Chapter 43: Descendant Of The Royal Family
Ivan Vladimirovich Romanov.
48 years old this year.
Known as the world’s strongest fighter, nicknamed the Destroyer, Thunder Emperor, and Czar.
Born in Vladivostok in 1969, his grandfather was the illegitimate son of Nicholas II, the last emperor of the fallen Russian Empire.
Though his royal lineage was never officially recognized, his family lived in wealth until his father’s overzealous business expansions led to bankruptcy, leaving the entire family destitute.
Ivan, having a troubled childhood, joined the Red Mafia in Vladivostok at 17 and quickly rose to the top, starting an arms smuggling business.
Until the collapse of the Soviet Union on December 26, 1991, Ivan sold weapons and tanks leaked from military units to Southeast Asia, Africa, and war-torn third-world countries. His business acumen amassed a huge fortune, making him one of the top tycoons in the underworld in just five years.
With the fall of the Soviet Union and the establishment of the Russian Federation, he founded the Easter Egg Company with the wealth earned from his arms business.
Through ties with the Russian government, he amassed wealth unprecedented to previous times, turning the Easter Egg Company into a leading global corporation.
And then, in July 1999, at 30, during a period when the world was abuzz with Nostradamus’ predictions, Ivan, as the head of his group, hosted the first ‘God of Fist’ tournament.
The purpose of this tournament was simple.
To determine the world’s strongest fighter.
People from 138 countries around the world were enthralled by the month-long battle royale-style tournament. Ivan, as the first winner of the tournament, became a legend in the underworld, known as Angolmois, the Destroyer.
“Interesting.”
Ivan was intrigued by the East Asian boy standing before him.
He reminded him of his own younger self.
Initially, it was all a misunderstanding.
When he heard one of his personal guards, Boris, whom he handpicked, was defeated, he thought the elusive Black Yaksha had finally returned.
After its first inception in 1999, the ‘God of Fist’ tournament gained significant recognition.
Ivan won the first three tournaments, but in the fourth, his recurring finals opponent, Black Yaksha, finally defeated him after several attempts.
Naturally, Ivan, facing his first defeat in life, was deeply shaken and eagerly awaited the next tournament.
However, when Black Yaksha did not participate in the 5th ‘GOF’ in 2011, Ivan, having lost all motivation, stopped participating in all subsequent tournaments.
From Ivan’s perspective, this was the person he wanted to meet more than anyone else.
The man known as Fuma Kotaro.
But when he actually arrived, instead of the anticipated Black Yaksha, there was only an unfamiliar East Asian boy.
Feeling deflated, he intended to return to the hotel with his runaway daughter, but then he realized something was off.
Because it was impossible for someone living in Japan’s underworld not to know the name ‘Fuma Kotaro’.
So, he decided to test him.
To see if the East Asian boy before him truly had no connection to the underworld.
And he was thrilled.
At the fact that this untrained, blank-slate boy had defeated Boris, one of his personal guards.
A truly rare, once-in-a-century talent.
Though their meeting was purely coincidental, Ivan became greedy.
To leave such talent unexplored would be a loss to humanity, and he felt it was destiny, having discovered it himself.
‘With proper training, he could be fighting at my level in 5, no, 10 years.’
Unlike him, who had to learn everything from scratch without a mentor, with proper guidance, this was definitely achievable.
This would be like bringing a new formidable opponent into the world, not just Fuma Kotaro.
For Ivan, who found everything else tedious, this was truly an exciting prospect.
But the East Asian boy rejected his audacious offer.
“Thank you for the offer, but I must decline.”
Hearing this, Ivan thought that he had been too complacent.
It was rare for anyone to dare defy him in his 48 years.
“Is that so? Then, you must die.”
Determined, he resolved to force him to accept his offer.
That was his decision.
I barely blocked the sudden chop with my right forearm.
I felt a tingling sensation!
Despite blocking it, I felt intense pain radiating through my bones.
