Gang Fight!

Chapter 7 — Gang Fight!

After pounding the metal for hundreds of times, it finally lost its impurities, turning fist size from its large size before.

"Hey, how is it?"

After successfully refining this piece of metal, I was exhausted with my arms swelling painfully after using my full strength for every strike. It endured the stress of strong rebounds that came one after another.

This was pretty exhausting than the normal process of forging. However, it serves as a good way to train my body to handle forging more easily.

And I now learned that it was important to not use your entire strength at the very start. Instead, it should be reserved until it's needed.

Hu Yu picked up the metal I refined. She used her eyes and hands to analyze the metal's quality.

"Very good. You refined it well despite being only a six-years-old kid who hasn't awakened yet. I can see that you are not far from reaching the realm of Hundred Refinements."

This was a huge achievement. It meant I was about to break a world record as a blacksmith!

"However, I noticed that this metal of yours is filled with dark essence. Your first work was the same."

I nodded since I know the reason behind the dark essence.

In simple words, it was the state of my heart and mind when forging.

I forged with rage.

Even if I worked hard to change, I would always forge with rage.

Nothing would change it.

"Is there a problem with it? For example, I can't sell when I make similar things in the future?"

"No. In fact, your quality is much better than others because of it. In some cases, the things you made will have some kind of effect like increased performance in some areas."

"If it won't affect people badly, then that's good. Also, my work will be unique compared to other blacksmiths. That's a plus."

Hu Yu nodded at my statement.

"You're right. Then work hard to hone your skills as a blacksmith."

I already knew that even without her reminding me.

To achieve my revenge, I would even push myself to the brink of death just to get stronger.

I didn't fear death whom I've already escaped once.

And thus, it was decided that I would repeatedly practice the basics of forging for thousands of times until it was engraved into my very instincts. I also needed to continue my body workout to build my strength and stamina.

Apart from that, I have to start learning about simple smelting processes. Hu Yu also tasked me to practice forging small components to help her.

As such, I needed to make my blacksmithing knowledge vaster and richer with experiences.

My working hours in the Blacksmith Shop were soon over. Next, I needed to attend my part-time job at the Tailor Shop that offered me hourly pay.

I basically lived in the streets for one month to save money. The money was needed to buy the materials for my Poison Blood Refinement. Fortunately, Hu Yu provided me with daily necessities I need to survive like food, water, and clothings.

Inns were simply too expensive for the current me. To save money, I decided to sleep in the park with the cheap sleeping bag I bought from the market. There were many places to sleep in the park. It was the gathering spot for beggars like me.

There was the problem of security and privacy. However, I decided to lay lowkey and avoid any beggars. So far, no one was messing with me.

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Two Months Later.

For three months, I've worked silently to earn money and tried my best to avoid troubles.

And my situation hasn't changed much. If anything, I've only felt my blacksmith skills growing smoothly ever since I've diligently practiced the fundamentals of forging over and over again. After repeating it monotonously for thousands of times, I could see my foundation becoming solid as rock.

Apart from refining, I've also learned the proper smelting processes, how to forge small components, and began mastering techniques.

However, that wasn't the very important news for today.

It was…

I've saved enough federal dollars!

I managed to save enough money to buy the materials I needed after working diligently for three months in this town.

After earning my salary and small bonuses for this month, I left the Blacksmith Shop eagerly.

And previously, to have my saved up money kept secured, I temporarily handed them to Hu Yu.

I now took it back from her since I already have enough money to buy what I needed.

Thus, I went to the market to buy the items I required.

As I walked down the streets, I soon felt a bunch of presences following me. Acting quickly, I hastened my pace to escape from them.

I ran with all my might.

However, I was eventually surrounded from all sides.

Narrowing my eyes, I scanned my pursuers.

I could see that they were gangsters with robust bodies that were armed with iron knives. In contrast to them, I was evidently smaller and outnumbered.

A scorpion tattoo could be seen on every bald head they had.

The Scorpion Gang.

I vaguely knew that they were just a bunch of thieves.

The beggars were clearly afraid of their presence, so when in front of them, they acted like meek servants who would lick their boots for an entire day.

