METSUDO KATAHARA KENGAN ASSOCIATION CHAIRMAN
MINORU TAKAYAMA BODYGUARD
Are you serious?
Of course. You're no longer a safe bet.
You have such tremendous strength,
but you're fragile when backed into a corner.
Your match against Kaolan the other day exposed that weakness.
Master wishes that we fight to decide who represents him.
You have no objections?
I see I've been misjudged.
And so it begins…
A fight between the new Fang of Metsudo and the old.
GATHERING CLOUDS
HIDEKI NOGI NOGI GROUP DIRECTOR
What a great view.
This is the perfect place to observe the match.
The time has finally come for our fighters to go head-to-head.
I hope yours will take it easy on mine.
Very funny.
It may be too late to be pointing this out,
but you made quite the drastic move.
I never thought you'd blow your entire fortune
to be on equal footing with me.
I don't see it as a waste of money.
All I have to do is win.
And we're only equals for now.
I'm going to rise above you soon.
You've got me there.
This is to achieve your ancestors' long-cherished wish.
I can see why you're pouring your energy into this.
You bastard!
Don't underestimate an old man's intuition!
I always knew something was off.
Ever since you demanded that we hold this tournament.
I know that as a businessman, you're a prudent person.
I can tell from watching the way you maneuver.
You're not the type of person to do something as risky as this.
I was curious what brought about your change of heart.
According to my research,
it looks like you happened to find out about him
before you demanded that we hold the Kengan Life-or-Death Tournament.
I did some research on him as well.
That's enough!
A neophyte like you would never understand.
In order to fulfill the wishes of my ancestors,
I have to win this tournament no matter what!
I bet he has no idea
-that this tournament was held for him. -Ohma! Don't overdo it!
Yeah. I know.
SEN HATSUMI NOGI GROUP REP. FIGHTER
Oh my, what's going on?
It looks like the two of them have become buddies.
That's unusual.
Yeah. I've never seen this before.
I never thought I'd see a fighter help another warm up.
But it doesn't matter how close they are.
They still represent different companies…
Okay. One more time, please.
Are those warm-up exercises?
Are they simulating a battle with the Fang?
No. Ohma Tokita and the Fang's statures are too different.
This can't be a simulation.
Then they are just warming up?
No. That man would never do anything without a purpose.
I think we've all been taken in by Sen Hatsumi already.
I never thought this would happen.
Those two used to hate each other.
I guess life is full of surprises.
Just as Ohma's movements become faster…
H-Huh?
…the audience notices that something is wrong.
Huh? That attack should have landed!
That's amazing! He's dodging at the last second!
The distance he moves to dodge is getting smaller and smaller.
As Tokita's attacks get faster,
it seems Sen's ability to dodge those attacks gets sharper.
So much so, that he looks like he's just standing there.
My hits aren't landing.
I'm going almost as fast as I can go, but…
What do you think? Do you want to keep going?
No. That's enough.
Thanks, Tokita.
I'm in top gear now.
I see.
That's good.
Good luck.
Just don't die.
Of course!
Knowing when to give up is important too.
Ohma!
How's your body?
I'm okay. That was nothing.
But still, that was unexpected.
I never imagined you'd help Sen Hatsumi.
Yeah, I can see why you'd think that.
I was just too desperate back then.
Ohma is reflecting on his past actions?!
Hey. You were thinking something rude just now, weren't you?
Uh, no, I wasn't…
I realized something.
Huh?
I realized why I was pissed off at him.
He's just like him.
Like someone I used to know.
Hatsumi has already entered the ring, but let's make this official.
It's the final match of round three.
Fighters, enter the arena!
His words, his actions, his abilities… They're all a mystery!
Depending on his mood, this could be an easy win or a close match!
Who in the world are you?!
Even so, he's strong!
He's never lost a match except by default!
With the fate of his company and employer at stake,
let's see some Hatsumi-style Aikido!
Standing at 178 cm tall and weighing 84 kg,
his Kengan match record is 41 wins and 15 losses.
His total acquired assets
are 1,440,182,800,000 yen!
Representing Nogi Group,
it's The Floating Cloud,
Sen Hatsumi!
And now, the moment we've been waiting for.
You all know the man he's up against!
His fighting style is ever-changing!
It's impossible to predict!
He devours any strong fighter he comes across and becomes even more powerful!
He's the strongest! He's unrivaled! He's extraordinary!
Let the king of the Kengan matches descend upon us!
Standing at 201 cm tall and weighing 128 kg,
his Kengan match record is 159 wins and zero losses.
His total acquired assets
are 7,706,083,000,000 yen!
Representing Dainippon Bank,
it's the Fang of Metsudo,
Agito Kanoh!
-Fang! -Fang!
And here I was hoping you wouldn't come.
I see.
So the current Fang was able to defend his throne as the fighter.
What?
Are you saying you didn't know who your fighter would be until now?
Yes, that's right.
Because it doesn't matter who the fighter is.
I'm going to win either way!
"The current Fang defended his throne as the fighter"?
I'm sure that's what he said.
Could it be?
The person who fought to take his throne is…
This Fang is such a pain.
But with this, I've been able to alleviate a lot of concerns.
Just like our master planned,
Agito Kanoh is even stronger now.
We can say he's gotten stronger,
but we can also say he's gotten weaker in some ways.
