Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: The Moment the Legend Begins
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Takahina Ryuji came to his senses.
"...Where is this?"
Inside a dimly lit construction site building.
His body was tightly bound with ropes, rendering him immobile.
"Boss, this punk's come around."
A man approached with heavy footsteps at his subordinate's words.
He blew cigarette smoke into Ryuji's face. This was Park Ki-tae, the boss of the White Tiger Gang, the largest violent circle in Gangseo-gu.
"Nice to meet you. I always wondered who kept screwing up our business, and now I finally see your face."
"Speak for yourself. You've been hiding behind your goons like a coward, so I never even got a look at you."
"...This little shit."
Park Ki-tae's brow furrowed.
He'd avoided showing his face publicly, only coming out now that Ryuji had been caught, and the kid had called him on it. Park Ki-tae swallowed his rising anger and asked,
"Even after getting nabbed, you're still so full of yourself. Gotta give you props for guts. What's your name?"
"Takahina Ryuji."
"A Jap, huh? Wait... Takahina...?"
"What's up, boss?"
Park Ki-tae suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.
He hurriedly grabbed a knife.
"B-Boss...?!"
Slash!
Park Ki-tae sliced open the sleeve of Ryuji's right arm with the knife. He tapped his forehead. Intricate dragon tattoos adorned the skin there. He knew that pattern.
"Damn it, shoulda noticed when his hair was red. You're the Muyeong Association heir...!?"
"M-Muyeong Association!!"
The tattoo marked direct descendants of the Takahina family, those destined to inherit the Muyeong Association.
Korean thugs and Japanese yakuza operated in close proximity, so their territories overlapped now and then. It was an unwritten rule not to touch each other, lest clashes escalate into international incidents.
But the Muyeong Association didn't play by those rules. Once pissed off, they danced with blades like madmen, rules be damned. The White Tiger Gang might rule Gangseo, but compared to the Muyeong Association, they were small fry. The gang members started fearing the backlash.
"Boss, what do we do? Shouldn't we cut him loose right now?"
"Shut it."
Park Ki-tae calmed his men and sank into thought.
Soon, a vile grin spread across his face as he reached a decision.
"Better to kill him and shut his mouth for good."
"B-Boss!"
His men were stunned. They wielded violence daily, but murder was uncharted territory. Ryuji remained unfazed even as talk of killing him arose.
"...You sure you can handle the consequences? I'll chase you to the ends of hell."
"Hmph, we've got cleanup covered. Even the Muyeong Association won't pin this on us."
He was wrong.
If Ryuji died, the Muyeong Association would beat every lowlife in the area for info and bribe cops if needed to track the killers. They'd find these guys eventually and make them pay.
'This idiot has no clue. Sigh...'
Park Ki-tae looked utterly convinced they wouldn't get caught. From Ryuji's perspective, if the fool believed that and drowned him, there'd be no recourse. In a way, even the Muyeong Association's revenge might come too late for him.
'...Am I really gonna die?'
With death staring him down, the first faces in his mind were his family's.
'Noah, sorry. I'm leaving you with a heavy burden.'
If he died, Noah would likely take over the Muyeong Association. She'd drift further from the girl who could smile so brightly. That guilt hit Ryuji hardest.
And oddly, a recent encounter popped into his head.
'Join the baseball team, Takahina Ryuji.'
'Our goal is to win the summer tournament.'
"Haa..."
He realized it only now, on the brink of death.
He wanted to play baseball more than anything.
Paradoxically, that made him accept death calmly.
'If I can't play ball anyway, I'll just be trash wandering around punching on impulse. Might as well die.'
A White Tiger Gang member approached with a knife.
Ryuji sensed his life ending.
"...In my next life, I wanna live normally."
He murmured softly and closed his eyes.
That's when it came.
"Why wait for the next life?"
"You...!?"
Thwack-!!
"Gaaack!!"
A massive impact sent the gangster flying skyward.
A picture-perfect side kick.
An uninvited guest no one saw coming.
Face hidden by cap and mask, but Ryuji recognized him instantly as Geum Seong-muk.
"Hey, came to save ya."
"How'd you... find this place?"
"That matter now? Let's cut you loose first."
Snap, crack!
Seong-muk snatched a small knife amid the chaos and severed Ryuji's ropes. The White Tiger Gang was in disarray.
"Who the hell is this guy popping out of nowhere?!"
Park Ki-tae berated his men.
A high-ranking subordinate replied sheepishly.
"Ugh, must've been a slip-up during the kidnapping."
"Tch, useless bastards."
Park Ki-tae clicked his tongue.
But he grinned like it was amusing.
"What do two punks think they're gonna do? We've got fifty White Tiger guys here!"
Goons swarmed around Park Ki-tae.
Individually, none could match Seong-muk or Ryuji, but fifty brawlers with decent punches? Odds were slim, beyond tough.
Sensing the bad spot, Ryuji voiced concern to Seong-muk.
"Thanks for the rescue, but you okay? Two against fifty ain't easy."
"Not two."
"Huh?"
"Brought an extra, just in case."
"...Huh???"
Ryuji's face said two or three, same difference. But Seong-muk had brought the strongest guy he could—the ultimate tank.
"...Amitabha."
A massive man in a balaclava appeared: Seok Un-gang. He looked furious for some reason.
"The many oppressing the few, even trying to take their lives. An unforgivable evil."