"Our little blacksmith apprentice, I know that you have money in your pockets."

The leader of the group walked forward while licking his lips wickedly.

"Hand over your money!"

I tilted my head, feigning ignorance and dumb.

"I'm just a lowly apprentice, I don't have lots of money."

Swiish!

The leader pointed the tip of his knife at my throat.

My eyes looked at it, seeing the blade flashing coldly with a sharp light under the sun.

"You think we're ignorant, huh? We've been watching you recently. We've also received intel that you've been working for three months already. That's why we waited for you to grow fat with cash until now."

"Today's your pay day, right?"

Silence.

Apart from me, only the other beggars knew I recently started working as a blacksmith, causing them to feel jealous over my prospects.

I sighed bitterly as I knew denying their words won't work anymore.

"Why don't you people just work honestly instead of stealing from others?"

The leader let out a ridiculing smile. His followers laughed madly afterwards.

"Such a funny question. Isn't it already obvious? It's because stealing is much easier and fun!"

"Why do we need to work hard when we're strong?"

My gaze turned extremely cold.

The people in front of me were not much different from those beasts.

"You guys are not high-ranking in your gang, right? Only low-level fools would waste their time on me."

"You!"

At those words, all of their faces started to twist in anger.

I hit a sore spot.

A smile formed on my face.

"I won't give you my money."

The leader flashed a savage smile.

"Then don't blame us for using force!"

"Hurry! Let's beat this dog bastard to death!"

"Haha! Roger!"

In an instant, they charged at me with fierce momentum, causing me to momentarily step back as fear sprouted.

Can I win against them?

One versus sixteen?

I felt my heart beating rapidly with fear upon witnessing their overwhelming numbers and weapons ranging from knives to steel pipes.

Yet I soon stopped.

If I retreat now, I will always remain weak and cowardly.

And I know these bastards won't leave me alone peacefully in the future.

I clenched my fists tightly.

I was angry.

At myself.

I felt fear?

Against mere gangsters?

I felt my heart beating rapidly, this time in a frenzy of madness, pumping boiling rageful blood through my veins.

I will change today!

However, I wouldn't fight idiotically since I knew I was at disadvantages.

This was a deserted street.

I looked around my area before noticing a narrow dark alley at my left side. An idea appeared in my mind. Since I couldn't possibly defeat them when coming from every side, I opted for an area where they could only choose to charge in front of me while having limited range to swing their weapons.

The dark alley was the perfect area to fight them.

Instantly, I swiftly dashed toward the alley with my speed being relatively faster than them. My body was also very agile and flexible, allowing me to successfully avoid their attempts to grab me.

"Oy! He's running away! Catch him!"

The leader immediately ordered his group to follow after me. All of them entered the alley and dove straight. The alley was cramped and tight since it only allowed at most three people to enter when side by side.

As they headed to the end of the alley, I pounced from my hiding spot.

"I'll kill you bastards!" I

I jumped from below them, my fist turning into a swift arc that came from below, pounding harshly into the nose of the first person that arrived.

Bang!

A cracking sound echoed as my fist smashed heavily.

The guy had some of his teeth knocked out with blood dripping from his face.

Thud!

He fell unconscious to the ground with his eyes completely white.

"Useless bastard."

The others trampled upon the unconscious guy like a stampede as they continued to charge at me.

I quickly backed away before feeling a wall halting me from behind.

A dead end.

Swoosh!

A man tried to swing his steel pipe down at my head from the top.

I lowered my body to avoid it.

Danng—!

The steel pipe smashed the wall heavily instead of my head, quickly numbing the man's arms.

"Ah shit!"

Boom!

Crack!

I swiftly grabbed his head, my knee striking towards it, causing his skull to cave in.

"Kuaaah!!" The man cried out painfully with his eyes reddening with blood. He lost strength and gradually fell down to the ground.

He died with blood dripping heavily down his eyes, nose, and ears.

Swiiish—!

"Aha, wide open!"

A sharp blade slashed from my right side, but I quickly dodged and grabbed the wrist of the third guy that attacked me with a knife.

