Chapter 125: Revenge Match
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 125: Revenge Match
The arm-wrestling final was held immediately.
In truth, it was just a mini-game with no connection to the original purpose of the Swimsuit Contest, but the crowd was far more excited about this.
They say the most entertaining things to watch are a good fire and a good fight, so I guess I could understand.
Ryuji and I faced each other on stage.
This was the first time we’d fought like this since we split into teams for dodgeball back in class.
Come to think of it, Ryuji was evenly matched with me back then, trading throws back and forth.
I suppose it wasn't just a simple protagonist's buff; it was proof that he had been training in his own way.
"Let's have a good match, Yoo-Sung."
"Yeah. You too, Ryuji."
We shook hands, then leaned over the table.
The Foreign Ghost floating behind Ryuji looked down at us with an expression of keen interest.
Soon, the MC, acting as the referee, grasped our clasped hands and announced.
"Ready..."
The moment he said that, Ryuji's hand tightened around mine.
From that grip alone, I could feel his burning competitive spirit.
I hadn't planned on going easy, but it looked like I couldn't afford to underestimate him.
"Start!"
With the signal, Ryuji's palm squeezed down hard.
Feeling an unusual amount of force, I looked up at him.
His body was, at best, that of a high school student who worked out a bit.
There was an overwhelming difference in our weight classes, yet he was displaying an unbelievably immense power.
Could this be that "shonen manga-style compressed muscles" thing?
Something physically impossible was happening right before my eyes.
At this rate, I could see why that guy Yoshida lost earlier.
This was a monstrous strength that clearly surpassed the level of an ordinary person.
And it was obvious how this scene appeared to the audience.
"It's a dead heat! A dead heat, folks!! Contestant Sakamoto Ryuji! Where in that small frame is all that monstrous power coming from!"
We continued our tense struggle.
It was a literal stalemate.
Of course, I was holding back a little.
The moment I got serious, Ryuji's arm could have literally folded.
But even taking that into account, his strength was completely off the charts.
If I kept going easy on him like this, I might actually lose.
"Hup!"
I slowly began to ramp up my power.
A thick vein popped on Ryuji's forehead.
It seemed he was also giving it his all.
I, on the other hand, still had plenty of strength left.
It was probably because the degree to which our bodies were trained was just on a different level.
"HRAAAAAAAAAAAH!!"
He let out a loud battle cry, putting even more force into his right hand.
But the balance had already been broken, and it showed no signs of being restored.
Ryuji's right arm began to slowly tilt to the side.
"Woooooooooah!"
The crowd roared at the sight.
Honestly, most people had probably bet on my victory.
But Sakamoto Ryuji had splendidly defied their expectations.
Even if he lost now, he would surely hear that he lost, but he fought well.
"Contractor, it seems you're reaching your limit."
The Foreign Ghost, who had been clinging to Ryuji's back, said this as he patted him.
But Ryuji, already in a state of extreme focus, said nothing.
I was surprised by his tenacity, trying to push my arm over without giving up.
It made me wonder, was Ryuji always this competitive?
Finally—
Shaking his head as if he couldn't be helped, the Foreign Ghost spoke to me, who was right in front of him.
"Frankly, I do not know if you can hear my words or not. But I shall speak assuming you can. Exactly three seconds after I finish this sentence, I will possess my contractor's body. His physical abilities will then improve dramatically. However, I do not wish for a comeback victory using that. Prepare yourself. And if you are a warrior, do not flee from our challenge."
What?
I was startled by the Foreign Ghost's unexpected words.
But as if to give me no time to think, the Foreign Ghost began to count down aloud.
"Three."
"Two."
"One."
The instant the ghost's count finished, I reflexively tensed my arm.
And in the very next moment—
"From now on, my time begins."
Ryuji's presence changed.
*
Hearing that line, I felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
Come to think of it, during the dodgeball game, Ryuji's skills had improved dramatically right after he muttered that same cringey, dramatic line.
Back then, I thought he had just been hiding his true abilities, but now it seemed the ghost had been possessing his body.
