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Sano Kazunari inwardly sneered. Though his aggressive stance might be seen as overbearing, if Toru continued to evade now, it would only confirm his cowardice and invite ridicule.
At worst, Sano's behavior could be labeled petty or domineering, but such an impression was easily reversible. On the other hand, Toru's perceived weakness would haunt him for the next four years of university life.
Horikita Manabu stood before Fujiwara Toru, his mind racing with thoughts on how to resolve this situation smoothly. While people naturally sympathized with the underdog, in reality, they often gravitated toward strength.
In Horikita's eyes, Sano Kazunari was undoubtedly stronger than Toru. Challenging authority was unconventional, but tradition dictated that juniors should obey seniors. Moreover, Sano was genuinely talented—academically excellent and unmatched in karate. For someone weaker like himself, obedience to the stronger party was only logical.
Still, Horikita didn't want to completely alienate Toru, the freshman representative.
"The simplest solution is to defeat him without causing injury," he reasoned. "Afterward, I'll explain that I've trained in karate since childhood, while he's just a beginner. Losing to me wouldn't be surprising."
"This way, everyone saves face. I follow Sano's orders, and Toru loses only a bit of dignity. As the weaker opponent, he should accept the outcome."
A glint of determination flashed in Horikita's eyes behind his glasses. He assumed a fighting stance, one leg stepping back, and addressed Toru. "Fujiwara-kun, do you need a moment to prepare?"
"If you're smart, don't bother preparing. If you lose after taking time, it'll only make your defeat more humiliating. Fight me directly—even if you fail, you'll have an excuse. Let's see what choice you make and gauge your ability."
Unconsciously, Horikita had already positioned himself as the stronger party. After all, Toru stood there casually, showing no signs of combat readiness, appearing as though he'd never practiced martial arts at all.
The other members of the karate club cleared the area, giving them ample space. Though almost everyone expected Toru to lose, they were eager to see how badly he'd fare. Despite being a freshman, Horikita's black belt status made him formidable enough to compete nationally.
But Toru ignored him entirely. Instead, he studied Horikita and asked, "By the way, are you 'Kouan'?"
Sano had referred to him by that name earlier.
"That's correct. Is there a problem?" Horikita replied.
"Do you have a younger sister?"
Surprised, Horikita nodded. "Yes, I do. Fujiwara-kun, have we met before?"
For a moment, he wondered if their parents might know each other. The Horikita family wasn't particularly prominent, but they held some influence in both politics and business, with many connections.
"No, we haven't," Toru clarified.
Reassured, Horikita decided not to overthink it. Seeing that Toru showed no intention of fighting, he warned, "Be careful, Fujiwara-kun. I'm just here to spar!"
With that, Horikita launched a swift kick aimed at the side of Toru's knee—a vulnerable spot. Striking there would destabilize his opponent, making it easy to declare victory once Toru fell. Avoiding flashy moves like high kicks to the chin, which could seriously injure someone, Horikita opted for a controlled yet powerful snap kick.
A sharp crack echoed through the air as Horikita's foot connected with Toru's knee. But contrary to his expectations, Toru didn't falter. He remained as steady as a mountain, while Horikita felt a jarring pain in his foot, as though he'd kicked a steel plate.
Something was off.
Before Horikita could fully process this realization, it was too late. Toru stepped forward suddenly, delivering a textbook-perfect straight punch aimed squarely at Horikita's chin.
In that instant, Horikita felt every hair on his body stand on end. A primal fear surged from the depths of his soul—a fear so ancient and instinctual that it paralyzed him. At that moment, Toru no longer seemed human. To Horikita, he was a roaring tiger, unleashing its full fury with that single strike.
The punch landed cleanly, sending Horikita flying backward. His glasses flew off his nose, saliva spraying into the air. Dazed and disoriented, Horikita crashed to the ground, unconscious like a sleeping infant.
Toru had deliberately restrained his strength; otherwise, that punch could have shattered Horikita's jaw, leaving him permanently disabled.
When Horikita hit the ground, the surrounding karate club members were stunned. They stared blankly at the fallen figure, unsure of what had just transpired. Horikita's earlier kick had been executed with great force, yet Toru hadn't budged an inch. Meanwhile, Toru's counterattack—though seemingly simple and basic—had sent Horikita sprawling.
It was almost laughable how straightforward the move was, leading some to suspect that Horikita had thrown the fight intentionally.
"Horikita-kun! Are you alright?!"
After a few seconds of silence, the karate club members snapped out of their daze and rushed to Horikita's side. One even suggested calling an ambulance.
Lying on the ground, Horikita was utterly bewildered. His usual stoic expression was gone, replaced by a vacant grin and drool pooling at the corner of his mouth. It was an undignified sight, akin to a drunkard sprawled in the streets.
As panic spread, Horikita's unfocused eyes gradually regained clarity. Groaning, he wiped his mouth, propped himself up, and clutched his throbbing jaw. Tearfully, he muttered, "I'm fine."
"Are you sure you don't need to go to the hospital? You're not concussed, are you?" someone asked anxiously.
"No hospital," Horikita insisted.
Only those who had faced Toru directly understood the true terror of that punch. Its speed and precision were unmatched. There was no dodging it, and Horikita knew Toru had held back. Had he unleashed his full power, Horikita might well have ended up in intensive care.
Sano Kazunari frowned, arms crossed as he observed Toru with a low voice. "So, you were pretending earlier?"
"You've clearly studied karate—one of the four major Ryukyuan styles, Uechi-ryu. It's the youngest of the Ryukyuan karate schools, founded by a disciple of the Tiger Fist master from the East."
"That punch of yours—it truly embodied the ferocity of a tiger!"
Born into a family steeped in karate traditions, Sano had spent his life studying various theories and techniques. He recognized Toru's style immediately.
Excitement surged within Sano. "Good! Since you know karate, let's have a proper match!"
He was thrilled. Challenging Toru now wouldn't be bullying—it would be a legitimate exchange between skilled practitioners. In Sano's view, Horikita had simply underestimated Toru, leading to his defeat. Horikita's earlier kick had been restrained to avoid injuring Toru, but who could have predicted that Toru was hiding his true strength?
Even so, what did it matter? Sano prided himself on being among the top eight in last year's national tournament. If not for encountering Kyogoku Shin—the monstrous champion—he might have ranked even higher.
Technically speaking, Sano considered himself the nation's runner-up in karate.
"Wow, Captain's getting serious!"
"Horikita's a black belt. Doesn't that mean Toru must be at least on par with him?"
"I think Horikita just got careless. If he'd taken it seriously, things might've turned out differently."
"So, who do you think will win between Captain and Toru?"
"Isn't it obvious? Captain lasted several rounds against Kyogoku Shin in last year's nationals. He's a well-known figure in the karate world. Who even is this Toru guy? Has anyone heard of him?"
Everyone shook their heads.
Indeed, who was Toru? No one had ever heard of him.
Horikita, still supported by others, forced a smile despite the pain. Only he, having faced Toru directly, understood the sheer absurdity of the situation. That guy was anything but ordinary. His physical prowess bordered on monstrous. The oppressive aura of Toru's punch was something Sano could never replicate.
Horikita had sparred with Sano before. Sano's techniques were sharp and deadly, but they lacked the overwhelming psychological pressure that Toru exuded. Facing Toru felt like confronting a terrifying beast.
Now curious, Horikita wanted to see just how strong Toru truly was. Tokyo University boasted many geniuses, but among them, there were always one or two who left everyone else in despair.
Yukino Shiba's smile grew brighter.
This was fascinating. Fujiwara Toru was endlessly intriguing. Her interest had been thoroughly piqued.