The Best Duo

A tall figure with broad shoulders in a navy blue security guard uniform landed hard in the middle of the Black Phoenix gang, taking down five of them as he landed just before they could attack Tristin.

Seeing the security guard, Sammy frowned, folding his arms as he watched his gang members moaning in pain. "Who are you?"

"Who I am is of no concern," the man replied, looking at the Black Phoenix gang. "All you need to know is that this school is not a playground for wannabe thugs."

"Is this guard stationed here by the Ntuli Group from Goli?" Thomas wondered aloud, looking at the guard. "No, the law says all businesses can't use their own security guards; they have to hire a security company from the place they want to do business at," he reassured himself.

Thomas had been learning about business from his father, preparing to become the next head of the Ngobeni family.

"Oh my god, is this security guard crazy?" one student said, watching the Black Phoenix gang members scream in pain. "All the other guards are hiding in the guard's house next to the main entrance, and he came out. Does he want to die?"

"That's Mr. Masombuka, the new guard. He started here a month ago; maybe he doesn't know how things go around here," another student said.

"So you're just a guard," Sammy said, looking at Mr. Masombuka. "Let me warn you before you make a bigger mistake and anger the Black Phoenix, don't mess with our business. Don't you see? Even the teachers aren't here."

Mr. Masombuka chuckled. "The teachers' job is to teach. My job is to stop punks like you from disturbing the students of St. Ntuli High School," he said, meeting Sammy's gaze.

"So, do you think you can stop me from beating that kid?" Sammy asked, lighting a cigarette while eyeing Mr. Masombuka.

"Stop you? You must be joking. I came here to teach you a lesson so you won't even think about setting foot in this school ever again," Mr. Masombuka said, stretching his fingers and neck.

"You have a dirty mouth like that brat Tristin. I guess I have to sanitize both of you, then. Give them hell, boys," Sammy said, taking a drag from his cigarette.

One of the Black Phoenix guys tapped his feet and jumped toward Mr. Masombuka at lightning speed. Just as he was about to connect a punch to Mr. Masombuka's face, the guard sidestepped, and the guy flew past him. As he was about to stop, Tristin met him with a hard punch. Bang! as their fists connected, the Black Phoenix guy felt like he had hit a concrete wall.

Tristin pushed through and shattered the guy's arm; the tracksuit sleeve tore due to Tristin's qi energy. Just as the guy was about to scream in pain, he was sent flying back to the Black Phoenix gang, knocking over two others in the process before passing out.

No one reacted; everyone stood still, not knowing what had just happened.

"What's going on? Wasn't Tristin going to sit this one out since the guard is here to control the situation?" one student asked.

"Don't act surprised. Who said I was out of this fight?" Tristin asked with a smile, standing tall with his white long-sleeve shirt untucked and half unbuttoned, revealing his firm chest while the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows as the wind blew around him.

"Oh my god, he's so dashing," one girl screamed, looking at Tristin, who looked like an outlaw.

"That's my man," Lerato said, nodding in approval.

Hearing her scream, other girls followed suit with compliments.

"Showoff," Max snorted with a smile.

Mr. Masombuka looked at Tristin with a smile. "Okay, let's clean up then," he said, taking his fighting stance.

"Don't slow me down, old man," Tristin said, taking a similar fighting stance.

Mr. Masombuka chuckled but said nothing.

Seeing the two with the same fighting stance, Sammy knew these two had some kind of relationship. Lerato and a few other martial artists came to the same conclusion.

Sammy dropped the cigarette and jumped toward Mr. Masombuka at top speed, leaving an afterimage behind. If these two work together, then I must step in, he thought as he flew toward Mr. Masombuka and Tristin.

As Sammy jumped in, the other 23 members of the Black Phoenix gang followed at their fastest speed, more than ten of them almost as fast as Sammy.

Seeing this, the students were excited and afraid, taking a few steps back to avoid being caught in the war between Tristin and the Black Phoenix.

Tristin and Mr. Masombuka also jumped forward at the same speed, leaving afterimages behind, maybe even their shadows. Mr. Masombuka went for Sammy, and Tristin met the 23 Black Phoenix guys head-on.

Bang, bang, bang! Three loud collisions sounded: one between Mr. Masombuka and Sammy, and the other two from Tristin meeting two of the Black Phoenix guys who had opened the fifth meridian channel Wei.

After Mr. Masombuka and Sammy's fists collided, Sammy was sent sliding two meters back on the pavement. The power difference was clear: Mr. Masombuka was stronger than Sammy, who had opened the sixth meridian channel Chiao, while Mr. Masombuka had opened the seventh Dai.

Seeing the Azure Dragon pushed back by the security guard, people marveled.

"Did you see that? That security guard is stronger than the Azure Dragon. Damn, the school has talented guards. Where was he hiding all along?" one guy asked, his eyes wide open.

"If I was as strong as him, I'd be famous. He sure knows how to lay low," another guy said.

Lerato said nothing but folded her arms, her eyes narrowed as she wondered about the relationship between Tristin and this security guard. "Do they know each other?" she asked herself.

As the students marvel about Mr. Masombuka, Tristin had sent two of the guy flying as they scream from pain since they both had shuttered arms.

Seeing that Mr. Masombuka was stronger than him, Sammy knew he needed to team up with a few of his strongest guys to win. "Jack, Sid, let's take out this one. He's stronger than I thought," he said, massaging his right hand, his eyes narrowed. "Who is this security guard? I know all martial artist who stronger than me in Bongsburg." he asked himself.