His more ferocious gaze than before indicated that the situation was serious.
He seemed intent on killing me.
‘…An opening!’
Up until now, I only focused on defense, but I had to start attacking.
My swiftly extended fist struck his exposed chin.
Bang!
His neck snapped backward from the impact.
But Sasha’s father, as if nothing had happened, straightened his neck and muttered with a stern face,
“It’s shallow.”
And then he thrust his fist into my chin in the same way I had just done.
“Keuk!”
The blood vessels in my mouth burst, bringing a bitter taste of blood.
Not only that, but the blow to my jaw seemed to have shaken my brain, disrupting my body’s balance.
In front of me, Sasha’s father, lifting one foot slightly and clenching his fists in front of his face, said,
“Let me give you a piece of advice, boy.”
The moment his slightly lifted foot strongly stomped the ground,
“When you hit someone, whether they are weak or strong, you must strike with the intent to kill.”
Boom!!!!
With a fierce, explosive sound, the ground was indented.
At the same time, a relentless series of strikes began.
Top, bottom, left, right, upper right, lower right, upper left, lower left.
A barrage of punches from all eight directions, as harsh as Siberian winters, poured out indiscriminately.
The heaviness and speed of the punches were on a different level, making the previous fight seem like child’s play.
The movements of his left and right hands were different, as if two people were attacking at the same time.
“Keuk!”
I just couldn’t keep up with my dynamic vision!
I blocked the first 18 hits, but then my defense failed. I only dodged the ones targeting my vital areas and my pocket with money, and took the rest of the attacks.
A total of 32 consecutive strikes.
Following his own advice, his punches, thrown mercilessly with the intent to kill, had already shredded my clothes.
“Huff, huff, huff, huff.”
The punches missed vital areas, but honestly, it was hard just to breathe.
My whole body’s muscles were screaming.
“Двойной орёл императора.” 1
Sasha’s father, standing right in front of me, said that in Russian and looked down at me.
“In Japanese, it means ‘Double-Headed Eagle of the Emperor.’ It’s one of the secret martial arts passed down through generations in the Romanov royal family.”
So, it was a martial art of the royal family?
Even though it was based on a love-comedy worldview, in this aspect, it felt like a battle manga.
“Boy, if you don’t want to die, come under me. Then, not only this technique, but I will also teach you all the techniques I know. You’re a natural-born, strong man. I will give you the power to reign over all the weak in the world.”
“Haha, is that all you have to say after beating someone up so badly?”
I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh in disbelief.
Because the person standing before me was a perfect example of what was commonly called ‘Chuunibyou.’
Promising the power to reign over all the weak in the world…
In this day and age, to say such embarrassing things without even changing his expression.
Although it was hard to lift my arms because of the pain, I barely managed to unzip my hoodie with trembling hands.
The inside pocket of my hoodie was bulging.
It was the 2 million yen I received from Sasha earlier.
Honestly, it felt stupid to be relieved that the money was safe even in this state, but since I needed it for a home gym, it seemed more important than my own life.
Flap!
I threw my messed-up hoodie in a safe place, and, now in a short-sleeved tee, I raised both fists.
“Like I said before, I have no intention of accepting that offer.”
My parents were here.
Master Nakayama was here.
The President was here.
The Vice-President was here.
Minami was here.
Rika was here.
Karen was here.
After possessing Kim Yu-seong’s body, I built precious relationships over the course of three years.
I had no intention of abandoning them all to follow the man before me.
Therefore, I decided to fight with all my being, truly and sincerely, at this moment.
“So just give it up quietly. Old man.”
Upon hearing my words, Sasha’s father grinned wickedly, like a ghost.
“Marvelous. Those are the eyes of someone with their own convictions.”
Then, clenching his right fist tightly, he said,
“I will crush that conviction of yours.”
Bang!!
As the conversation ended, both mine and Sasha’s father’s fists simultaneously struck each other’s faces.
TL/N: Double-Headed Eagle of the Emperor ️