Chapter 144: Mai Shiranui's Challenge

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Zi Gui's bold declarations drew the attention of the couples chatting intimately in the coffee shop, making him wish he could disappear into the floor. Mu Tou continued to press, “How did Orochi’s skill appear in this dimension? Has the strongest fighter in this world already been defeated?” “Not defeated!” Ludao Xuan explained, “Inside the dimensional trading space, there’s a skill sealing card, an S-rank item. It can forcibly seal an opponent’s skill of S-rank or below into a learnable skill card, simultaneously nullifying that particular move—similar to the sealing stone held by Kalko in the great dimensional trading space!”

Mu Tou let out a relieved breath. “Good, if there were anyone stronger than Orochi here, I really wouldn’t know what to do.” Ludao Xuan glanced at the sky. “It’s getting late. Let’s go find Chizuru Kagura and see how far the tournament has progressed. Maybe we can participate.” Mu Tou nodded, and the group left the café, waiting by the roadside for a taxi. Unfortunately, one car could only hold four passengers. Mu Tou planned to wait for another taxi, but Zi Gui said, “I’m not entering the competition. You guys go ahead. I’ll wander around and take in the exotic sights. The dimensional system has a contact feature; just message me if anything comes up.”

Seeing Zi Gui’s eyes darting about, Mu Tou chuckled softly. “You’re not planning to stay behind and chase after girls, are you? If you want to pick someone up, you should be at a place called a bar!” He handed him some yen and then produced a handful of gold bars. “Remember, use force sparingly. In this world, almost everything can be settled with money.”

Zi Gui’s personal combat strength was not particularly high. After everyone reminded him to be careful, they departed. “Gentlemen, where are you headed?” the taxi driver’s question stopped them in their tracks. They wanted to go to Chizuru Kagura’s home but didn’t know the address. Perhaps the driver would know.

Thankfully, Mu Tou reacted quickly. “To the KOFF tournament venue, please!” He planned to ask the staff there, hoping someone might know. “Oh! You’re fighting fans too? The preliminaries are over, and today’s matches have ended!” the driver said excitedly. “Whose fan are you? Kyo Kusanagi or Iori Yagami?”

The driver’s question had reason. These two top fighters had countless fans. It was said that if you dared speak disrespectfully of them at the arena, you wouldn’t even need those two to intervene—their fans alone could drown you with their disdain.

“Oh... actually, we admire Miss Chizuru Kagura more!” Mu Tou said casually. “Miss Kagura? She’s pretty, but always dressed like she’s in mourning. Plus, she’s too aloof and cold. Not my type,” the driver said, clearly a fight enthusiast. When it came to these fighters, he was loquacious. “Honestly, I’d suggest switching targets. Teaming up with Miss Kagura and Mai Shiranui is way more exciting! Have you seen her fights? When she steps on stage and sheds her jacket, her fighting suit barely conceals the waves on her chest. Heh heh heh. Especially when she jumps—the way she moves is damn captivating!”

The driver’s mouth practically watered as he spoke. “So white and tender—like you could squeeze water from her! Alas, she’s a top fighter. But a man can dream, right? Heh heh heh!”

Mu Tou shook his head with a wry smile. Japan’s erotic culture was deeply ingrained, as evident even in an ordinary taxi driver. The driver chatted on, discussing the tournament’s progress and the most promising teams, even revealing the betting odds. It turned out local gangs had already set up betting rings on the matches.

Mu Tou and the others listened intently, feeling their fare was worth every penny, especially with the bonus intel. Just then, the car jolted to a stop. The driver looked back, “Here we are, sir!” Mu Tou grunted in acknowledgment, tossed some bills without checking the meter, and said, “Keep the change!” The delighted driver hurried out, opening the doors and bowing repeatedly. Throughout the tournament, he often made intentional detours hoping to ferry Mu Tou’s group again. Later, this driver would unexpectedly help them in a significant way, but that’s a story for another time.

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Upon arriving at the venue, dusk had already fallen and the preliminaries had long ended. Several security guards approached to stop them. “Sir, today’s matches are over. Please come back tomorrow.” Mu Tou said, “We’re here to register for the tournament!”

The guards frowned. “Registration? The preliminaries have been going on for several rounds. Registration closed long ago!”

Ah... Mu Tou hadn’t anticipated this, but quickly recovered and slipped some bills into the guard’s hand. “Is there any other way to enter the tournament?”

The guard glanced down at the large bills, a smile spreading across his face. “Ordinary people can’t, but if you have a recommendation from the two major fighting families—Kagura or Kusanagi—you can skip the preliminaries and enter directly into the final 32.”

Mu Tou smiled faintly. “Then, could you please tell me how to get to the Kagura family? Could you give me an address?” The guard looked surprised. “You don’t know the Kagura family’s address? Aren’t you fighters?” His expression grew serious.

Mu Tou replied, “Competitors come from all over the world, not just locals. We were delayed by some matters and arrived late.” The guard considered this reasonable and laughed. “I was probably overthinking. Fighters usually keep in touch, especially well-known families like the Kaguras. Here, let me write down their address.”

Mu Tou took the note and thanked him before turning to leave. Once they were out of sight, the guard took out his phone and whispered a few words. Soon, a figure emerged from inside the arena and quietly trailed Mu Tou’s group.

“Ugh... we should have told that taxi to wait. Finding another one here in a bustling city like Tokyo is a real hassle,” Mu Tou said as they waited by the roadside for over ten minutes without spotting an empty cab.

“There’s a spatial fluctuation... we’re being watched!” Gu Feng suddenly said. Mu Tou’s spiritual awareness quickly scanned and sensed someone tailing them, though no figure was visible to the naked eye. Looking around, he whispered, “There’s an alley ahead. Let’s head there and flush them out.”

Gu Feng and Baldy nodded, and the group moved toward the alley. Under Mu Tou’s spiritual detection, the follower was indeed there, apparently using a “stealth” skill, invisible to the eye.

“Stealth... could it be a ninja?” Mu Tou thought. “Who could it be? A secret bodyguard of the Kagura family?”

Entering the alley, Mu Tou looked around, seeing no one, then cleared his throat. “Friend, come out. What’s the meaning of skulking about?”

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“Hmph, you managed to sense me. Your strength must not be weak. Why are you sneaking around trying to find the Kagura family’s address?” A melodious voice echoed within the alley.

To their surprise, the follower was a young, beautiful woman with an oval face and round eyes, appearing no older than twenty. Clad in simple home clothes with no distinct features, her bright red hair made her stand out charmingly.

Red hair... wait, I remember who she is, Mu Tou suddenly realized, pointing at her. “You’re... Mai Shiranui?”

The woman arched her brows, exuding elegance and heroism. “You recognize me?”

Mu Tou chuckled. “First time meeting, but I’ve admired you for a long time. Miss Mai’s beauty and skill are well known to me!”

His well-balanced flattery landed perfectly—any woman appreciates compliments on her looks, especially from a stranger. Mai’s expression softened noticeably, and her tone became gentler. “Who are you? I’ve never heard of you in the fighting world. Why are you asking for my sister Chizuru’s address?”

Mu Tou recalled that Mai teamed with Chizuru Kagura in KOFF ‘97 and that they must be close, so he smiled faintly. “We come from China’s fighting community. We heard the KOFF tournament gathers fighters worldwide and wanted to compete. Due to some delays, we missed registration. We learned that with a recommendation from the Kagura family, we might enter the final 32 directly. So we’re seeking their address to ask for their endorsement.”

Mai nodded. “That explanation is plausible, but you don’t seem like fighters.”

Mu Tou blinked. “How do I not seem like one?”

Mai glanced at him. “You’re too refined, not like a typical fighter.”

Mu Tou broke into a cold sweat. “Is being refined a crime? What does a fighter look like then?”

Mai said, “Most male fighters are hot-tempered. For example, when I stealthily followed you, you should have tried to test me.”

Mu Tou laughed. “So you’re saying it’s wrong that we didn’t attack you first?”

Mai smiled lightly. “Show me your moves. I want to see if you have what it takes to seek Chizuru’s recommendation.”

Only then did Mu Tou understand: this young lady intended to test their skills.

Since she challenged them, Mu Tou naturally accepted. He was also curious to gauge the strength of the world’s top fighters. Mai was among the top sixteen, and through her, they might estimate the power of Chizuru Kagura, Kyo Kusanagi, and Iori Yagami.