He stepped in front of Seong-muk and Ryuji, declaring to all present,
"From now on, no approaching these two. Get too close, and I'll have to use force."
A wildly arrogant proclamation.
White Tiger's number two, Kim Seong-cheol, laughed mockingly and charged.
"Who the hell are you, you bald old fart...! Die!"
He licked his blade and rushed Seok Un-gang. He was Golden Sun, tough enough to fool for Seong-muk at first.
"...Tathagata Divine Palm."
Doooong!
"Guhooo...!!"
A clear temple bell rang through the site.
Struck in the gut with a palm strike, Kim Seong-cheol tumbled back several rolls, slammed into a pillar, and passed out.
"Choosing punishment like that... such a pity for this sentient being."
With 'Demon Monk (S)' activated in rage, Seok Un-gang's power was S-rank. Not quite wuxia novel levels, but his strength—able to catch a bell with one hand—was beyond any street punk.
Seok Un-gang, the Destruction Monk, descended to pulverize all comers. One casual palm push downed an executive, accelerating the gang's panic.
"How's he got that kinda power...!"
"What the hell is that guy...! Do something!!"
Seong-muk wouldn't let the chance slip.
"Hiyah!!"
Crack!
"Guhack!!"
A flying knee sent another flying.
Fifty opponents. At Solar Vein Meridian stage 3, Strong Shot realm, fifty sandbags to smack? Unbearable.
"Hey, Ryuji."
"Yeah?"
"Wanna bet who drops more?"
Crack, smack! Thud!!
Seong-muk rampaged like a wild colt, collecting thugs' corn. Ryuji chuckled and followed.
"You're on...!!"
Thud, smack! Crack!!
Ryuji charged the White Tiger goons too. Yielding to his dragon blood, he swept them away. The gang couldn't cope with the sudden assault.
"What the hell's happening?!"
"Just three guys, three...!"
They were getting blendered.
Seong-muk and Ryuji attacked at mad speeds, refusing to lose. Seok Un-gang blocked interferers targeting them. First time syncing, but they meshed like precision gears.
The moment the 'Munhyeok High Trio'—later hailed as high school baseball's strongest cleanup—formed.
"Seong-muk, three on your left!"
Thud!
Crack!!
"You got two incoming right!!"
Thud!!
Smack!
Back-to-back, crushing foes.
But they couldn't cover everything.
"Gap, you bastards...!!"
A gangster swung a bat.
But Seok Un-gang held that spot.
"Thousand Jin Hammer."
Boom!
"Urk."
The bat shattered against Seok Un-gang's rock-hard skin. The thug gawked—first time seeing wood break on flesh.
"Tathagata Divine Palm."
Doooong-!!
"Gugheuk...!"
Clear bell toll, and the thug rolled away.
How much time passed?
"Damn, was just getting a taste and it's over."
Fifty grunts and execs.
Obliterated by the Munhyeok High Trio.
"Ugh...!!"
One left.
White Tiger boss Park Ki-tae.
Seong-muk shook blood from his fists and approached.
"Oh, you the boss?"
"Ugh, who the hell are you...!!"
Park Ki-tae collapsed, legs giving out.
He paled at Seong-muk's approach.
Thump-!
"Heok.......!!"
Seong-muk licked his lips.
With a bulging crotch to boot.
Park Ki-tae sweated bullets. More terrified than any knife-wielding thug.
"N-No...! Stay back, freak...!!"
His juvenile hall chastity, barely preserved.
But against this monster? No confidence.
Tears and snot streamed. He dragged his limp legs back, but Seong-muk pointed.
"Hey, look to the side."
"Wh-What?"
Crack!
"Kuhack...!"
Takahina Ryuji's brutal kick nailed his head. Lights out for Park Ki-tae.
One charges laughing at Seong-muk's menace, another flees in terror. That gap defined Ryuji and Park Ki-tae.
All White Tiger members down.
"Phew, thought I was a goner...!"
Ryuji, back from death's door.
Grateful to the pair who charged in.
"Big guy, what's your name?"
"...Seok Un-gang."
"Monk, huh? Thanks for saving me. I owe you my life."
"Just doing what anyone would. Amitabha."
Ryuji thanked Un-gang first for showing up. But the biggest thanks went elsewhere.
"Friend, thanks. I'll repay this debt."
"Sure."
Clap!
Cool handshake, no extra words from Seong-muk. Curious, Ryuji asked,
"No baseball team pitch?"
"What, bummed I didn't ask?"
Ryuji chuckled at Seong-muk's tease.
He stood, dusted off, and approached Seong-muk.
"...Kinda embarrassing to say it now."
"Spit it out."
Scratching his head, gazing afar.
Then he met Seong-muk's eyes squarely.
"Looking forward to it, Captain."
Grinning, hand extended.
Seong-muk gripped it firmly.
"You got it. Let's do this."
Squeeze!
Thus, Seong-muk secured Takahina Ryuji.
A historic moment: three Heavenly Hitting Bodies on one team.
'...Unprecedented in high school, even the pro leagues.'
Munhyeok High was no longer just a new school. Seong-muk had built a team with way more potential than planned.
'Now we can go all out for nationals.'
Seong-muk stood still, feeling the spring breeze.
When the cherry blossoms bloomed, everyone would rave about Munhyeok High's storm.
He had no doubt.
Not one bit.