Sol Mirek advanced toward Dorian. With every step, Dorian trembled. He struggled to rise, but three broken ribs and severe internal bleeding held him down.
"Wait… we can talk…" Dorian's voice shook with fear.
Sol stopped, tossing the lighter in his hand. Its flame drew a streak of red in the air.
Boom!
"Ah—!" Dorian's scream echoed through the dojo as flames engulfed him instantly. He thrashed, rolling on the floor, trying to extinguish the fire.
"Please… let me go!" His cries were muffled by the searing heat, his skin blistering rapidly.
Moments later, the flames died down, leaving only thick white smoke. Doppo Orochi chuckled at the scene.
"Sol Mirek, I didn't expect someone so young to already distinguish between martial arts and actual combat," Doppo said, a flicker of admiration in his eyes. He had assumed Sol might be soft-hearted, but the young man's decisive ruthlessness embodied the very essence of combat.
Sol nodded silently and returned to his seat, sipping tea as if nothing had happened. He was only annoyed by these death row inmates and wished to go home and sleep. Why did Mitsunari Tokugawa insist on this late-night meeting? Didn't he know Sol had school tomorrow?
"So… what do we do with the roasted human flesh?" Doppo asked, glancing at Dorian, still steaming and dazed.
"Call an ambulance," Mitsunari Tokugawa said, shaking his head. Dorian was critically injured.
Gouki Shibukawa nodded, preparing to summon help.
Hmph.
Before they could act, Retsu Kaioh sensed danger and stomped toward Dorian.
"Playing dead didn't work, huh?" Dorian flipped backward, exhaling white mist that filled the room.
"Refreshing… like a cigar," he said with a sinister smile, taking a fighting stance against Retsu Kaioh and Doppo Orochi.
Everyone was shocked. Despite being burned, Dorian was still alive and ready to fight.
"Alright, who wants to face me first—Retsu or Doppo?" Dorian taunted. He avoided Sol intentionally; the young man's strength was lethal. Facing anyone else gave him a chance.
"I'll take him. I have a score to settle," Doppo said, a slight smile on his face, right arm flexed in readiness.
Dorian grinned. Exactly as he had hoped, avoiding Sol kept him alive.
"Mr. Doppo, looks like our business isn't finished," Dorian sneered, eyeing Doppo's missing left hand.
"Shut up," Doppo said coldly. The previous encounter had left him maimed; he had not recovered yet.
Sol silently moved toward the door. Dorian's heart sank. If he wanted to escape, only a grenade hidden in his body could help him.
Everyone realized Sol was blocking Dorian's retreat, further raising their respect for the young man. Many talented martial artists had fallen due to hesitation; Sol's ruthlessness was rare.
Yet Sol knew the danger: Dorian could trigger the grenade at any moment. He braced himself, ready to dodge the explosion.
"Watch out for his steel wire," Retsu warned.
Doppo tensed, muscles coiling as he assumed his stance. Dorian toyed with the nearly invisible steel wire, smirking.
"I won't let you escape this time," Doppo growled, lunging like a tiger.
Dorian retreated nimbly, steel wire slicing through the air. They moved swiftly, testing for weaknesses while conserving energy for his escape.
Sol observed quietly, eyes fixed on Dorian. Suddenly, he noticed the enemy's Adam's apple bobbing unnaturally.
"Watch out!" Sol shouted.
Almost instantly, Dorian launched a green object from his mouth. Sol, ready, grabbed Mitsunari Tokugawa's kimono and threw him out of the dojo before leaping to safety.
Mitsunari landed with only a mouthful of dirt. Sol turned away, heading home to finally sleep.
Boom!
The grenade exploded at the center of the dojo, sending shockwaves through the tatami mats, flames spattering, and scorching everything in its path. Dorian seized the chaos to escape through the ceiling.
Doppo, Retsu, and the others evacuated just in time.
Woo—! Woo—!
Outside, fire trucks and police cars arrived, sirens piercing the night. Tokyo officers questioned Mitsunari Tokugawa.
"Mr. Tokugawa, how did you avoid the grenade at such close range?"
"Oh, someone threw this old man out," he said, dazed from the flying experience. "By the time I reacted, I was already ten meters away."
"And the others, including the culprit?" the officer asked.
"They're all gone by the time I reacted," Mitsunari admitted, helpless.
His thoughts returned to Sol. In just a few days, Sol had grown unimaginably strong. If he trained in the Underground Arena, the possibilities were staggering. What a blessing that would be.
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