The Marketplace

Yu Mengyao stops spinning and pauses for a while. He still looks strong on the outside standing tall and upright but deep inside he was insanely dizzy from the spinning that he did.

"Let's see if you'll still thank me when your body is all beaten up."

Alexius stood there for a while as if he was waiting for something until he lunges to Yu Mengyao. Unleashing a powerful barrage of punches and kicks, Yu Mengyao was overwhelmed as he barely defends himself from the attack.

After the attack, Yu Mengyao drops on one knee with his hammer supporting his balance. It was evident that he took a lot of damage from the attack leaving the watchers on the sides to be in disbelief.

"How does a kid like that even damage that guy with that fortress like body."

"Unbelievable, is he some kind of fighting genius or something."

Cross just smiles as if he was gonna hit it big so early in the morning. The fight that Alexius brought him was a true blessing.

"I underestimated you kid."

Alexius' eyes perk up as he did not expect his opponent to be stronger than he is right now.

"Is boss gonna use his all to beat that kid?"

"I don't think this is gonna end well."

Yu Mengyao stands upright and takes a stance. His face was serious and his focus and concentration was unbreakable. He was full of murderous intent that even the watchers took a step back subconsciously.

"I give you my respect Yu Mengyao, as a sign of respect I'll take you out honorably."

Alexius goes near to a person who is selling bamboo sticks and takes one. Using his hand, he cuts it up to his preferred size and returns to the makeshift arena. As soon as he takes up a stance, everyone turned quiet including Cross. His childish and cheerful demeanor disappears. No one nearby can explain why but they all felt terrified of Alexius. Even Yu Mengyao felt this as sweat appears on his forehead.

As if time slowed down, the two charged at each other with Yu Mengyao taking the offensive unleashing powerful hammer strikes while Alexius casually dodges all of it without breaking a sweat.

Yu Mengyao falls back and prepares for a powerful attack. Putting all of his strength in his arms. His hammers swing grew stronger, faster, and fiercer. It was as if the heavy iron hammer was reduced to the weight small carpenter's hammer.

Feeling the strength of his attack Alexius quickly evades all of his hammer strikes. When the chance to attack shows up as Yu Mengyao messes one of his attacks. Alexius quickly jumps up high in the air with his bamboo stick.

"Give it everything you got; I Yu Mengyao will take your attack" The proud Yu Mengyao tenaciously shouted.

Descending from the air with both of his arms holding the bamboo stick ready to strike down on his enemy. Everyone in the area felt how vicious the attack was going to be. Even Cross had a shocked expression on his face.

As the bamboo stick was about to hit Yu Mengyao a loud shout was heard.

"Alexius breakfast is ready" Cross Shouted desperately.

But it was too late, the force of his attack was so great that the large cracks appeared on the roads and dust covered the whole area. No one knew what had happened or how the match had ended. All they could do was wait for the dust to settle and see it for their own eyes.

"Look at the cracks on the ground!"

"Who in the Dragon's name is that kid?"

Yu Mengyao saw it all and heard it all. At the last moment Alexius purposefully missed him. He knew that if the Tavern owner didn't shout to Alexius he would've undoubtedly died then and there.

Alexius' shout was heard from then dust. Making the watchers think that the Alexius had won the fierce battle.

"Really Cross? I am really starving right now" Alexius shouted delightedly.

"Yeah, now come on in before it gets cold."

As the dust settles, the watchers nearby see Yu Mengyao frozen on his stance with disbelief on his face. He fell down on his knees and his hammer on the ground. It was as if his spirit was broken.

Coming in the tavern was a hungry Alexius and a happy cross with a chest full of coins in his hands with weeping people on his back.

"You are a great fighter Yu Mengyao you are worthy of my respect" Alexius said seriously.

Yu Mengyao looks at Alexius and stands up and walks away with his gang members.

"Hey boss you must be really strong to withstand an attack like that."

"It didn't hit."

"What?"

