Episode 12

The two locked gazes with each other. Ryan offered an odd smile to Rio, the gang boss, which immediately filled the air with an ominous tension.

"Hyaaat!"

With a shout, Ryan took the initiative and attacked first. His agile hand swings and kick techniques were unleashed simultaneously, causing Rio to finally comprehend the meaning behind Ryan's earlier smirk.

Thud! Thud!

Rio was struck several times by Ryan's foot, causing his defenses to falter.

"Come on, Grandmaster Rio! Is this really all you've got?" Ryan taunted amid the fray.

"Ha-ha.. You are truly formidable, Ryan! I never expected to face a challenger who'd invigorate me like this after all these years!" Rio stated, utterly unfazed by the provocation.

Rio then slashed his katana crossways and moved in a zig-zag pattern, temporarily confounding Ryan.

Clash! Clash! Clash!

Despite his confusion, Ryan maintained his focus, vigilantly observing Rio's complex maneuvers.

"Haaa!"

All at once, Rio let out a thunderous yell, startling Ryan.

Swoosh!

"Ugh!"

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Grimacing in pain while clutching his thigh, Ryan hastily retreated to keep distance. He had narrowly escaped a more severe cut from Rio's katana slash. If not for his quick retreat, he might very well have lost his right leg.

"Damn it!" cursed Ryan.

Fresh blood flowed profusely, staining his pants a deep red.

"Ha-ha-ha.."

Rio laughed with satisfaction at the sight of Ryan's pained expression. He was proud of the outcome, feeling it was fitting or even more than ample retaliation for the previous baseball bat swings Ryan had landed on him.

Among the spectators—members of the Black Skull Martial Arts School—smiles of sheer pleasure spread across their faces. They could tell that Ryan's combat performance was now likely to be impaired.

"Ha-ha-ha.. The boss is unbeatable! Slice off his ear too, Boss! Avenge me!" shouted one of the onlookers, whose sibling had been seriously injured during an earlier scrap with Ryan. He cackled boisterously, thrilled by the blow Rio had delivered.

The spectator's outcry was so loud it caused Rio to frown and glance at his follower.

"Are you giving orders to the boss? Do you want to die now?" asked a man behind the loudmouth sharply.

His tone was ice-cold, deeply offended by the remark that seemed to boss Rio around. Even among comrades, such disrespect was forbidden within their group.

"Eh.. No! That's not what I meant, John!" the vocal man replied stiffly, clearly intimidated by John, who, while only of average stature, was renowned for his deadly punches.

"If you don't mean it, then be quiet! Your annoying shrieking could break Rio's concentration! Understand?" barked John.

"Y-yes, John! I-I won't do it again!" came the cowed reply.

"Good! And just watch the fight! Keep it down," John commanded.

"Y-yes, John!"

Back in the fray, Ryan continued to wince in pain, gripping his bleeding thigh.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" he yelled, resisting the sharp sting and agony.

"Ha-ha.. Boy, you'll lose!" Rio boasted arrogantly.

Rio advanced slowly, while Ryan struggled to maintain distance. Ryan had already attempted to contact the System telepathically for assistance, but it remained unresponsive to his calls.

"Why keep backing away, kid? Are you now afraid to die? Where is your earlier courage?" Rio taunted Ryan with a trifecta of mocking questions.

Ryan gritted his teeth at Rio's taunting questions. If only he had the same weaponry, Rio would have been defeated many times by his hand.

"Silent, huh? Ha-ha-ha.." Rio mocked.

Ryan, who'd been maintaining distance while guarding his wound, suddenly stopped and stood upright, assuming a solid stance. This took Rio by surprise.

The gang leader and grandmaster martial artist witnessed Ryan's profusely bleeding thigh cease gushing blood—a complete stop. Unknown to Rio, Ryan had intentionally displayed vulnerability, provoking taunts and buying time.

In that narrow window of time, Ryan had used his knowledge of veins and nerves to stem the bleeding and alleviate the pain. Now he was able to stand firmly as if uninjured—a clever strategy!

At the sight of Rio's astonished face, Ryan couldn't help but offer a wry smile, anticipating such a reaction.

"Alright.. Let the second round continue!" Ryan declared, readying his baseball bat for the next assault.

Rio snapped out of his trance at the mention of a second round, preparing once more with his katana pointed towards Ryan.

"Hyaaat!"

Clang!

Both of them charged at each other, their war cries echoing together. Thereafter, they exchanged a flurry of blows and defenses. Much to Ryan's surprise, his movements were now thrice as fast as before.

Thud! Thud!

Clash! Cling! Cling!

Clash! Thud! Thud!

Rio was barraged with hits from Ryan's baseball bat and an assortment of punches and kicks, affecting his arms, legs, torso, chest, and even his face.

Visibly struggling with Ryan's swift, unpredictable movements, Rio was now battered, a front tooth shattered, causing intense pain.

Despite his dire state, he refused to concede defeat while his followers, including John, dared not intervene for fear of accidental harm.

Ryan's kung fu maneuvers, complemented by his noteworthy baseball bat skills, were truly mesmerizing.

He briefly ceased his attacks to bait Rio's focus then lashed out furiously, targeting Rio's right arm from below.

Crack! Snap!

"Ahkh.."

Rio's cry rang out as the sound of cracking bone silenced everyone. The forceful strike caused Rio's katana to fly from his grasp.

Swiftly, Ryan kicked Rio's chest to push him back, then tossed his baseball bat at Rio's face.

Thud!

"Ugh!"

Ryan elegantly caught the katana midair, just before it hit the ground. Without hesitation, he rushed towards the off-balance Rio about to tumble backward.

Ryan delivered a firm kick to the gang leader's legs, forcing Rio into a knee bend.

Thump!

Rio crashed to the ground, staring skyward, legs bent under him. Then, with the katana pointed at the pitiful face of Rio, who was overwhelmed with fear at the sight, Ryan proclaimed his victory.

"You lose, Grandmaster Rio!" Ryan stated, his smile laden with significance.

***This work has been signed with NovelToon, and piracy such as reprinting without permission is strictly prohibited.***

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***