This is the end of an arc that has lasted more than a year! Thank you very much to everyone who has followed up to this point! I can only thank you for supporting this story! The beginning of the next arc will start later this week, I hope you'll be here to read it!
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As the party celebrating the end of the tournament finally got underway, the wrestlers and businessmen immediately began to enjoy themselves. The last match had barely finished, but the excitement about the crowning of the new king of kengan matches was too much to wait for.
The fighters chatted among themselves about the match, while the others just focused on their own business, like drinking and partying.
"To think it would end like this. Who would have thought that those two would make it to the final? There were real monsters in both blocks, and they overcame them." Himuro commented as he took a sip of his drink.
"It was surprising, that's for sure. A 17-year-old boy defeating the Fangs of Metsudo? It's crazy to imagine." Okubo, who was sitting at the table while eating some snacks, spoke with admiration in his tone.
"Ohma was also quite a surprise. He came out of nowhere, and completely wiped out the left block." Kaneda said, the surrounding fighters nodding at his words.
But while the wrestlers talked, Akira, the one who had witnessed Yuji's rise two years ago, looked around curiously. He hadn't seen Yuji or Ohma since the end of the last match, which worried him, after all, everyone knew they were both in terrible condition.
"If you're worried about those two, they've already left the infirmary."
Startling the boy with a new voice coming from his side, he turned to see Kushida Rin, whom he recognized as the woman who was accompanying Kazuo Yamashita along with Kaede Akiyama.
"Oh, I understand." Raising an eyebrow at the woman, he just sighed as his expression softened. "Do you know where Yuji went?"
Rin scratched her chin as she looked thoughtful, realization dawning on her face for a moment. "Oh, I believe he's gone to meet the girls who accompany him."
Akira nodded, his eyes roaming the surroundings as he rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes turning to the woman periodically.
"So... Would you like a drink?"
"..."
.
Away from that place, the group of girls accompanying Yuji were gathered around a table talking to each other.
Since the end of the match, they had dedicated their time to staying by Yuji's side in the infirmary throughout the beginning of the party, but it was a surprise when the boy asked them to go and enjoy themselves, as he had some business to attend to.
Senju was a little discouraged, but she didn't argue, after all, she was also in the mood to enjoy the party.
Elena accompanied Mokichi throughout the party, driving his wheelchair along with Kou.
Karura seemed to be chatting animatedly with Hiyama, the woman appearing to have regained much of her glowing skin since she had lost a significant amount of blood during the invasion.
Senju watched everyone with a small smile, a sigh escaping her lips as she turned to the crowd of people, hopeful that she would see Yuji somewhere.
But Yuji had no intention of celebrating, at least not yet.
"So you've come, Yuji."
On a mountaintop, countless bodyguard captains were gathered in front of some guns stuck in the ground, like an altar, to the bodyguards who had died during the invasion.
Iwaki, who was currently in charge, was the first to notice when Yuji appeared in the distance, the boy covered in bandages over his bruises.
"Of course. I may not have spent as much time with you as I would have liked, but I'm still a bodyguard."
The bodyguards smiled at his response, letting the boy pass to stand in front of that altar.
"These guys might not be my blood brothers." Kneeling in the dirt, Yuji observed those weapons with respect in his gaze. "But they were my brothers in war, and that's enough."
"And don't think they didn't think of you that way too." Iwaki approached the boy, his eyes turning to the sun, which was slowly beginning to set over the sea.
"Goodbye, my brothers."
.
As everyone celebrated, and as small problems began to unfold underneath the joy, Yuji offered his respect to the warriors who had died to protect the people on the island.
As the sun disappeared into the sea and the stars began to appear in the sky, Yuji walked through the forest, never deviating from his path.
As the memories made in that place surfaced and brought satisfaction to his heart, Yuji finally found Ohma Tokita sitting beneath a tree, watching the last vestige of sunlight finally disappear.
"You've got a beautiful view."
"..."
As he gazed at that starry sky, which was free from the light pollution caused by mankind, Yuji cracked a small smile as he said to Asura.
"You know, when we faced each other for the first time, I was really angry about losing. I was a pretty stupid kid back then.
But since then, I've come to understand my defeats. They don't mean that I'm weak or anything, just that I have a lot more to learn."
Sitting down on the grassy ground, Yuji grumbled as he felt his wounds ache.
"And I still have a long way to go, it seems."
Letting out a light laugh, he relaxed as he turned towards the sky.
"You know, I wish we could have another rematch, to break the tie once and for all, after all, with my victory in the tournament, we're even."
As he felt that sense of peace, and Ohma Tokita finally took her last breath with a smile on her lips, Yuji offered her his last words.
"It's a shame it can't happen...
But in any case, being equal is great."
Getting up when he heard someone in the distance moving towards that place, easily recognizing his uncle's breathing, Yuji turned to leave.
"After all, you will be the only person in the world who will be able to keep this score against me.
Be proud, Ohma. You were someone very strong."
Taking one last look at the fighter's lifeless body, Yuji gave one last smile as he began to walk away, not intending to disturb his uncle's farewell.
.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations on winning the Kengan Annihilation Tournament! For reaching this level, the system has been updated to suit your next challenges!]
[Status window updated!]
[Updated strength rating!]
[The System awaits more achievements from the host! Good luck!]