章 14: Nostalgia Breeds Gravitas
The destination this time was beneath a construction site. It was a bit of a hassle to get access because one had to park their car far away before walking a few miles. After that, there was either the route of taking the ladder down or taking stairs beneath the construction sight.
However, the arena possessed more grandeur than the usual locations because it was propped up on a stage. Naturally, if someone were to get knocked off the stage, the match would continue off or back on it, but it served its purpose as giving greater importance to a match than a common one would usually get.
On the concrete stage, Vincent was laying on his side with a simple expression on his face. He yawned periodically while resting his cheek on a fist, but it wasn't for the sake of showing his boredom.
He was content to laze like this, a cloud that moves slowly far above everyone else. It's laxness and egoism, but a type of inoffensive egoism that makes even strangers feel relaxed around him. Though, there are some personality types that would be incensed by Vincent's casualness.
The American has been sitting for thirty minutes, waiting for his opponent to come. According to Ohta, the other CEO hasn't come yet when they first got here.
'It'd be disappointing if it was a no show. Come on and live up to my expectations.'
Being kept in suspense for too long would have bad side-effects, such as blue balls and underperformance. Vincent desires neither, which is obvious from how his other hand is rhythmically tapping the ground.
His foreign eyes took in his populated surroundings and noted how there was a greater degree of people than before. Odd. It was over half of the amount that came to the Fang match.
"Am I already becoming so famous?" he questioned in a low tone. He lightly shook his head and chided himself internally. 'No, can't let myself get too carried away. Maybe there were more CEOs that were coincidentally free than usual.'
As more time passed and time inched ever so closer to when the match is supposed to begin, more and more people dressed in fancy suits came and increased the size of the circle. Eyes of non-fighters and fighters alike kept their eyes peeled. Among these people were two individuals Ohta recognized, one of them being a person who Vincent recognizes as well.
Kaburagi Koji, the person Vincent was supposed to fight, strolled alongside his employer with a smug grin on his face. The jacket over the wife beater combined with that expression increased the overall shadiness he was giving off, which finally felt right.
Though it's unlikely he'd do any real damage to the American, he'd still be interested in fighting him.
Vincent let out a calm breath before getting to his feet. He guessed the man next to Kaburagi to be the boss of Koyama Mart, meaning that his opponent should be near.
And as he expected, a muscular heavyweight walked up to the arena. Vincent put on a lazy smirk and moved his hands toward his pocket as he readied to greet his opponent. His lax nature that was about to take control again was halted by his brain being set aflame.
Vincent froze.
He was on fire. The air was cold.
He was thrown into the past. He's standing right here in the present.
He's seen those eyes before. It was on a terrifying opponent who made him fight for his life for the very first time. An uncontrollable murderous rampage that he had to face with nothing but his body and weather it until either he or Samato dropped.
'Ah~ that crazy battle was beautiful. It was the fucking best!'
Vincent was caught in a reminiscence. His arms fell to the side. He didn't even notice the referee take to the arena with a nervous expression. Sweat dripped from his brow as the referee resolved himself to see through a match that might result in death.
In the Kengan Matches, the Kure Clan possesses decent renown that there are more people that know of them than those that don't. Ironically enough, Vincent isn't all that familiar with the Kure Clan.
He only knew of the Evil Emperor, Hayakuwa Samato, who possessed the eyes of a real demon. Seeing another with those exact same eyes took the American back to a different time when things were far more dangerous for him.
He breathed out again. It was a shaky breath and the foreigner already began sweating, like he was in the process of fighting. The match still hadn't started yet. He couldn't regain his previous calm in this state.
He could only let himself be swayed by the atmosphere.
"Your name. Who are you?" Vincent wanted to know. He could sense that the man before him has a number of bodies under his name, so this fight should be excellent. A stronger body and superior skill. The obvious truth was in the way the obvious killer carried himself.
"Kure Reiichi. If you would like to not waste my valuable time, tell me in advance if you prefer a fight to the death or a regular, basic fight."
"Come on and try to kill me with all you got!" Vincent didn't even hesitate. His stance was the loosest its ever been since he started fighting in the Kengan Matches.
This was also the most careless he's ever been as shown by his next words."If you don't try, I might waste you too soon. I don't think I can hold back when looking at those eyes."
His laughter was shaky. He couldn't keep calm. The chemicals in his brain had to be chained down, lest their output explode with an extreme force.
