Chapter 20: Mai Shiranui's Private Lesson
"Hello, Su Ye. Welcome to becoming the senior disciple of the Shiranui Dojo. Come on, let me give you a tour inside!"
Without waiting for a reply, Mai Shiranui grabbed Su Ye and led him into the dojo.
Seeing her eagerness, Hanzo Shiranui couldn't help but show a helpless smile.
His granddaughter's enthusiasm to promote the Shiranui Dojo was commendable, but she shouldn't bring just anyone in so casually.
That boy hasn't even paid yet!
Although the Shiranui Dojo hadn't officially opened, its interior was fully furnished, and all the facilities were complete.
However, the space wasn't very large, so the tour finished quickly.
"So, Junior Brother Su, how do you like the dojo's decor? It was designed strictly according to the style of our dojos in Japan. All materials are eco-friendly, so there's no risk of formaldehyde."
Mai Shiranui was like a real estate agent, enthusiastically highlighting the dojo's benefits to Su Ye.
Her goal was simple: to make this man stay and truly become her junior brother so she could be his "teacher-sister."
As mentioned before, Mai Shiranui wasn't the type to act recklessly. She wouldn't insist on keeping Su Ye just because he was the first prospective student.
There was another factor at play behind all this: the system.
Su Ye's "Girlfriend Card," including Gwen, created a special bond between them, causing them to be unconsciously drawn to him, with their intimacy levels increasing easily.
Thus, Mai Shiranui's enthusiasm was directed solely at Su Ye.
As for the dojo's environment, Su Ye didn't have high expectations. He was here to learn martial arts, not to buy a house, so he prioritized the instructor's skill.
Mai Shiranui understood this, so after the tour, she led Su Ye straight to the dojo's central training area.
"When it comes to our Shiranui-style techniques, just explaining won't cut it. You can attack me, and I'll let you experience it firsthand!"
With that, Mai Shiranui stood in the center of the training area, swiftly lifting the hem of her T-shirt. In the next moment, her T-shirt and capri pants vanished, replaced by a fan and the Shiranui-style ninja outfit.
And it was the original version, without the underlayers or leggings seen in some adaptations.
Anyone who has played King of Fighters knows Mai Shiranui's combat stance: legs apart, body bent forward, and swaying!
The constant swaying and shaking left you unsure where to look, as if you might fall in and never come out.
The ninja outfit wasn't suitable for every occasion, and Mai had never worn it in front of others since receiving it.
But to become Su Ye's "teacher-sister," she was all in.
'I refuse to believe my hard and soft powers won't keep you, little brother!'
Her hard power was, of course, her Shiranui-style ninjutsu, while her soft power… well, only those who experienced it could understand how "soft" it was.
Seeing her like this, what could Su Ye do?
Should he shout "Don't look at what you shouldn't" and turn around to leave?
He wasn't the type to shirk responsibility.
Of course, he straightened up slightly, as a sign of respect!
"Since you've so sincerely invited me, 'teacher-sister,' it would be ungentlemanly of me to refuse. Please, teacher-sister, allow me to show my poor skills."
With that, Su Ye moved his foot and threw a punch at Mai Shiranui.
He used 80% of his strength and speed in this punch, curious to see how his Spider-Man physique measured up against a martial artist like Mai Shiranui—who would prevail, and by how much.
Mai's pupils contracted sharply at the sight of Su Ye's punch. She hadn't expected this sunny, cheerful boy to possess such speed. How could an ordinary woman withstand that?
Fortunately, she wasn't an ordinary person.
Just as Su Ye was about to reach her, Mai suddenly stood upright, spun sharply on the spot, and swung her folding fan, unleashing a burst of flames from its surface.
"Dragon Flame Dance!"
Boom!
The massive flames nearly engulfed Su Ye as he charged forward.
Fortunately, Su Ye's Spider-Sense detected the danger as the flames erupted, sounding alarms in his head and helping him avoid a direct hit to the face.
"Little brother, don't be so rough with a lady, or I might just get mad!"
Mai Shiranui brought her fan to her lips, gently tapping it as she spoke to Su Ye, her face full of playful shyness.
Before Su Ye could respond, she flung her fan directly at him.
"Floral Butterfly Fan!"
The spinning fan flew straight at Su Ye, but instead of dodging, he punched it, knocking it out of the air.
At the same time, Mai Shiranui's silhouette loomed larger in his vision as she closed the distance in an instant.
'Little brother, here I come! Whirlwind Crash!"
With a shout, Mai Shiranui's body dropped close to the ground, and her long legs shot forward, aiming to clamp around Su Ye's neck.
This move was a close-range grappling technique: she would lock her legs around the opponent's neck, then flip backward, using her body's momentum to throw them.
Seeing this, Su Ye didn't wait for his neck to be caught. He dashed forward at the last second, charging straight through and turning Mai's grappling technique into a ground-fighting maneuver.
Mai Shiranui's Whirlwind Crash was instantly countered, leaving the situation slightly awkward.
But as a kunoichi, Mai was well-prepared for such moments. Her body spun rapidly in midair, and another burst of flame ignited.
Su Ye had intended to take advantage of the grappling to land some close-combat strikes and try a hold, engaging in a more "intimate" exchange of techniques with Mai.
However, seeing the flames, he had no choice but to retreat again, avoiding the fiery blast.
Mai landed, her face slightly flushed—whether from exertion or embarrassment, it was unclear.
"Junior Brother Su, your strength and speed are impressive. Though it's mostly raw power, it far exceeds that of ordinary people. Your reflexes are also excellent— even as a martial artist, I fall a bit short compared to you."
"However, your attacks lack any form or technique. You're relying solely on your physical instincts, which means you're not fully utilizing your body's potential."
"Therefore, as a martial artist, I sincerely invite you to join our Shiranui style. It would greatly help your growth in combat skills."
Su Ye had already decided to join when he learned this was the Shiranui Dojo, so without hesitation, he nodded and agreed.
"Alright, how much is the tuition?"