A muscular girl is presented to the passionate world of crossover anime.

"Heh, thanks to you, I had a good dream..." Kato's body slumped towards Dorian—was he about to lose consciousness? Or was he about to kneel down and beg for mercy from Dorian?

No, not at all! Kato used the momentum of his forward lean to add the last bit of speed to himself, and clenched his fist, which was already sore from the exertion of his full strength, and punched Dorian!

A brave man will never surrender, even unto death.

But Kato was truly begging for death.

Dorian snorted, somewhat helpless and regretful, but that didn't stop him from taking out the piano wire and covering Kato's neck... The next second was a wire strangulation, blood splattering across the hall.

"Clang clang clang—" In the blink of an eye, loud music suddenly rang out in the studio. Several drumbeats were played with great precision, each one like a heavy blow to Dorian's heart, slowing his movements.

In a battle between masters, things can change in an instant. Dorian was too slow, and Kato broke through his steel wire chokehold and delivered his fist to Dorian!

"Boom."

Author's Note: Not every battle requires Kanon to fight to the death herself... but in the next chapter, Kanon will still be facing off against Dorian, lol.

Section 634, Chapter 627: My Life Has Never Been a Victory

Thanks to the sudden, faint sound, Dorian's piano wire strangulation failed, allowing Kato Kiyosumi to escape a seemingly certain death—"Bang!"

Kato was the one who got hit.

Even disregarding underhanded tactics and tools, Dorian is still the king of the sea. Facing Kato, who is on his last breath, he has no chance of defeat even if he misses a move. After the strangulation attempt fails, Dorian switches to elbowing Kato in the forehead, followed by kneeing him in the abdomen, and finally grabbing Kato's face and slamming him to the ground.

The three-hit combo was incredibly effective, and Kato Kiyosumi completely lost consciousness.

"The battle is over." This time it's truly over. It was Kanon who announced this, including the music that had just been played. That didn't change the outcome of the battle, but at least it saved Kato's life.

"Congratulations, Angry Sea King Li'an." As Hanon announced the result, the studio was filled with the famous soundtrack "Tiger Eye" from the Rocky movie series.

Dorian, however, remained expressionless, or rather, maintained a state of indifference, seemingly unmoved: "It was just defeating a brat... And what's with this music?"

Hanon was standing behind a control panel: "After all, it's Murder Music's studio, so there's a lot of music material. I just randomly picked a few songs."

Dorian nodded: "There are many tools here that we can use, it's a good place for a duel." He beckoned to Hanon: "Come on, it's your turn."

"It's my turn." Kanon shrugged, pressed a button, and the music changed, becoming a sound effect commonly used in the Q&A sessions of cheap variety shows: "But before that, I have a question—after cutting off Doppo's hand, did you celebrate?"

"Huh, a celebration?" Dorian was taken aback, as if Kanon had asked a very strange question.

"I've never seen you celebrate." Kanon continued, "You didn't celebrate defeating Kato, you didn't celebrate escaping from me, and you didn't celebrate successfully provoking a group of experts at the Tokugawa residence! Going back further, you cut off the 'God of War's' hand and slit the throat of the young master of the Shinshin-kai, and it seems you still didn't celebrate."

Dorian was stumped by Kanon's barrage of questions: "Celebrate...why should I celebrate?"

“When people achieve victory or success, of course they will celebrate.” Hanon pointed to Kato on the ground: “He was just hypnotized by you and thought he had defeated you. He cheered and roared. That’s what celebration is.”

Dorian felt inexplicably guilty and argued, "He is the weak one. He defeated me, the strong one, in the illusion. Of course he would be happy. But I am the strongest one. I have never been defeated. Doing what you said is only natural. Why should I be happy?"

Hanon shook her head, put on a soothing serenade, and told Dorian about her experiences: "I met the owner of this building at the Kengan Association's final elimination tournament. In that tournament, I went through a series of battles until I won the championship. My opponents were of varying strengths, but I still clearly remember how happy I was after each victory, and how excited I was about my achievements... I met Kato at the Tokyo Dome Underground Colosseum tournament, and I also won the championship that time. I was equally delighted with every battle I won, no matter how strong or weak my opponent was. The tournament was just a few months ago, and I still feel like it happened yesterday. I will never forget that joy."