"I'll give you the first attack. Hit me anywhere with any part of your body." He spread his arms wide as if inviting the larger Kure man for a hug.
Reiichi's eye twitched.
"It would do you well not to underestimate your betters." The blonde killer scoffed with derision. He was assigned to test this fighter, yet he was feeling more and more like it was a waste of time. Vincent fought basic fighters that don't even compare to him and he thinks he can look down on him?
He would pay dearly for such condescension.
'You think I'm looking down on you? I'm taking you seriously in the only way I know how. Let me get a taste of that murderous air you're trying to conceal.'
The referee began his role after having enough of the two fighters' posturing.
"Under Mount Inc.'s Affiliated Fighter, Vincent Walker!!" He heard some cheers for him, but it didn't even amount to half of the people here today. That confirmed they were here for this Kure Reiichi for whatever reason.
"Koyama Mart Inc.'s Affiliated Fighter, Kure Reiichi!!" A cacophony of shouts assailed the ears of both fighters, making them wince.
'Is he really that famous? They got good taste at least.'
Vincent shrugged his shoulders.
"Both fighters, take your stances." The referee calmed himself, the grave expressions on both of the fighters' faces making his volume drop. Their expressions didn't change, but the sentiment behind them made their pressure tangible.
Reiichi rose his fists and narrowed his eyes to his opponent's lack of a stance. He nodded his head and assumed that his offer of a free hit was a trap. He would plan accordingly for that then.
"Begin!"
Kure Reiichi kicked off the ground like a bullet, his figure a shimmering blur in Vincent's eyes and practically invisible to everyone else. He seemingly lowered his fist in preparation for an uppercut before executing a strange movement with his legs to vanish from the American's sight.
He sensed the man behind him, a gust of air nearing his neck. It was a a killing blow, something expected from a killer such as his opponent. He was surprised by the fake-out, but neglected to turn around.
A heavy elbow carrying the sharpness of a blade and the weight of a hammer banged hard on Vincent's cervical vertebrae. There was an audible crack.
It was only natural for even the toughest of necks to break against an attack one didn't guard against. The surprise factor meant that Vincent couldn't brace for it, thus he took the full weight of a Kure member's attack on a vital spot, his technique amplifying the potential amount of damage.
The result was Vincent predictably falling to the ground. Reiichi snorted.
Not even two seconds later, Vincent got right back up and stared at his attacker with a strange expression.
"I expected someone with those eyes to at least make me feel like I was going to pass out, but was that really all? That's just the bare minimum of what you should do."
Kure Reiichi's eyes flashed and he recalled what happened in the rest of Vincent's fights. He reviewed them and remembered the patriarch's words.
Vincent is a zombie that keeps coming back up even after the most powerful of attacks. The best way to defeat him is to neutralize him through robbing him of the ability to stay conscious or breathe, or killing him.
"I see." That was all the stoic and arrogant Reiichi said. If Vincent could take that, then he would hit harder and properly use Kure Clan techniques to kill. The patriarch said to test him, so he can't be blamed if the target dies in the test.
Those watching the fight felt a chill over their bodies. It was a feeling of anxious anticipation germinating within them that made them feel they were about to see something good.
A more wild Kengan Association member shouted: "Kill each other already!"
Reiichi responded by kicking off the ground with a force strong enough to crack it. He stopped just short of slamming his shoulder into Vincent and pivoted with a cross aiming for the shorter man's right eye. The gust of wind disturbed his hair, yet his expression was unruffled.
All he could do was smile because he's facing down these eyes again. Can this man go berserk too? That's what he wonders.
Vincent tilted his head out of the way of the attack, an evasive action that's rare for him. He looked deeper at his opponent and realized he was still holding back.
So, Vincent hit the man full force with a punch, nearly sending him flying off the arena. Surprisingly enough, the killer managed to place an arm in front of his face just in time to avoid a head injury.
Reiichi's arm was still vibrating from the blow. 'I see.'
That was the very first time in the Kengan Matches that Vincent Walker hit someone at full force.
"Only the first shot was free. Work for the rest." He settled into a middle stance, legs spread more than his shoulder's width. "Come on already!"
He managed to keep the shaking out of his voice. He managed to keep the laughter out as well. The one thing he couldn't hide was the nervous smile on his face.
If this is fear, then Vincent doesn't want to know what joy is.
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