"The Mad Dog" vs "Snakeman"

The blond-haired man stood several meters in front of David.

He was tall and slim, but the muscles in his arms looked solid.

Both of his hands were equipped with metal knuckle guards that gleamed under the light.

He grinned widely.

“What are you doing here?!”

David didn't answer.

His eyes were fixed on William, who was lying not far behind the man.

William’s body was still motionless.

David clenched both fists.

He lightly bounced to the right... left... right... left....

The man watched him with excitement in his eyes.

'That movement. There’s no doubt about it,' he thought.

“You’re "The Mad Dog", right? I’m Justin! I’m a big fan of yours."

David remained silent and focused.

“That signature style of "The Mad Dog",” Justin muttered.

He smiled.

“I’m really lucky. I get to meet and fight my idol."

“I don’t have time to talk to you."

Justin lowered his body.

“Alright."

His gaze sharpened.

“Let’s settle this with a fight.”

Whoosh!

Justin shot forward.

Fast.

Very fast.

David could barely see his movements.

Whiz!

A right punch aimed straight at David’s face.

David tilted his head.

Swish!

The punch only grazed his cheek.

But before David could counterattack...

Wham!

Justin’s knee slammed into his stomach.

“Ugh!” David groaned.

His body was pushed back several steps.

Justin gave him no chance.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Three punches flew toward David in rapid succession.

David blocked the first two punches.

The third one hit him.

Crack!

The metal knuckles slammed into his cheekbone.

His head was knocked to the side.

A drop of blood came from the corner of his mouth.

Justin smiled.

“Too slow.”

David wiped the blood from his lips with his thumb.

Then he gave a slight smile.

“You’re fast."

Justin looked pleased.

“But you haven’t seen my real speed yet.”

Justin attacked again.

But this time, David moved first.

Boom!

David shot forward and struck Justin’s chin with an uppercut.

Whack!

Justin’s body lifted several centimeters off the ground.

David immediately followed with a left punch to the ribs.

Pow!

Justin staggered.

David spun his body.

Thwack!

His right hook slammed into Justin’s jaw.

Justin stumbled back three steps.

A thin line of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.

He touched it.

Seeing the blood on his finger, Justin laughed softly.

“Yeah...”

His eyes lit up.

“This is it.”

David returned to his fighting stance.

Right... Left... Right... Left....

Justin raised both of his metal knuckle guards.

“This is the fight I’ve always dreamed of.”

They both moved at the same time.

Bam!

Their punches collided.

Justin attacked from the right.

David dodged.

David counterattacked.

Justin ducked.

Justin aimed for David’s stomach.

David blocked it with his elbow.

David attacked his face.

Justin blocked it.

One punch.

Two punches.

Three.

Five.

Eight.

Their movements became faster and faster.

The sound of their punches echoed in rapid succession.

Pow! Pow! Pow! Pow!

David landed a punch on Justin’s face.

Justin countered with a punch to his ribs.

David attacked again.

Justin punched his stomach.

David struck his jaw.

Justin aimed for his nose.

David dodged at the last second.

Both of them began to lose their rhythm.

Their speed had already gone beyond normal human limits.

Justin suddenly spun around.

His body twisted like a snake.

Swoosh!

His metal knuckle guard slammed into the side of David’s face.

Crack!

David staggered.

Before he could regain his balance...

Wham!

The second punch hit his cheek.

Bam!

The third punch struck his nose.

Blood immediately began to flow.

David stepped back.

Justin chased after him.

Pow!

Another punch struck David’s face.

His head snapped backward.

Blood splattered across the floor.

David tried to counterattack.

Bam!

His punch struck Justin’s stomach.

Justin winced.

David attacked again.

Whack!

A left hook slammed into Justin’s jaw.

Justin staggered.

But he didn't fall.

Instead, Justin smiled.

“You’re still strong!”

David was breathing heavily.

“Hah...”

His breathing was becoming heavier.

Justin attacked again.

David tried to dodge.

But his body was no longer as fast as before.

Wham!

The metal knuckle guard slammed into his stomach.

“Ughhh!" David groaned.

David bent forward.

Justin immediately struck his back.

Wham!

David fell with one knee touching the ground.

Justin raised his fist.

But David suddenly got back up.

Pow!

David’s punch landed directly on Justin’s face.

Justin was sent flying several meters backward.

He touched his cheek.

There was a long cut across it.

Blood dripped from the wound.

Justin laughed.

“Ha... Haha...”