Jack and Sid didn't waste any time and moved to Sammy's side, leaving the other guys to deal with Tristin.

"Call another two. It's still not enough," Mr. Masombuka said with a smile, looking at the three guys in front of him.

"You bastard," Sammy, Jack, and Sid shouted, gritting their teeth as they charged at Mr. Masombuka, leaving cracks in the pavement.

Mr. Masombuka didn't move at all and looked at them as they come. Just as they were about to connect their punches, Sammy aiming for the face, Jack and Sid for the chest, Mr. Masombuka tapped his foot on the ground and jumped up.

As they missed their target, Tristin appeared right in Sammy's face. "Has he finished off all more than 20 of the Black Phoenix members already?" Sammy wondered as he saw Tristin flying in with a dropkick aimed at Jack and Sid.

Bang, bang! Two loud explosions sounded as Tristin kicked both Jack and Sid in the chest with a stretched dropkick, sending them flying and unconscious before they hit the ground.

Seeing the other Black Phoenix gang members rushing behind Tristin, Sammy realized, "No, he didn't finish them off. He just switched places with the security guard. Such teamwork comes from training."

As Sammy admired Tristin and Mr. Masombuka's teamwork, Mr. Masombuka, who was in the air, came down with a flying kick to the group of Black Phoenix gang members behind Tristin, knocking more than five guys as he landed hard.

"It's like they're reading each other's minds," Lerato said, watching Tristin and Mr. Masombuka's teamwork.

Lerato was almost right about their connection. Mr. Masombuka had trained Tristin after he came home from school crying about being bullied when he was ten years old. Tristin had begged his father about learning martial arts, and his father had asked Mr. Masombuka, who came from a family of martial artists, to train Tristin. With Tristin's talent and brilliant mind, he soon caught up to Mr. Masombuka.

Mr. Masombuka respected Tristin's talent and hard work. Now, the two were no longer just teacher and student; they were best friends.

Thomas began to sweat as he saw the Black Phoenix gang losing so many members in just a few minutes. "Are we losing? Who is this security guard?" he asked himself as the air became hot from the overflowing qi energy.

Mbali also noticed. "No way. Tristin is really strong. His future is too bright. He might be poor now, but it won't be long until the entire Bongsburg knows his name. I must get him at all costs," she thought, seeing Tristin's potential.

Max was jumping up and down. "It's like they're having fun. Damn, I wish I was as strong as them. Power does bring freedom," he thought, watching Tristin and Mr. Masombuka smile at each other as they side seeing each other.

At the center of the parking lot, Tristin and Mr. Masombuka stood back-to-back. Tristin looked at the seven remaining Black Phoenix members, now a bit scared to attack, while Mr. Masombuka faced Sammy, who had a frown on his face.

"Wasn't this supposed to be a piece of cake? We were supposed to take Thomas's car back and take care of the guy in the Ferrari, but who would have thought there would be such a strong security guard at this school?" the remaining Black Phoenix members asked each other.

"This has gone way wrong. Who is this security guard?" Sammy wondered. "If we don't get Thomas's car, the Ngobeni family will be on the boss's case. And if we lose to a security guard and a teenage boy, the reputation of the Black Phoenix gang will be destroyed," he thought, narrowing his eyes at Mr. Masombuka and Tristin.

"Are you keeping up, Mr. Masombuka?" Tristin asked, still back-to-back with Mr. Masombuka.

Mr. Masombuka chuckled. "I haven't even broken a sweat. Let's wrap this up with the Kappa Bird Dance," he said.

"Oh hell no, don't get carried away. You can't kill a fly with a cannon. We can't show our best tricks yet; it's too early for that," Tristin said.

"You're right. After not having a fight for so long, I almost got carried away," Mr. Masombuka said, bending as if he were about to run a race. Tristin did the same.

"Father needs to know about this security guard," Thomas thought, watching Mr. Masombuka and Tristin talk while standing back-to-back.

"The Black Phoenix can't beat Tristin and the security guard. Did we overestimate the Azure Dragon?" one girl asked with a frown, looking at more than 20 Black Phoenix guys moaning in pain while others were unconscious.

"You might be right. Thirty of them, plus the Azure Dragon, can't even beat a teenage boy and an old security guard," another one said, folding his arms.

"Maybe Tristin is too strong for them," one girl said, looking at Tristin and then at Lerato, who stood silently, her narrowed gaze fixed on Tristin. "I sure envy her," she thought.

"If this goes on like this, it will be the end of me. The reputation of the Black Phoenix will be tarnished," Sammy thought, trying to listen to Tristin and Mr. Masombuka. "Kid, didn't you say if Thomas wants his car, he needs to challenge you again, and I also need to do the same?" Sammy asked.

Tristin saw through his thoughts. He smiled, not even looking at Sammy, who was face-to-face with Mr. Masombuka. "That deal is now in the drain. This is a street fight, not a duel. And besides, what can you bring that would match my Ferrari?" Tristin said aloud.

"You'll be betting the Golf 7, not your Ferrari. And I'll be betting my AMG Mercedes," Sammy said, thinking, "At this rate, we will lose this fight. But if I can fight the kid one-on-one, I might win back Thomas's car, and the boss won't punish me."

"I've decided to give Mr. Masombuka the Golf 7. If you want it, you'll have to fight him for it. Do you still want a duel, or should we continue?" Tristin asked with a smile.