"It really feels like you're treating Shiranui-ryuu as something totally weird," Mai muttered, clearly exasperated.
Ryuji, however, was perfectly calm about it.
To be fair, the Shiranui-ryu battle uniform was, from a practical standpoint... more like lingerie. Sure, it had its uses—seduction definitely worked on people like him. But against monsters, or lunatics from styles like the Kyokugenryu school? Yeah, not so much.
To Ryuji, the greatest strength of Shiranui-ryu was:
"It lets beautiful women wear sexy outfits out in the open—completely legitimately."
From that angle, it was a perfect martial art.
"Yeah. Pretty much," he admitted shamelessly.
Ryuji's passion for learning Shiranui-ryu wasn't all that different from when he dabbled with breathing techniques—learn the basics, call it a day, no deep dives.
"You're way too honest! Listen up—Shiranui-ryu is a style that explores the limits of the human body! It delves into the mysteries within! A secret technique system combining fire and physical combat! It's not just for fighting humans, it has techniques meant for demons and monsters too!"
Mai explained with as much seriousness as she could muster... though part of her felt a bit guilty. After all, in the modern world, demons and monsters didn't exist. So really, most of her training was about fighting people—just like Ryuji learning the breathing techniques. She knew it, but wasn't going to admit it outright.
She pulled out her fans and demonstrated a formal Shiranui stance.
...Though to be fair, every martial art claims to "push human limits" and "explore inner mysteries," don't they?
Ryuji silently snarked in his head but didn't interrupt. He gave her a look that clearly said: Go on, show me what you've got.
"Watch closely. This is the basic form of Shiranui-ryu."
Mai began her demonstration seriously, walking him through key concepts: how to direct strength efficiently, how to react during punches, how to circulate inner energy without disrupting the flow of battle—these were the real treasures, passed down by generations of Shiranui practitioners. Stuff that couldn't be put in manuals.
The actual moves weren't that special—just using inner energy to enhance attacks. What truly mattered were the systems behind them: timing, energy control, reflex paths.
Different schools had different solutions to the same problem. Their uniqueness came from these "software" components, not the "hardware" of the techniques themselves.
"So that's why masters train in multiple styles…"
As Ryuji watched Mai, it all clicked. Masters learned different schools because each style had blind spots—emphasizing different attributes.
Shiranui-ryu, to his eye, leaned pretty hard into the "technical gimmick" category. Lots of throws using leg strength, elbow and knee strikes, moves that relied on spins or body weight transfer for impact—it all screamed compensating for physical strength.
His own style leaned much more toward raw power and high-pressure offense. In fact, the Shiranui method looked like the kind of style that needed enemies to attack first, then counter using speed and misdirection—rolling, spinning, sudden changes in direction. Basically, a bait-and-counter attack.
Against humans, it'd work great. Against monsters? A lot more questionable.
Still, Ryuji's eyes gleamed when he noticed something...
Mid-air direction change. That was basically a double jump!
No matter how you sliced it, Mai was a speed-based fighter with some very lopsided stats. Someone with evenly distributed attributes—like Ryuji—would eventually beat her head-to-head.
"No wonder people call her second-rate or third rate… Shiranui-ryu has some pretty glaring flaws."
Just as he was about to stop her and ask about that double-jump trick, Mai suddenly inhaled deeply and shouted—
"Dance of the Nine Tails!"
In the very next moment, Mai's body launched forward with explosive speed, twisting mid-air with that signature aerial redirection technique of hers, before landing squarely atop a wooden post.
And just as she landed, she bent forward in a pose that made Ryuji's jaw twitch—a deep crouch with her butt high in the air, both hands pressed between her thighs. Her round, snow-white curves were fully on display, rippling from the force of her descent.
But Ryuji knew this wasn't just some lewd performance.
That lewd-looking pose? It was a practical stance for channeling and sealing a massive burst of flame-infused Qi into the wooden post. The injection required time and focus, and the seemingly obscene posture allowed her to brace and avoid retaliation simultaneously.
Every move that followed was the same—each bizarre pose served the same purpose: focusing and injecting flame-Qi into the target.
By the final strike, Ryuji, watching with his Observation Haki, saw it clearly—the interior of the post was already saturated with flame-Qi. And just as Mai leapt back and cut off her output—
BOOM!
