Revenge Fight!

They halted their steps in the back alley of the club. Alessio and his henchmen fell silent, facing Dante, who stared at them sharply. "So, you want to settle this the old-fashioned way?" Dante spoke.

"Of course. Besides, isn't it unfair to attack the weak? You should be facing opponents who match your abilities!"

"Tsk! You're always meddling!" Dante turned his face away, despising the Infero Ravens for constantly interfering in his affairs, like now. "I'm just trying to honor the club owner by protecting his staff. Why do you look disappointed? It looks like you're a coward, huh? You just want to bully the weak!"

"You talk a lot. But that's fine. In the end, even if you all challenge me to a fight here, you'll be the ones losing! So, step up and face me!" Dante and his henchmen quickly set their stances, ready to fight with Alessio and his gang.

"Before that, I want a fair fight. No one's using weapons, just bare-knuckle fighting."

"You think we're scared?"

"One more thing. If you all lose, you ain't allowed to set foot here again!"

"So, you want to bet? Okay, no problem. Because in the end, you all are the ones who will leave!" Dante sprinted toward Alessio, launching a direct attack. He threw a flurry of punches at Alessio's face, but Alessio skillfully blocked each blow with both hands.

"You won't be able to win!" Dante grinned, relentlessly pressing the assault and cornering Alessio, preventing him from counterattacking. Dante kicked Alessio, almost causing him to stumble. Fortunately, Alessio's legs were still strong enough to withstand the force. "I don't want to play with you any longer, 'cause I ain't got the time."

Dante closed in on Alessio. Without further ado, Alessio launched a counterattack, sprinting towards Dante and unleashing a rapid series of punches. Unfortunately, Dante was adept at evading, making Alessio's strikes completely miss. Not wanting to prolong the confrontation, Dante occasionally retaliated with even more brutal punches and kicks than before.

Chaos erupted in the dimly lit alley. No one noticed what was happening there due to the inadequate lighting and the street becoming deserted. The battle between the Bloodhound Cartel and the Infero Ravens erupted instantly. They attacked each other, exchanging blows and brutal kicks, resulting in injuries for each side involved in the fierce confrontation.

Thud!

Dante once again struck Alessio, who found himself increasingly cornered by the relentless assault. This time, Dante's attack successfully brought Alessio down to the ground, battered and bruised. "Let me warn you! It's better if you stop meddling in other people's business!" Dante approached Alessio, who now sat on the ground, trying to gather his strength.

Pain radiated throughout Alessio's body, and it wasn't just that; several parts of him were bruised, and some wounds were bleeding from the excessively brutal attacks. Alessio fell silent for a moment, attempting to catch his breath. Having been away from battling the Bloodhound Cartel for some time, Alessio hadn't expected their abilities to escalate so rapidly. He even sensed that Dante had grown stronger since their last battle.

Damn! How did he become stronger than before? Alessio winced in pain. His attention suddenly shifted when he saw his henchmen also falling to the Bloodhound Cartel. Many of them lay injured, some unable to stand and fight. Witnessing this, Alessio couldn't stay idle. He attempted to rise and launch a counterattack, but unfortunately, his body was too weak, requiring some time to stand.

"It seems it's time to end all of this. I don't want to spend any more time dealing with you!" Dante sprinted towards Alessio, launching a brutal attack. Alessio tried to evade, but Dante swiftly grabbed him, locking his movements by sitting on Alessio and relentlessly pounding him. Alessio struggled to break free but failed, only being able to shield his face from Dante's relentless assault with both hands.

Simultaneously, Alessio's henchmen, witnessing their boss in danger, attempted to come to his aid. They intended to intervene, trying to stop Dante from attacking Alessio, but the Bloodhound Cartel swiftly halted their movements with ruthless strikes. The Infero Ravens were pushed back, struggling to face their attackers, especially since they were already weakened from the previous fight.

Stab!

"ARGGHHH!" The scream instantly drew everyone's attention to the source of the sound. As everyone turned to look, they saw one of the Infero Ravens members injured, a knife slashing across his upper arm. The man crumpled to the ground, grimacing in pain.

"Zen!" The Infero Ravens grew anxious as they witnessed one of their members being wounded by a knife wielded by a Bloodhound Cartel operative. Seeing this, other Infero Ravens members couldn't stand idly by. Their group divided, with some attempting to assist Zen while others rushed to aid Alessio. The fight became even more chaotic as all Bloodhound Cartel members drew their weapons, launching a relentless assault on the Infero Ravens, leaving them no chance to use their own weapons.

