Fatal Fury

He distributed the story scripts he had brought to Oba Kotaro and Masami Kurumada, then handed the floor to Takuya. "The story is set in a fictional American city called South Town. Order here is in shambles; wealth and crime are intertwined. It is a lawless place beyond the reach of official authority."

"The city's true ruler is a man named Geese Howard." Takuya deliberately slowed his speech, emphasizing the name. "He is no ordinary gang boss, but a martial artist of unfathomable strength in his own right, proficient in the fierce and domineering Eight Extremes Fist. Through an iron fist and intrigue, he has built a vast underground empire. He is the absolute king of South Town—and the final boss of this game."

Masami Kurumada's fingers stopped tapping on the table as he looked up at Suzuki.

"There are also rumors that Geese possesses a fragment of an ancient secret manual known as the Secret Book of Qin."

"They say it conceals a power capable of overturning the world. That adds an air of mystery to his rule."

"This is where the 'powers that cannot be explained by common sense' I mentioned earlier may come into contact with certain characters."

"And the central driving force of the story is revenge." Takuya took a deep breath.

He looked at Masami Kurumada. As an author renowned for hot-blooded manga, he was surely no stranger to such a theme. "Many years ago, Geese had a friend who likewise pursued the ultimate martial path, named Jeff Bogard. But Jeff despised Geese's ambitions and methods, and the two eventually fell out. Then... Geese laid a vicious trap, seized the fragment of the Secret Book of Qin from Jeff, and personally killed him in front of his two adopted sons—Terry Bogard and Andy Bogard."

The meeting room fell silent for several seconds. Oba Kotaro frowned slightly, seemingly imagining how to depict that brutal scene.

"Those two children, Terry and Andy, swore to avenge their adoptive father." Takuya's voice lowered. "From then on, they went their separate ways and each began arduous training. The older brother, Terry, became the disciple of Chinese martial arts master Tung Fu Rue and learned the broad, powerful Eight Extremes Holy Fist. His personality became like fire itself—bold and unrestrained."

"The younger brother, Andy, crossed the sea to Japan and entered the Shiranui-style Ninjutsu school, where he learned swift, secretive assassination techniques. His personality became more calm and composed." Takuya paused, adding another detail. "They also have a close friend, the Muay Thai champion Joe Higashi. To help the two brothers, he resolutely chose to walk this path of revenge alongside them."

"To consolidate his rule while also luring out and eliminating potential threats, Geese decides to hold an unprecedented fighting tournament in South Town." As Suzuki spoke, a faint curve appeared at the corner of his mouth. "This is the opportunity for our protagonists to take the stage."

"The tournament draws masters from every walk of life," he continued. "There is Geese's most loyal subordinate, Billy Kane, who fights with a long staff and whose mission is to eliminate anyone who challenges Geese's authority. There are also street dancer fighters like Duck King, who cannot stand Geese's rule. There is even the wealthy boxer Richard Meyer, who hopes to break Geese's economic monopoly. And of course, there are thugs bought by Geese to serve as enforcers, such as the Muay Thai fighter Hwa Jai."

"Terry, Andy, and Joe Higashi fight their way through this chaotic tournament." Suzuki's pace quickened without him realizing it. "In the end, they storm Geese's headquarters—the top floor of Geese Tower, the skyscraper that symbolizes power and sin."

"There, the two brothers finally face the man who murdered their father, and a fateful fight to the death begins." He described it vividly. "In the end, Terry, relying on willpower and strength that surpassed his limits, completely defeats Geese with the finishing moves he had trained so hard to master—Power Wave and Burn Knuckle."

"Defeated, Geese refuses to accept failure and refuses to be captured. Instead, laughing wildly, he throws himself from the top of the tower and vanishes into South Town's night, leaving his fate unknown." Suzuki spread his hands. "The story can come to an end there."

"After his victory, Terry does not choose to take over Geese's vast empire. Instead, like a wandering hero, he remains in South Town to protect the ordinary people of that chaotic land, becoming a legendary hero in their eyes. Andy continues his ninjutsu training, while Joe returns to the Muay Thai arena. The friendship among the three of them is an important bond running throughout the story."

"Oh, right." As though remembering something, Suzuki added, "At the final moment, Terry recovers some of the Secret Book of Qin's missing pages from Geese. But the power and secrets of that manual remain far from fully uncovered. That also leaves ample room for future stories."

After finishing his introduction, he looked at the two masters again. This time, he could clearly see the light gleaming in Masami Kurumada's eyes—the excitement of a creator discovering a subject that appealed to him. Oba Kotaro, meanwhile, had taken off his glasses and was slowly wiping them with a cloth. His gaze behind the lenses was deep, as though he had already begun planning panels in his mind. The oppressive atmosphere in the meeting room had been completely shattered, and a hot current called "creation" began to surge.

Next, Takuya took out the materials he had carefully prepared.

He handed Oba Kotaro and Masami Kurumada descriptions of the design direction for the main characters, along with concept sketches for key "finishing moves."

When Masami Kurumada saw those skill sketches blending real fighting techniques with manifestations of supernatural energy, his eyes suddenly lit up.

Those moves possessed the realism of combat, visual impact, and the unique appeal of their mysterious settings. They reminded him of one of his early works, Fuma no Kojiro.

Thinking of his recently failed, relatively realistic Men's Hill, then comparing it with the previously successful Fuma no Kojiro, with its ninja fantasy elements, he seemed to grasp something in an instant.

Masami Kurumada murmured softly, "Yes... that's it... Fuma succeeded. This direction might be more... It isn't just fists and kicks. It's 'presence,' it's 'spirit,' maybe even some kind of... protection?"

He seemed to have fallen into his own creative world, excitement gleaming in his eyes.

He immediately asked Oba Kotaro for paper and pen, then walked to a corner of the meeting room and began sketching rapidly, oblivious to everyone around him.

Oba Kotaro understood Masami Kurumada's state and did not disturb him.

He carefully reviewed the story outline and setting drafts Takuya had provided, displaying a keen interest in the intense action scenes and character conflicts contained within.