A towering column of fire shot upward from within the wood!
There it was. The ultimate core technique of Shiranui-ryu.
Everything the style had to offer—the rotation, the flame control, the explosive burst, the mid-air redirection—was all embodied in that one move.
Mai stood at the center of it, breathing heavily, sweat clinging to her skin, and her voluminous breasts bouncing uncontrollably with each heaving breath.
Ryuji honestly wanted to reach out and grab them just to stop them from bouncing.
"...Yeah. That was actually amazing," he muttered sincerely.
Without those three core techniques—the mid-air shift, the art of converting Qi into flame, and the method of injecting that energy into a target to ignite from within—Shiranui-ryu would have just been another normal martial art, arguably even less versatile than ancient forms like Tai Chi, Jeet Kune Do, or Bajiquan.
But those three elements elevated it far above the norm.
It was a true supernatural martial art.
The moment you could cultivate "Qi," you were no longer playing by mortal rules.
Compared to Rias's family sword style, which was really just fancy magic-based fencing, Shiranui-ryu had depth—a real foundation.
"Hmph! Still think Shiranui-ryu is only good for seducing men now?!"
Mai puffed up proudly, hands on hips, chest out in satisfaction—
—which unfortunately caused another violent wave of jiggle to ripple through her chest, barely contained by her revealing ahem "traditional training uniform."
The generous expanse of exposed pale skin made it feel like, any moment now, something pink might escape from the straining cloth.
Yeah, this outfit was 100% designed for seduction.
Ryuji was now absolutely sure of it.
"Even if it's powerful," he said solemnly, "that doesn't change the fact that Shiranui-ryu is still the most effective 'technique' for teaching cute girls how to seduce."
Crunch.
Mai clenched her teeth hard enough to make an audible grinding sound.
"Ryuji…"
Her fists clenched. Her fingers twitched. She wanted so badly to strangle him.
"Hey, I'm just being honest!" he shrugged.
"Besides, the basic energy infusion technique? It's not exclusive to Shiranui-ryu. Lots of other fighting styles do something similar."
He crossed his arms, laying out the brutal truth.
Embedding energy inside a target and detonating it? Sure, he knew how. Just… not nearly as refined as Mai's version.
Naturally, the martial artists of that world were capable of similar feats.
The Shiranui-ryu style was a bit unique—it had some elements that Ryuji couldn't fully understand. Clearly, there were techniques he hadn't been taught yet, especially since Mai hadn't properly explained them.
Still, for fighters in the King of Fighters world, mid-air directional changes—while difficult—weren't unheard of. Transforming Qi into flames was rare, yes, but not entirely impossible either. It's just that no one did it quite like the Shiranui style.
In short, it had its unique flair, but nothing revolutionary. To Ryuji, it seemed more like something that would surprise average fighters than overwhelm elites.
Mai opened her mouth, stunned into silence. She had no argument—what Ryuji said was objectively true. And yet, looking at the smug expression on his face, she grew more and more irritated.
Her chest began to heave with growing intensity, visibly rising and falling. Naturally, Ryuji's eyes followed the motion, drawn in as if trying to glimpse the elusive pink beneath her outfit.
And Mai could clearly see where his gaze was focused—squarely on her chest. What's worse, he wasn't even trying to hide his lecherous grin!
"Ryuji, you pervert!"
Fuming with frustration, she clenched her fan tightly in her hand, trying to keep her anger in check.
"Come on, don't get mad. I'm just being honest," Ryuji said casually. "The Shiranui-ryu style focuses too much on agility and technique. I bet your physical conditioning methods aren't nearly as rigorous as other schools. Most of your moves rely on spinning to generate power. That's why the style gets labeled as third-rate—because those techniques can be copied, and spins and leaps leave a lot of openings. There's a ceiling to the strength they can generate. That's the fatal flaw of Shiranui-ryu. From a physiological standpoint, the style is more suited to women, don't you think?"
Ryuji rambled on, dissecting the flaws of her martial art in detail. Since Mai wanted him to fight in the tournament under the Shiranui-ryu banner, he felt obligated to point out its weaknesses so they could optimize the techniques.
After all, when it came to body training methods and herbal formulas, he had access to incredible knowledge from the Arad world. He might genuinely be able to help her improve the style.