Infero Ravens members who managed to separate Dante from their boss soon realized the grim situation. Their comrades lay injured, some unconscious and bleeding profusely. They were unsure of their condition—whether they were still alive or lifeless.

Among the Infero Ravens members who fought earlier, only five remained, while the Bloodhound Cartel still stood in full force. They all bore injuries from the blows, not sharp object wounds like Infero Ravens's counterparts.

Dante shifted his attention as he noticed his henchmen approaching, standing by his side. They blocked any escape routes, leaving Alessio and the remaining Infero Ravens members with no means of fleeing. The only way for them to survive was to fight back, but unfortunately, their remaining strength was dwindling.

"Good job. You all are the most reliable I've got! Now, let's end this!" Dante reached into his jacket, pulling out a switchblade gripped tightly in his hand. Without hesitation, they launched an attack on the Infero Ravens, ensuring that this would be the final confrontation of their lives.

Alessio and his remaining members refused to surrender easily. They retaliated with the little strength they had left, but the imbalanced numbers left the Infero Ravens cornered once again. Eventually, they had no choice but to evade and wait for the opportune moment to counterattack.

On the other side, as the tumultuous battle raged with thunderous crashes, the sounds of slashing, and bloodstains everywhere, Theo emerged from the club through the back door. He intended to check on what was happening between the Infero Ravens and the Bloodhound Cartel. Unfortunately, upon arriving, Theo was immediately shocked by the gruesome scene of the intense confrontation between the two factions. The fight continued until both the Infero Ravens and the Bloodhound Cartel came to a halt in front of him.

Theo fell silent, his face displaying astonishment. He truly didn't expect this to happen. What's happening? Did they lose? But how? I thought they were skilled fighters.

Theo truly didn't expect the Infero Ravens to lose to the Bloodhound Cartel. But upon assessing the situation, he realized that the fight was entirely unfair. The Bloodhound Cartel fought with weapons, while the Infero Ravens fought bare-handed. Observing this imbalance fueled Theo's frustration. He grew even more infuriated with the Bloodhound Cartel for always attacking with weapons.

"Didn't I tell you that, in the end, you'd lose to my members?"

"You win because you always play dirty! You don't dare fight with your bare hands, huh? Cowards!"

I can't just stand by while the Infero Ravens are struggling like this. I have to help them. But the Bloodhound Cartel's numbers are too overwhelming. Theo clenched both fists tightly. For some reason, he felt a strange surge within his body. Theo could sense his adrenaline pumping and his heart racing, and it was as if he could feel an extraordinary energy that he might be able to harness to confront the Bloodhound Cartel with his abilities.

"YOU!" Dante suddenly shouts towards Theo, causing everyone to turn in the direction he's looking. In an instant, everyone present focuses on Theo standing there. "GOOD YOU SHOWED UP LIKE THIS. THAT WAY, I DON'T HAVE TO BOTHER LOOKING FOR YOU INSIDE THE CLUB AGAIN. NOW I'M GOING TO FINISH YOU ALONG WITH THIS GARBAGE GANG!" Dante gazes sharply at Theo, smiling slyly in his direction. His hands tightly gripped the knife he held.

<Ding! >

<Quest accepted!>

<Quest: Cripple the enemy!< p>

"In the game of life, enemies come fiercely,

Hidden riddles, face them one by one.

The light of your eyes is like a deadly sword,

Paralyze them, fight one by one."

Category: Sub

Difficulty Level: A

Completion Requirements: Cripple all members of the Bloodhound Cartel (0/13)

Time Limit: 1 hour 

Reward: 500,000 coins for every enemy you successfully cripple!>

A system panel suddenly appeared in front of him, capturing Theo's attention as he shifted his focus to the screen. Theo fell silent, observing the screen displaying a new quest that he had just received.

A new quest? The previous one just appeared, and now there's another one? And what's this? The time limit is only one hour? Defeat the thirteen members of the Bloodhound Cartel within one hour? Can I do it? I don't even know the extent of my abilities. If I lose, I might end up dead at their hands again.

<Ding! >

<"In the game of life, enemies come fiercely,< p>

Hidden riddles, face them one by one.

The light of your eyes is like a deadly sword,

Paralyze them, fight one by one."

