Free of Debt, Free of Burdens

"The reason is simple, Kaji."

Baku Madarame patted Takaomi Kaji on the shoulder, holding a pickled plum in his hand, and motioned for him to come and look.

Takaomi Kaji jogged over to the window, leaned against the edge, and stuck his head out.

One look, and Takaomi Kaji burst into a smile.

Shiraki Uke and Maruk had indeed fallen from the building, but a car had been parked below at some point. The two had landed right on it, smashing its roof to pieces.

Though they were far away, he could make out Shiraki Uke and Maruk lying on their backs, both gasping for breath. Neither was in danger of dying.

Beside the car, a short-haired girl stood with her arms folded.

Had she driven the car there?

"She must be Uke's support sniper. She brought the car over ahead of time to cushion their fall."

Baku Madarame tore open the package of pickled plums in his hand and chuckled. "For all that talk about 'not giving Maruk a chance,' he just wanted Maruk to give it everything he had so he could see if he could beat him..."

"Uke's a liar too!"

Baku Madarame ate a pickled plum and kindly gave one each to Akagi Shigeru and Takaomi Kaji.

Down below, Shiraki Uke and Maruk lay on their backs atop the wrecked car.

"Hahaha!"

At the thought that he had a chance to atone, Maruk laughed like a child.

"Hahaha..."

At the thought that he owed Kure Fusui another luxury car, piling debt upon debt, Shiraki Uke laughed too, throwing caution to the wind.

In any case, the fight had felt great—wasn't that good enough?

In the distance, the morning sun slowly rose, bathing everything in warm light.

The long night was finally over.

Chapter 37: Free of Debt, Free of Burdens

The morning sunlight was warm, making their skin itch.

The "bed" beneath them wasn't very comfortable, though—even if it was probably quite expensive.

The roof of Kure Fusui's luxury car had been smashed in by Shiraki Uke and Maruk, its frame caved in. The entire car was a total wreck.

"Boss~!"

Kure Fusui stood smiling beside the car. Having changed how she addressed him again, she asked Shiraki Uke, "Can I get reimbursed for damage to my vehicle?"

Shiraki Uke: "..."

He couldn't shake the feeling that he'd fallen into a huge trap.

But looking at Maruk beside him, Shiraki Uke felt much better.

Zangief's ink-wash phantom appeared beside the car and held out a large hand to him.

Shiraki Uke forced himself up and high-fived Zangief in celebration.

Smack!

Through that high-five, Shiraki Uke could feel Zangief's heartfelt relief—he was happy for Shiraki Uke's victory, and happy for Maruk for overcoming Lodem.

Top fighters could often feel each other's will through their opponents' fists.

Though Zangief was an invincible wrestler who believed in muscles of steel, he was also a doctor who could read three hundred books a year, and his feelings were quite delicate.

He had probably sensed the sadness and hurt Maruk had hidden beneath Lodem's violence.

That was why Zangief had wanted to try to save Maruk.

Shiraki Uke had felt the same way, and in the end, his will had become one with Zangief's, allowing him to fight in Zangief's style.

"..."

After the high-five, Zangief's phantom raised a hand to the sky, as though acknowledging the spectators around him.

But the only response came from "Ryu," who sat meditating silently nearby.

Not nearly lively enough!

Shiraki Uke could feel that Zangief wanted to say that to him.

Keep practicing, and good things will happen! Of course, don't forget to let your muscles rest first, or your body will break down!

Zangief's thoughts kept coming, one piece of advice after another, while Ryu shook his head helplessly beside him.

"Huff... huff..."

Maruk, lying beside him, was so exhausted that he had fallen asleep.

Shiraki Uke was growing drowsy too. His eyes were about to close, but then they suddenly snapped open.

He had remembered something!

Rustle!

Shiraki Uke rolled off the car and, under Kure Fusui's startled gaze, limped toward the building's entrance.

Upstairs in the building.

Once everyone had confirmed that Shiraki Uke and Maruk were all right, the atmosphere relaxed considerably.

Yagyou smiled. "In that case, we can try to bring Lodem's fighting strength under our control, can't we, Lord Baku?"

"You've misunderstood, Mr. Yagyou."

Baku Madarame waved a hand as he chewed a pickled plum. "I don't need some killer..."

As he spoke, Baku Madarame froze. Then, as if something had suddenly occurred to him, he put a hand to his forehead and gave a few helpless, bitter laughs before urging Takaomi Kaji on.

"Let's hurry, Kaji. We have to get downstairs—the gamble isn't over yet!"

"...What?" Takaomi Kaji paused, then realized what he meant.

The gamble really wasn't over!

The outcome depended on which side, Baku Madarame's or Akagi Shigeru's, had someone "step out" of the Abandoned Building first. Falling out didn't count.

Even so, it was far too late to make a run for it now.

Leaving aside the traps downstairs that had yet to be dismantled, all Shiraki Uke had to do was enter the building from the ground floor and walk back out to satisfy the winning condition of "stepping out of the building."

Even Takaomi Kaji could see that Baku Madarame was certain to lose, so why struggle in vain?

"Because it's fun, Kaji."

Baku Madarame saw what Takaomi Kaji was thinking and smiled, patting him on the shoulder. "A gamble purely for victory or defeat—just like Uke and Maruk's fight—is a truly rare thing."

"Oh... oh!"

Takaomi Kaji nodded. He was still a little confused, but he had a faint sense that Baku Madarame was happier now than he had been at any other point that night.

After dismantling the traps downstairs, everyone arrived at the building's entrance.

Sure enough, Shiraki Uke had already been waiting there for some time. Only after Baku Madarame sprinted toward the entrance did he finally take the last step and leave the building.

"Haha..."

Baku Madarame's stamina was astonishingly poor, and he was panting heavily, but he could hardly hide how much he had enjoyed himself.

Yagyou walked over slowly and carried out his duty as referee. "The gamble is over. The winner has been decided."

"Winners: Akagi Shigeru and Shiraki Uke."

"Spoils: Kakerou membership, thirty million in cash, the Ninefold Tower property, and so on..."

"..."

After announcing the result of the gamble, Yagyou looked around and noticed two more people approaching.

It was Kure Fusui and Maruk, bleary-eyed after she had forcibly woken him.

Members of the Kure Clan all had black eyes with white pupils, making them quite easy to recognize. Yagyou therefore gave Kure Fusui a slight nod in greeting.

"A guest from the Kure Clan. A pleasure to meet you."

"Good morning~!"

Kure Fusui raised a hand in reply, then dragged Maruk over and deposited him beside Shiraki Uke. "Bai Mu dear, the job's done, so I'm going back to find someone to fix my car! What about this guy?"

"Haaah!"

Before Shiraki Uke could answer, Maruk yawned, leaned against his shoulder, and fell asleep again.

Everyone looked at one another in silence.

Yagyou quietly reminded Akagi Shigeru, "Mr. Akagi, according to the terms of the wager, ownership of this 'Maruk' will also pass to you."

"Mm, that's a bit troublesome..."

Given Akagi Shigeru's personality, he didn't particularly mind having another follower around, but Maruk clearly had the mind of a small child and needed someone to look after him.

"I'm very interested in the Kakerou membership, so let me be selfish and play a while longer."

Akagi Shigeru looked at Shiraki Uke. "As for the thirty million in cash, I don't need it, so I'll leave it all to you, Uke. And Maruk there beside you..."

"..."