However…
Sometimes patience only fuels frustration.
Mai had opened up to Ryuji in the middle of the night, revealing secrets she had guarded for years—and this was how he repaid her? Nitpicking every flaw in her treasured martial art, even after she generously showed him every technique? She couldn't take it anymore.
"…Still, I'll admit, there are some interesting—huh?"
Just as Ryuji was about to praise the Shiranui-ryuu's unique techniques, Mai snapped.
Her eyes burned red with fury. Clenching her fan between her teeth, she leapt high into the air and roared in a muffled voice, "I'm gonna kill you!!"
Golden energy flared around her body, her hair fluttering wildly as the force surged. The wind tugged at her outfit, making her top tremble as if on the verge of exposing something—but it never did.
Ryuji had studied her outfit before. There was nothing underneath holding it in place!
But this wasn't the time to think about that. Facing an enraged Mai in full fury mode, he immediately went on high alert.
Dance of the Nine Tails!
Mai launched herself at Ryuji, slamming her elbow toward his shoulder. Even though she was furious, she didn't intend to actually kill him—just teach him a painful lesson and remind him of the dignity of the Shiranui-ryu style.
But—
Ryuji was faster. Both his reflexes and his reaction speed outclassed hers.
In an instant, just as Mai launched her attack, Ryuji activated a blood energy technique. With a swift sidestep, he dodged the initial strike with ease.
Mai landed in a crouch, immediately realizing her elbow had missed the mark. She had made a mistake—she still hadn't fully mastered this ultimate move.
She quickly tried to transition into the next phase of the Nine-Tail Dance, raising her hips to counter-attack…
But it was already too late.
Ryuji had turned and instinctively grabbed her arm, pulling it outward to prevent her from striking again.
As she thrust her hips backward to continue the move, her upper body lost momentum due to Ryuji's grip—and her soft, bouncy butt slammed directly into Ryuji's crotch… where his dick had, unfortunately, already become quite hard thanks to her earlier "demonstrations."
The moment the familiar firmness pressed against her butt, Mai's mind went blank. When she realized what she had just bumped into, her thoughts shut down entirely. Her entire body froze.
Meanwhile, Ryuji, now overwhelmed by the soft, springy sensation, couldn't help but recall how it had felt that one time they did it.
Though it had only lasted a short while, the memory was burned into his mind—surpassed only by the few days and nights he had spent with Alexstrasza.
Why? Because it had felt amazing… and because it had ended all too quickly.
That short moment left a long-lasting impression.
Driven by that memory, he reflexively thrust forward twice—only then realizing they were both still clothed, and Mai hadn't agreed to anything intimate.
The fabric between them couldn't block the sensation of her soft curves and firm ass. It was enough to ignite desire—but not enough to fulfill it.
So close… yet still out of reach.
That mix of frustration and yearning was almost unbearable.
Ryuji froze, caught between temptation and reason. In that moment of hesitation, Mai finally snapped out of her daze. Her body trembled violently as the memories of that night returned.
That overwhelming pleasure…
That shame…
That moment that completely destroyed her relationship with Andy.
Sensing Mai's trembling, Ryuji spoke with sincerity.
"Uh… So… would you believe me if I said that was a misunderstanding? I mean…"
Before he could finish, he saw tears fall from Mai's face. He immediately let go of her hand, but Mai didn't run away, didn't lash out, didn't attack him. Instead, she slowly sank to her knees, covering her face with her hands as she began to cry quietly on the spot.
"Uh…"
Ryuji crouched beside her, staring at the petal patterns on her outfit. After a brief pause, he said:
"Wanna stab me? Just once, though. Any more than that and I might actually die."
If it was just one stab, as long as it wasn't the head, even a wound to the heart wouldn't kill him—not with Dragon Fire and Life Return techniques to fall back on.
But Mai didn't raise her hand. She just looked at him, her teary eyes glowing with resentment.
"You bastard! You bastard! You absolute bastard! Are you my nemesis or something?! Why is it that every time I meet you, something awful happens to me?!"
Everything she had once cherished, everything she had once built—this man had destroyed it all. And the worst part was, he'd done it with an innocent smile, perfectly justified, effortlessly rational.
