Chapter 196: Renji and Chizuru Are Getting More in Sync! Mai: I Should've Stayed Under the Car!
"How about you two just listen to me and call the team Ore ni Katenai Kami-sama?"
After struggling for half a day, they still hadn't decided on a team name.
Renji had already suggested Ore ni Katenai Kami-sama, but both Jotaro and Kagura Chizuru were firmly against it.
"How about we call ourselves the New Fighters Team?"
"What, is there an Old Fighters Team too? You know what—forget I said anything."
Renji wanted to argue, but after seeing the deadly look in their eyes, he chose to surrender. Deep down, though, he still believed Ore ni Katenai Kami-sama was the superior name.
It wasn't as if their personalities could blend anyway. Normally, the team captain was supposed to decide the name—but Renji's naming sense was too outrageous for human comprehension.
If he were even slightly normal, Chizuru and Jotaro wouldn't have hesitated at all.
In the end, they submitted their entry as the New Fighters Team, becoming the final registered team for KOF '96.
"So what's the format this time? One-on-one, team match, or tag rotation?"
This was Renji's first time actually entering a KOF tournament.
In the games, a character would fight until defeated before the next stepped in—but this wasn't a game, and he wasn't sure how much would differ.
KOF wasn't always hosted by the same organizer, so the rules varied each time. Since Chizuru was this year's host, Renji decided to ask her directly.
After all, he was a first-timer.
"This time, it'll be a ring-guard format. There are three stages in total. Each team can choose to assign one member per stage, or have all three defend a single stage.
"If, by the end of the matches, all three remaining fighters belong to the same team, that team wins outright.
"But if the victors come from different teams, a final three-way battle will determine the champion."
Chizuru had initially planned to use the rules from KOF '95—standard team draws leading into 3v3 elimination battles, with teams losing when all members were defeated.
But later, she found that system too time-consuming. She wasn't hosting this event to find "the world's strongest fighter team" anyway.
Her goal was simple: to draw out Yagami Iori and Kusanagi Kyo. Once they showed up, her mission would be complete. Everything else was just background noise. So she chose a faster "ring-guard" system to speed things up.
"So simple, huh? Then we just each guard one stage and win easily."
"You're oversimplifying things."
Chizuru rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. Renji's thinking was far too straightforward.
"That's not necessarily the best choice," Jotaro said, shaking his head. He drew three circles in the air before looking at Renji seriously.
"There's one problem you're overlooking. If this is a ring-guard match, it's likely that teams can gang up together. If the three of us split across different stages, we can't support each other.
"The safer approach is to guard one ring together. That way, we can ensure at least one of us reaches the final battle.
"Once we take a position, we can't switch, right?"
It was the most logical and cautious plan.
And indeed, the rules were designed that way—many other teams would likely exploit it.
"That's right. We have to choose our stages in advance," Chizuru said. "So, the safest route is to stick together. But if you just want to fool around, I won't stop you."
Rules existed to be used—nothing shameful about that.
"So, what do you two think? Stick together or go solo?"
Renji didn't really mind. As long as they agreed, he'd go with the flow.
"It's solid, but I refuse."
Though Jotaro understood the logic, he wasn't going to use it.
He wasn't a typical fighter, but he knew enough to understand—true fighters didn't rely on underhanded tactics. Even if some did, he wouldn't.
If he was going to win, he wanted to win with honor. Not by hiding behind technicalities or dragging out the match with a "safe" strategy.
Even if such a method secured first place, it wouldn't feel righteous.
"I agree," Chizuru added. "Playing it safe might be smart, but as a member of the Kagura family, I won't let others look down on us."
"Then it's settled!"
Renji grinned, his eyes lighting up with excitement. The coming KOF tournament was going to be thrilling.
"Wanna go racing?"
After their discussion, Chizuru checked her watch. It was late—too late to train—and she suddenly thought of challenging Renji again.
Since her last loss, she'd been practicing her "gutter-drift" technique nonstop. She'd nearly crashed several times, but still hadn't mastered it. Tonight, she wanted to race Renji again—to see if she could learn it mid-competition.
"Again?"
"Yeah. I've got nothing else to do. If I win, I'm treating you to hotpot."
Chizuru tossed a motorcycle helmet to Renji. Clearly, she'd planned this since earlier that day.
"Jotaro, coming along?"
"I'll watch."
After a brief hesitation, Jotaro decided to tag along anyway.
They were teammates now—it wouldn't hurt to spend some time together.
"You ride?" Renji asked. "If so, I'll get you a bike."
"I ride," Jotaro replied simply.
The three arrived at the same mountain road where they had raced before.
This time, Jotaro quickly realized he'd underestimated Chizuru—and Renji's speed was downright unnatural. They were using identical bikes, yet Renji was inexplicably faster.
"Why can't I pull off your gutter-drift?"
Chizuru turned her head toward Renji. She'd been following closely, watching every movement, but his "gutter technique" seemed nonexistent.
He was just leaning normally into the curves.
Was it her imagination?
"Because… maybe your comprehension isn't quite there yet," Renji said with a forced smile.
What was he supposed to say? That there was no such thing as a "gutter-drift" and he'd just made it up?
"My comprehension, huh…"
Chizuru took it seriously, deciding to study more about racing mechanics later. Maybe she just didn't understand enough yet—but one day, she would definitely beat him.