"Oraaa!" I pulled his arms harshly and strongly threw him at the wall.

Crack!

The wall cracked apart as his body landed on it.

"Kuuukh!! You bastard!" The third guy shouted with saliva and blood dripping from his mouth.

As he was about to fall from the wall, I grabbed his head by the root of his hair.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Kuuukh…. stop…"

I ruthlessly smashed his head against the wall over and over again until crimson blood splattered over my entire arm that held his head.

I smashed him until no sounds could be heard anymore from his mouth.

My hands let go of the bruised head, the man falling down helplessly with his face smashed beyond recognition.

"...!" I suddenly felt danger approaching as soon as I let go.

I quickly tried to avoid it, but couldn't move my body in time.

Bang!

Bang!

Two steel pipes fell from the sky where it wasn't blocked by the narrow alley.

"Agh…"

It smashed on my head, causing me to feel dizzy as blood dyed my vision. I didn't feel pain due to the adrenaline coursing my veins.

"Haha! We finally got you!"

"I don't think so!"

Glaring coldly at them, I grabbed both of their arms that held the steel pipes, immediately smashing the two of them into each other.

Bam!

They grunted painfully while feeling dizzy from their heads colliding.

I then kicked their bodies forward, causing them to smash heavily into the people behind them.

"You bastard!"

"Kill him! Don't show any mercy!"

Another wave of bastards charged angrily after trampling over the two guys I sent flying.

And I didn't back down even as I saw them holding knives.

I was already feeling my perception over my surroundings becoming slower and slower.

The so-called fear slowly loses its meaning, replaced by unadulterated rage and violence.

I grabbed the knife that was dropped by the guy I smashed against the wall.

Swoosh!

One of them stabbed his knife, but I blocked it with my own knife. It wasn't good to underestimate the accuracy of blacksmiths.

However,

"HAHAHA! DIE!"

"YOU CAN'T ESCAPE THIS TIME!"

Another guy slashed his knife that came from my lower left side, then followed by the last guy.

I deflected the first guy, then quickly avoided the attack of the second guy, but the third guy managed to slice my shoulder with his knife.

From my sliced shoulder, I could feel blood spilling from it.

Yet I didn't stop attacking them. Rather, I increasingly became aggressive with madness.

I only had one thought.

KILL!

KILL!

KILL!

"You crazy bastard…!"

I charged at the first knife guy while slashing at him madly. He tried to dodge and counterattack, but I was clearly much faster and very agile.

The guy's hands got slashed by my knife dozens of times, causing him to weakly drop his knife from the pain, before my knife finally stabbed into his throat.

"Khukk! Kaaghhhh….."

He tried to resist but it only brought him more pain.

Soon, he finally died.

"You fucking monster!"

Thud!

Putchhh—!

At the same time, a knife managed to stab deeply into my back. However, I simply turned around and stabbed my knife into his stomach, causing blood to spill all over the ground.

Stab! Stab!

I stabbed him multiple times as he pushed his knife deeper into my back. However, he soon lost strength and crashed into the ground.

"Haaaaa…"

Breathing heavily, I coldy looked at the remaining people with my whole body dripping with blood.

"You guys are next."

When I took a step forward, they suddenly stepped back in fear.

The leader frowned from the very back of them.

"You guys are scared of a kid? What a bunch of pussies! We clearly outnumber him, so quickly kill him!"

At this moment, there was no more turning back since they had already lost some of them.

The least they could do now was kill the kid as revenge!

The remaining people gained courage and strength after the leader's sharp words.

As such, they once again started to charge at me.

This time, however, they decided to work coordinately inside this alley. Once someone attacks, he would quickly retreat to give way for another attack to follow after his previous attack.

All of them attacked like waves after waves that crashed against me.

However—!

I didn't give up even as I got strongly struck by their punches, kicks, and knives several times. I didn't stop even as I bled profusely nonstop.

I only fought back.

Again.

And again.

A vigorous heart and boiling rage supported my entire body even as I lost and spilled a lot of my own blood.

Thud!

I grabbed the punch headed my way before driving my own fist at his head with a powerful swing.

"Aghhhh!"

