Chapter 41: how not to die trying.

-Three weeks after arriving in the abandoned country, Kei was running over the logs, not taking the time to look back. He could feel the pursuers close behind, using him as target practice through the African jungle, while they howled. A bullet hit his shoulder, leaving a bruise - rubber bullets made for Cai's training regimen. The longer he could stay alive and evade his pursuers within a 1-kilometer radius, the more attackers would join, one every five minutes up to ten.

-Auuuuuuuu. - the wolf pack was growling. They had just dismantled a military base and secured the entire coast near Ghana, and without pausing to pay attention, Kei climbed a tree in an uncommon athletic fashion. His muscles were being worked day and night in sections of strength, speed, and flexibility. Cai had acquired a set of specialized weighted gear - a vest loaded with numerous weights, and French-brand wrist weights similar to Takemoto's, capable of incapacitating any prisoner forced to wear the 40 kilos on each arm.

They fired ten shots at him. From a distance, one hit his knee, then three more... until four mercenaries were hunting Kei.

Without warning, Cai emerged from a tree and delivered a deadly blow to Kei's face.

-The first rule of war is to never lose sight of your surroundings. The fajita was created to allow you to fight multiple enemies - you must always be aware that there are those lurking in the shadows, - Cai said in a deep voice. The gap between a low-ranking student and a master is immense, even if Cai has lost some of the power he held in his youth due to his age and neglect.

-You hit me hard, - Kei commented, having fallen from two meters up, dazed from the blow.

-I hit you as hard as you deserved, your insolent brat, - Cai retorted with a laugh. - We've finished the job, we're heading to America and then Japan. Want a ride inland, kid? You still need to see your brother. -

-I'd like that, - Kei replied, hungry to return to Japan. That day he had seen the stars, and while he lost necessary time, the Furinji girl was his ticket to gaining the favor of the martial arts masters he aimed to impress.

-Alright, enough loafing around. Time for you to train with the honorary wolf pack, - Cai said, adjusting the roster of 15 people Kei would face until exhaustion, polishing every bit of his knowledge as they beat him down until he surrendered or was utterly defeated.

-Come at me, you bastards, - Kei breathed heavily, finding himself restrained by the many people closing in with their strength, speed, or experience - a dirty battle, weighed down by the weights on his hands.

-Auuuuu. The wolf Kei is very happy, -commented Boko, the military medic and perhaps another Roshi with his peaceful outlook and ways.

They ate happily and contentedly, while in the shadows an ambush was being prepared. Three men - a sniper, a hunter, and a cleaner - moved in to recapture them. Kei's instincts were triggered, making some noise that surprised the attackers, who found themselves facing this new variable. A scope spotted Kei's quick movements.

-Something's wrong, - Kei said loudly enough for everyone to hear.

In the night, they were ambushed. Kei ducked just as a bullet impacted where his head had been. -We're under attack, - he announced.

They all awoke like robots.

Here is the translation with the phrases and expressions improved to better fit English speech:

-Cai, a sniper in the west, - said Kei, who vanished into thin air. The cleaner fought against Wilches and another - a true all-terrain vehicle, with weapons, knives, and martial arts. On the other side was a man with white eyes, tattoos covering his body, and a sadistic gaze... Muteba Gizenga had just killed a comrade, picking up a pistol from the floor as a last resort. He stood up, ready to fight with all his strength, ideas racing through his mind.

Kei ran towards Muteba, his body worn out from all the work, acting on the instinct of his Dou Ki - a beast that handled everything without regard for the dangers. Muteba organized his knife to deliver a slash to Kei.

-You insolent boy, - Muteba commented.

Of all the ways Kei thought to attack Muteba, only two occurred to him - the first was to avoid the darkness, and the second was to not run but to face him head-on. The more agitated he became, the more chance he had of losing to Muteba's cool head.

