43 THE WOLF AND THE SHEEP (2/2)
”Funnier?” Limon's brows furrowed, ”What are you talking about?”
”He made the rest of the contestants follow him for as long as he's in the ice dumpster, didn't he?”
”Yeah, so?”
”Nothing,” Lirzod loosened his arms, face turning a bit rosy. ”He said that he would make them live with sheep if they didn't obey his words, but even if they did, they are all directly becoming sheep by following him even though it would automatically mean they are bound to fail the deck test. From the beginning, he only gave them all two options: either be with sheep or become a sheep yourself.”
Limon's eyes bulged as he spoke in a disbelieving voice, ”So that's how it was. Either live with sheep or live like a sheep.” An enervating chill crawled over his spine. ”It all makes sense now. That bastard, he never bothered to bat an eye for those who were weak.” His neck reddened more as words spewed out of his mouth, ”Beating a weaker opponent was one thing, but I even saw him torture the defeated ones and either make them join his group, or get a few of their limbs broken or organs stolen.”
”That guy is quite a crook than I assumed.” Lirzod smiled, quirking an eyebrow. ”But I think I can understand his actions if I look from his point of view.”
”What do you mean?” Limon gnashed his teeth. ”You surely can't justify all the tortures he put people through.”
”There's no need to justify anything.”
”I don't get it. Then how are you..?”
”If that guy thinks he's a wolf and everyone weaker than him is a sheep, then it's easy to understand why he never cares about the worries of the weak,” Lirzod posture relaxed further, ”just like how we never see a wolf grieve to a sheep's cry on the grounds that they didn't grow up together.”
Limon didn't know what to say. He still didn't like Geragorn's actions, but at the same time, he also couldn't disagree with what Lirzod just said; however, he didn't have much time to think, for his eyes enlarged upon detecting an approaching mountain in the form of an eight-feet-tall frame that exuded attitude.
Lirzod who saw Boksa's reflection in Limon's eyes was surprised a bit. ”It was nice meeting you, Limon,” Saying that he ran past him.
”W-Wait!” Limon said, but Lirzod didn't stop. As his eyes lay on Boksa, determination welled up in them. (I wanted to build my fame by beating Geragorn, but I don't think I can do it by myself yet. If I can get a few pointers from Brother Lirzod and boost up my strength, I might gain enough courage to one day stand before Geragorn again, but for now…) His lips curled up as came straight in his direction. All the hunger that had developed in his heart over the past few months, the drive to prove himself began to kick in like never before. (I will stop this guy first and get a good impression in the eyes of Brother Lirzod.) He went straight toward Boksa. ”Brown Hill! I'm Limon the Lemon Licker. How about I lick the lemon out of you?” He unleashed his sizable fist into Boksa's belly. ”Lemon Licking Fist!”
A seemingly threatening punch pummeled into Boksa's belly only to get full absorbed as if it was nothing but a baby punch.
”That tickles…” Boksa glanced down at Limon who himself was six-and-half-feet tall. ”I'm not in the mood to play with you. Besides, I don't lick lemons. I squeeze them dry.” He grabbed Limon's arm and pulled him closer before binding him in a formidable hug that reddened Limon's face as he felt like all the bones in his body were on the verge of breaking. He couldn't even shout, and by the time Boksa let go of him, he felt like all the energy was sucked out of him, for he later crumbled to his knees and looked like a lifeless sheep.
Through the mic, the referee expressed himself in a sarcastic style, cocking his head weirdly, ”This is what happens when a hippo tries to fight an elephant in shallow waters. It gets taught a life lesson, or should I say 'a lemon lesson' in this case?”
Many members among the audience cackled and broke into a burble upon hearing the referee's words.
”How did Lemon Licker perish?”
”By drowning in his own lemon juice, haha.”
Most men pitilessly jeered at him which Limon's ears heeded right before he passed out.
In that instant, the referee perceived that Boksa was chasing after Lirzod. After pondering a moment, he continued, ”We all know that it's God who gives us food, but that doesn't mean he'll cook it and put it in our mouths. In the same way, he doesn't put a sheep in the wolf's mouth. Does anyone have anything to say?” He pointed the mic in the directions of the audience.
”Yeah,” the crowd roared in response, ”the wolf has to get the sheep or go starving!”
Howbeit, the audience had no idea that their words further aggravated Boksa's temper. ”Shut up, you bloody sheep!” he howled aloud, startling the audience and even some other contestants. Lirzod also momentarily stopped and gazed back. Breathing somewhat heavily, Boksa was staring right at Lirzod. ”Mountain Roll!”
With a forward roll, he fell to the floor, dipping his whole body into the water at once and rolled like a cylinder, effortlessly pushing his way through the water while his massive frame crushed whatever ice spikes that greeted him. Cold rain showered on many contestants as water splashed all around in the vicinity of the shortest path he took to reach Lirzod.
”Crap! Brown Hill is coming this way!”
”He's gone nuts!”
”Get out of his path, or you'll get rolled over!”
Most contestants in the ice dumpster began to freak out, particularly the ones clashing in between Boksa and his current target.
Just as Boksa closed in on Lirzod at a great pace, Aziz, who had his hands placed on his back all this while, finally brought them forward and slipped them into the water. ”First Flap of the Five - Hector's Mist.”