GRIIIIIP!!
Suddenly, it felt like Ryuji's grip strength had doubled, no, tripled.
No, if it wasn't just my imagination, his grip was increasing in real-time.
I might not have known before, but now that I was accustomed to handling Ki, I could tell.
The orange-colored energy seeping from his body was Yang Energy, the same kind I used.
The ghost was probably the one controlling it, but according to what Fuma-senpai had told me, it was impossible for a ghost, a Yin-like being, to wield Yang Energy.
But since this contradiction was happening right before my eyes, I had no choice but to revise my existing knowledge.
As his once-tilting wrist rose back up, the watching crowd went wild.
What was particularly memorable was Satoru shouting from below the stage, "It's Dark Ryuji mode!"
And the Foreign Ghost, wearing Ryuji's face, grinned and said.
"So you can see me after all, O warrior of the modern age."
I realized I could no longer exercise my right to remain silent with him.
The very fact that I hadn't been immediately defeated the moment he possessed Ryuji was proof enough.
"What's your goal?"
"Do not be so wary. I have no intention of harming my contractor. My purpose is simply to fight the strong throughout the world."
What is this now...
It seemed he was a battle-maniac type of ghost, common in shonen manga.
Though I found his stated purpose absurd, I didn't let my guard down.
Judging by his usual words and actions, he seemed to have a few screws loose, but his skills were the real deal.
Even now, the energy surging from Ryuji's body was pressuring me in real-time.
He probably knew how to use Ki.
My pride wouldn't allow me to lose like this, so I awakened the senses within my body.
An orange radiance shimmered into existence around my entire body like a heat haze.
As my body was instantly covered in Ki, the ghost wearing Ryuji's face exclaimed.
"As I thought! My eyes did not deceive me! Excellent! O warrior of the modern age! To think you can handle this much Tutra!"
Witnessing Ryuji's terrible, embarrassing history being created in real-time, I desperately shouted.
"Would you please shut that mouth!"
"Hahahaha! This is fun!"
But he paid me no mind, bursting into hearty laughter and beginning to emit a Ki far stronger than before.
"Kuh!"
I thought he was no joke when we fought before, but he was much stronger now.
If I had known it would come to this, I should have ended it quickly before he possessed him.
With that regret, I gritted my teeth.
"Oooooooooooh!!"
"Woooooooooooh!!"
We fought with all our might.
We screamed our lungs out, trying to force the other's arm down.
I don't know how what was supposed to be a mini-game turned into this, but it had already become a battle of pride between him and me.
And then—
Crack!
A crack appeared in the table supporting our arms.
Because of that, the tense balance between us momentarily shattered.
I didn't miss the opening and twisted my wrist.
"Ghk!"
The ghost possessing Ryuji's body tried to hold on, his eyes wide, but his center of gravity was already gone and couldn't be recovered.
Finally—
SLAM!!
As Ryuji's arm hit the other side of the table, the MC, who had been refereeing, hastily raised his hand.
"Match over!"
The murmurs of the people who had been watching the unprecedented, sweat-inducing showdown were loud enough to reach the stage.
Soon, the MC checked on both me and Ryuji, then raised the winner's hand.
"The winner of this match is Kim Yoo-Sung from Korea!"
At that moment, as if on cue, a tremendous cheer erupted.
"Amazing!"
"That was the most fun arm-wrestling match I've ever seen in my life!"
"He lost, but he fought well!"
Praise poured down equally on not just the winner, but the loser as well.
I extended a hand to Ryuji, who was looking up at me with a dazed expression.
The ghost wearing Ryuji's face then burst out laughing, "Hahahahat!" and took my hand with gusto.
"Indeed! The priest was right when he said the world is wide and full of strong men!"
Laughing like a man possessed, he shook my hand up and down before his expression turned serious.
"This is my loss. But I will not lose next time."
It was a line straight out of a shonen manga.
Immediately after, the ghost left Ryuji's body. As if snapping back to his senses, he asked me with a pale face.
"Don't tell me someone was filming this, right?"
I silently pointed to the camera rolling behind the stage.