Is this going to turn out good? Or bad?
We won't know until the fight begins.
As for me, I think you should've been the fighter.
We'll see about that.
I'm not good at dealing with guys like him.
The fighters are facing each other.
There's more than a 20-centimeter difference in their heights,
and more than a 40-kilogram difference in their weights.
Kaolan is one whole size bigger than Hatsumi,
but even Kaolan looked tiny standing next to Agito.
Sen…
He's more ready now than ever.
However…
What are you going to do, Sen Hatsumi?
The difference in your physical abilities is huge.
Hatsumi can do it. Or…
Sen Hatsumi isn't an expert in strike attacks.
Striking isn't going to work against the Fang.
Hatsumi's best chance to win is to turn it into an aikido match.
If I were the Fang, I'd be sure to keep my distance.
I've fought against Hatsumi once before.
You had a match against him?
No, just a fight!
It was so dumb, I don't even remember what it was about.
That was a long time ago.
It was the first time that someone smaller than me
had pushed me around that much.
It wasn't about arm strength or the difference in our weights.
Aikido is only one side of Hatsumi.
When he's at the top of his game, no one can predict what he's going to do.
Looks like he's healed from all that damage in round two.
Come on, world boxing champion.
You could have at least injured him.
They're both masters but different types.
I'm sure that this fight is going to be the best fight of the whole tournament!
Looks like the bar just got raised a lot higher.
Referee. It's time.
Will The Emperor of Kengan Association, the Fang of Metsudo,
be the one to advance to the semifinals?
Or is the dark horse, The Floating Cloud, going to be the one to change history?
It's about to begin!
Who's going to be the last fighter to make it through round three?
Ready…
Begin!
He's not getting into his stance. That means he's in top condition.
What's that?
The Fang's stance…
How unusual! Kanoh is taking an upright stance!
When he took over as the fifth Fang and began to fight in the Kengan matches,
Kanoh used an upright stance often.
Is there a reason he's going back to his original stance now?
What's he thinking?
Meanwhile, Hatsumi is walking forward as if he's taking a stroll.
All the while, Kanoh has abandoned his usual style and waits with fists raised!
Their encounter is drawing near!
That's right. Just like this.
This is my ideal way to begin.
I don't like swift attacks like what happened in round two.
Yeah. That's not my style.
All these fools launch swift attacks like it's their one and only trick.
I don't get it.
Why is everyone in such a hurry?
While I was busy thinking, it looks like I've arrived.
Ah! That's the Fang's…
That was scary.
I feel like I'm fighting against a naginata polearm.
Wh-What was that?!
There's a big slash in the ground like it was cut by a scythe!
It was a straight low.
Now then.
It's time to get to work.
Left hook kick!
Th-That was rough.
The two fighters who fought against the Fang in rounds one and two
noticed something different.
The Fang's fighting style had changed!
Persistent attacks to the middle and bottom
caused Hatsumi to take the bait and guard from a crouch.
No!
That didn't hit him?
When did he dodge it?
All right.
You won't let me hit you back?
I don't like that.
Doesn't matter.
I'll get you with my next move.
He slipped away again!
What in the world is going on?!
His knee.
He's turning his knee to dodge the attack with the minimum amount of movement.
Because his center of gravity hasn't shifted,
it looks like he hasn't moved at all.
I see.
That's why it looks like the attack slipped right through him.
Is Hatsumi trying to draw him in to close-range combat?
Was that warm-up with Tokita actually to provoke the Fang?
Wakatsuki's observation was right.
However,
nothing went according to Hatsumi's plan.
That's because the Fang's fighting style had changed drastically.
Hmm? He's not taking the bait.
A strike up high so I would dip my head.
A left hook kick to make me drop to a crouch.
While neither landed,
they were both just groundwork to set up the upper roundhouse kick.
It's not like the Fang to fight like this.
Until now, the Fang faced his opponents head-on.
Even at a disadvantage, he'd go along with his opponent's fight.
I expected him to read my intentions and try to close in on me.
Guess it's not working.
Time to change my strategy and pull him into the ring by force!
He's getting too close!
What's his aim?
That's what you thought would happen, isn't it?
Not on my watch!
Wh-What was that?!
How is he unharmed?
But I saw his head fly back!
He's exceeding the limit.
When dodging an attack, everyone waits until the last moment
and dodges with the smallest movement possible.
This can only be done if they can accurately judge the attack's reach
down to the last millimeter.
His attack lands!
It's the first time today that Hatsumi landed a blow!
Hatsumi closes in!
I'm too close for you to kick me.
What shall you do now?
There we go. This is what I wanted you to do.
Elbow lock!
The easiest attack from which to transition into an elbow lock
is a diagonal straight!
Phew! Scary stuff.
That was too close.
The match… is as good as done.
All right!
So this is how strong The Floating Cloud is when he actually wants to win.
This is Sen Hatsumi.
The man who was supposed to become the Fang.
All right!
The tide has turned!
Kanoh is in a real pinch!
Subtitle translation by: Arisa Nitta
The match continues!
The fight between The Floating Cloud and the Fang reaches new heights!
Watch! This is the man who was supposed to become the Fang, Sen Hatsumi,
and this is when he fights for real!
Next Episode: "The Floating Cloud."