"...What exactly are you trying to say?"

"I would say that the normal reaction to victory is joy and celebration." This time it's the theme song from Game of Thrones: "And for that joy... You know nothing, Dorian."

The music changed again, and Kanon played a theme song from "Detective Conan," stating her judgment: "Looking back on your life over the past few decades, when have you ever celebrated your success? Did you celebrate the day you won the Sea King title in the Martial Arts Province? Did you celebrate when you quelled the rebellion in the Martial Arts Province? Even if you are mentally abnormal and different from ordinary people, did you celebrate the day you were executed? Dorian, there is only one answer... You have never enjoyed the joy of victory."

"I...have never experienced the joy of victory?" Dorian muttered twice, then suddenly burst into wild laughter: "Hahahaha, absurd! Little girl, have you been watching too many cartoons and lost your mind? I came to Tokyo seeking defeat!"

Dorian was doubled over with laughter, but his laughter didn't stop. Hanon interrupted him impatiently, "Alright, alright, I know you have a lot of lung capacity, but we have important business to attend to!"

"That's right!" Dorian's laughter stopped instantly. He kicked the unconscious Kato: "This kind of trash is not my target. I'm here to defeat you! Ye Haiwang, you are the strongest person in this era. Perhaps defeating you will bring me joy."

"Perhaps." Hanon shrugged. "Unfortunately, that's something you'll never be able to do."

Having said all that, the next step was to fight. But before that, Dorian asked Hanon a question: "Ye Haiwang, tell me... what is a strong person?"

Hanon scratched her head: "I'm so young, how can you ask me about something even philosophers can't explain?" Her last action was to put on a new song: "Didn't you hum this song when you were fighting Kato just now?"

That's "O! Toi la Vie," meaning "Oh, my life."

Oh, my life.

Hanon appeared in front of Dorian in an instant and threw a punch.

In this vast sea of ​​people, there is no one I can truly trust; I can only watch with sorrow as spring turns to autumn.

Dorian tried to counter her moves, but his strength was far inferior to Kanon's. His stamina had been depleted after fighting Kato, and Kanon's direct attack on his mind had left him mentally exhausted. Within three to five seconds, he was at a great disadvantage.

[Oh, my life, even if I have to face every gloomy morning, I can only drag on with loneliness...]

Kanon's attacks began to hurt Dorian; he could no longer keep up with her speed, and even when he managed to block her attacks, his defenses were crumbling. This time, Kanon also used her finger razor and magic spear, making it even harder for Dorian to defend himself.

Perhaps one day, a beautiful dream will suddenly appear before me, and I will embrace it with my hands and hold onto it tightly.

Dorian was naturally using underhanded tricks and tools, but these petty schemes were no match for Kanon. He tried to attack with musical instruments and strangle her with piano wire, but they were all ineffective against her power-dissipating abilities, indestructible strength, and Raibu's power. Dorian even used the blade hidden in his boot, but Kanon managed to catch his downward kick with her muscles, locking his leg in the process, and then smashing Dorian's knee with a single punch.

[Life, ah~ whether it's a clear morning after the rain or a stormy night, in my lifetime, whenever I am in extreme pain...]

Under intense pain and a severe disadvantage, Dorian unleashed his final killing move. His right hand had been modified, concealing a small piece of explosive, just like Yingchu had done to his heel, to be triggered by a powerful shove. Dorian's right palm aimed at Hanon's face, but being at a disadvantage in the parry, he couldn't manage it. In the end, it collided with Hanon's right palm, exploding with a "boom."

Imagine a clear blue sky, striding confidently forward—that's life.

Hanon, who was hit by the close-range explosion, had blood splattered on her right palm. Because she had used "Lightning" when she took the hit, her muscles were not damaged, but her skin was torn and the muscles in her palm were burning painfully from the flames.

Life, oh life!

Fueled by the smell of smoke and the pain, Hanon clenched her right fist and unleashed a "supersonic punch" at Dorian, striking him squarely in the face. Dorian was sent flying, unable to get back up.

"Ah, you're right, Ye Haiwang. I've known that all along. I've always been a loser!"

