I Told You that I'm a Persistent Person!
I'm not sure if I can face him in this condition. My hands haven't fully healed yet. Theo fell silent, staring at his bandaged hands. He doubted whether he could win a duel against Alessio considering his current state.
Theo then raised his head, looking at the system screen that appeared before him.
<Quest: Duel with the Infero Ravens boss!< p>
"Dark clouds gather, echoes of the call,
Riddles of battle in the open field enthrall,
With a smile, confront the challenging foe,
Your strength is tested in the dance of dust and smoke."
Category: Sub
Difficulty Level: A
Completion Requirements: Accept Alessio's challenge and defeat him in the battle!
Time Limit: 1 hour
Reward: 800,000 coins!>
If I defeat him now, I'll earn extra coins, and besides, I can make him stop forcing me to join the Infero Ravens. I don't see any harm in accepting his duel. I will beat him! Theo clenched both fists. With determination, he swiped the screen and turned to face Alessio, who was now standing before him. The man was getting ready, assuming a stance before confronting Theo.
<Timer activated!>
<01:00:00 >
After the incident where Alessio attacked him earlier, Theo immediately agreed to his request for a fight. Theo also accepted the bet Alessio offered. Theo felt this was indeed the right way to make the gang leader stop bothering him.
"What are you waiting for? Come on, step forward and try to face me!" Alessio moved his hands, signaling Theo to attack him first.
So arrogant. He wants me to be the one attacking first? Fine, no problem! I'll strike first!
Theo ran toward him. Moving toward Alessio with tightly clenched fists, he attacked Alessio with his rapid punches. Instead of fighting back, Alessio only tried to evade each of his attacks. He seemed to have no intention of counterattacking.
Theo moved his leg, attacking Alessio with a kick. Alessio, realizing the attack, instinctively used both of his hands to protect himself. Theo's attack, fueled by all his energy, momentarily made Alessio stumble, almost falling. However, Alessio managed to hold himself back from completely falling.
He's quicker than I thought. If I had been careless earlier, I might have been hit by his attack.Alessio fell silent, staring at Theo, who was now standing in front of him. They locked eyes with each other.
"You challenged me to a duel, but you didn't counterattack at all. Why do you keep avoiding every move I make?" Theo asked.
I really don't understand. Why does he seem to let me win so easily? What's his plan? Theo scrutinized Alessio with a puzzled expression.
"I was just trying to warm up and observe your movements. Facing you directly like this, I'm even more convinced that you're truly worthy of joining the Infero Ravens." Alessio smiled. He reset his stance and prepared himself. This time, he intended to attack Theo first and see how well his defensive skills held up. Alessio was genuinely curious to know if Theo could block each of his attacks or not. "I've seen enough of your abilities; now it's time for a real duel!"
I'll make you join the Infero Ravens, no matter what! Alessio charged toward Theo. With the force of his punches, he attacked Theo with all his might. Theo skillfully evaded each of Alessio's strikes. Occasionally, he retaliated with counterattacks to respond to Alessio's assaults. The fight was evenly matched, as Alessio easily countered and avoided Theo's attacks. However, it didn't last long. Theo's hand movements were too swift, and Alessio couldn't keep up with his speed for too long.
Thwack!
Theo's attack successfully landed on Alessio's nose. Alessio tumbled to the ground, momentarily surprised by Theo's effective strike. However, Alessio refused to waste time. He quickly launched a counterattack, aiming for Theo's legs and causing him to fall. Alessio swiftly moved to straddle him, restraining Theo's movements.
Alessio clenched his fists, preparing to deliver a punch to Theo's face. Theo, quick to anticipate his movements, immediately seized Alessio's attack by gripping his fists.
I can't afford to lose! Theo exerted all his strength to withstand Alessio's punch. On the other hand, Alessio persistently tried to break free from Theo's grasp, attempting to unleash the hold on his fists but failing.
He can easily withstand my fist. Even though I exerted all my strength, he's truly tough, especially in this partially recovered state. Alessio pondered. He used his other hand to attack Theo, but Theo effortlessly countered the strike.
Now, both of Alessio's clenched fists were gripped by Theo, still holding back his assault. Alessio found it extremely challenging to execute the planned attack.
