Manga World: Extracting Superman's Power

The match had begun on the ring.

Ran Mouri and her opponent traded blows in a fierce back-and-forth.

Unlike the matches Azuma Shoyo recalled, this one between Ran and her opponent was far more captivating. Watching them exchange kicks—one after the other—Azuma, who'd initially come just to kill time and catch a glimpse of the renowned legal queen Eri Kisaki, found himself increasingly hooked on the action unfolding in the ring.

Ran's opponent wasn't much to look at, but Ran herself was a different story.

Guys, after all, didn't just enjoy watching beautiful girls—they especially loved watching beautiful girls fight!

"Tsk tsk, no wonder they're from a 2D world. Whether it's Ran or her opponent, back in my old life, they'd both be undisputed world champions," Azuma mused to himself as he observed the two competitors.

And this was just from a slice-of-life series. If it were a hot-blooded shonen anime, the destructive power would be off the charts.

Time flew by, and the match heated up to a boiling point.

Ran appeared to be losing ground, her opponent pressing the advantage relentlessly, giving her no chance to turn the tide.

"Ran, you've got this!"

Sonoko cheered fervently from the sidelines.

Just then, Azuma noticed Shinichi Kudo beside him answering a phone call. His face twisted into a troubled expression.

"Alright, I'll head over now," Shinichi said into the phone before turning to the group. "Sorry, Inspector Megure called about a case. I've got to leave early. Could you tell Ran later? I feel bad about this!"

Without waiting for a reply, Shinichi bolted out of the venue.

"What the heck!"

Sonoko puffed up with indignation. "That jerk Kudo ditched Ran for some case? That idiot's beyond saving! Hmph!"

Azuma glanced at her, noting her frustration. He knew Sonoko had been quietly rooting for Ran and Shinichi to get together. Seeing Shinichi fumble like this probably irritated her even more—anger at his cluelessness, no doubt.

"Hey, don't get too worked up. Look—Ran's about to win," Azuma said, nudging Sonoko.

"Huh?!"

Sonoko blinked, then turned to the ring. Sure enough, Ran—who'd been on the defensive just moments ago—suddenly exploded with energy. In a flash, she sent her opponent airborne with a few swift strikes.

Boom!

With a high roundhouse kick, Ran's eyes blazed with fury as she launched her opponent clear off the ring.

KO!

"Wow, kicking someone four meters out with one hit? That's Ran for you!"

Azuma marveled at Ran, still radiating anger despite her win, then glanced at the empty seat beside him.

"That's Ran for you. Any other girl, and Kudo would be in deep trouble," he thought.

Poor Ran's opponent, though—taking the fall for Shinichi's absence. She was out cold on the floor.

Talk about bad luck.

…

At the restaurant…

Fresh off her victory as the national karate champion, Ran Mouri sat at the table, listlessly poking at her food with a sulky expression.

"Ran, don't be upset. Kudo's always like this—it's not the first time," Sonoko said, trying to console her best friend.

"It's okay, Sonoko. I'm just not that hungry," Ran replied.

Not hungry?

Yeah, right.

She was clearly fuming over that jerk Kudo.

Sonoko muttered a few choice insults about Shinichi under her breath, venting on Ran's behalf.

"Come on, Ran, cheer up. I haven't even congratulated you on the championship yet!" Eri said with a warm smile. "You've finally made your dream come true."

"Thanks, Mom," Ran nodded politely, then glanced at Kogoro Mouri on her other side.

"Here's to you, Ran! A toast from your dad—congrats on the win!" Kogoro laughed heartily, raising his glass.

"Thanks, Dad," Ran said with a faint smile, her mood lifting a bit.

Halfway through the meal, Shinichi returned.

He approached Ran with an apologetic look, explaining that a tough case had forced him to step away. Though Ran was still a little miffed about him leaving mid-match, she'd grown accustomed to his unreliability.

So she let it slide.

By the time dinner ended, the sky outside was completely dark.

"Dad, why don't you take Mom home?" Ran suggested, glancing at her parents with a hopeful nudge.

She'd always wanted them to reconcile and had been trying for years. But Kogoro's stubbornness constantly let her down, leaving her exasperated. With both of them here tonight and the late hour, she figured it was worth another push.

"No need. I'll just take a cab," Eri said coolly, sparing Kogoro a fleeting look. He snorted in response. "I wasn't planning to drive you anyway. You're a grown woman, not a kid who needs an escort."

"Ran, I'm heading out," Eri added, her tone frosty as she gave Kogoro one last glance. That smelly, stubborn man—same as ever. She'd given up expecting anything from him long ago.

After all, Kogoro had never once done anything to earn her approval.

Hailing a taxi, Eri got in and left.

"…"

Ran watched the cab drive off, then turned to her dad with a helpless look.

"Dad! Couldn't you at least say something nice to win Mom over?" she said, her frustration bubbling up.

"Didn't you see her attitude?" Kogoro grumbled, though a twinge of regret flickered inside. Still, his macho pride wouldn't let him grovel to his ex-wife.

"Ran, I'm heading out too," Sonoko said, spotting her family's car pulling up. "See you Monday!"

"Okay, see you then!" Ran nodded.

"Azuma," Sonoko tapped Azuma, who'd been standing quietly nearby. "You heading home? Want my driver to drop you off?"

Azuma, who'd been lost in thought, turned to her. After a moment, he nodded.

"Sure, that'd be great. Thanks."

"No trouble—it's on the way," Sonoko said with a smile.

Ran glanced between her best friend and Azuma, wondering when the two had gotten so close.