Dorian lay on the ground, his consciousness fading. Although he was resilient, he could no longer walk.

In his final moments, as Spek was defeated, he seemed to see a goddess. And what did Dorian see at his end?

In the hazy white light, the graceful Huayin seemed like an angel, a goddess, but Dorian only felt warmth: "Mom..."

"Boom!" His thoughts did not reach Hanon, nor did they affect Hanon's decision to kick him on the head.

Two of the five death row inmates were sunk.

Author's Note: Oops, this chapter is late again, hahaha, I'll punish myself with three cups of wine, I'll freeload for now, there will be two more chapters tonight.

Section 635, Chapter 628: Kanon, the "Stronger" Who Exploits Her Wealth

"Dorian's specific childhood experiences are unknown. It is only known that he was born in the late Great Depression in the United States into a poor family. His mother died early due to lack of money for medical treatment, and his father, a dissolute and irresponsible man, abandoned him, leaving Dorian a street urchin. After World War II, he served as a private in Japan, where he was introduced to martial arts. After his discharge, he went to China to study advanced martial arts, practicing at Bailin Temple. Relying on his exceptional talent, he even earned the title of 'Sea King' more than a decade later. However, he then rebelled, unable to bear the solitude of the mountains, and broke away from home. About twenty years ago, he was accused of murdering a wealthy Japanese man. After years of pursuit, he was imprisoned and became a death row inmate. Due to a lack of evidence, the case was repeatedly tried until recently, when he escaped during his execution..."

At the hospital, Retsu Kaioh, who had come to visit, was telling Kanon about Dorian's past. He had come to see Kato, who, although Kato Kiyosumi had escaped death with Kanon's help, had been badly beaten by Dorian and was still unconscious. Not only Retsu, but a large number of people from the Shinshinkai had also arrived, crowding the hospital. It seemed that although Kato was impulsive and rash, his genuine nature made him very popular.

As for Dorian, there's no need to worry about his health. This guy is indeed very resilient; he woke up halfway through the journey in the ambulance.

What we should be worried about is his mind... He's gone mad.

“I see. A broken person from a broken family, drifting aimlessly throughout his life, never finding his purpose in life, how pitiful.” Hana’s eyes shone: “He thought that constant victories could fill the void, but in fact, let alone satisfying himself, he didn’t even understand what he wanted. After realizing that he had never succeeded, his mind collapsed.”

Yes, yes, that must be it. That's the decision. Dorian's mental state has become like that of a child, and he must have collapsed because of his own lack of mental strength. It's definitely not because Kanon hit him on the head repeatedly within 24 hours!

Last night I kicked someone and shattered their jaw. Today I got a supersonic punch to the face, followed by a powerful stomp, Kato's massive shockwave, and countless ordinary blows from the two of them... Ugh, I don't want to think about it anymore.

"Hmm..." Kato Kiyosumi, lying on the hospital bed, groaned as he woke up. He immediately shouted, "Take this!"

Still engrossed in the fierce battle with Dorian, he tried to leap up, only to find that his whole body was wrapped in bandages and his hands and feet were in slings, making it impossible for him to move!

"This..." Kato, though impulsive, wasn't stupid. A quick glance around revealed the gist of it: "In the end, it's still up to you, Miss Ye... What about Dorian?"

After everyone finished telling Kato what had happened, Kato's expression was complicated, showing disappointment and resentment, but also a hint of joy and relief: "He's gone mad. What a pity. Dorian was a very powerful fighter, but unfortunately he went astray... Although I lost this time, I still want to spar with him again in the future! I will become stronger!"

Let's go back to the question Dorian asked Kanon not long ago: What is a strong person?

Does being able to defeat others make someone strong? No. If someone can defeat anyone else, then they can be called the "strongest," but is there only one strong person in the world?

So, if we broaden the standard and define a strong person as "someone who can defeat many people," then how many people are we talking about? Are we supposed to rank everyone in the world, then cut a number and say that the top 100,000 are the strong, and the billions below are the weak? That's obviously unrealistic.

