"You the ones who called us?"
Six guys almost a head taller than me formed a ring around us. Behind them stood a Fero woman named Sua and a brown-haired Caust boy. Both looked about our age.
"Oh? Short on words?"
"Want me to make it longer? You nobodies who think you run the show—were you the ones who called us?"
"This bastard... doesn't seem to have run through the situation board yet, huh?"
"Hyun... no, Ji-hoon, knock it off."
"Hey, you piss your pants or something? Don't worry. Guys like these never back up their bluster with a punch. They see a bunch of nobodies swaggering together and think they're untouchable."
"What the hell are you? Some brat? I've never seen your face around here, and you're already mouthing off."
"Oh-ho... so you the boss around here or what?"
The Fero kid was a head taller than the rest. Now that I look, she's a bit different from Otis.
'Was Otis from a non-feral tribe or something?'
I recall Fero and non-feral tribes hardly differ. I'll have to ask later.
"This bastard daydreams right in front of me... what? Magpie, of all things? Jackpot."
"No idea why everyone thinks money's gonna fall out of my head as soon as they see me."
"Hey. Show me everything you got. Or you'll die today—"
"Ah, fuck it. Can't be bothered with this shit."
I've been doing street fights for years, with every style imaginable. Six guys relying on raw strength? I'd beat them blindfolded on my toes.
A straight punch rocked me square in the face, and before I could react a surprise blow sent me flying into a trash can behind me.
"This brat... the moment I look away!"
"Slow."
After learning to read breathing patterns, I could almost see the trajectory—the flow—like slow motion.
"You little psycho, no way to handle a gang assault—get him!"
"Sinclair... Hese. Live however you can!"
When was the last time I threw down like this? Brutal memories. I can't kill them; it would cause too big a commotion. I'll just knock them out.
I kicked the heavyset kid who first charged me right in the neck, flying him out cold in one blow. Landing on my feet, I rolled and struck the lanky kid's leg hard, unbalancing him and—
—crack.
"Oops. Maybe that was a bit too hard."
I tried to drop a knee as he fell to knock him out... maybe I got carried away.
"Fu, fuck... he's a monster!!"
"Relax, brother. I've been called worse every day."
I'm tired of hearing that, too. Meanwhile, the one who looked the most terrified grabbed a steel pipe—
"Oh, don't come near me!! Stay the fuck back!!"
"You whimpering yet?"
Could've shown some backbone, but kids these days...
"Alright then. Goodnight."
I swung the pipe, stopping it an inch from his face. That should keep him out cold.
"Impressive..."
"Is it? I just fought."
"Sto, stop!! Wanna see this bastard's head come off?"
Right, that guy. I knocked him earlier and never finished him off. I got too excited, damn it.
Sinclair barely subdued one kid but got flipped around again.
"Getting your back taken by a guy... you... seriously?"
"Stop teasing me, would you? Jokes at a time like this?!!"
"Then when will you ever strike?"
"You think this is a joke?! I'll stab you! Kneel and drop your weapon! Wanna watch your friend die?!!!!"
The knife pressed against Sinclair's throat. It was serious... we've been cut by real blades before.
"Kid. You're still under my blade."
"Fine, fine, I surrender. Now move the knife, will ya? It's cutting me."
"Don't make a fuss just because you're bleeding."
"Bleeding from the throat, lady, you crazy hag!"
"Who do you call a hag!!!!"
You should've seen it. That knife he's holding is no more than a toothpick to us.
"Hey, you might want to call it quits. I'm telling you for your own good."
"Ha! Ha-ha! Looks like you're scared, huh?!"
"No? My friend got real pissed."
Since we breathe life into our blades with an [E.G.O], two swordsmen may wield the same weapon but fight in entirely different styles.
My style accelerates to top speed mid-fight, unleashing a flurry. Sinclair, on the other hand, is a counter-attacker: gets hit once and pays back double.
Judging by the cuts on his face, I'd already let him land that blow once. Damn, he turned his eyes just then.
"Hey... well then, goodbye. You won't go far, will you?"
"You mean you... Fuuck!! Ack... ugh!"
He never got the chance to finish. I landed a clean punch to his solar plexus, followed by a twin strike that sent that thug crumpling.
"Ugh...ughh...aaaargh!!! Let's go together!!"
Come to think of it, there were six of them at first, but now only five remain, counting the one who bolted. One must have fled immediately.
"Huh... here, make a wish. Hope this rock hits you in a really painful spot!"
I levitated a rock of decent size and, wielding the steel pipe like a bat, lined up the shot just as—
Whoosh!
"Ack!!"
"Ha! Nice! Home run! B-b-b boom!"
Baekhyun, clean turn from single to bases-loaded home run~! Another win banked!
"Um..."
"Oh right, you guys. Planning to fight too?"
"What? No, no!! Absolutely not!!"
"Really? That's a shame. I'm Baek... no, Kim Ji-hoon. Nice to meet you."
"I... I'm Hese. No, Hae."
"I... I'm Yu Ji-hyeon. And this is Sua, Kim Sua."
"Who are you, anyway? Here to shake us down too?"
"Not really. We were just called, so we came."
It wasn't heroism that made me help; I was just in a good mood after eating and felt like teaching those jerks a lesson.
"Come on, Hese. We have work to do!"
"Oh, right! Everyone, be careful out there!"
"Hah...hah...Jesus, where did such a...hah... monster come from..."
Meanwhile, the last kid who'd been the leader ran off into the depths of the alley.
The temperature difference between the shallow and deep alleys is like that between a mere sea and a pitch-black abyss. The little punk strayed too far and—
"Oh dear... you should be more careful, kid."
"I... I'm sorry..."
Pzzzt!
"Sorry? Thanks to you, my quota... is still coming up short..."
I couldn't comprehend it. I touched his shoulder, felt an electric shock, and then he just collapsed.
"Take this kid with you. Me... ah, these kids will suffice."
From what I saw, one girl and three boys—just the right number for this month's quota.
"Uh? Did you just...?"
"Ji-hoon, what's wrong?"
"...Nothing. Just felt like shit all of a sudden."