kind of will. Peter wanted to recruit them all. Even though he and Aozawa were romantic rivals, it didn’t affect his admiration for Aozawa’s will, unswayed by wealth.

He proceeded towards the competition area in E District.

"Come on, Peter!"

Ayatsuki Ayaka, Takahashi Saeko, and the others got up, waved their hands, and cheered loudly. They had to do so in gratitude for the tickets Peter had sponsored; otherwise, they’d feel bad about the 500 million Yen tickets.

Peter gave them an OK sign, feeling very satisfied. A competitor with a support group was simply different from the others.

...

Time flew by swiftly, and by noon, the competitors were provided with a free lunch.

The audience in the stands also enjoyed a free lunch. It wasn’t luxurious but was sufficient to fill one’s stomach.

Most people chose to pay for their meals, as they either had money or were on expense accounts. There was no need to settle for a free meal.

The Hot Girl quartet enjoyed the free lunch.

While they ate in the stands, the matches below continued without pause.

"The schedule is too tight," Ayatsuki Ayaka complained, the intense pace of the competition making her suspect the organizers wished they could finish all matches within an hour.

Takahashi Saeko nodded and said, "Indeed, such an event should ideally be spread out over a longer period."

"Why are they suddenly holding such a competition anyway?" A doubt flashed across Ayatsuki Ayaka’s eyes.

Miyahara Kaoru thought for a moment and said, "Maybe they want to revitalize the tourism economy? They’re testing the waters with this kind of event for the first time. If it becomes a regular thing later on, it might attract many tourists from around the world."

"If that’s the case, then the schedule should be more relaxed, not so rushed." Tama Chan shook her head, a smile on her face as she said, "I’m more inclined to believe the conspiracy theories online. There’s definitely a conspiracy behind this."

"A conspiracy, huh!" Ayatsuki Ayaka pondered for a moment, then decided it was pointless for her to dwell on such things.

She took out her smartphone to take a photo of the lunch.

Takahashi Saeko said with a smile, "Sending it to Aozawa?"

"Yeah, let him see what kind of lunch a 500 million Yen ticket gets you," Ayatsuki Ayaka replied cheerfully.

Aozawa’s gaze shifted away from the arena. He had already chosen his experimental subjects. Most of these competitors were brutal by nature; those who truly embodied the spirit of Martial Arts were few and far between. Regarding the top eight contestants, C Zone still held some suspense; the perceived strength of Hojo Tetsuji and Amat was not far apart.

Aozawa used Schrodinger’s Cat to return to the villa and deactivated his Element Replacement ability.

The screen of the phone on the table lit up.

He unlocked it, began replying to Iroha’s messages, and then had instant noodles for lunch.