“B-Boss.” “Win!
You have to win and save us!”
I faced Geum Taemin, receiving cheers from Kim Yang and Lenea.
Despite the standoff, Geum Taemin was relaxed.
“I’ll let you have the First Attack.
It’d be embarrassing for me to grit my teeth and beat you as you are now, wouldn’t it?” “I’d appreciate that.”
I wasn’t about to refuse something he was offering just to protect my pride.
Geum Taemin spread his arms wide in a relaxed welcome.
The moment the corners of his sly mouth turned up, I immediately lifted my leg and slammed it between his crotch.
Baaaaam!
“…!”
My Decisive Testicle Kick.
It was a blow I’d put all my strength into—.
“Th-this son of a bitch—!”
Didn’t he just block it unsightly by clamping his knees together?
“W-Wow.” “I thought you were going to fight with knives!”
If you have a chance for one shot, the basics dictate you aim for the most certain Vital Point.
I was just being faithful to the basics.
Not only Kim Yang and Lenea, but the other Gangsters also had bewildered expressions.
Meanwhile, Geum Taemin glared at me from that very posture.
“You’re gonna play dirty like this?!” “I didn’t think you’d actually block it…” “You said knife fighting!” “Does knife fighting really mean fighting only with knives?
It includes Hand-to-hand Combat.”
At my words, Geum Taemin thrust his face forward as if he wanted to argue, but he couldn’t get the words out.
Because I wasn’t wrong.
“You cheap bastard, you said you’d give me the first attack, but you blocked it right away?” “Shut up.”
The knife he swung carried his will not to be swayed any longer.
Geum Taemin was definitely different from five years ago.
Fast, and precise.
However, as a Hunter who relied on his Gravity Manipulation ability, his Hand-to-hand Combat itself hadn’t improved much for five years of time.
The dagger, held in a Reverse Grip, came straight for my neck.
There’s no act more foolish in knife fighting than parrying a dagger with another dagger.
A dagger is a weapon with a short reach, so its attack points are clearly limited.
I slapped his wrist away with my fist and swung the dagger I held forward.
A fluid Offense-defense Transition is a basic of knife fighting.
Clang!
But he too easily slapped my wrist away with his other hand.
A stinging pain flowed through the veins in my wrist.
Before I knew it, we were trading blows, like repeating a Back and Forth over a single territory.
“O-Ohh.
Boss!
G-Go for it!” “Go on!
Just crush that bastard!
To be honest, he has a really detestable face!”
I was receiving their cheers, but it didn’t seem to give me any strength.
“Hnnngh!”
A groan escaped through Geum Taemin’s clenched teeth.
He’d wanted to win without using his Gravity Manipulation ability.
It must have felt like shit to find out we were Evenly Matched now that we were fighting.
He had even struggled and crawled his way to this position over the last five years.
And yet, here he was in a similar situation as me, whose Practical Combat Sense should have dulled from running a matchmaking agency.
His pride was already crumbling in real-time.
“Boss!
You can do it!” “You can win!”
As if feeling they couldn’t just stand by while Kim Yang and Lenea were cheering, the Gangsters poured out their own support.
It was kind of funny seeing these big guys clenching their fists and shouting like they were chanting for an idol group.
“Shut up, you sons of bitches!” “…” “…” “What the hell are you cheering for when I’m fighting a guy like this!”
Even this was a blow to Geum Taemin’s pride.
The Gangsters became Silent as if they had eaten honey.
And next to them, Kim Yang and Lenea started cheering even harder.
“F-Fighting!
Fighting!
B-Boss!
Go!
Win!” “Win!
Win!
I’ll give you a Peck when you come back!” “Gasp!”
For a moment, my legs stumbled, and his knife almost stabbed my shoulder.
Seeing a Chance of Victory, a bright smile formed on Geum Taemin’s lips.
“Why did that bastard stumble when I said I’d give him a peck?!
Hey, Blond Bastard!
Get out of the way!
Let me fight!” “C-Calm down, Grandmother!”
Kim Yang held Lenea back from behind, stopping her from rushing at me.
Even in that situation, our fight was nearing its end.
“This is how it ends.
For five years, you’ve grown dull, and I’ve grown stronger.” Kaaang—!
Our knives clashed.
In the end, my grip couldn’t hold, and I dropped the knife.
Twirl!
The knife fell to the floor, spinning like a top.
Grinning, Geum Taemin leisurely thrust his dagger toward my neck.
“Die, you son of a bitch.”
When you’re knife fighting.
Parrying a dagger with another dagger is a foolish move.
Because the offense-defense switch is difficult.
Shunk!
The dagger pierced my shoulder.
It should have been my neck, but I intentionally pushed my body forward to make the point of impact connect sooner.
Now, while his attention was on the dagger.
I immediately threw a punch.
“You bastard, all this time—!”
I didn’t give him a chance to talk.
‘First, the Temple.’
Whack!
The Hook I threw smashed squarely into his Temple.
The bastard frowned, seemingly flustered by the unexpected power.
“Gack!?” A groan like he was vomiting.
This time, I hit the tip of his chin, and he staggered back.
Philtrum, ear, below the cheekbone, between the eyebrows.
Thwack-thwack-thwack!
He tried to curl up and defend like a turtle against the barrage of attacks, but—.
I immediately grabbed his hair and lifted, preventing him from ducking his head.
Philtrum.
Crack!
“Aaaaaargh!”
A Death Scream erupted.
His bloody nose and ruined face looked as if he was about to admit defeat, but.
As he waved his hand, a pressure crushed my entire body, forcing me to my knees.
“Fuuuuuuuuuuuck!”
Thump!
A scream filled with humiliation and hatred in front of me on my knees.
His hands, wiping away his nosebleed, trembled—not from fear, but as proof of a rage he couldn’t control.
“Son of a bitch!
You!
How dare you—!
Me!”
Thwack!
Thwack!
Thwack!
His fists and feet rained down on me as I knelt.
Because of the Gravity Manipulation, even though my body was being hit, I couldn’t be pushed back or fall.
I just took the beating silently in place like a stone statue.