Chapitre 11: Ready...
"What are you doing?" Machi took a step back, unnerved by the odd looks from the three men. She instinctively readied the thin thread hidden in her sleeves.
"Uh, the weather is really nice," Ryuuji quickly diverted his gaze, trying to defuse the awkwardness.
Nobunaga turned to the side, whistling nonchalantly as he looked up at the sky, his attempt to act casual only slightly hindered by the realization that his protective suit had no pockets for him to shove his hands into.
Machi narrowed her eyes, confused. "Are you guys okay?"
Uvogin, however, didn't avert his gaze. Instead, he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Machi, do you actually like this kid? I didn't think you'd be interested in someone so weak." Despite his apparent disinterest in others' personal decisions, he clearly felt Ryuuji wasn't up to Machi's standards, primarily because Ryuuji's strength seemed inferior to hers.
Nobunaga eyed Uvogin with a knowing smirk, thinking, "He's really looking for trouble. This could get interesting if Machi gets mad."
Ryuuji sighed internally at Uvogin's bluntness, hoping Machi would teach him a lesson with her thread. He had to admit, though, he might have entertained similar doubts if Machi hadn't answered his earlier question with 'intuition.'
After all... he knew he had his own appeal.
Perhaps sensing Ryuuji's gaze, Uvogin looked back at him, oblivious to Machi's growing irritation. "This kid isn't good enough at all," he declared.
Ryuuji's face darkened. He knew arguing would be pointless; only action would prove his worth to someone like Uvogin. He had to beat him in a test of strength.
With the support of nen, Ryuuji felt he stood a good chance of outmatching Uvogin.
At this moment, Machi suddenly kicked Uvogin's thigh, causing him to groan and rub the sore spot, looking surprised.
"Serves you right," Nobunaga and Ryuuji muttered, curling their lips in unison.
"I don't want to waste any more time. Let's just get this over with and head to the landfill," Machi said, putting away her thin thread, not bothering to explain further.
"Whatever. This kid's weaker than you, Machi. He doesn't interest me at all," Uvogin shrugged, dismissing Ryuuji entirely.
"Agreed," Nobunaga nodded, scratching his head but aligning with Uvogin's sentiment.
For Uvogin and Nobunaga, strength was the only criterion for acceptance in their group. From the start, they had no intention of acknowledging Ryuuji as one of their own. His presence was merely tolerated because of Machi.
Nobunaga, though not as openly disdainful as Uvogin, exuded a sense of superiority that Ryuuji could feel keenly. It was a cold, dismissive attitude, unlike Uvogin's blatant contempt.
Standing together, the three of them seemed separated from Ryuuji by an invisible barrier. It was clear that on Meteor Street, respect was earned through power and strength.
So, do you adapt to the world, or make the world adapt to you?
For Ryuuji, the answer was obvious—the latter.
He chuckled to himself, not feeling anger but rather a steely determination. He understood the rules of survival on Meteor Street, thanks to Machi. If he wanted to be taken seriously, he had to demonstrate his worth. In this place, that meant showing a strength that would earn Uvogin and Nobunaga's respect.
And Ryuuji was ready to prove himself.
"It's impossible for me to stay on Meteor Street forever. My ambition is to explore a vast world, and Meteor Street is just a 'Novice Village'. Well, that's right, but even if it's a transitional Novice Village, I won't let myself be too embarrassed," Ryuuji thought to himself, his eyes flickering with determination. A bold idea began to take root in his mind: he wanted to make Uvogin and Nobunaga submit to him.
"Hey, big guy, are you scared?" Ryuuji suddenly focused his gaze on Uvogin, a provocative smile on his face.
"Oh?" Uvogin turned his head and looked at Ryuuji quietly.
"It's okay, I can forgive you," Ryuuji continued, narrowing his eyes slightly, his provocation unmistakable.
"Haha, Uvogin, it seems you've been underestimated," Nobunaga suddenly laughed. "Just for that, my opinion of this kid has changed."
Uvogin didn't get angry. Instead, he grinned, showing his white teeth, and continued to look at Ryuuji quietly, as if sizing up prey.
Ryuuji's eyes opened slowly, meeting Uvogin's gaze. He could feel the invisible pressure, but instead of feeling intimidated, he felt a rush of exhilaration. The last time he had felt like this was during rock climbing.
Rock climbing, a dangerous extreme sport, was one of Ryuuji's hobbies. Without any safety measures, once you start climbing, there's no going back. Only through relentless persistence and constantly facing challenges can you overcome the dangers.
In the face of these difficulties, the tenacious belief in overcoming the urge to give up, and continuously pushing oneself to reach the top, was one of the keys to success. Ryuuji felt that same tenacity now as he prepared to face Uvogin.
"Machi," Ryuuji said firmly, interrupting her as she frowned at his provocation toward Uvogin. "Don't talk."
Without breaking eye contact with Uvogin, Ryuuji's calm demeanor contrasted with the brewing tension. Nobunaga, enjoying the spectacle, smiled even more broadly.
Machi sighed, stepping back. She had seen Ryuuji's capabilities before but still doubted his ability to match Uvogin's brute strength. If Ryuuji got hurt, she figured they could just send him to the church for treatment. It wouldn't be the end of the world.
Despite having seen Ryuuji block a punch from a street brawler before, Machi believed he must have used some trick. Uvogin was on a different level entirely.
"Follow me," Uvogin said, clearly intrigued, and started walking outside.
Ryuuji followed without hesitation. His actions were akin to a climber halfway up a cliff, with no safety measures. There was no room for retreat or second thoughts—only the challenge ahead.
He hadn't even entertained the thought of losing. Thinking of defeat before a battle begins is a surefire way to halve one's chances of winning.
"This is going to be interesting," Nobunaga said, finally stifling his laughter and looking at the two figures walking ahead with keen interest.
Machi glared at him. "Machi, you aren't really interested in this kid, are you?" Nobunaga asked, lowering his voice with curiosity.
"What do you think?" Machi responded coldly.
Nobunaga pondered for a moment. "I think it's possible, but if you use 'intuition' as an excuse, that's a different story."
Machi said, "He is special."
"Be specific," Nobunaga raised his eyebrows.
Machi thought for a moment and said, "Like Chrollo."
"Not at all, right?" Nobunaga was stunned.
Machi stretched out her index finger and tapped the corner of her forehead twice, then fell silent.
Nobunaga was dumbfounded. After all, intuition was his forte!
The group walked more than two hundred meters and arrived at a flat rock. The height of this rock was level with a usual table, and it was always the place where Uvogin and Nobunaga had their arm-wrestling matches.
Meteor Street was a vast rocky area, with rocky mountains everywhere. While there was sand on the ground, rock formations lay just two meters below the surface.
"Do you need some time to warm up?" Uvogin asked with a cold smile, half-squatting in front of the rock, ready.
"No need."
Ryuuji walked to the other side, placed his elbow on the rock, and looked at Uvogin with a strong desire to win in his eyes.
"Those eyes... not bad," Uvogin said, suddenly more interested.
They both grasped each other's hands, and the tension in the air became palpable as they readied themselves.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone