Martial artists can never be ultimately insulted

As a beneficiary of the existing system, Katahara Metsudo should also belong to the former category.

However, Katahara Metsudo clearly understood the driving force that had permeated his life, but he couldn't quite grasp what it was that was constantly propelling him forward.

It is precisely because of this that, even though he was on the right track of the times, Katahara Metsudo never intended to hold onto this power forever... This can be seen from the fact that Katahara Metsudo took the initiative to promote the Kengan Deathmatch Tournament, and that after Kuroki Gensai, whom he personally persuaded to come out of retirement, finally won, he still handed over the chairmanship to Nogi Hideki.

What he craved was not power and fame, but bloodshed and slaughter.

However, while Yuan Chen focused his attention on these matters, the others, or rather the other contestants, excitedly stared at Yuan Chen with wide eyes after hearing that defeating him would grant them a direct ticket to the Kengan Kill Tournament.

In this round of eliminations, 151 companies participated simultaneously, but only 33 companies were able to enter the main competition. With 28 giant companies already securing their spots in the elimination rounds, only five spots remained for the remaining 100-plus companies.

In this situation, it is almost certain that even if a contestant manages to break through and secure a spot in the main tournament, facing other formidable opponents, if they are not fully recovered by the time the main tournament begins, it will be virtually impossible for them to advance to the top 16.

Yuan Chen seemed quite casual about this, and even looked at Sanchao and said, "But even so, it's still too strange that you only made it to the top 33 after defeating me. You should at least make it to the top 17, right? Just consider it as speeding up the progress."

Upon hearing Yuan Chen's words, the two men exchanged glances, unsure of what to say.

A person's reputation is like a tree's shadow. The reason why Yuan Chen was able to attract so much attention before the Kengan's Deadly Elimination Tournament was that, apart from Yuan Chen's consecutive victories against strong opponents, he even caused the undefeated Guan Linchun to suffer a major setback in his most familiar and strongest professional wrestling.

Furthermore, since Yuan Chen's debut, almost every Kengan match he has participated in has been a one-against-two battle, a wheel fight.

In their only one-on-one battle, she defeated Rito effortlessly.

In this situation, Yuan Chen clearly had the privilege of directly entering the main competition, but he voluntarily gave up his privilege and joined this elimination round...

While this arrogance might mean gaining another competitive spot in the main competition, it also reveals that given Yuan Chen's absolute strength, few fighters would dare to provoke him.

Or rather, no one wanted to be a tool to weaken Yuan Chen, or a stepping stone for other fighters to obtain direct qualification spots.

Feeling the stench of blood, Yuan Chen remained silent, only raising his head and saying:

"A group battle? No problem, let's all join in..."

After saying this, Yuan Chen paused, then looked at San Chao with some curiosity and said, "Speaking of which, what if there are no more than five people standing in the room at the end, and we can't make it to thirty-three?"

Upon hearing this, Sanchao was slightly taken aback, as if he had never thought of a similar question before.

In fact, not only Sanchao, but even other high-ranking members of the Kengan Association did not make any connection in this direction.

After all, among the 151 participating companies, all have full confidence in their respective competitors. Even some of the lower-ranked companies will join forces in advance to ensure that they maintain sufficient strength during the preliminary selection stage.

In this situation, fighters tend to be extra cautious in their battles, constantly weighing their losses before each move to ensure they can advance in a sufficiently healthy state.

After all, if one advances with a fracture or serious injury, it would be meaningless.

Especially when there are fewer and fewer people on the field, naturally, those who choose to take action will become more and more cautious.

Although Yuan Chen's situation was rather extreme, it still required additional consideration.

Ultimately, the change in the number of remaining players will directly affect the schedule of the competition.

"But it's alright." Looking at the somewhat surprised Sanchao, Yuan Chen wasn't angry, but said gently:

"If a similar situation arises, I have a suggestion."

"……oh?"

Upon hearing this, Sanchao slightly raised his head.

Yuan Chen smiled calmly and said, "In order to ensure that the schedule of the Quanyuan Deathmatch Tournament is not affected by any additional factors, how about we maintain a schedule of thirty-three people no matter how many people are left?"

"As for the problem of not having enough people... it's simple, just put five of my names in the box."

Yuan Chen smiled and said, "This way, there won't be a problem with insufficient manpower... and fighting against a group of enemies through a lottery system can also be considered a 'forced' method."

"Huh?"

Upon hearing Yuan Chen's suggestion, San Chao blinked, then smiled wryly with a helpless expression, "You really have some very constructive suggestions... It feels like you're going to force it if the answer doesn't suit your taste, right?"

"Haha, how could that be?" Yuan Chen shook his head, then pointed to the surrounding fish and said, "Mainly because... there are too many small fry. Rather than letting them waste time on the field, I'd rather let myself have a 'feast'."

Sanchao sighed helplessly, then took out his phone and said, "I need to ask the guild leader about this, please wait a moment~"

“No problem.” Yuan Chen gave an OK sign.

Upon hearing Yuan Chen and San Chao's conversation, the other contestants also expressed their surprise and uncertainty.

"He gets all the byes? Has he gone mad? This isn't the Kengan tournament we've seen before!"

"Although he does have some skill... he still doesn't seem to understand the rules, does he?"

"Yes! This is an elimination tournament, unlike the long recovery period of the previous Kengan tournament. After one round is finished, the next round will start immediately. In other words, there is no rest time at all! The physical exertion is incomparable to that of ring battles!"

“Isn’t this perfect?” someone else said, their voice low.

"This guy's strength is already at the level of a direct qualifying tournament. It's a pipe dream for an ordinary fighter to defeat him... If he's still like this now, he'll be besieged by everyone as soon as the qualifiers begin!"

"But no matter what, this is too arrogant... They don't even take the main tournament players seriously, let alone the qualifiers."

Looking at Yuan Chen, Chun Li could only helplessly cover her forehead: "This Yuan Chen... he's at it again."

"Isn't this perfectly normal?" Han Zhuli licked her lips, looking at Yuan Chen, who stood in the center of the room with great interest. He appeared extremely gentle, but an unbridled madness was spreading outwards from him.

Undoubtedly, this undisguised arrogance and domineering spirit is the key to Han Zhuli's deep attraction.

"Isn't he just that kind of reckless guy?"

Sensing the madness emanating from Yuan Chen, Han Zhuli also revealed a smile on her face.

"It's less about force and more about sheer 'desire'."

Chunli did not question this, but nodded in agreement, and then stood aside quietly watching Yuan Chen's figure, waiting for Sanchao's question.

After a moment, Sanchao nodded, then looked up at Xing Su and said:

"Although it was somewhat unexpected, Katahara-sama was already aware of the situation. However, in order to ensure that the competition can proceed fairly and justly, a maximum of two spots can be left vacant."

"Two? Including mine, that makes three? Not bad. I was just asking casually; I thought there wouldn't be any at all, hahaha~"

As he finished speaking, Yuan Chen burst into loud laughter.

Seeing the smile on Yuan Chen's face, Misaka, as a member of the Katahara Destroyer Squad, also showed a touch of emotion.

He had been following Katahara Mitsudo since he was a teenager, and now he was 27 years old. He had seen countless fighters, but even so, in Sanchao's eyes, Yuan Chen was definitely the most special one among all the martial artists and fighters he had ever seen in his life.

Previously, Misaka didn't quite understand why Katahara Metsudou said during the Kengan match between Genjin and Sekirin Jun, "This is what he wants to find for the Kengan Association."

But now, he could feel the undisguised lust in Yuan Chen, that desire for war and violence.

Even the three dynasties had to admit that, in every sense, Yuan Chen was the kind of person Katahara Miedo had been most looking forward to.

"Alright, does anyone have any questions?"

Sanchao looked around, but all he heard was silence.

Seeing this, Sanchao nodded politely and then said, "Then, the fighters, please follow me, while the rest of you, please follow the attendants to the upper deck of the Death Ship."

As the words were spoken, a group of waiters emerged from behind a container and led the group into the area.