David stood there, breathing heavily.

His face was already covered in wounds.

Blood flowed from his nose and mouth.

His cheek was beginning to swell.

His stomach felt as if it had been hit by a hammer over and over again.

But he was still standing.

Justin looked at him in admiration.

“"The Mad Dog"...”

He clenched both fists.

“You really deserve to be called a legend.”

David raised both hands again.

But his hands were trembling.

His stamina was almost gone.

His breathing became heavier.

“Hah... Hah... Hah...”

Justin noticed it.

“You’re getting tired.”

David didn't answer.

“I can tell from your breathing. This fight just became interesting,”Justin said as he slowly lowered his body.

David returned to his fighting stance.

Right... Left... Right....

But this time, his movements were no longer as light as before.

Justin narrowed his eyes.

“It’s time to end this.”

Whoosh!

Justin shot forward.

David tried to dodge.

Too late.

Crack!

The metal knuckle guard slammed into David’s face.

Blood splattered again.

David staggered backward.

Justin appeared right in front of him.

Wham!

The second punch struck his stomach.

Pow!

The third punch struck his jaw.

Bam!

The fourth punch struck his cheek.

David almost lost his balance.

But...

He was still standing.

Justin stopped.

David slowly raised his head.

His eyes were still sharp.

Even though his face was covered in blood, his gaze hadn't changed.

Justin fell silent.

Then he smiled.

“So this is what you’re like...”

David clenched his fists.

“I...”

His breathing was ragged.

“...am not...”

He raised his head.

“...done yet.”

Justin laughed.

“Good.”

They returned to their fighting stances.

Blood dripped onto the floor.

For several seconds, neither of them moved.

Then...

Whiz!

They shot toward each other again.

David carefully watched every movement Justin made.

His breathing was heavy.

His body was covered in wounds.

But his eyes were still sharp.

Right... Left.... Up... Down....

David began to read Justin’s attack pattern.

Justin shot forward again.

Whoosh!

A right punch aimed at David’s face.

David ducked.

The punch passed over his head.

Justin immediately spun his body and launched another attack.

But this time, David already knew where it was coming from.

David shifted half a step.

Justin’s metal knuckle guard missed again.

And in a split second, David saw an opening.

The left side of Justin’s stomach was exposed.

Without hesitation...

Pow!

David’s punch landed right there.

Justin’s eyes widened.

His body froze.

“Ugh!”

Justin was pushed back several steps.

His hand instinctively covered his left side.

“What...?”

His expression changed.

“How's that possible...?”

David gave him no time to think.

He immediately chased after him.

Bam!

The second punch hit the same spot.

Justin staggered.

“Arrghh!”

He tried to move backward.

But David kept moving forward.

Wham!

Another punch struck the left side of his stomach.

Justin winced in pain.

“Does he know about the scar on the left side of my stomach?!”

Justin’s eyes widened.

“Impossible!”

He remembered.

That scar had been there for a long time.

No one else knew about it.

Even in his previous fights, almost none of his opponents had realized that it was his weak point.

But David had found it.

Just by watching his movements.

Justin tried to defend himself.

David changed the direction of his attack.

Wham!

A right punch slammed into Justin’s cheek.

His head snapped to the side.

Pow!

A left punch followed, striking his jaw.

Justin staggered.

David targeted the left side of his stomach again.

Bam!

“Ugh!” Justin groaned.

Justin bent forward.

David didn't stop.

A punch struck his ribs.

Whack!

Another punch hit his stomach.

Thwack!

Then a right hook slammed into his face.

Crack!

Blood came from the corner of Justin’s mouth.

Justin tried to counterattack.

He raised his metal knuckle guards and swung with all his strength.

Whoosh!

David dodged.

The punch only hit the air.

David immediately closed the distance.

Thwack!

A punch struck Justin’s stomach.

Bam!

Another punch hit his ribs.

Pow!

A left hook struck his cheek.

Wham!

A right hook slammed into his jaw.

Justin had no time to react.

His body was continuously pushed backward.

“Arrghhh!”

Punch after punch rained down on his body.

David was no longer fighting casually like before.

Every punch had a purpose.

Every movement targeted the opening he'd found.

And every time Justin tried to protect the left side of his stomach...

...David attacked another part of his body.

Face.

Ribs.

Stomach.

Jaw.

Then back to the left side of his stomach.

Wham!

“Ugh!” Justin groaned.

Justin began to lose his balance.

“What’s happening...?”

