[Spoilers for the ending of Ashita No Joe. You have been warned so read the manga/watch the anime before reading please]
Summary: After a climactic bout in the ring, Yabuki Joe found himself laying out his life to the very end in front of thousands of spectators. His Fire now burned out as white hot ash. But what if that wasn't the end? For many, it would be until he finds himself reborn with an unknown purpose. Now in Gotham City with more strength than ever, this a story about those who have a second chance after being proclaimed strongest.
[The Void]
It was like a flame that went out, a candle that turned into nothing but ash to the very end and was reborn into something formless with a shape of the past.
Joe Yabuki looked down into the abyss as if he were a form of light. Looking at his hand as it burned white with a smile. "So this is it? This is the end of the fun huh?"
Looking forward there was nothing, no paradise with streets of gold, or burning in lakes of fire. Only the depths of extreme boredom.
"Can't be surprised Heh, I was called the Grim Reaper; guess it led me straight to this boring hell." Moving his head back in forth barely seeing out of his left eye the destruction brought upon him during Mendoza's bout was still active. "She couldn't stop me in the end. It's ironic Heh, at least I went on my own." As he began to float through the void of nothingness. He only had his memories of others to keep him company. 'Yoko…' remembering his bloody gloves given to her, the expression of her confession before the match, and her constant help to keep in boxing. The thought of what could have been between them: a happy life, maybe married having a kid or two. "Would be nice, the old man probably be a grandad. That drunk old bastard." The Old Danpei who led him away from a life of crime, Nishi the closest he could consider a brother, The Doya Kids who saw him as their big brother. His former competitors in the ring: Wolf, Aoyama, Kim Bong Yi, Ozaki, Carlos…all of them a step toward his true challenge. "Only regrets left now."
His body only lost what was left of its form. Bit by bit the former boxer thought over his life, and his friends for what seemed like hours. He laughed to himself until he found himself bumping into something or someone.
"What's the matter, Joe? You seem a bit lost?" The hulking voice of the man before him made Joe's eyes widen, and his voice break for the first time. "R-Rishiki!" The deep chuckle from his former friend, his inspiration from the past spoke. "Seems like you made your grave early, it seems so soon don't you think? Although I never thought you would burn quite like this." His rough hand extended pushing against the nearly lost form of flabbergasted youth.
"I…I am sorry. It was my fault to have let you do this, you won that match I—"
A punch could be felt through his soul by the towering figure. "Joe, it was enough. Every bit of it was enough until the end and I was proud to go in that moment…" his obsidian eyes turned down while Joe's narrow eyes met with a smile. "But that's not why I'm here Joe, no it seems like my end wasn't enough to keep out of this purgatory." His voice grew a bit more serious. "I'll be blunt: You have been selected for something special, Joe."
Joe's eyebrows raised in intrigue at 'chosen' before seeing he was nothing but a head of white flames now. "Special? Can't say I'd be chosen when I'm not even half a man anymore. But go on I'll humor you."
Before Rishiki put a hand on his burning head. "To be the strongest Joe, to be the strongest there ever was. Your flames burned endlessly enough to give you a second chance, only very few get that opportunity. To live life again, fight among the greatest in existence, and become one of them." His smile was deepened with his eyes closed, as the taller man's words rang with confidence.
Joe was speechless, not for his own life and body returned to him but for his friend's words. "Rishiki, I don't know if you're punch drunk after our bout still but you bring off a tempting offer. Heh, strongest in existence? Sounds ridiculous, but I couldn't pass that up. No way in hell would I give that up, but it sounds like there's a downside?"
Rishiki shook his head chuckling. "Probably not to you, but there is a reward. To say if you succeed in your goal you'll be given anything you desire, anything you want to happen it can happen. However, it won't be like fighting in Doya, or the ring no something far more..."
Before he could continue Joe questioned as he stepped on the pitch black floor, as a path manifested. "What are you on about? Something more? Rishiki you aren't making sense now. Stop acting like the old man, and spit it out!" The deep chuckle of the man resounded to Joe's irritation. "Haha, no can do Joe. You're on your own, as I have nothing more to say on the matter." The confusion was brought out in the younger boxer as he took a hand to the doorknob smirking. "You never really made sense, but I guess I didn't need help beating your ass before?"
Rishiki nodded rubbing his face with joy in his eyes. "Hm, didn't you say I won that match now?" As the door opened Joe took one final look as he was being taken in by the ethereal light. "Joe…this may be the last time we talk. I wanna say you did well, and you're gonna do even better. You're gonna become a devil from hell with those fists of yours and burn beyond even the stars themselves. I was never even close to the determination you felt, no not even close."
Joe's body consumed in the light snickered at the response. "Heh, I'll be waiting for you old friend."
As the door closed, and the burning light before now gone. Along with the fading ghost of the once-admired boxer.