The guy fell motionlessly on the ground, soon getting trampled by others who attacked me without stopping.

Haaa… Haaa…

I wheezed loudly as my vision went blurry while the adrenaline slowly wore away. I could feel my entire body burning intensely from the inside out while screaming in pain.

I've managed to kill lots of them already, but I now reached a critical condition. I was dripping with blood from my head to toe.

Looking ahead, I saw the leader now becoming visible since there were only six of them left.

"Ah shit…" The leader wiped his bleeding lips quite fearfully. "You're a damn monster! Thankfully, you already ran out of gas to continue!"

He started to laugh smugly.

I remained silent since I knew his words were right. I've run out of stamina and strength way too long ago. Right now, I was fighting purely on the brink of death while relying on my will power to forcefully move my body.

For three months, I worked hard to workout my body to the point it was incomparable to my past self. I was as strong as a several normal adults. However, it was still only three months in the end.

"Don't act smug. Does it fill you with that much pride to know that you lost a lot of your men just to take down a small kid?"

The leader went silent before shortly replying: "A win is a win." He said with a mocking smile.

"That's why you're at the bottom rank."

The leader snapped.

"Finish him!"

He and the other remaining guys came to finish me away.

I desperately tried to resist when I was constantly assaulted by their knives.

And soon, the leader stabbed his knife deeply into my stomach.

"Cough…!" I spat out a lot of blood as I kneeled on the ground.

"Game over, kid."

The leader removed his knife before kicking my head forward.

Thud..!

I rolled hard on the ground with my blood flowing on the ground, forming a red pond along with the blood of the corpses laid beside me.

The leader and his remaining underlings watched my body.

It remained motionlessly with blood flowing out severely.

"Is he finally dead?"

"A monster. Was he really just a kid?"

"Steal the money." The leader said while feeling pain inwardly.

This time wasn't worth it since they lost a lot of men to a kid who they thought was vastly weaker than them.

But upon looting the kid, they were surprised to find a huge amount of money.

"Alright."

"Let's escape from this place."

"Sure."

I could faintly hear their voices as my blurry eyes stared at the sky that slowly grew dark with black clouds.

Then, my eyes slowly closed to rest.

My consciousness blurred, slowly sinking into darkness.

Am I dying?

No, I've already defied death.

So, why can't I do it once again?

I'll defy death over and over again.

A cold sensation gradually began to spread from my heart that slowly beat slower and slower. The cold energy coursed through my whole body from the inside out, replacing the warmth and heat of my body.

Only coldness remains.

Something…

Something was trying to awaken inside of me.

And soon, darkness dyed my heart completely black.

"Succumb to my power…"

The Devil's Power.

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The gangsters were about to leave, but all of their hairs began to stand up.

A faint whistle sound reverberated across the air, sounding so eerie and low to the ears.

The sound of death.

All of them felt a chilling atmosphere appearing behind them. Looking back, they saw the kid standing up once again with his bleeding wounds slowly healing as green energy flowed into his body.

The green energy came from the corpses around him. The men he had previously killed. But now, they were reduced to dry corpses that lacked blood and moistures.

The kid's black hair started to grow longer until it reached his shoulders. His closed eyes gradually opened, revealing a pair of red eyes that deepened in shade, now resembling blood.

He opened his mouth that formed into a wide grin, revealing rows of uncanny canines and sharp fangs.

"How is this possible…?"

The gangsters were now trembling from fear.

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What is this power…?

I felt my thoughts becoming extremely heavy and slow, as if my entire body was descended into the cold abyss.

My heart and blood no longer felt hot, it circulated coldly within me. This cold energy didn't strengthen my body. It only made my mind clearer and caused me to see things slower.

The reason I got suddenly stronger was the green energy I was absorbing from the corpses. It even healed my body from the wounds it suffered.

However, it didn't matter for now.

What's more important is to reclaim the important thing for me.

My money.

I glared at them with my cold blood-red eyes that stabbed deeply into their souls.

"Give me back my money…" I hoarsely growled.

As I whistled faintly, I slowly approached them with crisp steps.

With each step I took, they also took a step backward.

I could smell a new kind of scent coming from them.