Gotcha! Now it's time to use the reversal technique I've learned! Theo grinned. He shifted the grip of his hands, and in a swift motion, he redirected his hold to Alessio's wrist. His rapid movement caught Alessio off guard.
Theo shifted his body, successfully reversing their positions. Alessio found himself beneath Theo. Using the grappling technique he had learned, Theo attacked Alessio by continuously locking his movements, rendering him powerless to counterattack. Alessio could only struggle within Theo's hold, seemingly without a way to break free from his grip.
"I surrender!" Alessio exclaimed, momentarily silencing Theo as he was about to launch another attack. "As I suspected, you're indeed formidable. I can't bring myself to fight you again."
Theo released Alessio from his hold. He stood there, trying to regulate his irregular breaths. "Now what? Are you going to acknowledge your defeat?" Theo asked after successfully catching his breath.
"I admit defeat!"
<00:09:04 >
<Timer disabled!>
<The enemy has admitted defeat!>
<Quest successfully completed!>
<Reward 800,000 coins have been added because you successfully completed the quest!>
<Your current coins are: 5,391,000C>
Alessio rose from his position, trying to catch his irregular breath. He locked eyes with Theo, who still stood there.
"As I said, you're truly exceptional in martial arts. Your skills are remarkable! It's no wonder I wanted you to join the Infero Ravens," Alessio smiled.
"I've followed your request, and I hope you keep your promise!" Theo stated.
Alessio nodded. "Of course. Despite being a gangster, I always keep my word. So, there's nothing for you to worry about."
"Good. Then stop bothering me!" Theo walked away, leaving Alessio alone. Alessio fell silent, watching Theo enter the club. They had been fighting in the club's back alley, a fitting place for their brawl. Alessio smiled, seeing Theo relieved after winning their fight.
*
Creak!
The door opened. Theo abruptly halted his steps as he caught sight of Alessio standing not too far from the trash bin behind their club. He was taken aback by Alessio's presence, but Theo did his best to ignore it and focus on his task.
Theo gripped a large plastic bag filled with trash in his hand and carried it to the trash bin near Alessio. Upon arrival, Theo promptly separated all the contents of the garbage bag. While Theo was busy categorizing each piece of trash, Alessio, on the other hand, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and started to smoke.
"So, have you found an answer to my request?" Alessio inquired between drags of his cigarette. Theo abruptly stopped and shifted his attention to the man standing next to the trash bin. For a moment, their eyes locked.
"Did you forget our agreement from yesterday?"
"Agreement?"
"The bet when you challenged me to a duel! Didn't you say you're a man of your word?"
"Yes, I am a man of my word."
"Then why are you still asking, hoping that I will join the Infero Ravens?"
Alessio fell silent, furrowing his brow. "I never said I would give up on persuading you to join the Infero Ravens."
"What do you mean? You were the one who said yesterday that you—"
"It looks like you didn't pay attention to my words yesterday. When I challenged you to a duel, I said that if you lose, you have to follow my request, and if I lose, I won't attack you again. I never said I would stop trying to get you to join the Infero Ravens if you win, did I?"
Theo froze with a dumbfounded expression. He couldn't believe he had just fallen into Alessio's game. Memories of yesterday's events rushed back to his mind, and upon reflection, Alessio indeed never stated that he would stop persuading him to join the Infero Ravens if Theo won.
"Why are you silent with that surprised look? Did you mistakenly think the bet was that I would stop trying to get you to join the Infero Ravens? Hey, I told you that I'm a persistent person. Seems like you forgot to underline that part of my statement!"
Damn! Stupid me! How could I not realize his words yesterday? Theo cursed his foolishness. He truly didn't expect his situation to turn out like this, and he didn't anticipate Alessio trapping him so easily.
"It seems like you still need some time to think. Well, I'll give you a bit more time! I'll ask you again once you've found your answer to my offer. Until then, see you!" Alessio walked away, leaving Theo alone in the dimly lit alley behind the club. Theo stood there, watching Alessio disappear into the distance.
"Why am I so foolish? How could I not realize his words yesterday?!" Theo grumbled to himself. He truly felt deceived by Alessio, who effortlessly played him. With this, he probably won't ever stop persuading me to join the Infero Ravens.
***