"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" the crowd cheered as I got up.
What kind of twisted leisure time is this? Leisure is meant to be spent freely, not killing each other to death!
"The name is Volkov," the guy said, shuffling his feet.
It doesn't matter! I don't need your name!
"Am I supposed to fight? Come on, let's not do this, please. I just came here; I don't want to die."
"You are in the circle, so you have to beat him up, and rookies are the best entertainment."
"At least give me something to fight against, not barehanded-"
Woosh!
I felt a gust of wind concentrated at a particular point pass me as I dodged to the left instantly.
What was that?! If it weren't for the ability, I would have died.
The crowd started to cheer while Volkov continued juggling his navel glowing with seven swirls.
Seven, that's half of my swirls I can win.
Woosh!
I bent backward, dodging another one of the air gusts, my footwork failed me.
Woosh!
I pushed myself backward from the ground where I had fallen, Volkov's abilities made the ground crack.
If that had grazed me, I would have been dead...There is no backing out, I should fight him…you can do it, Alyss, you can do it.
He punched again, sending another concentrated gust of wind towards me, and I dodged it to the left, moving forward.
He sends gusts of wind with his punches? Either I confront him directly while dodging or wait for him to wear out, since his swirls are low...I should confront him.
I charged straight at him, my ability made my body so light that it was easy to move and dodge as he continued to send air punches.
I reached up close to him, drawing my hands to punch him in the face as I get an opening.
Woosh!
Volkov kicked my gut with his knees, sending me flying back and making me cough blood.
"What...the hell is this?" I said, clutching my chest as I gasped for breath.
So he can send gusts of wind with his knees too, or does it apply to the whole body? I should try again, I can dodge it.
I moved again, this time more precisely, as I continued to dodge each one of his blows. I closed him in again as he continued to step back, sending another gust of wind grazing past my head.
I should end this.
I moved to the side this time instead of facing him directly and swung my left arm at his face, my right hand steady to catch his blows.
Woosh!
I dodged the blow directed at my gut and caught his knee, making him lose balance as I took a huge swing to his face.
Woosh!
The gust of wind hit my shins, and I was thrown back again as he fell down.
"It was so close," I said, clutching my shins, trying to find out how he managed to send another gust when his knees were caught.
If he didn't throw a punch, then why was he able to send a gust?
I took a glance at him, the fallen Volkov got up on his feet again, taking the same stance with a slight bend in his knees.
That must be it! He sent the blow out while stiffening his other knee! and that force pushed him back too...he always throws one at a time, so it's safe to assume he can send only one blow at a time and not multiple? Through the movement of his body, he sends the gusts…if that's the case, I should punch him from behind...I need to evade all of his attacks.
"Is that all you got? Even a cripple would have landed a punch on me." Volkov mocked as the crowd cheered and started to move.
I read a lot of novels, so I know not to fall for taunts...Wait, why is he charging towards me? How am I supposed to fight him back?
Woosh! Woosh! Woosh!
He dealt blows consecutively in close combat as I barely dodged them.
How am I supposed to get behind him?
Woosh!
I caught his blow with my right hand, the gust of wind almost pushing me back as I held my ground. He then drew a swing with his left, and I dodged it by tucking down my head. He continued his attack by trying to plunge his knee into my gut. I blocked it with my knee, the contact immediately made it swell.
"Not bad," Volkov yelled to my face, lifting his left leg, but I stopped it by stepping on his foot.
"Blocking all my attacks with foresight?" He said, swinging his head to clash against mine.
If that gust of wind had hit my head, I would definitely have died.
I moved my head instantly to the far right, taking the blow in my shoulders, and his head swung back with blood oozing from his nose.
I broke his nose? That's great.
"Argh, you broke my nose, you sly fox, you," he said, his eyes twitching, but I didn't let go of him.
"Didn't know the rookie is gay," a guy from the crowd yelled.
Gay? What? I am in the middle of the fight
"Take off your shirt!"
I glanced at him, his bloody nose in clear view as our faces were mere inches apart.
No wonder they thought that.
Woosh!
A blow hit the same shin, the pain was now overwhelming, making me lose my grip on him.
I forgot he bends his knees; I should fall towards him.
I forced my legs to move and pushed him to the ground, falling along with him.
As he convulsed in pain, I rolled over and pinned him to the ground by mounting him and held my fist in a punching motion.
"I won, haven't I?" I said with a tired smirk.
"No, you haven't," I heard the voice of the Keppel-haired guy.
What!
"You have to knock him out, straddling him like a virgin won't do."
"Why would I do that? And I broke his nose."
"All of us have eyes, Saveliy Andreyevich, that was an accident."
"I don't want to hurt him."
"Then the others will hurt you."
Damn these assh*les.
"Straddling the guy is pretty gay, isn't it?" I heard the same tone from the one who accused us before.
Get your mind off it, dude.
"Now Saveliy Andreyevich, finish him off."
"Stop it, stop it, stop it!" I heard a rough voice in haste, and the crowd started to give way to a person with tapered jam-colored hair who came through shooing the others away with a towel, his shoulders broad, the left lowered.
"He is under my guard, so leave him, Borris."
So the Keppel guy's name is Borris?
"Tch, always meddling with our affairs," Borris said, leaving the circles.
"Patch Volkov up, let the next guys in," he added, waving his arm.
"Get the hell up," the guy with jam-colored hair said, lifting me up, and whispered in my ear.
"It's just the first day, and you are already causing a show. What did I tell you?"
"Who are you?"
"I am the guy who hired you."
"And how can I believe that?"
"Seven thousand"
Seven thousand, the words triggered another memory flow into my mind. Seven thousand Lumes was the advance Saveliy received, and this guy is the relevant person.