Coronation

In the first match, Daigo Umehara's Kyo Kusanagi faced off against Hokushin Genichiro's Choi Bounge.

Hokushin Genichiro's fighting style is different from everyone else's.

His Choi Bounge wasn't as violent as Daigo Umehara's, but it was like a large, dense, and resilient web woven from spider silk, gradually restricting Kyo Kusanagi's space for movement and forcing him to make mistakes.

"He's targeting Daigo's offensive habits!" Bai Ye's palms were sweating. "He's anticipated every jump and every move Daigo makes!"

In the end, Kyo Kusanagi fell, but at the last moment, he replaced Choi Bounge of Hokushin.

One for one.

In the second match, Daigo Umehara's Goro Daimon faced off against Hokushin Genichiro's Chang Koehan.

What should have been a clash of strength was turned into a battle of skill by Hokushin. He controlled the clumsy Chang Koehan, using unbelievable footwork and the extreme distance of the iron ball to constantly wear down Goro Daimon's patience.

This was a long and arduous psychological ordeal.

In a fierce battle, Goro Daimon was caught out of position and his health bar was emptied. But Hokushin's Chang Koehan also paid a heavy price, with only a sliver of health left.

The situation is extremely unfavorable for Daigo Umehara.

He only has one character left, while Hokushin has a nearly fully healed Goro Daimon and a negligible Chang Koehan with low health.

In the audience, Sato's lips were trembling. Masao Umehara's hands, resting on his knees, were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

At the start of the match, Hokushin sent in the low-health Chang Koehan to try to whittle down Eri Kasamoto's health, but was taken down by a precise move from Daigo Umehara.

The final battle.

Eri Kasamoto, played by Daigo Umehara, Goro Daimon off against Hokushin Genichiro.

Agility versus solidity.

Hokushin lived up to his reputation as a veteran champion. He quickly adjusted his mindset and used Goro Daimon's huge attack range and powerful throws to build an impenetrable defensive circle.

Every advance by Eri Kasamoto was like dancing on the edge of a knife.

One misstep in positioning led to Eri Kasamoto being caught by the gatekeeper, who unleashed a combo that instantly reduced his health bar by a third!

Once again, "Hell to Paradise Drop!" Eri Kasamoto was once again pulled from the ground, his health bar almost empty, leaving only a thin layer of blood on his skin!

Budokan, there was a deathly silence.

"It's over—" Boss Sato slumped into his chair.

The match will end if the player is touched even once more, even by the simplest light punch.

On the screen, Eri Kasamoto retreated in a disheveled manner, pacing back and forth along the edge of the screen like a female leopard cornered in a desperate situation.

Meanwhile, Goro Daimon pressed forward relentlessly, like a mountain pressing down, searching for an opportunity to deliver the final blow.

Hokushin Genichiro chose the safest approach: he delivered a heavy kick from the spot, hoping to use the aftershock of the attack to chip away at Eri Kasamoto's last bit of health.

Now!

The moment Hokushin delivered his heavy kick, Daigo Umehara's pupils suddenly contracted.

On the screen, the female leopard hovering on the brink of death moved.

Instead of retreating, she charged forward, meeting Goro Daimon's toes head-on!

A green light exploded from Eri Kasa's body!

Super Special Move!

She transformed into a green lightning bolt, soaring into the sky and drawing a sharp "V" shape in the air. With the force of thunder, she swooped down towards Goro Daimon, who had just finished his attack and was still in shock on the ground!

V-Slasher!

"Boom--!"

The huge "K.0.!" logo engulfed the entire screen.

Time stood still at this moment.

After a deathly silence of three seconds, a deafening roar of cheers erupted, nearly lifting the roof off the Budokan!

"We won! We won!" Boss Sato sprang up from his chair, hugging Masao Umehara beside him, jumping and crying like a 300-pound child, "Uncle! We're the champions! The national champions!"

Masao Umehara did not push him away; the muscles on his perpetually icy face twitched slightly.

He looked at the small figure stepping down from the beer crate under the spotlight in the distance and nodded heavily.

Mrs. Umehara was already sobbing uncontrollably, covering her mouth with her hand, unable to stop the proud tears.

Under the spotlight, Daigo Umehara silently stared at the huge "WINNER" logo on the screen, his tightly clenched fist finally relaxing.

He turned around, and amidst the deafening cheers and screams of the crowd, Zi Guang traversed the sea of people and precisely located that corner of the audience.

He looked at his father and mother, and the arcade owner who was gesturing wildly for him.

The boy, whom the media called a "Beast," finally showed a slight softening of his perpetually cold expression.

He grinned, revealing a somewhat awkward but incredibly genuine smile.

The hustle and bustle of the Budokan will eventually subside into tranquility.

The title of national champion did not bring about the dramatic changes in Daigo Umehara's life that he had imagined.

The following day, Sega Corporation held an emergency small-scale media briefing at its headquarters.

This time, the focus of the spotlight was not Daigo Umehara, but his father, Masao Umehara.

Facing the barrage of cameras and microphones, Masao Umehara was still wearing the same construction site jacket, only now he had changed into a clean one.

He didn't look at the reporters, nor at the prepared script from Sega; he just sat there, like a silent stone statue.

"Mr. Umehara, what are your thoughts on Daigo becoming the national champion? Will it encourage him to pursue a professional career?" a reporter asked preemptively.

Masao Umehara raised his eyelids, glanced at the reporter, and spoke in a low voice, but his voice was clearly audible throughout the entire venue.

He needs to go to school.

With just a few words, he succinctly and effectively shut down all the follow-up questions the reporter had prepared.

Another persistent reporter quickly followed up, "What about the huge prize money? And what about the potential commercial endorsements that might follow? How do you plan to do that?"

"I'll keep the money for him. I'll pay him back after he finishes junior high, or even high school, and when he's truly entering the workforce."

Masao Umehara stood up and bowed slightly to all the cameras. "Daigo's primary responsibility is to be a student. Playing games is a part of his life, but it's not his main job right now. As for commercial activities, he can start participating in them after he officially enters the workforce, to avoid interfering with his daily life and studies. Thank you for your concern, that's all."

After saying that, he left the room escorted by Sega's public relations staff, leaving a room full of media reporters looking at each other in bewilderment.

This simple, almost clumsy, statement, cleverly packaged by the media, once again ignited public opinion.

The image of a strict father who is inflexible and a genius boy with terrifying self-discipline perfectly matches the public's imagination of a "top student".

The tone of the newspapers shifted completely; concerns and doubts vanished, replaced by discussions about the "Umehara Family Education Method."

They were admired and praised.

At the heart of this storm, Daigo Umehara had already returned to where he belonged.