Do you want to give up just like that after what they've done to you?>

Theo furrowed his brow. He didn't understand why a new sentence suddenly popped up after the quest notification. This wasn't something that usually happened. But reading the words on the display instantly silenced Theo. The sentence there seemed to vividly depict what was happening at the moment.

Theo suddenly recalled what the Bloodhound Cartel had done to him. They had robbed him and stabbed him repeatedly until he was on the brink of death. Not only that, they were the ones who made Theo lose all the hard-earned money he had.

He clenched both fists tightly, his jaw stiffening, and his emotions surged, reigniting his determination for revenge. Theo confidently swiped the screen in front of him, causing it to disappear.

I ain't giving up just like that before facing them and getting back what's rightfully mine. What did you say earlier? Cripple all of them within an hour? Well then, I'll muster all my abilities to cripple all of them within the designated time and complete this quest!

<Ding! >

<Cripple all the Bloodhound Cartel members within an hour (0 13)< p>

Note: Finish the fight within 1 hour before your fellow employees realize you're not around to do your job!

<Timer activated!>

<01:00:00 >

Theo walked through the crowd of Infero Ravens now standing before him. Alessio and his henchmen immediately glanced at him, noticing the man walking past them without a hint of fear. On the other side, Dante, observing Theo approaching, was quite surprised by Theo's boldness. The man grinned as he watched Theo draw nearer until he stood in front of Alessio.

He's got some guts. It seems like he can't wait for me to beat him up like last time. But this time, I won't let you escape. I'll make sure you die in my hands tonight. Only then can I stop worrying about the cops. Dante widened his smile, staring at Theo sharply.

"What are you doing? Are you crazy? It's better for you to leave and save yourself. Let us handle it. Please don't interfere," Alessio whispered, looking at Theo, who stood with his back to him.

"I have business with them, and it's about time I settle my score," Theo replied without turning towards him.

"They're not your match."

"It's hunting time. ATTACK!" Dante shouted, instructing all his henchmen to attack simultaneously. Theo could see them now running towards him, weapons in hand.

Theo tightened his fists even more. His heart raced, and adrenaline surged to the point where he could truly feel that the hesitation he had felt before was no longer present within him.

<00:59:59 >

"No chance to retreat!" mumbled Theo, then ran confidently toward Dante. Alessio and his henchmen, witnessing this, didn't stand idle. They all tried to assist Theo by dealing with the other members of the Bloodhound Cartel. The fight resumed, filling the once calm night with the clamor of their battle.

Dante leaped with both feet, his body soaring as he lifted both hands, holding two switchblades. With a smile on his face, he intended to stab Theo in the head with his knives. Fortunately, Theo could anticipate his attack, giving him a chance to evade. Theo halted his steps and leaped backward just before Dante's strike could land.

Thud!

Dante landed with both knives in his hands, nearly stabbing them into the ground. He immediately looked up, staring at Theo with the gaze of a killer. "Not bad," he commented.

"But you won't be able to dodge my other attacks!" Dante ran and immediately attacked Theo with both of his knives. He directed the blades with horizontal movements, alternating the assault from two directions. Theo parried each strike with his bare hands, restraining Dante's arms before the knives could reach his body. Dante's relentless attacks forced Theo to step back. He continued to parry, moving backward to buy enough time before counterattacking.

"You'll never beat me! Tonight will be your last night seeing this world!" Theo gripped Dante's wrist, restraining his movement as the knife aimed for his chest. They locked eyes at close range.

"I won't let that happen!" Theo stared back with equal intensity.

<00:58:42 >

Theo forcefully pushed Dante's body, causing him to be instantly pushed backward. Both of Dante's feet made a sound from the friction between the ground and his shoes. Dante was taken aback by what had just happened. He truly didn't expect Theo to retaliate with such force.

He just pushed me? Seriously? But how does he have this kind of ability? It feels like it's not him. Various questions raced through Dante's mind. It was challenging to believe how Theo could attack him. Despite that, Dante sensed something different. He adjusted his stance, grinning once again as he stared at Theo, who stood not far from him.

On the other side, Theo fell silent, gazing at his palms. Not only was Dante surprised by what just happened, but Theo was equally shocked by what he did. This... how could I attack him like that? Is it because of the abilities I have?

<Ding! >

<Martial arts ability has improved!>

Theo smiled as he looked at the system screen in front of him. So, it's true? I just used my abilities? Unbelievable!

"This is going to be interesting!" Dante muttered as he prepared to attack Theo.

***