No longer a formal fighting style, Kōenji adopted a simple yet highly effective technique.
The United States Army's combatives.
"You truly hide your power well, Lion." Seeing Kōenji's serious, ready posture, Ren took a step back with his right foot, yet his stance remained aggressive.
Buzz buzz buzz...
Continuous, subtle humming sounds emanated from Ren's body. Ren's hair stood on end, and his body began to tremble slightly at all times.
"Damn it, Dragon, you practice such a mix of styles?" The knowledgeable Kōenji instantly understood the state Ren was in and couldn't help but curse.
---
"Kōenji's thoughts"
: He has studied martial arts from everywhere; I've seen things like this in videos and old books. Now he's using Aikido footwork...
Aikido footwork combined with a powerful Body-Crushing Strike, and he even produced a sharp kiai…
-
He had thought these treasures were just myths spread by those people, but he didn't expect someone to actually master them.
Using the agility of the Aikido footwork, Ren rushed towards Kōenji, launching a direct, powerful Impact Punch toward Kōenji's face.
Kōenji, with lightning-fast reflexes, retreated several steps. After dodging Ren's Impact Punch, he transformed his bent arm into a straight one, sending a stabbing punch towards Ren's chin.
"Faster, Lion."
Tilting his head to avoid the potentially lethal jab, Ren brought his arms inward, opening his two large hands.
The hands closed down together, like the snapping jaws of a crocodile, aiming for the arm Kōenji hadn't yet managed to retract.
The highly perceptive Kōenji's face changed. He trapped Ren's hand with his forearm, stopping the "jaws" from fully closing.
Due to Ren's enormous strength, Kōenji's face flushed slightly, yet he still dared not release Ren's hand.
Kōenji recognized Ren's move: the Coiling Grip, a very vicious killing move.
If he hadn't reacted quickly enough to prevent Ren from completing the "jaws" closure, his entire arm would have been torn off by Ren.
As a style created by imitating various animals, Ren's grappling technique was inspired by a crocodile capturing its prey.
A crocodile, after biting its prey, violently spins its body to twist and break the prey's bones and muscles.
If Ren had successfully clamped onto his arm just now, the next step would definitely have been a body twist and a tear.
Releasing Ren's hand, Kōenji retreated several steps, trying to escape Ren's attack range: "Are you crazy, Dragon!"
Without responding, Ren's red eyes stared intensely at Kōenji, as if ready to drip blood.
Giving Kōenji no chance to rest or adjust, Ren moved his back foot forward half a step, and his fist sank before shooting forward.
Kōenji heard a sudden explosive bang in the air, like a string snapping.
The strike hit Kōenji's abdomen, sending him flying backward to crash against the wall.
"Damn it, using the Half-Step Punch! Dragon, are you seriously trying to kill me!!!" Kōenji roared, his elegant demeanor completely gone.
The "Half-Step Punch," a major killing move, was developed by a master while imprisoned.
Because he was wearing shackles, he could only move forward in half-steps when practicing. As he continued this way, he found that the power of the punch delivered this way was extraordinary, hence the name "Half-Step Punch."
Ren looked at Kōenji leaning against the wall in surprise. He hadn't expected this Lion to be so durable.
Seeing the challenge, Ren decided to test just how durable Kōenji was.
Dashing forward toward Kōenji, Ren took a deep breath and held it. He planted his feet into a low kamae, stable and grounded.
Ren's hands were not idle either. This time, he didn't use any specific technique, but unleashed a barrage of chaotic blows toward Kōenji.
Kōenji instinctively crossed his hands in front of him, enduring Ren's relentless bombardment, punch after punch.
"Chaos Barrage?" Kōenji observed Ren's moves while enduring the blows.
"Chaos Barrage" was hardly a formal technique, comparable to the chaotic first volley of arrows in ancient warfare—it was purely about landing a hit.
This move consumed significant stamina, with a strong element of defeating a master through sheer brute force.
Seeing Ren dare to use this chaotic method, Kōenji secretly relaxed a little and pushed harder to endure Ren's barrage.
He planned to turn the tables and suppress Ren the moment the initial breath Ren had held was released.
Half a minute passed...
Ren's punch speed didn't slow down at all, and the force remained heavy, making Kōenji's arms tremble violently, with his ki feeling scattered and his timing getting disrupted.
"That single breath… it can last this long?" Kōenji was astonished. Ren had not drawn a new breath all this time, relying on the single breath he had held.
The wind from the punches roared and exploded around Kōenji, denying him any chance to catch his breath.
It felt as if Ren would instantly beat him to death if he dared to breathe out and release the breath he was holding.
Another half-minute passed, and Kōenji finally couldn't hold on anymore. He dropped his hands, adopting a posture that dared Ren to kill him.
Boom!
A punch slammed into the wall next to Kōenji's head, violently creating a small crater.
Seeing that Kōenji was no longer resisting, Ren stopped the attack, stepped back, and looked at Kōenji sitting on the ground, ignoring the blood dripping from his own hand.
"You are ruthless, Dragon!" Staggering to his feet, Kōenji walked unsteadily toward Ren and, without a word, punched Ren's shoulder.
Ren did not dodge, allowing Kōenji to hit his shoulder.
He had let Kōenji act as his punching bag for so long; he had to let Kōenji vent, right?
As the punch neared Ren's shoulder, Kōenji held back his force and gently tapped Ren's shoulder with a punch.
Ren gave him respect, so he had to return the favor. This was courtesy.
"Dragon, I'm too starved to move!"
...
At a roadside barbecue stall,
Ren asked the owner to set up a small table outside. Ren and Kōenji sat by the road, enjoying grilled skewers and the night breeze. Beside their feet was a case of cheap beer that was half-empty.
"Dragon, bottoms up!" Taking a bottle of beer from the case beside his feet, Kōenji flicked the bottle cap off with his thumb and raised the bottle to Ren.
Ren placed his right hand on the bottle cap, gently twisting it off entirely. He also raised his beer and clinked it against Kōenji's.
Just like that...
The heirs of two top conglomerates sat by the side of a road with few pedestrians, drinking beer and eating grilled skewers late at night.
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