"Hello? Andy, what's up? Out of cash again?"
A cheerful voice came through the phone. Upon hearing it, Andy let out a deep breath, a tension he hadn't realized he was holding dissipating slightly.
"Brother, do you have time? I need you here—fast!"
"Huh? What happened?"
"Some powerful fighters killed my master, wounded me and Mai, and then escaped. They're way out of our league, so I need your help."
"...They killed Shiranui Hanzou?!"
On the other end of the line, Terry, the protagonist of the Fatal Fury universe and Andy's older brother, turned serious.
Having sparred with Hanzou before, Terry was well aware of the old man's strength. The thought of someone managing to kill such a formidable warrior was both shocking and concerning.
"Stay hidden until I arrive!"
"I wish I could, but Mai refuses to leave! She's hell-bent on revenge and won't listen to reason!"
"Then make her listen! She's throwing her life away!"
"I tried, but it's no use!"
"...Alright, wait for me. I'll get there as fast as I can."
"Understood. I'll pick you up. Please, hurry."
Andy ended the call and leaned back in the taxi seat, his gaze fixed on the blurred scenery outside the window.
There was no doubt in his mind that Mai was making a terrible decision. However, given their current state, fighting those enemies would only end in tragedy.
All he could do now was pin his hopes on his brother.
"If Terry gets here in time, we might still stand a chance," Andy muttered to himself as the taxi sped toward the train station.
Meanwhile, back at the Shiranui Dojo, Mai had regained her composure.
Fastening the Killing Stone around her neck, the newly appointed head of the Shiranui clan stepped out of her room, determination shining in her eyes.
As she pushed the door open, she was met with the sound of a heated argument.
Across the courtyard, another door swung open as two figures emerged.
It was Qin Ming and Mary, locked in a fierce exchange, their voices growing louder with each passing second.
"You need to leave! This doesn't concern you!" Qin Ming barked.
"Like hell, it doesn't! Those guys showed up because of me! And besides, I owe you my life—I'm not just going to sit back and watch you get killed!" Mary shot back, refusing to budge.
"What do you mean, 'watch me get killed'? Who's killing who isn't decided yet! I'm staying because I'm Hanzou's disciple, but you—what are you even doing here? Why risk your life over nothing?"
"Because I want to! Who are you to tell me what to do?"
"You're injured—what can you even do in this state?"
"I'm not injured; I just twisted my ankle! I'll be fine in no time!"
Their escalating argument eventually became physical, with Mary jabbing her finger into Qin Ming's chest as she advanced, forcing him to retreat step by step.
Watching the scene unfold, Mai couldn't help but feel baffled.
"You're... not leaving?" she asked hesitantly.
Mary glanced at Mai, then turned away with a huff. Crossing her arms, she muttered bitterly, "I'd love to, but someone decided to stay behind to avenge a master they barely knew. What am I supposed to do about that?"
"What?" Mai's gaze shifted to Qin Ming, her expression a mix of surprise and confusion.
Noticing her look, Qin Ming raised an eyebrow.
"The old man taught me one move—I can't just leave him like this. And since those guys showed up because of me, I've got to take responsibility."
"But..."
"No buts. Whether I leave or stay is my decision—not yours."
Qin Ming's curt response left Mai momentarily speechless.
Without another word, he plopped down onto the ground with a scowl.
Mai hesitated before slowly sitting beside him. Hugging her knees to her chest, she broke the silence with a quiet, "Thank you."
"I'm not doing this for you," Qin Ming muttered.
"Even so... thank you. You're the only one who stayed to avenge my grandfather."
"That's because I'm an idiot."
"Do you always have to be so rude?"
"You're the one who's been giving me attitude this whole time! Don't blame me—wait, what?!"
Qin Ming froze mid-sentence, his expression turning to one of confusion.
The system had just updated to show that Mai's goodwill toward him had skyrocketed from -190 to +355, officially reaching the "friend" level.
The drastic shift left him reeling. He quickly glanced around, searching for an explanation.
"Where's Andy?" he asked suddenly.
Mai stiffened, then turned away.
"He left."
"Left? Tch! Pretty boy's got no spine," Qin Ming sneered.
Hearing his remark, Mai nodded vehemently.
"Yes! Pretty boys are unreliable!"
"Well then, with Andy gone, we need to plan how to fight those guys. Let me warn you—they'll recover quickly and could come back at full strength. I've got one trump card, but I'm not sure how effective it'll be. We'll have to take a gamble."
Mai turned to him, her expression serious.
"Alright, what's the plan?"
Qin Ming quickly outlined his strategy:
"Among the three, the woman who showed up last doesn't seem like a fighter, so she probably won't participate. That leaves two enemies.
"The big guy is slow but hits hard. He specializes in grapples, which counters me but doesn't affect you as much. You'll need to keep him occupied—but remember, no close combat! Just distract him."
"Got it. And the other one?"
"I'll handle the fast one. He doesn't know my full abilities, so I have a chance to surprise him. If I can land a hit, my odds of winning are around seventy percent. Once I've taken care of him, I'll come to back you up."
Mai nodded in agreement, but before either could say more, Mary interrupted with a sarcastic comment.
"Oh, great plan. And me? What am I supposed to do—stand here and clap?"
"Uh... right, you..." Qin Ming began, only to pause before snapping, "Wait, why the hell are you still here?!"
(Chapter End)