Young People Don't Play Fair

On the boxing ring at the very back, Fang Cheng and Takeda Masumi were fighting fiercely at speeds beyond the limits of ordinary humans.

They darted and dodged across the entire ring, their punches like spinning fan blades, leaving afterimages and cutting through the air with sharp whistles.

The rapid, stormlike patter came from their attacks and blocks colliding.

Fang Cheng's movements were identical to Takeda Masumi's. His legs seemed to have springs attached, bouncing rapidly off the ground and using the momentum to shift his body from side to side.

His upper body twisted nimbly up and down, dodging or blocking Takeda Masumi's swift punches.

Even as he dodged, Fang Cheng kept searching for an opening to counterattack.

Aside from their difference in height, the two seemed like mirror images, trading blows with movements that matched down to the tiniest detail.

But things didn't stay that way. Over the past three days, Fang Cheng had improved not only in combat training; he hadn't slacked off on his physical training after returning home each day, either.

He was faster and stronger than he'd been three days ago, and had completely surpassed Takeda Masumi.

As they traded blows, Fang Cheng gradually gained the upper hand.

Realizing she was about to lose, Takeda Masumi used her trump card again—a fighting technique that combined judo with joint locks.

But Fang Cheng had been ready for it. He'd already been caught off guard by it several times yesterday.

As Takeda Masumi wrapped her arms and legs around him, Fang Cheng unleashed the strength he'd been secretly building up, broke free of her joint lock, and drove a punch into her chest.

The heavy blow sent Takeda Masumi flying. Her back hit the ropes around the ring, and she bounced off them before crashing hard to the floor.

She landed in exactly the same position Fang Cheng had been in three days ago, when Takeda Masumi first sent him flying.

"Ugh..."

Takeda Masumi sat up with a pained expression, gently rubbing her chest, which had nearly been flattened by the blow.

At the same time, she glared furiously at Fang Cheng.

That little bastard had no sense of fair play. He'd even dared to go after her pretty face and chest.

Worse still, Fang Cheng had resorted to dirty tricks like the old "monkey steals the peach" move.

"Get up. Come on!"

Fang Cheng beckoned to Takeda Masumi.

Takeda Masumi gritted her teeth, got to her feet, and charged at him again.

Thud!

A few minutes later, Fang Cheng used brute force to smash through Takeda Masumi's defense and knock her down with a punch.

"Don't lie there playing dead. Get up like a man, and hurry!"

Fang Cheng roared at Takeda Masumi, his blood pounding with excitement and his voice brimming with satisfaction.

It had been three whole days. After getting beaten up for so long, he could finally throw those words back at her.

Takeda Masumi clenched her teeth in fury. She'd used those words to mock Fang Cheng three days ago, and she hadn't expected him to throw them back at her so soon.

She climbed to her feet, worked her limbs and steadied herself, then attacked Fang Cheng again.

Their fighting skills were now almost evenly matched.

On the first day, Fang Cheng had gained two points in combat from getting beaten up countless times.

On the second day, he'd gained one point while barely managing to defend himself. On the third, he'd gained another while fighting on equal terms. Then he'd completely overtaken Takeda Masumi and started keeping her on the defensive.

When their skills were so evenly matched, the winner could only be decided by experience and physical fitness.

Takeda Masumi certainly had more experience, but Fang Cheng's physical fitness was far superior. His strength, speed, reflexes, resistance to blows, and recovery were all a cut above hers.

Besides, the combat bonuses he'd gained weren't limited to technique; they included experience, too.

And so, in just three short days, Fang Cheng had caught up and defeated Takeda Masumi, a seasoned fighter.

Thud!

This time, it took even less time. In under two minutes, Takeda Masumi was down on the floor.

Fang Cheng kicked her in the butt, sending her sliding sideways.

Fortunately, just as she was about to slide off the ring, Takeda Masumi grabbed the ropes in time. Otherwise, she would've hit the floor face-first again.

"Again!"

Fang Cheng shouted with satisfaction. He felt as if his whole body was brimming with strength and wanted nothing more than to unleash it somewhere.

Takeda Masumi sat up, her face a picture of pain.

She waved at Fang Cheng. "I'm done. You've finished your training. No more fighting."

Fang Cheng paused. "I've finished my training?"

Takeda Masumi nodded firmly. "That's right. You've passed. We don't need to fight anymore."

Right now, she couldn't wait to get this walking disaster out of there. If they kept going, he'd beat her to death.

"No way. I still think I have room to improve!"

Fang Cheng strode toward Takeda Masumi.

Takeda Masumi's expression changed. "What are you doing? I said that's enough!"

"You beat me up for so long, and you think you can just call it quits?"

Fang Cheng reached for her. "I'm in charge now. Get up and keep going. You're not getting away!"

On the first day, while Takeda Masumi had been beating him to a pulp, he'd sworn he would knock that foul-mouthed woman flat.

Now that he finally had the chance, how could he let her decide when it was over?

Takeda Masumi hurriedly turned and tried to crawl out of the ring, but Fang Cheng grabbed her by the ankle.

"Get back here!"

Fang Cheng yanked hard, dragging the fleeing Takeda Masumi back.

Kanzaki Rin stared at the numbers on the elevator as they slowly counted down, growing so anxious she wanted to pry the doors open and jump down herself.

A little earlier, while she was on her way, Kanzaki Rin had received a call from Takeda Masumi.

Takeda Masumi had said just one thing, in a great hurry: "Rin, get over here, quick!" Then she'd hung up.

When Kanzaki Rin called back, no one answered.

A powerful sense of impending danger rose within her, and she rushed over without delay.

The whole way there, she'd been wondering what could have happened to make the usually carefree Takeda Masumi sound so panicked.

Yes, Kanzaki Rin had heard the panic in Takeda Masumi's hurried voice.

Kanzaki Rin had known Takeda Masumi for years, and had never seen her like this.

Before setting out, Kanzaki Rin had prepared herself for the worst: the Disaster Countermeasure Department had discovered Fang Cheng's identity and sent people to arrest him.

There was, of course, another possibility: Takeda Masumi had accidentally beaten Fang Cheng to death—the kind of death he couldn't come back from.

Perhaps she felt guilty and couldn't bring herself to answer the phone.

Either way, Kanzaki Rin couldn't accept it.

At last, the elevator doors opened. Kanzaki Rin burst out, pulling out her stun gun at the same time. If Fang Cheng was still there, she'd take him away no matter what.

Then she saw a sight she would never forget.

Takeda Masumi was dashing around the Training Ground, trying to escape, her face full of panic.

Fang Cheng chased after her, shouting, "Don't run! Fight me like a man!"

The Training Ground was a complete mess. It was obvious the two of them had been playing this game of cat and mouse for quite some time.