Meanwhile, Jotaro couldn't help but feel strange. Just a month ago, he'd been an ordinary high school student. Now, his life had turned completely upside down.
The KOF Tournament.
Mai Shiranui had already arrived at the venue early.
Since Renji's departure to the desert nation, she hadn't seen him in quite some time—and now, she finally would again.
"Mai, be a little more reserved."
King rubbed her forehead helplessly as she glanced at Mai Shiranui, who was fidgeting restlessly and craning her neck every few seconds.
She was about to turn into a living "husband-waiting stone."
"I know, I know!"
"Do you really?"
King wasn't convinced. Judging by how Mai was acting, she definitely didn't.
"Look—it's Renji!" Mai waved excitedly toward the distance, her face lighting up. "Over here!"
Following her gaze, King and Kasumi Todoh looked over as well.
The moment they saw the man in question, they understood immediately why Mai had been so anxious—afraid he might have abandoned her.
He really was good-looking, and though clearly well-trained, his body wasn't covered in the overblown, bulky muscles typical of heavy fighters.
"Long time no see, Mai."
Kagura Chizuru stepped forward and waved in greeting.
"Mai, I'm back."
"Mhm!"
Mai's eyes darted up and down, scanning Renji before puffing her cheeks slightly. "You came back early, didn't you?"
Renji didn't look like someone who had just rushed back. If he'd been back for days, why hadn't he told her?
"Yeah, I've been back for a few days. I was hanging out with Chizuru and Jotaro—eating, racing, you know."
At first, Jotaro had found the idea of teaming up with a woman troublesome. But over time, he'd loosened up.
Chizuru nodded. "Yes, we've all been together these past few days."
But as she spoke, she noticed Mai's expression turn… peculiar.
Mai herself didn't even know how to describe her own feelings anymore.
I should've been under the car, not inside it.
Her boyfriend and her best friend were getting awfully in sync.
"Mai?"
Chizuru waved a hand in front of her face, confused by her sudden blank stare. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, Chizuru," Mai said quickly.
Ahhhh! she screamed internally.
This was bad—really bad. On one side was her best friend, on the other her boyfriend, and somehow it felt like she had personally set them up!
"What are you sulking about now?"
Renji flicked her forehead lightly, snapping her out of her spiral.
He hadn't done anything improper at all.
They'd just eaten together and gone racing. Jotaro had been with them every time—and even Joseph had tagged along one day.
It wasn't as if he'd gone out alone with Chizuru. Mai was just overthinking things again.
"Hmph! I'm not sulking! Just you wait, Renji—I'm going to beat you this time!"
Mai huffed, swatting away his hand indignantly. That flick had hurt more than she wanted to admit.
She'd definitely win the next match!
"Nice to meet you, handsome. I'm King."
"Kasumi Todoh."
Since Mai wasn't introducing anyone, King decided to do it herself.
Honestly, the woman went completely brain-dead the moment Renji showed up.
And wasn't she just talking about challenging him earlier?
Judging by her current expression, King wouldn't be surprised if Mai "accidentally" forgot about fighting altogether.
She'd seen mama's girls and daddy's girls before—but this was her first time meeting a full-on "boyfriend's girl."
"Nice to meet you. No need to introduce Chizuru—and this is Jotaro, my teammate. We're Team Ore ni Katenai Kami-sama—cough, I mean, the New Fighters Team!"
Renji had almost blurted out his preferred team name, but the twin glares of death from behind him made him swallow the words just in time.
Those two really were on constant guard, terrified he might say it out loud.
"The New Fighters Team? That's such a boring name."
"Right? That's what I said!"
Renji's eyes lit up instantly. "Then how about Ore ni Katenai Kami-sama? What do you think?"
He spoke so quickly that neither Jotaro nor Chizuru had time to stop him.
The moment the name left his mouth, Jotaro pressed a hand to his forehead, utterly defeated, while Chizuru stared at the ground in silent despair.
This name was so embarrassing her toes could probably dig a whole apartment complex underground.
"Cool!"
Mai gave a thumbs-up, looking genuinely impressed. It sounded powerful—way better than the plain old "New Fighters Team"!
It even matched her own team's name, the New Women Fighters Team.
Back then, she hadn't liked that name either, but both King and another teammate had been satisfied, so she'd given up.
Now that she thought about it… what if she changed her team name to Onna ni Katenai Kami-sama?
Lowering her head, Mai considered the idea seriously. It actually matched her quite well.
Maybe she could still file a name-change request?
"Whatever you're plotting, forget it," King said dryly. "Team names can't be changed now."
Just looking at Mai's expression, King knew she was thinking something ridiculous again.
So she really wanted to rename her whole team just because she liked that awful name?
Did someone actually think Ore ni Katenai Kami-sama sounded good?
Judging from Chizuru and Jotaro's horrified faces, that name was obviously Renji's doing—and now Mai agreed with it too.
Suddenly, King understood. These two were perfect for each other.
Their terrible taste was perfectly aligned.
"We can't change the name?" Mai asked in disappointment.
Chizuru, meanwhile, breathed a sigh of relief.
Thankfully, she'd added a rule prohibiting name changes after registration—originally to prevent confusion.
But now she realized she'd saved everyone from total social humiliation.
And, most importantly, herself.
She felt like she'd just scored the biggest win of her life.
(End of Chapter)
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