Chapter 89: A Woman’s Dream Destination?

  “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

  Miu finally emerged after forty full minutes of anticipation. She’d changed into a fresh outfit: a pale green skirt with a white bolero top—something completely new for her. Female martial artists rarely wore skirts; they were impractical for movement, and god forbid an unexpected fight broke out—total wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen.

  What really caught Takumi off guard was the faint sheen of lipstick on her cherry lips and the clean, shampoo-scented fragrance drifting from her hair. She’d even washed it specially. Knowing he preferred women’s natural scent, she’d left her golden locks unbound; they danced in the sunlight like living sunlight.

  “Miu, you look stunning. But I never imagined you’d actually put on makeup. That’s… surprising.”

  Miu’s cheeks tinted pink. “Grandma told me boys prefer girls who don’t wear makeup, so I just did a light lipstick. It’s basic ladylike courtesy.”

  Courtesy again. Takumi couldn’t help chuckling. He reached out and caught a strand of her golden hair between his fingers.

  “Actually, I think Grandma only told you half the story. What men really like are girls who are beautiful even without makeup. You’re basically the living proof of that line.”

  Hearing her crush say that made Miu’s smile bloom sweetly. That one stubborn ahoge on her head twitched in a completely unscientific way—like an excited kitten’s tail. Takumi’s hand itched to poke it, but some buried instinct warned him it might trigger a dark-side switch, so he held back.

  “Let’s go.”

  “Mm—wait.”

  Miu grabbed his arm and looped hers through it.

  “Real lovers do it like this, right?”

  Her soft chest pressed against his arm with the motion. Takumi’s heart skipped. His five senses had sharpened dramatically—especially touch. He couldn’t pull off Akisame’s “listening to strength” trick to scan a body’s condition, but he was leagues beyond a blind person in sensitivity. Right now his mind was replaying that fleeting glimpse he’d once caught of her breasts. Every woman’s were unique in size and shape. Even though both Nao and Miu were golden-haired beauties, the differences went beyond standard “apple,” “pear,” or “melon” classifications. Takumi felt each girl blended elements of all three, just with different emphases.

  “Why are you staring at my chest the whole time? That’s super pervy, you know.”

  No way his gaze escaped a master like Miu. She shot him a glare and covered his eyes with her free hand—but she didn’t let go of his arm with the other. Clearly not actually mad.

  “Because I really, really like your breasts.”

  “Pervert. You horny alien.”

  “Isn’t that just normal for guys? Are all men from outer space or something? Besides, there’s a saying: ‘The gentleman is open and aboveboard; the petty man is full of worry.’ I’m an open and aboveboard gentleman.”

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  “That’s just sophistry.”

  Even as Miu scolded him and Takumi whined back in mock grievance, their banter sounded like the usual queenly sadist vs. masochist guy dynamic. But right now? Miu was practically clinging to his arm, body leaning into his side, face glowing with shy joy. She looked every bit the lovestruck little bird—nothing like the violent girl from a few weeks ago.

  “Sigh… Granddaughters grow up so fast. Just a little over a month and she’s already been swept away. Shizuko, it takes me back to our younger days. Takumi Kouichi still has plenty of mysteries around him, but I can see he genuinely cares for Miu. And even though I hate womanizing men… he proved his feelings with his life. No one can really object.”

  Invincible Superman Fuurinji Hayato stood on the rooftop, gazing down. The lovey-dovey scene below obviously didn’t escape him. He made no move to interfere, nor did he strike any dramatic “you must defeat me to date my granddaughter” pose.

  “Yo, Elder! Nice view up here—sunbathing on the roof?”

  Kensei Ma hopped up like a flea and plopped down beside him.

  Fuurinji Hayato didn’t turn. “Shouldn’t you be training your disciple? What are you doing here?”

  “Heh. The little girl has zero foundation. She’s not some monstrous talent like Takumi. You’ve gotta know when too much is too much, or you’ll really traumatize her.”

  Kensei paused, then continued.

  “Actually, it’s about her. Someone healed her injuries with ki. I wasted effort brewing that medicinal bath. Weird, right? Aside from you and my Chinese ki techniques, nobody around here specializes in healing—not even Shigure.”

  “It was Takumi.”

  “What?! How’s that possible?”

  “Ryōzanpaku may look big, but nothing escapes me. Casual conversation? I ignore it. But the moment he used ki, the waves hit me instantly. His technique was basic… but it was exactly my ‘Instant Recovery’ secret art.”

  “No way. That’s your core secret technique—the foundation of your invincible superman title. Not even Saiga learned it. How could he—?”

  “No idea. But there are always people with special physiques in this world. Maybe absorbing my ki caused some mutation. And that’s not all—he even absorbed the killing-intent wave Saiga left in Miu’s body, completely eliminating her hidden danger. Of course, he planted a seed of disaster in himself in the process. That’s why—even though I believe he’s passed everyone’s tests and can be trusted—I still won’t let you teach him the true secrets of ki.”

  “Killing-intent wave? Miu had something like that inside her?”

  “To perfect his killing-intent wave, Saiga murdered his own wife and implanted the wave into his daughter. It twisted Miu’s natural stillness-type ki into movement-type. I took her around the world from childhood, searching for masters who could neutralize it. We found nothing. Instead, she grew up lonely, without friends, and awakened her movement ki far too early. Eventually we had no choice but to return to Ryōzanpaku. Takumi resolved a problem that haunted me for years. That’s why I saved him… and why I can silently approve of him pursuing Miu.”

  “I’ve heard the killing-intent wave was created by the previous generation’s invincible fist master—the man they called the Demon King. Was he really that terrifying? Even you couldn’t do anything?”

  “Strength is proven in battle. But yes… I truly couldn’t counter the killing-intent wave. And that ‘strongest invincible’ title has done more harm than good. I used to obsess over surpassing him. By the time I came to my senses, I was already an old man. My own son, poisoned by the same ideology, turned against me, mastered that terrifying technique, and became the leader of darkness—Saiga of the One Shadow Nine Fists.”

  Fuurinji Hayato spoke of secrets Miu had never known. A flicker of old pain crossed his face.

  “Is this really what you meant by ‘the place I’m sure you’ll like’?”

  Miu’s face was beet red as she grabbed Takumi’s sleeve and yelled.

  Takumi looked genuinely confused. “Yeah? I asked around. Everyone said the ultimate dream destination for women is right here. You don’t like it?”

  “Like it my ass! Why the hell would you bring me to a wedding dress shop for our first date?! You idiot! Romance is supposed to progress step by step—you just skipped like ten levels at once!”

  With a furious over-the-shoulder throw, poor Takumi went flying.

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