Among them, Yamashita Kazuo, Haru Rei, Sakura Ibuki and others went to the upper deck, while Genji and the others, led by Michisa, came to the rusty steel warehouse of the cargo ship.

Sanchao sent the last fighter inside, but did not go in with him. Instead, he stood at the gate and said:

"A total of 151 large companies participated in this Kengan Fight Tournament. With the top 28 companies already securing their spots in the main tournament, the remaining 5 places will be contested by the remaining 123 companies in a free-for-all."

"The selection process will end immediately by sunrise tomorrow, no matter when the remaining five are determined. If no five are selected by then, all participants will be eliminated."

"And in this, if we can defeat Yuan Chen in advance..." At this point, a wicked smile appeared on Sanchao's lips.

"According to the surprise the guild leader asked me to provide, defeating Yuan Chen will not only grant you direct advancement, but also allow you to assign the same advancement slot to two other people!"

Volume 1: Chapter 164 - The Pressure Strikes

Upon hearing Sanchao's words, Yuan Chen was slightly taken aback, then burst into a hearty laugh: "You should have said so earlier! I didn't expect such a surprise!"

This time, it wasn't just Yuan Chen who was excited; the other fighters around him also quickly reached a consensus.

In a situation where they are not confident of victory, they do not want to become stepping stones for others.

But now, with Sanchao proclaiming this entirely new and targeted rule, even the most composed person couldn't help but gasp in shock.

The reason is simple: after defeating Yuan Chen, including himself, he can get three spots in the main competition... In other words, if he uses it properly, while the probability of others becoming the final winner is one in thirty-three, if he gets these three spots, his probability can rise to three in thirty-three.

In a competition where the entry requirement is 5 billion and the registration fee is as high as 100 million, this undoubtedly provides a huge advantage in terms of scheduling.

Even if they encounter an allied team in the main competition, one of them can advance in perfect condition without any injuries, thus better preparing for the upcoming battles.

This huge advantage in subsequent tactical arrangements almost immediately drew all attention to Yuan Chen.

but……

Looking at Yuan Chen, even though he already understood, Tokita Ohma still couldn't help but shake his head.

This guy, no matter how gentle he is at the restaurant, is actually an exceptionally 'bad' person.

Inside the enormous warehouse, most of the fighters were scattered around the edges, facing each other in twos and threes. Only Yuan Chen stood in the middle of the warehouse with a matter-of-fact expression, his hands in his pockets and his back straight. He gave the impression of a giant beast standing in the center, waiting for those around him to challenge him.

Or, wait for people to swarm in from all directions.

Sensing the atmosphere, Misaka smiled, turned and left the warehouse, closing the door behind him. His voice then came through a loudspeaker.

"Then, let the match begin!"

As the three emperors' voices faded, the atmosphere at the scene suddenly changed.

Unlike the opulent Kengan, the cargo hold of the Desperate Ship was a massive iron box corroded by rust and salt stains for countless years.

Iron chains hung from the top of the cabin, swaying rhythmically with the rise and fall of the waves. Dim yellow light swept across the rusty cabin walls, each sweep briefly revealing the mottled rust and faded paint from the darkness.

As the air was filled with the salty smell of seawater, the sour rust, and the smell of engine oil seeping in from who-knows-where, Yuan Chen took his hands out of his pockets and crossed them over his chest. His face instantly turned pitch black and cold, leaving only his eyes blazing with endless domineering intent.

Sensing this indiscriminate, tyrannical intent to insult everyone, most of the fighters present instinctively took a step back. Only then did they realize how embarrassing their reaction was. Annoyed and bluffing, they took another step forward, staring intently at Yuan Chen, as if performing a scene of 'I'm not afraid'.

Yuan Chen remained silent, simply letting the foul odor linger.

In the blink of an eye, more than a hundred fighters had loosely surrounded Yuan Chen in the Bloodstained Nang. The closest ones were less than three meters away from Yuan Chen.

But as the male members of the Qi family became more and more radiant, their extraordinary spirit also became more and more obvious.