His eyes trembled.

“Why can’t I keep up with him?”

David continued his attack.

Pow! Pow! Pow! Pow!

Justin tried to defend himself with both metal knuckle guards.

But his defense was slowly falling apart.

One punch broke through his guard.

Then another.

Then a third.

Justin couldn't even catch his breath.

“Arrrghhh!”

A punch from David landed directly on his face.

Justin’s head snapped backward.

Blood splattered through the air.

But David moved forward again.

Justin tried to stand straight.

“What...”

His breathing was ragged.

“Am I...”

He looked at David with trembling eyes.

“...weaker than him?”

For the first time since the fight began, Justin’s confidence disappeared.

'I’ve always admired "The Mad Dog". I always imagined what it'd be like to fight that legend of the underworld. Turns out, he’s incredibly strong! He has completely overwhelmed me...' Justin thought.

David stood right in front of him.

His own face was already covered in blood.

His breathing was heavy.

His body was also almost at its limit.

But his eyes were still the same.

Sharp.

Cold.

Deadly.

Justin tried to raise both hands.

But his body no longer responded as quickly as before.

David saw it.

An opening.

Once again...

The left side of the stomach.

David lowered his body.

Justin noticed it.

“Wait...”

Too late.

Bam!

David’s punch slammed into the left side of Justin’s stomach.

“Uagghh!” Justin groaned.

Justin’s body lifted slightly.

David immediately spun his body.

His right foot planted firmly on the ground.

He gathered all the strength he'd left into a single punch.

Justin was still bent forward.

David clenched his right fist.

“This... is over.”

Uppercut!

David’s punch struck Justin’s jaw perfectly.

Justin’s head snapped upward violently.

His body was sent flying into the air.

Justin landed several meters away.

Thud!

His body hit the ground.

He didn't move.

Silence.

David was still standing.

But his body was swaying.

His breathing was heavy.

“Hah... Hah...”

He looked at Justin, who was lying helplessly on the ground.

Then David clenched his blood-covered fist.

“Never underestimate...”

David took a deep breath.

“..."The Mad Dog".”

Several meters behind him, William, who was still half-conscious, slowly opened his eyes.

His vision was still blurry.

But this time, he could see clearly.

Justin had fallen.

And David was still standing.

William smiled slightly.

“You’re incredible, David.”

Then William lost consciousness again.

David turned toward him.

But before he could take a step...

...his own body finally gave up.

David fell to one knee.

One hand supported his body against the floor.

Blood dripped from his face.

David took several deep breaths before contacting Torino through the device in his ear.

“Torino... Hah... I... need to rest for a while,” David said, breathing heavily.

Torino didn't answer.

He sighed.

After that, a young man came out of one of the rooms.

“Aren’t you Yūto’s father?”

David turned around.

“Who are you?"

“I’m Gery, Yūto’s friend. What are you doing here?”

“I’m looking for "The Think'! Tell me where he is!”

“That’s my father’s nickname. He’s not here."

“Your father?! What’s his real name?”

“Kenji Thorne."

“Where is he? I need to see him!”

“He’s handling his business in Japan. After my mother died a few months ago, my father started going to Japan more often.”

Gery lowered his head.

“I’m sorry for your loss. Tell me where Kenji is,” David said.

Gery shook his head.

“I don’t know, but somewhere in the outskirts of Japan...”

A short while later...

Boom!

The door was destroyed and sent flying.

Two guards standing outside Kenji’s house were thrown inside.

Gery was shocked.

“Let me deal with all of them! I’m tired of waiting!” Targyan shouted, with Torino following behind him.

Gery looked at the huge man in fear.

“Who are you?”

“Don’t be afraid. He’s my friend,” David said.

Targyan immediately turned around.

“Since when are we friends?!”

David smiled.

He looked at Targyan, then turned back to Gery.

“Thanks for the information, Gery."

Gery nodded.

“Where’s your opponent?! Why did you take so long?! You made me wait too long!” Targyan shouted.

David sighed.

“Now, can you carry William to the car? "The Think" is in Japan. Looks like we need to change our route."

Targyan immediately approached William, picked him up, and carried him toward the car.

Torino looked at David.

“So you mean... We’re going to Japan?”

“Exactly."

Torino then glanced at Targyan, who was carrying William.

“But how are we going to hide that gorilla?” Torino whispered.

David chuckled.

“Haha. Don’t worry. I know someone who can help us.”

A new destination had appeared.

Japan....