"His attack with the bamboo. It didn't hit me." Yu Mengyao said as he walks away. "His attack didn't hit anything."

Everyone who was listening to Yu Mengyao were all speechless and in disbelief.

"He isn't a man we should mess with anymore" Yu Mengyao said in a serious tone.

***

Inside the Cross Ant Tavern, a morning feast was being served. Alexius was being served different kind of delicacies such as fried rice, various roasted meat, dumplings, Cross Style Mashed Potatoes, and the tavern specialty "Ant Style Egg Noodle Soup".

Alexius was-wide eyed and incredibly happy seeing all the different kinds of food that was being served to him. The other customers in the tavern could only look at envy. Some contemplated to try and steal his food but remembering what happened earlier, they felt chills run down on their spine.

"I know that you're strong, but I didn't know that you were that Strong kid" Cross said in disbelief.

"There is so much more that you don't know about me my dear friend Cross" Alexius said with a smirk on his face.

"I gotta ask, that attack with the bamboo earlier, could that end his life?"

"You underestimate Yu Mengyao too much; it would have knocked him out and give him a few injuries. But what about you? How do you think you'd fare?"

"You know me Alexius, I'm just a middle-aged tavern owner selling alcohol and food. Of course, I can" Cross said jokingly.

"HaHaHaHa! You never fail to amaze me."

The two continue to engage in conversation for a while until Alexius finishes up all the food not even leaving a single grain of rice on the plate much to the disappointment of the other people in the tavern who were eagerly waiting for leftovers.

"See you later Cross."

***

In the marketplace, it was the same view as always. Customers in the rundown stalls bargaining for cheaper deals, dirty drunkards sleeping on the alleys, garrison soldiers arresting a criminal, little kids playing around with some toys and items on the sidewalks, peddlers who lost their merchandise, and out of place foreigners who are seemingly lost.

Alexius' walks casually through the area looking for something to eat in the stalls or is waiting for a fight to breakdown. While looking at some of the foods in a stall, a foreigner wearing a cone shaped bamboo hat carrying two elegant swords bumped into him. Alexius was surprised since he did not feel his presence.

"I apologize, I am not accustomed to walking in such crowded places."

"It's fine, it happens a lot" Alexius casually said. "Do you need help?"

"Indeed, I do, I need to find someone in this country. I received a tip that she might come here in the marketplace."

"What do she look like? I might know something."

"She is a person of incredible beauty and strength.…."

Before the foreigner could finish Alexius interrupts him.

"Then you're right to be here, she usually visits the marketplace at this time."

The foreigner's face lights up as he hears the words of Alexius.

"Do you know her? Can you accompany me until we find her?"

"Everyone knows her and If you treat me some food there will be no problem" Alexius said with a smirk.

"Then I shall treat you as much as you want until we find her" The foreigner said as he extends his hand to Alexius.

"It is a deal" Alexius said as he shakes the hand of the foreigner which surprises him greatly.

The duo continued to explore the marketplace with Alexius giving the foreigner a mini tour of the place. The foreigner was surprised of how different the culture and norms here compared to his homeland. He was intrigued on the different ways of this country.

"Is the marketplace always this lively?"

"Lively? You're mistaken. There's nothing lively about this place. Look closely and you'll see this place reeks of desperation and suffering" Alexius said seriously.

Surprised by the sudden shift of his mood, the foreigner can't help but wonder and looked at the people closely. Struck by the realization of what he saw, his expression quickly turned sour.

He saw countless customers asking for unreasonable bargains for an already cheap merchandise, the drunkards sleeping on the alley were actually men who got robbed, the garrison soldiers weren't really arresting a criminal but rather abusing their power to play with the innocent, little kids being exposed to crime at such an age by stealing from the poor and hopeful peddlers, and seemingly oblivious foreigners who got scammed.

"I apologize for my ignorance" the foreigner sincerely said.

As the two were talking, they heard a commotion in the streets.