Kei jumped and took a deep breath in his lungs. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he screamed with all his might. Muteba, preparing to deliver a slash to the jugular, was hit by the full force of the scream, and the knife slipped from his hands. Kei didn't hesitate, going for Muteba's groin, delivering a blow with the full power of the redirection kata and the adamantine kata.

Despite receiving the blow, Muteba prepared himself, but Kei knew Muteba was no mediocre fighter. Biting his lip, he spat blood at him like a sprinkler - something that, for the first time, caught Muteba off guard. The blood clouded his senses, but one ability remained. Kei knew this and fired two shots with a gun. Muteba evaded one, but the other hit his leg, as Kei had aimed low to avoid the bulletproof vest.

Kei could see Muteba preparing to kill him.

-Stop pretending, you bald fuck, - Kei commented.

-Oh, so you realized I was faking it, - Muteba replied. He had been feigning but was disoriented by the scream that had echoed through the jungle, startling the sleeping animals.

-Of course. Those movements were executed too sloppily. The moment you evaded the first shot to the head, I knew it was all an act. You should know I'm going to fill you with lead, - Kei said, fury in his words.

-Well, let's see what I can do about that, - Muteba whispered, now more serious as he regarded Kei, respecting the prodigy of combat, if not for the stunt the brat had pulled - after all, he had a clear objective.

***

Daimonji and all the gang members were in rebellion. Kei's iron fist had freed their bindings, and the reprimands were unleashed, causing them to return to their misdeeds. No one cared about Kei, and Kenichi resented it when Daimonji attacked Kenichi for not paying attention to his muscles.

-You can't hit people like that, - Kenichi commented, defeated on the ground. Miu saw it all and didn't want to intervene, but was frankly upset because Kenichi was her friend.

-Are you okay, Kenichi? - Miu asked, seeing how utterly defeated Kenichi was.

-It's not that, it's just that sometimes I wish I was strong and knew martial arts, like you. You're an expert, you beat up all those gang members, and it was amazing. I sometimes wish I could be that way, - Kenichi replied.

Here is the translation with the phrases and expressions improved to better fit English speech:

-You want to be strong, - Miu's eyes pierced through Kenichi's soul, as he sensed something had changed in Miu's gentle demeanor - something more primal and different was beginning to emerge.

-Ahhh, I just said that, but I already have the answer. I'll train in the park near my house, on the path next to the fruit and vegetable lady's shop, - Kenichi commented, pulling out a book on how to learn karate in a month without dying in the process.

-Ohhhh, if you need help, I'll stop by to assist you. Although I have some chores, it can be part of your training, - Miu said, knowing Kenichi was a young man of good heart who wanted to help others, often trying to avoid conflict and staying silent, but with a good spark.

-Yes, I'll do my best, - Kenichi murmured, determined to train with all his might. The day he would face his fear against the people who had intimidated him beginning with this confrontation.

-Hahaha, karate is for the strong, weaklings like you making fools of yourselves trying to be strong, it makes me sick! - Daimonji commented, trying to knock Kenichi away, but Shogo's steps stopped Daimonji from acting - no one in their right mind would bother the man who could break bricks with his fists. This was beneficial, as Miu was about to intervene with the necessary force.

-Be careful, Shirahama, - Daimonji said, running from Shogo.

Miu had a premonition - the power emanating from Shogo was incredible, like a contained beast, and reminded her greatly of Apachai. It was that discreet way of carrying himself that made her realize he might be the strongest in the school.

-Kenichi, who is he? - Miu asked.

-I have no idea, - he replied.

But then Haruo Nijima, the self-proclaimed best friend of Kei Kazama, emerged.

-Pleasure to meet you, new girl, a friend of Kenichi's, - Nijima commented. - To answer your question, that's Shogo Kitasawa, and he's the second strongest in the school. The statistics say it would take at least 1000 Daimongis to stop him. But dear friend Kenichi, be careful - Daimonji is one of the strongest in the karate club, it's only a matter of time before you end up in the hospital if you keep provoking him. You should prepare yourself. -

Kenichi's soul escaped as he opened his mouth in surprise.