Chapter 31: One Versus Seven (3)

[Ueno Kouhei's POV]

I couldn't help but watch in shock as this guy effortlessly dodged and outmatched my crew one by one.

"Who the hell is he...?" I muttered to myself, never imagining that someone like him would be lurking around this area. I was well aware of the power players in this part of town, and I had always steered clear of them. My fights had always been against weaker opponents, so while I'd never lost, I wasn't exactly proud of it.

However, what I was witnessing now was on a whole different level. This unassuming guy, who looked like he'd struggle to intimidate a fly, was displaying a mastery of martial arts. I wasn't a martial artist myself, but even I could see the fluidity and precision in his movements.

"Ueno, this guy's trouble," Kito warned. And he was absolutely right. Trouble was the only word to describe this guy. The way he effortlessly dodged and incapacitated my guys was beyond anything I'd seen before. It didn't matter that we towered over him; he was outclassing us.

I couldn't accept it, though. I refused to believe that this guy was unbeatable. If we could land a single good shot on him, we could bring him down, and then we'd pummel him into submission so he couldn't stand up and fight back. That was the plan.

We had the numbers, the size advantage, and now, I had a little something extra.

I reached into my pocket and retrieved the items hidden there. As I pulled them out, I could feel the cold metal in my hands.

"One shot. If we can land one good shot, we win."

I slid the brass knuckles onto my knuckles. I clenched my fists tightly, the brass knuckles fitting snugly over my knuckles.

"One shot is all I need," I affirmed. Kito, who had witnessed my ruthless tendencies before, visibly gulped. I had a reputation for not holding back when it came to dealing with my enemies. It had gotten me into trouble more times than I could count, but I'd always managed to emerge unscathed. In this world, strength wasn't the only factor in rising to the top of the food chain; money played a crucial role too. If you had money but lacked strength, you'd be bullied and extorted. On the other hand, if you had strength but no money, you wouldn't be able to command the loyalty of others. Those who possessed both money and strength were the ones who reigned supreme.

"Alright, you guys! Pin him down! Do whatever it takes!"

The six of my guys closed in on the unassuming guy, leaping at him with the intent to overpower him. It was a coordinated effort, with each of them trying to grab hold of him and keep him immobilized.

But this guy, despite being surrounded, remained surprisingly composed. As they lunged at him, he moved with lightning speed, slipping through their attempts to grab him. It was as if he had eyes on the back of his head, effortlessly avoiding their grasping hands and sidestepping their charges.

His agility was uncanny. He ducked under an outstretched arm, twisted away from another, and even managed to trip one of my guys with a well-placed leg sweep. The unfortunate gang member tumbled to the ground with a thud.

"It's useless. You can't overwhelm me with sheer numbers. If you want to defeat me, you'd need a true master in the martial arts."

"So, what you're saying is that you're a master, and we need another master to beat you?" I asked, puzzled.

"No, not at all. I'm not a master. Far from it, actually. I couldn't reach that level."

I furrowed my brow in confusion. This guy had skills, that much was clear, but he was claiming he couldn't become a master?

"I get that you're confused," he continued, "but I can't truly master a single art. I can become proficient at something, but I can't reach the pinnacle. You follow?"

I scratched my head, baffled. "Honestly, I'm not sure what you're talking about. You're not making much sense."

The guys who had surrounded him shared my confusion.

"I'm a jack of all trades, but a master of none," he explained. "I can be good at various things, but I can't become the absolute best."

That seemed like an odd weakness to have.

"Heh, so you're telling me you can't climb to the top because you're not good enough to be the best? Is that your excuse?"

"That's pretty much it," he replied.

I couldn't help but let out a mocking cackle at the irony of the situation. "Hah! So you're telling me that you can't climb to the top because you're not master material? That's rich!"

The guy shrugged, seemingly unbothered by my amusement. "Hey, it's just how things turned out for me."

I took a step forward, closing the distance between us. "Well, that's just too bad for you. Because you see, I don't need to be a master to kick your scrawny ass."

He raised an eyebrow. "Confident, are you?"

"We've been in more street brawls than I can count," I declared with a smug grin. I continued, "I've dealt with all sorts of delinquents, and they all thought they were something special. But you, you're just a guy who's good at a few tricks. I can read you like a book. I've taken down guys twice your size, and they cried for mercy. I've tamed punks in my school who thought they were top dogs. It wasn't long before they were all following my lead."

"So, you're some kind of boss of the delinquents, huh?" he asked.

"Something like that," I replied, my voice dripping with arrogance. "So be prepared to be pummeled by me!"

With that, I lunged at him. But the guy didn't move; he just stood there, not even bothering to take a defensive stance. In that split second, I realized that he was going to let me hit him. Our distance was short enough that even with his speed, I could still land a punch. But then, just as my fist was about to connect, he sighed.

"I knew it. You're just a mischievous brat after all."

Before I knew it, I was staring up at the night sky, my back on the cold concrete floor. It had happened so fast that I couldn't even comprehend how he'd managed to take me down.