Chapter 56 - Tempest vs King of Strugglers.

Haruto knows that most of his cheating is from the system that he can't further advance without an adversary to overcome. Now, he would face someone who is a genius in grappling and would be a lot more of a challenge as he is extremely talented and it all stem from his mindset that yet awakened but gradually it did during the event that would come.

He was confident that he'll win with everything that he has but his chances do not guarantee the outcome. Haruto feels that it could be a close fight and needs to take caution against someone like him, especially the fact that his [ Zone ] would be a lot higher after constantly training and have balance between all of his stats.

"Is everything alright, Haruto-kun?" A voice took him out of his strain of thoughts and turned to look at his employer who seemed worried that he had been quiet.

"No, I'm actually excited. I can feel my blood getting excited since I'm confident he'll give me a fight worth while." Haruto acknowledged that both of them are geniuses with him having a system while his opponent was gifted by the heavens. He was living a cheat that without his system and purely his chance with Ryozanpaku then he would be a bit above Kenichi.

"But please whatever happens don't stop the fight, alright? Even if I'm at the brink of death, don't stop." He was unsure how to scale power in his world but his instinct knew never to use his memory as concrete assessment against his opponent.

Suoh looked rather scared and anxious the way he put it. She imagined him dying in a fight and it would be all her fault. Haruto saw her expression flick her forehead and she winced in pain.

"What was that for!?" Suoh pouted in pain rubbing her forehead as it reddened from the flick.

"Trust me, I won't die nor will I get injured beyond recovery. I just want you not to worry, alright?" Haruto further explained that he can fix his bones and muscles thanks to his [ Hercules Methods ].

"Anyway, after the fight, I want to get some ramen." Haruto said, taking the lead as Suoh looked at his back, feeling her heart race in excitement thinking about how her life had since turned around ever since he came to her life. She was able to pay her debt and even brought her company away from bankruptcy.

'Whatever happens I'll support you till the end as you did for me.' Suoh thought to herself having spent only a couple of times with Haruto and got to know that he always had carefree and honest attitudes vastly different from her previous boyfriend.

'I wonder if he has a girlfriend…' She had only known him for a short time but everytime she with him felt her world was complete. She followed Haruto to where the venue takes place. He handed Byakko to Mihono, getting into the ring where Haruto sensed the person in front of him.

"I heard a lot about you, Yuuki-dono! I'm finally not the only one who joined Kengan matches at a young age. Guess that makes you my Kouhai." His friendly tone and voice contrasted the Sei Ki brimming within him where it still lacked yet the quality far outweighed the quantity.

The young man was average height, though possesses a well-defined build, as expected for an affiliate fighter. Cosmo's blond hair was first styled as a bob cut. He wore blue shorts and ankle supports.

'I need to win against Imai Cosmo.' Haruto thought, hoping to gain some profitable skills from the system. The panel screen appeared even though he couldn't see anything.

[ Quest Created! ]

[ Task: Win against Imai Cosmo ]

[ Reward: Status Reading (???) ]

Haruto was surprised by the reward but It won't be useful for combat and base from what it showed means it allows him to see the stats and skill of each individual. He put it aside and turn his attention to his opponent.

"Thanks, I already heard a lot about you, Senpai. Hope we can get stronger in our fight." Haruto genuinely liked Cosmo, especially what he knows from his memory since the two were alike, a rascal that was beat up and learned to be better.

"Still, I heard that no one had yet to remove your blindfolds. Is there a reason why?" Cosmo was chatting as both of them prepared themselves where the referee went between them as Haruto controlled his mind and activated [ Ryuusui Seikuken ] where Cosmo noticed the change in his demeanor.

"Defeat me and find out, Imai Senpai." Haruto said with a smile then went back to his calm state of mind where the fight began as Cosmo smiled at the invitation and went for a straight jab but Haruto easily deflected it then countered but he evaded then stepped back where the crowd cheered.

"I wonder what makes this new fighter special." From the crowd was heard watching the fight. It was an old man accompanied by two bulky men but the most prominent thing about them is their inverted eyes. They were none other than the Kure clan member and the old man was the clan head, Kure Erioh!

'His movement reminds me of that monster.' Erioh recalled his fight against the Superhuman, Hayato Furinji. He pummell him during his youth after trying to challenge him. He still recalled how easily he was knocked out and tried to fight him over and over again but lost.

'Did he take a disciple? Interesting, if that is the case then I want to see how he'll fare against one of us.' Erioh thought to himself impressed by the skill that the youth displayed. It was vastly inferior compared to Hayato's version. However, this made him ponder for how long the young man had been training?

Meanwhile, back at the fight where Cosmo was struggling to find an opening to end the fight as Haruto was a tad bit faster than he could get a hold and a hit. He knew that he was on the defense while Cosmo was on the offensive.

"You're really good, I can't seem to find an opening." Cosmo praised him and genuinely found the fight enjoyable compared to the fight he had been so far.

"Same here, I can't lose focus knowing how Fuck I am on e you get hold of me." Haruto complimented his technique and skills since he felt danger every time he got close and almost got a hold.

'I'm clearly superior overall but my instincts tell me he's not someone to take lightly.' He wasn't going all out to hide his trump card since the more he showed his skills the easier he can be defeated. Of course, he'll improve and get stronger making the info irrelevant but Haruto wouldn't take the chance.

