In a high-end yakiniku restaurant nearby, the group sat in a private room.
The sizzling beef on the iron plate filled the space with an irresistible aroma.
Ohma couldn't wait any longer and stuffed a large piece of meat into his mouth. Takamine Rinji sat drinking cola, his gaze falling on the two others besides Ohma and Yamashita—Nogi Hideki, the president of Nogi Group, and his secretary Akiyama Kaede.
"I don't recall inviting you two."
"Come on, don't be like that. Tokita's one of our fighters. His win is a win for Nogi Group too," Nogi laughed.
They'd tagged along after Rinji invited Yamashita and Ohma.
"Whatever. You're here already, I don't care."
It was just dinner.
"Your Nogi Group must've made quite a bit from today's Kengan match."
"That we did."
Nogi poured himself a glass of beer, smiling.
"This time was a duel between our group and Ibu Real Estate. The prize was development rights to the demolition zone of the Mukunouchi Building—a 10 billion yen project."
"Not bad."
"It's one of the bigger deals we've had."
Yamashita: "…"
As a humble employee, Yamashita felt completely out of place among these people.
He originally thought he'd just be an ordinary salaryman grinding it out until retirement. But after witnessing a fight, Nogi Hideki personally assigned him to take care of Tokita Ohma.
Just a few days ago, he was still eating half-price bento for a few hundred yen. Now he was watching two tycoons discuss a 10-billion-yen business deal.
This rollercoaster made Yamashita Kazuo feel like his peaceful, mundane life was drifting farther and farther away.
"A real estate project doesn't seem very useful for a company like yours that mainly deals in logistics and publishing," Takamine Rinji said with a smirk. "So your real motive isn't this, right?"
"Indeed," Nogi Hideki smiled, admitting it without hesitation.
"For my goal to succeed, I have to win."
"Katahara's condition?"
"Exactly."
"Kengan matches really are something else," Rinji laughed.
Kengan matches—first started in Japan during the 5th year of Shōtoku (1715). Back then, merchants constantly clashed over profits, leading to assassinations and bloody rivalries.
To curb this violence, the then-4-year-old Shogun Tokugawa Ietsugu issued a decree: when merchants had profit disputes, they could resolve them through 'peaceful violence.' Thus, the Kengan Association was born.
A year later, Tokugawa Ietsugu died—at the age of five.
The traditions of the Kengan Association were established by the merchants of that time and continue to this day. When companies have business disputes, they each send out fighters to battle in the underground arena, wagering massive stakes—company stocks, real estate, or anything convertible into money.
The winner takes it all. The loser walks away with nothing.
That's what Kengan matches are all about.
Even if that origin story is half-folklore, the phrase "peaceful violence" is ridiculous enough. But the Kengan Association does, in fact, still exist.
Takamine Rinji had known about it for four years. Back then, he could have used a Kengan match to resolve his conflict with the Shinomiya family.
But the red tape and equal betting requirement were too much of a hassle, so he didn't even consider it.
Just killing people was far more convenient.
There was no such thing as "peaceful violence"—violence was inherently brutal and bloody. Takamine had shown Japan's businessmen that not everyone played by their cozy traditions.
And no one could punish him for it.
"That brings me to you, Tokita Ohma," Rinji turned to the guy still stuffing meat into his mouth. "Why did you become a gladiator? Was it for money?"
After hearing the question, Ohma swallowed his food and gave a faint smile.
"Nope. I just wanted to fight."
"Just fighting and Kengan matches aren't exactly the same."
The number of matches a fighter joins reflects how often corporations clash—and in reality, those fights happen a lot.
Most fighters end up going match after match, eventually retiring due to injuries or dying in the ring.
"I know. But as long as I get to fight, I'm happy."
Ohma's eyes grew sharper.
"I've only got one goal—I want to find out who's the strongest!"
"…" Yamashita Kazuo and Akiyama Kaede looked at each other, both thinking Tokita Ohma was nuts. Nogi Hideki just chuckled.
As for Takamine Rinji…
"The strongest, huh… well, the only person I know who fits that title is probably my old man."
He answered seriously.
"Huh?"
"The two times I beat you, I wasn't even using my full strength—not even ten percent." Takamine stared at his right hand. "I improve at a ridiculous pace. My strength multiplies every year. I'm way stronger now than I was at twelve."
"Aren't we talking about your dad?"
"Exactly. When I was fifteen and thought I was really strong, I went home for New Year's…"
——Flashback——
"Dad, I've gotten stronger!"
"Oh? Congratulations…"
"Let's fight!"
"…"
Right after he said that, his dad—who had been watering the fields—suddenly dropped the sprinkler and looked at him in shock.
"What!? Are you finally turning on your poor, weak, helpless father!?"
"No more talk! Here I come!"
Smack!
Thud!
With just one finger, his dad slammed Takamine's head straight into the dirt.
"Son, you've definitely improved… but you'll need a few more years before you can land a hit on your father."
Then he turned the sprinkler on Takamine, who was now headfirst in the ground.
——End of Flashback——
"So yeah, I'd say my dad's probably 'the strongest.'"
Tokita Ohma lit up with excitement.
"Where's your dad? I want to fight him."
"Don't bother. You can't even beat me."
"Then fight me first."
"No thanks."