"The smell of fear," A small smile formed on my face. "It smells good."

"Don't back away! I'm sure he's barely hanging on!"

The gangsters were shaken, so they quickly tried to take me down again with their knives.

I suddenly remembered the Four Hearts taught by Hu Yu.

"Hoooh…." I exhaled deeply as my feet planted firmly on the ground with a—Bang!

And by inhaling a lot of air, I could feel my muscles growing firmer and harder to reinforce my body.

However, I focused all that strength into my left fist instead, causing my fist to harden like steel.

I then punched out.

Thump!

With power bursting out from my legs, entering my tensed calves, to my turning waist, to my entire back, and then finally to my left fist.

KILL!!

Like a vigorous river of cogs, I could feel all of my physical strength gathering into my left fist.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

A powerful heartbeat resounded powerfully across the air like an unbreakable and sharpest steel.

My steel-like fist split the air apart, smashing against the chest of the nearest person.

"Aghh!" He spat out blood as his chest instantly caved in with his ribs snapping to pierce his lungs and heart.

He died instantly.

I didn't stop with that alone. I continued to fiercely smash my fist and legs into the remaining guys.

Until only the leader was left.

He fell butt first on the ground while slowly moving away in fear.

Screechhhh—!

I approached him with my knife sliding across the wall, letting out a painful screeching sound.

"W-Wait!! Wait a minute!!!"

He urgently screamed out.

"I-I have… a single daughter with me!! Please… please spare my life…!"

Drip Drip—

He dropped his head while pouring out tears.

"You have a daughter?"

"…Yes, that's right. The truth is… the reason I joined the Scorpion Gang was all for that child. I wanted to earn money to support her life…"

Biting his lips, he tightly closed his eyes.

"If… if I disappear all of a sudden, that child…"

There was no way a parentless child would be able to live well in this hell-like world.

That was something I knew better than anyone else.

Bang!—

The man roughly ground his forehead into the hard stone floor.

"I beg of you!! At least for the child, please spare my life…!"

"Or in the least… let me have time to say my last farewells to my daughter!!! Please!! I'm begging you earnestly!!"

I narrowed his eyes and looked down at the prostrating man.

"What's her name?"

"Yes?"

"Your daughter's name."

"...Nie… Nie Yan…"

"Age?"

"S-She's nine! She's still… too young to survive this world all alone!"

"When's her birthday?"

"Yes?"

"Quick. Answer the questions I asked. When's her birthday?"

"On January… 14th.."

"Favorite food?"

"…Why are you asking that?"

"You won't answer?"

"Shrimp… n-no it's beef!"

"Height and weight?"

"Uh… 124cm and… 2-23!! She's 23kg!!"

"Is that right?"

I nodded my head, recalling what he had said in my mind.

Nie Yan, aged nine, birthday on January 14th, favorite food is beef, height is 124cm, and weight is 23kg.

"Well, then."

I grasped my knife as the edge of it neared his throat.

"Answer the questions I have asked so far in reverse."

Silence.

It went silent like time had stopped.

"—what?"

His mouth and two eyes opened wide, both of his legs shaking like leaves in the wind.

"Weight and height, favorite food, birthday, age, name. Answer it."

"T-That's, uhh. 23kg… and. W-Wait… wait a minute!"

"Why? Don't remember?"

Well.

It was understandable that he couldn't remember, because…

"Lying backwards is hard by nature."

Thrust—

Blood poured down the knife's blade that had slightly penetrated the man's throat.

"A-Agh. P-Please spare me! I don't want to dieeeeeee!!!"

The man fell into panic as soon as he felt the touch of the knife's tip that made his throat burn.

"One last question. Why did you choose me as your target?"

"The beggars recently reported to me about your job… I know even apprentice blacksmiths earn lots of money…"

"Alright."

Psshk!!!—

"Kugh, kuk!"

The blade pierced through the middle of the man's throat, causing him to choke and struggle violently as blood splattered all over the place.

He struggled for a few more seconds before finally losing his strength, dropping dead to the ground, leaving me alone behind—covered entirely with blood in this dark alley.

All of them died.

And I won.

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