No one spoke; the only sounds were the muffled thuds of waves crashing against the hull outside the cabin and the metallic scraping of the chandelier overhead.

The next moment, no one knows who took the first step, a figure rushed towards Yuan Chen, followed by a second, a third - the crowd rushed towards the center of the cabin from all directions like a flood breaking through a dam.

Feeling the stench of the fish, he did not back down; a genuine sense of pleasure even flashed in his eyes.

He took a half step forward with his left foot, and with a dull thud, a dented footprint was left on the rusty iron plate.

Ignoring the attacks coming from all directions, he methodically threw his right fist from his side. Without any fancy techniques, his fist, the size of a sandbag, was propelled by his 140-kilogram body and slammed mercilessly into the men in front of him.

Positioned in front of Yuan Chen, the bald karate practitioner raised his arms, thinking he could withstand Yuan Chen's attack, but the moment his arms collided with his fists, a clear sound of bone cracking was heard.

With that teeth-grinding sound, the karate practitioner's defenses were pierced by the punch, and the remaining impact sent him flying off the ground. Like a cannonball, he crashed into the crowd behind him, knocking over three people before finally coming to a stop.

Amidst the curses and wails of those who had fallen to the ground, the karate practitioner had already fainted. Although his arms remained in a blocking posture, their twisted state clearly indicated that they had been broken.

At the same time Yuan Chen threw his punch, the others also closed in on him during that brief opening.

One after another, fighters pounced on Yuan Chen's limbs and torso from behind, flanks, and even above, like hungry wolves.

The first thing Yuan Chen was grabbed was his left arm. A fighter weighing over 90 kilograms attacked from the side, locking Yuan Chen's elbow joints and shoulder blades tightly with both arms, and using his upper body to press Yuan Chen's body forward.

The same was true for his right arm; his incredibly strong hands cut in from the side, their ten fingers gripping Yuan Chen's wrist and forearm like pincers.

Before Yuan Chen could react, several more people pounced from behind, pressing down on his back as if trying to force him to the ground and drag the fight from his standing position onto the ground—

However, given the current situation, if the battle really goes into ground combat, the opponent's ability to withstand Yuan Chen's attack is most likely not a ground technique or joint technique, but rather a circular kick.

Even though several people had come to suppress him, Yuan Chen's figure remained standing in place like a statue.

Muscles bulged, and a wanton smile spread across his face, which was shrouded in shadow. Although he was the one being suppressed, with Yuan Chen's movements, the others who were locking Yuan Chen's hands and trying to pin him down looked troubled and trembled uncontrollably.

Sensing that Yuan Chen seemed to be trying to break free, the others launched a fierce attack with punches and kicks like a torrential downpour.

Standing still, Yuan Chen let the torrential rain drench his body, his dark face contorted with undisguised fury. Then, Yuan Chen moved; his waving right arm was more of a throw than a strike.

With a sudden upward thrust of his right arm, the fighter who had been firmly pinning Yuan Chen's right arm felt an indescribable force crashing down upon him.

In that instant, within its perception, what it was holding did not seem to be a human arm, but a steel beam being lifted by a crane.

The violent impact spread from his torso to his limbs. His once tightly gripping fingers slipped off Yuan Chen's skin, and his rough fingernails scratched several white marks on Yuan Chen's trench coat before he was thrown off the ground. He flew away in a shadow, slowly sliding down the steel warehouse wall with a dull thud.

Immediately afterwards, Yuan Chen suddenly swung his body, and the stench of blood and gore around him surged violently. When he came to his senses, he found that he had been thrown into the air by Yuan Chen. He subconsciously waved his arms and legs, trying to stabilize his center of gravity and land steadily, but then Yuan Chen reached out and grabbed the calf of one of the lucky performers.

Muscles bulged, and with a single, clenched fist, the surging power instantly pushed his fingers into the fighter's flesh. Accompanied by the increased violence from his fingers, the once thick and powerful calf swelled and turned red in Yuan Chen's hand, as if all the flesh and tendons in the area where his hand was gripping were being forcibly squeezed to both sides.

Grip it tightly, and then swing it hard.