[Gotham City]
It was a troubled city filled with pollution of all kinds. It smelled of filth and contained the worst of the worst in every corner. It was raining with a drizzle coming down on the populace, as it was bustling with colorful nightclubs, and slums populated with immense poverty.
BANG BANG* Gunfire could be heard as screams of the innocent echoed out in the rainfall. Gang members with a half-white and black insignia. "No Please, No I'll have the money just let me—"A bullet flew by and hit its target. The sound of a body dropped in the rain puddle was silent with it blending in the rain droplets. An older woman bled out on the side trying to breathe with her lungs filling up, and red filled in the clear water, as she stopped moving.
In front, a little boy no older than seven was pissing his pants in fear. "NOOO MAMA, NOO PLEASE!" Muttering to himself. "mama…mama….mama…" His body was drenched staring at the sight of his mother with broken expressions. "Ah, you fuckin moron Jack! Two Face said to not cause any commotion, we were told to bring her in and dispose discreetly after we get more info out of her." The other man sneered. "Ah, what's the issue? The Bat isn't here to stop us, or his sidekick. Still, there is one loose end…" The man is now looking at the youth squeezing the dirty dumpster with his palms for fear. The child's eyes are wider than saucers.
The second man sighed and reached behind in his holster. "You do have a point, we can't let anyone know about this. He'll tell the police if we let him get away, or worse seek revenge like some vigilante." The second man took his pistol out and unlocked the safety. "Sorry Kid better luck next life, shame it had to end this way—" Before the trigger could be squeezed an ominous whistle could be heard. As if the sound was high pitched in its delivery.
[Insert Joe's Whistle here]
https/m./watch?v=ZiXte5zpciU
"Huh, who's the Jap?" Both men looked back at a walking form in the night, as wet footsteps could be heard. Wearing an orange cap, a rugged coat, and an Asian complexion. He looked to the men carrying a bag over his back with his thumb crossing his nose. "Heh, so you assholes think you're tough. Shootin' moms and killing kids?" He put the bag down getting into a stance, as if an aura of intimidation could break up the rain around him.
"Alright Bruce Lee, I don't know what you are doing. But if you don't start pulling off that karate at a dojo somewhere soon we are gonna have to fill you full of lead." Both men pointed their pistols towards him. "Does this make you understand?"
Joe knew nothing of English, only simple phrases he could repeat during the lessons Danpei tried to drill into him. That didn't mean he was stupid to not know what a firearm was. His grin was present holding his grinding fist forward. "Can't make up what you saying." His body moved, faster than he ever thought. As if new life was brought into him.
The gangsters were ready to fire at the Teen before *SMASH* "HEY WHAT THE AGH!" Joe implanted a kick into both their bodies with one swift strike before they could fire from the chamber. *CRASH* his kick broke their guns apart from their hands. "S-STOP PLEASE!" The beating he gave was violent, as he imprinted his knuckles into their bodies. *SLAM* "AGHH, LET US GO!" The screams of the grown men did nothing. Only for Joe to throw both over his shoulders with ease into the dumpster as it slammed down on both in the garbage box. Rubbing his hands of the dirt and grime.
He didn't break a sweat; only staring down as a traumatized child to see himself in the atrocities committed in the slums of his childhood in post-war Japan. His knees loosened, and got down to his level. he spoke in Japanese, despite knowing it wouldn't get through. "It doesn't get better, at least in the beginning. You have to be strong, someone will be there for you someday but you have to be there, eh be there for yourself. She may be gone, but that can't get you down."
He put a fist to the boy's unblinking cheek as he reacted. "S-Sir?" He meekly spoke, before getting a soft pat on his wet head. "My name is Yabuki Joe." The child didn't understand most words he spoke, except one. "J-Joe?" It made him hug the former boxer tightly as he cried into his frame for 20 minutes. For the first time, Joe found full affection when hugging back, and picking up his things. Before making his escape. "See you around kid." sirens were blaring through the streets.
While running he found himself moving faster than ever, even in the ring he didn't get to such speeds. 'That Kid, I have to be strong for him. For Doya, Yoko, Carlos, for everyone! I'll make everything right with my desire. I'll become the strongest.' Never before did he feel as invigorated. Not even the bout with the toughest gave him such a boost in himself. He had no idea the ability now bestowed on him.
Looking around he felt every bit of his muscles, and legs grow when making his way through the crime alley; passing along the theater currently watching an old film. "I feel so alive, so strong, so fast! Is this what is what Rishiki spoke of? YAHAHA!" Others looked at the Japanese youth with clueless expressions from the dancing teen in the rain.
With every defeat from now on. Joe became more powerful, but in this world, it only added a piece to his new growing strength. But with one called the strongest, there would be others with the same determination, if not more.