When people see a martial artist, they don't think, "This person's strength is above that of two billion people, so he is a strong person." Instead, they think, "This person's strength is above that of most people, so he is a strong person." As for "most people," it is actually a figurative number. Different people have different judgments. A child who has only seen delinquents fighting might think that the older brother next door is a strong person. From Hanon's perspective, even the most generous statement is that the number of strong people in the world may not even be in the hundreds.

In other words, "strongest" is a subjective and vague concept, even meaningless and ethereal. It is not as absolute as "strongest," which is why everyone wants to pursue the title of "strongest." But there is only one "strongest." Dorian could not catch up with it and could not let go of his resentment, eventually driving him to madness. For someone like Kato Kiyosumi, he has a way to vent his anger—in the process of pursuing "strongest," he inevitably encounters failures and difficulties, but as long as he has made progress compared to his past self, he can be considered worthy of his title.

"The process is more important than the result," and "As heaven maintains vigor through movement, a gentleman should constantly strive for self-improvement"—looking at Kato at his bedside, these words of the philosophers suddenly felt real, leaving Kanon with many thoughts. The words in books often require personal experience to truly understand.

"Don't be upset, there are so many experts in the world you can challenge." Hanon patted Kato on the shoulder and took out her phone: "Let's order takeout, what do you want to eat? It's on me~"

Emmm, once Hanon started treating everyone, she stayed for three whole days.

If we invited Kato Kiyosumi and Retsu Kaioh, shouldn't we also invite Guji Doppo and Guji Katsumi? And what about Kato's good brother, Suedo Atsushi? We can't leave him out, can we? And those disciples from the Shinshin Society who come to visit Kato, we can't let them eat boxed lunches while the "higher-ups" have a feast, can we?

So for these three days, Hanon was really treated like royalty. In the end, she practically bought out all the food in the hospital. This lavish banquet almost turned into scenes like, "Lafite is just grape juice, drink it by the box," "If you're tired of meat, have some vegetables, bring on matsutake mushrooms," and "Whoever ordered the main course, you can eat lobster and still be full, get rid of those bad habits quickly." Well, although it wasn't that exaggerated, the scene was indeed quite spectacular.

For the past three days, Huayin hasn't been in a hurry to capture Liu Longguang. That guy is very well-behaved and has been hiding near the port, quite far from Huayin. He hasn't come out to attack anyone, so Huayin has let him be—anyway, no one else has captured him yet, so she'll wait until she's ready before making any moves.

Strangely enough, there has been no news from Sikorsky and Dor in the past three days. It seems that with the execution of Spek and Dorian, the other three death row inmates have become somewhat timid.

As usual, Hana took out her phone to order takeout that day, but a problem arose—nearby restaurants all said they didn't have enough ingredients and couldn't provide as much food as usual. Hana called several different restaurants, but the result was the same. Curious, she called again and specifically asked, "Is there some special situation?"

"Oh, Ms. Ye, I'm so sorry. Today, a customer who lives in the nearby Ginza area also ordered takeout and almost emptied our menu! You're a regular customer, and we wanted to reserve some food for you, but since the customer was a police officer, we couldn't refuse..."

Police? Ginza? Do they need that much food? It must be enough to feed thirty or forty people! Hanon couldn't help but wonder, "Should we go check it out?"

Author's Note: The chapter tonight might be late, or maybe it'll be posted at 5 PM tomorrow. I'll try to finish it today.

Section 636, Chapter 629: The Freest Man in the World

This mysterious diner was so generous that Hanon could easily find the address of the person who made the reservation at any restaurant.

That was a hotel on the upper floors of Ginza, not far from the hospital. It was in a very luxurious location, overlooking the entire shopping street. Just as the shopkeeper had said, there were many plainclothes police officers patrolling back and forth.

But Hanon walked easily into the depths of the hotel. Because she was a beautiful young woman, and she came in openly and honestly, the police officers, who were already not very focused during lunchtime, actually watched her walk in.

"Is she someone's daughter? Or some young punk's girlfriend? Anyway, it's really enviable to have such a beautiful woman visiting you." The lazy, seasoned police officers sighed.

Just as Kanon arrived at the room door, she was stopped by someone she knew – the police chief from the night she defeated Speck, whose surname Kanon remembered was Harada.

Harada recognized Kanon as well. The two looked at each other, both stunned: "What are you doing here?"