48 REACHING OUT FISTS (2/2)
”That's…” Upon some inspection, the man was still unsure. ”I'm not sure. Either way, I still can't believe it.”
”Hmph, you think you can freely move around such a figure if it's fully made of fat? Without muscle, you'll be tired right away,” Limon said, staring at Brown Hill. ”That bastard is similar to Darling Twins. Though they are heavier than Hardy Brothers, they are still better at balancing their bodies.” He lightly clenched his fists. (I can't even imagine how much they must have trained for it. How long will it take for me to catch up to these freaks?)
”B-But Hardy Brothers aren't bad movers at all. You are talking as if they are nothing compared to Brown Hill.”
”Well, Hardy Brothers are strong, but compared to Brown Hill, they seem to be lacking in both training and experience,” Limon said. ”Looking at how two of those brothers couldn't even keep their eyes open when Boksa attacked them, I must say, they have a lot more room to improve.”
”What?” the man refused to believe Limon's words. ”Don't talk like you've seen if their eyes were open or not from this far.”
Limon chortled. ”I agree that I didn't see, but still, if you can't see the incoming blow, your body won't brace itself for impact. That's probably the reason for their fall and not solely due to Boksa's strength. After all, some sacrifice of power is necessary for throwing four fast and consecutive punches.”
”Then, he can't severely injure them all at the same time, which means the brothers are still at an advantage,” the man seemed a bit excited.
”Of course, most can't fight their way through the advantage in numbers. An alpha wolf may be the strongest of the group, but it still can't easily fight four fearsome wolves at the same time. If Brown Hill isn't careful, he'll probably get taught a nice lesson.” Expectation could be felt in Limon's words. ”Either one or five stretchers will be in use by the end of their fight.”
”You have said so much,” the man raised one of his brows, ”but... didn't you get one-shotted by Brown Bill in the last round?”
Limon's was startled, for each word of that man felt like a needle that penetrated his pride. ”Shut up!” He squeezed the lemon juice onto the man's face. ”Smug Spray!”
”What the hell, man!” the man ran away from the spot in annoyance.
”Tch, he made me waste so many drops,” Limon resumed licking the lemon piece.
Meanwhile, Boksa pumped his fists against each other, having warded off the brothers' attacks once again. ”Stop right now if you don't want your useless fat made into candles.” His cocky smile rubbed up the brothers' faces the way it should.
”Brown Hill, don't butt in our business,” Betts rebuked, his blood pressure steadily spiking. ”Move if you don't want to get beaten like a dog.”
”But the thing is… I do want to get beaten like a dog,” Boksa said, taking even breaths. ”Still, no one even wants to bother me.”
Betts could see that Lirzod had already made quite some distance from them, and it boiled his blood. He looked at the other three brothers, ”you three, leave this one to me and go after that brat.”
”Yes, brother,” Centry, Divas, and Fimbry took off in different directions, irking Boksa.
Right away, Boksa chased after the Centry, the closest one, but Betts blocked his way.
”You have to get past me first, dog,” Betts put his fists to work.
In the meantime, Lirzod, Sariyu, and Burton were still yet to disappear out of the brothers' sight. Because Sariyu's breath was laboring—thanks to inhaling an unpleasant gas earlier—they couldn't pick up their speeds any further.
”Let me carry you,” Burton suggested, ”and we can get out of here fast.”
”No,” Sariyu straight out turned down his offer, ”the brothers maybe faster in the ice dumpster but not here. Even at our current pace, we can make it.”
All the three brothers converged on them from behind.
Sensing the increasing presence of the brothers on their tail, Lirzod felt like escaping without a fight was impossible.
”Stop those three,” Centry shouted, ”Whoever stops them will get one gold.”
The audiences, who relished the spectacle until that moment, now sprang into action, their eyes sparkling with lust for gold.
”I'm gonna get them!”
”No, the early bird gets the worm.”
”I'm the early bird. Those worms are mine!”
”Haha, you can have the worms—the gold is mine!”
In under five seconds, people blocked off all the paths of the three youngsters, but just as fast, they began to fight among themselves on who should get the prize money.
As the brothers closed in with smiling faces, Sariyu and Burton clenched their fists as they looked at each other faces. Just then, Lirzod walked past the two and yelled, ”I'm Lirzod.” His voice didn't have an effect on the arguing men; however, he continued with an even louder voice, ”I'm Lirzod, and whoever halts the brothers while howling my name out will get a chance to become her bodyguard!” he pointed his fingers toward Sariyu, producing a dumb look on her visage.
”Eh?” some men suddenly shifted their attention toward Lirzod.
”What? I didn't hear clearly.”
”Me too. I heard something about being a bodyguard or something. Can you come again?”
”I'm Lirzod.” Lirzod roared, ”Beat the brothers in my name, and you might just become her bodyguard.” He pointed his forefinger toward Sariyu again.
Everyone around those three fell into silence upon hearing that.
”Hehe, as if such a stupid tactic would work!” Centry dashed through the masses, and he was the closest to the three. But just as he got within twenty feet distance, men abruptly made a stiffer wall between him and the three youngsters. The same was the case for the other two brothers. ”You bloody bastards! What are you..?” Centry barked at the men.
”In the name of Lirzod, we bloody bastards will have to beat you,” the men attacked the brothers without a second thought. ”Nothing personal, brothers.”
Though the brothers could still fight the ones around them, the number was just too much for them to handle in so short of a time. All they could do was watch as their foes swiftly snaked through the masses and distanced themselves.
Lirzod, meanwhile, chuckled as he spoke with Sairyu. ”Look, I've turned everyone against them.”
”You've certainly overplayed things this time,” Burton said, eyes narrowed, and his stare boring into Lirzod. ”Who knows which guy will come to us afterward saying that he wants to become her bodyguard?”
”I am not taking any bodyguard,” Sariyu hastily said in a sharp tone, ”if someone comes to me, I will send them to you.”
”Haha,” Lirzod grinned. ”Then their day will be a total waste of time.”
At the same time, seeing that his plan didn't succeed, Betts frowned inwardly as his fists stormed into Boksa's face nonstop. (You might escape from us now, but our fists will one day reach your face without a shred of a doubt. And that day is not far, and I swear we'll make it your worst nightmare.)
Thoughts drifting elsewhere, Boksa took the punches without even worrying to block them. (Lirzod—the fire in my belly cannot be quenched until your bones bathe in it. For now, have fun and fatten up. One day, I will make a good lizard soup out of you.)
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[1] Planting a ladder on the heavens:This is an idiom mostly used by the people of the East. Trying to plant a ladder on the ground is deemed to be prudent;trying to plant a ladder on the sky is deemed to be ardent; trying to plant a ladder on the heavens is deemed to be imprudent.