She couldn't even hate him.
And that made her even angrier.
"If it's too much… then fine, I'll take responsibility for all your misfortunes," Ryuji said with a shrug. "Didn't I tell you before? You can hate me all you want—though it won't do you any good, since you can't beat me anyway."
Ryuji was never good at persuasion.
He was only good at seduction.
"You bastard…"
Mai let out a laugh through her tears—not out of joy, but because she was furious.
"What gives you the right to take responsibility for me?! You didn't even do anything wrong! From the beginning to the end, it's been me throwing tantrums at you! You didn't have to help me revive the Shiranui style! None of this is your burden!"
She was truly angry now. Who was Ryuji to her anyway? What gave him the right to keep forgiving her like this? Did he think she was some helpless little princess in need of pampering?
"Well, see… pretty girls have special privileges with me."
Ryuji spoke his life philosophy with no shame.
To him, beautiful women did have privileges. And those who'd slept with him? Even more.
"You only fucked my ass once! Don't get ahead of yourself!" she shouted, shaking with anger. "Just because you had a good time doesn't mean you get to act like this forever!"
She was so mad she grabbed him by the collar.
"You're not my dad! You're not even really my friend! What gives you the right to tolerate all this from me?! Aren't you the one who believes in gender equality? Huh?! Hit me, damn it! Hit me like a man!"
Ryuji stared at her, baffled. Her fury made no logical sense, and yet… seeing her in such a state, he didn't have the heart to snap back. Even though punching her would be the fastest way to calm her down, he just couldn't bring himself to do it.
Still, this request… was insane.
"That might be the most ridiculous thing anyone's ever asked me."
Ryuji raised his arm, made a fist, and under her intense, nervous gaze—gently tapped her on the forehead.
"There. One punch. Feel better now? Or…"
His finger pointed toward her chest, which was rising and falling from her heavy breathing.
"...do you want me to touch here instead? But let me warn you, if you let me touch them, things won't stop there. You'll get pregnant. I'm not kidding. Now come on, stop being mad. Isn't your biggest wish to revive the Shiranui-ryu? I'll help you do it."
Ryuji's voice was unusually serious.
He was even ready to stake his pride on this promise.
After all, Mai had fought beside him through thick and thin. She was someone he had once fantasized about. Even if they couldn't be lovers, he still wanted to be her friend.
After all, he really wants to visit the King of Fighters world, and it would be really good to have a good relationship with Mai.
And honestly…
Yeah, he was definitely attracted to her.
But looking at his still-joking expression, Mai suddenly felt like he was nothing but a shameless, irredeemable bastard—and she was the biggest fool in the world.
Her misfortune… was meeting this hopeless pervert.
And worse yet, she couldn't even reject his kindness. She couldn't resist. She had no way to stop him from wrecking her life—her old life.
And yet...
Looking at Ryuji, and then down at her own hands, Mai realized something she didn't want to admit.
She needed someone to rely on.
She always had. As a child, she leaned on her grandfather. Then Andy. And even if she were to marry someday, what she truly wanted wasn't just a husband—it was someone who would help her restore the Shiranui-ryu, someone who loved her, someone she could love, and someone she could never leave.
This bastard…
Staring at Ryuji's face, she remembered how she had felt seeing him together with Shinobu… that strange, jealous unease.
And realizing that, she finally let go of his collar and sighed.
"…Forget it."
"Huh?"
Ryuji blinked, confused.
"I accept my fate. You can do whatever you want in the future..."
She shot him a look of disdain, then turned around and kicked him to the ground. Without another word, she strutted back into her room.
And Ryuji…
"Hey! What the hell was that for?! You just accept your fate and then kick me?! What part of that makes sense?! You think I've got infinite patience just 'cause I let you throw tantrums? Explain it! If you don't, I swear I'll crush your—!"
He shouted after her, outraged. He treated her like a comrade, and she treated him like some lovesick simp?
How could he let that slide?!
But Mai only looked back at him with a blank, wooden stare… and slammed the door shut.
Then, for the first time in a long while, she lay down and peacefully fell asleep.
She thought to herself, Ryuji's not so bad, I guess.
Resigning herself didn't feel so awful.
And Ryuji?
Ryuji thought this woman was completely insane.
~~~~~~~~~~
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