"Says the guy who has blindfold fighting. If you remove him and use your eyes I can feel that I'll be the one on the defensive." Cosmo was taking his time trying to create a tactic and find an opening in their conversation.

"Touché." Haruto said where both of them were enjoying the fight. The two seem to have found a fight worth winning! Haruto wanted to win on his own terms and overcome someone like Cosmo who was a genius in his own right.

They exchange blows where Cosmos focuses on trying to find his Blindspot and exploit it then finally get a hold of him. Cosmo tried stripping him but Haruto anticipated his movement the moment he tried to.

'His really good. I can't believe I'll experience what my opponent did when I fought them.' Cosmo always been labeled a genius by everyone at his absurd talent. But unlike his opponent, he wasn't feel any despair and instead the adrenaline rush of a stronger opponents!

'His blows are weak but quite fast.' Haruto thought where he received the blow and felt it was quite weak but was noticeably faster than anything he came across as an opponent. Though his Master was superior in every way, Cosmo's latent talent was accelerating his growth.

'None of them are backing down.' Erioh thought as he watched the fight unfold. He could see that none of them were even trying and simply enjoying the fight for the time being, slowly moving up their way as the fight went on.

'It's been a while since I saw Cosmo have this much fun.' A tan-skinned handsome looking man with a lean well-defined frame, youthful facial features, black matted hair, a chinstrap beard watched the fight unfold. This was Nishihonji Akira is the CEO of Nishihonji Security Services, and Imai Cosmo's employer but the latter see him as his big brother.

"Alright, time to get serious." Haruto stepped back and changed his stance where he decided to go offensive and Cosmo saw this immediately went serious where he closed the distance between them at a blinding speed. The sonic boom of his movement could be felt throughout the floor.

[ Yuuki Style: Titanium Fist! ]

Cosmo received the blow that can easily shatter the bone of a person wearing state of the art armor yet it only shook his mind a bit and power through as he was a lot more resilient than he appears and instinctively got Haruto. This caught his opponent off guard since he wasn't able to anticipate it and understood that even Cosmo was close to having "Intent." And followed by his [ Zone ] that is vastly superior to Haruto's version. Time interval was the same but Cosmo already had muscle memories and knows more on how to use it than Haruto.

[ Brazilian jiu-jitsu - Triangle Choke! ]

Haruto gritted his teeth, overwhelmed by the unexpected strength that Cosmo had in his technique. It was obvious that he had gotten used to the technique against stronger opponents that his subconscious makes his body stronger when using the technique.

'Damn, this is my first time fighting another genius and he has leagues of experience fighting stronger opponents than I am!' Haruto fought delinquents that didn't know how to fight and even Natsu wasn't that talented compared to Cosmo.

'It's been a while since I fought and struggled with a slight chance of winning.' Haruto thought since his fight against his master is one sided with less than zero chance of winning. This time, he fought someone that can be considered a fight and not training.

Everyone anticipated that Haruto would lose since it was difficult to escape the choke hold that Cosmo placed him in. Suoh looked worried seeing her fighter in a difficult situation.

'You can't lose like this! Haruto!' She thought thinking that Haruto would actually lose against someone this early. Cosmo's opponent was a living cheat code and Haruto loosened his muscle making it soft then dislocated his shoulders and bones of his arm allowing him to escape then flipped landing a fatal blow to Cosmo face where it broke the concrete floor forcing the king of struggler to let go while Haruto stepped back having his arm broken along with his muscle fibers.

"Damn, you really are different from the one's I fought so far." He commented unbothered by his right arm having been broken and saw Cosmo standing up grinning. He recovered rather easily and showed his insane endurance.

"Same here. But you think you'll be able to fight me with broken arm?" Cosmo said with moutful of blood dripping from his lips. Haruto tilted his head then looked a this arms and realize that he haven't fix it.

"Ah, sorry, hold on." Haruto immediately place the bones and muscles to it's place where even the spectator wince from the gruesome display and Suoh taken aback at how nonchalant he was from such a painful injury. Within the next moment, Cosmo's eye widened as Haruto swing his arms and crack it a bit.

"Wow, you actually fix it in no time! Are you even human?" Cosmo asked intrigued rather than disturbed that his opponent displayed unbelievable ability and Haruto chuckled.

"Yeah. How about we take this up a notch." Haruto said with a grin, shifting his style once again surprising Cosmo when he rushed towards him and prepared himself for a kick.

[ Brazilian Kick! ]

However, it was only a feint and received the attack pushing him back feeling his muscle going numb from the sheer force of his kick. Cosmo tried to grab his legs for a heel lock only for Haruto to jump, bending his leg over Cosmo's shoulder where Haruto sat over him. Cosmo look up and see Haruto leaned back, having his elbow pointed at him and his eyes widened.

[ Muay Thai: Brekdak forbidden skill no.4! ]

He then dropped a double shoulder attack upon Cosmo who felt the pain course through his body as he fell into the ground. Haruto immediately stepped back knowing that Cosmo knows more on how to control an opponent that is reminiscent of a submission technique.

"Don't tell me that's all you got!?" Haruto shouted and watched as Cosmo looked at him, blood dripping from his mouth, standing back up and fixing his hair like Haruto does.

"Barely!" Cosmo felt his heart pounding in excitement unlike anything that he felt before. It was a long feeling of losing and on the brink of losing where his spirit was slowly awakening. Haruto unaware that, he was inadvertently started to help Cosmo gain mastery over "intent".